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Thread: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

  1. #1
    Gaius Baltar's Avatar Old gods die hard
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    Default Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    Author: Van Zandt
    Support:

    I would like to propose that we move the writing and graphic competitions to the main index. In addition, reserve some space on the TWC frontpage for a description of the winners, and perhaps a brief biography. By increasing the visibility of these contests, we would improve activity levels in those forums as well as in the TW forums. Creative competitions have always been a big draw here at TWC and the statistics show that increasing their visibility improves activity and the competition levels.

    Some historical material related to this idea ....

    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...Contest-(PotW)

    http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...e-Week-Contest


    Proposal:

    In order to facilitate the popular wiring and graphic contests, the CVRIA recommends the following.

    I. Change forum descriptions to draw attention to the weekly and monthly creative competitions.

    II. Move the forums into the main index.

    III. A block of front-page area will be reserved each week for the announcement and presentation of the winners of the wiring and graphic competitions. The winning contestant will be allowed to submit a short description and biography with his publication.

    IV. Move the Graphic Workshop to the main index.


    Possible suggestions for rearranging the current forum areas where the competitions are located now.

    {main index}TWC Library
    - Scriptorium
    - TWC University

    {main index} Writing Competitions - MAARC and Tale of the Week
    - AAR libraries
    - Creative Writing
    - Writers Lounge
    - Blogs

    {main index} Graphics Competitions - POTW and VOTM
    - screenshot libraries

    {main index} Graphics Workshop

    In addition, space could be made available by collapsing the "Non-Total War Games" section into a single main index thread.

    {main index} Non-Total War Games
    - game a
    - game b
    - etc.
    Last edited by Gaius Baltar; May 08, 2018 at 09:38 PM. Reason: edits

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  2. #2

    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    Many things regarding the index should change in order to highlight those communities still most present on the forum; I would say this is but one portion of what should be a much more nuanced proposal. Garb's Fight Club should be a subforum of the Mudpit, as should the Academy and EMM and the Science forum. The TW section should be condensed because we shouldn't have to scroll through six TW fora to reach the CC...I'd be willing to work with you in order to recommend to hex a more comprehensive reform of the index.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    This is one of those things that suffer due to an outdated and horribly inadequate front page. The index is dated as well. I will have a look and give this some thought nonetheless.


    A quick fix for the index is simply to list the games as subforum.

    Total War Games
    ToB
    WH I & II
    Attila
    Rome II
    Shogun II
    NTW
    ETW
    Medieval II
    Eras

    Multiplayer
    Host seats
    Roe-Playing

    Non-Total War Content
    Non-Total War Games
    Debate and Discussion (I would move the sports forum into this areas as well)
    Personal Help (shouldn't have)
    Traveler's Lodge
    The Basement
    TD

    This would be a pretty quick fix.
    Note: Depending on how fast these Saga games come out, you may subdivide further. Historical Titles/Saga/ Fictional (if they were to go beyond Warhammer). My guess is in Fall 2 Kingdoms comes out and the following Spring (2019) they will come out with another Saga. I do not expect a hardly any DLC's come out of these small sandbox games.
    Last edited by PikeStance; May 07, 2018 at 09:59 PM.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    No, Pike, no, horribly inadequate...The TW section seems ok to me but the rest is a mess, which makes me think the TW section is a mess as well.

    I doubt any recommendation we could throw out right now is adequate without further research.

  5. #5
    Hitai de Bodemloze's Avatar 避世絕俗
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    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    Some thoughts:

    1. The forum descriptions already highlight the competitions ('compete in the Monthly AAR competitions, join the Tale of the Week Contest', 'Graphics, screenshot competitions').

    2. Changing the forum names is inappropriate and erroneous. Firstly, the competitions listed in the proposed names are not exhaustive; the Study also runs the MCWC and the Yearly Awards, among other less regular competitions, and the Studio runs multiple other competitions, such as the UESW, GPOTW and GWC. But even if you a) just used a generic name such as 'Writing Competitions' or b) included every specific competition thereafter, competitions still only represent one aspect of the communities there. Listing them as competition forums makes it seem as if competitions are the most - if not the only - important thing that happens therein. This is just not true and it would be wrong to imply that everyone that goes there has to and can only compete with each other.

    3. I don't believe that renaming the forum on the main index will increase activity. As a former member of staff for one of sections, I'm well aware of activity problems there, as well as solutions to how such issues might be solved - I had to come up with a fair few in my time. In my honest opinion, renaming the forum on the main index just doesn't cut the mustard I'm afraid.

    4. Having the news team publish competition news from the Study/Studio has been discussed before, and it was decided not to be a wise choice of action. This is why the departments in question publish their own news through the CMS at regular intervals. This was part of my job when I worked in staff, coincidentally. So the news is there, on the front page (here is the most recent WS update from cousin Cai). If you have ideas for how this could be expanded or improved upon, it would be better to take it up with the relevant content directors, as opposed to the Curia.

  6. #6
    Halie Satanus's Avatar Emperor of ice cream
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    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    Personally I don’t think there should be anything non-game/mod related on the main index.

    Regarding the proposal, sounds good, but falls down because of the FP. We had a fantastic Fp back when Gigagia was content head, the one with the scrolling banners at the top advertising all the hosted mods, it had so much potential. The one we have now is dated and messy, a jazz-mag version of a Wiki page...

  7. #7
    Commissar Caligula_'s Avatar The Ecstasy of Potatoes
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    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    Tbh I think you should've consulted the Directors of the Competitions first so we could've helped with the proposal since we have been kinda slightly pondering on stuff.

    I totally agree that they could use more publicity.



  8. #8
    Caillagh de Bodemloze's Avatar to rede I me delyte
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    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    I agree with both Hitai and Caligula.

    The competitions would definitely benefit from more publicity, but I think achieving that at the cost of reducing awareness of the other parts of the Writers' Study and the Artists' Studio would be counter-productive. The people who post in the Study and the Studio but don't take part in competitions are an important part of the Study and Studio communities.

    I also agree with Hitai and Caligula that it would be a good idea to discuss this with the relevant Content Directors. They're the people who have the most up-to-date experience of both running the competitions and managing the forums involved.






  9. #9
    Alwyn's Avatar Frothy Goodness
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    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    Thanks, Van Zandt. I agree with Hitai, Caligula and Caillagh.

    As Hitai said, while the MAARC and Tale of the Week are important competitions, they are not the only competitions which the Writers' Study offers. Competitions are not the only important thing happening. All writers are welcome in the Study, whether they take part in competitions or not. While ideas for improving the visibility of Writers' Study activities are welcome, I'm a bit surprised to see them here for the first time. Anyone is welcome to PM the directors for the Writers' Study and Artists' Studio with suggestions for expanding or improving on the way we publicise our activities (including competitions). If you don't know who to PM, Caligula's Staff List is the place to check.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    I am not sure giving it a "billing" on the index promotes awareness. Global announcements would be more effective. The index should be reduced. I would combine the top two "super Forums" into one.
    Below, reduces the subforums from 7 to 4. It moves the Hotseat down to create a multiplayer role- play and hotseat forum. If and when we can get an updated front page, the index would become unimportant.

    Official TWC Contests and Community News
    +TWC Community Competitions and Awards
    ---- Community Competition
    -----------TWC Lotteries
    -----------The Scriptorium Writing Competition
    -----------TWC Olympics
    -----------The TWC Art Competition
    -----------TWC's Game of the Year Competition
    ---- The TWC Member Awards
    ----------- TWC Member Awards Archives
    ---- The TWC Modding Awards
    -----------Total War: Warhammer
    -----------Total War: ATTILA
    -----------Total War Rome II
    -----------Total War Shogun 2
    -----------Napoleon Total War
    -----------Empire Total War
    -----------Medieval 2 Total War
    -----------Rome Total War
    -----------Resources Award
    -----------Archives
    +Front Page Announcements
    ---- Modding News and Announcements
    ---- Total War Gaming News and Announcements
    ---- TWC Publication News and Announcements
    ---- TWC Community News and Announcements
    ---- Front Page Archives
    +Total War Center Official Site Content & Hosted Projects
    ---- The Eagle Standard: Official TWC Total War Content
    ---- The HUB - Total War Media
    ---- The Gamer's Gazette
    ---- The Illustrator: TWC's Arts Publication
    ---- The Helios: TWC Non-TW Community Publication
    ---- The Critic's Quill
    +CA Official News & Announcements
    Last edited by PikeStance; May 09, 2018 at 04:16 AM.

  11. #11
    Gaius Baltar's Avatar Old gods die hard
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    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    I thought I would take the time to answer the comments about forum restructuring. I know this is a current concern for many members and several posts related to these ideas have been presented. My proposal to place the creative competitions on the main index is based upon past statistics that show that this will improve access and activity levels. Personally I had thought that the proposed reduction of the Non-Total War Games section would cause the most discomfort from other members. I have not seen a single objection to that point here though.

    Quote Originally Posted by Pontifex Maximus View Post
    Many things regarding the index should change in order to highlight those communities still most present on the forum; I would say this is but one portion of what should be a much more nuanced proposal. Garb's Fight Club should be a subforum of the Mudpit, as should the Academy and EMM and the Science forum. The TW section should be condensed because we shouldn't have to scroll through six TW fora to reach the CC...I'd be willing to work with you in order to recommend to hex a more comprehensive reform of the index.
    Quote Originally Posted by ♔PikeStance♔ View Post
    This is one of those things that suffer due to an outdated and horribly inadequate front page. The index is dated as well. I will have a look and give this some thought nonetheless.


    A quick fix for the index is simply to list the games as subforum ......
    There is an obvious need for forum restructuring. Many of the choices found on the main index now are completely inactive. Example - Garbasardars Fight Club.. last post was in 2016. So there is a lot of clutter that could be reduced. However, I think this could be done in smaller more meaningful projects rather than as a wholesale restructuring. The graphic and writing competitions, have been, in the past, a vital part of the TW community. I have also personally put many hours of work into creating and building these competitions. Hence my proposal to pull them out of the forum depths and bring them "into the light" so to speak.

    So a smaller chunk here, but I do have some ideas concerning an omnibus forum restructuring, and Ill post something along those lines in the Curia.

    And yes, you need to combine that with some form of publicity.

    I will address statements concerning the content and labeling here in another post.
    Last edited by Gaius Baltar; May 09, 2018 at 03:23 PM. Reason: memory errors

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  12. #12
    Gaius Baltar's Avatar Old gods die hard
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    Default Re: Decision - Increase Visibility of the Writing and Graphic Competitions -REDUX

    At this time would like to archive this proposal.

    ​​
    Pillaging and Plundering since 2006

    The House of Baltar

    Neither is this the dawn from the east, nor is a dragon flying above, nor are the gables of this hall aflame. Nay, mortal enemies approach in ready armour. Ravens are calling, wolves are howling, spear clashes and shield answers



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