Petition for Merging Sections
Hi all,
I know this was discussed in another topic, and what's more surprising is that I'm even doing this after not using this site for a while. But I've come back to what appears to be a seriously inactive site, and I think the best way to fix the issue is by merging many of the sections together.
For example, Warrior could be a single section, but instead, we have 12 subforums for one topic which could just be entirely generalized. Putting sections into a single forum would encourage more "foot traffic," leading to more active discussions and questions being more quickly answered. It's no secret that this site is less active. This isn't reddit; we need to organize our forum appropriately for a community of our size.
So, this petition is a proposal to merge sections together in a way more fitting for a less active community.
I would like to give credit to @Skyenets for her post in another thread, which had a lot of ideas on how we can merge sections. Many of those ideas are being used in this proposal.
My proposal is as follows:
[b]General Maple Story[/b] will absorb:
Merchanting - It's become a simple price-check section. People go for questions, not for answers. Essentially, it's a waste basket and should be removed.
Monster Life - One post in the past month. Simple enough.
[b]Hero and Resistance[/b] forum can just be removed. What is the point of this forum if each hero and resistance class already has its own section, and we also have General MS? It just further spreads out the already-small amounts of conversation.
[b]Maple Story Regions[/b] can all just be merged. These sections are each dead as it is. Just make a feature that adds the region (KMS, JMS, etc.) to the front of the thread title.
[b]Chat[/b] can absorb Fun Chat. It's just another waste basket section that likely wouldn't harm Chat. And even if it does, all of these changes are reversible. It's worth a trial run.
[b]Entertainment[/b] can be simplified into Video Games, Art, and Anime/Manga. Then these three sections can be just absorbed into [b]Chat Island[/b].
This is my proposal, it is entirely open for criticism if people feel differently or have any additional ideas. We can finalize a proposal and the poll will serve as an ultimate petition expressing a desire to change.
I know I don't use this site all that much now, but when I do, I want it to be active and alive as it once was. It's just not as active anymore, and changes need to be made accordingly.
Please vote below and offer any additional ideas. I didn't proof-read so let me know of anything at all. Thanks!
21 Comments • Newest first
@UglierBetty @LazyLazyLazy I removed Fashion Corner from any requested changes, thanks
@UglierBetty I think Entertainment can be simplified, then absorbed into Chat. So Entertainment can be simplified into Video Games, Art, and Anime/Manga. Then these three sections can be just absorbed into Chat Island. Maybe it wasn't clear in the OP so I'll fix it
[url=http://www.basilmarket.com/forum/2291895]Leave Fashion Corner untouched, so its history remains a little longer[/url]
Keep Fashion Corner - it's its own little community
Get rid of Entertainment altogether
[quote=LimusocoBobo]While I understand the community's concern for wanting to merge sections in the hopes of avoiding our apparent "dead section" issues... I'd like to play a little devil's advocate.
Say we make these changes and then somehow a few months later Maplestory undergoes a huge promotion and the game's population doubles (whether it be for MS or MS2 or whatever). Perhaps some of the site's "consolidated" forums would need to be brought back or "unconsolidated." Now, I'm no programmer or website coder. And I know that Basilmarket isn't your ordinary website either (How many of you could code it as beautifully? Why hasn't anyone else done it yet?). So, there must be some amount of effort that it would take (how much, who knows?) to merge / un-merge forums that could be unreasonable. I mean, we all remember what happened when these newer forums (Pokemon, Entertainment, etc) got auto-filled with certain threads/topics that weren't necessarily relevant.
Eh, I always say too much and forget what point I was trying to make. I'll just stop here.[/quote]
I think one of the problems is that he makes sections too soon. Certain sections didn't need to be specifically made to accommodate for high amounts of discussion. (ex, the iphone/android section could have just been part of the tech section.) MS 2 will undoubtedly spark enough discussion to make the MS 2 section useful and active, but it was made over a year ago when there were nothing but rumors floating around. And part of me thinks he only made the section so early to be one of the first places to discuss something... that actually didn't exist yet.
I wouldn't give too much credit for the looks or organization of the site, but that's an entirely separate discussion. He already has the site's general format/organization set up, and adding more or removing links to/from certain areas isn't difficult once the important parts (the actual setup/format) have already been implemented. The petition isn't so much a request for a new look, but rather for a slightly minimized way of organizing discussion. This is as simple as deleting certain sections and moving some from one category to another.
The only reason I made this petition is because I was disappointed at how less active the site appears lately. And spreading the remaining discussions paper-thin across the most detailed and specific subforums is only making it appear even worse.
[quote=DrHye]You can say that, but truthfully, she's one of the people that I've seen on here for years that should've been a mod at some point. Truly knows the site and what would be good for it[/quote]
Ironically this is pretty much the only forum where I actively post that hasn't offered me any kind of mod job.
While I understand the community's concern for wanting to merge sections in the hopes of avoiding our apparent "dead section" issues... I'd like to play a little devil's advocate.
Say we make these changes and then somehow a few months later Maplestory undergoes a huge promotion and the game's population doubles (whether it be for MS or MS2 or whatever). Perhaps some of the site's "consolidated" forums would need to be brought back or "unconsolidated." Now, I'm no programmer or website coder. And I know that Basilmarket isn't your ordinary website either (How many of you could code it as beautifully? Why hasn't anyone else done it yet?). So, there must be some amount of effort that it would take (how much, who knows?) to merge / un-merge forums that could be unreasonable. I mean, we all remember what happened when these newer forums (Pokemon, Entertainment, etc) got auto-filled with certain threads/topics that weren't necessarily relevant.
Eh, I always say too much and forget what point I was trying to make. I'll just stop here.
Great suggestions overall, Hye. I'm not going to pretend I know anything about the MS sections, but Entertainment definitely spreads interests far too thinly. @mmorpg's idea of a Nintendo section might be appropriate for absorbing the occasional flood (e.g. future releases of Pokemon, SSB). Interest does settle down though, as evidenced by the Pokemon board now compared to its launch, so I don't know if it's worth it.
I've been thinking for a long time that it'd be a logical move to combine Chat and Fun Chat, since Chat is made up of bored people anyway. A trial run is probably for the best, because while it could brighten things up, it could just as easily result in Chat becoming a pool of concentrated nonsense.
Just to clarify, is your last suggestion to get rid of Entertainment and to have Art, Anime/Manga, and the video game section(s) all under Chat Island?
[quote=hgvd]Yes, I think there needs to be a scamer board of names with proof[/quote]
People try and try and it just never works out. It's too easy to frame someone for scamming.
[quote=acuppa]Does anyone else feel like mrbasil just ignores these suggestions until he independently arrives at the same conclusion? I've never seen him acknowledge or participate in threads like these. How far off am I, mods?[/quote]
Mr. Basil doesn't often participate in discussions like this, but he occasionally does.
He does however take into account user suggestions for changes to the site, even if he's not here posting about it.
Does anyone else feel like mrbasil just ignores these suggestions until he independently arrives at the same conclusion? I've never seen him acknowledge or participate in threads like these. How far off am I, mods?
[quote=Keane]I do not support anyone with the IGN: Beastiallity.[/quote]
You can say that, but truthfully, she's one of the people that I've seen on here for years that should've been a mod at some point. Truly knows the site and what would be good for it
@mmorpg I agree anime/manga should be its own section still. It's a big enough topic of interest for people here that it can preserve its own section
@BobR: I understand now and I have switched my opinions. Thanks!
[quote=hgvd]Yes, I think there needs to be a scamer board of names with proof[/quote]
Basilmarket is in no position to be getting in the middle of disputes between players, especially when most "I got skammed!" complaints involve the illegal buying and selling of NX. Given how easy it is to photoshop "proof", there's no way we can support any claims about anyone, regardless of what kind of "evidence" is presented.
I'd support everything Hye proposed, but unless Mr. Basil wants to take on the possible liabilities involved in allowing claims and counter-claims like this, I can't see it ever happening here.
Keep the anime section, change Pokemon to Nintendo, and merge the Nexon games into one section.
That's all I ask.
[quote=xtripled]think we all know the Maple Story Region section is just used for mods to put scammer/hacked threads and the fun chat is basically just used to defuse flame wars in chat, with maybe a couple games here and there. Overall, i guess it's alright.[/quote]
Yes, I think there needs to be a scamer board of names with proof
[quote=sparkshooter]Petitions have been infamously known to be unsuccessful so...why not ?[/quote]
Not expecting any short-term results. It'll take a while for a significant number of votes, given the lack of activity on the site. But if the poll results are dramatically one-sided, mrb should be willing to read over the proposal. If he hasn't changed anything, I should still be able to PM him myself. Won't have to rely on the report box.
@Skyenets Fair enough, I'll remove that and if anyone wants, it can be discussed. My main pushes were for the big two areas, General MS and Chat.
Petitions have been infamously known to be unsuccessful so...why not ?
@DrHye: I think they're active on their own. Perhaps not the less popular classes. But definitely most of them do well. I know that the Evan section is a bit dead, but that's because they haven't had an update in forever. You can only go so far with the same content over and over again. That's more an issue Nexon has to address rather than Basil.
It's just that I know that there's a lot of communities in the class specific sections. I don't think anyone would be done a favour if they were forced out of their nice little community zone.
@Skyenets I was thinking for example, all magician classes should just be merged into a magician forum, and then similar process for other classes. Or do you think each subclass has a population healthy enough to sustain their own forums? I haven't observed any in some time so I do not know for certain. I just thought they would be active but not excessively active if merged into the five main branches
[quote=DrHye]I would like to give credit to @Skyenets for her post in another thread[/quote]
ALL HAIL QUEEN GOATES. Ok no I kid or maybe not pft.
[quote=DrHye][b]General Maple Story[/b] will absorb:
Fashion Corner - small traffic and can easily be merged with General MS
Merchanting - It's become a simple price-check section. People go for questions, not for answers. Essentially, it's a waste basket and should be removed.
Monster Life - One post in the past month. Simple enough.[/quote]
Agreed. I don't even post my price checks in the merchanting section. I just go straight to General maple. More attention.
[quote=DrHye][b]Each class[/b] will absorb of its sub-class sections. It is the quickest way to make these sections more active. Dividing each class into 6-12 subforums is just going to decrease the amount of conversation or activity happening in each section.[/quote]
Not sure what you mean by this but I just wanted to make this clear: Don't remove individual class sections. Classes have very close knit communities. You can't break these apart or force them together. It's a bad idea.
Agreed with the rest of the post.
think we all know the Maple Story Region section is just used for mods to put scammer/hacked threads and the fun chat is basically just used to defuse flame wars in chat, with maybe a couple games here and there. Overall, i guess it's alright.