Slitherine

I was there back when Matrix Games was an unknown entity with a free game (Steel Panthers).

I've been around Slitherine long enough to have seen quite a lot of growth too.

When Slitherine and Matrix Games became what is today known as Slitherine Group, I thought, hmm maybe wargaming has a future. Because it sure isn't going anywhere fast with your competition (yes I know it sounds fanboyish, and I couldn't care less really).

But it is as plain as a slap in the face with a red herring, that most of the Matrix Games crowd thinks THEY are in the driver's seat, and it is clear that Slitherine spends enough time over there that they are essentially spending time lost on duplication. The specifics though don't interest me. I don't need to know who is on top

So why do you have two forums? No really, explain to me precisely what is the value of two forums?

Me if I was making the call, I'd sit down with my staff, I'd design a killer forum site, I'd build it based on a decade of knowledge from both companies mutual and individual experiences. And then I would put this place and Matrix Games' forums in boxes and put in storage (because hey, I also know forum marriages don't always work I saw how things went with ArmChairGeneral/Games Squad). I would of course NOT open the forum until it was COMPLETELY finished. No point in making life a pain when it is not necessary eh.

I would NOT port over accounts NO NO NO NO NO NO, I'd not give a damn if user so and so worshipped his epenis massive post count total and perception of veteraness worth. I am fully aware that accounts here are sometimes keyed to games as is the case with Battle Academy is for me to use an example. That's just a software task and we all know it though. I have an account at Matrix Games as well as a Member Account. Sure, port over the member details, but I wouldn't miss the forum blathering account. And I would not suffer any great loss if this account was put in a box on a shelf.

But a brand new forum, would sure let everyone say everything once and only need to be said once eh. Staff might actually benefit from not needing to worry about all the hassle.
And I sure wouldn't mind someone writing out CLEARLY defined rules of conduct, not to mention there would be no more their place vs this place problems of who is actually in charge There is to my knowledge only one 'company' and it is a partnership, and goes by a single name.

The Matrix Games forums have needed a great over haul for a few years now. Why over haul, why not just get a new apartment eh.
And I have found the Slitherine forums are rapidly getting out of hand. Every single game forum does NOT need a duplication of the news threads which only serve to make my browser think there is new content when there basically isn't. I have gotten to the point where I am constantly clicking 'Mark Forums read' just to clear out all the news updates. I am likely missing out on game commentary though as I don't always check the game forums.

Clearly there is a need to reduce redundancy, and a need to seriously get some basic prioritizing on what needs to be put where and what manner of categories require emphasis. It would be nice if Slitherine Group had just one place for news, and if a game had just one place for discussion and if there was only one 'chat zone' for the community to babble on about whatever.

I look at the Matrix Games site's General Discussions routinely, and it shows some days, that those guys don't come here much, and they often seem to labour under some odd misconceptions occasionally

One of the reasons I think, is that this would create a "logistical nightmare" to merge the two forums and the two accounting systems. Slitherine and Matrix (sites and forums) were build in different software platforms.
That doesn't mean that it can't happen, but probably in a long term period.

We don't plan to merge the forums because they are very different groups of people and separate communities.

We do want to have a universal login so you can use the same details across both sites and the PBEM system etc. Its been in the plan for some time but its a major job and other priorities so far keep delaying any start on this.