# miniatures forum



## S'mon (Jun 8, 2002)

Miniatures seem a big part of 3e D&D - the combat system only seems to work with miniatures, unlike previous editions - and I was wondering if we could have a forum for miniatures discussion?  This would be for discussion of painting, converting, manufacturers, etc.  What do you think?


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## Umbran (Jun 8, 2002)

Check the FAQ:



> *Can we have a [insert forum name here] forum?*
> 
> Possibly.  There would be a few things to consider before asking for a new forum here, though:
> 
> ...


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## Darkness (Jun 8, 2002)

I'm kinda torn on this issue (even though I don't normally use minitiatures).

There probably aren't enough minitiatures threads to justify their own board. OTOH, a board might raise the number of such threads by a bit. It probably still wouldn't be many, though...

*shrug*

Just my 2 euro-cents.


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## S'mon (Jun 9, 2002)

Umbran said:
			
		

> *Check the FAQ:
> 
> *




Amazingly enough, I did consider these issues before posting the suggestion...  
It's hardly the same as suggesting a forum dedicated to a specific movie!  Miniatures have always been a part of D&D, but with 3e they're a much more vital part than before.  I know that I would like somewhere to discuss D&D-related miniatures within EN World, and that the General forum is not particularly appropriate, given that threads there are fundamentally ephemeral due to the high turnover.  Even so, I've seen seen several miniatures-related threads there.  Personally, I'm flabbergasted that there is no miniatures forum within EN World.  And after being on the boards a year or so I've finally plucked up the nerve to request it. 
Should I post a poll to check demand?  Or is there some kind of sinister anti-miniatures conspiracy within the highest echelons of EN World such that no miniatures forum can be allowed to exist?


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## S'mon (Jun 9, 2002)

Ok, I've posted a poll/discussion in General to see what the masses think.


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## S'mon (Jun 11, 2002)

S'mon said:
			
		

> *Ok, I've posted a poll/discussion in General to see what the masses think.  *




The poll has been running a few days now.  The majority of votes are in favour.  Can I have my forum now please?


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## Morrus (Jun 11, 2002)

Where is it?  And what percentage of the 5,000 members thought it would be a good idea? 

[Edit - don't worry, I found it.  The numbers, however, were far from convincing (about 50-34 in favour when I looked).  I really can't see that board getting used, and people are already whining about the number of forums currently present.]


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## S'mon (Jun 11, 2002)

Morrus said:
			
		

> *Where is it?  And what percentage of the 5,000 members thought it would be a good idea?
> 
> [Edit - don't worry, I found it.  The numbers, however, were far from convincing (about 50-34 in favour when I looked).  I really can't see that board getting used, and people are already whining about the number of forums currently present.] *




Hi Morrus!  What sort of numbers would be convincing - does it have to be a big majority (2:1?) in favour as well as a lot of votes total?

Miniatures buffs would use the forum (IMO) - currently they have nowhere to go...  

The negatives seem to be from people who either don't use minis or have an ephemeral interest at best.


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## S'mon (Jun 13, 2002)

It had to happen - Morrus and some guy called Storminator working together have reduced me to a state of gibbering hysteria:

http://test.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15022

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA


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## Piratecat (Jun 13, 2002)

To be honest, I don't see much value in a miniatures forum. The more the forums become fragmented, the less attention they attract. If the general forum were overrun by miniatures threads, then it would be more likely... but as is, there really isn't much point in splitting off a separate forum for such a low volume topic. Sorry about that.


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## Painfully (Jun 14, 2002)

Somebody elsewhere posted a link to this site.

http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/

Is there a chance we could trade links with these guys or something?  This is definitely my new home for minis stuff.  I kinda wish they would organize their gallery better though.  As far as forums go, they got it covered pretty well.


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## S'mon (Jun 14, 2002)

Painfully said:
			
		

> *Somebody elsewhere posted a link to this site.
> 
> http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/
> 
> Is there a chance we could trade links with these guys or something?  This is definitely my new home for minis stuff.  I kinda wish they would organize their gallery better though.  As far as forums go, they got it covered pretty well. *




The consensus seems to be that I should quit EN World and hang out somewhere else. 

I remember back in 1994, I first got on the Internet.  I was a big fan of the show "Prisoner: Cell Block H" but there was nowhere to discuss it on the Internet.  So I simply created my own mailing list for it.  It grew to become the primary meeting place for PCBH fans on the Internet.  Today that list has hundreds of members (last I looked) and is still a primary point for discussing the show.

I guess I'm having trouble coping with my complete powerless here.  The need for a minis forum in EN World, the primary d20 discussion board on the Internet, is IMO blindingly obvious, far more so than for non-game topics like books & movies.  Getting dozens of votes in support of this view doesn't appear to count though.  Apparently the only thing that can get a new forum made is people who hate seeing minis threads complaining that there are too many in General!  Forum creation is seen as a punishment for undesirable topics.  ie if you want a forum, you can't have it.  Only if you don't want a new forum and insist on discussing your topic 'too much' in General, will a new forum be made.

I disagree with this policy.


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## Piratecat (Jun 14, 2002)

S'mon said:
			
		

> *
> The consensus seems to be that I should quit EN World and hang out somewhere else.
> *




Not even!  Although they might have the mini angle handled better than we ever will.

We'll talk about it.


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## Umbran (Jun 14, 2002)

S'mon said:
			
		

> *
> I guess I'm having trouble coping with my complete powerless here.  The need for a minis forum in EN World, the primary d20 discussion board on the Internet, is IMO blindingly obvious, far more so than for non-game topics like books & movies.  Getting dozens of votes in support of this view doesn't appear to count though.*




I can understand your disappointment, but try to remember that what seems blindingly obvious to you may not seem so to others.  And, not to be impolite, but the fact that you think it is needed doesn't make it true.  Perhaps you should step back a bit from your personal wish to have this discussion separated, and think about what's good for the topic.

Dozens of votes really isn't much compared to the couple of thousand"fairly active" users.  Your poll suggests that only a few people are dedicated enough to this aspect of the hobby to actually go to the proposed new forum.  If you move minis discussion to such a forum under these conditions, you will lose posters like myself, who occasionally dabble with a mini or two, but only read threads on the topic when I happen to run into them.  You'll only get the hardcore folks, and them only sometimes.  

Let me reiterate - under these conditions, creating a new forum will _reduce_ the amount of discussion on the topic.  Fewer readers, fewer posts.  Is that what you really want?  



> *
> Apparently the only thing that can get a new forum made is people who hate seeing minis threads complaining that there are too many in General!  Forum creation is seen as a punishment for undesirable topics.  ie if you want a forum, you can't have it.  *




You seem to misunderstand.  Complaints are merely an indicator that a new forum is called for.  If a single topic generates enough traffic to cause people to complain, then it's popular enough to consider a new forum.  That's all.

Yes, if you (an individual) want a forum, you can't have it.  If you think you feel powerless now, imagine how powerless you'd feel if every poster who felt a new forum was deserved got one?  How many sub-forums would we have?  How ragged would the mods feel, spending all their time making sure threads were in the right place so you could find them?  Fragmentation into many small forums isn't good for the community, and so Morrus reasonably resists doing so.  He's considering the needs of the community in general, and of his mods.  I'm sorry if this leaves you disappointed, and I'm sure Morrus is too.  But, there are larger concerns he must take into account.


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## thalmin (Jun 20, 2002)

I guess it's my turn to toss in a couple coppers. I would like to see a forum for minis because there AREN'T many people posting to the minis threads. Anything about minis drops off the front page in just a couple hours. It's hard to find the minis threads because I don't usually get to these boards more than once or twice per day. The general forum is TOO BIG.
Like I said, just my two cents.


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