A New Direction

[Throndir]

Hey guys!

So, thinking of heading a new direction for FWC. Or rather, I want some ideas on what you guys think is feasible, and what would be the best course of action. We've been around for years, like 5+ years now. Our 'focus' was 'game development'. However, that has honestly gone down the drain. Here's a list of things we've done in no particular order:

• Developing on Legendarytales
  
• Developing on RPGMaker
  
• Developing on Eclipse (and the slew of other similar software)
  
• Functioning as the community of LT (now dead?)
  
• Hosting member pet projects
  
• Hosting comics
  
• Private file hosting
  
• Critique on games, art, writing
  
• Playing and planning LAN games
  
• Roleplaying
  
• Thinking and writing about made-up worlds
  
• Writing guides/tutorials on game dev, and writing
  
• Served as backers for Silverlock Media, The Cleric's Court, and Something Inc.
  

It's hard to really pinpoint what we were about. Recently though it was mainly about roleplaying.

Anyways, now to the point of this topic. I'm seriously considering switching hosts and moving to GoDaddy.com or anything similar. Any host that has a load of other websites that use them, that way we know it's the best. Since I think I'll be having a steady stream of income from now on, I'll be fully prepared to finance it.

Recently KainBloodbane came to me with an offer of being the forums for a new project of his that he hopes will take off. It'll be a comic that he plans to self-publish. Considering how FWC's stalled for the last few years, taking it into a different direction might be what it needs. Since KainBloodbane offered FWC to be the forum backer for his comics, it may potentially be a great way to pull in more members as well as activity.

I personally think this'll be good. Even if we have to scrap the current site/reorganize the forums/and change our direction. The name of "FWC" is still in debate as well, depending on how far we want to be tied with Kain's comics. Some things to consider is if we'll seriously think of expanding into other areas, and what-not.

How this will affect us? Since I plan to still be attempting to move the forums, I'll still ensure that we have places for projects, roleplays, and whatever else anyone wants in the future boards.

Anyways, what do you guys think? I especially want the other admins' thoughts. Also, if the others are still around, what our roleplayers think. A forum's made by its community rather than purpose after all (though the purpose can have a driving influence on the community).

[Emperor Wilbers]

That's a handful. I think it would be good, overall. I am a bit confused on how FWC will be related to the comics and what all that means.

[Throndir]

Kain's comics are fantasy-related.

It'll mostly be a way to get more members on the forums, so the boards won't stagnate. Likewise we can keep FWC the way it is now, small group, just buds who know each other, type of thing.

Another tidbit for the pro-comic side is that there'll be more of a clear purpose to the boards than how it was before. We can still do everything we've done before, but at the very least we'd have more of a focus. In the end, if we go this direction and Kain's comics gets enough of a following, it would just be a way to siphon more legit users. In terms of what actual work the 'FWC staff' needs to do is minimal. Update the website, reorganize the boards, change hosts, resetup forums, and possibly create a custom theme.

Any other ideas or comments would be nice though.

[Emperor Wilbers]

It all sounds good. I'm for it. I'd like more members.

[Milk]

North, It's the superior direction.


But yeah I'm fine with it. You have my permission to conduct this business of moving and whatnot if that is what you so desire.


And don't count Something Inc out of the picture yet! You make be looking at a new house death this year! (since i seem to have lost the data for my previous entries)

[Hasabushi]

I think that FWC needs a lot of changes everything from the content management system to the actual focus of what FWC does, as for the name I believe we should keep it. I've been working for quite a while on a CMS that would be perfect for what we do here. I've described it in other posts and shouts, but I'll get a detailed list together of what I think our site should be.