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Communities.
List some of the most popular forums and describe its discussions.
In terms of post count, by far the most popular forum is "The Dump" which is used for general off topic discussions about almost anything. However we put most of our effort into the sections directly related to the game, where users have the chance to ask questions and discuss strategy with other members.
What prompted you to start your forum? What was your launch date?
As mentioned above the forums were created with the game itself, which was launched on the 26th of January 2007.
Do you have any special forum features or activities?
Most of the special events we host for community involvement are actually run on our IRC server, but they are strongly advertised on the forum. Things like holding staff Q&A sessions help build a community atmosphere.
SOFTWARE:
Which software do you use for your forums?
Vbulletin, provides us with a stable platform and all the features we need.
Do you use any add-ons scripts to enhance your site? Which ones?
Not at this time, we tend to find they create problems during upgrades that just aren't necessary. Occasionally when we need something specific doing we have a plugin written specially (last used when we wanted to modify the reputation score of everyone on the board).
HARDWARE:
What is your current server set-up? Do you have multiple servers for your big board forum? Who manages your servers?
This one I struggle to answer, all the servers are managed by the head office for the company. http://traviangames.com
MEMBERS:
Membership stats? How many members?
Our forums currently have 45,621 members, whilst the game itself generally has around 100,000 members - but inactive accounts are continuously deleted there.
What are the demographics of your site? (Percentage of men, women, age groups, locality related)
Again I don't have any stats available, but we have a majority young male membership. A large proportion of our members are from the US, being the US version of the game.
STAFF:
Tell us a about your staff including how many admins (and their functions), moderators, mentors, web-developers, etc. Explain how your staff is organized.
We have one local GameAdmin, which is myself. I look after everything related to the US version of the site. There are then a few headoffice admins who ensure everything is working from the technical side. Other than that we have 3 super moderators and around 10 moderators for the board. We also have about 70 staff to handle issues in the game itself, including multihunters to ensure the rules are upheld and supporters to answer questions about the game.
REVENUE:
How do you generate revenue to cover your expenses? (Ecommerce, subscriptions, advertising, affiliate links, etc)
All of our revenue is generated by offering "Gold" for purchase in game, which affords owners special benefits and enhanced accounts. We are strongly against the use of adverts on the site because we feel they distract from the game and clutter the interface.
Do you offer upgraded members groups for a fee? What benefits do they get for subscribing/upgrading?
Not on the forums, we keep the forums entirely free to use by all.
ADMIN:
What is your name?
Jamie Holmes
Please share a few things about yourself. (Bio, family, education, background, hobbies, your favorite pizza topping, your favorite vacation spot, your choice of transportation, etc)
Hmm, lets see. Still a student currently so that takes a lot of my time. I enjoy TV, coding and most other things computer related Favorite pizza topping has to be something barbecue orientated
How do you spend a typical day as admin on your site? What do you enjoy about your job as admin of your site/forums? Do you office in your home or in a separate office space away from your house?
How long I spend on the site depends very much on how much there is to do, but generally at least a couple of hours a day ranging up to a lot more. I use my home as my office, it works fine for me.
What has been the biggest obstacle you have faced in starting or running your forums? How did you/do you handle it?
Biggest obstacle for me is always keeping everyone happy, too often we get disputes where whichever site you support someone will be left feeling bitter. I spend quite a bit of my time trying to ensure these disputes are resolved as fairly as possible.
What 3 things have helped your forums to be a success?
1. Most certainly having a known brand and game to work off
2. A friendly community atmosphere that everyone can enjoy. We try not to 'over-moderate'
3. Plenty to do to keep everyone busy
...Supporting Membership: Ideas for Supporting Members
By: Shawn J. Gossman (Forum Owner, TheAdminZone.com Moderator)
In this article, I wanted to point out some ideas for a supporting membership group function or members who donate to your forum. People seem to always be asking how they can get more... [Read More]
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Favorite pizza topping has to be something barbecue orientated 
