Reorganising the Sportscar & GT Racing Forum

[Aysedasi]

I certainly agree with the comments about some of the very long threads - even as a mod, I can only dip into them and reading threads of that length from the beginning is a bit like War and Peace...... (quite literally, sometimes! )

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I certainly agree with the comments about some of the very long threads - even as a mod, I can only dip into them and reading threads of that length from the beginning is a bit like War and Peace...... (quite literally, sometimes! )

Sometimes with less peace

Would creating sub forums allow for more, shorter threads? If we start doing more focused but shorter threads with the forum in its current state, wouldn't we lose threads even quicker?

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Sometimes with less peace

Would creating sub forums allow for more, shorter threads? If we start doing more focused but shorter threads with the forum in its current state, wouldn't we lose threads even quicker?

It's a circular argument I guess, if threads are popular and members want to post to them, they won't go too far down. Survival of the fittest. But e.g. threads which detail the history of a particular car (or evolutions of cars) which span several years aren't particularly useful - especially for newer members...

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Would creating sub forums allow for more, shorter threads? If we start doing more focused but shorter threads with the forum in its current state, wouldn't we lose threads even quicker?

I think yes. Given the current number of members writing about sports cars, we have some big threads where several topics are mixed up. Having more specific threads would hep to improive the conversation.

For example, the IMSA DPi thread can have messages about the new Penske / Acura project, Joest replacing Speedsource as Mazda partner, Pipo Derani replacing Ed Brown at Extreme Speed, the unfair balance of performance, possible Petit Le Mans entries, and the possibility of the ACO accepting them for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It's a mess.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

I think yes. Given the current number of members writing about sports cars, we have some big threads where several topics are mixed up. Having more specific threads would hep to improive the conversation.

For example, the IMSA DPi thread can have messages about the new Penske / Acura project, Joest replacing Speedsource as Mazda partner, Pipo Derani replacing Ed Brown at Extreme Speed, the unfair balance of performance, possible Petit Le Mans entries, and the possibility of the ACO accepting them for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It's a mess.

Isn't that more about where people post information than the layout? Just because people don't or won't put things in the right place adding new areas won't necessarily mean less clutter or on topic posting.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Isn't that more about where people post information than the layout? Just because people don't or won't put things in the right place adding new areas won't necessarily mean less clutter or on topic posting.

You might be right with that.

Is it because these ultra long threads are too generic now? We've got a DPI thread, an IMSA 2016/2017 thread, an IMSA 2018 thread, an IMSA 2018 Calendar thread. So where does the news of the Mazda DPi moving to Joest go? Could fit in any of those, and would probably be discussed in them all, thus spreading the conversation about too much.

If NA racing had its own forum, would it be better to make threads more specific - so a Mazda DPi thread, which makes it easier to know where to post it?

I don't know of course, just thinking outloud. There's also a thought process that suggests that if you make sub forums, they'll get less traffic as people ignore deeper level forums. If that happens, you could just put ACO Sportscars and NA Sportscars under the "Saloon and Sports Racing" type forum, between "Sportscar & GT Racing" and "Australian Touring Cars"?

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

You might be right with that.

Is it because these ultra long threads are too generic now? We've got a DPI thread, an IMSA 2016/2017 thread, an IMSA 2018 thread, an IMSA 2018 Calendar thread. So where does the news of the Mazda DPi moving to Joest go? Could fit in any of those, and would probably be discussed in them all, thus spreading the conversation about too much.

If NA racing had its own forum, would it be better to make threads more specific - so a Mazda DPi thread, which makes it easier to know where to post it?

I don't know of course, just thinking outloud. There's also a thought process that suggests that if you make sub forums, they'll get less traffic as people ignore deeper level forums. If that happens, you could just put ACO Sportscars and NA Sportscars under the "Saloon and Sports Racing" type forum, between "Sportscar & GT Racing" and "Australian Touring Cars"?

More subforums could help with this, but I wouldn't expect this behaviour to completely change. If it doesn't then we still have same the issue than now but with more clutter.