[Fineus]

Update: Be advised the cut off date for this topic will be Wednesday the 18th of April. After this point it will be locked.

We're looking to order the forums in a format most useful to the community.

This topic, separate to the other topic requesting ideas for changes/additions etc. is to discuss how that layout should be presented.

Although some elements will remains unchanged (that the private boards for hosted projects will be nested to those projects main boards, for instance) - we're looking to arrange the rest of the layout in a way most beneficial to the user. Although with so many people wanting different things, it may not be possible to make the layout all things for all people, we'd like to get it as user friendly to the widest base of people as possible.

Edit: Example of how you could illustrate the desired formatting:

*Important Stuff*
- News & Announcements
- Support
-- Feedback
-- Hosted Support
 
*Off-topic*
- The Pub
- The Meeting Hall
- The Classics

Explanation in a nutshell:
*Category*
- Board
-- Child board

[CP5670]

The only change I would make is to put the Support forum at the bottom, either in Off Topic or in its own category. It's not really important or active enough to belong at the top. This type of forum section is generally at the very bottom at the other forums I have visited.

[Starman01]

Just a minor suggestion for the board arrangement. In my opinion support is a little out of place there on top (it could even move very much to the bottom). On the other hand, the community projects should move one up, they are more important than games and gaming I think.

Other than that, I think the current arrangement is quite convinient and reflects the goals of this side

(edit) CP was faster with the support stuff  But it seems that more people share that opinion.

[Fury]

In addition to above suggestions, boards in Games and Gaming category should be moved to Off-topic and pub and meeting hall merged back with post counts restored. IMHO.

[Starman01]

I know I have nothing to say here, but I think it's actual a good idea that the spamboard (and it is nothing more) doesn't count to the postcount anymore. This just might encourage some people (of course not all are that way) to continue, and I thought we want to get rid of this thing being a vital core of the site. Don't start strengthen it again, IMO it's fine as it is now.

[Polpolion]

Get a better name for "the pub". It might just be me, but it just sounds kinda tacky.

Plus I think that the "games and gaming" section should be moved to just below the hosted projects, but above the off-topic section.

[Bob-san]

The Pub needs a better name. Also, the Meeting Hall needs to be seen by everyone.

[jr2]

If "Support" is only for problems with the site(s), then, yeah, maybe move to the bottom...
Better solution, IMO, would be to change Support into a general support section, with one of the child boards dedicated to the site, others for the various hosted projects, others for FS, maybe even some for graphics / sound driver / hardware issues... Just a though, anyway.

[Mobius]

The Pub needs a better name. Also, the Meeting Hall needs to be seen by everyone.

Ok for The Pub, I also would like to see more people in the Meeting Hall, but the MH should be leaved as an opt-board.

[jr2]

opt in to write, but it would make interesting reading for the general public, IMO..

[achtung]

Make "Support" more specific.  Like naming it "Forum Support".  Moving it to the bottom sounds like a good idea too.

Really, a Support forum for the SCP sounds neat.

Otherwise everything is fine IMO.

[Mongoose]

I agree with moving Support toward the bottom and putting all of the FS-related forums ahead of Gaming and Fan Fiction/Art.  If the new focus of the site truly is on the FS community and its work, then anything not related to it should be beneath it.  If it's possible with this forum software, I'd also like to see the Meeting Hall forum made viewable to the general public, with admin approval for posting privileges.  Seeing people engage in civilized, intelligent debates might persuade more members of the community to do the same.

[BrotherBryon]

I second the change to the meeting hall, allowing the general public to read the threads but still have to opt-in to post. I rarely login unless posting (Lurker I know) but I visit on a daily basis just to read the boards and I'm sure there are others who do the same. I also agree with the general consensus of moving games and gaming below the hosted projects.

[Xelion]

I think the forums are quite well structured as they are and only need minor tweaking. (#Post counts should be off for these forums that I've marked with a hash, Why? A post count is something that should partly represent what sort of contribution that member has made in the community in a supportive/influential way. General discussion on off-topic, games and debate threads do not benefit the HLP community or its goals).

*FreeSpace*
- General FreeSpace Discussion
- Fan Fiction and Art
- Missions and Campaigns
-- Voice Acting
- FRED
-- FRED Academy
- Modding
-- Scripting
- Multiplayer

*Hard-Light* (#)
- Some fancy name for 'General Discussion' - other than 'The Pub'
- Meeting Hall - This also needs a better name!
- Gaming Discussion
- The Classics

*Community Projects*
+ Current structure is fine

*Hosted Projects*
+ Current structure is fine

*Important Stuff* (#)
- News & Announcements
-- Highlights
- Support and Feedback

*Archived Boards*
- The 158th Banshee Squadron
- Unsung Heroes

[Koth]

The post count should stay off in Hard Light, and the other boards should be structured like this:

*Important Stuff*
- News & Announcements
-- Highlights
- Support and Feedback

*FreeSpace*
- General FreeSpace Discussion
- Fan Fiction and Art
- Missions and Campaigns
-- Voice Acting
- FRED
-- FRED Academy
- Modding
-- Scripting
- Multiplayer

*Community Projects*
+ Current structure is okay

*Hosted Projects*
+ Current structure is okay

*Hard-Light*
- Some other name for 'General Discussion'
- Meeting Hall - also needs a better name
- Gaming Discussion
- The Classics

*Archived Boards*
- The 158th Banshee Squadron
- Unsung Heroes

[Nuke]

i think its kinda sad to see tech related threads stuck to the pub. things like hardware installation, troubleshooting, new tech reviews, computer building threads, ect. the systems we use to do our work on are just as important as the work we do on them. i think a tech board or sub-board would be a good idea. and iv'e frequently found tech threads incredibly useful at making hardware purchase decisions and stuff like that.

[redsniper]

...and I think we should stop splitting up the Hard Light/Gen Disc./The Pub/Flamefest & Word Association board anymore. I've gotten over having a separate Gaming Discussion board (which I was a little peeved about at first ), but if we have a hardware/tech board then we lose half of the threads in Gen Disc. right there.
I also wouldn't mind seeing the Padded Cell come back, but I'm sure most people wouldn't like that, so I'm easy either way.

[Unknown Target]

The only changes I'd like have made is to have the Games and Gaming section put below Community Projects, and merged into off-topic, that way Freespace would go down to Community Projects and then Hosted. Then, if possible, I think The Pub should recombined with Classics and renamed Hard Light again.

[jr2]

Having an Off-topic Gen Disc thread named "Hard Light" seems to detract from that, IMHO.

[Unknown Target]

It's what we've had for a very long time and I still feel it works...maybe I'm just nostalgic, but in this transition I don't think we should throw out as much as possible - things that can be kept should be kept, to preserve continuity. Besides, it would still be all the way at the bottom, so...meh, I dunno.