Hey all, after letting the discussion rage on and giving everyone ample (perhaps too long) to weigh in on what changes they would like to see I wanted to run down the final result here. The what and why and all that good stuff. So without further ado the changes.
1. Smash 64 has moved away from general gaming and into a dual Melee and 64 section
Ultimately, Smash 64 is a part of the bigger smash community. Its a game many people still play, many smashers that have moved onto other versions got their start on, and is compelling and warrants to be put on similar visibility to the rest of the series.
Putting it in the same section as Melee does a few things. It gives 64 a home that directly associates it with other parts of the smash community, allows it to have other main page forums, and does it without taking up as much room as its own section would.
I know many of you wanted your own own section. But ultimately we are all part of the same community. By intertwining you with a large a vibrant part of the smash community (melee) it will hopefully encourage more people to check it out. Probably in an even better way than the having your own section but below Melee would. I like this is the near term. People will see you guys.
In the long term, as sections grow, as events grow, it might make sense for 64 to have its own section. If anything this stepping stone that will hopefully give everyone the motivation to continue to try to get people into smash 64, to get you to the point where the best and only option is its own section based on traffic and large demand. But for now I think the best fit and what will perhaps do the most good is the dual section we now have.
2. A Backroom will be created
It was interesting to see both sides present arguments and fall on each side of the debate. The last time I saw the poll it was something like 45 for, 35 against, including seeing 2 of each of the 4 mods on both side. That is pretty telling to the parity on this one.
But in end I have similar feelings to it as I do to other backrooms. If done properly it can do a tremendous amount of good, produce resources for the community at large, create discussion, and be a leader to a furthering community.
That said this is the most conditional backroom we are going to make on the boards, likely ever. It is being created with the sole intention of producing more than it will take away from the main discussion. The 64 community is just too niche to take the most important discussions and leave them to the chosen individuals in the backroom. I 100% expect to see every finalized character discussion, stage discussion, tier list logic, rule set revision, to have not only the end result but the very logic and key debates points highlighted and presented in here (General Discussion) for all to see, all to talk about. If this is done, the backroom will create more than it takes away discussion wise. And if it does not get done the backroom will be done away with. I am not having a room that hurts the 64 community at large by taking what could be a community discussion to a smaller group and not giving back.
This will be short coming (I still need to talk to some candidates to oversee the group and make sure they are on the same page with me on the group and willing and dedicated to it) and the application and selection process will be left up to the leadership team of your new Smash 64 backroom and posted there after. That said I am excited to see it, and if it is done right it will be great for the 64 community. The backroom leaders will also have a direct line to me for making any positive changes for sake of the smash 64 community.
3. A Video and Character Subforum have been added
With a lot of large threads devoted to videos and how important character discussion is and you guys wanting them they both made sense and were created. The character room is a bit of a work in progress and is going to take time to grow and populate as it should. My hope (and perhaps a backroom project) is to get guides for each character as stickies that can also serve as a main discussion topic for _______ character. As the forum grows so will we accommodate it. It gets to the point where there are great guides for the characters it will be given a main forum page, gets to the point there is so much discussion its in need of individual character subforums so will it have. For now lets start with this and let a grow without making too many places and spreading the community too thin.
4. The "Smash 64 Competitive Events" section has been added
Besides general discussion, having a main page section for events for people to take part in is one of the most important things to growing a community. People are going to see it, check it out. You now have that. I know its a bit of the change to have to go the main page for it (but as stated bookmarks work wonders) but it is great for u guys.
Also, to make things easier and clearer within the forum. "Online:" and "Console:" prefixs have been added to it.
While on the subject of prefixs it was mentioned adding the 64 to tournament listings. I actually liked the idea on first mention. But as I got thinking about it though I just realized there are just very very few sole 64 tournaments that got listed there. And especially with your own 64 tournament section main page section now it just does not make sense to have those prefixs within "Tournament Listings" currently. The best application there would be some of these tournaments that have 64 as a side event. Unfortunately the level of new colors that would be needed for the new options (brawl + 64, 64+ melee, 64+brawl+melee) would just leave the forum too complex. We are exploring some structural changes around here that might help things in the long term. But for now adding a color for 64 to the forum wouldnt do much and adding 4 would leave it too complex. I think in long term, if some other things we are working on dont pan out, adding some sort of Brawl, Melee, 64 and, perhaps depending on how the 64 competitive section takes shape, a64 make the most sense.
5. There will be a global announcement about this for all to hear
Hopefully this gets your community some attention and encourages some new people to check it out. If nothing else it another token of recognition of your community.
It will likely come around the end of the week as there as one important one I want to stay up top for a bit that I am going to run within the day and I want to get the backroom set first as well so it can be detailed in the announcement.
Thats all. Hopefully in end everyone is happy with the results. Thanks for your patience and being part of SWF.
1. Smash 64 has moved away from general gaming and into a dual Melee and 64 section
Ultimately, Smash 64 is a part of the bigger smash community. Its a game many people still play, many smashers that have moved onto other versions got their start on, and is compelling and warrants to be put on similar visibility to the rest of the series.
Putting it in the same section as Melee does a few things. It gives 64 a home that directly associates it with other parts of the smash community, allows it to have other main page forums, and does it without taking up as much room as its own section would.
I know many of you wanted your own own section. But ultimately we are all part of the same community. By intertwining you with a large a vibrant part of the smash community (melee) it will hopefully encourage more people to check it out. Probably in an even better way than the having your own section but below Melee would. I like this is the near term. People will see you guys.
In the long term, as sections grow, as events grow, it might make sense for 64 to have its own section. If anything this stepping stone that will hopefully give everyone the motivation to continue to try to get people into smash 64, to get you to the point where the best and only option is its own section based on traffic and large demand. But for now I think the best fit and what will perhaps do the most good is the dual section we now have.
2. A Backroom will be created
It was interesting to see both sides present arguments and fall on each side of the debate. The last time I saw the poll it was something like 45 for, 35 against, including seeing 2 of each of the 4 mods on both side. That is pretty telling to the parity on this one.
But in end I have similar feelings to it as I do to other backrooms. If done properly it can do a tremendous amount of good, produce resources for the community at large, create discussion, and be a leader to a furthering community.
That said this is the most conditional backroom we are going to make on the boards, likely ever. It is being created with the sole intention of producing more than it will take away from the main discussion. The 64 community is just too niche to take the most important discussions and leave them to the chosen individuals in the backroom. I 100% expect to see every finalized character discussion, stage discussion, tier list logic, rule set revision, to have not only the end result but the very logic and key debates points highlighted and presented in here (General Discussion) for all to see, all to talk about. If this is done, the backroom will create more than it takes away discussion wise. And if it does not get done the backroom will be done away with. I am not having a room that hurts the 64 community at large by taking what could be a community discussion to a smaller group and not giving back.
This will be short coming (I still need to talk to some candidates to oversee the group and make sure they are on the same page with me on the group and willing and dedicated to it) and the application and selection process will be left up to the leadership team of your new Smash 64 backroom and posted there after. That said I am excited to see it, and if it is done right it will be great for the 64 community. The backroom leaders will also have a direct line to me for making any positive changes for sake of the smash 64 community.
3. A Video and Character Subforum have been added
With a lot of large threads devoted to videos and how important character discussion is and you guys wanting them they both made sense and were created. The character room is a bit of a work in progress and is going to take time to grow and populate as it should. My hope (and perhaps a backroom project) is to get guides for each character as stickies that can also serve as a main discussion topic for _______ character. As the forum grows so will we accommodate it. It gets to the point where there are great guides for the characters it will be given a main forum page, gets to the point there is so much discussion its in need of individual character subforums so will it have. For now lets start with this and let a grow without making too many places and spreading the community too thin.
4. The "Smash 64 Competitive Events" section has been added
Besides general discussion, having a main page section for events for people to take part in is one of the most important things to growing a community. People are going to see it, check it out. You now have that. I know its a bit of the change to have to go the main page for it (but as stated bookmarks work wonders) but it is great for u guys.
Also, to make things easier and clearer within the forum. "Online:" and "Console:" prefixs have been added to it.
While on the subject of prefixs it was mentioned adding the 64 to tournament listings. I actually liked the idea on first mention. But as I got thinking about it though I just realized there are just very very few sole 64 tournaments that got listed there. And especially with your own 64 tournament section main page section now it just does not make sense to have those prefixs within "Tournament Listings" currently. The best application there would be some of these tournaments that have 64 as a side event. Unfortunately the level of new colors that would be needed for the new options (brawl + 64, 64+ melee, 64+brawl+melee) would just leave the forum too complex. We are exploring some structural changes around here that might help things in the long term. But for now adding a color for 64 to the forum wouldnt do much and adding 4 would leave it too complex. I think in long term, if some other things we are working on dont pan out, adding some sort of Brawl, Melee, 64 and, perhaps depending on how the 64 competitive section takes shape, a64 make the most sense.
5. There will be a global announcement about this for all to hear
Hopefully this gets your community some attention and encourages some new people to check it out. If nothing else it another token of recognition of your community.
It will likely come around the end of the week as there as one important one I want to stay up top for a bit that I am going to run within the day and I want to get the backroom set first as well so it can be detailed in the announcement.
Thats all. Hopefully in end everyone is happy with the results. Thanks for your patience and being part of SWF.
