Very important message regarding the forums

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timburns
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Very important message regarding the forums

Post by timburns »

Greetings from the Dens! I'm not exactly sure the best place to put this, but hoping everyone will see it.

We have attempted in the past to update these forums to the latest PHP and something else way too technical for me to understand. I've had a couple people work on it and we've been told that it really can't be done. So eventually through the laws of dying software, this site will stop working. We are working on backing up all the info here so that it won't be lost, but you should expect these to one day not be working.

With that in mind, a couple of months back, Troll Chuck Baboonski helped us set up our Discord Server, and frankly, we love it. We have as many channels as we want, they are all easy to use, easy to maneuver and understand and we have talk channels, gaming channels, you name it. And the community is around 300 strong and growing everyday. We have Friday Night Nerd Casts hosted by Epi Camacho and places to get help on almost anything.

We would love to have all of you come join us in the new Discord Forums. We Trolls are very active in there; it's one piece of technology that has come out that we all agree is welcome. So please join us. Use this invitation link and come say hi!: https://discord.gg/jy6us48

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Troll_Admin »

The FORUMS will be down during the next hour as we roll through the upgrades.. When they come back the cool green STYLE will likely be broken. Don't PANIC. I will post an update when we get to that point.


-Mike

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timburns
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by timburns »

So I was premature in the fact of the forums being out of date. Thanks to @mgtremaine for helping us get this back going! Though I do want to stress we would love to see all of you over at the Discord server! Thanks, Tim

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timburns
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by timburns »

Discord is fine , but offers neither the format, nor the functionality of the forums.

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timburns
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by timburns »

I understand. And as long as we can securely update and keep the forums going we will. We would just love to see people come join us on Discord.

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maximus
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by maximus »

Oh I'm there. I don't post much, but I look at the content daily. I just think the way the forum is set up is easier to follow.

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Bifford
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Bifford »

Forums are also good for LEGACY. Discord is basically IRC - as soon as it's off the screen by more than a few lines people forget about things and there is no real search functionality to speak of.

With a forum you can search for a post/thread and it is here ad infinitum. Keep the forums for proper discussions. Discord is your telephone service, forums are your love letters.

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Lurker »

Bifford wrote:
Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:02 am
Forums are also good for LEGACY. Discord is basically IRC - as soon as it's off the screen by more than a few lines people forget about things and there is no real search functionality to speak of.

With a forum you can search for a post/thread and it is here ad infinitum. Keep the forums for proper discussions. Discord is your telephone service, forums are your love letters.
NICE

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Fizz »

Maybe i don't fully understand Discord (never been on one), but forums are better for more than just legacy and storage (actually related to legacy now that i think about it). Some of us can't check in regularly. We check the forums, say, once a week, read up on all the topics of interest, reply accordingly, and then check in again a week later. One can't do that in Discord (at least as how i understand it works...)

-Fizz

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soloplayer
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by soloplayer »

As a new convert (2 years) to C&C, the data in these forums is irreplaceable. Being able to search, return a list of TOPICS, and then read the responses is invaluable. Rule explanations, variations, stats for custom monsters... please save this data for future me.

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Neuroschmancer »

I use both the Discord and the forums and I would say I like both for different reasons. Forums are far better for longform discussions where people more seriously and thoughtfully consider how they want to express what is on their mind. Discord is better for back and forth conversation that develops spontaneously that can go in any direction.

I do not know how you would go about having the kind of conversations we have on the forums in Discord. The immediateness of the technology changes the nature of the conversations.

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Bifford
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Bifford »

Hi all!

I have taken up the mantle of Forum-Admin, so I shall be keeping her running as long as possible. The previous stellar work brought it up to date, so for now it is simply a case of making backups and updating as and when the software moves forwards.

One thing I have noticed, however, is that there are a number of redundant forums. I think a shuffle around is required.

"The Portal" is defunct, The "News & Subs" and "Upon the Forge's Anvil" is basically the same and can be merged, the "M&T5th" can be merged somewhere else (probably a "TLG Crowdfunding Projects" area) and likely more too.

I do now want to do this, however, without the blessing of the users. Please provide feedback, thoughts etc in replies.

Sam / Bifford.

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by mgtremaine »

Makes sense to me. Casts bless.

-Mike

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Rigon »

I'd be cool with a revamp, as long as threads don't disappear into the ether. Which has happened in the past.

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Grandpa
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Grandpa »

sounds logical. I don't use Discord because it lives up to its name

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soloplayer
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by soloplayer »

Bifford wrote:
Thu Aug 11, 2022 6:01 pm
Hi all!

I have taken up the mantle of Forum-Admin, so I shall be keeping her running as long as possible.
Thanks for stepping up, I love these forums.

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Persimmon
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Persimmon »

This is the only forum I visit with regularity and I would very much like it to continue. Cleaning things up a bit would be fine, however.
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maximus
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by maximus »

Thanks for taking this on. This forum is great, so I'd like to see it keep going for as long as possible.

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finarvyn
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by finarvyn »

I'm hoping that the Forum doesn't get replaced by Discord. We have a Discord presence on my own forum (ODD74) and I don't visit there, either. I like the message board format.
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Bifford
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Bifford »

finarvyn wrote:
Sat Aug 27, 2022 6:02 pm
I'm hoping that the Forum doesn't get replaced by Discord. We have a Discord presence on my own forum (ODD74) and I don't visit there, either. I like the message board format.
This is exactly why I've taken over management. The TLG techs are not a fan of forums so don't do anything with it. I like Discord, but I love forums, so I'll ensure it keeps going.

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Go0gleplex »

The TLG techs have tended to set stuff up then leave it to others to manage consistently as they lose interest when the shiny new toy polish wears off. Expecting support is like waiting for a kobold to one-shot a dragon. lol Good luck dude! I hear the cats are ready to stampede. lol
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by mgtremaine »

Well it's survived many deaths so far. I for one am glad that Bifford volunteered to be point on the Forum. But as I've demonstrated from the beginning, I will always step in when doom has been announced. So as long TLG keeps paying the hosting billing this forum will keep going.

-Mike

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Bifford »

Hi all.

You will notice a few things have been going on of late:

1. I sorted out an issue I know was plaguing/annoying me (and I assume lots of you too) whereby you would not stay logged in to the site for very long at all. Hopefully this change has increased your browsing pleasure.

2. Some re-naming and re-jigging of the main top-level forums (and threads) to simplify what goes where and to move out some redundant threads. These redundant threads are currently in the "Wilderlands"/"General" area until I work out what to do with them. Two of the areas in the (newly named) Troll's Den area have all their old threads in - some of which fit the new folder themes, some of which I'll move around at some point.

I have a question regarding 2:
There are currently THREE main C&C (specific) forums under the (newly titled) SIEGE Engine Games area. Namely, "Castles & Crusades", "Castles & Crusades Adventure Modules", and "Monsters for C&C".
Would you be happy for those last two to be sub-forums, within the C&C forum? If you said yes to this, I could even go so far as to move the "World of Aihrde Campaign Setting" and the "Haunted Highlands Campaign Setting" forums in there too. We could easily have a similar monsters forum in the AA and Victoriana forums if you wanted also.

Let me know your thoughts, please (and if I've done anything you hate let me know!).

Sam

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Grandpa »

Bifford wrote:
Tue Sep 06, 2022 9:05 pm
I have a question regarding 2:
There are currently THREE main C&C (specific) forums under the (newly titled) SIEGE Engine Games area. Namely, "Castles & Crusades", "Castles & Crusades Adventure Modules", and "Monsters for C&C".
Would you be happy for those last two to be sub-forums, within the C&C forum? If you said yes to this, I could even go so far as to move the "World of Aihrde Campaign Setting" and the "Haunted Highlands Campaign Setting" forums in there too. We could easily have a similar monsters forum in the AA and Victoriana forums if you wanted also.
Sam
Good idea

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maximus
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by maximus »

Yes to moving the 2 you mention to sub forums. That works for me.

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by KreeganStonefist »

Consolidation and subforums sounds good to me.

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by serleran »

Takes getting used to, the new forum view, especially given that General Discussion is under a primarily defunct header.

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Bifford »

serleran wrote:
Mon Sep 12, 2022 5:17 am
Takes getting used to, the new forum view, especially given that General Discussion is under a primarily defunct header.
I know not what the Wilderlands refers to (but I liked it so left it, tagging on (general) to ease people in). Can you enlighten me?

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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by serleran »

First, a caveat, in that there is nothing amiss with James Mishler's Wilderlands or with the author. In fact, I like the mini-setting a great deal. That said, it did not sell all that well, as far as I know, or was very limited in printing (it may have done much better digitally... not sure.) This, then coupled with the error that came from Judges Guild in social media, with some... not so appealing comments made which caused many publishers to abandon them and future interactions... may cause some to have a bad taste; this stated simply because the Mishler Wilderlands are "related" in a sense to the JG version. But, that's just minor, really, with the main issue and why I said defunct is that it is, to my knowledge, not being created for and remains as it was when it was initially made available...and worth getting if you can, but it is not a "main setting" for C&C and certainly not generic enough to house discussions of "general interest".

And like I noted before, it just took some getting used to see it as a main label.

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Bifford
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Re: Very important message regarding the forums

Post by Bifford »

I'm happy to change it, based on the history. To what, though? Just "General"? Or something else? Throw your ideas here and we can decide on the best!

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