Prime Time TV Test

[Scott Greczkowski]

As you might have seen we have made some changes to our Prime Time TV forum as a "test"

Please let me explain what's going on.

We have installed some new software which is made for TV show discussion. It has many features which I believe will make talking about your favorite current TV shows more fun and informative.

Here is a partial feature list of the new software.

• Optionally makes the new thread title the name of the TV show.
• Automatically populates the top of the first post with the TV show poster and information.
• Automatically displays the TV show poster and information in forum thread list.
• Include TV show episode information in replies.
• Checks for duplicate TV shows and changes a new thread to a post in existing thread if found.
• What information is imported into the first post is admin selectable.
• Ability to search Genre, Creator and Title in forum thread list.
• Information shown in forum thread list is admin selectable.
• Choose multiple forums as TV show forums.
• Limit forums to specific television networks.
• Award trophy points for starting TV show threads.

You can find out more about it at https://xenforo.com/community/resources/tmdb-tv-thread-starter.3334/

These new areas are for discussion of currently airing TV shows.

But in adding these new special forums we have kept the old forums for the time being because who knows you guys might not like this new software, or possibly it may not work like we vision it to.

If people do move to the new forums (and I hope they do!) then in a few weeks we can combine 5 of the old forums into one. This will keep all the messages and allow you to discuss older shows, to discuss shows that are not part of this new program, or to discuss shows on Networks that are not a part of this program.

But until I know what you guys think I won't make those changes.

I do think the software is fun and with the updated episode information after each show it makes it easier for people to follow along when you talk about "last nights episode."

Give it a try and give it a few days then let me know what you think.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

One more thing I should point out, those forums are for discussion the TV shows themselves and what aired on the last episode. It is not a place for news links, such as the star of TV show x was caught last weekend in Las Vegas sleeping with someone else who is on show y... Just purely TV Episode discussions.

Thanks.

 

[jayn_j]

Totally confusing, Scott. Not sure if the old forums are still usable for general show discussion. I find episode info the least interesting part of these threads. Easy to generate, sure, but I can get that info from lots of places, including the guide of my DVR.

i THINK you are saying that each show would have two threads. One dedicated to episode guides and one for episode discussion. If so, I would suggest you keep these as separate forums and only allow you, teachsac and the bot to post. Otherwise they will have general discussion posted there. I also like the separate forum idea because then I can ignore them

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

As I said give it a try and then see what you think. New TV season has not started yet really. But we are ready for it.

 

[teachsac]

Totally confusing, Scott. Not sure if the old forums are still usable for general show discussion. I find episode info the least interesting part of these threads. Easy to generate, sure, but I can get that info from lots of places, including the guide of my DVR.

i THINK you are saying that each show would have two threads. One dedicated to episode guides and one for episode discussion. If so, I would suggest you keep these as separate forums and only allow you, teachsac and the bot to post. Otherwise they will have general discussion posted there. I also like the separate forum idea because then I can ignore them

Not quite. The one thread that list episodes (new forum) is for discussion. The older formatted threads is for news, links, etc.

 

[jayn_j]

Scott specifically said for discussion of the current episode. Let's say I watched the latest episode of Big Bang Theory and had the following comment:

I really liked how Penny managed to put down Howard, but I wonder if her hurtful remark is going to cause her to break up with Leonard soon

Does this go in current discussion thread, in the speculation thread or do I have to break it into multiple posts (rumor and speculation)? In my mind this is not completely thought through and I predict that the new forum will end up with the same posts as the old one used to have. No net change in the long run.

 

[teachsac]

It would go in the new thread. You are making a prediction based on evidence presented in the episode. A news link that says Penny puts down Howard, so in Episode 9, Leonard will break up with him (From TVLine, etc.) would go in the older threads.

S~

 

[KAB]

It would. You are making a prediction based on evidence presented in the episode. A news link that says Penny puts down Howard, so in Episode 9, Leonard will break up with him (From TVLine, etc.) would go in the older threads.

S~

So again, we have to monitor twice the threads.

 

[teachsac]

Kind of like what we did with your SOA thread and the GOT thread. One for discussion the other for news and spoilers. Seems to work well. I personally only look at news for a few shows, and they're usually something big and/or important.

S~

 

[KAB]

I would not have had to except for you know who. So start season threads within the current format, like as you said I did. Worked, didn't it? This idea will require too much Hopping.

 

[mike123abc]

The TV section worked for years. Only the past 6-9 months or so that the entire yahoo TV section started to be posted here. The problem I had was that you had to wade through all that stuff to get to any other posts. Even on ignore you would see activity in a thread and click on it only to see that it was a post from someone you had on ignore. What good is that?

 

[KAB]

Again, this is all a major shift because of one person. Not a good lesson.

 

[jayn_j]

Last season only a few of the more popular shows were getting weekly updates. I fear that with a bot filling all these in, we will be swamped with posts we need to ignore.

OTOH Teachsac has already said this was not his decision. That means Scott, and with Scott it is usually something that helps keep the lights on. Let's give it a try for a bit and then complain if our fears materialize.

 

[Hall]

Again, this is all a major shift because of one person. Not a good lesson.

A person or a link-posting bot ? I think I know who you're referring to and there's another person/bot who does the same in the computer and cellphone areas....

 

[Derwin0]

If we go to the new style (not a big deal, the extra info is nice), just move all the old discussions there and leave what can be posted as is.

2 threads for 1 shows is pretty annoying, as most will not follow both. I don't mind how the old threads were, just move those posts into the new threads.

 

[mike123abc]

What I do not like are the constant posts like:

My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who heard this might happen this season...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Thanks for the feedback guys, please keep it coming!

There is a reason we didn't remove anything... just added something as we are honestly unsure how this will work other then what we have read in the description. From the description it sounds like something our members might like. But in reality once it starts working who knows.

We can't really judge it until the new fall season starts and new episodes start airing.

My Mother once said, you will never know you don't like broccoli until you try it... so I tried it and didn't like it. That may happen here but again it might now, and we are willing to give it a shot, because we may like it.

 

[fredp]

I love broccoli I love brussels sprouts, this new split format not so much...

 

[KAB]

Still REALLY disliking this new idea. When you click on a network, you have to sift through the whole list of shows to find the most recent post(s). Like the old way, most recent should rise to the top. Not seeing the logic in this. More user friendly and pertinent with the "older" threads. Only thing coming from this is divisiveness. Some post here, some post there. That's for the better, how?

 

[Hall]

The new quote/reply functions don't work in that sub-forum