Discussion on Migrating to a New Website

Eh... I dunno Yuki. Details such as that won't be known until we decide where we'll be setting up and with what. But we'll see!

Wrecker wrote:

I think we're gonna have to come up with something in order to ensure no one "steals" another user's character or impersonates another user.

We could assign each account on here a number or phrase or something similar which only the account holder will know, then when the new account is made on the new site we could verify it against the number/phrase thing to check if it's really them.

I believe that changing sites would be a good idea, it will take time and effort now, but in the long run, things will be simpler and easier meaning it will pay off. Also, if we wait longer due to people worrying about the effort of site changing, then more effort will be needed in moving sites eventually.

For ideas about what site to change to, we always have wikis. The wiki page can be the thread location and the characters RP in the comments section for that page. I used to be part of a Harry Potter roleplay wiki site, this worked quite well, we even had personalized text boxes for comments which you could change depending on the character.

Also, I enjoy... "stuff".

The only problem I have with the migration is the transfer of data and the over pg-13 stuff. I have a preeeeeetty bad feeling of what's gonna happen without it so I'm all for an over pg-13 section if it's needed. Other than that, I'm for it.

To me this seems like a good idea. Yet again, the inevitable 'what will people do without the need to fade to black' issue crops up with the pg-13 thing. *Cheese*. However, when you factor it in against the tight restrictions that have stopped a lot of other, less gratuitous, non pg-13 events occurring I feel that it's a pretty good trade off. Especially since we have the idea of using a separate forum for it.

It may sound like a lot of work, but if you asked for volunteers you might have the whole thing done in a day or so. With enough people working on it it would be a piece of cake. The problem with this, of course is that A) Some volunteers might not have a clue what they're doing and end up just getting in the way, and B) If you give people that power it lets in the possibility of trolls turning up and abusing it.

Those are my thoughts on the matter. With just the modmins and a few picked individuals it'll be a nightmare, so it might be worth figuring out some way to share the load without giving people too much power. I haven't thought of anything yet, but it would make things easier if we could.

Why don't you just make it so that anybody who wants a non PG-13 forum discussion made, has to have either an ! infront of it or a NSFW tag? That way, you know what you're looking for! :3

Probably be best just to have a SFW section and a NSFW one, that's what most of my other RPG sites do.

Yeah i kinda against this, honestly the forum serves its purpose well enough how it is, well ill let thew sum up my opinion on this https://youtu.be/zEPy8d095RQ?t=2m49s (granted though youtube embedding on here with it starting at a certain time is impossible)

but yeah so overall i don't think it worth the trouble, especially since you dont even know what place your going to migrate it too. I mean really!? Why are you posting this up now if you don't even have info about what it would change to so that people can make informed decision about it, may just be me but i think its kinda pointless asking us this without any information apart from "Do you want us to move?"

also with the PG rule why not just have it capped on the sex crap like keep it in Universe (no ones going to be swearing every two words in the show, so why would you have that here.Just keep it on the same rating as the show (Violence,some gore, limited swearing,no sex))

List the pros and cons of adding a non PG-13 subforum. If anything the pros themselves (more detailed fades and possibly more violent scenes) are the cons, and then there are still more cons. It's just not a good idea. I personally think the PG-13 is fine the way it is, I haven't experienced problems. Screwing with the rating is just gonna cause more problems than anything. It's not a good idea.

Aside from that, I'm all for a move.

njrk97:

Would you rather they keep the crappy limited forumotion forum, or find ANYTHING that's better? They had the idea of moving, and they are researching the BEST place they think we could move to. It'll allow more freedom to do even more with the site AND will probably allow us a few new things, like maybe a Cbox that doesn't suck all the balls.

Yuki-Chan wrote:

Though... Would we get to keep our post counts (Have them edited in I guess?), just a little thing but it would make losing the posts and stuff more tolerable

pls yes

Also, make sure we migrate to somewhere where there's a chatbox....

That thing is godlike

njrk97 wrote:

but yeah so overall i don't think it worth the trouble, especially since you dont even know what place your going to migrate it too. I mean really!? Why are you posting this up now if you don't even have info about what it would change to so that people can make informed decision about it, may just be me but i think its kinda pointless asking us this without any information apart from "Do you want us to move?"

The part we don't know is which host we'll be going to use. We'll be using a customized phpBB board on the site, so we really can't tell you what its going to be like yet because we haven't designed it, and nobody is going to take the time fixing up the website so we can then ask if we wanna move.

Speaking as someone who has done forum migrations before (as an admin) I can see why this might be necessary, and how it can be beneficial. Mind you I've only led small forums before for tabletop/writing circle purposes mainly.

So I've never done anything of this magnitude, but I digress. If you're wondering which topics to transfer the answer is simple: the RULES, templates(term used lightly), places, and those who want their topics transferred must transfer it themselves. In other words those who want to keep a topic going/for reference it's either the original posters responsibility or one of the active followers responsibility, not an admin/modmins (if it doesn't directly involve them talk about transferring it amongst yourselves). This same kind of rule would obviously also apply to characters and teams.

As for the PG-13 question, I think the best way to put it is upgrade to NC-17. To define that a bit clearer: If you don't believe it fits into a PG-13 setting, but you also don't believe it warrants an R-rated setting this is a good descriptor. Speaking as someone who's first and longest text RP experience was on a site filled with late-teen to early 30 year olds acting like sex crazed hormonal (and rather ill-mannered) teenagers I whole-heartedly sympathize with the desire to define the rating clearly. That being said with either PG-13 or NC-17 it's obviously not to much to ask anyone to put in an NSFW before posting questionable content.

I'd also like to add that keeping post counts is highly unnecessary on a free site, other then for what I can only assume is people wanting to ****-measure when someone new joins the site, and nobody likes that.

I would post suggestions on what could be added to the RP/website experience here, but this really isn't a topic for that.

I'd prefer it if the post counts didn't carry over into the new site, for two main reasons- firstly, as Ragdoll's stated above it always feels like you're being judged based on how many posts you have. Secondly, I got tired pretty quickly of watching people grinding for posts, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've seen people with more than 90% of their posts in the (now thankfully removed) spam forum. I'd really appreciate it if they couldn't hold on to their ill-gotten gains. I could be at over half a thousand by this point if I'd done what some people have, but I've been avoiding it on principle.

I think Ragdoll might be onto something though with regards to there being no need for post counts in the first place. Theoretically we should know who the modmins are, and we should know who the more active users are simply because we see them more often, so having post counts to prove it might be a little redundant. I know I don't need to check someone's post count to tell if they're one of the most active members simply because of this reason- if they really are that active I'll have noticed this myself anyway.

So personally I'd like it if we could reset the post counts, but I'd like it even more if we could drop them entirely. Then again, I guess I don't have as much to lose as some of the more active users.

Daemonblade wrote:

I think Ragdoll might be onto something though with regards to there being no need for post counts in the first place. Theoretically we should know who the modmins are, and we should know who the more active users are simply because we see them more often, so having post counts to prove it might be a little redundant. I know I don't need to check someone's post count to tell if they're one of the most active members simply because of this reason- if they really are that active I'll have noticed this myself anyway.

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to not having post counts, as that seems to be something that some users are concerned with more over having good quality posts.

Dakir wrote:

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to not having post counts, as that seems to be something that some users are concerned with more over having good quality posts.

Yeah, I've noticed that too. It never ceases to annoy me when I notice people writing one sentence posts again and again in a single thread. It might be nothing to do with post counts, but it seems rather suspicious if you ask me. Which you don't need to. Because I've just told you.

Anyway, this second point has nothing to do with post counts. Normally I'd set up a new thread in the suggestions/complaints forum but since we appear to be moving sites soon I might as well ask here. When we move to a new site, can we get rid of text colours that blend in with the background? That way there's no possibility for people to accidentally make things hard for everyone else. I know that I used to do it before I knew better, but I'm always amazed by how many people don't realise that writing in dark red, blue, dark blue, and black is a bad idea.

Dakir wrote:

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to not having post counts, as that seems to be something that some users are concerned with more over having good quality posts.

Daemonblade wrote:

Yeah, I've noticed that too. It never ceases to annoy me when I notice people writing one sentence posts again and again in a single thread. It might be nothing to do with post counts, but it seems rather suspicious if you ask me. Which you don't need to. Because I've just told you.

I'll be honest, I only have this high amount of posts because of the Sp4m forum. I'm sure if those posts were actually deleted instead of hidden, then I'd be in the 400s. The post counter only exists to brag, and we shouldn't be doing that in the first place (this coming from the guy with 700+ sp4m posts. Ironic, huh?).

Daemonblade wrote:

Anyway, this second point has nothing to do with post counts. Normally I'd set up a new thread in the suggestions/complaints forum but since we appear to be moving sites soon I might as well ask here. When we move to a new site, can we get rid of text colours that blend in with the background? That way there's no possibility for people to accidentally make things hard for everyone else. I know that I used to do it before I knew better, but I'm always amazed by how many people don't realise that writing in dark red, blue, dark blue, and black is a bad idea.

I agree with this statement. Although having a forum with a dark background is helpful with reading in the dark, having uber-dark text that's difficult to read is not a good thing.

Color will always be a problem, no matter what background you use.
You choose a white background and someone that wants lighter colors, like yellow or cyan will be shiddoutta luck instead. Bottom line is most of us have young eyes or glasses to compensate. Sure it's harder to read than a red text on black background, but those of us (I myself am guilty of it) who use a text color that's harder to read can just change the color to a minor color on the character. No point in changing the background color for the reason of text color.

As to the data moving gubbins, maybe a solution would be to appoint temporary mods/mins or something similar to help with the transfer.
Although, that adds the trouble of selecting people you guys trust to do so, but possible way to move more stuff?

They wouldn't really need to give them mod status to do so, that would just be OP and need nerf.

@Queso
I'm clearly demonstrating my knowledge of how computers work here, aren't I?
Basic point is still "Enlist peeps to help with data moving"

Captain Awesome wrote:

Color will always be a problem, no matter what background you use.
You choose a white background and someone that wants lighter colors, like yellow or cyan will be shiddoutta luck instead. Bottom line is most of us have young eyes or glasses to compensate. Sure it's harder to read than a red text on black background, but those of us (I myself am guilty of it) who use a text color that's harder to read can just change the color to a minor color on the character. No point in changing the background color for the reason of text color.

There are clever people on these forums, me not included, so I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to cook up different usable themes within the forums. Naturally, problems would still arise, but in the end it's a problem they kinda chose for themselves, and as such they'll probably have to end up coping for it themselves.

Zou Sama wrote:

@Queso
I'm clearly demonstrating my knowledge of how computers work here, aren't I?
Basic point is still "Enlist peeps to help with data moving"

AKA people who can copy and paste for hours, pretty much.

Quote :

Post count things

Some people aren't here right now, or simply can't post much due to life, but were very dedicated. It would suck if there was a sudden hard reset to 0 all over again. This'll probably hit harder against those who simply can't be as active for multiple factors.

Also there's the argument of quality and quantity posts yadeeyadeeya but that's another argument I'd prefer in another thread.

JL wrote:

Some people aren't here right now, or simply can't post much due to life, but were very dedicated. It would suck if there was a sudden hard reset to 0 all over again. This'll probably hit harder against those who simply can't be as active for multiple factors.

The argument we're making right now is that there is no real need for a post counter anyway, aside from an ego boost. Dedicated users should be well known already if they really do post that much, and it makes the newer, or less active, users feel inferior. Besides, the 'quality versus quantity' argument is very much related to the post counter, as people make short, or non-thought out, posts in order to boost their score. Removing it entirely might actually make the RPG a friendlier place for newcomers, and increase the quality of what people actually do write.

(Edit: I know Vox as the devil, Aphro as the pervert, and Jash as the legend who lives on in our campfire tales. These are examples, and I could name a lot more, but the point is that me knowing these people has nothing to do with post counts.)

I know it is not quite my place to say this, but I don't believe post counts are the main topic of this discussion, while I'll admit it is one in need of review. I'd like to point out that in my original post I didn't intend to imply a complete removal of a post counter (although I have to agree with Daemons logic)

As for the quality vs. quantity argument I will say that length or amount of posts doesn't matter as much as relevance, detail, and on occasion conciseness. These are sentiments I believe all people should carry on in both this forum and the next, and really all.

Why are you guys even making a big deal about post counts? I don't think any better of somebody with a high amount of posts or anything.
People look to admins for help most of the time, not someone who has a higher number under their profile name than the next guy. Maybe some people look up to those who have been here longer but, when I talk to someone, they can be horribly wrong about something and have the highest post number I've ever seen and that wouldn't make them any less right about anything to me.
Just relax about the unimportant stuff like that. If we get a website that solves that issue, fine. If we don't, who cares?

Captain Awesome wrote:

Why are you guys even making a big deal about post counts? I don't think any better of somebody with a high amount of posts or anything.

We're making a big deal out of it because somebody has to. I'm not saying that having post counts is the end of the world, and that it makes the difference between the RPG being bad or good. We have identified what some of us at least view as a problem. We are stating what we feel is wrong with it, how we feel it could be fixed, and what we feel fixing it would achieve. This is not 'making a big deal about something', this is an attempt to fix a problem. Would you rather that every time we found something we feel is wrong we stay silent about it, for fear of starting an argument? If that was the case, there would be no reason to make anything better because we would all be pretending that we find everything perfect.

I can understand that you don't think any better of people with higher post counts, because neither do I. However, a lot of people clearly do or they wouldn't be trying to boost their post counts. For me it isn't so much a matter of viewing them as superior as it is the feeling that I am being evaluated by the count, and that somebody new to the site will normally defer to the 'more active' user. I'm not saying they're wrong to do so, but it doesn't feel great for somebody to pick one of two strangers because of a meaningless statistic. Sometimes they do know more, and are more experienced, but sometimes they aren't. It's like (and I'm going to throw in a RvB reference here) the leaderboard on the Freelancer Project. It always feels like you're being evaluated.

However, I do feel that we'd be better off continuing this argument in a different thread, rather than cluttering up this one with an unrelated conversation. If Anyone has anything else to say, they can do so here.

Daemonblade wrote:

If Anyone has anything else to say, they can do so here.

ty.

Anyways, I'm sure we all see that our colors have been turned to a stale and ugly green. While I'm perfectly fine with the change of the system (But not that of the color >.<) I was wondering about how said system would translate in the migration should the migration happen. Would we keep it? Add to it?

Personally, I would suggest we keep it, but change up the colors in accordance to the new theme. Another thing I would suggest (And personally, I kinda see this as an alternative to post count) would be to add new colors that would be for different things, the most prominent being dedication. I'd be very happy to see a group for Dedicated Members.

What would being a dedicated member entail in your vision? We won't be rewarding post count in any way, and are hesitant to have a reward system at all.

JL wrote:

Another thing I would suggest (And personally, I kinda see this as an alternative to post count) would be to add new colors that would be for different things, the most prominent being dedication. I'd be very happy to see a group for Dedicated Members.

There's a bit of a fine balance to that. I agree with you about the idea of having colours for dedication, but the problem would be finding a way to make it work properly without creating a system where newer members are looked upon as 'less important' or generally inferior. I'd like to have some kind of dedication system, but it would be all too easy for it to simply replicate all the problems I have with the post counter.