A question of format

[28ten]

With the start of my project http://www.westernthunder.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=150 I am trying to decide how to post it. should I go for

• one long topic on the build (not including rolling stock) in Action
  Lots of small topics in Action
  or lots of small topics (not including rolling stock)in its own little forum
  None of the above

I dont think there is a 'right' format, but some work better than others

any ideas/input welcome, as you know I like simple solutions :lol:

 

[Dan Randall]

With the start of my project http://www.westernthunder.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=150 I am trying to decide how to post it. should I go for

• one long topic on the build (not including rolling stock) in Action
  Lots of small topics in Action
  or lots of small topics (not including rolling stock)in its own little forum
  None of the above

I dont think there is a 'right' format, but some work better than others

any ideas/input welcome, as you know I like simple solutions :lol:

I don't know how these forums are actually "constructed", but would it be possible to have a Layouts section and within that, an Ashburton thread, sub-divided into say, Track, Station Buildings, Goods Shed etc?

With a dedicted Layouts section, any of us fortunate enough to have (or be building a layout), could then follow suit with our own individual projects.

Whatever you decide, I'm looking forward to seeing some progress.


Regards

Dan

 

[lancer1027]

I agree with Dan, a layout section would be good I too am looking forward to your progress.

 

[Jordan]

This shows that the Forum is getting busier now, doesn't it..?? :lol: :lol:

How about sub-dividing "Action", with a 'Layouts' section and a 'Projects' section for other stuff..? I do like one long thread for a layout as it's easier to follow it's natural progression from bare benchwork to the finished scene.

Just one question, though; would the layouts posted in that section have to be Western Region (or at least British)? In other words would layouts of, say... ooh, I dunno... maybe US outline - does anyone here model US outline :shock: ..??... would those layouts go in that section, or be kept quarantined in Area 51, to avoid contaminating the rest of the Forum..?!? :scratch: :lol: :lol:

 

[28ten]

I can divide the forum up any way we can think of! I could put a layouts sub division in Action. I dont think Area 51 has enough traffic to justify that, I would like to try and keep non WR stuff separate as much as possible -

 

[28ten]

I have made a couple of small changes which I hope will make things a little clearer, without over complicating matters

 

[Jordan]

My layout threads (currently in "WR Action") could be transferred to the "Layouts" section..?

Withyn Reach:-
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=71

My 'even smaller' layouts:-
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=73

...although maybe the term "layout" is used rather loosely in those instances... :scratch:

 

[rosspeacock]

Its all good, like the new layout etc, there is one or two layouts still in WR action, good that we are getting busy, I done my little bit of recruiting with "westernfan"HA HA wait till Phill gets back from his hols and see who else he can poach Ross..

 

[westernfan]

Its all good, like the new layout etc, there is one or two layouts still in WR action, good that we are getting busy, I done my little bit of recruiting with "westernfan"HA HA wait till Phill gets back from his hols and see who else he can poach Ross..

and glad you did Ross, i enjoy the forum and realise the craftmanship that is shown by other members puts mine to shame i mentioned and recommended this site to an other customer in a model shop today so maybe another member in the wings chris

 

[rosspeacock]

[quote=""rosspeacock"":151o3n0c]Its all good, like the new layout etc, there is one or two layouts still in WR action, good that we are getting busy, I done my little bit of recruiting with "westernfan"HA HA wait till Phill gets back from his hols and see who else he can poach Ross..

and glad you did Ross, i enjoy the forum and realise the craftmanship that is shown by other members puts mine to shame i mentioned and recommended this site to an other customer in a model shop today so maybe another member in the wings chris[/quote:151o3n0c]
Dont underestimate your own work your stuff is very good keep up the recruitment drive, although dont tell any idiots or numpties about us ha ha :laugh: :laugh:

 

[Jordan]

... dont tell any idiots or numpties about us ha ha :laugh: :laugh:

I'd better leave, then...

 

[Phill Dyson]

:scratch: If we are going to have a layout section , perhaps all layout threads should be moved there?, I have no objections to my layout thread being moved
Phill :wave:

 

[28ten]

:scratch: If we are going to have a layout section , perhaps all layout threads should be moved there?, I have no objections to my layout thread being moved
Phill :wave:

I probably need to split your thread after the first couple of pages into layout and work bench.....

 

[lancer1027]

Could my few images and layout project go into the layout section. I know there's not alot that i've done at the moment but it's something that i can keep adding to as i do abit

 

[Puds]

Have you guys considered doing like on FRMW, and having workbench sections for each member....... http://scalerail.phpbbhosts.co.uk/viewf ... bfb4f164b4

And as for the layout section, rather than splitting it into scales like on FRMW, a possibility could be to split it into sections such as GWR, WR, and other all stuff/Area51.

 

[Pint of Adnams]

Have you guys considered doing like on FRMW, and having workbench sections for each member....... http://scalerail.phpbbhosts.co.uk/viewf ... bfb4f164b4

And as for the layout section, rather than splitting it into scales like on FRMW, a possibility could be to split it into sections such as GWR, WR, and other all stuff/Area51.

Despite the blatant GWR bias here (can't think why that happened), your mention of that other 'other place' reminds me that I'm here because I'm amongst friends, not snipers. There may be chaff but it's friendly, there may be banter but it's good-natured, there may be many other similes that I could think up but won't bore you with. There aren't, so far, any of those annoying folks that FRMW was allegedly created to get away from but who turned up anyway and are made over-welcome - the more wrong they do the more they can do no wrong.

Same as for that bigger 'other place' that is so difficult to navigate these days, a structure from elsewhere that's not organically grown and carefully cultivated, and is opposed by those members whose views are derided by the cosa fora that know better can only have adverse impact here.

It's 28ten's chatshow, let him be the gracious host and let us accept his hospitality as is offered.

 

[Puds]

Sorry, I was only trying to put across some suggestions, as I thought this was a thread for ideas on the forums format, maybe I got the wrong end of the stick I'm just here as I've a keen interest in our hobby, and as you said elsewhere Mike, I'm still looking for my home

 

[Jordan]

Sorry, I was only trying to put across some suggestions, as I thought this was a thread for ideas on the forums format, maybe I got the wrong end of the stick

Hey, no worries here Puds, ideas is exactly what this thread is for..!
Perhaps I might say that it was your mention of FRMW that was possibly just a touch unfortunate?... we are well aware on here of the undoubted antagonism that has grown (for whatever reasons- let's not get bogged down with that here) between there and RMweb, ... here on Western Thunder I for one would like to think we've got a Forum that has hit a particular niche interest just about perfectly, and is going it's own particular way, avoiding as much as possible the things we felt "don't work" on other places. Mr Pint hasn't been here very long but has already picked up on the banter here; there's plenty of it (Rob aka "Lancer", & me for instance over US "Dark Side" stuff!) but he's also noted that it's very good-natured, and there's a good 'atmosphere' here. We haven't come here because we feel 'driven out' of anywhere else, if you understand me; we're here because this Forum best suits an interest we have...

My initial thought on the FRMW idea (yes I have had a look) is that it's not too far from the "Blog" thing on RMweb, which many of us here didn't really like, to be honest, and got around it by posting the usual threads in other sections.
Personally, I feel it would be to the detriment of the Forum the more sections are split up into even smaller areas... as it's main focus is Western Region I don't see much point in "Layouts" splitting GWR from WR for example. The only real distinction I would make would be between British and Area 51, as not everyone here might want to look at "Foreign" stuff, which is why I asked about it.

 

[Pint of Adnams]

Sorry Puds, I guess it was the mention of THAT place and it's cliquey prescriptive management style that set me off. I much prefer the more relaxed and friendly setup here. There's a number of us who are known to each other in real life and not just as names on a forum. Certainly 28ten and I have regular conversations 'off-forum' about various things.

Jordan, I may not have been an 'official' member here for that long, but I've known about 28ten's website and the associated forum more or less from its inception. It was the emphasis on the GWR that deterred me, being a GER/LNER(GE)/BR(GE) man through and through, as I intro'd myself by noting that James Holden left Swindon under Churchward (and made great strides at Stratford whilst Swindon stagnated - ducks for cover whilst donning kevlar & ceramic body armour and coal scuttle for a hat). T'was the man himself who said to me that the boundaries had been stretched to include 7mm modellers so, as a fellow S7 modeller, I joined that same day. I might even start a workbench thingy myself sometime... goodness knows there's enough kits and bits in the modelling store and once I've cleared and organised the garage then there might even be a layout...
Oh, and there's only antagonism from FRMW towards RMWeb, Andy Y is pretty cool about it otherwise, but I was referring to the faction fighting and swift departure of the main man who set up FRMW, and other goings and comings that have made it impossible for me to associate myself with it.

But I'm also serious about certain prototype stuff and I'm currently researching LNER carriages built for the GE Section for a series of articles for the GERS Journal. I'm also presently in discussion with Eric Gent of the HMRS about BR (and LNER) brake vans (clarifying and resolving some information that was lacking in his book on the subject), and assisting the LNER Study Group research on building and structure colours.

And there's a 'Brucie Bonus' - see my post in the Resources section

 

[28ten]

Thanks Jordan
I am totally open to suggestions on format, nowhere I have visited has got it perfectly sorted, and I dont think I have either :laugh:
I see what Puds is suggesting (re layouts) and it may well be something that needs doing in the future. what I do quite like is the idea of a little sub forum for each layout project, which is roughly what Puds suggests, but it does introduce another layer of navigation which is a bad thing from the usability point of view :vista:
My other thought is to have layout projects on the same navigation as level as 'WR Action' and 'Area 51' etc, but that only works if there are no more that half a dozen layout projects
The alternative i come back to is the good old fashioned long thread :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Either way, I like Mike's suggestion of organic growth, which is a natural progression and development of the forum meeting the members needs. I have been involved in IT long enough to know that users want something simple and easy to use and not system wide change forced on them by either software manufacturers of system administrators.
I have said several times that I have no vision for the forum which is still true all I want is the IT equivalent of the good old fashioned model shop where you can lean on the counter with a cup of tea and chat about your models. meet friends and show off your latest creation, and get some encouragement.
There will always be a Western bias across the scales as that was the reason for the forum But as a larger scale modeller I am interested in other peoples work in 7mm (and above) and I am more than happy to make provision for that with in the forum.