Dedicated Toy Threads vs. Generic Super Threads

[KiriK]

I've been noticing this for awhile now and i know it's part of the reason why the Scoopda thread was created in the first place, but it's really starting to be a pain in the ass having to go through these long 30 page super threads to find a picture of some new updates for a particular toy. And often the super thread titles don't even contain the name of the actual toys they are talking about! For instance, the "Non-Canon color 1/60 VF-1's" is talking about the low viz ish Grey VF-1S and now the white albino Valk. Yea, it kind of makes sense to include them here, but we've already got people posting new topics about it because they couldn't find out if it was posted in another generic topic.

Same goes for the official Bandai DX thread. There's now like 5 different valks being talked about in there! and the VF100's thread, there's a TON of different toys going on in there plus news of the first new release of a VF-19 Kai and there's not even a dedicated thread for that!

We should have dedicated threads with standards for the topics names that are created. Like Graham's "Official Yamato 1/60 Scale VF-11C thread" is a good example of a dedicated toy thread with a topic name that clearly states the toy company, scale, and what figure it is. Even in the topic description, he adds "from Macross 7" which gives even better detail to what the toy is from.

Wouldn't it be easier to see a bunch of "Official Bandai 1/60 Scale VF-27 Thread" and "Official Yamato 1/60 Scale VF-1S Blank Valk Scheme Thead" ? Whoever posts these new topics would have to do a quick search to see if this "official" thread has been created yet, and then post using the standard topic title mandated.

Furthermore, i think if you have the will to create a new thread for a new toy, then you should also be responsible for updating the 1st post with any new pictures of the toy. haha... now that one may be a long shot, but wouldn't it be great if you knew ALL pics of the toy you were looking for was in 1 spot in the 1st post?

Does this just make sense to me? or am i just ranting blindly out here...

Edited November 4, 2009 by KiriK

[jenius]

I'm on board, each new toy or repaint should get its own thread. Even if it's Hayao's DYRL VF-1A and it has one person saying "Look, it's green!" I also love the idea of the titles having things you could SEARCH for.

I can think of some occasions where it'd be silly though. Would we have a separate thread for Max and Miria's VF-22 toys?

[Hurin]

It sounds like what you're asking for is some type of series of pages on the web. "Web pages," if you will. And that those pages would each contain information in an organized form. . . organized under one address or site on the web. Or, "website." And then we could name this "website" something like "Macross World". . . and each time a toy would come out, that website would put up a profile or "web page" about it and possibly even include images and/or reviews of that toy. And then, there could even be forums attached to the site where people could discuss what's on the main site.

That, my friend, would be an awesome Macross resource so long as it was regularly updated and maintained.

[KiriK]

It sounds like what you're asking for is some type of series of pages on the web. "Web pages," if you will. And that those pages would each contain information in an organized form. . . organized under one address or site on the web. Or, "website." And then we could name this "website" something like "Macross World". . . and each time a toy would come out, that website would put up a profile or "web page" about it and possibly even include images and/or reviews of that toy. And then, there could even be forums attached to the site where people could discuss what's on the main site.

That, my friend, would be an awesome Macross resource so long as it was regularly updated and maintained.

That would be an awesome Macross resource if MacrossWorld worked that way, but it doesn't. When was the last time you saw news scoops on toys on the main site? I don't get your your sarcastic remarks about wanting a perfect website, unless you're referring to how it should be =] since I'm talking specifically about where the most news on toys gets updated and people can provide feedback on the forums. The organization there is crappy and could definitely use some overhaul.

Edited November 5, 2009 by KiriK

[EXO]

If only there was a site that somehow showed the nexus of all things Macross... lol. That people would actually visit.

I'm all for seperate threads! Easier to search and look thru.

[Excillon]

I'm with you man!

[Hurin]

If only there was a site that somehow showed the nexus of all things Macross... lol. That people would actually visit.

I'm all for seperate threads! Easier to search and look thru.

Touche!

Er, I mean. . . how dare you sir!?!

Though, we actually got quite a bit of traffic. But the "founding principle" of Macross Nexus was that it would be open source so that the average user (forum members) could go to the main site and update each toy/character/mecha profile themselves. What we learned, however, is that 99.9% of your average users are too lazy to actually submit any content. And the other .1% are generally too stupid to get it done despite their enthusiasm for doing so.* And then, having lost interest in doing all the updating ourselves (and in Macross, actually), we just decided to put a bullet in it. Which I think was the right thing to do. Some Japanese cyber-squatter actually owns that domain now.

But, I think my original point stands: The main site remains stuck in 1997. To me, the problem isn't with the forums and their organization, the problem is that the site is unlikely to ever be substantially upgraded besides the occasional content dump (which are appreciated) on top of an archaic and creaky infrastructure. That, however, isn't to say that there aren't work-arounds, such as the OP's suggestions, that can help mitigate those issues. But nevertheless, the actual root of the problem remains the main site.

Best,

H

*Before anyone gets all butt-hurt. . . that's just a tongue-in-cheek way of saying that if the interface for submitting content isn't 100% "child's play" easy, nothing will get submitted. If anything, that was the biggest lesson learned. When choosing between features and simplicity of submission. Go for the latter. Because all the features in the world won't mean crap without content.

[miriya]

specific is best. I vote separate.

[VFTF1]

I've been noticing this for awhile now and i know it's part of the reason why the Scoopda thread was created in the first place, but it's really starting to be a pain in the ass having to go through these long 30 page super threads to find a picture of some new updates for a particular toy. And often the super thread titles don't even contain the name of the actual toys they are talking about! For instance, the "Non-Canon color 1/60 VF-1's" is talking about the low viz ish Grey VF-1S and now the white albino Valk. Yea, it kind of makes sense to include them here, but we've already got people posting new topics about it because they couldn't find out if it was posted in another generic topic.

Same goes for the official Bandai DX thread. There's now like 5 different valks being talked about in there! and the VF100's thread, there's a TON of different toys going on in there plus news of the first new release of a VF-19 Kai and there's not even a dedicated thread for that!

We should have dedicated threads with standards for the topics names that are created. Like Graham's "Official Yamato 1/60 Scale VF-11C thread" is a good example of a dedicated toy thread with a topic name that clearly states the toy company, scale, and what figure it is. Even in the topic description, he adds "from Macross 7" which gives even better detail to what the toy is from.

Wouldn't it be easier to see a bunch of "Official Bandai 1/60 Scale VF-27 Thread" and "Official Yamato 1/60 Scale VF-1S Blank Valk Scheme Thead" ? Whoever posts these new topics would have to do a quick search to see if this "official" thread has been created yet, and then post using the standard topic title mandated.

Furthermore, i think if you have the will to create a new thread for a new toy, then you should also be responsible for updating the 1st post with any new pictures of the toy. haha... now that one may be a long shot, but wouldn't it be great if you knew ALL pics of the toy you were looking for was in 1 spot in the 1st post?

Does this just make sense to me? or am i just ranting blindly out here...

It all makes perfect sense.

For example, recently, I wanted to post a couple hundred pages worth of raving and cheering about the VF-19 Kai that's coming....but I couldn't figure out where it might be located...and I think I even went into the VF100 thread, but they were talking about the Monster prototype in there and I couldn't find Bassara.

This made me sad.

On the other hand - USUALLY people are able to spontaneously organize things and post in the correct topic, and the topics are generally pretty clear.

My advice:

Don't make the perfect the enemy of the good.

The forum is pretty much as well organized as it can be - unless someone has a radical and sensible idea for why everything should be re-arranged and how that could be better - all we can do is do our best to keep things are organized as possible.

Pete

[Graham]

I'm all for dedicated toy threads, with the proviso, that the manufacturer, product name, scale and series the toy is from be clearly mentioned in the thread title. None of these vague, sometimes confusing "Surprise non-cannon repaint" type thread titles please.

As for the main site, unfortunately, work and family committments keep both Shawn and I far too busy to do much about it. I'd love to be able to work on the main site full-time. but unless, someone wants to pay me the same or more than I'm earning now, so I can can quit my job to work on Macrossworld I can't see a way out of the present stagnation

At the moment, I'm leaning towards an open source approach, but in the end the final decision and implementation would be down to Shawn.

Graham

[KiriK]

I'm all for dedicated toy threads, with the proviso, that the manufacturer, product name, scale and series the toy is from be clearly mentioned in the thread title. None of these vague, sometimes confusing "Surprise non-cannon repaint" type thread titles please.

As for the main site, unfortunately, work and family committments keep both Shawn and I far too busy to do much about it. I'd love to be able to work on the main site full-time. but unless, someone wants to pay me the same or more than I'm earning now, so I can can quit my job to work on Macrossworld I can't see a way out of the present stagnation

At the moment, I'm leaning towards an open source approach, but in the end the final decision and implementation would be down to Shawn.

Graham

Nice! Graham's on board so maybe now we can do something about it. We all know the main site is hard to maintain if only a few people are updating it so hopefully open source can be implemented in the future. But i'm glad we can at least reorganize the Toy Forum threads now to make it easier for people to find the toys they are looking for and post about them.

So can we make thread titles standard for any official releases and with all the required information? (Manufacturer, Scale, Product Name, Macross Series) and maybe pin a "How To Post a New Official Toy Thread" topic for anyone who wishes to make one?

As for reorganization, it'd be a pain to separate and move thread information in the super threads, so maybe we can lock them and repost official threads with links to the super thread, and maybe post any updated relevant pictures of the toy in the 1st post.

Any other suggestions on how to make this happen? I think people will appreciate the more organized forums

[VFTF1]

So in short - each toy gets its' own thread?

In a way...I would support this. It only SEEMS daunting, but it would be easy to search and easy to use...

Or have I not understood again?

Pete

[KiriK]

So in short - each toy gets its' own thread?

In a way...I would support this. It only SEEMS daunting, but it would be easy to search and easy to use...

Or have I not understood again?

Pete

Yep, in short each toy would get it's own thread as long as the topic titles are standard and have the correct information. I could make a list of the toys that are being discussed in the Toy Thread and we'd have a nice list of toys that have it's own thread where people can find updates and talk about it. There already some dedicated toy threads, but with funky names. Can the mods rename topic titles to make them standard?

[KiriK]

so what do people think of the new dedicated threads so far? i don't want to be the one creating all the new dedicated threads, but i can if the other threads are closed. i know it's kind of pointless for the older toys since there's not a lot to talk about, but at least it'll be there in case someone wants to look for it,

but this will definitely be good for future releases