Org Promotion

[edyzmedieval]

Patience my young (old? ) Padawan.

This will be a bit long.

This is not about the front page, or any other page apart from the forum in itself. The detail where the content is going to come from - we have members who offered themselves to provide content, just above, in this thread. And that's just one example. We still have TW players - myself included, who can provide content. There's hundreds of YouTubers who only require an invitation to come here and post their videos and encourage discussion, alongside them becoming members and actively participating. Why would they do that? Free promotion. We have members, we have guests, we have lurkers - we can provide the views they need. We want their content, they want the views. It's a win-win situation for both sides, if done correctly.

This is not in any way about the front page or anything other than the forum in itself - you have people posting content, and this will encourage discussion, especially if later down the road we can manage some Org contests with the people who create this content.

You can argue that we're bringing people who are interested only for our views - not so. In order for them to have a following that allows them to get the views they want, they themselves have to encourage discussion. It's complex, but it's workable.

And what type of content? Any type that showcases TW. Videos, let's play's, photographs/screenshots, walkthroughs, AARs... anything goes.

Rehashing old ideas just to see if they work again is not the way this time. Clearly not.

We need freshness. Fresh ideas, fresh discussions, fresh content... and think of it this way. We have the future historical TW game coming out in the future. 6-9 months until the announcement. At most 16 months until release. But the hype will be big - that as much will be given that the latest TW title is of the fantasy type. So expect a lot of engagement and buzz around it. Making sure we invite people around here and showing them that we have discussions worth participating in is the way forward, and this also includes discussions around the content offered on the website.

[Axalon]

Maybe I am simply used to it - but I still think the arrangement at TWC works where the game version is the top forum with the direct child forums being general discussion, mod projects and mod workshops. (two clicks to mod questions ) If highlighting of active mods is desired then putting a simple divider (finger pointing to the forum manager in vbulletin) in the forum's mod list should not present a problem, similar to what we have by way of 'mods under development' in the same forum as 'released mods'. Which means instead of sitting alone next to strange skyscrapers you sit at the top of your peers' list. (Insert nag: don't forget that alphabetical sorting)

Gigs, what can I tell you…

I have been saying essentially the same or similar things since May 2012. It would be a natural and sensible thing to do, having some rational sub-sections per each game, to increase coverage and access to that game and what happening in relation to that game on the site. TWC is an obvious example that such stuff does work and function just fine, and it is a clearly better way to deal with the games, regardless of which. But none of this supposedly apply to the Org. Instead, people here refuse to recognize that, and when all other arguments failed them, the last and prevailing reason for not doing it was - it creates “a too long" and "non-user-friendly index”! The scrolling would be at unacceptable levels, supposedly. We can’t have that and so the “solution” was to create roughly the index we now have. That’s Org-logics for you, in full glory…

Personally, I think one must have the mind-set of a complete idiot in order to actually fail to see that the index-length is (and always will be) secondary to the purpose of any site. The index is a tool to serve the site. But at the Org, this apparently don’t apply and instead the index and no-scrolling doctrine are more important then the actual purpose of the site. Its fubar all over, as far as I am concerned. By the looks of it, in this vote, we are heading to some half-assery on general TW-coverage. It will be better then the index what we got now, but its nowhere close to what you (and me) are talking about, or what this site in really needs to compete effectively, as I understand it.

Again, a short index will never do this place any favors, it never did thus far, and the current state of the site is the ultimate receipt of that fact, and none of this will somehow magically change in the future. Yet that is essentially what the majority here are still hoping and voting for…

- A

[Vincent Butler]

And what type of content? Any type that showcases TW. Videos, let's play's, photographs/screenshots, walkthroughs, AARs... anything goes.

So what exactly is meant by a Let's Play versus a video vs AARs versus walkthroughs? I guess a walkthrough could be like a tutorial, but what is a Let's Play or an AAR? As opposed to just a video.

[edyzmedieval]

So what exactly is meant by a Let's Play versus a video vs AARs versus walkthroughs? I guess a walkthrough could be like a tutorial, but what is a Let's Play or an AAR? As opposed to just a video.

Walkthrough - a gamer explains you the ins and outs of the game, the whole story or just tips to play better on a specific level. (see the Assassin's Creed gameplay walkthroughs)

Let's Play - a gamer actively shows the game, this is usually done on MP games, and you can also invite your friends to play along (look at Jackfrags and LevelCap)

AAR - Written form of gameplay, along with a showcase of writing talent and added fiction story

Videos - showcasing either gameplay or specific aspects of the game

[Axalon]

In 2012, i was discussing content and content-branch maybe there will be something interesting in what I said back then even today... You decide...

I’ll be plain. The job of the members here is to generate and contribute content somehow on this site, yours – the content branch - is to see to it that this content gets recognized and receives proper coverage/promotion at various levels so more people get to know about it. That is what you and your branch are supposed to do. That is what this site needs. That is what actually matters here, or so I believe.

Content is material of any kind that can be used seriously by any third party somehow. That is content. That is the stuff that has some sort of value attached to it somehow. Chatter and jokes are not content because it can not be seriously used by any third party. This site is supposed to have a TW-focus. Thus TW-related content take priority. That is what needs promotion, coverage and recognition. That is what you should be focusing on. To do this task properly and seriously, you need manpower. Get that manpower. Once you have that manpower, you assign at least 1 content-branch operative to each and every TW-section – as to ensure that each section is properly covered no matter what, and this constantly and visibly. No TW-section takes priority over another, because this site can not afford such luxuries in order to be competitive (I have already explained why in previous posts).

...

The reality I see is that your branch have already had a fair chance of doing things “your way”, people here have had their chance to get spontaneous like crazy and properly recognize and support stuff posted on this site. This for over a year. It has not happened. Neither has the full functionality of your branch. You still don’t have the manpower you need to cover all TW-sections which strikes me as a priority.... Now, explain to me why it is still warranted somehow continue the current doctrine and practices by content branch? Or why we can somehow still afford to sit and wait for some unlikely and unreliable spontaneity?

To me it is obvious. The content branch must start acting like the failsafe it is supposed to be and get real. As in step in and do the job that needs to be done in order for this site to get a chance of a revival somehow. That means that everything that deserves recognition and coverage gets it – this regardless of how apathetic and incapable members here might be. This means that the people that actually do generate interesting and noteworthy content somehow get recognition and appreciation so they have at least some reason to do it all over again – here. Once your branch is fully operational and each and every TW-section is properly covered at all times you can start worrying about all secondary things. That includes stuff like emancipation etc. Creating new trends and traditions on the board that serves and works beneficially for all – instead of the all too usual apathy. To encourage and support members to do this stuff on their own without direct involvement from staff etc. etc. etc. Because I think you are right in that part at least, emancipation is indeed desirable and it is a worthy goal to strive for here. However, we are not there, we are not even close to that, and we don’t have a strong enough community to even hope for any of that – let alone rely on that. Thus your branch must act decisively and lead by example as to show people how it is supposed to be and what people here should do, and where. In the meantime, the machinery of recognizing and promoting content on the boards must still happen anyways and that is the job of content-branch, a failsafe to kick in whenever and wherever the membership fails. This constantly, seriously and visibly on all TW-sections…

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Lastly, the front page alone is not enough to do the job, or so I believe. I think we need more places, ways and channels to promote and recognize content somehow on this site. I don’t have any exact suggestions but I think that every TW-section should have its own lesser counterpart to that somehow – which deals exclusively with stuff related to that section. As sort of “note-board” to put up “local” section-notes and -news of interest for that community – a place where members can put up their own notes as well. Basically, something other and additional to the existing front-page.

- A