For your consideration: Forum change suggestions

[Joe Redifer]

Here are my suggestions to help make the forum look cleaner:

1 - The TurboGrafx and PC Engine would be combined into one forum.  It is redundant otherwise.  The PC-FX would still have it's own forum since it is a separate console.

2 - All sales forums would be merged into one sales forum.  This makes it easier for buyers and sellers because then they don't have to check 3 specific forums, which is a pain.  Buyers often buy on impulse and this would make perusing items for sale much easier.

3 - The Virtual Console forum would disappear, as it is unnecessary.  The thread with the current list of Turbo/PCE Virtual Console games could be stickied to the top of the general Turbo/PCE forum.  All other Virtual Console discussion can be done in either the regular Turbo/PCE forum or the Console Chat forum, depending on the games discussed.

4 - The Console/Mobile Game Development forum should disappear since there isn't anything in there that wouldn't fit in either the standard Turbo/PCE forum or the Console Chat forum.

The forum listing would look something like this:

THE PC ENGINE FX WORLD
 -Admin/Moderators only
 -Pcenignefx.com - The NEC Console Resource Site
 -The Pcengnefx Network - Your Worldwide Connection to NEC Console Info
 
NEC VIDEOGAME CONSOLES
 -TurboGrafx-16, TurboDuo, PC-Engine and SuperGrafx Discussion
 -PC-FX Discussion
 -NEC Console Repair/Mod Discussion
 -High Scores
 -Sales & Trades
 
HOMEBREW DEVELOPMENT
 -Turbo/PCE Development
 -PC Game Development
   
OTHER DISCUSSION
 -Chit-Chat
 -Console Chat
   

That makes it look cleaner and less overwhelming, plus it's easier to navigate especially for the new user.  It'd take a day or two for the long-time user to get used to, but I think it'd be worth it.

Opinions?

[Keranu]

Agreed.

[PCEngineFX]

Good suggestions Joe.  Have there been any complaints about how the forums are laid out right now?

[nat]

I think the general consensus is that the PCE  and Turbo areas are redundant and should be merged. This has been brought up on many occasions by many folks. I strongly agree with that opinion.

As far as the rest of it..... Personally, I see a merit in the Virtual Console area but I won't deny it's been dead as of late. But for someone who is new to the system and has only been introduced to it via Wii VC, it might seem more welcoming to that new user to find an area dedicated to that aspect of Turbo gaming. I don't know-- there are plenty of arguments either way.

At the very least I strongly agree with merging the Turbo/PCE areas.

EDIT: The more I think about it, the more I'd really lobby to keep the Virtual Console area. If we merge the PCE/Turbo areas, that's going to mean an automatic increase in the number of new messages/threads in the new PCE/Turbo/SGX forum. I'd rather keep threads bitching about blurry VC graphics and why Hudson/Nintendo doesn't release more JP imports on the US VC separate from the rest of the pack. It's also a nice place to go when I'm looking for something specifically related to the TG VC without having to wade through 10 million other threads.

[nat]

Have there been any complaints about how the forums are laid out right now?

As I said, it's been pretty evident in the past what people's feelings on this are, but I started a poll just to compile a general opinion in one place.

https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=4731.0

[PCEngineFX]

Wow, lots of good feedback already on that poll.

[PCEngineFX]

So I'll be making some changes to the forum, but I can say right now that the Turbo and PCE areas will remain separate.  There is enough talk in the Turbo area that PCE talk can get lost easily and would rather have a forum dedicated to the PCE.  Just be lucky that I don't have a forum for each piece of PCE hardware ;)

Thank you guys again for the suggestions and comments.  I'll be weighing in all the feedback, and be making changes that make sense for the growth of the forums.

[nat]

So I'll be making some changes to the forum, but I can say right now that the Turbo and PCE areas will remain separate.  There is enough talk in the Turbo area that PCE talk can get lost easily and would rather have a forum dedicated to the PCE.  Just be lucky that I don't have a forum for each piece of PCE hardware ;)

Hey no problem, it's your forum after all! Not to mention I guess we were wrong about "what the masses want" which came as a pretty big surprise to me.

I look forward to seeing the new layout.