Forum updates (again)

[karl_b]

Hello gang. Just so you're all aware, I've moved the club library out of the personal library section in to it's own dedicated forum. The list of club games is in a locked thread, which Paul C, Sam S and I will ensure is up to date and which I intend to expand to include more details.

I will start a new thread for library lending requests and if there are any future discussions about buying and selling club games, etc then they can go in new threads.

Thanks! We're still tweaking and hopefully improving both the club and the forum. Comments and suggestions always welcome.

[karl_b]

Hello again. I've been tinkering with a few admin tools - mainly permissions, moderators and some widgets (scrolly things on the right hand side!); I've also added a small allowance for the gallery to allow Sam to upload photos of articles he doesn't like. Please let me know if you spot any issues or have any comments.

Your new (or recently new) friendly neighbourhood mods are:

Sam and Paul C - librarians
Pauly G - for Star Realms
Beardy Tom - for the Game Design forum

Please let me know if you guys have any problems with your new found authority - I'm still getting used to the admin tools.

[SamVS]

Karl! The "d" in "Game design", the title of the new subform, is not capitalized, even though the titles of all other forums on the site clearly follow the custom of capitalizing all words in the title except prepositions and articles! Pls fix immediately or I will leave the club and take up knitting.

[DaveB]

Karl! The "d" in "Game design", the title of the new subform, is not capitalized, even though the titles of all other forums on the site clearly follow the custom of capitalizing all words in the title except prepositions and articles! Pls fix immediately or I will leave the club and take up knitting.

That feels like a bluff that should be called...

[JohnH]

loving the scrolly thing.

[Admin]

Fzzzt needs adding back to the library list now it has been found...

[BeardyTom]

All the changes I've noticed are positive. I like the scrolly thing too and the 'multi-quote' option is handy.

[PaulC]

Fzzzt needs adding back to the library list now it has been found...

I also donated my copy of Port Royal a while back, that needs adding too.

[karl_b]

Games added, thanks guys.

[paulyg]

I donated Batman Love Letter... (sorry Karl!)

[karl_b]

I donated Batman Love Letter... (sorry Karl!)

Already added.

[Meurig]

Do join me in taking up knitting, Sam. You can even knit and play games at the same time!

[karl_b]

Following some feedback from new members, I've done a bit of tinkering with the structure of the forum and amended some of the announcementy bits with recent updates.

We'd appreciate some feedback, particularly from any new members. Are we using the forum in the best way? Is it easy to navigate, can you find out about us and club meetings easily enough?

[karl_b]

Looks great, Karl.

[karl_b]

Thanks Karl, I agree.

[DaveB]

Well done Karl, help yourself to a cup of tea and an armful of medals?

To be honest I didn't really notice anything particularly different but then I'm not new and probably haven't been in the "About Us" section since the last time you made some changes in there. All looks good to me though!

[SamVS]

As Karl said, it would be nice to hear from the perspective of new members, who can also give feedback with fresh eyes. On an unrelated note, here are my opinions:

I always wondered why the personal libraries and club libraries are in separate forums. You could cut the number of forums on the main page by one (7 does seem to be a lot), have the club library threads (Club Library, Lending Requests, and Club Library Discussion) as the stickies, and all other member libraries beneath that.

I also feel like the member's area should be the last (or maybe the first) thread on the list, if it isn't categorized under a different header altogether, because otherwise when you log it it appears in the middle of the list, shifting "Game Discussion" from the forth to the fifth option in the menu. Which is... just a bit weird.

I think my ideal forum layout would be something like

Reference:
About Us
Club/Member Libraries

Discussions:
Meet-Ups
Board Games
Everything Else

Member's Only:
Member's Lounge

By the way, did I ever mention that I hate how there are two logos in the forum header?

[Kes]

Club clothing comes with just one logo! Order yours today!

[karl_b]

As Karl said, it would be nice to hear from the perspective of new members, who can also give feedback with fresh eyes. On an unrelated note, here are my opinions:

I always wondered why the personal libraries and club libraries are in separate forums. You could cut the number of forums on the main page by one (7 does seem to be a lot), have the club library threads (Club Library, Lending Requests, and Club Library Discussion) as the stickies, and all other member libraries beneath that.

I also feel like the member's area should be the last (or maybe the first) thread on the list, if it isn't categorized under a different header altogether, because otherwise when you log it it appears in the middle of the list, shifting "Game Discussion" from the forth to the fifth option in the menu. Which is... just a bit weird.

I think my ideal forum layout would be something like

Reference:
About Us
Club/Member Libraries

Discussions:
Meet-Ups
Board Games
Everything Else

Member's Only:
Member's Lounge

By the way, did I ever mention that I hate how there are two logos in the forum header?

Sam, some good points, in response:

• Libraries - we did previously have these combined but we wanted to split them out in order to allow any discussion about the club library to be contained within it's own forum, so as to not get lost among the list of personal libraries.
  
• I'm undecided whether it's better to have more forums that lead directly to the discussion or more sub-folders with few on the main screen is better (which seems to be the same discussion I've had endlessly at work about structuring network folders for projects).
  
• Members Area at the bottom is a good idea
  
• I don't like the header typeface. I'd actually like a sleeker, more modern skin but I haven't looked in to it. This also opens up a debate about the forum software (it'd be nice to have one compatible with Tapatalk for mobile use) but I'm of the opinion that:
  
  1. If it ain't broke....etc
     
  2. I can't be bothered to change it / risk breaking the forum
     
  
  
  

[Admin]

it would be nice to hear from the perspective of new members, who can also give feedback with fresh eyes.

By the way, did I ever mention that I hate how there are two logos in the forum header?

Don't we keep going around in logo circles here? But yes agree any new members that can add their tuppence would be much appreciated.

I'm coming at my counter argument from the mobile site and overall 'click' efficiency. The most important use of this forum is to organise sessions and let people know what is happening - so that should come very near the top - hence why libraries - which is really just information comes below. I also feel that some of the sessions are getting lost in the list of meet-ups and I would break it up into subsections as follows...

Meetings:
Tuesday @ Uni Arms, Sheffield Centre
Wednesday @ Castle Gaming, Sheffield North (potential new session)
'Firsty' Thursday @ Uni Arms, Sheffield Centre
Sunday Session @ Red Deer, Sheffield Centre

Discussions:
Board Games
Everything Else

Member's Only:
Member's Lounge
Club/Member Libraries

Reference:
About Us

Inside each thread I would have a link to the 'about us' section... that would fall more in line with most websites which have the 'about us'/'contact us'/'help section' at the bottom of the list. Don't forget we do have some 'about us' text at the top already.

Meetings are in day order so it is obvious... then each thread has the days as we usually do - just separated into the different sessions. I think it might also be worth setting up a system where-as the next session is posted during the previous?

[Admin]

For those intrigued by that Wednesday meet - please help forge the future...
http://www.sheffieldboardgamers.com/t1294-potential-new-session-in-sheffield-north#21524

[DaveB]

...I would break it up into subsections as follows...

Meetings:
Tuesday @ Uni Arms, Sheffield Centre
Wednesday @ Castle Gaming, Sheffield North (potential new session)
'Firsty' Thursday @ Uni Arms, Sheffield Centre
Sunday Session @ Red Deer, Sheffield Centre

Discussions:
Board Games
Everything Else

Member's Only:
Member's Lounge
Club/Member Libraries

Reference:
About Us

If you're proposing separate sections for each major meeting day/type (which I definitely don't disagree with) then I'd suggest adding an "Ad-Hoc" section too for other stuff like TI;3, PaulyGcon, and more ad-hoc "anyone fancy a game on friday at my house" type threads

[Admin]

If you're proposing separate sections for each major meeting day/type (which I definitely don't disagree with) then I'd suggest adding an "Ad-Hoc" section too for other stuff like TI;3, PaulyGcon, and more ad-hoc "anyone fancy a game on friday at my house" type threads

Totally agree - In the excitement of putting my idea of a Wednesday meet out there I forgot this part... I was going to call it extra curricular but Ad-Hoc would be better...

Meetings:
Tuesday @ Uni Arms, Sheffield Centre
Wednesday @ Castle Gaming, Sheffield North (potential new session)
'Firsty' Thursday @ Uni Arms, Sheffield Centre
Sunday Session @ Red Deer, Sheffield Centre
Ad-Hoc meetings

Discussions:
Board Games
Everything Else

Member's Only:
Member's Lounge
Club/Member Libraries

Reference:
About Us

[karl_b]

Meetings:
Tuesday @ Uni Arms, Sheffield Centre
Wednesday @ Castle Gaming, Sheffield North (potential new session)
'Firsty' Thursday @ Uni Arms, Sheffield Centre
Sunday Session @ Red Deer, Sheffield Centre
Ad-Hoc meetings

Discussions:
Board Games
Everything Else

Member's Only:
Member's Lounge
Club/Member Libraries

Reference:
About Us

Yup, let's do this. Do you want to make the changes and we can trial it?

Edit - not sure how we deal with historic threads. Perhaps delete the old meeting threads (unless any are still relevant) and manually archive the General ones?

[SamVS]

Don't delete the meeting threads. I used to write my thoughts on games in those threads in the evening after I'd played them, and I'd like to copy those notes. Other did people did the same, and there are some interesting observations recorded. I think those sorts of posts belong better in the Board Games forum, but I think the relevant meeting thread was were it was always most convenient to post to. No need to make a thread for a particular game you wanted to comment on, or split your thoughts across threads if you'd played more than one game that night.

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