Please excuse the gargantuan reply! Wanted to make sure I touched on all the points that were brought up.
Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to chime in with their feedback. I think it's very timely that we're tackling all of this at the same time that Wikia is making some big changes to their website's platform. It provides us with an opportunity to polish up some sharp edges here and smooth over some rough spots there, not to mention it being a good time to get this partnership planned and discussed.
In regards to the logo, I'm waiting to hear back from the art department at Lionhead as I'm trying to get my hands on an official hi-res scan of the Guild Seal. From there I'll be handing it off to our site's personal artist and he's going to throw together some rough drafts. (He's the same artist that helped make the amazing logo over at The Dead Hamster: click here .)
Glad to see so many positive responses as well. I'm really excited about the potential that this partnership can bring and I'm looking forward to seeing it all come together soon. For more specific responses to the feedback that's been given, please see below.
Alpha Lycos wrote:
I have to say the ideas are all sounding great. I like the idea of turning the TDH forums into our main ones, it'll allow more responses and better replies in regards to online teaming up...
...Other then those, everything seems great and I'm looking forward to working with our new partners!
I agree, that'll really help streamline the community more effectively (particularly with online team ups). Cheers for the thumbs up!
TheIndifferentist wrote: ...I just expected the wiki to emulate more of TDH's aesthetic style, which I love, but apparently, as you said, there are fears that the wiki will lose its identity. I like the side panels, but I feel that they clash a bit with the scenery background (as opposed to a flat color or something). Could we maybe just use this as our tentative background, and keep the discussion open as to the wiki's visual style? If I'm shouted down on this, and everyone else is satisfied, I certainly won't make a fuss. I appreciate all the hard work you and MrMatthewAllen have done to make this happen.
Thanks for the positive words, Indifferentist! Making sure we keep a fine balance between The Dead Hamster being involved and the Fable Wikia retaining its identity is definitely a priority. No doubt some things (such as the Fable Wikia theming) will get discussed and tweaked over time as well.
Garry Damrau wrote:
I was hoping Wikia Wizard would post their reaction to the closing of Fable Answers but I will respond now to avoid regretting not saying anything. I agree that the chat room here is hardly ever used and would not be missed and the forums started out strong but are rarely visited anymore. However Fable Answers has the advantage of providing a place where any anonymous web browser can come and ask questions without being bothered to create an account or identify themselves. I think people need a place where they can go and just get an answer and leave. Many users will not bother to take the time to register and will not use TDH to get answers. With Fable Anniversary due in February, I think we will be getting a lot of new users with questions about it. Even though it is a remake of The Lost Chapters, there are still going to be differences. Therefore I would oppose, at this time, closure of Fable Answers.
Appreciate your candid response, Garry! One reason that archiving Fable Answers came about was due to a big shift that Wikia itself is undergoing. Aside from the visual Darwin changes, the fact that Wikia has begun decomissioning Answers pages prompted us to think along the lines of a more long term strategy (because there's no guarantee that Wikia won't eventually phase out all of its Answers pages across the entire site's platform). In terms of registering for The Dead Hamster, I definitely try to make it as painless as possible. Just requires a username and password to register; everything else is optional. There's not even any email verification. Users can even log in via Facebook if they prefer (though I prefer old-fashioned registering myself). All that said, you bring up a good point regarding how easy it is to just pop in with a quick question. All the same, the ground is definitely shifting within the Wikia platform and we've got to keep that in mind. While I know you and countless others have contributed a ton of time and content into Fable Answers, we're trying to keep the future in mind as much as the past (which is why archiving Fable Answers was the initial thought).
WikiaWizard wrote:
...I like the idea of archiving it for the same reasons Enodoc has pointed out in the post but I have to agree with some of Garry's points too. Some users simply want to have their questions answered by going to one place and not have to sign up and ask in the forums etc...
Thanks for chiming in! Looks like the two most consistent complaints between yourself and Garry is the required registration. I certainly agree that in terms of the "Pro's and Con's" of archiving Fable Answers, that's the most significant con. Just thinking out loud here, so to speak, but TDH does have the option of enabling guest posts for certain subforums. Aka, certain subforums would allow anyone to post without ever having to see a registration page. Again, just throwing ideas to the wall and seeing what sticks. Thanks again for chiming in; some good points all around.
Enodoc wrote:
...I see what you guys mean about Answers being good for anons. I just wish there was a way to find out whether they actually come back to get their answers. Honestly, I think that if they don't find it straight away, they'll probably leave to find the answer elsewhere...
Very good point. Even on forums, it can be very common for someone to make a thread and then *poof*, you never see them again. And that's even after they've taken the time to register. So I imagine the ration of Fable Answers follow-ups would be even less when registration isn't a factor (ironic, thought it may seem). Registration is sometimes a good way to "filter" users in such a way that you're more likely to encourage them to make a return visit to check on what they've posted. I imagine it'd be terribly frustrating for the Fable Wikia members to spend a good deal of time providing answers that may never be seen by those posting the questions. Though to be fair, "vanishing act" members comes with the territory of any community, registration or not.
You also bring up a good point regarding most people looking for an immediate answer. Wiki's are more commonly known for users seeking out information, where as forums are more commonly known for users seeking out other users. This wiki's strength lies in its ability to offer unprecedented reference material for the entire Fable franchise. TDH's strength lies in its ability to offer a deeply engaging community experience. Combining both of those strengths is what initially led to talks about the two sites partnering up; we both fill very crucial niches within the Fable community. Designing the two sites in such a way as to accentuate the Fable Wiki's extensive reference materials and TDH's extensive community support is one of the reasons why archiving Fable Answers was even brought up (later reinforced when we found out that Wikia was phasing the Answer platform out).
All said, I'm certainly content with "waiting and seeing" come the release of Fable Anniversary in a couple of months, but I do worry that eventually it'll be out of our hands entirely. While Enodoc is correct in that I'd be very surprised if Wikia phased out all the Answers pages in the near future, I wouldn't rule out the fact that they probably will eventually.
Thanks a bunch for all the replies and feedback thus far! It's an exciting time to be a part of the Fable community, and I'm looking forward to the Fable Wiki and The Dead Hamster being on the front lines of it all. Cheers!