Changes to Modding Sections (Implemented)

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Changes to Modding Sections (Implemented)

Postby Andrew on Sat Jul 22, 2017 8:15 pm

Please be advised that we'll be making some changes to the Releases & Previews sections, specifically turning them into consolidated Modding sections. We're also making a change that we hope will make things more convenient for our Contributors group. Details are as follows:

  • 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.
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Re: Changes to Modding Sections (Implemented)

Postby Andrew on Mon Jul 24, 2017 10:52 am

I've gone ahead and implemented the changes. Contributors, if you have any issues creating new topics in the Tutorials sections, please let me know so I can fix that up. As far as I can see though, everything should be working as intended.
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Re: Changes to Modding Sections (Implemented)

Postby Kevin on Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:25 pm

A very welcome change for now but would you have implemented this back in 2013-2015? I feel like it'd be a shitshow then what with the quantity/prevalance of mods back then. :lol:
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Re: Changes to Modding Sections (Implemented)

Postby Andrew on Mon Jul 24, 2017 8:13 pm

Good question, and fair. It's tough to say. There might have been slightly less incentive to make a change back then, but even by that point in time, the Help & Requests sections were becoming redundant with unanswered posts, and people ignoring the section in favour of posting in the main discussion area, or Releases & Previews. There were a lot of "I know this is the wrong section, but (this is a more popular section, so I'm going to post here and acknowledge that it's against the rules to justify knowingly breaking the rules)" posts even then, and with the way the Help & Requests sections were largely ignored, I can't entirely fault people for that approach. It's why we cut those sections, and why we're making the change now.

It's easy to cling to a particular format or layout because it's always how we've done things, or because it's worked in the past. That's something I've learned over the years; it's all too easy to do when something isn't ideal, but still kind of works alright. Ultimately, what once worked is not always relevant now, so whether or not we would've made the change back then becomes a moot point. Of course, as I said there were people who were ignoring those sections in favour of posting everything in the Releases & Previews sections, so you could argue there's long been a desire or preference for a central modding discussion area anyway.

Short answer is, it may or may not have been necessary then, so it's hard to say whether w'ed have definitely made the same change, but it's been a gradual shift that we've tried to adapt with and this seems to be the most logical approach moving forward. If that changes, we'll have to adapt again. :)
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Re: Changes to Modding Sections (Implemented)

Postby Mackubex on Tue Jul 25, 2017 12:45 pm

I'm hoping there will be changes in the future for the Download Section where users can Sort the files by Newest Upload and Oldest Upload so it's easier to know which files are the latest.The new changes to the modding section is great too. :applaud:
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Re: Changes to Modding Sections (Implemented)

Postby Andrew on Tue Jul 25, 2017 12:53 pm

Unfortunately our hands are tied when it comes to the Downloads section. The add-on we're using isn't being updated anymore.
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