What do you guys think of the new Scale Forums setup?

[WillJames]

Originally Posted by goodhunting

First of all do not equate resistance to change with reluctance to help out. I don't think anyone was refusing help or advice.

You asked a question and got responses.... Some were positive others were not. Scale community is very small but I would not think of it as exclusive. Most people that seek advice here are also present and active on other forums. And this is in no way bad.

If you look at the Kotters model of change you can see that first change is inevitable and that you should change when everyone is happy and satisfied. So from this stand point you did well. And as i stated before.... We will get used to it.
Gh

I've been doing this a long time. Look at the number of people viewing now compared to before. We have at least 1/3 more all the time and sometimes double the numbers than we had before when it was all jumbled up in one forum.

I do the best I can. Keeping this hobby alive and attracting new blood is what I do because I want to. As you probably know, the pay for doing so has not gotten better over the last few years but I do it because I want and I feel it is the right thing for me to do. People will get used to it. I am sorry if you don't like it but the numbers of people checking it out now should be a good indicator that more people can be attracted to the Scale side of the hobby and that is a good thing.

[npomeroy]

Reading Will's comments over the last couple of weeks, and reflecting, I'm coming round to accepting it was probably a good move. Those of us that posted lengthy build threads indeed included a lot of good information that may take more searching now. But for those starting out, the new sub-forums probably do make it easier to get into the subject.

[goodhunting]

Originally Posted by WillJames

I've been doing this a long time. Look at the number of people viewing now compared to before. We have at least 1/3 more all the time and sometimes double the numbers than we had before when it was all jumbled up in one forum.



I do the best I can. Keeping this hobby alive and attracting new blood is what I do because I want to. As you probably know, the pay for doing so has not gotten better over the last few years but I do it because I want and I feel it is the right thing for me to do. People will get used to it. I am sorry if you don't like it but the numbers of people checking it out now should be a good indicator that more people can be attracted to the Scale side of the hobby and that is a good thing.

I stated before and I will say this again. I have nothing against the change. It takes time for the people to get used to new things.

Overall change is inevitable so all that we can do is embrace it.

Gh

[WillJames]

For you Google challenged guys, check this out, it will greatly ease your Google searching and let you even specify the forums the search looks in terms to include or exclude, etc.

This is from Rotormonkey:

Personally I've always found the search engines that's built into most websites lacking. I like to just use google.

So if you want to search helifreak for Trex 500 you'd type this into google:

site:helifreak.com "trex 500"

exactly like that. Google will search for the exact phrase trex 500 and give you results only from helifreak.

You can even search specific forums, like the for sale area by quoting the exact forum name in the search as well. Like this:

site:helifreak.com "trex 500" "Electric Helicopters - Only E-Helis"

Or if for whatever reason you find that for whatever reason (hypothetically) every Trex 500 you come across has a Hughes 500 body on it and you want one that's pod and boom, you can filter out the Hughes 500s by adding a "-" (minus sign) in front of the search term like this:

site:helifreak.com "trex 500" "Electric Helicopters - Only E-Helis" -"Hughes 500"

Then google will filter any pages that have that term.

[heli143]

Will, I did not like the change but them I'm an old fart anyway LOL

I'm coming around and liking it better now and if the numbers show an increase then something is better.

Thank you for all you do to give us a place to hang out and share with other heli freaks


BTW that search 101 you posted was awesome!

[Varc]

With all the recent HeliMax and Blade 130 Red Bull helicopters, can we have a micro scale section?

[Mercuriell]

There's been a bit of behind-the-scenes discussion on the forum concerning the recent restructure. Personally I find the forum lacks the pop of an eye-catching main forum, is confusing and the sub-forums are too some extent duplication.

My 2 cents FWIW:

1) Leave most new posts in the parent forum until they're lost sufficient interest and fallen off the main page in which case they can be decanted into sub-forums for reference. If folks want to start a new trhead in a sub-forum, fine, but minimise thread movement as it is disruptive and confusing.

2) Get rid of Current Scale Projects - these should be in the main forum

3) Clarify the sub-forum nomenclature:

-Large Scale - above 600mm rotor blades
-Small Scale - 600 and below
-Rename Power Systems to Power Plants - Gas, Glow, Electric & Turbine
-Fuselages - Whats available - What goes in & Where to find
-Get rid of Projects - Pics & vids and make it a sticky in the Main forum
-New sub-forum - Building - Tips, Tricks & Traps

[Andy01]

+1

I think these suggestions make sense to me.

I asked similar questions earlier - where would my (yet to be written) 820mm bladed EC-145 build thread go ? Projects with pics (because it will have pics), Current scale projects (self explanatory), Fuselages (because it has one of those - most scale helis do ), or Large scale.

Or would I split it up into separate threads on the pics, the overall project, the fuselage, the electronics, the head & blades, the Goblin mechanics & the power plant (and maybe a cursory mention under large scale)

Or, maybe just put it in the main forum where it belongs and let someone else decide and move it for me ?

My head hurts now, so I will crawl back in my box .

Colin

[ssmith512]

Originally Posted by Andy01

+1

I think these suggestions make sense to me.

I asked similar questions earlier - where would my (yet to be written) 820mm bladed EC-145 build thread go ? Projects with pics (because it will have pics), Current scale projects (self explanatory), Fuselages (because it has one of those - most scale helis do ), or Large scale.

Or would I split it up into separate threads on the pics, the overall project, the fuselage, the electronics, the head & blades, the Goblin mechanics & the power plant (and maybe a cursory mention under large scale)

Or, maybe just put it in the main forum where it belongs and let someone else decide and move it for me ?

My head hurts now, so I will crawl back in my box .

Colin

+2. Couldnt have stated it better.

I have held off posting my build log of my 800mm bladed AH-1W for the exact reasons stated above.

Steve

[Hank79]

Best to put the forum back to the way it was......

[Keyrigger]

I would like to suggest that some changes might make the most sense and not create a lot of confusion. I don't think this forum will go back to the way it was as it was a jumbled mess when trying to look for anything in it. That said, I would like to see the Current Scale section changed to: Scale Builds; Under 720mm, and the Large Scale section changed to: Large Scale: Over 720mm, Pics and Videos changed to Pictures and Videos of Finished Projects, The Fuselage section should be mostly used as a spot where questions could be asked of what one to go with, problems related to a current build, or tips found while building a project so they are not buried in a thread and gone. I have a few other ones but I don't want to see this go back to the one general thread. You can see what is new right before you log into the scale section and if there is a build or question about rotor blades that you were tracking, you can see if that section has new posts. My .02 CDN.

Don

[Hank79]

I think it only needs two sections:

Current scale builds and scale forum😊

[Jackass1277]

Lost. Can even find my own posts easily. Can you switch it back. Way to many categories

[Mercuriell]

Originally Posted by Jackass1277

Lost. Can even find my own posts easily. Can you switch it back. Way to many categories

Don't think we want to go back to a one thread jumble especially as we are planning ahead for an increased interest in Scale We really would like to see newcomers experience as well as the Scale Masters who's skill sets seem unattainable to mere mortals.

I think the next revision answers some of the concerns raised and allows for a structured growth!

1) Leave most new posts in the parent forum until they're lost sufficient interest and fallen off the main page in which case they can be decanted into sub-forums for reference. If folks want to start a new trhead in a sub-forum, fine, but minimise thread movement as it is disruptive and confusing.

2) Get rid of Current Scale Projects - these should be in the Large or Small Scale forum

3) Clarify the sub-forum nomenclature:

-Large Scale - above 790 mm rotor blades
-Small Scale - below 790 mm
-Rename Power Systems to Power Plants - Gas, Glow, Electric & Turbine
-Fuselages - Whats available - building tips and tricks
-Get rid of Projects - Pics & vids and make it a sticky in the Main forum

Probably put a tips, tricks and traps sticky in the sub fora

[Rodan]

Originally Posted by Mercuriell

There's been a bit of behind-the-scenes discussion on the forum concerning the recent restructure. Personally I find the forum lacks the pop of an eye-catching main forum, is confusing and the sub-forums are too some extent duplication.

This.

I've not been around as much as I used to be, but looked in the other day and saw the change... IMHO, it's not an improvement.

Previously, it was easy to do a title search in one forum. Now, it's a jumbled mess.

If you must split it up, keep it simple:

Scale build threads (big and small if you must split them)
Pics/Vids of finished helis
General scale threads
Pics of full size (reference threads)

Sticky a few info threads with calculators and reference info in the general section, and you've got everything the newbie needs.

[cobieg]

I would like a " search box " where I can type in say, 500D and can see all 500D builds instead of scrolling through everything to find something.
Other than that, it is working for me.

[Mercuriell]

As soon as we've tweaked the forums in line with the above I'll start compiling a master index thread with links to topics just as we have in Finless Bob Tech Room sticky.

[satsuma]

Can't find some of my own build threads now lol, Vario turbine AS 350 has disappeared and my large scale Bell 212/412 build is in fuselage forum, just seems so mixed up, I won't even bother to do my 1/4 scale EC 120 build as I will never be able to find it lol.

[WillJames]

Hang in there Sat. We have been discussing for a long time and I think we have it sorted. To find your own threads, go to UserCP, click the statistics tab and then threads started by link. Nothing has disappeared.

[rovpilot26]

If a thread has been moved and it could be posted in a better spot shoot us a PM with the link to the thread and where you want it to go.