State and Direction of PokeBeach?

[Juliacoolo]

I would like to ask to the people proposing suggestions in this thread one thing: if you're identifying a problem area, how do you intend to be part of the solution?

It's one thing to throw ideas at the wall to share your grievances, as we have already, but I really hope that you do not limit your involvement to just identifying problems. That's really not being part of the solution.

If you're thinking VG is a problem area, are you going to create tournaments? Are you going to create discussion threads? Are you going to play in tournaments? Are you going to join discussions?

If you think Creative Works is a problem, are you going to create or join in activities?

If you think Forum Games has problems, are you going to create or play in any new games?

I've been part of the staff team here on three separate occasions and while I will say that the staff tries to come up with content for members to enjoy, they are not the only ones that can. As members of this community, even though we lack those red userbars, we still have the capacity to create.

tl;dr version: don't just state your grievances, propose ideas and leave it there. Act upon your ideas.

Great point, Professor Paluenta. I've tried being deliberate in my rhetoric to make clear that this is a thread for sharing ideas and creating a plan, not simply a hub for complaints.

That said, current member will power won't fix our problems alone. Our loyal fans must play their part in helping with things, but we also need to create new opportunities and facilitate outstanding opportunities for new member acquisition and assimilation. I'm really proud of everyone for coming up with so many ideas for the latter point in particular! Let's continue to brainstorm, and create more specific suggestions.

Currently, a joke thread should be posted in the Beach Life and not the Forum Games, unless the joke thread is more a joke game. =)


Activities and programs can take a while to plan and run, so they generally take some time to actually happen. We've definitely got stuff in the works, though! ^.^

I'm excited to see what you guys have planned for us!

I've been reading this thread from the beginning but no ideas came up from my head...

I agree that there's a need for more thinking, explaning and debating, more than just "I love G" or whatever. I don't know if this has something to do with the age of users or any other factor. In my case, I'm somewhat tired of the franchise. Not seeing that many changes to it doesn't help, hence why I was away for a while and why I'm not that active anymore.

For the anime section, I think that new threads shouldn't be created for each episode. I never liked the XY anime that much but what kept me going was a main discussion that allowed to keep building a sense of a group that had a place to continue discussing what we just saw and allowed for better backtracking if needed.
Since not every season has the same fans, there could be some sort of episode watching club were each weak an episode should be viewed by the members in order to discuss it.
Also, each week and following the articles suggestions in this thread, one should be posted, about the visual technique in a certain season, a character, a region, extent.

Regarding the VG...What I always felt that was missing was a connection to Grass trainers and I don't know if other specific-type trainers felt that. In light of that, some sort of type-clubs could be created, at least a thread for introduction so that we knew that we could talk with certain persons about that type and at the same time not separating members by the type and keep us as part of the Beach community.
I'm not a competitive trainer...and with work, it's more casual than anything.

In order to bring more members, we should here more of us, with a Chronicles section, were a member would post an article about his/her experience with the series, or a part of it, without it needing to be a testament.

And yeah...change the banner. A picture of a real beach with a Pokémon plush in it is better that what we have. I still remember when that meteor prank was active and some people thought it was weird so seeing a caged eyepatched guywith a "dead" Pokémon, makes this seems more like one anti-Pokémon PETA group.


Btw, all of this comes from someone who has never been to other sites/foruns about Pokémon, so I can't make comparisons and also, I never explored the creative works and other stuff, so I don't have the full picture of this site.
Despite what flaws it has, I found here some nice people that made me come back now, if only for going back adrift after a while...after Moon.

Cheers,

Leaf_Ranger

A lot of great ideas, here! In regards to your first comment, I agree that quality of debate is a big issue. It can be difficult to foster high-level debate with a member base of younger people, but we should do everything in our power to incentivise quality engagement. The badge program was clearly intended to do this but falls short in a variety of ways. I'd like to see even more blatant positive reinforcement for the individuals who really set the bar for quality.

The past 1.5 years have been very busy for me because of my thesis film. Working to make money for it, working on other people's projects so they'll help on mine, casting, script revisions, producing it, starting it and stopping it multiple times due to freak occurrences, etc. Naturally when I get busy, I can only upkeep the site's core functions (news).

This site has its up years and down years and this certainly is not the first time it's been in a bit of a lull. Some of this is because of my own life, some of it is because of Pokemon itself. As you all know, TPCi has become much more anal about what fan sites can do in the past few years, and it has directly affected us in several ways. For example, TPCi forcefully made me get rid of all of our card scans shortly after launching the current version of the site. This was a huge blow to my motivation and made me question if I wanted to do this site anymore. But that's another story.

However, fear not -- the ultimate version of the site is in the works and more details will be shared here early next year once I'm done filming my thesis film. This ultimate version of the site will allow everyone to make PokeBeach what they want it to be. And it's something that's been in the works for years and years, at least conceptually. So stay tuned...

Tuned we will certainly stay! I appreciate the reply and your candor, Jon. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we're all huge fans of what you're doing outside of PB, and we support you on your journey!

With respect to some of the things going on with the main site and other administration strategies, I'd really like to work with you directly as I think there is a wealth of opportunity for PB that can save a lot of time and hassle while also making the site a leader and pioneer in our category. If you're open to making that happen, I'll be here ready to go.

Lastly, for everyone else, keep in mind that WPM's response is a big reason to hold optimism, but NOT a reason to be passive about pushing for change, voicing your mind, and generating ideas. If anything, Jon's message tells us that there's more opportunity than ever for our opinions to make an impact. Ultimately, members are what keep a community alive, and it remains our responsibility to work along staff to make that happen. Keep posting! Keep thinking! Stay hungry!

 

[Scorched Feathers]

Honestly, I wish I wasn't so rusty with TCG - I've given it a pass for almost two years now and it's really hit hard, otherwise I'd love to help with CaC. I mean, I could definitely host it at this point, but judging is a whole other matter and the thing I feel is needed. Must say though, all the responses here have been really great! Liking this.

 

[Nyora]

Honestly, I wish I wasn't so rusty with TCG - I've given it a pass for almost two years now and it's really hit hard, otherwise I'd love to help with CaC. I mean, I could definitely host it at this point, but judging is a whole other matter and the thing I feel is needed. Must say though, all the responses here have been really great! Liking this.

yes I agree with you fully. I know there might be a lot to do iron Pokebeach, but I think that one of the things to do is bring back CaC. I agree too that VG needs its events, but I think that CaC should be the first step. And I'm all in for @Scorched Feathers to host it too!

 

[VinculumStellarum]

I'm willing to do anything I can for the CW, whether that be organizing activities or just simply spreading the word to others I know. I'm also very willing to help host CaC or any sort of writing competition, so hopefully we can expand the user base for our creative section!

 

[double o squirtle]

I'm willing to do anything I can for the CW, whether that be organizing activities or just simply spreading the word to others I know. I'm also very willing to help host CaC or any sort of writing competition, so hopefully we can expand the user base for our creative section!

Me too! I'd love to help out even if it would mean not being able to participate. Though I'd probably be more useful with drawing contests than with CaC or Writing Competitions.

 

[PG24]

As former head of the competitive VG department for a run of years, even I don't know the exact answer on how to fix things. It's just hard to foster a community when Smogon and Nugget Bridge exist. Both of these communities are able to satisfy the basic needs of a competitive player; giving them a platform to both discuss and compete. As it stands now and has stood for years, Pokebeach has no way of satisfying these needs to the level that they do. Discussion can be more meaningful elsewhere. Competition can be more fierce elsewhere. This isn't me bashing the community, it's just a hard truth I had to swallow years ago.

At the same time, I think there are ways to at least revive some of the old glory:

• Provide a platform for people to compete. At a point, we had tournaments running consistently, from small user tournaments to bigger events like Gyms and Master Cup. While turnout was usually small (unless you consider the advertised first Master Cup which got 100+ signups), it was still an avenue for members to get achievement for their skill. It also gave members a since of involvement, as they could host their own tournaments and show their creativity. As a frequent tournament host, this is one of the things that I miss the most about old Pokebeach.
• Provide a forum for meaningful discussion. While having a forum is one thing, it is what the staff and members provide that decides how effective it is. It was my duty to make sure there was something happening, whether that be a discussion of the week or an announcement on the latest banning. As a member of the staff, I took it upon myself to provide meaningful topics to spark discussion. As a member, it was my duty to respond to discussion and debate thoughts I agree or disagree with. Ultimately, it's a community effort to energize a forum. Some of the best ideas, like Counter that Pokemon, weren't even run by the staff.
• Expand on ideas that work, scrap those that do not. We did multiple runs of Master Cup, Gyms, and the Off-Season tournaments. We scrapped ideas that failed such as Build-a-Team and tutoring. The future of the VG department ultimately falls on how well the staff learns from the past.
• The final point that I think is important: be inclusive and engaging. This is the big advantage Pokebeach can have over the VG titans. A small community might suffer in activity, but it makes up for it with its members growing closer and learning with each other. The same people I would talk to and team build with in private were the same people I would compete with in tournaments. A larger community often suffers from elitism and ignorance for the lower skilled player. Like point two, this falls on the community to carry out. Get to know your neighbor. See what their ideas are and what you share in common or differ on.

 

[bbninjas]

Honestly, I wish I wasn't so rusty with TCG - I've given it a pass for almost two years now and it's really hit hard, otherwise I'd love to help with CaC. I mean, I could definitely host it at this point, but judging is a whole other matter and the thing I feel is needed. Must say though, all the responses here have been really great! Liking this.

yes I agree with you fully. I know there might be a lot to do iron Pokebeach, but I think that one of the things to do is bring back CaC. I agree too that VG needs its events, but I think that CaC should be the first step. And I'm all in for @Scorched Feathers to host it too!

I'm willing to do anything I can for the CW, whether that be organizing activities or just simply spreading the word to others I know. I'm also very willing to help host CaC or any sort of writing competition, so hopefully we can expand the user base for our creative section!

Me too! I'd love to help out even if it would mean not being able to participate. Though I'd probably be more useful with drawing contests than with CaC or Writing Competitions.

When the time comes, we will definitely be opening some behind-the-scene parts of the CaC (and other CW events) to members, just like how it was before. So keep an eye out!

 

[Nyora]

Honestly I think advertising is the biggest thing here that needs to be upgraded. It is the reason why I have an account on pokebeach. When the site was upgraded, the Competeive play forums were a lot easier seen on the front page, and several other things were a bit more highlighted as well. It was then I created an account and months after that I started doing other stuff like discussing competitive play and forum games.

 

[NotJim]

As former head of the competitive VG department for a run of years, even I don't know the exact answer on how to fix things. It's just hard to foster a community when Smogon and Nugget Bridge exist. Both of these communities are able to satisfy the basic needs of a competitive player; giving them a platform to both discuss and compete. As it stands now and has stood for years, Pokebeach has no way of satisfying these needs to the level that they do. Discussion can be more meaningful elsewhere. Competition can be more fierce elsewhere. This isn't me bashing the community, it's just a hard truth I had to swallow years ago.

Neither of those communities are known for offering stuff TCG-side though, so this may be something this site wishes to explore

I dunno how much this site is advertised either, but there's probably not a lot that can be done in that area beyond posting stuff on places like fb/twitter/reddit etc

 

[King Arceus]

Also since the games are out, the name of the Sun & Moon forum needs to be updated. Not sure if you want to also update the Pokemon GO forum name as well.

 

[Shining Raikou]

Just posting here to say that myself and the rest of the forum staff are reading comments here and taking notes in order to correct some of the things we've been doing wrong in the past or have just overlooked in general. Not everything will happen overnight, but they say the first step toward fixing any problem is knowing there is one. We appreciate all of your comments and look forward to a brighter, more fun site/forum experience for everyone in the future.

 

[Nyora]

I love that you guys are trying thanks! One thing I've had in my head awhile now is the Card of day or something like that. I know the Pokémon website used to do it but now they don't.

 

[Juliacoolo]

As mentioned by other staff members in prior posts, everyone's voice is being listened to, and we are working on changes with your suggestions in mind. Please continue to give us your ideas and concerns, as we are actively monitoring this thread while we plan for the future!

 

[Professor Palutena]

As mentioned by other staff members in prior posts, everyone's voice is being listened to, and we are working on changes with your suggestions in mind. Please continue to give us your ideas and concerns, as we are actively monitoring this thread while we plan for the future!

I would actually like to know what the staff thinks of the ideas proposed here.

And before I state more ideas and concerns, I'd like to see how the aforementioned issues are being addressed. I realize that a lot of things cannot be implemented at this time given how recent this thread is. But if you're planning for the future, surely you at least have some ideas on implementation. From my angle, there's no point in sharing more ideas until there is evidence that we're not being ignored beyond the generic PR speak.

 

[professorlight]

I would actually like to know what the staff thinks of the ideas proposed here.

And before I state more ideas and concerns, I'd like to see how the aforementioned issues are being addressed. I realize that a lot of things cannot be implemented at this time given how recent this thread is. But if you're planning for the future, surely you at least have some ideas on implementation. From my angle, there's no point in sharing more ideas until there is evidence that we're not being ignored beyond the generic PR speak.

Thank you for your concern PROFESSOR PALUTENA. Your opinion is very important to us. A complaints associate will review your case and if necessary contact you in a period from 1 to 4 weeks, except for Christmas week. Please don't call, we'll call you.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the sudden appearance of flesh-eating bacteria in our kitten food; a 5% discount code has been sent to your email account for your next online purchase of our fine products (only valid on thursdays, mondays and sundays for 30 days, weekends exempt). Rest assured that as always, we value our customers and we'll do our best to solve this issue. pray they don't find out that it's in the puppy food too. Also, all that lead.

Thank you for calling to our customer service line, have a nice day.




Sorry, sorry, I agree with you in everything. I just read "generic PR speak" and couldn't resist. It's so annoying.

 

[Juliacoolo]

Thank you for your concern PROFESSOR PALUTENA. Your opinion is very important to us. A complaints associate will review your case and if necessary contact you in a period from 1 to 4 weeks, except for Christmas week. Please don't call, we'll call you.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the sudden appearance of flesh-eating bacteria in our kitten food; a 5% discount code has been sent to your email account for your next online purchase of our fine products (only valid on thursdays, mondays and sundays for 30 days, weekends exempt). Rest assured that as always, we value our customers and we'll do our best to solve this issue. pray they don't find out that it's in the puppy food too. Also, all that lead.

Thank you for calling to our customer service line, have a nice day.




Sorry, sorry, I agree with you in everything. I just read "generic PR speak" and couldn't resist. It's so annoying.

No need to apologize, I appreciate the humor and am totally with you on that perspective. To try to be more candid with you, I first want to assure you that every post is indeed being reviewed. Our individual departments are each taking relevant posts into particular account, and agendas are being created to implement many of the specific suggestions that have been discussed. That said, the reason that things aren't as immediate as we'd like them to be is that we're working towards a coordinated revamp of the site and forums:

The past 1.5 years have been very busy for me because of my thesis film. Working to make money for it, working on other people's projects so they'll help on mine, casting, script revisions, producing it, starting it and stopping it multiple times due to freak occurrences, etc. Naturally when I get busy, I can only upkeep the site's core functions (news).

This site has its up years and down years and this certainly is not the first time it's been in a bit of a lull. Some of this is because of my own life, some of it is because of Pokemon itself. As you all know, TPCi has become much more anal about what fan sites can do in the past few years, and it has directly affected us in several ways. For example, TPCi forcefully made me get rid of all of our card scans shortly after launching the current version of the site. This was a huge blow to my motivation and made me question if I wanted to do this site anymore. But that's another story.

However, fear not -- the ultimate version of the site is in the works and more details will be shared here early next year once I'm done filming my thesis film. This ultimate version of the site will allow everyone to make PokeBeach what they want it to be. And it's something that's been in the works for years and years, at least conceptually. So stay tuned...

Departmental decisions overlap, and staffing, infrastructure, and policy have to be mapped out before the changes can be made. In the future, individual forums will be able to function dynamically and act more autonomously. For now, though, as indicated by WPM, we're taking things slowly to launch a well curated (rather than haphazard and spontaneous) new experience.

I've been as frustrated as anyone over the years about change coming slowly, but I maintain that this instance is warranted. For anyone with remaining doubt, I encourage you to continue to give us feedback and help us with the process. Everyone's keeping an eye on this thread, and the more we can all interact, the better things will go! Feel free to reach out to me personally if anyone would like to talk about issues in greater detail

 

[Professor Palutena]

I wouldn't mind seeing name changes come back, as I know of a few people here who would love to see them return. They are generally a staple of forums in some capacity, with some even allowing you to change your name in your profile without needing to ask a mod, so the fact that we don't have them here is kind of baffling. I know the forum software supports them so I can't think of any reason why they can't be done.

I know some will tie name changes into their premium accounts and that would be something I would pay for.

 

[peer]

I know the forum software supports them so I can't think of any reason why they can't be done.

The forum software is not the problem here, unfortunately WordPress is the problem, and there is no easy solution for that.
I have something in the works but it's not gonna be available anytime soon.

 

[Shining Raikou]

The forum software is not the problem here, unfortunately WordPress is the problem, and there is no easy solution for that.
I have something in the works but it's not gonna be available anytime soon.

Personally, I have wanted to bring back name changes for a long time. We cannot because it would cause problems with the forum and front page integration. In order to maintain a less haphazard and consistent experience for all, we'll have to explore alternate solutions such as what peer is working on in his spare time.

 

[King Arceus]

I'm liking the new banner much better than the previous one.