[Pt 1] Forum board layout changes

[Saru 8,354]

In an effort to help improve the organisation of the forum board layout and to improve our coverage of some areas we're going to be enacting a slight reshuffle and making a few changes to some existing sections. We won't be implementing all of these changes at once as some of them are still being discussed but today I can reveal the first of these that is now live on the forums in the form of a new category called Site and Community.

The reasons for this particular change are twofold:

- To provide a prominent dedicated location for site announcements.

- To better promote our community section so that new members can find it.

I'll go through both of the new boards in a bit more detail.

Site News and Announcements

Up until now announcements have been posted in the Web Site & Forum News, Updates & Support board that can be found at the very bottom of the board index. There are two problems with this: one is that the bottom of the board index is not a prominent place where most people are likely to see new announcements and the other is that any new announcements posted are often lost amongst help and support topics.

To remedy this all new announcements will now be posted in the Site News and Announcements board at the top of the board index where they can be seen and where people will notice them. The old Web Site & Forum News, Updates & Support board can still be found in its old location but is now renamed Help and Support Desk and is dedicated to providing assistance to members on forum, site and computer issues.

Community Lounge

This section is the old Community board renamed and moved to the top of the board index. The main problem with its previous location as a subforum of General Off-Topic Discussion is that for a newcomer its existence wasn't very obvious. We want this forum to act as a place where new members can come in and introduce themselves and where current members can offer birthday wishes, celebrate posting milestones and other community related achievements. While it did serve this purpose already its location severely hampered the chances of most newcomers even knowing it was there.

On a sidenote existing game threads that were in the old Community board have now been moved to General Off-Topic Discussion.

[Admiral Danger 2]

the new layout scares me

but i suppose i'll get used to it

good job

Edited January 25, 2010 by Dr Alien

[Queen in the North 338]

I like it! Lots of introduction threads were getting kind of ignored because of the game threads going on in General OT Discussion, so nice one, Saru

Even if it does make it easier for Still Waters to hunt me down...

[nativechick1989 264]

Bravo! I like the new layout Good work

[thatRobGuy 2]

I heard the government made them change it.

[Paranormalcy 1,320]

Looking good. =)

[behaviour??? 24]

It looks Good

Thanks

B???

[Still Waters 52,252]

I like the new layout, it looks good. I especially like the Community Lounge, it has a friendly and relaxing feel to it and is a perfect place for new members to come in and say hello or whatever

[Stardrive 689]

It took me a few times to get used to the new layout and redesign but I like it alot better now that I'm used to it. Adding the headliner story was a good idea also.

Good job Saru.