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New Armor forums...need some feedback


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Greetings everyone.

The time has come...time to begin laying out the new armor forums.

I need some feedback on how you Armor guys want your Armor forums laid out. I'm guessing by vehicle type is the most common layout.....but I am fully oepn to whatever you guys decide is easiest for you to use.

Keep in mind these froums will be used by a global audience, so I'm like a layout that would incldue modelers from any country....so US specifuc sub forums probably isn'tt he ebst idea. Such as breaking it down like this....WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietman, Desert Storm etc.

There will be an ARC armor site to go with these new armor forums, so that will mean the usual feedback type of sub forums as well.

I also thinks separate tools and tips Armor sub forum is also a good idea.....but I'm open to your opinions about this.

My goal is to set it up the way you guys want "your" forums to be set up.....so giuve me some feedback on what you like and want to see as a forum structure with regards to subv forums..

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Steve,

Are you looking to set it up as a completely seperate sub forum? In other words, have a Research, Buy and sell and so forth for just the armor guys? Same for the Auto forum?

You might want to look at Armorama on how they have it set up and for addtional ideas for armor, check out Track Link. Though they have an out dated forum style, it is set up pretty good.

Oh, for the armor section, need to add "Figures" as well. DOH! Never mind, didn't look down far enough to see that there will be a seperate section for figures.

BTW, really cool that you doing this! :nanner:

Robert

Edited by Ro-Gar Hobbies
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Hi Robert,

At this point I'm open to expanding this to whatever folks want.

For figures.....there will be a sub forum for 1/35 type armor figures in the Armor forums as well as a complete forum devoted to figure modeling......so larger Sci-Fi and fantasy figures etc. Now whether 1/9 scale militray figure belong in an armor/figures subforum or in the separate Figures forum is unknown to me.

I'm working on moving all psots int he old non-aircraft modelling forum into the new forums.

I'm also splitting up the pld Sci-Fi/Real Space forum into 2 separate forums.

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I'm fine either way...whatever everyone wants. If we go with separate display case and critique corners....then I will move the posts from the current aircraft display case and critique corner forums into the new forums.

So whatever the majority wants is fine with me.

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I need some feedback on how you Armor guys want your Armor forums laid out. I'm guessing by vehicle type is the most common layout.....but I am fully oepn to whatever you guys decide is easiest for you to use.

Well you *could* split it into periods, then those periods into types (arty/tracked/wheeled/softskins) then *those* into opponents (Central Powers/Entente, Axis/Allies, Israel/Arab nations) and end up with about 200 forums each with few posts except the WW2 Axis Tracked forum.

OR you could divide it into periods, then split each period only so far as to make it manageable without comatose splite containing single posts going mouldy and unseen. For example, leave "WW1 to 1938" as a single forum, but split "WW2" into Axis and Allied, and perhaps further by type or theatre.

Err on the side of LESS splits, and see what happens. Dead splits kill off enthusiasm - there's not much worse than getting no comments nor answers.

You *might* also consider a separate forum for 1/72, and maybe 1/48, whose enthusiasts otherwise tend to get overwhelmed in the flood of 1/35 content.

Shane

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What I think would work the best is when you click into the ARC forums that you have to choose which forum you want to go to, whether it be Aircraft, Ships, Armor and so forth. A lot of the A/C guys will not want to be bothered with the other forums, and vise versa. Some of course will visit the mutiple forums as I do. I guess I am thinking something similar to Armorama.

Robert

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Well you *could* split it into periods, then those periods into types (arty/tracked/wheeled/softskins) then *those* into opponents (Central Powers/Entente, Axis/Allies, Israel/Arab nations) and end up with about 200 forums each with few posts except the WW2 Axis Tracked forum.

OR you could divide it into periods, then split each period only so far as to make it manageable without comatose splite containing single posts going mouldy and unseen. For example, leave "WW1 to 1938" as a single forum, but split "WW2" into Axis and Allied, and perhaps further by type or theatre.

Err on the side of LESS splits, and see what happens. Dead splits kill off enthusiasm - there's not much worse than getting no comments nor answers.

You *might* also consider a separate forum for 1/72, and maybe 1/48, whose enthusiasts otherwise tend to get overwhelmed in the flood of 1/35 content.

Shane

+1. Having too many forums makes it too confusing and wasteful. While groupings like WW1 and WW2 are obvious, a group like Desert Storm is limting. Where does OIF or Afghanistan armor go? What about between the wars armor or armor that never saw combat? You could end up with a hundred groups and still have things that won't fit unless you use a generic dumping forum like "other".

I'd go WW1 to 1938, WW2 (1939 - 1945), and 1946 - present, and them maybe subdivide them up as needed. WW2 would probably have the biggest number of splits, while for WW1-1938, you couple probably get by with wheeled and tracked subforums, but I wouldn't recommend more than 5-6 subforms max. I assume you will still have manufactures, reference, in-progress, complete build, group build, and armor buy and sell forums. Add those to the model forums, and you are up to 20-30 different forums easy.

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Question........would a WW2 Armor modeler be uninterested in seeing an M1A1 model from Desert Storm? Are armor modellers more likely to be era specific or vehicle type specific? It would be easier to divide the Armor models by vehicle type.....but I suspect most armor modellers build only certain eras.

I'm wondering if Armor guys are the same as aircraft modellers that only build Props.....of only build jets?

To me all AFV's are interesting although I do lean a bit more towards the newer bigger armounr for the sheer brute force of the mechanical engineering.......I'm fascinated by the history behind the epic battles of WW2.....so WW2 armor fascinates me more due to the history of the events the men and machines were involved in.......and early armor interests me also due to the primative engineering and the true horrific wastefulness of WW1.

So for me I love it all.....but in different ways.

And of course secondary vehicles are also a huge interest to me.......especially big grand kits like the Flamo or smaller odd designs like the Schwimmwagen.

Without a doubt....breaking the armor forums into certain sub forums is the hardest. Aircraft, Auto and Figure and ship modellers are much easier to figure lout what sub forums work for them.

Keep giving me your feedback.....it is VERY helpful to me. I plan to not make any changes for about a week......to give everyone plenty of time to give me feedback here.

Thanks for your continued feedback everyone!!! :worship:

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While some modelers may only want to build specific vehicles, I think far more are era specific. People would more likely build WW2 German armor: Panthers, Tigers, Panzer IVs, etc., than just Panthers alone. While a WW2 modeler might appreciate seeing some modern stuff built up, I don't think a guy looking for info on M60 models wants to wade through 100s of posts on steel-wheeled Panthers. But, I have no problem with there being just one category for completed models.

I don't think it's harder to break up armor than it is aircraft. ARC has gotten along fine with props and jets forums without sub-dividing them into things like Luftwaffe vs. USAF or P-51 vs. Bf109.

I'd say start small with broad categories and see how the postings shake out after 6 months or so and then evaluate whether further sub-forums are needed.

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Steve,

I would agree with Dave, though for the armor, I would make the sub forums read as follows; WWI,WWII, Cold War, Modern Armor, Soft Skins and figures. Since the majority build in 1/35, you can as well add additinal sub forums like 1/72 scale and 1/48 as these guys tend to stay with-in their own scale.

The Navy guys are a whole other story, the forums I have been on tend to break down the sub forums by vessel type ie; Batttle Ship, Aircraft Carrier, Transport and so on. I would keep it simple as well to begin with and see what kind of responses you get as new member join. For now I would go with Sails & Steam , Steel War Ships, Merchant Ships, Passenger Ships, Amphibious/transports, small craft and Submarines.

For Cars: Nascar, Sports Cars, Classic, Exotic, Trucks, Motorcyles

(I know Nascar is a sports car, but you know how rednecks can get about it:)

Figures is a whole other story, I don't know what to tell you here. Most figures are done by either soley figure modelers, gamers or armor guys. Normally you would see the figure catagory listed in armor, but then what do you do with the Fantasy and anima guys? So not sure here.

Just my two cents and I am sure others will have better ideas, just figured I throw my thoughts out there.

Robert

Edited by Ro-Gar Hobbies
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I think the KISS principle is needed to be considered.

More forums means more overhead issues for the site and more often, dead forums.

For Armour, I would recommend, at least at this stage, the following forums;

Pre World War 2

World War 2

Post War (up to 1980)

Modern

Splitting the forums into scales might be a bit overkill at current. I build exclusively 1:72 but do dabble in bigger scales for armour and I do not think there is a big enough member base on ARC Armour yet where there needs to be scale split like Armorama.

For figures, thus;

Military

Ancients

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Busts

Other

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I think the KISS principle is needed to be considered.

More forums means more overhead issues for the site and more often, dead forums.

For Armour, I would recommend, at least at this stage, the following forums;

Pre World War 2

World War 2

Post War (up to 1980)

Modern

Splitting the forums into scales might be a bit overkill at current. I build exclusively 1:72 but do dabble in bigger scales for armour and I do not think there is a big enough member base on ARC Armour yet where there needs to be scale split like Armorama.

For figures, thus;

Military

Ancients

Science Fiction and Fantasy

Busts

Other

I started back in the hobby with armour and while I agree that the KISS approach should be used I do not think splitting the Armour Forum by era would be the right way to start it off, as well as splitting it by scale. If the armour forum gets large enough to support that then go ahead, but until then I think this might intimidate any potential armour builders.

I think that for now it should model the aircraft forum and be organized by type:

AFV (Amoured Fighting Vehicles -Tanks, APCs Self-Propelled Guns, Etc.)

Soft Skinned or Wheeled Vehicles (Usually wheeled vehicles like Trucks and Jeeps/Humvees.)

Ordnance (Towed Artillery, Missiles, SAMs, AAA.)

Research (Armour Specific)

Tools n Tips (Armour Specific)

WIP (Armour Specific)

Dioramas (Armour Specific)

Display (Armour Specific)

Critique (Armour Specific)

The Classifieds forum already covers "Buy and Sell", E-Bay, etc. so I would leave that as it is and not split the Classifieds into each sub-forum. However, I could see Research and Tips & Tricks moving into the sub-forums. Or do the reverse and split the Research and Tools n Tips forums by General, Aircraft, Space, Armour, Ships, Auto, Figures?

Anyway these are my thoughts on the forum expansion. I like the fact that this is happenning. I really like this forum community and no longer have a reason to stay at the FSM Forum. So is the name now going to have to change fro "ARC"? LOL

-Denis

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So is the name now going to have to change fro "ARC"? LOL

-Denis

:D

Well I dropped the word aircraft from the forum name long ago in anticipation of this day.

As for ARC.....it means many things

Aircraft Resource Center http://www.arcair.com/

Armour Resource Center http://www.arcarm.com/

Auto Resource Center http://www.arcauto.com/

I own the domain names for the new sites.....so all the ground work and preparation is in place.

:woo:

Thanks for your feedback Denis.

I also own a few other domain names....but these are still up in the air as possible new sites......

http://www.arcfig.com/ figure site?

http://www.arcships.com/ ship site?

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QUESTION OF ETTIQUETE. I am wanting to get rid of my small stash of 1/35 "armor" kits. Is this an appropriate forum for buying, selling, and trading of the aforementioned items? I don't want to do it and ruffle somebody's feathers in so doing. Thanks for the Forums. Adios, Larry(The Artilleryman). :thumbsup:

Edited by The Artilleryman
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I concur with breaking up the forum by era (pre-WWII, WWII-axis, WWII-allied, cold war, modern). Then have some specialties (dioramas, research corner, tips and tricks, etc) I know that in the helicopter subforum, we usually post WIPs in there because that's where it'll get the most constructive comments.

Take care,

Austin

PS when do you start accepting articles for the arcarm page?

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I'd go with madmike said. It's better to divide into eras than subject. Many people have been saying the same for the aircraft forums and it applies here as well. It's more likely to see someone reply to your question about a Me262 on the "props" forum than on the "jets" forum.

mad "trying to get back into the hobby" cow

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  • 4 weeks later...

Breaking it into era's is probably the best way to go and each era with it's own sublist. That way we can immediatly be where we want to be and then navigate within that specific area. In other words have 3 main themes - Pre WWII; WWII and post WWII. then within each you can expand it to say Full Track; Semi Track; wheeled; towed and dioramas, again in each you can expand further to: Kit talk; Group builds; WIP; etc, etc. The nice part with it this way is you immediatly start at your point of interest and everything after that is in one way or another all relevant to your initial selection so chances are you will either want to see something or something of interest will simply catch your eye.

geoff

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  • 1 month later...

If we do not have a section just for the 2 smaller Armour scales then we could/should encourage people to add the scale to their titles??

The other option is to force people to add the scale by adding a box in the title field for the scale. I get a bit annoyed when in ArcAir and go into a post to try to help or get some good info only to discover that the person is talking about a scale I do not build!?

Thanks Steve, great work here!!!!

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yes it would be nice to divide it to make it essayer to find the vehicles. (and i do only "certain eras" so it would be more helpful)

kind of like this for example:

WW I/axis/allied/-tanks,tracked vehicles, and APC's.

WW II/axis/allied/---APC's,Tanks,Amphibious Vehicles,half tracks,field guns,cargo trucks, support vehicles,artillery.

Cold war/NATO/soviet block country's/-APC's,Tanks,Amphibious Vehicles,self-propelled artillery,cargo trucks, support vehicles,and tracked vehicles,artillery.

modern age/NATO/Russia & its allies, middle eastern country's/others--APC's,Tanks,Amphibious Vehicles,self-propelled artillery,cargo trucks, support vehicles,and tracked vehicles.

Edited by Kamp-Panzer
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  • 5 months later...

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