6 Things I Hate About PC

[Ooka]

So, I decided to do this instead of just thinking about them each time I visit. Considering one of my 10 things, I'm sure all of these will be ignored, but I wanted to post them anyways.

1. A new theme every month. Why? Sites gain user trust and show consistency by recognition. Changing your layout all the time creates confusion, and makes users feel lost. Feel free to show me a statement by a good source that says otherwise.

2. Unstable server. So you have horrible server load huh? Try upgrading to a software that's been tested much better on big boards, like Xenforo or vB4. Then try using sprites instead of loading 20 different http requests each time a user visits the site. Or read one of the hundreds of tutorials for it: https://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=267588

3. Stupid rules. Kids breaking rules causing you problems? Well you have to make rules to break them. I mean, can't link to forums in posts? Are you that worried that you'll lose traffic? Just add nofollow to them or something. I could go on and on here, but eh.

4. Lack of communication. Staff does so much stuff without talking with users about it. Try it sometime, it's easy and helps a lot!

5. Don't accept ideas. Considering the members outnumber the staff by quite a large amount, you'd think their ideas would be the most important. Are they? Apparently not.

6. Do something. Okay, so you're a forum and proud. You don't want to open up other forms of software for some reason, I'm guessing because you want to pwn the forum game. Unfortunately you're losing it too. Why? Because you're JUST A FORUM. It's not 2001 anymore, people aren't content with surfing through endless pages of discussion. Sometimes they want information the easy way, through a site.


inb4 flame

 

[Oryx]

A few points I feel you miss by a mile.

1. I have never seen one person complain that we have too many styles, especially compared to the other major Pokemon forums. We're seen as the forum with the best styles partially because of our large selection. Also, if you set your own theme it'll look the same every time you log in. The only time it changes is if you want it to change when new themes are uploaded, because if not you can easily change back and then it stays.

4. Agreed, although with specific section changes most of the time it is mentioned in a feedback thread or in the section itself, and when it happens is usually in an announcement with a reason as to why. The overall site doesn't change much at all - what exactly are you referring to here?

6. This has been discussed a lot, making something outside of the forum. A site with information isn't going to be really useful for us though, because between Bulbapedia and Serebii that niche is already filled. The problem is finding a niche where a site would be useful for us, which is why ROM Hacking wikis are brought up fairly often.

 

[Ooka]

1. Maybe you should read THIS. I would understand a user not knowing, but any webmaster serious about their site should follow this. Sure seasoned users will appreciate multiple themes, but as far as bringing in new users? I can almost guarantee you theme selection isn't doing it.

4. Basically anything. Staff changes, cool things happening behind the scenes, etc. The only information I usually get pressed into my head is rule updates and events. Tbh I don't care about these things, I care about the more important ones that have to do with the thought process of the staff.

6. When starting a new site, niche is literally everything. You have to be unique in your idea to get users. But when you're this big, doing stuff others are already doing is fine, because you're already bringing in traffic. Honestly I think ROM hacking should be the main emphasis, yes, but other stuff wouldn't hurt whatsoever. (Note: By the amount of challenges played here, I think some information on different playstyles, rules, and in-game tier lists for those would be nice for this site)

 

[Abnegation]

1. Maybe you should read THIS. I would understand a user not knowing, but any webmaster serious about their site should follow this. Sure seasoned users will appreciate multiple themes, but as far as bringing in new users? I can promise you theme selection isn't doing it.

Bringing in new users has never been a problem. We have over 300,000. Multiple themes is simply extra choice and feature.

4. Basically anything. Staff changes, cool things happening behind the scenes, etc. The only information I usually get pressed into my head is rule updates and events. Tbh I don't care about these things, I care about the more important ones that have to do with the thought process of the staff.

In all honesty, not much else goes on behind closed doors. Looking at the history now, it contains the following kind of discussion: rule changes, section changes, errors & bugs, suggestions on how to integrate a bit more with members, and general site additions. Most, if not all the resolutions we reach are implemented in some way. Though we rarely actually have any major site changes.

6. When starting a new site

We're here nearly 10 years.

Honestly I think ROM hacking should be the main emphasis, yes, but other stuff wouldn't hurt whatsoever. (Note: By the amount of challenges played here, I think some information on different playstyles, rules, and in-game tier lists for those would be nice for this site)

PC is a Pokemon forum, not a ROM Hacking forum. I think if we had a site it would just be filled with forum content anyway. I'm not saying we should never have a site, but our only niche would be what you can already find on the forum.

 

[Oryx]

1. Maybe you should read THIS. I would understand a user not knowing, but any webmaster serious about their site should follow this. Sure seasoned users will appreciate multiple themes, but as far as bringing in new users? I can almost guarantee you theme selection isn't doing it.

This refers to a search bar being in the same place, and having templates that make the buttons in the same places, as well as rules that are consistent with the standard of other similar sites. It's talking about webpage conventions, not styles. While a few of the newer styles are starting to use the Modular layout, as a whole all PC layouts are the same template, with different images. The visual part of it refers to the visual style being consistent as you move from page to page. None of these points actually make the point you're trying to make, that new themes are bad for new users. You could argue that Modular (and the one other style that I think is using Modular as a template) isn't consistent, which is true, but it's also in beta and the only one that isn't consistent with the entire other sets of themes.

4. Basically anything. Staff changes, cool things happening behind the scenes, etc. The only information I usually get pressed into my head is rule updates and events. Tbh I don't care about these things, I care about the more important ones that have to do with the thought process of the staff.

To be fair, re: staff changes - those are decided entirely by the higher staff, and as soon as the decision is made it's passed on to us with the moderator being promoted. There's no real break between a decision to mod someone and the actual modding, so not sure what could be done about that. And based on the very few changes that happen throughout the site, do you really think there are many cool things happening behind the scenes?

6. When starting a new site, niche is literally everything. You have to be unique in your idea to get users. But when you're this big, doing stuff others are already doing is fine, because you're already bringing in traffic. Honestly I think ROM hacking should be the main emphasis, yes, but other stuff wouldn't hurt whatsoever. (Note: By the amount of challenges played here, I think some information on different playstyles, rules, and in-game tier lists for those would be nice for this site)

I could see having the same as everyone else being a positive, just not sure it's actually worth all the effort considering all our news would be pulled from other, more well-known sites for Pokemon news. Of course adding more things will never hurt, but it's a cost/benefit thing: will it actually be useful enough to justify it being kept up-to-date and putting a ton of effort into it?

Something related to challenges would be cool though.

 

[Ooka]

Bringing in new users has never been a problem. We have over 300,000. Multiple themes is simply extra choice and feature.

Bringing in new users is unfortunately a problem for all webmasters at all times. One wrong move can spell doom. :/

In all honesty, not much else goes on behind closed doors. Looking at the history now, it contains the following kind of discussion: rule changes, section changes, errors & bugs, suggestions on how to integrate a bit more with members, and general site additions. Most, if not all the resolutions we reach are implemented in some way. Though we rarely actually have any major site changes.

I'm sure things do, honestly. Ideas and voting for things to be implemented, while users really don't even get an input on them. If they were more public better decisions would be made imho.

We're here nearly 10 years.

That's what I mean, "when" you're starting a new site those are things to worry about. Since PC isn't a new site, people should quit worrying about being put out of the game so easily.

PC is a Pokemon forum, not a ROM Hacking forum. I think if we had a site it would just be filled with forum content anyway. I'm not saying we should never have a site, but our only niche would be what you can already find on the forum.

Yeah, it probably would be filled with forum content, just easily navigated, sorted, and appropriated content instead of a mess of closed, spam, and active threads.

 

[Ooka]

This refers to a search bar being in the same place, and having templates that make the buttons in the same places, as well as rules that are consistent with the standard of other similar sites. It's talking about webpage conventions, not styles. While a few of the newer styles are starting to use the Modular layout, as a whole all PC layouts are the same template, with different images. The visual part of it refers to the visual style being consistent as you move from page to page. None of these points actually make the point you're trying to make, that new themes are bad for new users. You could argue that Modular (and the one other style that I think is using Modular as a template) isn't consistent, which is true, but it's also in beta and the only one that isn't consistent with the entire other sets of themes.

It really just refers to consistency in a lot of points. I'm sure they didn't write a whole section on keeping a consistent theme because they figured it was common knowledge. I mean, when branding anything, you want to keep everything recognizable, not change it every month. xp Seriously, look at Hack Forums, it's one of the largest forums on the internet, and hasn't changed it's theme since it started. And it's a sucky theme. I'm not saying it contributed to a large member increase (Though I completely believe so), I'm just saying it certainly didn't hurt. Matter of fact hardly any of the biggest sites on the net almost never (If ever) change their layout, at least in spans of 1-2 years. Just look at things like Facebook, Yahoo, MSN, Google, eBay. There's a reason for it, not lack of time and designers I'm sure. I know Facebook contributed a lot to it, but MySpace all but disappeared after they changed their layout.

To be fair, re: staff changes - those are decided entirely by the higher staff, and as soon as the decision is made it's passed on to us with the moderator being promoted. There's no real break between a decision to mod someone and the actual modding, so not sure what could be done about that. And based on the very few changes that happen throughout the site, do you really think there are many cool things happening behind the scenes?

If there isn't, there certainly should be. I run a site 1,000 times smaller than this at least and there are more interesting things getting announced there than here.

I could see having the same as everyone else being a positive, just not sure it's actually worth all the effort considering all our news would be pulled from other, more well-known sites for Pokemon news. Of course adding more things will never hurt, but it's a cost/benefit thing: will it actually be useful enough to justify it being kept up-to-date and putting a ton of effort into it?

Something related to challenges would be cool though.

I certainly think the cost is very low compared to the amount of usage it would get, just by looking at the traffic for the site.[/FONT]

 

[Oryx]

It really just refers to consistency in a lot of points. I'm sure they didn't write a whole section on keeping a consistent theme because they figured it was common knowledge. I mean, when branding anything, you want to keep everything recognizable, not change it every month. xp Seriously, look at Hack Forums, it's one of the largest forums on the internet, and hasn't changed it's theme since it started. And it's a sucky theme. I'm not saying it contributed to a large member increase (Though I completely believe so), I'm just saying it certainly didn't hurt. Matter of fact hardly any of the biggest sites on the net almost never (If ever) change their layout, at least in spans of 1-2 years. Just look at things like Facebook, Yahoo, MSN, Google, eBay. There's a reason for it, not lack of time and designers I'm sure. I know Facebook contributed a lot to it, but MySpace all but disappeared after they changed their layout.

I'm on an iPod so I can't write out another long paragraph easily, but if you're going to refer to a website to back up your point, you should probably make sure it says what you're arguing.

If there isn't, there certainly should be. I run a site 1,000 times smaller than this at least and there are more interesting things getting announced there than here.

But you want consistency?

I certainly think the cost is very low compared to the amount of usage it would get, just by looking at the traffic for the site.

The people that can accurately judge the cost are the people actually doing the effort.[/FONT]

 

[Ooka]

I'm on an iPod so I can't write out another long paragraph easily, but if you're going to refer to a website to back up your point, you should probably make sure it says what you're arguing.

Lol, seriously, it's common knowledge. I mean, to people that know anything about correctly running a site.

But you want consistency?

Don't really understand how the staff can't be consistent in informing users?

The people that can accurately judge the cost are the people actually doing the effort.

Inaccurate... That's why people specialize in giving quotes, to judge how much the cost would be compare to the effort needed. It's the same principal here. You don't have to be directly involved to see what the cost would be. Nor the reward.

 

[Cherrim]

1. Honestly, I kind of agree on this one but my opinion is in the minority. Though I don't think it's such a big deal re: recognition. As PC is just a forum, so long as we keep the general layout each time and just change the theme/colours around (and keep the name prominent), I don't think it's that big a deal. Everything's always in the same place and that's what's important with a forum imo.

2. Xenforo is kind of awful and I cannot even begin to imagine trying to use it in a big forum like PC. It was neat and cool when it first came out but as far as I know, the developers are kind of MIA and updates are very few and far between. We'd be losing so many features. As for vB4, I think I've had this argument with you before. :P As for the server itself, that's Steve territory.

3. It's more about advertising forums and this rule is kind of outdated. We typically have no problem with someone linking to a forum thread elsewhere if the content of said thread will aid in discussion here. The advertising thing extends to websites outside Webmaster's Discussion, too, so I don't think it's a pointless rule. If you'd like to argue otherwise though, do go ahead with examples and reasons. I'm open to changing it if the argument is good enough.

4. What, exactly, do you want us to communicate? Honestly, there isn't much beyond what we already announce. Lots of things get brought up in the staff forums and quite often, nothing comes of it. PC's been kind of stagnant lately and there isn't even much TO share outside of the staff. I guess some sort of monthly/bi-monthly newsletter laying out everything that's happened in the last few months would be okay but seriously, we don't say things because there isn't anything to say. :/

5. ._. We do accept ideas... it's just that most ideas that are put forth require plugins or additions to the forums in order to work so they just aren't something we can feasibly look at. I will admit that often, a lot of staff are quick to jump on user ideas and show all the reasons they won't work logistically which causes members to jump the bandwagon.

6. Uhh you're welcome to go to other forums if you want an experience more integrated with social networking or a news site? :/ PC has never been about that sort of thing. I just don't think there's any interest from any of the staff to implement that, either. Other sites already do it so much better that we'd be behind from the get-go and with no excitement for a project like that, we wouldn't get much farther than that. I'm actually perfectly content with PC continuing as "just" a forum. It might be a bit outdated but there are still plenty of active people here so I feel like it's not a far cry to assume others are content with it too.

 

[Ooka]

1. Honestly, I kind of agree on this one but my opinion is in the minority. Though I don't think it's such a big deal re: recognition. As PC is just a forum, so long as we keep the general layout each time and just change the theme/colours around (and keep the name prominent), I don't think it's that big a deal. Everything's always in the same place and that's what's important with a forum imo.

Yeah, it's not very widely agreed, though sometimes serious decisions have to be made regardless of who agrees with it. Only when it's in the best interest of most everyone though.

2. Xenforo is kind of awful and I cannot even begin to imagine trying to use it in a big forum like PC. It was neat and cool when it first came out but as far as I know, the developers are kind of MIA and updates are very few and far between. We'd be losing so many features. As for vB4, I think I've had this argument with you before. :P As for the server itself, that's Steve territory.

https://www.ign.com/boards/

Search content generates much faster on that board than here, and it's so much larger. Running XF of course.

They're in the middle of a legal battle, so they haven't been very active on the forums no. But they've still made a release and have an XF 1.2 beta on the way (This month iirc). You'd lose features yes, but you could build them back up. Most of them are pretty useless anyways, and if they aren't you could just port them. And as for vB4 yeah it sucks but it's better than this hunk-a-junk imho.

3. It's more about advertising forums and this rule is kind of outdated. We typically have no problem with someone linking to a forum thread elsewhere if the content of said thread will aid in discussion here. The advertising thing extends to websites outside Webmaster's Discussion, too, so I don't think it's a pointless rule. If you'd like to argue otherwise though, do go ahead with examples and reasons. I'm open to changing it if the argument is good enough.

Well, my main example would be my web design thread in G&P. I posted various examples on a forum (With no activity whatsoever, was ONLY a demo board), yet I was warned to not post them anymore. I wasn't advertising for activity, I was simply showcasing a theme I had. Yes it's against the rules, but why should it be?

4. What, exactly, do you want us to communicate? Honestly, there isn't much beyond what we already announce. Lots of things get brought up in the staff forums and quite often, nothing comes of it. PC's been kind of stagnant lately and there isn't even much TO share outside of the staff. I guess some sort of monthly/bi-monthly newsletter laying out everything that's happened in the last few months would be okay but seriously, we don't say things because there isn't anything to say. :/

I mean, you guys don't discuss the direction you're aiming for the site? Or possible features you might implement, or even funny quotes? :/

5. ._. We do accept ideas... it's just that most ideas that are put forth require plugins or additions to the forums in order to work so they just aren't something we can feasibly look at. I will admit that often, a lot of staff are quick to jump on user ideas and show all the reasons they won't work logistically which causes members to jump the bandwagon.

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=198604

Of course that's just 1 suggestion from me, but I've posted in countless others that ended in the same way, nothing. :/

6. Uhh you're welcome to go to other forums if you want an experience more integrated with social networking or a news site? :/ PC has never been about that sort of thing. I just don't think there's any interest from any of the staff to implement that, either. Other sites already do it so much better that we'd be behind from the get-go and with no excitement for a project like that, we wouldn't get much farther than that. I'm actually perfectly content with PC continuing as "just" a forum. It might be a bit outdated but there are still plenty of active people here so I feel like it's not a far cry to assume others are content with it too.

But that's the thing... Why should I, or any other user, have to go somewhere else for it when it's as easy as installing a Wiki here? I'm sure tons of members would jump in and help with it. Heck even a main site, it's not that hard to stick some information into a page and add a link to it on another page. x.x I mean, at some point you have to stop and say "Okay, where do we go from here". Just replying to threads and waiting for the site to grow isn't the best option imho, the easiest yeah, but not the best. This is all my opinion of course, but even forum software sites have wikis, main pages, etc. Sure they're a forum, that's what they're there for, but information organized in other places helps them grow.[/FONT]

 

[Sydian]

I mean, you guys don't discuss the direction you're aiming for the site? Or possible features you might implement, or even funny quotes? :/

I just wanted to address this part. But I mean, we have announced certain features being added or taken away. In the past few months I believe, we announced removal of post comments and then it was argued, by the majority of members by the way, and so they were brought back, which was also announced. That's just two things I can think of off the top of my head, but I'm sure that VMs were announced, Social Groups were announced, when they were taken down it was announced, new forum additions, like B2W2 this year or Challenges in 2010, were announced. So it's not like we're leaving you in the dark, unless I'm misunderstanding what you'd like staff to share with you. And I don't understand the funny quote thing...lol...

Also, to address the issue with ideas not being accepted, even when moderators make suggestions for their forums to higher staff, sometimes those get rejected. It's just how things goes. So it's not just member ideas that get rejected for whatever reasons. Nice thread you picked btw. 2009 Syd...just became a mod. Good times. lol Got a chuckle out of it, sorry!

 

[Yoshikko]

Well, I like being able to choose from such a wide variety of styles cause it provides something for everyone almost, but I agree on the consistency with certain things like, exterior wise. Things keep being added or improved or changed because they ought to be better, but I feel like that's not really necessary and just creates a sort of chaotic (or yeah inconsistent) atmosphere. Tbh I believe in less is more, and Smogon for example has just the vBulletin default theme and has always had it like that, and that may be not to some people's taste but it does provide a sort of security and certainty and reliability. I don't know if that's what you meant exactly but that's how I feel personally on that point. It just gives off a sort of feeling that people cannot really settle on what's out now.

And about the suggestions by members and stuff, I've made a thread in CQ/F in the past with a suggestion and staff did comment etc, nothing really was done with it, but it wasn't that essential either. I'm sure that if hstaff sees an idea being suggested that they think would be a real addition to here, they would consider it.

 

[Mana1]

RE 1: I personally haven't seen another theme in about 6 months, but I think the title and the catchphrase thing are much more memorable when new members are visiting - after all they tend not to arrive once each month and keep having it changes :S.

RE 5: Some suggestions should be addressed more, some seem totally ignored. I know I've suggested something about forum layout before and it got quite a few members posting but no mods ><.


Some of your points/suggestions sound like things I mentioned in the VIP forum. But as far as the theme/server goes I generally don't have any issues with it. I think perhaps your views of 'what a webmaster must do' are swayed by the fact you run a much smaller website.

 

[Ooka]

PHEW

I just wanted to address this part. But I mean, we have announced certain features being added or taken away. In the past few months I believe, we announced removal of post comments and then it was argued, by the majority of members by the way, and so they were brought back, which was also announced. That's just two things I can think of off the top of my head, but I'm sure that VMs were announced, Social Groups were announced, when they were taken down it was announced, new forum additions, like B2W2 this year or Challenges in 2010, were announced. So it's not like we're leaving you in the dark, unless I'm misunderstanding what you'd like staff to share with you. And I don't understand the funny quote thing...lol...

Well, that's really an example right there. Post reputation was removed before being announced or even discussed by the MEMBERS (You know, those guys that make up over 99% of the community). I mean, I admit there has been a nice flow of information recently, hopefully it keeps up.

Also, to address the issue with ideas not being accepted, even when moderators make suggestions for their forums to higher staff, sometimes those get rejected. It's just how things goes. So it's not just member ideas that get rejected for whatever reasons. Nice thread you picked btw. 2009 Syd...just became a mod. Good times. lol Got a chuckle out of it, sorry!

Well, in addition to getting rejected, it'd be nice if when staff all love an idea and agree to it that they actually implement it instead of being lazy and letting it fall into the dust. xD

Well, I like being able to choose from such a wide variety of styles cause it provides something for everyone almost, but I agree on the consistency with certain things like, exterior wise. Things keep being added or improved or changed because they ought to be better, but I feel like that's not really necessary and just creates a sort of chaotic (or yeah inconsistent) atmosphere. Tbh I believe in less is more, and Smogon for example has just the vBulletin default theme and has always had it like that, and that may be not to some people's taste but it does provide a sort of security and certainty and reliability. I don't know if that's what you meant exactly but that's how I feel personally on that point. It just gives off a sort of feeling that people cannot really settle on what's out now.

Yes, that's a great example of what I mean. People love Smogon for a few reasons, the main ones I've noticed are they keep the same look (consistent), and they have a very low number of awards as opposed to a large user base. It raises the incentive to help and earn them to distinguish yourself.

RE 1: I personally haven't seen another theme in about 6 months, but I think the title and the catchphrase thing are much more memorable when new members are visiting - after all they tend not to arrive once each month and keep having it changes :S.

Generally big sites change their design every 1-2 years, not each month. xp

Some of your points/suggestions sound like things I mentioned in the VIP forum. But as far as the theme/server goes I generally don't have any issues with it. I think perhaps your views of 'what a webmaster must do' are swayed by the fact you run a much smaller website.

No, I really don't think it is. I OWN a much smaller website, yes, but I've helped run large ones before. And I've stalked tons of posts by the owner of Hack Forums, which is about the same size as this site (Though it's built on a free software, which is a much more difficult task imo) while trying to press everything he says into my brain. If you feel bored at any point, go to the MyBB forums, find the user Labrocca and read some of his posts. You'll learn something, I certainly did. xP

I might as well pop in and give in my 2 cents yeah? Probably unneeded, but oh well.

Please note that everything that I'm typing in this post pertains more or less as far as staff communication goes. Anyway...

This is just something I wanted to tell everyone: Instead of pointing fingers at the staff and criticizing their "lack of actions"(if that's what we're getting at here, I apologize if I'm missing something), put yourself in the staff's shoes. You're in charge of running a near 10-year old forum, with over a quarter of a million users. It's not easy. There are like, 10 million things I believe the higher staff even considers before even remotely passing an idea, if anything else. I mean, to be completely honest, I don't see you suggesting anything that would change the site tenfold, even if all of it were true.

From what I understand from your initial post, all you're encouraging is better staff communication and a main site. In which I'm going to go ahead and agree with the others on that point: What is there to say? It's not like the PC staff is super secretive or anything, or is hiding anything. And as far as a main site goes, what would PC provide that Serebii or Bulbagarden, as a matter of fact, don't already have?

The niche that we have above those forums is that we're more ~~~ROM-hacking based~~~ if you will, seeing that our Emulation userbase is freaking enormous, but is that really all that main site is going to consist of? It's going to get quite boring, and tbqh, I don't see that kind of thing flourishing or getting more people, but that's just me. In fact, I don't see anyone new aside from PC's already existing memberbase utilizing that.

Of course, this is all a hypothetical assuming that we have a ROM-hacking based main site. Now a Pokemon-based website? I'm sorry, but forget it. Again, the challenge in being a Pokemon forum is finding that specific niche that makes you different above all of the others. What makes PC different from say, Bulba, or even Serebii? Site-wise, I can't see anything that would be different. But forum-wise I would say it's the environment above all else. I mean, ask our existing PC staff, most of them who have been a part of this community ever since it was born. Is there really anything else to say other than that? I mean, what makes you want to be part of a forum for years and years to come? What makes it so you want to come back here over and over and over again?

These kinds of questions you kinda have to ask yourself. Of course, if we held a survey with these kinds of questions, each and every single user's response would more or less be different, but it all boils down to what the majority of the users want, and I believe that's the philosophy in which the PC staff abides by(they can correct me on this, though, idk). Of course, PC isn't going to tick for everyone, and even they know that. You're making the suggestions to people who, in the past, once even hated the staff, or loathed even being a part of it, but look at them now! They're part of a growing forum that will, no doubt, continue to grow for years and years to come. That's just how it is.

The PC Staff no doubt tries their best, but there's no way that they can satisfy every single user on the board. That's just impossible, and they realize that's the challenge that comes with being a mod, or hell, even higher staff on a forum this size. They really do try to meet every user's needs to make sure that they have an enjoyable experience overall, but again, reiterating my previous point, you have to put yourself in their shoes to realize how overly stressful it can all be. But that's being a PC staff member for you, and I doubt that's really going to change anytime soon.

I mean, realize that this post is, again, a general statement just making everyone aware that no forum is perfect, and I realize that no one is asking for perfection here, but also realize that the staff really is trying their best as a whole to make sure the majority of their 300,000 users is happy.

That's all there really is to it.

Woah text wall. Anyways, making users happy is definitely good, but improving a user's place to be happy should be higher on the priority list. Like I said before, if PC were to move into a site and start producing information, it wouldn't get beaten out by anything tbh. You've already got a member base on the forums, so adding a site in as extra won't decrease users, first off. Secondly, even at a rate of 1 page per day, after a few years (Considering PC has already been around for 10 of them) you'll have over 1,000 pages of content. But that's only if you hit 1 page a day, 5 pages per user contributing sounds more realistic, on a good day.

I mean, look at Veekun and Serebii, they're both mainly used for the same things, a Pokedex. Yet they're both popular. Same goes for Marriland and Psypokes, they both have great walkthroughs, yet there are two of them that are extremely popular? I mean, all it takes is getting out of the defeatist attitude and taking a shot at it. :/

Ideas are good, especially when no one has thought of them before.

Re6: As stated, most of the other sites have covered most of the niches that we also discuss in general. Plus, isn't the Oekaki a sort of side-site? It needs more love and attention :3 Perhaps if we gave it some TLC, updates, and promote it, we could have a prosperous Oekaki. idk of other Pokemon sites that have Oekakis.

See last comment.

 

[Yoshikko]

Ideas are good, especially when no one has thought of them before.

Re6: As stated, most of the other sites have covered most of the niches that we also discuss in general. Plus, isn't the Oekaki a sort of side-site? It needs more love and attention :3 Perhaps if we gave it some TLC, updates, and promote it, we could have a prosperous Oekaki. idk of other Pokemon sites that have Oekakis.

The Oekaki is completely inactive almost, mainly because it is not what people come here to do. If people want to use Oekaki, they don't go here but to other sites that can provide it way better because that's what they're for. I don't really understand why it is there in the first place, but there is no need to expand it because it's completely unrelated to the forum. Besides, it would only be useful for artists and there is already an art section (which is ironically also pretty inactive).

 

[Ooka]

Yeah because (No offense to anyone) PC is mostly populated by kids looking for cool version of Pokemon to play. But what else do kids look for? Walkthroughs, game information, etc.

I mean, of course these kids that come here looking for Pokemon games don't instantly have an interest in art (maybe a few, but not many), so the Oekaki doesn't make sense to me either. xp

 

[donavannj]

Generally big sites change their design every 1-2 years, not each month. xp

Regarding that, though, most big sites do MAJOR layout changes every 1-2 years. PC doesn't do major layout changes whenever it puts out a new theme. The layout is almost the exact same across every style, with minor variations.

Though I can think of a few major sites that implement changes that are far more drastic than what is changed here on PC on a far more frequent basis. Heck, even Google has had more major layout changes than PC has had in the last 3 years.

Changing to a new theme is more like slapping a new paint job on your car. It may change the color of the exterior, but that doesn't change where your steering wheel, your brake pedals, your gearbox, your radio, etc. are inside your car, and the doors are obviously still going to be in the same place they were before the paint job, so I don't get why you think a theme change and a layout change are one and the same, as a layout change is much more akin to taking a right-hand drive car and changing the configuration of the car to that of a left-hand drive car.

 

[parallelzero]

There seem to be a few things you don't really understand:

• We aren't looking for new ways to draw members in.
• We don't have any fear of losing a significant chunk of our member base anytime in the near or distant future.
• We aren't constantly changing our style, we add new OPTIONS.
• We don't tell you what's going on because nothing is.
• Just because you like your idea and we don't, doesn't mean we don't listen to members.
• We're content being just a forum.

It's cool you have an opinion about how to run a website, but there is no definitive "right" way. We appreciate the concern, but we've been around for a decade and are still going strong. We'll manage.

 

[Ooka]

There seem to be a few things you don't really understand:

• We aren't looking for new ways to draw members in.
• We don't have any fear of losing a significant chunk of our member base anytime in the near or distant future.
• We aren't constantly changing our style, we add new OPTIONS.
• We don't tell you what's going on because nothing is.
• Just because you like your idea and we don't, doesn't mean we don't listen to members.
• We're content being just a forum.

It's cool you have an opinion about how to run a website, but there is no definitive "right" way. We appreciate the concern, but we've been around for a decade and are still going strong. We'll manage.

Wow, you couldn't have been any more clear with your attitude at all. Last I checked this was still a feedback forum. But a response like that really tells me what's going on behind the scenes, absolutely nothing. Nice proving my 5th point.

"I'm big and bad and own a big site, nothing can touch us, none of your points matter, we know all"

God could you be any more egotistical?

Anyways, whatever. If the staff is unwilling to take suggestions, please close this (And you might as well hit up all the other suggestions / feedback threads while you're at it).



Oh, and I promise you there is a right way, just because you're ignorant to that fact doesn't mean it's not true.