- Contributors will have access to create new topics in the Tutorials section.
- The individual Releases & Previews sections will be renamed Modding, and all modding-related discussions - releases, previews, requests, help and development - will be welcome there.
- The Tutorials & FAQ sections will remain separate to avoid their respective Modding sections getting cluttered by pinned topics, and ensure those resources are easier to find.
At least one of those changes might sound a little drastic, so I'd like to explain our reasons for making the changes.
EASE OF POSTING TUTORIALS
Right now, creation of new topics in the Tutorials & FAQs section is restricted to NLSC Staff, to prevent off-topic posts from being made there. Contributors have obviously proven themselves trustworthy, and are also the members most likely to create tutorials and other such resources. Therefore, we want to make it a little easier for Contributors to add to that section, by eliminating the need to post a topic elsewhere and ask a moderator move it. Everyone is still free to create and offer up resources for the Tutorials section, but only Contributors will be able to post there immediately.
CONSOLIDATED MODDING SECTION
The way we've handled the dedicated modding/patching sections in the NLSC Forum has changed over the years. Originally, we had separate Help, Releases & Previews, and Requests sections. That proved to be overkill, so we combined Help & Requests, and left Releases & Previews as is. However, having those two sections became redundant, so more recently we kept Releases & Previews, dissolved Help & Requests, and encouraged requests and help/advice in the main discussion area for each game.
Although this has cut down on redundant sections, the policy is not always immediately clear (especially as not everyone is going to read pinned threads), and members are still prone to posting requests for help or mods in the Releases & Previews section. To eliminate confusion and keep all the modding talk in one place, we're turning all the Releases & Previews sections into consolidated Modding sections. Whether it's a release, preview, request for a mod, request for help/advice on modding, or a discussion on developing modding techniques, it will belong in that section.
You may ask "Why not just bring back the Help & Requests section?", and that's a fair question. The reason we're not doing that is because that layout had run its course, with the Help & Requests section being largely ignored. A lot of topics requesting mods or help went unanswered, which contributed to people posting in the wrong sections in order to get noticed. So, to avoid confusion as to where to post, redundant sections that are going unused, and "I know this is the wrong section, but..." posts, we're going with a consolidated, dedicated Modding section.
SEPARATE TUTORIALS SECTION
The reason we have a separate Tutorials & FAQs section is to make the resources easier to find, and not clutter up the Releases & Previews section with a bunch of pinned topics. We're going to retain that approach with the newly renamed/revamped Modding sections.
For the moment, they're also going to remain a subsection on the same level as the Modding sections, for better visibility. However, they may be easier to find as a subsection of Modding, since they'll appear at the top of the Modding subsection if so. That's something we'll take into consideration, and we're open to suggestions in that regard.
IT'S HAPPENING EARLY NEXT WEEK
We'll be implementing these changes early next week (the week starting Monday July 24th). If you have any further questions or concerns, please let us know.