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[sims2joe]

I think this move will cause a lot of members to leave. It doesn't even look that good from what I can see, and the merging will make loads of people go (especially people from the very old forum for Sims 1).

It's fine the way it is now. Why change this forum when it still has a purpose?

[Graeme]

Originally Posted by EAUK_Insignia

I think I see what you mean. To be honest, that IS the plan right now but nothing is set in stone.

Before we do that, I will chat with the Product Manager, Claire. I am aware of the issues that might be thrown up if we were to merge.

Honestly, Atari did it which just proves it was a bad idea.

[Kaeroll]

Originally Posted by EAUK_Insignia

I think I see what you mean. To be honest, that IS the plan right now but nothing is set in stone.

Before we do that, I will chat with the Product Manager, Claire. I am aware of the issues that might be thrown up if we were to merge.

It might not be too bad if they're well-defined enough - their own off topic sections and that, to keep the community together, stop it being too busy. One thing that puts me off some forums (e.g. the American BBS, the official Muse forums, etc) is the sheer size of the userbase - it's impossible to get to know anyone, or even be noticed, sometimes.

There's also obviously the problem of the occasional idiot wandering over from a different game to bash Simmers. Because obviously we're all women or lalalalasexuals. I don't think it's a problem; I'm sure our moderators - assuming they're still in place - can deal with that.

[Insignia]

Originally Posted by sims2joe

It's fine the way it is now. Why change this forum when it still has a purpose?

We want to offer the community more features. Vbulletin does this. Although most of them won't be enabled at launch, we can and will over time, add the ones we feel benefit the community here.

This can include, blogging, uploading video links to your Sim houses/mods/sims etc. It is also easier for us to manage. It should be a smooth roll out and essentially, you won't notice any differences apart from new features.

[dtr sim expert]

Originally Posted by dbuggy455

Honestly, Atari did it which just proves it was a bad idea.

Their forums were dire. Plus i agree with Nyaren.

Yes, but all communities are being merged, right? Or is that a misunderstanding?

I doubt any simmers on here want to be merged. More fools from other forums can rant on our boards with ease. To get to it know they have to go down a certain route through websites (if they don't know the URL), on there we are all a couple of clicks away.

[flagenno]

I think this forum is fine as it is, nothing should be changed. Well nothing has since the forum opened in September 2004. Just update the images at the top every time a new expansion is released. That'll keep us happy

[dtr sim expert]

Originally Posted by flagenno

I think this forum is fine as it is, nothing should be changed. Well nothing has since the forum opened in September 2004. Just update the images at the top every time a new expansion is released. That'll keep us happy

Maybe the buttons on here could be revamped. The tills on the main spectrum of forums seems out of date. Im sure a blue theme (dark blue background, light blue body areas) would be a nice change.

[Beffi]

But every fansite I seem to go on is blue - I'd like to have a change from blue.

[Rohannnn]

I would personally much rather this forum stayed as it is now than got moved and merged somewhere else just to add extra features - if that is the main reason behind this. Even more so if all the existing threads did get lost (or made read-only).

I like vBulletin, yes, but in the end, a forum is for posting messages, that's why people come here, and phpBB has more than enough features for that.

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by EAUK_Insignia

This can include, blogging, uploading video links to your Sim houses/mods/sims etc.

I don't think disrupting a well established community in order to add features nobody will use is a good idea.

[dtr sim expert]

Nor do i nyaren.

I also hate the idea of been a 'sub-forum' of the EA UK forum. The sims has always been seperate, let it stay that way!

[tipsytart1987]

Don't like it at all.

[flid1976]

i like the idea of the features and I dont mind the background, but mergining with other communities will definatly make me retreat to my own site I'm afriad

I avoid the us site because its so busy as well as the bbs style.

[dtr sim expert]

Originally Posted by flid1976

i like the idea of the features and I dont mind the background, but mergining with other communities will definatly make me retreat to my own site I'm afriad

I avoid the us site because its so busy as well as the bbs style.

I will be retreating more too - to other forums.

Not that the off topic is going to be used by everyone (i think theres many different offtopics) - i just dont like the sims 2 uk as a sub forum.

[Graeme]

I think incorporating a diary system with videos and attachements using a forum is a fairly unprofessional way to do it, would probably end up messy too

I'm still not convinced by the merging forums either, but i have a question about logging in... Will it still use our EA logins?

[Nicospoon]

Yeah graeme it would still use same details. I can see such a dramatic change being a problem which may cause regulars to be not so regular.

[Insignia]

It won't be distrupting anyone. Also, all our other forums are moving on to vbulletin and the sims forums won't be any different.

Once the new forum has been set up, you will find it alot easier to use and the functionality it brings will be welcome. There are many more functions and features that vbulletin has. Once we having testing up, some of you can take part.

[Aaron]

Hm, I'd consider the archiving of threads (all 850000+ posts, and only if we're lucky) and the merging of communities a fairly large disruption.

I know there's nothing that will stop the changes (the opinions of the members here clearly aren't being taken into as much consideration as they should be, no matter how much you try and make it look like they are) - this will, I'm convinced, change the community in a negative way.

I'll reserve final judgment for any testing period or the final roll out of the changes, but I can't imagine I'll like them, and I know I won't be alone.

Sorry.

[bunnii0]

All this is confusing me and making me quite sad.

If this forums where to change in a bad way (It seems its heading that way... sorry. My opinion only. ) I dont think Ill stay here either.
Which will be a big shame to me as I like it here a lot.

But Ill wait till the testing to see if it does.

[Insignia]

Let me just clear a few things up. Any useful guides or tips etc that are currently stuck - we will try and bring those over - or edit them to bring them over, as they are useful.

And of course we welcome all your feedback and I WILL take this into consideration before doing anything. The fact that the clear majority don't want to merge with the other forums is something I will look at next week.

Sometimes change isn't always a bad thing.

[Nicospoon]

my main objection is the theme that you showed us. It isn't very "eye friendly" especially to those with dyslexia (and we have quite a few dyslexics here) or eye sight problems (and we have some of those too).

[Graeme]

Besides the point of people being upset by having to share a new community with all the other games, it just looks bad. Having an individual forum... Identity for each games community is much more impressive and better for the members of each community.

From what i've seen EA always make their sites look really impressive and manage to maintain huge communities around each one... Going with that design and merging all of the communities into one just lets that standard slip, and just makes EA look lazy and uncaring. It's bad enough they've taken the sims franchise and churned out spin off after spin off to make money, but now your just throwing all the communities into one over populated, busy and confusing (As you add more and more games, this is inevitable and makes it easier to get lost on the forums) place.

It would look bad enough to someone whos been here for as long as most of us have, but it would even worse to someone trying to come here for the first time... Using Atari as an example, visiting for the first time you have to find your game, then sift through the bijillion sub forums and find what your looking for... then you register and get thrown back to the main forum index and can't find it again. It might not be so bad with EA, less forums and better organisation maybe, but it does still make something thats already fairly complicated to someone whos never seen a forum before much more complicated.

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by EAUK_Insignia

And of course we welcome all your feedback and I WILL take this into consideration before doing anything. The fact that the clear majority don't want to merge with the other forums is something I will look at next week.

That's good.

The only reason I can see to stop threads being moved over (and left unarchived and active) is if a merging of communities occurs. There are plenty of straight forward phpBB to vBulletin converters out there.

A move to vBulletin = good thing.
The destruction of a community = a very bad thing.

You may think I'm just being a pain and you're probably close to dispatching a hit squad, but I've been a member of this community since day one with the original The Sims forum (January 2003, if I remember correctly) and so do want what is best for it. It's a good group and it works, it doesn't need a wrecking ball after so many years.

[dtr sim expert]

Can't the background be like the EAUK.co.uk background but can't the silouhettes (sp?) be sims with plumbobs over them, and the wires be like the lines on thesims2.com.

- Just an idea.

[Insignia]

We will be looking at some of our other designs on Monday. This background is by no means the 'chosen one'