How can we improve the community?

[azkanan]

Hey guys. Brainstorming here on how to make the community a better place for all.

The key ideas behind this are;

- Intuitivity

- Modernization

- Fun Factor

- Community-focus

- Tidiness

- Engine Use

* * *

Intuitivity

Making the forum "Smarter", or otherwise smoother/easier to access things of interest.

Modernization

Applying today's available technology to making the forum simply **better** in all aspects.

Fun Factor

Making the forum more fun for you guys to hang out in. This could be from weekly events, challenges, news articles, gatherings, etc.

Community Focus

Making the forum reward users for helping others in one way or another.

Tidiness

This is generally the layout of the forum, including its general appearance/theme and its boards and sub-boards.

Engine Use

This is the promotion and rewarding of people who put Eclipse the engine to use, or some way to bring the games to light.

* * *

>! **- Points System**
>! _- - A system that rewards helpful behaviour with points, points that can be spent on services of some sort._
>! **- Wiki**
>! _- - An Eclipse Wiki that gives links to tutorials._
>! **- Contests**
>! _- - A more "highlighted" approach to contests._
>! **- New Releases**
>! _- - Newly released Eclipse games get the "Spotlight" for a few days/week(s)._
>! **- Sub-Boards for Active Games**
>! _- - Sub-Boards for Active Games… Self-explanatory. No activity in 1 week = warning, 2 weeks = board removal?_
>! **- Official "Get Started" tutorial threads**
>! _- - Official guides for Eclipse engines_
>! **- Channels for the Shoutbox**
>! _- - Chat, Graphics, Programming_
>! **- Flame Zone Board**
>! _"A board where users can piss and moan about each other in. I've been pushing for this every few months in this place… We had one in an old forum I used to haunt, we used it for hot topics such as religion, politics and general arguments we had with each other. As a result, every other part of the forum was clean of hate, really._"

Any ideas from you guys on these points? Go crazy, we might be able to adapt even the wildest ideas.

However, keep in mind that this is a forum for Eclipse, the engine, not socialisation (At least, not as our main reason of being).

[Matt]

I'd like to suggest more acceptance and kindness to people who are new to the community 

[azkanan]

> I'd like to suggest more acceptance and kindness to people who are new to the community 

That goes without saying… Regretfully, the only way to curb on this is with a banhammer on a rope, hanging over the shoutbox.

[Matt]

> That goes without saying… Regretfully, the only way to curb on this is with a banhammer on a rope, hanging over the shoutbox.

I wasn't talking about the shoutbox alone. I've seen some really harsh and insulting responses to people asking very basic questions.

EDIT: I suppose making the forum a bit more noob-friendly would be nice.

[MadalinV]

People should be more nice here  All of them.

[bintin]

Make a reward system for the forum, earn points which you can spend in the forum rewards shop.

[azkanan]

> Make a reward system for the forum, earn points which you can spend in the forum rewards shop.

Tell me more. What would be found in the reward shop?

[Larias]

1: Less Overbearing Moderation

2: Fair moderation.

**USER WAS WARNED FOR THIS POST.**

[MadalinV]

> Tell me more. What would be found in the reward shop?

hmmm… Maybe advertise a game for 1 week to 1 month, depending on how many points you have, and want ot trade (it will cost many vp)

[bintin]

VIP membership - 10000 points (gives you access to VIP usergroup for a certain amount of time.

Sprites - 200 points

Tilesets - 500 points

Tutorials - 2000 points (maybe? might stop newbies from leeching)

Other graphics - 100 points

[Daneta]

also in the shop you can get like free webhosting from someone for some time stuff like that and for tororials , there free , to much points for help

[bintin]

And as for engine use I think that for all new games who successfully release an active & original game on eclipse should be able to advertise there game for free on the forum (above the shout box preferably) for a certain amount of time. This will help in them getting there game players.

[Zopto]

i think we need to make shoutbox for answers and questions so new ppl can ask ….

[Richy420Rich]

Intuitivity

We have a Wiki, regarding Eclipse - But it's empty and not really put up front in the spotlight of the forum. I think as information comes in, it should be directed to the Wiki; Such as start-up tutorials, and the simple coding elements, then bring the Wiki as a re-direct board in the forum. In essence, it would look cleaner.

Modernization

I think the forum functions pretty well from where I'm sitting. Feels pretty simple to me.

Fun Factor

Eclipse Contests were fun (Mapping, programming, pixel). I personally feel that in the end of the day; Voting feels bias and overly favorited.. Not really much I can say on this one, shoutbox chatting is fun and tinychat can be amusing but otherwise; I dunno.

Community Focus

Without the glitching, likes and stars were kind of a basic way of rewarding, if it could be further implemented and tweaked on, maybe burn 'likes' on something the forum could give.

Tidiness

The boards, basically just as I said about the Intuitivity section, we need to make the Wiki more available, then we could probably create a re-direct board for it and push it as the ultimate place for knowledge.

Engine Use

I liked how we had our own active game boards, but of course, probably being hard to define actives. I know when active games were involved, Marshy Dearest used to hook us up with adverts in the News section for some time.

[TheRexion]

I think this is a great idea. I could help out the fun factor part–I'd run signature of the week and maybe other graphically involved contests!

> also in the shop you can get like free webhosting from someone for some time stuff like that and for tororials , there free , to much points for help


[Larias]

> 1: Less Overbearing Moderation
>
> 2: Fair moderation.
>
> **USER WAS WARNED FOR THIS POST.**

rofl, I don't know who edited my post and added that, but you have a fantastic sense of humor.

[boyesjs03]

We should make a board that contains user made tutorials on how to get started with eclipse: this would help avoid the more advanced members of the forums being asked the same questions over and over again.

Somewhere there should be a big sign that says "TO EDIT SOURCE CODE YOU NEED VISUAL BASIC 6" xD

[azkanan]

Getting some pretty good ideas here. Keep it up .

- Points System

- - A system that rewards helpful behaviour with points, points that can be spent on services of some sort.

- Wiki

- - An Eclipse Wiki that gives links to tutorials.

- Contests

- - A more "highlighted" approach to contests.

- New Releases

- - Newly released Eclipse games get the "Spotlight" for a few days/week(s).

- Sub-Boards for Active Games

- - Sub-Boards for Active Games… Self-explanatory. No activity in 1 week = warning, 2 weeks = board removal?

- Official "Get Started" tutorial threads

[Guest]

> 1: Less Overbearing Moderation
>
> 2: Fair moderation.
>
> **USER WAS WARNED FOR THIS POST.**

Like, before hiring moderators, teach them the meaning of certain words, like "insult"? Getting banned for saying "shut up" is less of a community thing and more of a nursery school thing.

[Mal]

> i think we need to make shoutbox for answers and questions so new ppl can ask ….

We ask that everyone post a topic, refrain from using the shoutbox as a Q&A, and use the search function due to the nature of a topic; it is a permanent resource that others can use whereas a line of text in the shoutbox has a life span of approximately 2-5 minutes depending on the speed of the conversation (meaning no one else will be able to see the question and answer at a later time).

Simply put: No. Q&A's will never be allowed in the shoutbox when you have a FORUM chalk-filled with topics to use as a viable resource that everyone has access to when they need it.

[Mal]

> rofl, I don't know who edited my post and added that, but you have a fantastic sense of humor.

I disagree. Moderation needs to tighten up, period. No vulgarity, period. No circumnavigating the word filter, period. No disrespecting administration or moderation staff, period. No asking questions in the shoutbox, period. Follow the rules or you get muted and/or banned, period.

[Richy420Rich]

That's the problem, the forums are so… Non-offensive messy that new members just don't want to spend the time. The search.... Yeah I've had issues trying to find related searches of keyword via our forum search bar.

[azkanan]

> I disagree. Moderation needs to tighten up, period. No vulgarity, period. No circumnavigating the word filter, period. No disrespecting administration or moderation staff, period. No asking questions in the shoutbox, period. Follow the rules or you get muted and/or banned, period.

I disagree, to some degree. Yes, put on an official cape and hat, but be fun to a degree. This is where maturity comes into play for moderators, knowing the fine line between funny and immature.

[Guest]

> I disagree. Moderation needs to tighten up, period. No vulgarity, period. No circumnavigating the word filter, period. No disrespecting administration or moderation staff, period. No asking questions in the shoutbox, period. Follow the rules or you get muted and/or banned, period.

Apparently "shut up" falls under vulgraity, right?

[MadalinV]

And maybe shoutbox channels? (games, graphics, programming, website, general)