Forum Review!

by **dom_mc_cfc1** Mon 27 Apr 2009, 2:23 pm

Our Forum Got Its FIRST Review!

First Impressions - (Out of 20)

Ok, first thing, the banner. It just doesn't grab my attention as a solid gaming forum banner should. It looks more like graffiti spray painted at a skateboard park. I give you credit by trying something unique, but a forum banner really should be simplistic, representing what your forum is about. Plus, you should get a banner that fills alittle more out on the width of the forum. Maximize your space.

And scrolling down, i really find the side menus to the right very irritating and distracting. Those should just be left on the portal page. Cause not many are going to pay attention to them while browsing through the community sections of your forum.

The skins got a nice gaming feel to it. The blue bars compliment the grey/black backgrounds. The one thing that is missing from your forum body, are borderlines. In your Games section, everything just feels too compact without anything separating each boards information.

(13 /20)

Site Layout - (Out of 20)

This may be a while. And instead of suggesting and critiquing, I'm just gonna instruct you on how I would fix the Layout.

Ok, lets' start from the top. Combine your new members & help boards into the site information category. Then, delete the empty new members resources category. Combine Help & Suggestions Boards together, and just call the board "feedback, help, and suggestions.". Now, i would place News at the top,feedback in the middle, and new members last in the top category of your forum.

Then grab the staff application board at th bottom, and move that ONE topic in to your forum news Board. and then delete the empty category. Now, once you do alll this, it would vbe VERY wise to write up more detailed Board descriptions , and detailing exactly waht to find in each board.

In the Games section. I would have the request a board topic in the feedback section of the forum. Cause that's forum help. Then, I'd make a general gaming board, for ALL gaming talk beside the 3 consoles, and move PC's topic in there. The PC board is dead, and not gonna make it too far.

Next, i would move the GFX board in "the rest of the best" catgory, and place GFX request under that board as a sub-board. Then, delete the empty GFX board.

Now, your forum will be ,uch tighter, and much more organized. It'll take time to get it alll done, and you may not do any of this. I'm just trying to help, and provide what i think would be best for th forum.

(12 /20)

Forum Statistics - (Out of 20)

Opening just recently,your stats are doing ok. But i know a majority of those posts are one liner chat conversations that i'll discuss more in the next sections. You've got too many boards with just one topic or one post. It might be good to encourage staff to help produce some activity in these inactive boards ... or just do away with the boards completely.

You need to mak sure not to just tak on anyone's post exchange, b selective, check that members own post around th forum thir on, and the forum you met them on for the exchange. Alot of the tims you're gonna get others who just want to spam your forum with quicky posts, just to get th same on theirs.

You've seen how picky and strict i am on post exchanges. And it's worked out for the best in the long run.

(16 /20)

Staff Moderation - (Out of 20)

I have alot of issues with your staff. You have way too many. You don't have to make every member a staff member just to guarantee their activity. And alot of your staff team is posting nothing but spam. Making topics, without expressing their own opinion. And replying back and forth in chat mode. Seriously, you need to make a hidden chat board for staff to hold these conversations, and keep it out of the public view, it's making the forum look very unprofessional.

I'll give you some credit though, cause you probably didn't know what you were getting into when you made so many staff, but i see you are trying your hardest to please the communtiy in all they suggest and request.

But really, get staff to cut down on the spam chatty posts.

(12 /20)

Spelling and Grammar - (Out of 20)

Alot of spelling and grammar issues, especially in board titles and such. If your new, post here should read "If you're new, post here." and make it more inviting,than just "post here" . And, lets' see, "new" should be plural, as in "news". Just little mistakes like that here and there.

Plus, I really didn't even have to look for spelling issues, cause i've seen enough, and most from your staff. Why is everyone talking in LEET and TEXT'ing format. ryt m8 welcome to the fourm , welcome m8 .... those were two replies, i got alone when staff were welcoming me. It was nice they took the time, but looked lazy in their posting structure.

These issues need to be addressed, cause honestly, it feels like i'm at a kids playground while trying to post around some forums. And not a mature, hardcore gamer's forum.

(10/20)

[size=150]63 - (Out of 100)[/size]

Final Remarks:

I'm sorry, but when review, i review with an unbias perspective, wether i'm a amember or not of the forum i review. And there are alot of flaws that need to be dealt with. While I'm there, I'll try and help out in any way i can. But, i guarantee you,you take my ideas and suggestions, you'll turn your forum around 180 degrees, and for the better.

What was most liked about the website/forums:

It's a gaming forum, and new. And i can tell you're trying to do what's best to get the site where you want it to be. And that's a plus in my book.

What was disliked most about the website/forums:

Too much spam. Too many staff, and only two i see has having real respect for the forum. And just alot of disorganization throught the look and layout of the entire forum. It really needs alot of work.

How could I get you (The Reviewer) to join my website?

I'm a member already, and have enjoyed my time there. Until just recently, things seem to have made a turn for the worse. You really need to take charge of your staff. You're the boss, they cooperate, or donn't hesitate to let thm go. You'd be better off with some of them not around, anyway. I'll still be around the forum. Though, alot of your members/staff are gonna hate me after the comments i made about some.

[size=150](63 /100)[/size]