GateWorld In 2009 - VOICE YOUR IDEAS!

[Darren]

We're rethinking GateWorld for 2009, and we want your ideas!

Please post between now and January 1, 2009!

Don't worry -- we're not talking about a massive overhaul of anything. But as we head into the home stretch of 2008, the closing of the Atlantis chapter and the beginning of a new one, and now in our tenth year on the Internet, we are taking stock of what GateWorld does (and what it doesn't do), and how we can do it better. Think of it as a creative "audit."

David and I have always been committed to the proposition that this is your site. It's by fans for fans, and your visiting, participating, and contributing is what has made it what it is.

Please post your ideas and opinions on the various elements of GateWorld below, or e-mail webmaster -at- gateworld.net if you would rather respond privately. Two caveats:

(1) This is not a debate or discussion thread. We're not looking for you to respond to what someone else has posted unless it's to piggyback and add a related suggestion or idea. If you don't care for an idea, just move on and suggest an alternative.

Likewise, this isn't the place to debate about Atlantis, Universe, etc. There are lots of places on the forum for those conversations, and it should go without saying that as a site dedicated long-term to the entire Stargate franchise, we'll be very heavily featuring the new show come next summer.

(2) Negative critiques of the way things are currently done are fine, if they are paired with a constructive suggestion. We're more interested in finding some new ideas than just hearing about what bugs you.

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Please answer as many or as few as you want! (Don't feel like you have to respond under each one, if you don't have something to say.) Here's what we want to hear your thoughts and ideas about:

SITE LOOK & FEEL
Are there elements of the site's design you feel could use a new look? Think about things like color choices, backgrounds, fonts, feature headers, the main navigation menu, etc.

THE HOME PAGE
We've crammed a lot of different kinds of things on the home page, from the latest news and features to the video player, TV schedule, poll box, etc. Is there something missing? Or is there too much, and you would rather see a more simplified entry portal?

THE EPISODE GUIDES
Other than the fact that I just don't have time to keep up on all the episode analysis week-to-week, what do you like or dislike about the SG-1, Atlantis, Universe, Movies, and Infinity sections? We've recently done some remodeling here to give each show the sense of having an almost stand-alone site (a la StarTrek.com). What would you like to see added, moved, redesigned, or done differently?

NEWS COVERAGE
The daily Stargate news coverage is the lifeblood of GateWorld, and these headlines keep the more casual readers of the site coming back more than anything else we do. The more frequently we publish in the news section, the better our traffic is. This is a key area for making some changes in 2009, and we would like to start publishing more and different kinds of things here (editorials? episode previews?), and make use of the many volunteer writers who want to write for the site but don't necessarily know what to do.

I'm also interested to hear if you like the new comment threads on news stories, or if you think they have become more trouble than they are worth.

INTERVIEWS & SPECIAL FEATURES
We've proudly brought you interviews with everyone from main cast members and producers to guest stars and production personnel, and we plan to continue to do so. We're also proud that unlike most sites, we publish audio/video as much as humanly possible and we publish transcripts in their entirety -- so you get the whole conversation, not just a write-up of it. But are there new ideas for how we can approach them? We're aware that we've now interviewed the same people enough times that interviews often start to sound the same.

You might have some ideas on how we approach the interview itself (the sorts of questions we ask), or how it is presented on the site, or who we are talking to, or new ways you can interact with that material.

THE STARGATE OMNIPEDIA
We're obviously planning to update the Omnipedia through Season Five of Atlantis, The Ark of Truth, and Continuum -- hopefully before Universe premieres next summer. Should there be new sections or appendices? New kinds of info you can find on each entry page? A new way to navigate? Different ways of cross-linking to this material throughout the Web site?

GATEWORLD FORUM
You're here right now! While we are limited to what the vBulletin software can do, we're always taking suggestions -- organization and folders, rules and policies, etc. As much as 90 percent or more of people who visit GateWorld never step foot in our forum, so the best ideas will include clever ways to integrate the forum with the main site.

THE GATEWORLD PODCAST
If you listen, why do you listen? If you don't listen, why not? Now that we have 20+ episodes under our belts, we are thinking about just what the podcast ought to be and how we might retool the format. (Regular podcast listeners, watch for a full listener survey coming in the next few weeks.)

GATEWORLD PLAY
David has been chugging along creating daily content in seven categories for our streaming video channel. Any ideas for a new category of videos? Are there some that you especially watch for, or others that you find yourself always skipping? Is daily too much?

THE STARGATE IMAGE GALLERY
We've just recently launched a massive Coppermine gallery with episodic photography and hundreds of DVD screen grabs for every single episode. We've also started to use the gallery for conventions. How else could we use it?

THE STORE
The site does need to make money in order to stay afloat, and you guys have been terrific about making Amazon purchases through GateWorld, clicking ads that interest you, etc. The Store page and product integration throughout the site has always been a bit of a challenge, and we could certainly use a brilliant idea or two.

ANYTHING ELSE?
We don't want to limit your creative thinking by only asking you about existing sections. Is there something totally outside of the box, something we've just never done at all, that you would like to see? New sections? RSS feeds? A mobile GateWorld? Free coloring books with every purchase?!?

Here is is helpful to think about other sites that you visit on a regular basis -- what they look like, and how they present you with what you are looking for. Feel free to post a link and say, "I like how they do this or that."


To reply, just hit the "Quote" button and delete everything except the bold section headers.

Thanks in advance for your ideas! We're excited about 2009 and the changes, big or small, we decide to implement. Remember, it's "YOUR complete guide to Stargate!"

[Pharaoh Atem]

GATEWORLD FORUM


i would like the new system for sg eps (the entire season ep discussion getting it's own area but i feel it invoves to many clicks over time

so i think after a season finishes Syndication the epsoside folders should be reverted to the old style and all the threads brought into the bottom general discssion area

i hope this makes sense

also can we try 80X80 avatars

example of size http://www.thescifiworld.net/avatars...e_80x80_01.htm

[Prometheus X-303]

maybe u should check out TrekCore for some ideas... it work very well for trekkers... it could work for gaters.

[gatechick]

It would be nice to have the fanfic back up.

[Hêtshepsu]

THE HOME PAGE
I thin the homepage is a bit crowded to the new visitor, How about something like the Stargate Worlds site (the gate which links to different areas of the site) then you could have most breaking news in the event horizon?

THE EPISODE GUIDES
Short video clips to go with each episode? or the teaser bit before the credits, to give you the feel of what the episode is like?

THE STARGATE IMAGE GALLERY
Wallpaper sized images, both official and fan-made? This is one (AND ONLY) area I would say Gateworld is weaker than other stargate sites out there.

Everything else is brilliant

[Col. Frank Simmons]

The Episode Guide it would be good if there were a trailer or something to go along with each episode

[xenomorph1211]

THE STARGATE OMNIPEDIA
I think the Omnipedia should be like a Wiki, that is able to be edited by anyone (or members of GateWorld). The Omnipedia is so much more limited in information and content than a Stargate Wiki, such as http://stargate.wikia.com/wiki/Stargate_Wiki because only one person edits it instead of many. That is, in my opinion GateWorld's weakest part (not to bash David or anything) because only one man wouldn't have time to do it justice.

Oh, by the way everyone who lives in the United States, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

[leeroy50]

you might want to add other sc-fi shows to your format which would mean a slight change to your name . example : gateway sci-fi or maybe sci-fi gateway . you do a very good job on the stargate series it would be nice to see galactica and star trek done as well if possible ?

[davidiwharper]

Bring back Sen'il! And, in fact, semi-irregular columns more generally.

[Lewisco]

NEWS FEATURES
Episode previews would be a good idea. They could feature a trailer as well.
Do you do episode reviews? also might be a good idea.

And the comment threads on news articles, personally i dont think they're necessary. We have the forum to, shall i say more maturely discuss topics. the comments threads seem to provoke a lot of arguments as im sure you've noticed.

Also, a quicker way to browse old news? Perhaps some kind of calendar, and when you click on the date all the news from that day is there for you.

PODCASTS
I think you mentioned doing this during last weeks podcast, but once Atlantis finishes and we wait for Universe to being, perhaps do a podcast discussing an individual season as a whole from either SG-1 or Atlantis. it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on that. Discuss the best and worst episodes of the season etc..

HOME PAGE
this is just a small change, but under the 'From the Stargate Omnipedia' section, perhaps there could be a small 'randomise' button, which would select a random entry from the omnipedia for you to view. also, the main banner which features a character from the show, might be rather cool if, like the main headlines, faded from one banner to another.


OMNIPEDIA
A weapons sub-topic perhaps?

FORUM
When you are on someones Forum site, perhaps there should be a more predominant link to befriend them? And this has probably been suggested in the past, but adding your own background would be fun.


And thats all i got for the now. Keep up the good work guys.

[TheGreatLordGeorge]

Great Idea, I am glad to add my two cents.
Forum
Please oh please make a general entertainment section, or alteast a standard television section.

WEBSITE

For the rotating image/main attraction/interview link on the main page make it so that we can shuffle through them oursleves so we dont have wait for the one we want to come up again.

Get rid of or fix the fan fiction section.

[Goose]

I think widening the entire site would be a good idea. It feels just a tad to squished for my liking.

[majorsal]

the home page: it seems fine for me. i like that you post what the stargate stars are up to as well.

the episode guides: the only thing i'd change is; have an option at the end of the season/bottom of page where you could go to the next season.

news coverage: you said: "I'm also interested to hear if you like the new comment threads on news stories, or if you think they have become more trouble than they are worth."

i think the comment threads are great, but allowing ppl to post anonymously has caused way too much trouble. it brings out the worst in the worst. how about making them sign up to gateworld forum first, so their names show up? joe mallozzi made a change on his blog that your name and email address was a *must* to be able to leave a message there.

gateworld podcast: i don't listen to it, mainly because i take in info better when i can read it/see it. that's it.

ANYTHING ELSE? my new passion (that's not taken the place of stargate) is the show 'sanctuary'. i'd just love more news coverage on it. i know there's other places for it on this show, but i love gateworld's style and i trust the ppl that run it.


thanks,
sally

[Arctic Goddess]

Originally Posted by majorsal

the home page: it seems fine for me. i like that you post what the stargate stars are up to as well.

the episode guides: the only thing i'd change is; have an option at the end of the season/bottom of page where you could go to the next season.

news coverage: you said: "I'm also interested to hear if you like the new comment threads on news stories, or if you think they have become more trouble than they are worth."

i think the comment threads are great, but allowing ppl to post anonymously has caused way too much trouble. it brings out the worst in the worst. how about making them sign up to gateworld forum first, so their names show up? joe mallozzi made a change on his blog that your name and email address was a *must* to be able to leave a message there.

gateworld podcast: i don't listen to it, mainly because i take in info better when i can read it/see it. that's it.

ANYTHING ELSE? my new passion (that's not taken the place of stargate) is the show 'sanctuary'. i'd just love more news coverage on it. i know there's other places for it on this show, but i love gateworld's style and i trust the ppl that run it.


thanks,
sally

I agree about Sanctuary. There will come a time (sadly) that Stargate will start to wane a bit, if it hasn't already happened. Since so many of the people from Stargate are now in Sanctuary, how about increasing the coverage?

[retiredat44]

Please, try to make/keep the response of the server better, as there are times when the site is slow. maybe because it has outgrown the server?

Keep the history of Stargate on the site, as even though the new site will be for a new show, the old shows (SG1 and SGA) info is very relavant.

Until we see the actual new show, it is hard to see what else could make it better.

IMHO

[nell]

Maybe this idea has already come up...

How about inviting cast, crew, and TPTB to occasionally take 10 questions submitted by the fans? For example, you open up a thread for one hour to take questions for so-and-so. Then, mods or Darren, etc. choose 10 of those questions for the guest. Guest answers the questions and the Q&A is posted in a thread or a feature article. Not real time. This way fans participate in the "interview."

I "borrowed" this idea from Joe's blog. It's a great feature.

[LightningSt]

SITE LOOK & FEEL
I love the banners, I absolutly love them, I however feel that there should be more of them and potentially a larger variety in cast and the second line of recurring characters. Now whille I have no suggestions for this, I also feel that the webpage is a little crowded, there just shouldn't be so much on every page.

THE HOME PAGE
Like I said... I have no suggestion but it is a little too crowded.

THE EPISODE GUIDES
The episode guides are great, I love the descriptions for each season and shows, episodes. I feel that there is nothing wrong with it.

NEWS COVERAGE
Perhaps the categories could be redone, and a link of the category should be linked with each news article so someone can click it and find a specific story alot easier

INTERVIEWS & SPECIAL FEATURES
For special features, I think many people would like to find out about scripts that never happened.

THE STARGATE OMNIPEDIA
As stated, it just isn't up to date enough and personally I would not mind helping update, I'm sure many people wouldn't mind helping to update it. I know I would start from episode one and watch it as many times to help update the information and the episodes.

GATEWORLD FORUM
I personally am not a fan of how rude people can be to other people and how because something is already under discussion... topics can be closed or people be even ruder. If you see a topic with a question that has already been answered and you don't feel like responding to it... then don't respond to it. Thats a suggestion to everyone.

[NiqNak]

I think it would be cool to add other projects/movies/shows info/news on all the stargate actors

[spinny magee]

They have this on Sci-Fi's Atlantis section questions by fans that the cast/writer/producers and directors etc answer this has probably come up before a few times but it would be good if we could ask them questions

[somme]

Polls on the Main Site

Please limit the amount of possible answers there are to these. There are normally far too many to actually gauge what people think.

In most cases you just need, "Yes or No", or "Good or Bad" with sometimes a "Don't know" thrown in. This applies to the episode review polls too.


Other than that there's nothing I would change about the site.