Return to Form?

[Wizard]

Hey All,

So some of you may have noticed that things have changed visually and that is because I updated the forum software as it was 4 years out of date. With that the old already glitchy style stopped working, so I installed a new one and edited it a bit.

I'm in talks with the staff as we try to figure out what we want to do on attempting to revitalize and get the site with some activity again. If any of you have any comments/feedback/concerns on what you want to see as members post below!

Spoiler: Patch Notes

• Xenforo Updated to the latest version.
• The Ratings System updated
• Live Updates Installed. Go here to alter those if you'd like.
• New Style + Customizations
• Amazon SES for stable & reliable email notifications.
• Tons of little minor things.

Future Notes:

The goal here is to prepare the site for the future version of xF2 coming out in 4-6 months (maybe even less). I will then at that time create a site style from scratch instead of using one from the store and altering it. We are also still in the process of getting a new logo made, more updates to existing addons and just general updating of tutorials and reorganizing of the forum structure.

 

[Demonfaze]

I'm on board whatever you decide to do! Don't know how much time I can commit, but every time I get a message about TheHelper I get excited.

 

[Ghan]

There's no time like the present.

 

[Danny Cross]

I think I only really stopped when the community died. I lurked for a while and when I saw no posts that I treated me I kinda stopped coming. I'm down for anything that's going on.

 

[Wizard]

I think I only really stopped when the community died. I lurked for a while and when I saw no posts that I treated me I kinda stopped coming. I'm down for anything that's going on.

I'm glad !

 

[Pidda]

This is still alive? Nice
We (my and my wc3-map making buddy) got a lot of feedback from this site so I'm glad to see it's still alive.

I'm not sure how it's been the past few years but something that you were able to post ideas/plans and just get opinions and thoughts. And usually quite good feedback instead of the "uh... u suck, do good stuff noob".

Is people not creating maps for SC2 anymore or why are they not coming here?

 

[Ghan]

I think one of the things that made it difficult for Starcraft 2 was the fact that Blizzard took all map distribution under their own control. You cannot upload maps to other sites or show them around nearly as easily. Case in point: There is no EpicWar equivalent for Starcraft 2.

That said, The Helper was around before Warcraft 3 was even released (yes, astonishing, I know) and will continue to be around for quite some time.

 

[Wizard]

around for quite some time

I'll certainly give it my all !

 

[undeadorcjerk]

My goodness. I don't even know where to begin. Actually, I'll start with the new style of the site. I really like the new layout. Everything is where I expect it to be. The user profiles took me a moment to figure out but I got it. I now have to change my title from "ultimate lurker" because you asked so kindly with an email and this wonderful thread.

For me, I stopped visiting when I joined the Marines and didn't have the time or the ability to get on the internet on a regular basis. By the time I got a regular lifestyle back my graphics zone was dead and no one went there anymore. That's when I became a lurker and pretty much only visited TH to look at the front page news. Tom is such a boss, btw, to continuously find entertaining news that I don't see anywhere, even on Reddit.

For the suggestion on how to revitalize the site and bring in some activity I think its time to move on beyond Warcraft 3 and Starcraft 2. I'm fairly certain I just died a little, a lot, inside by saying that but I believe it to be the best course of action. Sure the WC World Edit help zone is still getting posts, but the dates are like days in between. I remember when you'd make a post and in like 10 minutes it would get buried to the second page by new posts. The other forums in the WC zone are dead. The SC zone is similar, with the Editor help zone getting posts a few times and the discussion zone is dead.

Other than that there are four other zones that have a post made in it within this year; Noun, General Discussion, General Tech, and Member Projects. I think to revitalize TH in general is to move on to newer games. We don't have to leave Blizzard games. Overwatch, Hearthstone, and Heroes are new and people love them. Sure they don't have as much technical things to do in them as WC and SC have with the amazing editors, but they have active and growing communities. Maybe we should start integrating them by giving them an all inclusive Blizzard Games Zone with each of them having their own subforums. I would suggest WoW but that kind of already has a really active forum within wowhead.

I think that the glory days of being a massive support site for the creative crowds of old are gone. I think to revitalize the site, TH has to move forward with newer things. We don't have to leave the old behind, just put it on the back burner.

Edit: This is the one time my signature is lying and I'm not offering sarcastic comments.

 

[Demonfaze]

"I think to revitalize the site, TH has to move forward with newer things." - I read that and was just nodding my head.

Maybe we could get together everyone who replies to this thread, and jump in a Discord or chat sometime and brainstorm?

It'd be interesting also to survey what people are up to - whether that's newer games like Hearthstone, Overwatch, Heroes, etc. or whether it's other things like game development (for me). Then we could see if there are any commonalities?

I've mentioned this before, but I'm a full-time indie game developer now and I could see myself answering questions TheHelper-style on game development just for the enjoyment of helping people out. (I already do this with various people over email and Discord, just not in a central place)

 

[Danny Cross]

"I think to revitalize the site, TH has to move forward with newer things." - I read that and was just nodding my head.

Maybe we could get together everyone who replies to this thread, and jump in a Discord or chat sometime and brainstorm?

It'd be interesting also to survey what people are up to - whether that's newer games like Hearthstone, Overwatch, Heroes, etc. or whether it's other things like game development (for me). Then we could see if there are any commonalities?

I've mentioned this before, but I'm a full-time indie game developer now and I could see myself answering questions TheHelper-style on game development just for the enjoyment of helping people out. (I already do this with various people over email and Discord, just not in a central place)

I think doing a brainstorming chat with those who are important is a good idea plays some people just speak their own ideas better than write them. I also feel you don't want too many hands in the pot. I agree with other games such as hearthstone and heros because I've played them and the above comment that wow already has a huge forum dedicated to it.

Maybe look into other mmo games too that people all play. I know it's mainly for blizzard games at to where it started but some fresh ideas and updating the types of games that are played now could bring people back to the site.

 

[~GaLs~]

I'm impressed that my account still exist

 

[undeadorcjerk]

I've mentioned this before, but I'm a full-time indie game developer now

What have you made? Anything I can get a look at?

 

[Demonfaze]

What have you made? Anything I can get a look at?

http://beta.legiontd2.com/

it isn't out yet, but there is a decent following behind it! (~10k people signed up for alpha testing alone, ~1000 people in the Discord chat)

 

[Lobster]

Just got the email, said this in the shoutbox. I have not been active, but have strong nostalgia for this site. What if thehelper.net started some leagues and held tournaments for games? Start internally, and find ways for it to grow? The site used to have a good mix of technical knowledge and interest in games that might make this possible.

 

[shadowvzs]

i stoped the wc3 projects, sadly too outdated game, my current project also work with outdated game but not that old than wc3, i woork on Perfect World [mmorpg] website, what to me similiar exciting than makeing wc3 maps
i allways like here the wc3 community but seems wc3 map making is enough dead since too much time/technical improvement was made since wc3, ex. i heard sc2 map editor is maybe better than wc3...
my last project was about rpg inventory, bag&shop kind wc3 map template king
https://www.hiveworkshop.com/threads/mui-full-screen-inventory-and-shop-custom-item.230191/

Currently i not play any game also use linux [ChaletOS 16.04, Deepin 15.4] like main os and dont want go back to windows for sc2 or similiar.

 

[Evan1993]

I don't visit any forums in general now, with less time (job) and the rise of Reddit I don't find I have time. I enjoyed helping people with their wc3 maps back in the day, but I never got into making sc2 maps really.

I don't think this community can ever get really large, so I suggest taking an approach that takes advantage of the benefits of a small community as much as possible.

 

[w/e]

Used to be on this forum every day back in the wc3 mapmaking days. Job and other hobbies just kind of took over, but I do remember this place very fondly. First post in 4 years haha

 

[Viktory]

I also used to be here back in the WC3 days, and I'd like to ask that if you want to help revitalise the site you should get an SSL certificate set up so that you can use HTTPS, because without that web browsers complain (with good reason) when you try to log in

 

[garion992]

Warcraft 3 days were awesome, new site looks good! Congratulations and good luck!