What makes bf2s/other successful community website 'work'?

2007-05-17 06:18:07

#1

Scorpion0x17: can detect anyone's visible post count...; +691|7213|Cambridge (UK)

^{First up - I thought about putting this bf2s->etc, but I'd like it to be a slightly more widely-ranging discusion than just how it applies to bf2s, so D&ST it is...}

OK, I think we can all probably agree that BF2s is, by any reasonable measure, a 'successfull' 'community based' website, but just what is it that makes it 'work' so well?

All: Is it the people (us)? The Karma system? Other specific function(s)/feature(s)? Or just that's there's so many bf2 players? Something else?

Mods: (if chuy doesn't mind you discussing this) Are there specific function(s)/feature(s) of the mod tools that help to make your role easier and the site work better?

Chuy: (if you're reading this and would like to contribute) I'd would really like to hear you point of view on this - what do you think makes it work so well?

What about other successfull 'community' sites? Obviously, the myspaces and the like have particular USPs that are a big factor, but are there any general aspects that make these sites either work or fail?

Discuss...

2007-05-17 06:35:43

#2

ATG: Banned; +5,233|6976|Global Command

Luck..

No really.
Quality people happened upon the site...andstayed for a while.

Other forums have more people, but less good people.

2007-05-17 06:38:19

#3

blademaster: I'm moving to Brazil; +2,075|7092

bf2 game interesting posts and fun discussions

2007-05-17 06:41:35

#4

Ty: Mass Media Casualty; +2,398|7222|Noizyland

I agree with ATG. Also Jeff and cohorts made a smooth-running site which is user friendly and easy to get to grips with. ModMin for example is even easy enough for the stupidest of moderators, (me,) to use with incredible ease.

Also it has a factor which draws people to it, e.g., the BF2 statistics system. People like the stats and then go the next step and involve themselves in the community.

[Blinking eyes thing]
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/tzyon

2007-05-17 06:45:15

#5

jsnipy: ...; +3,277|6969|...

People for sure. I think its bolstered by not just an interest in the games, but strong tech and political threads.

2007-05-17 08:26:12

#6

topal63: . . .; +533|7165

ATG wrote:
Luck..

No really.
Quality people happened upon the site...and stayed for a while.

Other forums have more people, but less good people.

What he said.

2007-05-17 08:27:17

#7

usmarine: Banned; +2,785|7209

Liberals

2007-05-17 08:31:40

#8

Bubbalo: The Lizzard; +541|7008

Moderation which keeps it clean/on topic without going into outright censorship.

2007-05-17 11:55:06

#9

JahManRed: wank; +646|7075|IRELAND

A combination of good people and good mods. Sprinkled with a touch of world politics. (for me anyway)

2007-05-17 11:57:20

#10

Simon: basically; +838|7105|UK

Mods/An active community/Stats

2007-05-17 12:06:56

#11

0ji: Member; +36|6675|Estados Unidos

Tech because if people have problems they can come to us because there is a big chance that we have a solution. Also the online feature, stats, and forums make it a cool site too.

2007-05-17 12:08:43

#12

Croaker: Member; +2|6763

To me it takes some kind of a hook. I found this site (through Google) because I was looking for a better way to display my stats for BF2. Once I got to the site, I discovered the Leaderboard functionality and continued coming back for that. I also spread the word to many of my clanmates about the site because it became an easy way to see who was playing but not on our Vent channels. That was the ONLY reason I was visiting for awhile, then I started noticing the "Hot Topics" list for the forums on the home page and started reading the forum posts.

As you can tell from the number of posts I have made (what is this now ... two?), I am still very much just a lurker. However, if it hadn't started with the Stats I would have never found the site at all.

So it comes down to supply and demand. There are 100's or 1000's of fan sites out there for BF2, but only a few that I have found that allow you to view stats not only for yourself but for other players as well.

2007-05-17 12:09:43

#13

Yaocelotl: :D; +221|7097|Keyboard

Chuy's determination to keep this community as #1 by selecting pretty good damn mods (I hate some of them but that is their work, to get shit from us users no? ).

Pretty nice to the eye.

A lot of sections that cover almost every aspect of the game.

A selection of all-star users that left their contribution here (I still miss spawnofthemist ).

And that it is pretty straight forward: you don't like it, GTFO (even cdogmn loves this site but he denies it ).

That's my 2 cents.

2007-05-17 12:11:21

#14

Paco_the_Insane: Phorum Phantom; +244|7092|Ohio

Me.

2007-05-17 12:20:18

#15

Ettercrab: Member; +11|7099|Finland

For me it was stats for starters, then gun specs in wiki section (couldn't decide which one to unlock), and at some point i started reading "hot-topics". Now I'm pretty much hooked, i check new topics several times a day usually, though i don't post that much.

And I like to come here again and again because of:

Bubbalo wrote:
Moderation which keeps it clean/on topic without going into outright censorship.

edit:spelling

Last edited by Ettercrab (2007-05-17 12:23:03)

2007-05-17 12:21:38

#16

Jestar: Shifty's Home Number: 02 9662 8432; +373|7188

Paco_the_Insane wrote:
Me.

Gtfo.

2007-05-17 12:23:31

#17

mtb0minime: minimember; +2,418|7102

The site is very easy to navigate around and find things. Plus the stats page is unbelievable with all the charts and the requirements you have left to get awards. I haven't seen any other sites do it this well. Everything is very streamlined and organized, and that's what I love best.

2007-05-17 12:30:23

#18

2tuff: Positive Karma Here!; +357|7223

The whole playful/helpful atmoshpere...

2007-05-17 13:02:52

#19

Doctor Strangelove: Real Battlefield Veterinarian.; +1,758|6915

We have good rules and mods that keep away stupid people/hateful people/flamers down.

2007-05-17 15:41:38

#20

konfusion: mostly afk; +480|6997|CH/BR - in UK

Easy layout, Stats (ie something unique to the site), great people, varied discussions, nice community. You tend to get to know a lot of people with at least one similar interest because the website is about one game. People who didn't have some interest in Battlefield probably wouldn't have come here in the first place.

-konfusion

2007-05-17 15:44:21

#21

Miller: IT'S MILLER TIME!; +271|7203|United States of America

usmarine2005 wrote:
Liberals

They make the site as funny as it is!

2007-05-17 15:48:34

#22

Ryan: Member; +1,230|7290|Alberta, Canada

The people on here, and all the neat features this site has.
Also, the mods aren't bitches and close every topic.

BF2S Forums What makes bf2s/other successful community website 'work'?

ATG wrote:

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