Remodeling the 'Other Downloads' Section

[Lent]

In concurrence with the closing of threads in the Everything Else section, let me mention something that's been bugging me about the 'Other Downloads' section for quite some time now.

In the Drama CD section there's one thread where uploads are requested and people fulfill the uploads in the respective Drama CD threads. That system has always more or less worked for people familiar with that forum section, but for newbies this is rather confusing, because it works different to all the other sections in 'Other Downloads', like AMVs/OST and 'Other Requests' where people are supposed to open a thread for each request.

Consequently, people repeatedly open up threads in the Drama CD section, requesting uploads, because that's how it's handled in those other sections, not knowing this is not the way it works there. (The Live Movie section aside, where people are not supposed to open dl threads w/o permission, as we know)

Now those request threads in the Drama CD section often just get closed without explanation and without reminding people of the rule that they're supposed to post their request in that one thread only. Sure, there's the Rules sticky in the Drama CD section telling them to, but still it's confusing, since it's handled differently to the other sections. Now why in those other sections people are supposed to open new threads for each request is beyond me, to be honest. It just clogs up those sections and makes them very hard to keep order in.

My suggestion would be to change the request processes in the 'Other Download' section, maybe break that section into four seperate ones (AMVs/OST, Drama CD, Other Requests and Live Movies), with a request thread at the top and a structured download section with links below that. (The Live Movies one should of course still be restricted to only those movies that were allowed to be posted there).

By that, the forum would have four extra sections in 'Download Central' instead of four crammed into one and that requires some work, but the positive effect would be that those sections would be easier to handle and basically all would function the same way, unlike it is handled now, and that would make it easier for members to find their way around in them than is the case now.

[dm.su]

Do you think it would be easier to remove the restriction in Drama CD?

So instead of having one large request thread, they are allowed to open their own requests, which will follow the common process in the other sections, avoiding confusion, and would be easier for people to see a title that they might have requested, instead of repeating a request someone had posted previously in the large request thread. (Sorry not sure if that's helpful, since I only upload in the manga and anime section)

[Lent]

Originally Posted by dm.su

Do you think it would be easier to remove the restriction in Drama CD? So instead of having one large request thread, they are allowed to open their own requests, which will follow the common process in the other sections, avoiding confusion, and would be easier for people to see a title that they might have requested, instead of repeating a request someone had posted previously in the large request thread. (Sorry not sure if that's helpful, since I only upload in the manga and anime section)

Well, the problem I see here and in those other sections I mentioned, they are just confusing and filled with lots of threads/requests that never get answered. The Drama CD download section is very orderly simply because people post their requests in one thread and the links in their respective download threads. It's very easy to navigate, ordered in alpabetical order and generally a very clean section. I know to change the sections like proposed would require more work than just doing it the other way round, but in the long run I think it would help making those sections much easier to navigate and handle than right now, so it would be rewarding.

[dm.su]

Oh ok so what you proposing is that instead of 'Other Downloads', they'll be additional separate forum sections under Download Central:

Download Central
- Anime Downloads
- Manga Downloads
- Game Downloads
- AMV's/OST Downloads
- Drama CD Downloads
- Live Movie Downloads
- Other Downloads

With these new sections it will have no other sub-sections, but with a pinned thread for requests and normal threads for media titles?

i.e.

Download Central
- AMV's/OST Downloads -> Pinned request thread | Normal threads for media titles


Or sections like AMV/OST that have sub-sections for those types have the same structure as well so:

Download Central
- AMV's/OST Downloads

- OST/Songs/Music -> Pinned request thread | Normal threads for media titles
- PV/Original Music Video -> Pinned request thread | Normal threads for media titles
- ... etc

[Artemis Moonsong]

Well I'm not sure I understand the proposed solution(s?), but I just took a look at that Drama CD Request section, and wow, what a mess People really are confused. I see your point.

[Lent]

Originally Posted by dm.su

Oh ok so what you proposing is that instead of 'Other Downloads', they'll be additional separate forum sections under Download Central:

Download Central
- Anime Downloads
- Manga Downloads
- Game Downloads
- AMV's/OST Downloads
- Drama CD Downloads
- Live Movie Downloads
- Other Downloads

With these new sections it will have no other sub-sections, but with a pinned thread for requests and normal threads for media titles?

Preferably yes, but there should be subsections just sorting the stuff alphabetically. I'd think for AMV/OST together, one request thread should be enough. It might move faster at times if lots of requests come in, as does the one in the Drama CD section, but rarely do requests get lost there. If they do, people just post them again and usually that works.

For the related media threads, a sorting system would have to be found, but I don't think it's that hard.

For AMVs, either pairings or anime titles, alpabetically sorted into subsections [A,B,C; D,E,F...], starting with their first letter, (Naruto, Xell x Cifer, maybe the first letter of the seme name can serve as reference here) For OST, the name of the anime, also alpabetically sorted, since there are a lot of them lol. If it's a seiyuu, a band, a solo singer, take that name.

The Drama CD section would basically remain unchanged, and so would the Live Movie section, although that one could also be sorted alphabetically.

Other Requests could be split into music, anime and whatever else is popular there, but it's mostly those two things as far as I can see and maybe threads could have both of those things in them and be named after the related anime title, movie, book whatever.

[dm.su]

I'm ok with that, if the mods responsible for that area are okay re-organising it ^^;

I would like the the sections with the sub alphabetic sections to have the request thread top instead of bottom, as some users might miss it like here http://aarinfantasy.com/forum/f90/

So if everything works, the AMV/OST section should look like this (this was just done quickly in graphics)?

[Lent]

Yes, exactly, this is what the Drama CD section looks like already, sort of.

And pages such as this one, with people posting movie info/requests in the OST section and posting requests for threads that are already in the OST section (like that Antique Bakery request) would become a thing of the past.

[Isan]

I thought about this a lot before when I was uploading BL Drama CDs. I think having a whole sub-forum solely for the purpose of one sticky thread makes no sense at all so it's no wonder that everybody is using the sub-forum itself to post their own individual requests...
So yeah, I'm agreeing with anything to change that
Like you said Lent, also the fact that their threads are locked with no explanation whatsoever a good portion of the time, it doesn't help matter any. Now I understand that the proper thread is at the top and it would be tedious to repeatedly say to use that for every post made but considering that new posts are constantly made day after day in the wrong place, surely it's obvious something doesn't work.

[dm.su]

So for those who are not sure or the roadmap for this plan is:

1. Move the sub-forums from 'Other Downloads' to 'Download Central' as main sections.
2. Create appropriate sub-forum(s) i.e AMV/OST main section will have AMV sub-forum and OST sub-forum; Other/Misc - anime, music, books etc.
3. Replace the Request sub-forum with a pinned thread posted in the main sections, except for 'Live Movies'.
4. Create alphabet sections within sub-forums.
5. Organise the media titles in their respected alphabet sections.

I think the only part that would take time is moving the media threads into the appropriate alphabet section.