News corner

[Freddy]

In the upper left corner of the home page of our MMF there is some space for important 'news'. Talking among regulars, I started to wonder if we are not to egoistic with adding only news about custom mansions.

My problem is that, as an admin, again and again, I notice that for our new members, it does not seem to be obvious enough about what to do to become a member-who-can-post. That doesn't feel good. And besides that, I think that exactly we, regulars, are the ones who have the experience to find our way through our boards.

So I like to see all your reactions about my idea, of putting instructions to become a 'postman' on the main page.

[Semi-Native]

Sounds like a good idea. Anything to welcome new members and posters, leading to new mansion builders!
[smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[Toybox]

Agreed, there should be some easy instructions to allow potential forum members to start posting away as fast and easily as possible.

But there should still be an easy and very obvious link to the Custom Mansions list. My brother once complained that it was quite hard to get hold of (even once you find out about the forum! He had first googled it).

[Freddy]

Maybe the general link to the CMs, which was the last line of the previous news-text?

That sentence was:

You'll find all the custom mansions here!

[Surcouf]

Although I think it is easy enough to understand how to post after reading announcements (

your first post

...) in the home page, this is a good idea for trying to gather more postmen, then more designers.
In my opinion, the first action when somebody goes on the forum, is to download some Custom Mansions (that's what I did) after playing the included ones. If the goal is to welcome new members, would it be an idea to allow downloading more CM when logged in, after having downloaded a part of them without being logged (don't know if I am comprehensible; hard for me to write in English). But perhaps is this too restrictive...

Moreover, where can I download Castle Basano, Trigger Island and Caves and Castle? :-[

Moreover again, I need a third beta-tester (in addition to AquaMat and Rose, snowed under my mansions or on vacation).
Thank you
S.

[Freddy]

To answer your first question, Vern, the big boss of ActionSoft's Midnight Mansion, wants that all custom mansions on the MMF are downloadable for both members and guests.

Castle Basano etc. are mansions created for the expansion pack and thus not available yet. :-[

[Surcouf]

Okay!
Anyway I think what you suggested is a good idea.

What about possible beta-testers?..

[sherryl199]

What is involved in being a beta-tester?

[sherryl199]

Reply #2

Hi Freddy -
I just went back to our home page and tried to imagine what is would be like for a newcomer to the boards. Regarding the custom mansions, how would anyone know what they are, and that they exist? The original mansions are wonderful, but the fact that players can download 90+ mansions for the price is MM is truly remarkable and unparalleled as far as I know. Somehow that should be highlighted at the top of the boards

Play 8 Great Mansions at 3 Difficulty Levels and 90+, that's right 90+, free and downloadable custom mansions!

or something like that. Many of us have played MM since the early days so the whole custom mansion thing seems self-explanatory. I don't think it's so for newcomers. Just my opinion.

[hawaii]

Hi Freddy, [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif]

Yes, I agree. Posting for new comers is quite the negative experience. Even tho following the instructions, checking the calendar to see which Admin is active, still did not get me on the board.....as you well know.....lololololo (funny now, but not at the time. very frustrating.)

I assumed, that because I bought MM that my email address was automatically in the system and all I had to do was register and away I go. But that is not the case.

Perhaps, when one buys MM and we are provided a registration code, that you could some how set up a system on the forum for new comers to enter that code.....thereby the system verifies the person and permits to newbie to fill out info and start posting. ????? or something like that.

Also, if I want to find info re custom mansion i.e.: a chat about problem solving or clues, I type the name into your little search window (above right) and nothing.
Very frustrating and time consuming searching each and every post to find the mansion dialogue in question.
I'm having that problem right now, er, should I say again. [smiley=cry.gif]