Warhammer 40,000
Review by Phioooo
Hello! It has been a while since the last time I was actively writing. I also am not familiar with the niche, so feel free to address the weird points and I will respond. I will do my best to provide you suggestions worthy of discussions! Without further ado, let's start.
First Impressions
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'Warhammer 40,000'. Just those words itself do not ring a bell in my head at all. I did imagine this forum to be quite specific though; it could be about a group, a specific culture, a game series, drama, movie, or book. I went to Wikipedia for quick read and I read it was a game. I was confused when I visited the forum and read the descriptions of the first section I saw. It makes me questioning what this forum's main content is. Perhaps the game has a literature spin-off that I am not aware of. At any rate, I think this kind of confusion can be addressed with a brief explanation. I remember ZetaBoards have welcome-guest box and you can edit the content/format to show the short summary of the series (maybe even a link to a thread about more details) so first-time visitors like me have better idea of what the forum is about.
Scrolling down more I feel pretty comfortable looking around. The design colors are subtle and calm, it's perfect for my eyes. Though it lacks specific design that really comes from the game, I understand why you choose that theme for its futuristic impression. It works, though it will definitely better to get a theme built from images or icons from the game itself for more personal touch. The overall layout is simple enough for me to browse around, though I have some questions which I'll address more specifically at next part.
In general, I have a neutral first impression of the forum. Still a bit confused about the real focus of content. The overall atmosphere is not straightforward inviting, but may cater to those with similar interests in the genre.
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Average
Site Structure
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The current structure is (1) main on-topic; (2) other on-topic; (3) general off-topic; (4) technical. In that sense, I personally think you put too much space for the not-specific content. What do you think about condensing (2) and (3) into one? If you really want to make the science fiction genre stand out, a sub-forum in a more generalized section will probably better for new forums to start until there are enough content for it to stand alone. It is also possible to merge (3) and (4); that way the emphasize is put on science fiction world and everything else is minor. It is usually better to start small and focused. It also helps to make the forum looks more full.
Next is a bit deeper about (1). Continuing my concern about how the first impression can be rather confusing, you may want to reorder the forums of first category to actually reflect the focus better. Looking at the info from Wikipedia, there seems to be more editions and spin-offs which can be used as ideas for further expansion of discussion area and content.
The current layout is not that bad or confusing, just needs clarification and emphasize on the main content.
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Average
Originality
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A quick search on Google showed me other forums for this series. It doesn't mean you can't be original, though. While those forums may seem to focus very much on the game system and the additional items, you can branch out and have focus in discussing the games, literature, and the spin-offs. Perhaps with touch of reviews or related articles every once in a while?
I appreciate that you named the sections unique and different, reflecting the elements from Warhammer universe. That is a good start. If I can suggest something here, first to reach that point you will need to build the content more. The statistics of first category is rather contrast with the others; a bit concerning since it is the main focus. I've yet to see discussions on the plots, worlds, characters, items, strategies, and so on. How is the book different from the game? Which spin-off is the best? And so on.
Certainly it is not easy. But if you need ideas, you can check those bigger websites, change and adapt the ideas to fit the focus of your forum. I believe it doesn't necessarily mean you are copying them, as long as you change it to match the forum's situation.
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Poor
Final Remarks
Coming from someone who have run specific-niche forums, I understand content is the real challenge so I don't talk about the statistics much. You will have to work very hard for that department. Other than that, the technical aspects of the forum can still be improved but are generally good. You will need to work harder than usual to push the forum, so I hope you won't give up any time soon. Good luck to you and your forum!
Your Score
