"Forums"

[N-Antichrist]

Well, with all the 'Wade wants intellect' and the discussions revolving around it commenting that it's failed or won, or whatever.
I didn't think much of it first, but I doubt the large FORUMS button is helping the BBS much.

Most sites present Forums as a big part of their site, e.g. It's part of the header as a big button, alongside HOME and any other section of the site that it focuses on.

When I signed up to NG, I was ignorant of the forums, and only eventually learnt of their existence when I found "BBS signature" in my account options.
I hung around, and noticed that the forum was a tiny text link buried among other options in the header.

The link was miniscule, however, the thing behind it was a massive environment and community. Unique, in a sense - whereas most sites: VGcats, Ebaums etc. had the large links to their boring, blue and white PhpBB (or whatever) forums.

Newgrounds, in my opinion, has always been unique, and almost cult-like. I only ever found the site because of a review of AH in a magazine, before, I was looking at Miniclip and Gamegarage.
The forums are different altogether, and it's referred to as the BBS. The whole site has a 'different' buzz.
But now they seem like they have joined the crowd of other sites.

When someone signs up to a website, they usually feel compelled to look at the forums, and I expect these forums must be fairly attractive. So you get the same amount and type of noobs that linger on Video game forums and the similar Vbulletin sites.
With the huge forums button you attract people, most of them bland and un-interesting, whereas a small link goes unnoticed.

My Propositions:

- Replace the word FORUMS with BBS, and put it amongst the small links like it used to be. put HELP/FAQ in the big buttons.
- Remove a link to the forums from the header all together. Let people determined enough to stay on Newgrounds find their own way there
- Remove the forum link from the header, and put it somewhere else. Put it at the bottom of the page.
- Only allow BBS access to those with 100 exp points (or something queer along those lines)

Perhaps I'm wondering off subject here. The point is:

Is the huge FORUMS button making the BBS crappy?

were the forums ever crappy in the first place?

Opinions please.

[Foolmoron]

So you want the BBS to attract less people? I guess...maybe less noobs, but 100 EXP is easy to get, and it's already too late to fix the stupidity of the BBS

[Doobie]

At 7/29/06 06:31 PM, Noob-Antichrist wrote:
Is the huge FORUMS button making the BBS crappy?

yes it is,it is doing nothing but let people that just joined NG to flood the forums with their spam.

my solution- not let people that are below level 5 to post here.

[Earfetish]

At 7/29/06 06:35 PM, -Doobie- wrote: my solution- not let people that are below level 5 to post here.

I don't think level or experience have much to do with it.

[esko-man]

At 7/29/06 06:39 PM, Earfetish wrote:

At 7/29/06 06:35 PM, -Doobie- wrote: my solution- not let people that are below level 5 to post here.

I don't think level or experience have much to do with it.

If you change the minimum to higher, it won't even matter because not being a n00b in the portal has nothing to do with experience in the BBS. It will still be their first time here and just getting started so it's liable to still be spammed by n00bs to it anyway

[Powerage]

At 7/29/06 06:35 PM, -Doobie- wrote: my solution- not let people that are below level 5 to post here.

Expierence points and levels are related to the flash portal, it has nothing to do with the BBS. In fact, if we were to do what -Doobie- suggested here, we'd lose some of our more intellegent users intellegent users, and we should also note that two of our mods (-Luis- and JoS) are under level 5.

[Power-Khord]

At 7/29/06 06:33 PM, Foolmoron wrote: So you want the BBS to attract less people? I guess...maybe less noobs, but 100 EXP is easy to get, and it's already too late to fix the stupidity of the BBS

true.peopl will continue to act like morons just because they think they'll get through life that way.

[Masculine]

There is already a consideration about only letting people who have signed up on NG for a certain amount of time to be able to post.

[BobFulp]

At 7/29/06 06:52 PM, Masculine wrote: There is already a consideration about only letting people who have signed up on NG for a certain amount of time to be able to post.

Thats a good idea, let them read the forums first, so they know how to post and what to post.

[esko-man]

At 7/29/06 06:54 PM, Whomper wrote:

Thats a good idea, let them read the forums first, so they know how to post and what to post.

this is another good idea... let them have access to the forums to read post and such, but if they try to post or start a new topic, they get a screen similar to the ban screen that says something like, "Sorry, you are not experienced enough to post yet. Your temporary... ...this will be in effect for **days **hours and **minutes. Please come back and post then"

[Sekhmet]

While I don't agree that there should be a minimum amount of exp to enter the portal, I like the whole changing the buttons thing. Someone should know what BBS means before posting here.

[Database]

At 7/29/06 06:49 PM, Powerage wrote:

At 7/29/06 06:35 PM, -Doobie- wrote: my solution- not let people that are below level 5 to post here.

Expierence points and levels are related to the flash portal, it has nothing to do with the BBS. In fact, if we were to do what -Doobie- suggested here, we'd lose some of our more intellegent users intellegent users, and we should also note that two of our mods (-Luis- and JoS) are under level 5.

And don't forget about Stamper and Tom Fulp himself. Also I've seen higher level people spam more than some noobs. I do like the smaller link idea though.

[Invaderchris]

It's almost like you were looking at my website while writing that Noob-Antichist:

www.netchris.org

It's got a big header, a home button and a forum button right next to it!

[Schoefield]

lmfao

[RyanKajito]

Meh, I easily noticed the link when I first signed up. Though, I considered staying away from the BBS and racking up some experience points so I wouldn't look like a n00b. I still ended up being one anyways.

I don't think the big button is what attracts all of the n00bs though.

[Bolo]

wade and tom want MORE people on the BBS, not less!
Their intellect is less important than their presence!

[esko-man]

I didn't even start posting until earlier this month when I've been here since like 3/7/2003 I think... mainly because I didn't know how to use it, and because I didn't know what it was... I always tried to use the newgrounds chat, but it never worked, ans it still doesn't work for me on any comp, no matter what I download for it

[RenegadeGirl]

Would it be helpfull after newbies visit the forums for the first time, they get a page about the rules and where you get a button where you agree with the rules.
But they first must wait 1 or 2 minutes before the " I Agree" button appears, hoping of more chance that they actually will read it, while waiting for the button to appear.
I don't know if that will help, but there are some forums that users must agree with the rules without reading it.

[Rockin-Rubber-Duck]

At 7/29/06 06:39 PM, Earfetish wrote:

At 7/29/06 06:35 PM, -Doobie- wrote: my solution- not let people that are below level 5 to post here.

I don't think level or experience have much to do with it.

Really its not how long or how dedicated they are to the site its how mature they are! Hell i've seen some twelve year olds be more mature then some sixteen year olds but i do agree with the button idea

[TheSoulMan]

Even if you have been in NG for 6 years you can still be a cock. Just to let you know.

[BananaBreadMuffin]

Only let people with over 100 posts post here.

[AngryCat]

i like the large button because it brings more traffic, but the problem is that many of these people are noobs. i remember when the button was first changed, that same day there were many threads saying "OMG new Button!!1" that were made by users of levels 1-5.
changing the button to BBS wouldnt do much, because the people that dont know what a BBS is would click it out of curiosity and find out its a forum.

[artificial]

Problem is man that no matter how hard one may try. People will always have something they want to change about the forum. I think its awsome that you got some ideas for change, but weeds will always grow with the grasses of newgrounds. Thats the unique thing about this site. You get people whom are shit, and people who are clean. That balance give this forum its life. Perfection will only lead to disaster. Stings are needed to keep a swelling alive..

trust me.

[ChocloMan]

The idea of a certain amount of time before posting wouldn't work only because many many people don't notice the BBS (or at least until a month ago or so) after a while they've been here.
The month/week/whatever period before you can post should start when you first try to post.
That way, people who aren't really interested won't come back for a while, and the users who are interested will probably lurk or come back regularly.
The trick would be to not tell them when they'll be able to post, just telling them "You have to wait for a while :o)" or something.

[N-Antichrist]

At 7/29/06 07:30 PM, The_Soul_Man wrote: Even if you have been in NG for 6 years you can still be a cock. Just to let you know.

Of course, but the likelihood is that they usually aren't. Just to let you know.

[UberKuri]

At 7/29/06 07:31 PM, BananaBreadMuffin wrote: Only let people with over 100 posts post here.

I see what you're trying to do.

[Shaun]

i agree with making the "help/faq" button larger..
but i dont think we should hide the forums away..
they are an asset to the site and keep people coming back, which in the long run is what we want..
its all about ad revenue.

[TheMaster]

It was bad even before the large button.