A labour of love - a strategy game forum

[haqzore]

With activity I'll start to separate the strategy game forum into genre-specific fora. But that's a way down the road when we have a few more threads/posts.

I'd recommend prefixes.

Will add structure with your current layout, and make later separation even easier.

 

[alsarcastic]

Prefixes already in place. Not as mandatory requirements but as an option:

 

[alsarcastic]

I've hired Dominic from skinmyforum to work on a new style for Strategy Gaming Network.

"retro style forums with modern functionality"

You, (not just Nabix, but you collectively) as a forum administrator/user, are my best source of ideas and suggestions. What do you think this new style should be like?

 

[zappaDPJ]

You, (not just @Nabix, but you collectively) as a forum administrator/user, are my best source of ideas and suggestions. What do you think this new style should be like?

How about incorporating a grid design as a background feature.

 

[alsarcastic]

Cool. I'll forward that suggestion.

 

[Nabix]

That's pretty sweet. I can imagine when loading the site. It would feel as if I'm looking at an actual board game or something similar.

 

[alsarcastic]

I feel like things are starting to look optimistic. I'm running our first promotional competition https://strategygaming.net/index.php?threads/win-age-of-wonders-planetfall.146/ and we've had folks join up who are already involved in the strategy gaming community - including one game developer. Looking to work out a way to work with him to our mutual benefit. I've linked Twitter/Facebook/Steam to give people alternative and easy ways to join and we have developed a small following on Twitter ourselves. I have article writers on board too and the content is pumping along quite nicely. I'm not going to rest on my laurels though. I'm looking at advertising options for the future but waiting for the final look for the community to be in place before we go all out with promotion. Until that time it's a case of Stage four, five and six: Content, content, content before going back to stage three for marketing and promotion basics.

Please keep your suggestions coming. You guys have been excellent so far and I value your contributions.

 

[Deimos]

I like it! Forum/Site is nice and fast too.

 

[l3ta]

That's pretty sweet. I can imagine when loading the site. It would feel as if I'm looking at an actual board game or something similar.

Kinda like Game of Thrones.

 

[alsarcastic]

Quite excellently I've been approached by two games developers over on The Twitters who want to talk about their games. This is what I was hoping for. Unique access and insight into games in production giving members first hand access to the people who make the games they love. Smiling A LOT.

 

[Brad P]

Dominic from skinmyforum

he is a beautiful designer, good choice

 

[haqzore]

Quite excellently I've been approached by two games developers over on The Twitters who want to talk about their games. This is what I was hoping for. Unique access and insight into games in production giving members first hand access to the people who make the games they love. Smiling A LOT.

Incredible. Good for you.

 

[DarkGenesis]

Looks like a nice community and that's coming from a person running a similar type of community (early stages yet). Only downfall is I really don't like the thread view or the mini profile in post view. I'd join otherwise!

 

[zappaDPJ]

Only downfall is I really don't like the thread view or the mini profile in post view. I'd join otherwise!

Just an observation but doesn't interest in the content take precedence over function or aesthetics?

 

[DarkGenesis]

Just an observation but doesn't interest in the content take precedence over function or aesthetics?

Not for me. This isn't a website, it's supposed to be a community and whenever I see the social media type replies, I get turned off. I'm not faulting him in his choice for doing his community the way that he is or saying there's anything wrong with it, just stating that I, personally, don't find it attractive as a guest and won't join because of it.

I like how the threads are on this community because it's a message board. If I wanted those style replies, I would go to any video gaming news community.

 

[alsarcastic]

DarkGenesis - I totally get where you’re coming from. I’m not happy with the look at the moment hence why I have a custom theme in development. Good luck getting your boards off the ground. I shall watch with great interest.

 

[DarkGenesis]

DarkGenesis - I totally get where you’re coming from. I’m not happy with the look at the moment hence why I have a custom theme in development. Good luck getting your boards off the ground. I shall watch with great interest.

No worries man. Every step is a step in the right direction if you're doing what you think best. As the admin, you have to be able to wake up, look at your community and say 'this is my baby' and do what you think is best, I'm no different.

Your community is a work-in-progress, as is mine and I'm curious to see what the future holds for yours.

 

[alsarcastic]

An update: I've stalled a little bit on the all out content, content, content phase. That isn't to say that content is lacking, its just not pouring in as I intended. The current stats are:

Threads:: 347
Messages:: 1,666
Members:: 46

Which isn't too shabby for a forum I started 30 days ago! 400ish of those posts are from the forum I merged; but considering its the exact same niche I don't see that as a bad thing or a dilution of content.

I've steered away from the generic 'general chat' forums which typically get infested in this kind of project. I don't want to detract from the actual niche of the forum.

I've expanded out from the few original forums and they will be expanded out more as time goes on. We have now forums for retro games and for games in development. These seems to be quite popular and I'm discussing bringing in a Discord community who have access to a popular retro game which doesn't have much coverage outside of Discord. If I can just get that group admin out of games for long enough to finalise things!

There's another indie game/developer I'm trying to get involved. He's legendary. A guy names Chris Taylor who wrote two of the best RTS games of all time (Total Annihilation and Supreme Commander). He's now struck out on his own with a project. I have emailed him to see if he will allow me to host forums for his project. To that end I also paid $10 for a domain to run a small blog geared towards that project and which is designed to feed into the forums. Google loves blogs and there is little out there about that game right now. If I've timed it right and I can get the content in place I should get a monopoly and attract users to discuss the game.

When I said, 'Labour of Love' I meant it. I'm in this for the long haul. I think my head being turned towards other projects away from gaming is probably a good things. It'll prevent burnout. There is, with this, no rush.

The new theme should be in the works as of Monday 3 August too! I'll keep you posted.