Author Topic: Are convention message boards still important?  (Read 5384 times)

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Offline PaladinCecil79

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Are convention message boards still important?
« on: February 15, 2014, 06:21:46 pm »
Over the past year, I've noticed that more convention websites have been removing their forums (i.e. Sakura Con and Anime Revolution). I'm aware that message boards overall haven't done as well as before due to sites like Twitter and Facebook and what I'd like to ask is, do you think forums for convention websites are still an important thing?
In my opinion, they are. Even though many of the sections on this board are often inactive unless it's closer to or right after the convention, it's still very active during those times. And people do post commonly enough in topics regarding photoshoot planning, panel ideas and other fan gatherings. And stuff like this is much easier to do at a message board than on Facebook, since older messages are much easier to find. And if Kumoricon's webpage didn't have a forum, I would've had a more difficult time arranging Team Haberkorn dinners.
Because of this, I strongly disagree with Sakura Con's decision to remove the forum from their site, since people commonly used it to make guest requests, plan out photoshoots and post links to pictures they took.
To make a long story short, in my opinion even if a con forum is only active with the things mentioned above, it's worth keeping and I'm thankful that the one here is still around.

Offline Washougal_Otaku

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2014, 10:02:54 pm »
Personally, I prefer the forums.  They make group messages and indy messages easier.  Plus, not everyone has a Twitter account, or a Facebook.  As for me, I just don't use my FB much.  Therefore, if the con were to dump these forums, I'd be less connected.
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Offline PaladinCecil79

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2014, 10:12:35 am »
I hear you. With message boards, it also makes different topics much easier to find, since there are separate sections.
I'm working on holding a Team Haberkorn dinner at Anime California in August and even though this is their first year, their site doesn't have a forum and when I posted it at Facebook no one replied. Thankfully, Todd told me that he'd help advertise it, so hopefully it'll go through.

Offline reppy

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2014, 11:54:12 pm »
Forums are great for discussion and it's easy to find an old post / thread. Aaaand, they're a lot more private.

Not to mention forum games.

I think Facebook is great for announcements, though.


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Offline Animeman73

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2014, 07:16:33 pm »
I rather like the forums as a great place to discuss topics and such.
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Offline Prinz Eugen

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2014, 12:39:34 pm »
I think forums are the best way for prospective members, especially people planning a group event or a competition, to see and exchange ideas in volume, without the extraneous privacy concerns of social networking sites, where who knows how many commercial entities are obsrving how you are using your PC or hand-held device, trying to map your network of friends so as to sell you stuff, etc.

Offline Sailor-Jeimi

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2014, 01:35:30 pm »
Honestly here's how I see it..
Sakuracon literally told me they "can't afford a forum". They literally said that as in they can no longer pay for one..There are plenty of free ones and they blatantly ignored that suggestion when mentioned. This what what they said to ME..They told others' different reasons. They have no actual reason, they just aren't for the fans anymore and all about themselves now. They use reasons that don't mean anything to try to take away from the attendees.


Facebook is a bad idea because have you SEEN that? There were tons of people trying to make events for the same exact thing and it was extremely hectic and stupid..And you simply CAN NOT schedule these things over twitter or tumblr or any other site like that. Facebook only happened because someone took HOURS and DAYS out of their busy lives to try to sort everything eout..It still was complete crap for shoots at con..No one knew where anything was or what times anything was happening..All because SC took their forums down. If this site did it too, I can see it being a horrible thing. With no forum do you guys know how many people out of state were not able to come to enjoy it? They were only able to come because they had the room and ride sharing forum, which they took away. So all those people that wanted to enjoy the con, but don't know anyone here, had to miss out because the staff is being selfish..I don't want to see that happen here too.

Offline Lynzie

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2014, 04:17:29 pm »
Forums have their purposes, and so does Facebook/Twitter/other social media. They are different uses, though, so I think both categories are important.

Offline EveofAbyss

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2014, 10:14:31 pm »
I'll always prefer the forums to Facebook. The content is more focused and dependable here. I miss how active the forums used to be, but I'll be here until they disappear. That's a promise. I love my Forumsters, yo.


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Offline veraca

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2014, 11:34:15 pm »
The forums are much more important for scheduling and talks that would be lost on social media places like Facebook. The only way it would not be lost on Facebook, would be if that site changed it's entire system and that's not likely to happen. If this convention gets rid of it's forums, I actually might go back to using the cosplay.com forums- which are ... hectic.
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Offline superjaz

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2014, 03:12:21 pm »
Yeah I prefer forums to face book.  For one its entirely too ready to not see something you want to because if the way fb seems to choose what you see.  And the basic forum chide of conduct o know is suppouse to cover there but I don't think it translates there as well.  Ditto on the organization of the forum I know where to look for things.
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Offline princess_of_zeal

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2014, 06:21:57 pm »
They both have their uses but when it comes down to planning, I prefer forums.

Offline Washougal_Otaku

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #12 on: May 19, 2014, 03:10:57 pm »
Honestly here's how I see it..
Sakuracon literally told me they "can't afford a forum". They literally said that as in they can no longer pay for one..There are plenty of free ones and they blatantly ignored that suggestion when mentioned. This what what they said to ME..They told others' different reasons. They have no actual reason, they just aren't for the fans anymore and all about themselves now. They use reasons that don't mean anything to try to take away from the attendees.

I hear ya.  What I was told was that their users stopped using them altogether, so they decided to drop them.
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Offline Sailor-Jeimi

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2014, 08:43:43 pm »
Honestly here's how I see it..
Sakuracon literally told me they "can't afford a forum". They literally said that as in they can no longer pay for one..There are plenty of free ones and they blatantly ignored that suggestion when mentioned. This what what they said to ME..They told others' different reasons. They have no actual reason, they just aren't for the fans anymore and all about themselves now. They use reasons that don't mean anything to try to take away from the attendees.

I hear ya.  What I was told was that their users stopped using them altogether, so they decided to drop them.


Yea and I think the reason they told you was the WORST reason too..Because not only is that just ridiculous, but it's obviously a flat out lie..
They literally were telling you and other people that there was NO ONE using the forums anymore..However, WHILE they were saying that, it was in response to FORUM USERS TRYING TO USE IT!! They were telling people WHO WERE USING IT, that NO ONE USED IT..That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard..How are you gonna go and tell the people using the forums that no one uses them? It's obvious that the TON of people mad were obviously using them..


Also, I think someone should show this to staff at sakuracon..I would if I could..If I could do it, I would go to them IN PERSON and go, "Look at this..Look at ALL of these people who are upset that the forums are gone..Look at all the people that use the forums that you said didn't..So you lied to a ton of people?" Then I would bring a laptop as well with a list of free forums and go "See these? These are free..You don't have to pay for them..Now BOTH of your reason are invalid..What excuse do you have now?"..I would love to hear that excuse too
« Last Edit: May 26, 2014, 08:46:16 pm by Sailor-Jeimi »

Offline Pumpkinziggy

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Re: Are convention message boards still important?
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2014, 05:23:59 pm »
Facebook is a bad idea because have you SEEN that? There were tons of people trying to make events for the same exact thing and it was extremely hectic and stupid..And you simply CAN NOT schedule these things over twitter or tumblr or any other site like that. Facebook only happened because someone took HOURS and DAYS out of their busy lives to try to sort everything eout..It still was complete crap for shoots at con..No one knew where anything was or what times anything was happening..All because SC took their forums down. If this site did it too, I can see it being a horrible thing. With no forum do you guys know how many people out of state were not able to come to enjoy it? They were only able to come because they had the room and ride sharing forum, which they took away. So all those people that wanted to enjoy the con, but don't know anyone here, had to miss out because the staff is being selfish..I don't want to see that happen here too.

Definitely agreeing with this. I'm not very good at navigating Facebook, so I wasn't able to participate in organizing/signing up for photoshoots this past Sakura-Con as I had the two years before. It was frustrating - I was looking forward to going to a D.Gray-Man photo shoot, but the person I encountered in a DGM cosplay didn't know where it was and I don't know if it ever even happened. If I remember correctly, the only photo shoot that I successfully went to was the Attack on Titan one, and that was because there were enough people that it attracted attention. XD I have a harder time enjoying Sakura-Con because I can't figure out where any of the photo shoots are - they changed the area list from the one I had printed out to something less specific - and I can't sign up for them or be part of the discussion.

Forums are a very good way for me to plan things before the convention and keep track of everything. I'm really glad Kumoricon still has theirs (since it's the only convention I go to annually other than Sakura-Con).
Welp, can't come to Kumoricon for the next four years... See you all in 2019 hopefully ;w;