Suggestion.

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Suggestion.

Post by ReCreate »

You know, I was thinking. The "current comic" thread bugs me, Why aren't there separate threads for each strip(and maybe a subforum for discussing each separate strip?) like how they do it at the XKCD, VGcats and the ctrl alt delete forums?
I don't like how the topic is crammed with an ever-changing discussion about the "current comic". What if I wanted to talk about one of my favorite strips? Etc?

I just thought that this should be put into consideration, It would all be a lot more organized that way.

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Re: Suggestion.

Post by rickgriffin »

Well it depends, do people want to do that?
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Esquire Fox »

Erm, I actually kind of like the "current comic" thread. It gives a bit of leeway to discuss recent comics as well.
That and there isn't the drama of lurkers speeding to be the first to post the thread. Then the first 20 posts after that are all "aww, you beat me to it".

So me, personally, would rather have our giant 4k-post buddy over there =P.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Dissension »

One downside is that you would have dozens of threads with limited discussion potential. I think the average comic update gets 20 to 40 posts in the Current Comic thread.

Another issue is that we discuss more in this forum than individual comic updates. If we have 20 or 30 pages of individual-comic threads, it becomes cluttered and some users may be unable to locate other topics of interest to them, like the various interviews
Rick has done. Possible Mitigation: Create and maintain a floated thread index.

I can see the merits of what you're advocating; I'm just not sure we're high-traffic enough to justify it yet...
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Sinder »

Rick updates the comic too frequently for us to have individual threads for each strip; we'd have a minimum of three new threads in here per week, plus any bonus stuff (like All the King's Men... which we have anyway). Contrast this to Scott over at VG Cats, who updates maybe once per month when he's on a regular schedule. The whole forum would be filled with comment threads, most of which would probably average less than a dozen posts.

Keeping the comments separate isn't particularly difficult anyway, so long as you check the dates.

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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Ebly »

Actually Buck and I talked about this

Current comic topic is getting crazy huge, but having a billion topics with two pages of discussion and then nobody ever looking at it ever again is a bit of overkill, we think (and so do Sinder and Dissension based on what they've just said, which I agree with).

Though... we considered after this arc is over, to move to a topic per arc, with a single separate topic for all the one-offs. Arcs generally run about a month or so, so that wouldn't be too bad, would it? Opinions?
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Esquire Fox »

Not to necessarily be on the support side of this, but you realize threads can be removed by moderators (at least in any forum I've ever seen).

Once a new comic comes out, with the flick of a finger, Ebly would mail the old thread off to oblivion.
But you'd still only get 20-40 posts on each with the current forum traffic. Which isn't even a whole page.

EDIT: A thread per arc would be nice. However, only if the moderators post it and it isn't some race to be the first with it up >_>.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Dissension »

I would be more in favor of arc discussion threads than individual ones for each comic.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Ebly »

Esquire Fox wrote:A thread per arc would be nice. However, only if the moderators post it and it isn't some race to be the first with it up >_>.
*giggles* But what if it becomes a race between moderators!
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Buckdida »

AHA! Yes, Ebly and I did discuss this. I think that while we don't yet have enough traffic to warrant a new thread for each comic yet, one for each arc would be perfect. After this arc, we can lock the current comic thread, and start a new thread for each arc. We can't delete it, because it really has a lot of history, so...I'll figure out some way to organize it.

And, uh, if more than one thread goes up, we'll just merge 'em. Not to hard, but look for the thread BEFORE you post it new.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Sinder »

We don't want to delete our old threads for no reason; then we'd lose all our cool archived flame wars discussions and ruminations.

Arc threads sound like a neat idea.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Dissension »

Ebly wrote:*giggles* But what if it becomes a race between moderators!
...

Uh, a rotating shift would be established, presumably?
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Esquire Fox »

Dissension wrote:Uh, a rotating shift would be established, presumably?
Tie Rick down and make him do it ;)?
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by ReCreate »

I think it would be aproximatley 500-1200 threads assuming you create one for EACH strip. Though that's admittedly overkill.

A thread per arc would be a much better idea though.
Rick updates the comic too frequently for us to have individual threads for each comic; we'd have a minimum of three new threads in here per week, plus any bonus stuff (like All the King's Men... which we have anyway). Contrast this to Scott over at VG Cats, who updates maybe once per month when he's on a regular schedule. The whole forum would be filled with comment threads, most of which would probably average less than a dozen posts.

Keeping the comments separate isn't particularly difficult anyway, so long as you check the dates.
Hey aren't you that guy... nevermind... :P
Anyways, have you seen the XKCD forum? It updates 3 times a week and they have separate threads for each strip. As does the ctrl alt delete forum(IIRC)

edit: and wow a lot of posts in a short time...span(sorry can't help it :P) for a forum that has had a maximum of ~25 people active at the same time.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Ebly »

Esquire Fox wrote:
Dissension wrote:Uh, a rotating shift would be established, presumably?
Tie Rick down and make him do it ;)?
Pretty sure he is not into that kind of thing!
ReCreate wrote:Anyways, have you seen the XKCD forum? It updates 3 times a week and they have separate threads for each strip. As does the ctrl alt delete forum(IIRC)
Both with an exponentially higher amount of traffic than here!
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Dissension »

I do not think he would appreciate that! My idea allows the maximum of fairness and the minimum of disturbing mental imagery!

Anyway, however it's decided, it needs to be decided because Rick has approved. Yay! *dances around*
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by ReCreate »

Ebly wrote:
ReCreate wrote:Anyways, have you seen the XKCD forum? It updates 3 times a week and they have separate threads for each strip. As does the ctrl alt delete forum(IIRC)
Both with an exponentially higher amount of traffic than here!
Point being...? Just because each thread won't be as stuffed as it is there... well... doesn't mean it isn't worth existing.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by GameCobra »

I think arc related threads would be neat in my honest opinion. but i'm no expert on traffic, but i think we either need to go with a yearly topic or a arc related topic.

I wouldn't want the 'current topic' topic going away though. too many memories T_T
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by YoruOokami »

I agree with the thread for each arch idea. It allows for a flow of discussion to develop, but without just having the one gigantic thread. Honestly, I don't have anything against the one big thread, but if change is needed, I think that is an excellent middle ground solution.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by ReCreate »

GameCobra wrote:I think arc related threads would be neat in my honest opinion. but i'm no expert on traffic, but i think we either need to go with a yearly topic or a arc related topic.

I wouldn't want the 'current topic' topic going away though. too many memories T_T
Archive it...? :p
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Buckdida »

Current Comic thread: Lock it (maybe), re-name it to "Old Comic comments thread: Arcs 10-29"

Then, we go to the "one thread per arc"

Not too hard to figure out, really.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Ebly »

Dissension wrote:Rick has approved.
Guys, listen to the man in green

We're gonna do the arc-specific topic thing and it will probably be exactly as Buck says - just moving on.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Dissension »

Well, guys, Rick has approved the idea. At the conclusion of the "Imaginate, Too!" story arc, we will be switching to arc discussion threads.

Buck's right; nothing will be deleted. The Current Comic thread will just be closed when we switch to the new system. On the off chance someone wants to talk about the older comics, there can be a "Previous Arcs: Imaginate! through Imaginate, Too!" discussion thread.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by FerretWithASpork »

Isn't that kind of what the Comments on the strips are for?
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Dissension »

You could, I suppose, argue that, but these are the Housepets! forums. If we limit discussion of the current comic to a specific location, the question becomes whether to discontinue it on the forums or discontinue support for direct comments on the comic page, which may lead some regular and faithful commenters to stop giving feedback.

I don't think we lose anything by having discussion in both places, except potentially having fewer forum members. If I post a comment on the comic, it's more likely to be an initial reaction than what I'd post here. I originally joined the forums because they allowed me to have a more in-depth discussion with other members.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Liam »

Dissension wrote:I originally joined the forums because they allowed me to have a more in-depth discussion with other members.
Yeah, that's pretty much the reason why comic threads should continue on the forums, though on the suggested arc basis, which sounds cogent.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Foxstar »

Arc threads are the best way to go, given a arc can run anywhere from a month to half a year if Rick's up for it.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by PhoenixAsper »

The current arc would seem to suggest as much. One of the longest yet. (No complaints here, of course :D .)
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by arcict »

What are you talking about it's not that biiiiaaah...

"94, 95, 96"

Ok.... yeah, that's kinda... wow,

Well, how about this, every Housepets anniversary Rick starts a new thread for the year and begins by copying the posts discussing the previous comic into the new one or something, that way we don't get bogged down with new threads but we don't get huge monster ones either.

Once every story arc is... kinda hard to me because there is no telling how long any one story arc is going to be, it's kinda unpredictable and to be quite honest, it's taken the "current comic" thread quite a while to get even this far... er, hasn't it? When was it started again anyway?
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by PhoenixAsper »

November '08. And you started it :P .
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Dissension »

Uh, guys? Not to keep repeating myself, but arc threads are the way of the Housepets! future. There are, on average, 12 arcs per year. The forum won't be flooded with new threads. Each arc generates about three pages of discussion. Our community continues to grow, so it's not like we're going to be seeing a decline in that dialogue.

Unless popular opinion suddenly reverses course, we will switch to arc-based discussion threads as soon as this arc ends.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by arcict »

PhoenixAsper wrote:November '08. And you started it :P .
Why yes, yes I did. Sorry but I was at the library and was short on time (I had places to go) so I had to finish my post and then get, otherwise I would have looked up the starting date myself...

*does some checking*

*does some thinking*

I would relent with the "once per story arc" idea if we didn't actually close the threads (at least not immediately after the next story arc begins) and merely opened new ones for the new arcs and maybe closed the old ones after they died. That, or just let them die and fall down the list until they are gone for some time only to be revived by horrible thread necromancers who have nothing better to do but revive old topics for their own ammusement! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!

er, um, yeah.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Dissension »

The only thread that would be closed under this system is the "Current Comic" thread, and it would be replaced by "Arc Discussion: Imaginate! through Imaginate, Too!"
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by ReCreate »

Wait. Are you saying that it will be a discussion for all the strips in the same thread? I thought it was a thread per each new arc(and old one if anyone wants to discuss an older one, such as its a wonderful dog's life).
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by Buckdida »

Okay! Here's what we've decided, since everyone seems to have agreed...

The "Current Comic" thread will be renamed "Old Comic Discussion: Imaginate to Imaginate, Too." This thread will remain unlocked, and open for further discussion based on the thread's new topic.

After "Imaginate, Too" ends, we will then be switching to a one thread per arc format. The topic of this thread will simply be the arc's name.

The person to post the new thread for the new arc can be anyone; simply whomever posts first. In the case of multiple threads, the threads will be merged if the discussion within each is substantial enough, or simply deleted if not.

And now that's that! We've discussed, we've agreed, and the decision is made. No more use for this topic...Thread done.
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Re: Suggestion.

Post by rickgriffin »

Buckdida wrote: Imaginate to Imaginate, Too
This is probably the best title I could have hoped for
I'm sure the cold hand of science will be able to overcome his magical powers
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