Whither the Watch?

Post by **caamora** » Wed Jul 30, 2014 12:51 pm

Condensing the threads might make the site more user friendly but I think that it fails to address the problem - that the Watch is Withering.

One of the things I've noticed is that I've connected with so many of you on other sites - Facebook, Goodreads, and some new gaming sites. I've been here since 2004 and I've discussed TCTC ad nauseum. As much as I love SRD and his stories, I really have nothing more to say about the books. I've moved onto other authors, other books. I've tried to participate in some of the other threads (at times with disastrous results) and of course, I've loved, and participated in, the games that have been played in the Game thread. But, nothing else has really seemed to spark my interest enough to post - with one exception - The Library.

This site started as a forum for a particular set of books. Perhaps we need to get it back to where it started - a place to discuss books. Let's face it - we all read other books but we really don't discuss them as we do TCTC. Yet, many of them merit good discussions, read-throughs, dissections. I know I've read several books I would have liked to discuss with others but there really wasn't anyplace to do that.

Is it just that we are all so obsessed with TCTC that we can't summon the energy to do any other book discussions?

New book discussions might generate some new traffic to the site and infuse it with new blood. It would, hopefully, revive the Watch and bring it back to it's glory days. I'm hating to see the decline of the site where I've met so many great people - some of whom have become very close and lifelong friends.

Post by **wayfriend** » Wed Jul 30, 2014 1:03 pm

I am going to always have thoughts about the Chronicles.

I will continue to write them down.

Anyone who comes here, whenever that may be, will find them.

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Wed Jul 30, 2014 1:12 pm

caam, that was part of my reasoning for starting the book club that ran through 2013, but it didn't really work out. I'm always interested in seeing more discussion of books here, but I tend to run short of ways to actually encourage it.

I think the new forum structure, by putting Gen SFF, Gen Lit, and The Library together, does put a new emphasis on those sections of the site that might help.

Post by **ussusimiel** » Wed Jul 30, 2014 3:01 pm

Avatar wrote:Mallory's is _not_ going at the top.

Well, if that's going to be your attitude I'm going to start a 'Mallory's for the Top!' campaign. I'll re-muster Sarge's old Prodigious-Posting-Energy© for the campaign and then you'll be sorry!

I wasn't suggesting that Mallory's be put up top, but rather that it would be raised out of obscurity and placed somewhere like 'Revelstone'. The bottom of that list would do fine, there's a free spot right under The Hall of Gifts!

u.

Post by **dANdeLION** » Wed Jul 30, 2014 4:31 pm

I'd prefer to see ALL the group readings in the "Group Readings" forum. Presently the "Man Who" readings are at the bottom of the Reed Stephens forum, and I don't know where the Daughter of Regals and Reave the Just readings are. Hell, I'm not sure we did those, though I kind of remember doing the last story in DoR.

Post by **MsMary** » Wed Jul 30, 2014 4:58 pm

Makes sense to have all the group readings in one place.

Post by **MsMary** » Wed Jul 30, 2014 5:01 pm

kevinswatch wrote:
Avatar wrote:God damn it Jay!
It was fun to not be actively around here for years and then all of a sudden just show up and start changing things dramatically.

Jay, I do believe you have an evil streak.

Just kidding, nice to see you around here a bit more.

Even if you are doing it just to mess up the forum.

Okay, I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Again. I like the changes.

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:29 am

I think caam's right. And I think Murrin's done an amazing job keeping things going. We just need more discussion about what we read. Not easy, though. It's hard work to write intelligent posts about what we read. At least it is for me. And you have to hope there are others here who share your interests. Not always easy. I've been very into psionics lately, and have a thread for it. Not much interest out there, though. That's just the way it goes. It's not a psionics website. It's the Watch. I wouldn't expect any other books to get as much attention as those that the site was made for, and that everybody came here to discuss. But we'll do what we can, eh?

Post by **Avatar** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 4:16 am

kevinswatch wrote:Although I share Murrin's question, is there a reason Gen Discussion and Gen Scifi/Fantasy should be together other than that's what it used to always be?

Yes. I like it like that.

But seriously, they, and Gen Lit, are the only explicitly general forums. Arrive now, and it looks like the only books that can be discussed are SRD books.

In fact, I'd put Gen Lit in the same group, immediately below the Watch group. (Gen Disc shouldn't be in the Watch group anyway.)

Other than that, things are looking good.

--A

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 7:40 am

I disagree. Way I see it we've now got a bigger, more noticable section for other books - Gen SFF, Gen Lit, and The Library - and it's the Scatterlings that seem out of place alongside those.

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 10:14 am

Avatar wrote:Arrive now, and it looks like the only books that can be discussed are SRD books.

Which is usually the only reason someone is coming here. I don't think it would be out of line to put SRD Forums right at the top. "Here's what you came looking for." Maybe a locked Welcome Newbies thread above that, as its own forum, for quick reference on where to go to introduce yourself, ask questions, etc.

Post by **kevinswatch** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 12:27 pm

Yeah, I think the forum layout needs a little more fine-tuning. But I just can't put my finger on it right now...

Suggestions and heated debate always welcome.

You can always try to sway me one way or another, the layout isn't set in stone.

-jay

Post by **wayfriend** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:32 pm

I hope that we keep readings about the first and second chronicles separate from readings of the last chronicles, for reasons already well understood.

Post by **aliantha** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:34 pm

Yeah, I would not be in favor of merging the Last Chrons readings with the earlier ones. Yet. In another year or so, maybe. Jay does make a good point -- if *he's* finished it...

Post by **kevinswatch** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:40 pm

I think the TC Forums are safe as they are now. I like how they're organized. Even though it means extra forums, I don't think it's a big deal. It makes sense to have a little segregation, to separate each of the Chronicles.

-jay

Post by **kevinswatch** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:55 pm

Some more minor tinkering.

-jay

Post by **ussusimiel** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 6:41 pm

Cool! Good to see Mallory's bubbled up to the top. Av will have a fit!

u.

Post by **Ananda** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 8:34 pm

ussusimiel wrote:Cool! Good to see Mallory's bubbled up to the top. Av will have a fit!

u.

Speaking of Mallorys, The Bad Writing Game is dying a slow and painful death. It is the best game ever. Perhaps people who post on writing forums or blogs or whatever could make links to it to try to get more participation and, as a side effect, get new members? The ABC games aren't very exciting, but the games like bad writing and bad illustration have been great.

Website · Post by **Iolanthe** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 9:13 pm

I like the new arrangement of the forums. Bit of a surprise, I haven't had time to read posts for a few days.

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Thu Jul 31, 2014 9:18 pm

Funny thing is that the index is a lot longer now, not shorter, but it works because it's better organised.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Whither the Watch?