Programming and Graphics

Deacon Frost · Dec 31, 2011

I'm not going to make a long thought out suggestion, merely a brainstorm idea to let whoever thinks its a good idea to pursue.

Programming and Graphics should be merged into a design/development type deal mainly focusing on game and product generation. Sythe has been moving the site towards profitability, which is what a majority of the users want. They want profit.

Game development is a huge field with lots and lots of interest. There are fresh starting websites that when providing just a hint of resources grow very quickly. I believe Sythe has the user base to make this a good potential for growth.

Face it, Programming and Graphics are not active enough to merit an increase of user interest, there's just no way you can make the existent user base get active enough to keep the sections going. Merging them and creating a central focal point would not only drive current users towards a new goal, but would bring in new users and a potential for profitability.

/brainstorm.

The Black Tux · Dec 31, 2011

Programming and Graphics are not active enough to merit an increase of user interest, there's just no way you can make the existent user base get active enough to keep the sections going

Support.

0l3l3y range · Dec 31, 2011

even though they are kinda different, neither really get a ton of support like you said so combining would solve that.

Deacon Frost · Dec 31, 2011

The Black Tux said:
Support.

One word encouragements are all the rage these days! Lol

0l3l3y range said:
even though they are kinda different, neither really get a ton of support like you said so combining would solve that.

Yep, a focus can make anything go together.

Spraynwipe · Dec 31, 2011

I disagree. Most of the current people, and indeed future people, who are involved with the graphics section of this site aren't involved with programming. Most that do graphics do it to run a shop, and adding it to the programming section would just complicate things further. Not to mention there are four distinct sections in the graphics forum that are actually used actively, which wouldn't combine well with the programming section which has its own 6 different sub forums. Plus it would just make it more irritating to separate all the graphics threads from the programming threads, and make it harder for shops to be noticed by people looking for graphics work.

No support. If you want a better suggestion, get rid of the sections like WoW, Diablo, SWToR, Minecraft etc and make them all under one sub-category. Those REALLY lack in activity. I posted a screenshot several weeks ago on the WoW forum and since then there's been about two posts in the section.

Deacon Frost · Dec 31, 2011

Spraynwipe said:
I disagree. Most of the current people, and indeed future people, who are involved with the graphics section of this site aren't involved with programming. Most that do graphics do it to run a shop, and adding it to the programming section would just complicate things further. Not to mention there are four distinct sections in the graphics forum that are actually used actively, which wouldn't combine well with the programming section which has its own 6 different sub forums. Plus it would just make it more irritating to separate all the graphics threads from the programming threads, and make it harder for shops to be noticed by people looking for graphics work.

No support. If you want a better suggestion, get rid of the sections like WoW, Diablo, SWToR, Minecraft etc and make them all under one sub-category. Those REALLY lack in activity. I posted a screenshot several weeks ago on the WoW forum and since then there's been about two posts in the section.

A better suggestion is a completely different suggestion. Everybody wants their own section for what they think is active, you definitely have interest in the section and I would expect no less. In fact, I commend your loyalty.

However, the graphics section has never pulled enough weight to merit its own section. True, it is more active than other sections, but I'm not just referring to its activity, I'm referring to its utility. The graphics section as well as the programming section are both black sheep. I have great love for the programming section, as you do graphics, but I can accept that it just doesn't fit properly.

I understand that certain users run graphics shops, I had one myself a while back, and even made a few things... but an entire section for that isn't necessary. A sub-category of the market, or something to that effect would suffice for those wanting to run graphics shops. Or, you know, virtual goods could cover that just fine.

My suggestion is not to keep the two sections as an independent entity, but rather to remove them and create a new section with such interests. Design and Development of gaming/sites/etc would creating a stronger focus and allow for new, fresh faces to get involved. I'm not saying my suggestion is perfect because I could honestly care less than going into a fully detailed design schematic, but there is a better way to provide than to allow two sections that are void of the proper type of activity to continue to function.

You can't judge a section based on the number of threads, or the number of posts. That's not how you gauge activity. 2-3 people can spam 20,000 posts but that doesn't make it active. Activity is judged by the number of new users a section brings in, or by an increased interest, rather than a stagnant continuation of the normality.

Neither of them are bad sections, but they are black sheep.

Sypherz · Dec 31, 2011

I disagree with this. The GFX section brings a lot to the site for certain people. The slight reduction in clutter isn't worth changing that.

(Some people only use GFX)

Deacon Frost · Dec 31, 2011

sypherz said:
I disagree with this. The GFX section brings a lot to the site for certain people. The slight reduction in clutter isn't worth changing that.

(Some people only use GFX)

Your statements contradict. You disagree with me, yet you say it does bring a lot to the site for certain people. I'm also not proposing a reduction in clutter, but a better system than what is currently ran.

And sure, some people are here merely for graphics indeed. However, should the site cater to the few individuals desires, or should it attempt to grow?

It's a stagnant section with changes occurring every few months, but with no real progress.

Emperor Nero · Jan 1, 2012

You apparently haven't payed much attention to the GFX section lately.

This is a terrible idea because you can't compare the two sections; it would be more intelligent to just collapse the entire programming part to one section. Merging the two sections would dissuade activity because people will be coming and thinking that they have to design for programming and not just for art. In fact most of us don't even do web graphics or gaming graphics, so saying that this needs to be done because game development is a huge field is just silly. Why would to alienate an established member base by doing something like this?

I really don't see how to can find the GFX section stagnant when they're many members with active shops and many members who are actively posting work. It isn't just the same members over and over, but fresh faces dropping in all the time.

This suggestion is simply far fetched.

stui · Jan 1, 2012

Emperor_Nero said:
You apparently haven't payed much attention to the GFX section lately.

This is a terrible idea because you can't compare the two sections; it would be more intelligent to just collapse the entire programming part to one section. Merging the two sections would dissuade activity because people will be coming and thinking that they have to design for programming and not just for art. In fact most of us don't even do web graphics or gaming graphics, so saying that this needs to be done because game development is a huge field is just silly. Why would to alienate an established member base by doing something like this?

I really don't see how to can find the GFX section stagnant when they're many members with active shops and many members who are actively posting work. It isn't just the same members over and over, but fresh faces dropping in all the time.

This suggestion is simply far fetched.

I agree with Nero

Compare these statistics

GFX Section

Total Threads = 3265+2399+17+1617+2213 = 9511

Also the section with only 17 threads has only been open a week and its a tutorial section

Programming Section

Total Threads = 291+867+416+335+88+711 = 2708

And the last post times in the sections are

Graphics:

Programming:

So thats no support from me

Tckr · Jan 1, 2012

On this site graphics has to do with sigs and avatars, its not really about game graphics. To combine the two sections would be unwise.

No Support.

Noam · Jan 1, 2012

Just as a hint, from my experience, games don't "Just Happen" When you shove graphics and programming together. In fact, for this to work you would need to add [SWF] Tag (Just asking for viruses) and/or allow people to download random executable files (Asking for viruses more) and open a Flash section in graphics and an Actionscript section under programming - seeing as these are major online game development platform.

Or you could just go to Newgrounds.com instead. there is no need to incorporate this into Sythe

TL;DR
No support. Sythe shouldn't have to implement a complex framework when Newgrounds.com, a site with 4x more registered users and definitely more traffic, already has for the past decade

iJava · Jan 1, 2012

No support here, first of all you want to convert the GFX people of this site into primarily creating models and sprites for games which isn't a great idea. To develop a decent game you're going to need a team of people and not a few teenagers on a RuneScape forum. The programming section currently is setup great and I believe is gaining more activity, to change it's focus to game development would require more forums due to the different languages there are and having one forum for all would get messy.