Discussion on Potential NES and IOT Forum Merger

[BSmith1068]

A lot of discussion has been happening recently in different places regarding a potential merger of the IOT and NES sub-forums. I think this is a healthy debate/discussion to have, but feel that it would be better suited to have in one central thread instead of multiple threads in different sub-forums.

This thread is meant to be that. So let's have a serious discussion on the topic of merging the two sub-forums. Some questions (among others) that should be considered:

- Do you favor a merge – why or why not?
- What concerns do you have with merging the sub-forums
- What suggestions do you have for naming the new sub-forum (should the merge move forward)

Please remain civil and discuss this in good faith.

 

[Angst]

As have been said, I've always been for it. Most of the concerns were social.

WBGs was a good suggestion.

But I think we should wait until the dust settles after this recent thing we all know about.

 

[Double A]

- What suggestions do you have for naming the new sub-forum (should the merge move forward)

Armchair Emperors, but with an actual explanation of what the hell goes on (like every other subforum has).

 

[EQandcivfanatic]

Not Armchair Emperors, World Building Games. More descriptive and interesting. As amusing Armchair Emperors is, we should have a name that actually tells what we do to attract people in.

My only real concern is the lost of any archived NEDes or IOTs from the past twelve years. I'd really hate to see my awful old stuff all vanish into the interwebs.

Other than that, I'm 100% in favor of a forum merger.

 

[ori]

Forum merging would not result in a loss of old threads - they'd likely end up mixed between both forums though (there would be ways to keeping them sort of separate though).

 

[Double A]

Like subsubforums with all the old threads?

 

[Spikespiegel]

As have been said, I've always been for it. Most of the concerns were social.

WBGs was a good suggestion.

But I think we should wait until the dust settles after this recent thing we all know about.

This. ++

 

[Ailedhoo]

The merger may help cause a spring of games as it were, as well as ease access to the two and make management simpler. I for one support the new name to be World Building Games, for it best describes what type of games IOT and NES are.

 

[hoplitejoe]

But I think we should wait until the dust settles after this recent thing we all know about.

See, I think while the dust in the air is the best time to do it. People are lazy, and are willing to settle for a worse situation if it is easier. While things are in the air I think people will be more willing to give change a chance.

 

[Civ'ed]

I must say I agree with Angst and EQ.
World Building Games is an excellent description for what we do - whether it is a NES running a cradle start game (as I believe they are called, please refrain from throwing rocks - they hurt more than the tomatoes) or an IOT running near the start of the apocalypse (which is what I was doing until some unpleasantness undid it), We are focused on the creations of stories from a world, be it fantasy or simply alternate history or post-apoc fiction.
Armchair Emperors... There have been NESes dealing with sports, IOTs dealing with proxy maps and NGOs, and similar; Armchair Emperors excludes this. Armchair emperors excludes everything that isn't a traditional IOT or NES, and as such, should not be used as a name. It's a funny joke, guys, it really is, but you know how stupid it looks. Armchair Emperors wasn't even used in discussions until Thor mentioned it in that half-joke-half-serious way. Civ BE forums aren't called "(Not) a Civ V mod enthusiasts)", it's not "Armchair Empirebuilding Video Games Fanatics Center". Try to keep up a little bit with the professional attitude.

 

[TheGryphonPrince]

I'm neutral towards the merge. Sure, there are a lot of similarities between the games, but the communities are very different. And I know that many NESers have left, but some are still hanging around.

However, if the merge occurs, I have to say that I agree with what Civ'ed said.

 

[Reus]

I support the merge under the name of Armchair Emperors, though World Building Games would do fine

 

[Double A]

Try to keep up a little bit with the professional attitude.

I presume this excludes me?

 

[Robert Can't]

I fully support a merge

 

[J.K. Stockholme]

In my honest opinion I think Armchair Emperors strikes as somehow both pretentious and condescending to the hobby at the same time. It's pretentious in it's extravagance, as if what we do is always global in scope and grave in importance, but the "armchair" aspect, which is usually derogatory, actually makes me feel like someone is patting me on the head for playing cute forum games.

Furthermore I object to that name on the basis that it casually accepts the idea of empire as a fundamental component - almost a playful component - of what we do. Sure we may make empires, but we also do lots of other things and I'd rather not enshrine one of the worst institutions humans have invented in the name of the hobby if we aren't being ironic about it.

Maybe I'm alone, but I actually think Never Ending Stories is a catchy name and describes IOTs just as much as NESes. I think it has some objective merit, and I wanna know, are IOTers opposed to adopting that name, and for what reasons?

 

[hoplitejoe]

Calling it just "NES" would make it look like an absorption rather than a merge, something I think would cause problem with IOT.

I also think NES is a dumb name, the amount of people that see it and think it that it is a subforum for old nintendo games (including myself) not a sub for forum games is a problem.

 

[spryllino]

Not while things are up in the air. Why not "NESes and IOTs", though?

 

[J.K. Stockholme]

Calling it just "NES" would make it look like an absorption rather than a merge, something I think would cause problem with IOT.

I also think NES is a dumb name, the amount of people that see it and think it that it is a subforum for old nintendo games (including myself) not a sub for forum games is a problem.

In light of recent events I think it'd be unlikely for anyone to really see it as an absorption of IOT into NES. But besides that, do you (or anyone else) personally consider the adoption of Never Ending Stories as a name as an absorption or something that would make you personally bothered? I don't think it implies an absorption personally.

 

[Civ'ed]

I presume this excludes me?

Your attitude is AAish no matter what we do.
There is no way to get you to be serious.
So yeah I guess.

 

[EQandcivfanatic]

To be fair, NESes have never been Neverending, despite a few good attempts at it. Some have been stories, but not all of them are stories, but all of them are in fact games. In which world building takes place. World Building Games is short, to the point, and descriptive of what actually takes place in both NESes and IOTs. Yes, there's also the confusion when it comes to the Nintendo Entertainment System for the casual bypasser or random person on the street who you try to tell about your hobby. World Building Games I think is not only the best choice of name, but by far the best option for attracting newer players.