So here it is, a new forum. Now what?

[Miktar]

After much discussion with the rest of the NAG staff and various important-types, we've decided to shift things into a more positive gear in terms of what constitutes the online NAG community.

Since 2003, the NAG forums have been very much in a permanent state of flux, always trying to find its identity in a local online sphere that is already populated with established communities such as Prophecy, System Shock, SGS and so on.

Instead of trying to be "just another" gaming forum, we've come across the idea of rather focusing on what NAG is good at - being NAG. That means these forums will become a much more integrated part of the NAG culture and what NAG represents - being enthusiastic about gaming. By doing this, we hope that the NAG forums will grow with a new sense of purpose and direction.

I'm not saying that NAG Online will become the best local gaming forum, but I have high hopes that it will certainly become the nicest place to be if you're interested in gaming.

[Miktar]

And to make my point, here is a kitten:

http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/images/2007/06/23/pownce.jpg

[brazed]

Hehe. You have a point about finding your focus. You can't be everything, better be specific and aim to achieve that.

ps. Teh cutest little thing on the interwebz!

[Miktar]

No, this is the cutest little thing on the intertubes:

http://m1.freeshare.us/155fs58648.jpg

[Q-Man]

YAY! Quick Reply! God, I missed this feature. Maybe now I'll rack up millions of posts and watch as the peons cower in the shadow of my huge e-penis!

In other news, I like the look of the new site; It will be interesting to see where this version goes, as ever I'll be here for sarcastic wit and perhaps a positive up-beat attitude. (might make a difference from the jaded cynical bastard type naww mean?)

Hmmm, there seems to be a lack of ham and feta cheese though. That's something that must be looked into asap.

[SkinkLizzard]

That kitten.... aaaahh I know its the bastard son of the fith family tis the evil eyes.
new forums are cool I like them, the needing 10 posts to make a topic is quite nice too, probably take me a few months before I feel like making a thread anyway though.

[Miktar]

The new forum actually mimics the design of the new upcoming NAG Online website, which will be replacing Oldskool (but oldskool won't dissapear, it'll be moved to oldskool.tidemedia.co.za when the time comes). It's nice to have a cohesive design for once. :P

[SkinkLizzard]

ooh I just noticed each post has its number attached in the top right corner, I like little things like that even if it turns out to be pointless its still cool.

[Miktar]

I'm not really sure what those are for either, except perhaps if you want to link directly to a specific post in a thread, like this: http://forums.tidemedia.co.za/wip/showpost.php?p=105&postcount=6

[Chevron]

From megabytes to megabytes
From Forums to forums
Hardware/tech is RIP
Go to pc doctors you say?
I vote nay!
The great google has taken your place in the world of hardware Q and A

[SkinkLizzard]

I'm not really sure what those are for either, except perhaps if you want to link directly to a specific post in a thread, like this: http://forums.tidemedia.co.za/wip/showpost.php?p=105&postcount=6

interesting... not sure if i'll ever use it, but regardless its cool.
I am probably going to just use quick reply for everything, the idea of 'going advanced' scares me :)

[Karuji]

Well it seems that im switching into lurker mode now (who would have ever thought)

since the demise of art.craft i seriously doubt ill be doing that much (and H&T was the other place i posted alot)

[CaptainCrunch]

vBulletin has some great features...so a good choice there.
Not a big fan of the monochromatic colour scheme and the width of the whole forum feels a bit compacted, but maybe that's just my Prophecy blood speaking.

[Chevron]

Well it seems that im switching into lurker mode now (who would have ever thought)

since the demise of art.craft i seriously doubt ill be doing that much (and H&T was the other place i posted alot)

As you can see almost 2 thirds of my posts are in H/T.

http://image.bayimg.com/na/dk/aa/ab/i.jpg

H/T will be greatly missed.

[Karuji]

ok i had around a 1k post count i had about 500 (just under) in art.craft and proberbly a good 250 in h&t i will miss them dearly :(

[.dB]

ITT: Moaning about post count.

[Karuji]

no .dB im not moaning about post count (personaly i cant realy care about it) im just saying that art.craft was kina like my home and im sad to see it go (on the bright side we came up with a plan :twisted: )

[.dB]

Nah, I know what you mean, but I just wish to point out - Every rendition of NAG started off with numerous complaints and moaning, but eventually turns out more than fine. Trust me, you'll enjoy the forums if they work out as planned. A lot more, well active and dynamic.

Art.Craft aswell as H/T is a loss, but it's not necessarily the end now is it? Like you said, we has a diabolical plan kekeke D:

[Karuji]

ye i just need to hit 10 posts so i can working on it (and some permission from mik if we can have sig collection threads in off topic)

[.dB]

ye i just need to hit 10 posts so i can working on it (and some permission from mik if we can have sig collection threads in off topic)

One word: Photobucket.
Create a new album for finished work, and just link it under your current sig. Problem solved no?

Also, don't start anything Art.Craft related just yet. We're doing it right this time, that means input from all members involved. kaykay.

[Karuji]

kk (i think we have a thread for this discussion in the old/current forum)

and the only prob with that is i loose my little quircky comment that i make about my sigs (and i cant get input on them)

[Kraken]

I feel more like staying at this forum, than the last time there was a switch. Quick reply ftw, missed that a lot.


Edit: Wow, nice quick posting/editing. <3

[wir]

Yup, the quick reply is a nice feature, good to have quick edit again too.

[GeometriX]

Okay guys, I'm here now. You can all stop holding your breaths, everything will be fine.

[Ruandre]

Unified theme FTW, I can't wait to see the new NAG website! I don't think AC is a huge loss, that's what dedicated (international) forums are for. Besides, this will probably focus the discussions on gaming, which is what NAG is all about. :)

[Azimuth]

SkullHozer has a new name: :O Just like the Childlike Empress.

[Miktar]

Okay guys, I'm here now. You can all stop holding your breaths, everything will be fine.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e379/Miktar/colb.gif

[Miktar]

SkullHozer has a new name: :O Just like the Childlike Empress.

10 Points for The NeverEnding Story reference.

http://www.german-films.de/app/filmarchive/images/the_neverending_story_III.jpg

[Gldm]

As you can see almost 2 thirds of my posts are in H/T.

http://image.bayimg.com/na/dk/aa/ab/i.jpg

H/T will be greatly missed.

ORLY? How many of those posts are in a thread about the following:

A) "What video card should I buy?"
B) "How do I overclock?"
C) "I'm buying/have bought a new PC!"

Reading the same thing over and over gets old. Try Systemshock, they have a decent forum.

[Ruandre]

SkullHozer has a new name: :O Just like the Childlike Empress.Good spot! :) I thought I'd do as Leigh did on one of the previous forums and use my real name instead. Plus, I never really liked that moniker anyway.

[Miktar]

It just doesn't make sense for NAG to host a forum for Hardware/Technical, when there are perfectly good, decent forums and communities that already exist for it and will do a far better job of answering questions than anyone on the NAG forums would.

[EnCh4rM3d]

First post on the new forums!

Miktar, i'm surely sure that the NEW NAG FORUMS will be a great success, it just feeeels good right now. It's gonna be unique alright...just like the time you introduced your shop feature with all those items we could purchase or trade with the points we've accumulated. That had me hooked on the forums!

Consider bringing such features back to the NAG Forums, i'm sure it'll be much appreciated.

:)

[Miktar]

I've been thinking about that stuff, but for now I want the main focus to be more on discussion and community, instead of flashy gimmicks.

[Chevron]

ORLY? How many of those posts are in a thread about the following:

A) "What video card should I buy?"
B) "How do I overclock?"
C) "I'm buying/have bought a new PC!"

Reading the same thing over and over gets old. Try Systemshock, they have a decent forum.

A quick check on the lastest 6 pages on H/T shows 3 threads on "which GFX card to get", 1 thread on how do I overclock and 0 threads on "I have a new pc".

Looks like you're just making excuses or getting confused with the tom's hardware forums.

http://image.bayimg.com/ea/cn/ba/ab/o.jpg

[Chevron]

It just doesn't make sense for NAG to host a forum for Hardware/Technical, when there are perfectly good, decent forums and communities that already exist for it and will do a far better job of answering questions than anyone on the NAG forums would.

So H/T is gone, because other forums elsewhere are better?
AC is also gone, because other sites will do better?
Why have a forum at all?
I'm pretty sure there are other better gaming sites out there too.
Instead of being scared that other places will do better than you, give as much input in the H/T section as you give the Gaming section and you'll see it flourish.
I remember you saying that NAG's readership is a lot more PC focussed than you previously thought.

Well PC's are technical by nature. Hardware problems can and will arise. Not to mention questions on which form of internet connection is better for which person.

I'll be willing to bet that over 95% of people are accessing this forum from pc's too.

They might not all be for gaming, but Vista questions come up too.

Reconsider your decision.

Bring back H/T.

[SkinkLizzard]

chevron I'm sure if someone has a particular problem with a game or some other minor pc thing they'll just post it in off topic anyway. h/t is just another sub community... and in my opinion no bigger loss than art.craft, just make a plan.

[Miktar]

Reconsider your decision.

Sorry, but we stick by it. There will be no Hardware/Technical forum.

You are assigning motivations and ranting at us as if you have somehow personally been slighted by this change. If that is the case, I'm sorry you feel that way.

If you are that dedicated to hardware, I really do suggest you sign up at System Shock, which is where all the NAG hardware writers such as Neo, Gldm and such hang out.

[Q-Man]

I'm just loving the way that he's not even -asking-. lol.

[Chevron]

Ok then. What's the address. www.systemshock.co.za ?

[Miktar]

Yes. It was mentioned in the FAQ, which the email and PM you receive when signing up advises you to read.

[Chevron]

Yes. It was mentioned in the FAQ, which the email and PM you receive when signing up advises you to read.

Well I registered. It's waaay bigger than I expected.

[Miktar]

It really is a well-established forum with lots of members and a lot of expertise. I think you may start to see where we're coming from in terms of not trying to compete in that online space - there is no point, especially not when System Shock does so well.

[wisp]

well i see all the usual suspects are here :):
, feel at home already..like the quick reply..were can we uplift the ready made sigs from cant find it in the control panel :o

[squishy]

I don't think a sig gallery is possible :/ I may be wrong?

[Jedi]

New forums look great, very much like the first incarnation I joined way back when. Also the decisions to keep the number of boards down to a minimum can only be a good thing. as for encharmed's idea on bringing back the forum shop, Im not so sure I like that, it'll just lead to people posting rubbish to earn points, sure there are sufficient controls in place to moderate that, but it would be nice if it was no and issue at all!

Have you guys ever considered running an online shop yourselves, I know the mag takes up most your time, but maybe it would be a workable idea to have products (read games) offered at decent prices to your online users. Make it a drop shop type store meaning you keep no stock on hand, only once payment has been received do you order the product, hell maybe only sell games to the public with no hardware involved at all!

[Miktar]

Have you guys ever considered running an online shop yourselves, I know the mag takes up most your time, but maybe it would be a workable idea to have products (read games) offered at decent prices to your online users. Make it a drop shop type store meaning you keep no stock on hand, only once payment has been received do you order the product, hell maybe only sell games to the public with no hardware involved at all!

We consider it all the time, but there is the problem of conflict of interest with our advertisers.

[SkinkLizzard]

if you do land up implementing a gold,points or whatever cash system I don't really care if its actually useless and people cant get below 5 cash, just as long as I can sell stuff and earn millions bwa haha hahaha haaa... even if I have no means of spending it. oh and in terms of sigs wisp don't you think custom would be better ? or if you feel like doing so splat has some signatures available for lifting here (http://forums.tidemedia.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2836) they're in .psd format

[SplaT]

Ready made signatures would be great. But practically impossible.

[Jedi]

We consider it all the time, but there is the problem of conflict of interest with our advertisers.
do you guys have advertisers who sell only games, I know it may be a silly question but I have never seen an add for a purely online gaming store in the mag.

[Miktar]

do you guys have advertisers who sell only games, I know it may be a silly question but I have never seen an add for a purely online gaming store in the mag.

Nope, probably because I've never seen a pure online gaming store locally. Do you know of one?

[Miktar]

(Btw: The conflict of interests are more editorial than business, as well as the conflict with advertisers and distributors).

[Miktar]

Besides - we're putting a gaming magazine together over here, why ruin that by becoming an actual business that has to worry about profit margins? ;)

[Jedi]

and grumpy customers, guess to have the whole sales wing of gaming might become to much of a shlep, I know I wouldn't be happy going back into sales!

[Garson007]

I like the fact that the forums are kept to the absolute minimum. Most forums fail because they tend to have individual boards from "music" to "introduction", 10 boards in between. Not only does it give the feel of an inactive board it also makes topics which lay in a grey area between forums almost impossible to post.

[Karuji]

I like the fact that the forums are kept to the absolute minimum. Most forums fail because they tend to have individual boards from "music" to "introduction", 10 boards in between. Not only does it give the feel of an inactive board it also makes topics which lay in a grey area between forums almost impossible to post.

well we have 4 board rage comes around a few months every year game.dev has yet to have a single post or topic and so therefore any conversation ahs to be in the 2 remaining board :) ? logic its great. though the only problem with so little board is that it may also limit the diversity of the forum also it make the forum seem small and rather dull

[dammit]

Well, i'm definately making a come back in this forum...the lack of a quick reply was a big reason i never participated much in the old one. Oh and of course the lack of any functioning piece of hardware (something, too, which has been adjusted)

:) Good to see everyone back and I like the direction NAG is heading with this forum...nice one :)

[Garson007]

well we have 4 board rage comes around a few months every year game.dev has yet to have a single post or topic and so therefore any conversation ahs to be in the 2 remaining board :) ? logic its great. though the only problem with so little board is that it may also limit the diversity of the forum also it make the forum seem small and rather dull

You forgot one thing, it makes it more community orientated which is a-awesome.