[3NS] The Future of it.

It is more an issue of loosing a good place to discuss topics. The discussions, the community itself will be lost. In 3SA, most of the threads have over 50 posts in them. The place is filled with nameless new members. There is no sense of community.

That is true. Most threads are quite big and many posts get lost in the quick pace. However -- and this may just be my 3SA patriotism talking -- there are lots of good discussions and many great members. A lot of people bash the 3SA, and while it's not perfect, I still think it offers a lot.

It is like the difference between a large college and a small college. They both have pros and cons, and it is up to individual taste. I prefer a small place.

I really like that analogy. Just be thankful my opinion is just my opinion.

And I'll leave it at that.

 

Ridiculous. If you want a private forum, set one up for yourselves elsewhere like every other social group does.

 

It really is apples and oranges.
Basically now that the time is up, apples are being tossed out the window and we are all basically being forced to consume oranges or starve. We just want our apples back, or we just want to keep the apples. I hope you all know what I'm talking about, it is getting late.

Edit: somethingfamiliar, absurd or not...we already have the private forum.

-Seldon

 

Why not give former 3NS members a different colour than 3SA members? That way, I can quickly scan the various threads for 3NS posts.

A couple of points, and 3NS members will forgive me if it seems like I'm stabbing us in the back.

(1) The longest I would want to be a moderator is the ROTS DVD release. You guys have been amazingly well-behaved, intelligent, and considerate of others, and a general pleasure to moderate. But I got married last August, and will be a practicing lawyer in the fall.

I won't be able to moderate indefinitely. I cannot speak for Windy, and he's been at it far longer than have I.

(2) Our forum is HOPPING right now - this is the most posting we've ever had, everyone is super-pumped about Revenge of the Sith being out, and we don't have to worry about spoilers anymore!

But let's not forget that, rather than banning people, editing posts and locking redundant threads, Windy and I spent much of our time trying to keep the energy and posting up in 3NS.

Yes, much of that was the non-spoiler nature of the community, but I'm wondering 2 months from now how many active members we'll have.

(3) Today, whilst 3NS was in "Inactive Forums" for a while, I was still able to post and make new topics.

Is it possible that 3NS could be permanently moved (or, at least until the ROTS DVD release) to Inactive Forums, but we could continue to post there?

(4) We *could* move to another board if we wanted to maintain the community, although the JC is great and I've always liked the design of the boards....

 

Yeah, I figured we might need new mods, Garth. I remember you saying that you'd want to step down once the movie was out and all. I didn't want to speak for you here, or Windy either.

 

I don't think we should continue indefinitely... that's just silly, even if it *would* be nice.

However, I think it would be nice (and hopefully satisfy most people) if 3NS was open until the DVD is realeased or a week or two after.


edit - Another possible end date would be whenever the Episode III forums are merged with the PT forums.

 

Personally I see no reason why not to keep the NSA. It's not like it's killing babies is it?

 

I personally love the 3NS. Most have spoken of its virtues before me.
However, I agree with GriffZ. There's no logical reason to keep it open. It would seem elitist for starters. Eventually RotS discussion would run out, and then what?
It's not fair to the general concensus, so I agree that it should be close. I'll miss it sure. It's been good to me. But ultimately, it'd cause problems.

 

Whatever the 3NS' fate is--I just hope it's eventually archived in the Inactive Forums instead of deleted.

The 3NS, as many rightfully believe, is the model community not just for the JCC, but for the entire internet. It should be archived--and open to the public as well, so that they can see how a forum should be run.

I know that, just like the Star Wars films have taught us, change is inevitable--but for the 3NS to just disappear into thin air is simply not right.

 

It isn't elitist to have a private forum.

We Refugees have been saying that for years.

Seriously, just start your own off shoot board for the members of 3NS who want to continue with this community. That is the easiest thing for you to do, and it will actually allow for better development of your community as you won't be restricted in what you can do and how you do it.

 

I agree, get an offshoot board... or go to Saga. That's where in depth serious discussion is supposed to be. I udnerstand you like your forum, but it needs to go. 3sa wont be like it is now forever.

 

The purpose of the 3NS forum was to give people a place to discuss the upcoming SW film (or tv series as it may be now) without being spoiled by facts about it. I think it should stick around for awhile because the tv series is on the way and it'd be silly to close it now only to reopen it in a few months when the need for it rises.

 

I don't think the Episode 3 (Non-Spoiler) forum is specifically the place to discuss a completely separate entity such as the TV series. Leave it open for a reasonable period so spoiler-free folk still have a place to discuss it, but there comes a point by which it will have served its purpose and there are too few spoiler-free people left to warrant it staying open.

 

Isnt there already a place to discuss TV show stuff ? (Small Screen Star Wars) sure it isnt as active yet because really no news to talk about the 3NS should be treated just like every other forum the movie is out most have seen it no reason to stay non spoiled & there already is a big huge place to discuss episode 3 I dont see how one particular forum should get special treatment you guys will have to get used to that idea it will be treated just as any other ep3 forum will

 

I don't see why it couldn't be left open. If Dustin and Windy don't mind modding it (even if only until the DVD release), what possible harm could come of it?

 

i don't think the Episode 3 (Non-Spoiler) forum is specifically the place to discuss a completely separate entity such as the TV series. Leave it open for a reasonable period so spoiler-free folk still have a place to discuss it, but there comes a point by which it will have served its purpose and there are too few spoiler-free people left to warrant it staying open.

I dunno, I think why bother creating another forum when its just going to fill up with the same people and become populated with the same kind of threads?

The offshoot board is a valid idea and one to consider. Bringing this to Comms was the first idea, just to see if we can extend the time on the forum staying opeen, until the time of the DVD release or perhaps for the TV show, as recently suggested.

 

The only reason that 3NS was made private was to prevent any and/or everyone coming in and spoiling the members there by posting spoilers. If it seems that spoilers are now freely allowed in the forum then there is no longer a reason for it to be kept private since now a large (but most probably not complete) portion of the forum community is posting spoilers left, right and centre. Keeping it a private and selective forum is completely unfair to pretty much every other community on these boards that have to deal with the constant "intrusion" of other people wanting to be involved and discuss things with people that have been doing so together for as long if not a hell of a lot longer than quite a few of the 3NSer's have been.


As to why should "your community" be forced to move to another forum (be it the RotS forum or PT forum), that's the way of things. Two other entire forums have just had to have that happen when the AotC and TPM forums were forced to move into the PT forum. Why is it that another forum that is subjected to exactly the same external pressures be exempt from this?


I personally have nothing against the 3NS remaining under complete non-spoiler rules until a week after the last of the international release dates since that is fair in comparison to both the rules for the release of RotS and the policy in regards to the forum in it's shift both for TPM and AotC. But once it is no longer a spoiler-free haven, it needs to be made public and also after the major rush of posting it has to follow the same path that both TPM and AotC forums did. Otherwise it is utterly unfair to all the other communities that exist on the JC, and especially to those of the two former Prequel forums.

 

"Isnt there already a place to discuss TV show stuff ? (Small Screen Star Wars) sure it isnt as active yet because really no news to talk about the 3NS should be treated just like every other forum...."

Yeah, what I'm saying is that in terms of the upcoming series you're going to end up with a spoiler crowd and a non spoiler crowd. SW Small Screen will doubtless end up the 3SA of the tv series and NSA will have been made public/closed/made inactive or whatever so, in that respect, I think the current NSA board will have a role to play in the future.

As far as making it public goes, I think it should totally be public. I can't imagine how much traffic the board lost and how many users were excluded during the lead up to RotS because it was private and the average newb didn't know how to get involved in a private forum. If the mods couldn't handle the amount of spoiler trolls coming through well....whatever. That's their job, they're supposed to handle it.

 

I'm starting to see some 3NS members posting in at 3SA and it seems the two communities are merging nicely, but that's from my 3SA perspective. We had a sense of community there, too. And yes, it is nerve-wracking having to re-explain everything from Anakin's origins to how Luke got that lightsaber to fans just finding the saga, but it's not that bad. It's actually kind of neat to see a brand new excitement brought into 3SA (or I guess it's Revenge of the Sith now).

 

Before you read this, I'm letting you know I read every post in here.

I understand you've got a tight-knit community and I think that is wonderful. I think it sets a good example. The former 3SA forum was not always like this especially as we got closer to the film's release, something like a trailer was happening, and now the film has hit. It's crazy.

Now let me tell you this part. When 3SA was first created, it was exactly like your 3NS. After a few weeks when AotC came out, it was like your 3NS. People will be leaving this site en masse because though the TV show will be cool, the interest level will not be like the film. Take a look at the SSSW Forum for how the Clone Wars cartoon impacted overall posting. Yes, there was activity, but factors of 10 smaller than for the film.

The plan has always been to eliminate the 3NS and then the RotS Forum. This is no surprise and no amount of hedging or arguing will change the fact it's closing down in mid-June. This is not me being insensitive. I welcome you to the RotS Forum and challenge you to bring the positive traits of your cohesiveness with you to set an example during this brief chaotic period. Don't let yourself be convinced a tigh-knit group can't be formed in the RotS forum. You're wrong and I know that in literally weeks the activity in there will go away. For almost a year now, AotC and TPM have suffered from lack of activity and this film forum will be no different.

I will not allow this one group to continue to have a non-spoiler forum for a film that's out beyond the date we set. It is not fair. Who wouldn't want little private forums where everyone behaves and likes each other? As others have said, stay with us and continue the bond in the RotS Forum or form an off-shoot board. But I will not show favoritism.

I will look back fondly on the 3NS for all of its successes and hope you'll carry on the light. But it's closing down. And my former beloved 3SA will do the same at the end of the year. I feel the same way you do about your 3NS. Think of how I feel about the former 3SA after having created it and then seeing it through the release of the film with all the ups, downs, headaches, joys, and thousands of users that made it what it was? Even that will come to an end.

This is the natural progression of the boards and the way it will go. By the end of the year or early next year there will be a forum for OT and one for PT. Of course we'll keep Community and Saga (etc...) but that's it for the films.

 

So what's the plan for folks who don't want to be spoiled for the tv series?

 

We've got the other thread for that. But my feeling is we'll start off in the SSSW Forum and see how it goes.

 

I have to admit I was never a 3NSer so I wasn't in the private forum. However, I do know what it is like to have a forum that is close knit and then have it get dissolved.

I'd encourage you to create for yourselves a thread in an appropriate forum where you can post with other 3NSers. Will it be the same? No. Things pass. It is unfortunate because I know that a lot of work went into keeping the 3NS spoiler free.

 

How is the existence of the NS forum hurting you? Ask yourself that and see if the NS forum ruins your day. It probably won't.

Mr. P

 

It doesn't hurt me or ruin my day. But it sets a MAJOR precedence that I am not willing to or going to set.