Future of CDZ? - Page 3

yndy · 15-09-2007, 21:48

I open a game of Civ4 or Civ3 once every 2-3 months and rarely play more than 2 hours. I guess my Civ days are over. I like this community very much, it is I guess the only community where I have been active for more than 4 years !?!. Of course time is much limited for me now and in a larger or lesser extent it is for all of us.

What to do? I have no clue but I'd miss the site going down. I know I'm now active only on the Hattrick sub-forum, and not even there much but I can't help it.

I still want to come to one of those CDZ RL reaunions in the Netherlands although I imagine it has to be like 11 years from now when I plan to have a sabbatical year

.

I can only say 'keep up the good work', and that fresh blood will always be good.

Swingue · 15-09-2007, 22:27

not sure completely but i guess our company (Propain and Swingue) owns (and pay) the domainname and for sure the server where it is hosted. PP can tell this for sure.
We also have the license to Vbulletin.

For me, I love lurking around, especially the ISDG. Most other things i just browse by but i love reading.
A great anarchy around here, works like a charm!

Keep up the good work as Yndy quotes.

Pastorius · 16-09-2007, 17:19

Hey mr. Robosuck - long time no see.

Markstar · 17-09-2007, 09:56

So, to sum this up until now:
- Friday Night Pitboss seems to be a good idea to many
- Ladder might be fun...
- ...but more important are spoilers!
- A front page is not important to most people
- IRC are also not high in demand
- Tournaments sound good to some, not tempting at all to others
- Many agree that attracting new players would spice things up
- There are three options as a forum software: vBulleting (apparently we have a license thanks to PP and Swingue), phpBB (has the largest community with the most MODs), Simple Machines or just upgrading to a newer version of Snitz.
- and, most importantly of course, we would need people who volunteer to implement any changes!

[u]Out of these things, there are only a few that actually need work:</u>

As we already have at least one person who offers a computer as a Pitboss server, all we need is a forum post where people can sign up. Maybe the settings can change from week to week but a simple thread should be enough to get this started (maybe an own subforum would be nice so everybody can follow the progress over time and conveniently look at old games)

For more people (and more spoilers) all we actually need (and I guess can) to do is occasionally post at CFC/Apolyton, inviting people to come here if they want to play a MP game and read some spoilers.

While the redesign of the page would be nice, it is not a pressing matter. And as it seems that the forum is still in good hands for now, so is upgrading the forum I guess. Don't get me wrong, I think it still would be nice, but this would also mean that somebody had to do it. From what I found out via Google, vB seems to be the superior choice when it comes to features, security and SEO capabilities. However, I don't have any experience with it (and not really the time to get into it right now), all I know is this MOD of phpBB that I mentioned above. It has tons of features that phpBB lacks (pretty secure against bots, sub-forums) and of course an easy-to-implement attachment MOD and a way to make it search engine friendly.

Shabbaman · 17-09-2007, 10:27

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Markstar

Don't get me wrong, I think it still would be nice, but this would also mean that somebody had to do it. From what I found out via Google, vB seems to be the superior choice when it comes to features, security and SEO capabilities.

Upgrading to vB has been the plan. I saw that Propain has had his cyclingchampion forum upgraded from snitz to vB. I'm willing (better, want) to maintain this new vB forum, and I'm willing to learn how to do this. I should get into contact with Propain or the cc.com admin to see if he can help with the upgrade. He has to activate the new domain name anyway.

I think the forum should be kept simple. I'm thinking of a merger between the front page and active topics, with limited news items and featured threads. That way it's clear to everyone what the site is about. Although this should be possible with snitz as well, my preference is vB. I understand that most posters feel the front page is obsolete. I can understand this, because you are already a member. I feel that visitors/new members have a hard time figuring out what the forum is about, a good front page/active topics merger could fix this. Besides, featuring some threads/spoilers will increase attention to those threads. A. Good. Thing. Spoilers should be encouraged. Perhaps we should make some people write single player walkthroughs, I'm sure that'd attract a lot of attention.

To return to the ladder: we've had some issues in the past with it that were a real turn-off for most of the "older" members. These issues would arise if we reinvigorate the ladder. Besides that, I think the competitive nature of such a ladder isn't really fitting with our equalitarian forum spirit.

We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune after all, not some fancy self-perpetuating autocracy.

Markstar · 17-09-2007, 13:12

Actually, I still remember that I "discovered" the front page months after I came here.

Anyways, I am happy that you are willing to do this!

Quote:

quote:To return to the ladder: we've had some issues in the past with it that were a real turn-off for most of the "older" members. These issues would arise if we reinvigorate the ladder. Besides that, I think the competitive nature of such a ladder isn't really fitting with our equalitarian forum spirit.

May I ask what kind of issues? Maybe it's just me but I think a little competition good be good, for new and old members alike (for new members it is a way to integrate them here and to prove themselves, while the old ones *may* start the occasional game again to prove they still got it). But hey, just my 2 cents.

Shabbaman · 17-09-2007, 13:19

Cheating.

Melifluous · 17-09-2007, 13:46

It wasn't me and you couldn't prove it.

PS. And I will try and resize my Avvie

col · 17-09-2007, 15:21

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Shabbaman
To return to the ladder: we've had some issues in the past with it that were a real turn-off for most of the "older" members.

Quote:

quote:May I ask what kind of issues?

I finished bottom

Socrates · 18-09-2007, 00:06

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Shabbaman

Spoilers should be encouraged. Perhaps we should make some people write single player walkthroughs, I'm sure that'd attract a lot of attention.

I think I'm amongst the very few who actually tried it : you can see a few Civ3 RBCiv games and also the first CDZ Civ4 spoiler (SP) in my forum. Apart from the latter one (which brought something new, despite me starting to play Civ4 a few weeks after everybody else), none spawned much enthusiasm here. I'm not ranting BTW, just reminding things (I rarely read spoilers these days after all).

col :

15-09-2007, 21:48	#21
yndy Prince Join Date: May 2003 Location: Romania. Posts: 895	I open a game of Civ4 or Civ3 once every 2-3 months and rarely play more than 2 hours. I guess my Civ days are over. I like this community very much, it is I guess the only community where I have been active for more than 4 years !?!. Of course time is much limited for me now and in a larger or lesser extent it is for all of us. What to do? I have no clue but I'd miss the site going down. I know I'm now active only on the Hattrick sub-forum, and not even there much but I can't help it. I still want to come to one of those CDZ RL reaunions in the Netherlands although I imagine it has to be like 11 years from now when I plan to have a sabbatical year . I can only say 'keep up the good work', and that fresh blood will always be good. __________________ The one and only

15-09-2007, 22:27	#22
Swingue Prince Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Looking for grandchildren. Posts: 659	not sure completely but i guess our company (Propain and Swingue) owns (and pay) the domainname and for sure the server where it is hosted. PP can tell this for sure. We also have the license to Vbulletin. For me, I love lurking around, especially the ISDG. Most other things i just browse by but i love reading. A great anarchy around here, works like a charm! Keep up the good work as Yndy quotes. __________________ If violence doesn\'t work, use more violence! ================================================ Swingue got a new pair of eyes, 20/20 vision now

16-09-2007, 17:19	#23
Pastorius Custard used tile Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Opening a can Posts: 3,158	Hey mr. Robosuck - long time no see. __________________

17-09-2007, 13:19	#27
Shabbaman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Costa La Haya Posts: 8,493	Cheating. __________________ "Our spam is backed with COMETS!"

17-09-2007, 13:46	#28
Melifluous Administrator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: In the bar with SF. Posts: 3,024	It wasn't me and you couldn't prove it. PS. And I will try and resize my Avvie __________________ Isn't it awfully nice to have a penis? Isn't it frightfully good to have a dong? It's swell to have a stiffy, It's divine to own a dick. From the tiniest little tadger To the world's biggest prick! So three cheers for your willy or John Thomas. Hooray for your one-eyed trousers snake.

17-09-2007, 09:56	#24
Markstar King Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Germany. Posts: 1,746	So, to sum this up until now: - Friday Night Pitboss seems to be a good idea to many - Ladder might be fun... - ...but more important are spoilers! - A front page is not important to most people - IRC are also not high in demand - Tournaments sound good to some, not tempting at all to others - Many agree that attracting new players would spice things up - There are three options as a forum software: vBulleting (apparently we have a license thanks to PP and Swingue), phpBB (has the largest community with the most MODs), Simple Machines or just upgrading to a newer version of Snitz. - and, most importantly of course, we would need people who volunteer to implement any changes! [u]Out of these things, there are only a few that actually need work:</u> As we already have at least one person who offers a computer as a Pitboss server, all we need is a forum post where people can sign up. Maybe the settings can change from week to week but a simple thread should be enough to get this started (maybe an own subforum would be nice so everybody can follow the progress over time and conveniently look at old games) For more people (and more spoilers) all we actually need (and I guess can) to do is occasionally post at CFC/Apolyton, inviting people to come here if they want to play a MP game and read some spoilers. While the redesign of the page would be nice, it is not a pressing matter. And as it seems that the forum is still in good hands for now, so is upgrading the forum I guess. Don't get me wrong, I think it still would be nice, but this would also mean that somebody had to do it. From what I found out via Google, vB seems to be the superior choice when it comes to features, security and SEO capabilities. However, I don't have any experience with it (and not really the time to get into it right now), all I know is this MOD of phpBB that I mentioned above. It has tons of features that phpBB lacks (pretty secure against bots, sub-forums) and of course an easy-to-implement attachment MOD and a way to make it search engine friendly.