runouw.com

...wait wait wait i was implying LL was superior

I like this new layout.

I like it, but why put Forum Games on the very very bottom and not the GT/Smash Bros engine stuff that is less interactable?

If anything Forum Games oughta be above that.

I agree with Harmless. Yuri's idea isn't a bad one either, I support it as well.

Again, it's not in order of popularity. I think forum games should stay where it is right now, nested inside off-topic. It's not part of Runouw's other games. That category could be condensed into one forum, but would it go in its own group or inside somewhere else? Honestly I don't think the former would be bad at all, but if you need to have multiple things inside a category then leave it as is.


As I've said before in I don't know how many threads, this is a really standard forum layout and it should feel much more familiar to incoming people that have used other forums. Main content at the top, furthest off-topic at the bottom. If you're thinking of moving the Off-Topic category around, I would put Forum Games at the bottom of it (assuming it gets moved out and Gaming gets its own category) so it's consistent with the rest: most general at the top (general off-topic, general gaming, general sm63, general ll, general level portal, etc), specifics below.

• Off-Topic Category
  • Off-Topic [general]
  • Serious Discussion
  • Forum Games

The layout as is:
Main - 4 slots
SM63 (What's up with "Super Mario 63" in the middle of this? That's what General is for, right? Otherwise I would specify "Story" or whatever) - 2 slots?
LL - 4 slots
Other Games - 1 slot?
Level Portal (also kind of separates the top and bottom, bright red background :p) - 4 slots?
Gaming (still kind of on focus, so it gets a higher position) - 4 slots?
Artwork (see above) - 3 slots?
Off-Topic - 3 slots?

Think about it. If you look at that, the top half with all of Runouw's stuff (excluding the level portal) takes up 11 slots total. The bottom half takes up 10 slots total. It's still going to be more scrolling than we're used to here, but the on-topic is separated from the off. The least important of Runouw's stuff is at the bottom of the top half, the least important of the off-topic stuff is at the bottom of the bottom half.

Wait no, sorry, I didn't mean forum games exclusively. I meant off topic as a section.

I just find it more convenient as I don't like having to scroll all the way down the entire page to visit some threads. Then again the same could be said for anything, but I feel that the order was better with off topic higher up above the GT/Smash bros engine topics.

We do need to keep the forums on Runouw's Games higher up than Off-Topic really, most forums have their off-topic sections at the bottom. We have to make Runouw's games the priority here, whether or not we swap Off-Topic and Artwork is a different matter, but as inactive as the Other Games category is it needs to stay above Artwork and Off-Topic.

I still believe Artwork should be above Off-Topic though, again it's not about popularity, it's about the reasons why people will join Runouw and why people will want to stay. Most people will join for SM63 or LL, which is why they're at the top. After that they may be interested in playing Runouw's other games. If they've joined for the level designer there's a high chance they could be artistic or creative, and for that reason they could go to artwork. Off-Topic, outside of Runouw gaming and serious discussion are bonuses, things that most forums have, things that are fun to join in with while you make your way around the rest of the site.

I agree that this isn't about popularity (I have also seen Off Topic at the bottom of other forums). There have been a great many complaints that this place isn't as active as it used to be, and that we need more new users. This reorganization is part of efforts to fix that. We want this place to be easy to navigate and logical for the newbies. Main draws at the top (Runouw's stuff), and other stuff at the bottom (Our stuff). Us regulars know where we want to go, and can find it wherever it wanders. Newbs need better structure, though. Yes, I agree that it kinda sucks that some of my favorite areas are at the bottom now, but I also know that more logical organization accomplishes larger goals, so I will sacrifice some extra scrolling for the greater good.

I'm perfectly fine with this layout change. I've been using the view new posts page most of the time, anyways.

I've also just been hopping straight to the new posts page.

I think that it's logical to a) show what we have that other forums have or are important to any creativity to a forum (the games first and foremost, then the small programming community, then the artistic community, etc etc). Off-Topic is fun and all, but any forum has an off-topic and even forum game community.