OOC: NS Forum Revitalisation

[ceroomaster]

The forum is nearly dead. Only three topics left (one of those is topped & can't vanish from the list).

Any ideas on how we can revitalise this forum and get more people reinterested?

Is reinterested even a word?

[joncha]

What if we conduct business here instead of on the Nation States forum?

One idea (I haven't thought this through too far) is to vote in the UN as a regional bloc. We could debate the merits of pending resolutions and decide (democratically) which way we should vote.

[Mr. President]

It'd certainly be easier to track the way older debates went if threads were used; the regional forums at NationStates.net push the old posts off the page.

[ceroomaster]

Originally posted by joncha
One idea (I haven't thought this through too far) is to vote in the UN as a regional bloc. We could debate the merits of pending resolutions and decide (democratically) which way we should vote.

Do you mean all the nations in the region get a vote, and then everybody vote the same regardless of personal opinion?

Originally posted by Crimson Sunrise
It'd certainly be easier to track the way older debates went if threads were used; the regional forums at NationStates.net push the old posts off the page.

Sort of ties in with the above, if we debated the resolutions here then we're not going to lose any info. We tend not to discuss much more than that on the regional board at the moment.

Next time there is a proposal up for debate, I will start a thread here and post a link to the thread on the region board, perhaps?

[ceroomaster]

Also, would there be any interest in an Apolyton region site, some of the most successful regions have them:

The Heartland

Meritocracy

Are just two examples I was able to find.

[joncha]

I think the forum here should be our region site, I don't see the need for a new domain.

As for the regional UN idea, it was just that... an idea. And, yes, under the original plan we would be compelled to vote as a bloc. The plus side of this is a united regional UN position and vigorous debate, the down side is groups in the minority may just leave the UN.

Plan B would be a forum to debate resolutions. However, if the groups decisions aren't binding it may just end up being one post each of "my nation will vote yes/no" and no debate.

Plan C is that votes are binding, but those opposed can abstain. This way at least you aren't "forced" to vote for something you don't like.

Plan D could be organized UN factions. We could form a progressive bloc, a law and order bloc, a bleeding-heart liberal bloc, etc. and have their positions binding on their (wholey voluntary) membership.

Whichever way we go, it should serve to revitalize this forum. I'm just throwing out these ideas for some debate.

[Mr. President]

Plan D sounds interesting except that some factions are probably going to wind up way more popular than others. It might be fun, though.

[ceroomaster]

Wasn't suggesting abandoning the forum, just having the 'extras', like maps etc, handled elsewhere.

I think Plan D could be interesting, but I don't think that there are enough people playing at the moment to make it viable.

[joncha]

How about we start things off with a general UN thread (Plan B), and if we get enough interest and debate people can open up their own "Plan D" threads?

[ceroomaster]

Okay, let's try it.
New proposal has come up today, so have started a thread: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...hreadid=112617

[joncha]

I think the proposal thread is off to a great start. Thanks for the quick action, Ceroo.

For the next resolution, it may make things easier to make it a poll. The only drawback I can see is that non-members can vote... I know you can set a time limit for polls, but I'm not sure if they can be limited to members of certain civ-groups.

[Guardian]

I'm back - at least for the time being...

I'll try not to just slip away in the middle of something for a while.
(I know I've done so at least a couple of times before.)

[ceroomaster]

Originally posted by joncha
For the next resolution, it may make things easier to make it a poll. The only drawback I can see is that non-members can vote... I know you can set a time limit for polls, but I'm not sure if they can be limited to members of certain civ-groups.

I was thinking about that. You can't restrict to Civ groups AFAIK, but for UN members votes to count they must also post their opinions to avoid abuse of the voting system perhaps? But then that would negate using the poll in the first place. Erm, not sure. The present system works fine for now, but any suggestions for improvements are welcome.

Originally posted by Guardian
I'll try not to just slip away in the middle of something for a while.

I'm guilty of that also

[joncha]

Sounds good. As long as you're keeping track of votes, I guess it doesn't really matter... I just like the graphic representation a poll can give.

[GeneralTacticus]

Well, if we found someone with far too much time on their hands, they could draw graphs in Excel or Word to represent how the votes were going...