Sep 1, 2014 4:12 pm
I firmly believe that this site can be successful and I very much want to see that. For the sake of my friend's success and because I have longed for a place to call home in the rpg world. Most sites just don't seem to have what I am looking for but this site is pretty close to my idea of a perfect community, we just have to turn it into a community. Below are a few thoughts to help foster activity and to help make the site seem active enough that visitors may wish to stay. I will post my suggestion followed by a brief explanation of my reasoning.
1. I would like to see a Wargaming Subforum - I am an avid roleplayer, and I love video games and board games, but I am primarily, at least these days, a wargamer. I think it is an area of gamer that this site neglects. I would enjoy having a place to talk tactics, show off miniatures, post some tutorials, and a place to track a campaign I am running (plus other people can follow and comment on it if they wish). Adding in a place for wargamers especially if I (or others) can start filling it with useful information will attract another type of gamer to the site.
2. The ability to name the custom game type - Not sure how much effort this would take but it would be nice if when you select custom from the game type list when posting a game that a text box would pop up asking for the game. This way on the latest game or join a game screen it would say Beyond the Golden Sea | Custom - Numenera | Azzorak. This is less important now at our small size but later when we grow to a large community with many many games running at once it will be far more effective to not have to click on any game labled custom just to see what it is, of course as more systems get added this will be much less needed, but there are still many obscure systems out there so we will never cover them all.
3. Do not hide active game subforums - With non members and members who are not in a game unable to see the subforums the activity level on the site looks extremely low. Right now I notice there is a full Savage Worlds game and I notice the GM for the game checks in frequently yet never posts elsewhere. It is entirely possible there are numerous posts happening that I cannot see. Also some people (myself included) just like to follow games and get inspiration. On a final note I like to see the caliber of player and GM before joining a site or joining a specific game and so the ability to spectate is critical to me joining a site. I think by default the game threads should be visible. Perhaps give the GM the option to hide the game or specific threads if they feel it is necessary. To prevent spamming the board just make the ability to post permissible only to members of the game.
4. Focus on big brand game systems for now - I too am guilty of asking for more obscure systems such as Little Fears and Airship Pirates, but spend time adding and refining more common systems such as the latest editions of DND, Shadowrun, WOD, WH40K RPG, Pathfinder, GURPS, Etc. More well known games are more likely to be what attracts a bigger playerbase. Obviously many of these systems are in place already but they need to be refined and improved upon more than we need a quickly built up sheet for obscure games. Many others have already suggested improvements to the D&D sheet and I have noticed a few calculation bugs on it that I will post in the appropriate place.
1. I would like to see a Wargaming Subforum - I am an avid roleplayer, and I love video games and board games, but I am primarily, at least these days, a wargamer. I think it is an area of gamer that this site neglects. I would enjoy having a place to talk tactics, show off miniatures, post some tutorials, and a place to track a campaign I am running (plus other people can follow and comment on it if they wish). Adding in a place for wargamers especially if I (or others) can start filling it with useful information will attract another type of gamer to the site.
2. The ability to name the custom game type - Not sure how much effort this would take but it would be nice if when you select custom from the game type list when posting a game that a text box would pop up asking for the game. This way on the latest game or join a game screen it would say Beyond the Golden Sea | Custom - Numenera | Azzorak. This is less important now at our small size but later when we grow to a large community with many many games running at once it will be far more effective to not have to click on any game labled custom just to see what it is, of course as more systems get added this will be much less needed, but there are still many obscure systems out there so we will never cover them all.
3. Do not hide active game subforums - With non members and members who are not in a game unable to see the subforums the activity level on the site looks extremely low. Right now I notice there is a full Savage Worlds game and I notice the GM for the game checks in frequently yet never posts elsewhere. It is entirely possible there are numerous posts happening that I cannot see. Also some people (myself included) just like to follow games and get inspiration. On a final note I like to see the caliber of player and GM before joining a site or joining a specific game and so the ability to spectate is critical to me joining a site. I think by default the game threads should be visible. Perhaps give the GM the option to hide the game or specific threads if they feel it is necessary. To prevent spamming the board just make the ability to post permissible only to members of the game.
4. Focus on big brand game systems for now - I too am guilty of asking for more obscure systems such as Little Fears and Airship Pirates, but spend time adding and refining more common systems such as the latest editions of DND, Shadowrun, WOD, WH40K RPG, Pathfinder, GURPS, Etc. More well known games are more likely to be what attracts a bigger playerbase. Obviously many of these systems are in place already but they need to be refined and improved upon more than we need a quickly built up sheet for obscure games. Many others have already suggested improvements to the D&D sheet and I have noticed a few calculation bugs on it that I will post in the appropriate place.
Last edited September 1, 2014 4:35 pm