Official Racketboy Suggestion Forum Thread

[racketboy]

Do you have constructive comments and suggestions to share?
Post them in here and we may add them to our to-do list.
Obviously, I can't promise everything will be implemented, but I like to hear fresh ideas

[dsheinem]

not fresh, but I've suggested these in the past when this question comes up:

We should add only a very few new forums at a time if we are going to make wholesale changes to the list. Otherwise, it gets to be too much to read/sort through. I imagine it would be hell for the mods, too.

I don't see the point of breaking down the Platforms section into individual consoles or adding a bunch of new genre categories - the forum areas for all these get sufficient traffic now but not an overwhelming amount.

I also don't like the "HS parking lot" idea as a place to kick arguments. It is a bit derisive, and having one's discussion getting "moved" there would probably result in some hurt feelings or possibly people leaving the site. Unless you are engaging in out-right name calling/insulting or offering some other kind of argument without substance, I don't see why threads that engage in deep or heated conversation couldn't be a part of any of the forums. There is a report button and threads can be locked.

Based on what the other posts have suggested, here's what I think makes sense. New forums are marked with ***:

General
---------
***General Gaming (anything that doesn't fit elsewhere)
Together Retro
Game Reviews (I'd move this up the list as it deserves more attention)
***Games as Culture (the Philosophy, Art, and Social Influence of games)
***Game Rooms and Archiving
Downloads
Videos
***Off-Topic (topics not related to gaming)

Marketplace
------------
Buy/Sell/Trade (open to people who have been a member for 30 days or more)
***Game Deals (post deals, brag about finds, etc. - open to all)
***Auctions (eBay links and general discussion of auctions - open to all)

The Garage
----------
Technical Help
Hacks and Mods
Emulation

Platforms
----------
Sega
Nintendo
Sony and Microsoft
***PC
Other Platforms

Genres
----------
Fighters
Shmups
RPG
***Other Genres (RTS, FPS, Sports, Platformers, etc.)

There's a whole set of discussion on this topic here:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15685&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

And that's not the only thread we've kicked around ideas in...is there any reason we haven't seen them implemented previously? I know this is an "official thread" but seems that this topic comes up regularly, we all spin our wheels and come up with good suggestions and then....nothing.

[Jerkface Killah]

Marketplace
------------
Buy/Sell/Trade (open to people who have been a member for 30 days or more)
***Game Deals (post deals, brag about finds, etc. - open to all)
***Auctions (eBay links and general discussion of auctions - open to all)
.

How about if the Marketplace section was divided by system or company. Like Nintendo, Sega, NEC and so on? And then one section for lots (combination's of multiple companies products). I just like the idea of being able to go into a Sega section to see what's for sale without having to weed through the other stuff. Just a thought.

JFK

[alienjesus]

Not a big suggestion, but an obvious one I think: Any chance of some Spoiler Tags? It's always nice to not have to worry about reading one.

[AppleQueso]

Not a big suggestion, but an obvious one I think: Any chance of some Spoiler Tags? It's always nice to not have to worry about reading one.

I actually came in here to mention this. Spoiler Tags would be incredibly useful, not to mention easy to implement.

(strikeout tags would be nice too)

[jp1]

How about a Tutorials section. I know we have "Technical Help" but that isn't really the same thing. If we had some tutorials for some of the most commonly asked questions it could be really helpful for people who come here hoping to learn how to do things.

Some things that could be covered...

Saturn mod chip installation
Wii softmod
PSP CFW info and how-to
Dreamcast disc burning
Xbox Softmod
Cleaning and refurbishing systems
Modding systems (since we have some resident modders)
How to paint a console (Sorely needed)
etc...

With some contributions from the wealth of knowledge around here it could be a great section. I know a lot of it is available by using google, but why not have it here from members we know and trust.

[bacteria]

I'd asked for a console modding section here a couple of times in the last year+. There are lots of topics on this forum from recent months and years that are just as relevant now as they were then, would be nice to have them all in one place, eg a "Modding consoles" forum with sub forums for each console or failing that, each company (ie Microsoft, Sony, Sega, Phillips, SNK, Nintendo, Amstrad, Commodore, Mattel, Coleco - I think that covers them all?).

Perhaps also nominate a new Moderator to help out a bit too. (ahem ?)

[AppleQueso]

I'd asked for a console modding section here a couple of times in the last year+. There are lots of topics on this forum from recent months and years that are just as relevant now as they were then, would be nice to have them all in one place, eg a "Modding consoles" forum with sub forums for each console or failing that, each company (ie Microsoft, Sony, Sega, Phillips, SNK, Nintendo, Amstrad, Commodore, Mattel, Coleco - I think that covers them all?).

Perhaps also nominate a new Moderator to help out a bit too. (ahem ?)

uhm... the Hacks and Mods section?

[CRTGAMER]

Add to the front page 5 or 10 newest posts to existing threads. Not just the "View new posts" but the actual topics listed. I read "View new posts" to read all the latest replies. I think some new threads pop up just to get that front page exposure. The problem is a lot of repeats of older threads which have a lot less exposure even when just updated with today's replies.

A section as in "Recent Forum Discussions", maybe one called "Recent Existing Thread Replies"?

[lisalover1]

Not a big suggestion, but an obvious one I think: Any chance of some Spoiler Tags? It's always nice to not have to worry about reading one.

I actually came in here to mention this. Spoiler Tags would be incredibly useful, not to mention easy to implement.

(strikeout tags would be nice too)

This.
Also, strikethough text would be very helpful. Imagine all the possible sarcastic posts we could make!

I'd asked for a console modding section here a couple of times in the last year+. There are lots of topics on this forum from recent months and years that are just as relevant now as they were then, would be nice to have them all in one place, eg a "Modding consoles" forum with sub forums for each console or failing that, each company (ie Microsoft, Sony, Sega, Phillips, SNK, Nintendo, Amstrad, Commodore, Mattel, Coleco - I think that covers them all?).

Perhaps also nominate a new Moderator to help out a bit too. (ahem ?)

Yes, I definitely agree that henrygrik should be our new moderator.