Hi Guys
After a recent discussion on my blog 'The War That Still Rages' where I asked members to comment on what we can do to keep the FGM at the pinnacle of the war gaming genre I have had time to digest their replies and have come to the following conclusion and have decided on how I 'wish' the future of the FGM to look.
The feedback received was excellent so thanks to the few guys who took the time to comment and make me reflect on what exactly this club means to them and what kind of beast I have on my hands.
The feedback stated that the site looks great and is one of the best out there. I'm a bugger for continually changing the site and I have to say the look of the site we have now pleases me... it has taken nigh on 10 years to accomplish this and I now see no need to change the site aesthetics.
Members also commented on the fact that they would rather have a small core of dedicated players than a huge sprawling membership that is inactive. I have kept to this wish by making sure that inactive members get deleted from the site after 3 months of not logging in and cutting new members who don't post within 7 days of joining. It is 'good form' to post a hello within a week of joining and those that don't get removed. I have always wanted to grow the membership not through any thought of making money from the site but purely to ensure its longevity. What I have learned is that lots of members do not make the site any better... albeit it is nice to have a large active community this is still being achieved by our group of steadfast members. If new members want to join us and increase our member count then by all means join and become active.... those that join up and are quiet are soon cut.
It has been pointed out that the FGM cannot hope to achieve a huge membership due to the fact that Combat Mission and war gaming in general is a niche market. Site activity is more important to huge numbers. Despite having a relatively small membership it has been noticed that we are one of the more active war games out there and have succeeded when other sites have faded away.
With Battlefront having plans in store for expanding the CM range it is only a matter of time before our membership starts growing again once an Eastern Front module is released and the EF aficionados step into the realm of CM.
Cross club competitions have also been talked about to offer members here a different challenge and also to show the rest of the war gaming world on the net that we are here.
It was also noted that we are quite an elite organisation. Whereas ladders on other clubs seem to be the main 'draw' at FGM it is the tournaments. On one hand that is good but on the other if your not in at the start you don't get the full enjoyment out of them and may still feel like an outsider looking in as you wait your turn for battle. As such it has been mentioned we could spruce up the ladders hereby giving the newcomers an immediate 'competition' to step into. I am aware of this but at present we have a DB issue (since changing to a new database and forum software) whereby new members cannot post results on our ladders as their details are not linked in automatically.... the programming by Zaraza still points to the old database and he hasn't had time to reconfigure the settings. Once this is done I do hope to add a Campaign Series, Advanced Tactics, Panzer Campaigns and Squad Battles Ladders for those games.
It has also been highlighted that I do to much on my own and need to offer up the reigns on things to other members. We are a tight nit group but I can only do so much on my own and especially now Fredrocker has been out of the loop due to personal reasons I admit I have been struggling. Fredrocker has offered to do stuff but IMO it is more important he sorts out what is going on with his personal side and he has been told in no uncertain terms to down tools until he is ready to come back.
What you see on the site is only a little of the work that has been going on... we had plans for integrated ladders within the site, an opponent finder and new chat facility but they have been put to bed until some point in the future when once again we can throw ourselves at it. Funds have been spent on securing the software for these and we still have them in our armoury to be wheeled out in the next months/years.
Which brings me to the crux of the matter.... I need help. Nope not the Alcoholics Anonymous or Samaritans but from you guys. My plan is to hand the site over to you and let you run it. I intend sitting at the top of the table and watching you guys do the horse work. Not through any reasons of laziness or such like but more for the fact that it means I can really concentrate what time I have on the things that really matter. For the members of the Blitz who are also members here my ideal model to build the FGM on in future is based on the format employed at the Blitz. Members will volunteer for roles within the FGM and I will be the 'Godfather' overseeing things much like my good friend and owner of The Blitz Jim Mays.
For this to work I need guys to step up to the plate. It is not an easy task but if each of us do a little bit across the whole FGM community it will amount to a big bit. If 20 members put in 1% extra each that is a huge 20% increase in how good the FGM can be as a whole.
I think the easiest thing for me to do is list the positions and roles that need filled and for you guys to email me privately to express an interest so I can draw up a list of who does what before unfurling the new FGM staffing structure and awarding the new members of staff the privileges that will allow them to work in and around the site. I am aware that some of you guys come here for the fun and enjoyment and to wind down and I appreciate that and don't expect everyone to have the time or willingness to put work into the site. But if a few of us can it will as mentioned earlier make the site that little bit better. So without further ado I want to jot down the positions in my opinion that need filled or are open to folk taking over. Even if some of them get picked up and some dont the overall pressure on me to do everything is reduced considerably. So.... here we go. Please if you do apply mail me privately and do understand that I need guys that are in for the long haul and are not going to leave me picking up the reigns in the short term......
1 - Homepage Updater
Knowledge required - The workings of wordpress. Simple job that only requires you to update the home page in relation to whats going on at the FGM and the war gaming world in general.
2 - CM X1 Custodian
Knowledge required - None, just a player who wants to keep this old lady alive and kicking. Assist in setting players up against each other in what is rapidly proving to be a dwindling cauldron of players. Advertising the ladder etc.
3 - CMSF Campaign Organiser
Knowledge required - None, Im looking for a CMSF player to take over the running of this tournament and to relaunch it in their own unique way. I am available to assist.
4 - Operation Overlord Campaign Assistant
Knowledge required - Scenario Building within CMBN. I can easily handle the maintenance of this beast but when it comes to creating the battles I need some assistance to speed up the process of making the battles.
5 - Ladder Custodian/Moderator
Knowledge required - Programming skills and such like PHP, MYSQL and Databases. Zaraza unfortunately doesnt have the time but I want to push the ladders here at FGM and would die for someone to have the knowledge to work on the ladders within FGM. IMO it is one of our failings.
Thats a brief outline of roles to be filled or taken on. As ever if no one can manage I will plow a lone furrow myself but help is appreciated and I am always there to step in and lend a hand in any of the above roles which I currently (apart from the new jobs created) do myself at present.
I look forward to hearing from any interested parties. If this turns out to be a success we can look forward to a golden age in FGM... and if it doesnt... hell Im still here and will do my best.
Thanks for reading
Shane a.k.a Bootie
After a recent discussion on my blog 'The War That Still Rages' where I asked members to comment on what we can do to keep the FGM at the pinnacle of the war gaming genre I have had time to digest their replies and have come to the following conclusion and have decided on how I 'wish' the future of the FGM to look.
The feedback received was excellent so thanks to the few guys who took the time to comment and make me reflect on what exactly this club means to them and what kind of beast I have on my hands.
The feedback stated that the site looks great and is one of the best out there. I'm a bugger for continually changing the site and I have to say the look of the site we have now pleases me... it has taken nigh on 10 years to accomplish this and I now see no need to change the site aesthetics.
Members also commented on the fact that they would rather have a small core of dedicated players than a huge sprawling membership that is inactive. I have kept to this wish by making sure that inactive members get deleted from the site after 3 months of not logging in and cutting new members who don't post within 7 days of joining. It is 'good form' to post a hello within a week of joining and those that don't get removed. I have always wanted to grow the membership not through any thought of making money from the site but purely to ensure its longevity. What I have learned is that lots of members do not make the site any better... albeit it is nice to have a large active community this is still being achieved by our group of steadfast members. If new members want to join us and increase our member count then by all means join and become active.... those that join up and are quiet are soon cut.
It has been pointed out that the FGM cannot hope to achieve a huge membership due to the fact that Combat Mission and war gaming in general is a niche market. Site activity is more important to huge numbers. Despite having a relatively small membership it has been noticed that we are one of the more active war games out there and have succeeded when other sites have faded away.
With Battlefront having plans in store for expanding the CM range it is only a matter of time before our membership starts growing again once an Eastern Front module is released and the EF aficionados step into the realm of CM.
Cross club competitions have also been talked about to offer members here a different challenge and also to show the rest of the war gaming world on the net that we are here.
It was also noted that we are quite an elite organisation. Whereas ladders on other clubs seem to be the main 'draw' at FGM it is the tournaments. On one hand that is good but on the other if your not in at the start you don't get the full enjoyment out of them and may still feel like an outsider looking in as you wait your turn for battle. As such it has been mentioned we could spruce up the ladders hereby giving the newcomers an immediate 'competition' to step into. I am aware of this but at present we have a DB issue (since changing to a new database and forum software) whereby new members cannot post results on our ladders as their details are not linked in automatically.... the programming by Zaraza still points to the old database and he hasn't had time to reconfigure the settings. Once this is done I do hope to add a Campaign Series, Advanced Tactics, Panzer Campaigns and Squad Battles Ladders for those games.
It has also been highlighted that I do to much on my own and need to offer up the reigns on things to other members. We are a tight nit group but I can only do so much on my own and especially now Fredrocker has been out of the loop due to personal reasons I admit I have been struggling. Fredrocker has offered to do stuff but IMO it is more important he sorts out what is going on with his personal side and he has been told in no uncertain terms to down tools until he is ready to come back.
What you see on the site is only a little of the work that has been going on... we had plans for integrated ladders within the site, an opponent finder and new chat facility but they have been put to bed until some point in the future when once again we can throw ourselves at it. Funds have been spent on securing the software for these and we still have them in our armoury to be wheeled out in the next months/years.
Which brings me to the crux of the matter.... I need help. Nope not the Alcoholics Anonymous or Samaritans but from you guys. My plan is to hand the site over to you and let you run it. I intend sitting at the top of the table and watching you guys do the horse work. Not through any reasons of laziness or such like but more for the fact that it means I can really concentrate what time I have on the things that really matter. For the members of the Blitz who are also members here my ideal model to build the FGM on in future is based on the format employed at the Blitz. Members will volunteer for roles within the FGM and I will be the 'Godfather' overseeing things much like my good friend and owner of The Blitz Jim Mays.
For this to work I need guys to step up to the plate. It is not an easy task but if each of us do a little bit across the whole FGM community it will amount to a big bit. If 20 members put in 1% extra each that is a huge 20% increase in how good the FGM can be as a whole.
I think the easiest thing for me to do is list the positions and roles that need filled and for you guys to email me privately to express an interest so I can draw up a list of who does what before unfurling the new FGM staffing structure and awarding the new members of staff the privileges that will allow them to work in and around the site. I am aware that some of you guys come here for the fun and enjoyment and to wind down and I appreciate that and don't expect everyone to have the time or willingness to put work into the site. But if a few of us can it will as mentioned earlier make the site that little bit better. So without further ado I want to jot down the positions in my opinion that need filled or are open to folk taking over. Even if some of them get picked up and some dont the overall pressure on me to do everything is reduced considerably. So.... here we go. Please if you do apply mail me privately and do understand that I need guys that are in for the long haul and are not going to leave me picking up the reigns in the short term......
1 - Homepage Updater
Knowledge required - The workings of wordpress. Simple job that only requires you to update the home page in relation to whats going on at the FGM and the war gaming world in general.
2 - CM X1 Custodian
Knowledge required - None, just a player who wants to keep this old lady alive and kicking. Assist in setting players up against each other in what is rapidly proving to be a dwindling cauldron of players. Advertising the ladder etc.
3 - CMSF Campaign Organiser
Knowledge required - None, Im looking for a CMSF player to take over the running of this tournament and to relaunch it in their own unique way. I am available to assist.
4 - Operation Overlord Campaign Assistant
Knowledge required - Scenario Building within CMBN. I can easily handle the maintenance of this beast but when it comes to creating the battles I need some assistance to speed up the process of making the battles.
5 - Ladder Custodian/Moderator
Knowledge required - Programming skills and such like PHP, MYSQL and Databases. Zaraza unfortunately doesnt have the time but I want to push the ladders here at FGM and would die for someone to have the knowledge to work on the ladders within FGM. IMO it is one of our failings.
Thats a brief outline of roles to be filled or taken on. As ever if no one can manage I will plow a lone furrow myself but help is appreciated and I am always there to step in and lend a hand in any of the above roles which I currently (apart from the new jobs created) do myself at present.
I look forward to hearing from any interested parties. If this turns out to be a success we can look forward to a golden age in FGM... and if it doesnt... hell Im still here and will do my best.
Thanks for reading
Shane a.k.a Bootie
