THESWF.COM DIES

[Secret Agent 0]

Well, it appears that my host for theswf.com has gone out of business. Unfortunately, they failed to notify me beforehand so i could save the most current databases locally.

 

I think this basically brings me to my question. Do you all still even want a website? I know the theswf.com 2.0 was never fully complete but even with it's rough edges it didn't seem to get much use from members or CC. Possibly my lack of completing all the promised features and not changing Champions took the interest off, I'm not sure.

 

If you all still want to have a website I had already started working on "Version 3" of the site which was a lot of streamlining the clunky code in my rush to get it up. Anyone who created a tag team can relate to the tedious process I created for it. I've also already aquired new hosting on a--hopefully--more professional host so it's ready to be used if so.

 

If you do want this site please do me a favor and tell me what you want to see in it. What did you like and what did you not like as well as what would you have liked to see. If we do go ahead with this will you guys use it?

 

Thanks,

 

Johnny~!

[Smartly Pretty 0]

It'd be pretty cool to have one. I know I'd like one.

[Golgo 13 0]

We had a website?

 

Yeah, I think the broken features, lack of updates and whatnot didn't help. It's like, why bother if no one else is going to.

 

There was also a lack of response serious or otherwise from people who are actually competent, although I could be mistaken, did anyone join in the past year through the site and stick around after? I don't even know if we're still a part of that interfed, the reason rushed to put the site up in the first place, so that shows how much I know, but that's part of a bigger recurring question of advertisement.

 

I still think we need a site in order to appeal to those we're trying to lure in, but the concept is also flawed as far as we go. Updating stats here and there could be seen as a bother and not worth doing or remembering, so what's to keep us visiting the site past the initial couple weeks when we could readily get the same things here? There has to be something unique about the page beyond a fancy entry system for stats.

[Bruce Blank 0]

That's a good point, there has to be something to it beyond the stats system.

 

So what would make people come back to the site and actually have a use for it both for new guys and vets??

 

Maybe have a show archive? I've found it hard at times to go through old stuff because there are just so many pages and pages of threats on this forum. I tend to go through old matches a lot both in preparing for an opponent but also to read up on the SWF in general and see what was rocking & rolling back then.

 

A show archive - maybe one that was somehow searchable? (on say wrestlers names, stipulations, titles on the line etc?) that's be a great help and something I'd personally use a lot.

 

I'm in IT and have done some HTML work in the past, I'd be happy to help with such a huge task I'd also be up for helping maintain it if you are interested.

 

Btw. is there any show results etc that are not here on the forum but at IGN or whatever? If so the site would be a place to have it accessible to everyone?

 

That's just one suggestion.

[the.weej 0]

The recurring problem with the website is that it's simply not integeral. To properly use it, we have to move the entire operation onto it, and nobody quite seems prepared for that.

 

It's been frequently commented that a website is pretty much the only way to attract a wider base of recruits, and while that's probably true, I'm not sure anybody is preceisely sure how to do that.

 

I'm also not clear on exactly who was given admin access to the site, which may explain the updating problems. I have a pretty decent idea of what kind of overall features (another) new website could have, but I'm honestly not sure if it's worth the effort to discuss.

 

-Z

[Bruce Blank 0]

It's been frequently commented that a website is pretty much the only way to attract a wider base of recruits, and while that's probably true, I'm not sure anybody is preceisely sure how to do that.

Well most "traditional" e-feds do have websites yes and they tend to get hits through google and yahoo and what not. Some people see the forums and go "oh that's so disorganized" (it's not but to an outsider it could look like it)

 

I ran one for 18 months off some geocities site and it was quite fun and successful while it lasted and when it died it wasn't because of lack of participants but because I didn't have time. It still had the "OOC" and the "Promo" stuff on boards like we do here, so it's not a hindrance that we have an active community and we're located down here on the TSM at all. in fact it's a benefit that we already have a couple of active forums, every federation NEEDS that to really work.

 

The website would be an excellent place to introduce the fed to potential players, how it works, how you join etc. somewhere clearly organized to invite people in to try it out. Especially since this isn't the traditional feuding fed it's important that it's explained what this fed is all about.

 

It's also a good place to have the stats and title histories etc so it's not a thread on here that disappears after "X" days of inactivity and people would have to search for it and so on.

 

I think a site could complement what we do here, help make it easier to find stats & title history etc and if done right a good way to explain how the game works and draw in new players.

[Toxxic 0]

Next time let's make sure the site works before we start using it. I know Johnny wanted to show us what he'd done, but then he didn't do anything else.

 

I think it could be very useful, but only if every button on it does what it's meant to do.

[Secret Agent 0]

Next time let's make sure the site works before we start using it. I know Johnny wanted to show us what he'd done, but then he didn't do anything else.

 

I think it could be very useful, but only if every button on it does what it's meant to do.

 

 

[Secret Agent 0]

The recurring problem with the website is that it's simply not integeral. To properly use it, we have to move the entire operation onto it, and nobody quite seems prepared for that.

 

It's been frequently commented that a website is pretty much the only way to attract a wider base of recruits, and while that's probably true, I'm not sure anybody is preceisely sure how to do that.

 

I'm also not clear on exactly who was given admin access to the site, which may explain the updating problems. I have a pretty decent idea of what kind of overall features (another) new website could have, but I'm honestly not sure if it's worth the effort to discuss.

 

-Z

 

Well if you know what kind of features you think it should have than please do tell me. With the 2.0 I had links for a ton of shit I was going to do but thinking back on it I'm not quite sure we would have needed most of that anyway. I know I need to have stats, Champions, news, cards, show results. I had orginally planned on an automated ranking system but it would require someone to tell the systems who won/lost matches and titles. I'm just not too sure on what everone feels is needed.

[chirs3 0]

First off, some of the blame falls on Mike, Tom, and I, for being too lazy to update it regularly. Boo us.

 

That said, I think something we should consider doing with V2.0 is using it more as a creative outlet than a place for stats and records. It was CC's job to post the card and the show results every week, but we can get those here. It was our writers' job to post their stats, but we can get those here. There wasn't really much reason for people to actually go to the website, since all we were doing was posting results and cards.

 

If we give it another go 'round, I say we use it as:

 

1) A launching point for newbies.

2) A place for website-only content. Get some people to write articles, maybe bully Toxxic into doing the Wrestling Panda newsletter once a week, get Thoth to post the audio show there, get whoever used to write as Scott Keefe to review the shows, do roundtables, etc.

 

That way, it's not any one person's responsibility to update, since everyone has the opportunity to, and there would (hopefully) be incentive for people other than newbies to visit the site.

Edited March 8, 2006 by chirs3

[Angel_Grace_Blue 0]

Yeah, I remember that the first website had a few articles.

 

Also, I'm thinking about trying to revive the match of the night dealie, or maybe halfway rip off the HOLT report (Unless WC wants to do it) though that'd mostly be a top pops/heat list, or a "I liked this segment, but not that one." It could go on the web site.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

I wouldn't be opposed to doing something like the HOLT again (in fact, I'm considering doing a HOLT/Frost for FTF), but unlike the Panda Report, the HOLT report was something that I tried to do advance angles, so I'd need some input from other people for it to be successful.

[Guest OKCoyote]

There was a website?

[Toxxic 0]

The Panda Report has advanced angles before. If you're referring to the PM you sent me WC, you never messaged me back and told me what the angle was you wanted to advance.

 

If you're not, ignore this

[King Cucaracha 0]

If we get a new SWF.com, we should treat it like WWE.com instead of "a second place to post your stats". Any bios on there should have no more information than a real bio would. Articles and stuff would be good too.

 

Also, it'd help design wise if our characters all had picbases.

[Bruce Blank 0]

Pictures would be cool - it'd just be a problem to get them done though, I've seen some feds use Hero Machine to make pictures so they all have the same style, but that's kinda restrictive when it comes to creating wrestlers.

[Golgo 13 0]

I like the idea of designing the site just like a real federation's would be. Panda and HOLT Reports, Thoth Reports, previews and summarized show results, all of it could link back to the corresponding threads here. In the case of a wrestler's bio, to their post in the stats thread.

 

Also, remember when Card/Va'aiga used to do that mock merchandise stuff? Toys, shirts, etc. It could be fun if we were to go back to that for the site with a faux Shop section.

 

In regards to pic bases, there's also that Poser program as an option, but the pictures that result are more than a little creepy, there are limited clothing and design options, I believe, and after trying it a few years ago, it takes some effort to get the hang of it.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Seeing Card mentioned...didn't Card use real (as in real people) picbases for some of the characters? Va'aiga was tribal Rock with or without the mask, right? And I swear there was a poster with all of the Unnamed on it, where Maddix's picbase was Brian Kendrick.

[Toxxic 0]

Yup. Va'aiga was the Rock (with a Kane mask added if needed), Landon was Spanky... I also remember the Trinity banner with O'Haire as Janus, Heidenreich as Dace and Rhyno as Danny. Which was what inspired me to do my banner with that twat from Good CHarlotte as Toxxic

[Guest The Satanic Angel]

I had a couple pictures for Sean that didn't survive the infamous Coke spill on the laptop. But I could find them again ...

 

If anyone else has ideas for their wrestler, I can work magic on images ... (see pic of Tom Flesher and Terrence).

[Secret Agent 0]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Pic bases are very time consuming and I honestly wish we could have some drawings for them instead of using a picture of John Cena or whoever to represent a champion. If thats what you guys want to do then you'll need to find a pic base for someone that you think looks like your charater as I have no time to search for one for everyone.

 

I think I also get what you all are suggesting for the site. We want something that is an extension of this fed and not just a backup spot to post your stats or get the same information you can get from reading the boards. That's not a bad idea, but I'd like for the site to have the ability to run the entire fed should something ever happen to the boards.

[Toxxic 0]

I'd offer to maybe do some drawings, but my scanner only works on my old, knackered PC. Still, I can have a go and see what i come up with.

[Guest The Satanic Angel]

I'd love to see what you had in mind for Sean Davis.

[Toxxic 0]

Well a big, bald, black man seemed like a good place to start.

[Smartly Pretty 0]

Might I suggest Jimmy Fallon?

[JJ Johnson 0]

I don't remember my rant against pic bases word-for-word, but it had something to do with making the full transition and moving the fed to Geocities. And making Raynor World Champion.

 

Suffice to say, my vote is against them.

[Toxxic 0]

What's wrong with making Raynor World Champion?