Sub-Forums

[Cloda]

I'm beginning to find the forum harder and harder to use. There is so much information buried under piles of threads and even with the search function it is very hard to get what you want. To a large degree the forum is only as helpful as what you already know about it.

If you come to the forum the first time and you do a search for info on Pasha you get 130 or so threads to go through - its kind of overwhelming if you are looking for something quickly. So, what happens is rather than searching for something, people just start a new thread again on a similar topic e.g. there is 5 or more threads dealing with story mode/mini games for pasha, with the hope that somebody will answer them again.

My suggestion thus for making the forum more user friendly so that more people can get benefit out of it (so that Zen can make more money to make more tables!), is to simply create sub-forums. The user made French web-site's www.lupsclub.com (click on English flag for translation) and http://www.lecoindespinballistes.com/forum has the right idea and something similar (with a few more sub-threads for e.g. bugs, videos, tips etc.) would work very well for this forum.

[Skode]

The problem is nine times from ten people overlook the sticky topics which pretty much answer any query they have outside obvious questions we will always see on any forum really such as when the next DLC is out etc

[ShoryukenToTheChin]

Good idea, doh the implementation of such an idea might not be as easy as we think.

[Cloda]

I'm beginning to find the forum harder and harder to use. There is so much information buried under piles of threads and even with the search function it is very hard to get what you want. To a large degree the forum is only as helpful as what you already know about it.

If you come to the forum the first time and you do a search for info on Pasha you get 130 or so threads to go through - its kind of overwhelming if you are looking for something quickly. So, what happens is rather than searching for something, people just start a new thread again on a similar topic e.g. there is 5 or more threads dealing with story mode/mini games for pasha, with the hope that somebody will answer them again.

My suggestion thus for making the forum more user friendly so that more people can get benefit out of it (so that Zen can make more money to make more tables!), is to simply create sub-forums. The user made French web-site's www.lupsclub.com (click on English flag for translation) and http://www.lecoindespinballistes.com/forum has the right idea and something similar (with a few more sub-threads for e.g. bugs, videos, tips etc.) would work very well for this forum.

Now that Zen pinball is released on all the other platforms and mediums I really think that the community would benefit if the structure of the forum is updated. I think that all discussions surrounding a certain table and general game-play matters should be separate from the different platforms e.g. all discussions on Sorcerer's Lair that is now available on all the platforms should be in one place.

Technical issues is obviously a different matter and that can be discussed under each platform.

I also think a "Developer's tracker" such as they have on Codemasters F1 2011 forum is a good idea as you can then just once a day go through that and you will get all the announcements etc. from Zen without having to go through all the different pages of the forum.

The way Codemasters do their forum is also good for multiple platforms as all their threads are on the same page but you just tag beforehand if it is PS3/Xbox 360/PC or relevant to all. So you can see all that is being discussed but can quickly decide if you want to take a closer look or not.

[Be4u]

I dont think i like the idea of sub forums. I like information
all in one place, imho.

[Cloda]

I dont think i like the idea of sub forums. I like information
all in one place, imho.

Exactly... at the moment e.g. Sorcerer's Lair is being discussed on 4 or more possible sub-forums of the Zen Studios Forum. IMHO there should only be one Sorcerer's Lair Table Sub-Forum (or whatever you might call it) and under that you should find the general table discussion including bugs etc, table guide, strategy guide etc. so that when you want to know something about Sorcerer's Lair, irrespective of which medium you play it on, you will know exactly where to look for it rather than doing a search across the whole forum and having to sieve through titbits.