Being a RP'er of a LONG, long time, Reep; I find what you're saying to be bordering on the offensive at times.
From my brief readings of your posts it just comes across as "BUT WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN TO THE WAYS I CAN FIX THINGS?".
Personally, I like them as they are.
One thing all RP'ers should check, actually all posters should check.
Look for the amount of times you use 'I' in one paragraph. The more you use it, the less you're talking about the community.
The word isn't 'sectionised' but 'sanctionised' in your terminology. Both GG & the Precision Rangers et. al. have worked well within the boards; and there's always MSN or basic fansites for anything else.
Alienating your target audience is rarely the best first move.
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It's their character's you're playing with after all, and anyone involved needs to know they're being listened to. No one wants to learn that their character has suddenly been thrust into a plot they had little knowledge of.
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Correction. Some people LIKE to have their character thrust into a plot that they had little knowledge of. I do. It's better if it comes from someone who plays in similar manner as I do but I'm willing to roll with strangers plot just as well. If there comes a point where I think the plot isn't something that interests me, I will distance myself from it.
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All of the roleplayers here understand the IC =/= OOC knowledge rule, so you're in no danger of having someone rush off and spill the beans when their character isn't supposed to know.
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Yes, people might understand that rule, but personally I prefer to keep myself from knowing certain things OOCly before I know them IC. In some cases it is just impossible NOT to be influenced by the OOC information, and quite often the OOC information colors the perception. I am immersive roleplayer, and I play a lot on instinct. If I KNOW the exit is on the right corridor and not left, I cannot use my char's instincts to choose, I'll have to start analyzing the situation or just randomly pick one.
I am possibly derailing from the subject, but I wanted to use that to demonstrate that roleplayers CAN be very diverse in what they want and how they play. Sometimes these playstyles do not mix at all. Trying to unify that is just doomed to fail (and I don't think anyone wanted to unify all the roleplayers as much as create lines of communication and easier access to information between them).
I have seen player-base run server forums thrive and succeed so it certainly can be done, but it requires lot of effort from LOT of people and quite often they fail. Right now we do have this forum, and Union server forum who can satisfy lot of needs of the players. One must carefully look what is indeed desired from the new forum. Can it be covered here? That is the easiest solution. If not, is there really enough content for the new forum? Possibly, you could set up a place for information and have the link stickied in this forum.
For me, list of roleplayers, characters and supergroups would be very useful, and would have been even more so when I started out here couple of months ago. Also precise, tight plot-summaries, information of the player created content and small introduction to the RP in CoH would have been great.
For example, the GG thread on Union forum has plot summaries but no one is going to read close to 1000 pages to see what has been going on and many of the summaries are quite confusing to a new person since lot of things are assumed to be known. There is several player based addition to the game world, famous people, big companies, renowed scientists that logically would be known IC and could be used in other plots to create more immersive enviroment. (From minor details to joint plots. "Oh, Blackdove Industries? My uncle used to work there." or feud between two rival robotics masterminds, where each is trying to undermine the other.) Now, I am not saying that everyone should accept what others have created or have anything to do with it (certainly not, since I bet there is concepts that just won't mix). BUT the information that something like that exists cannot hurt, can it?
Thanks Hikari-Hime for your constructive posts, they've given me lot of thoughts.
Pyranha
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For me, list of roleplayers, characters and supergroups would be very useful, and would have been even more so when I started out here couple of months ago. Also precise, tight plot-summaries, information of the player created content and small introduction to the RP in CoH would have been great.
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Galaxy Girl Wiki: Supergroups, Characters, Players, and Plots
Just to republicise the Wiki for those who may not have seen it: there is a great deal of player-input detail there on such things which you may find useful.
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Galaxy Girl Wiki: Supergroups, Characters, Players, and Plots
Just to republicise the Wiki for those who may not have seen it: there is a great deal of player-input detail there on such things which you may find useful.
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Indeed, I should have mentioned that in my post. That is a good resource, and nicely full with information (although on regards plot-information it seemed a bit lacking). However it is "just" for the GG and I don't know if a) non-GG RPers would feel comfortable posting their details there and b) if "the GG crowd" would appreciate non-GGers butting in.
Pyranha
If I were paranoid, I'd say you were arguing with me for the sake of arguing. Good job I'm not, eh? 
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Correction. Some people LIKE to have their character thrust into a plot that they had little knowledge of. I do. It's better if it comes from someone who plays in similar manner as I do but I'm willing to roll with strangers plot just as well. If there comes a point where I think the plot isn't something that interests me, I will distance myself from it.
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Oki doke, there are some exceptions. I probably should've mentioned that in my post. However, I think it's rather bad manners not to ask the player of a character if they want their character involved in a plotline. Especially if, as you say, you're not keen on the plot - it'd be far easier to say so before it gets running, and allow the creators to select a different person for the plot.
If I logged in tomorrow and found someone had decided Stasis was going to help the Phalanz retreive a key from Lord Recluse, and I didn't want her to take part; coming up with an IC reason to excuse her may not only mess with my storyline for her, but the plotters storyline for their characters.
Being informed about it beforehand saves an awful lot of potential problems.
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In some cases it is just impossible NOT to be influenced by the OOC information, and quite often the OOC information colors the perception.
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I think this depends on how well you know your character. Please note, I'm not accusing you of not knowing yours.
One of the characters I play is blind, but has a visor which allows her to see heat radiation. Though I can see everything that's happening on-screen, I have to bear in mind that she can't, and work accordingly.
That's a case of being heavily influnced by OOC knowledge, but being able to ignore it in order to play the character effectively. Seeing as I have no idea of the way a blind person who-can-only-see-heat-radiation would see the world, I have to pretty much make it up as I go along, and hope for the best; but isn't that what roleplaying's all about?
The rest of your post, I agree with.
And Reep, we need to know you're serious about creating this forum - but as Hikari mentioned, if we had ideas of how it should work, it would've been created by now. The only thing I can really suggest is giving us a sort of template site, put together what you've already got, show us you can/will do it (all free forums have tutorials, with a little patience, you can learn how to set one up in less than a week), and perhaps that will jog some latent ideas in the rest of us.
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"the GG crowd" would appreciate non-GGers butting in.
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Yeah... About that... Doubt it's a problem anymore really... 
@FloatingFatMan
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Well, this weekend has suddenly killed me for time. Won't be able to stay in contact.
In no way am I trying to say I'm trying to fix things. If things arn't working around here, this place wouldn't be the place it is. But this dosn't work for everyone. I'm not taking this place away, but giving an extra place for people who may prefer an easier layout. I can't fix anything, I can only give what I've got.
One of my personal problems is getting ideas down on paper. I have all of them in my head, but I do have trouble displaying what I really mean on these forums, which is why i'm struggling to convince or promote the idea. Along with that, i'm no technical master myself, which is where I really need the help.
But, i'll hold this for the weekend. Unless anyone wants to take over from where I let off (I'm sure some of you are far better at doing something like this than me), then there won't be much 'till monday.
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But, i'll hold this for the weekend. Unless anyone wants to take over from where I let off (I'm sure some of you are far better at doing something like this than me), then there won't be much 'till monday.
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Regarding this I have one piece of advice for you, Reep. But before that I guess I must explain where I come from with this. I have no wish to brag (I can do that with a mirror and enjoy the view too), I merely want to show that I actually have the experience and can say with confidence that I know what Im talking about. If I only said Ive been around. thatd be just empty words.
I have participated in quite a few things. I have formed a roleplaying society (going now tenth year strong), an anime society, a Star Wars society (went past 200 members at high point), I have edited 50 issues of fanzines, taken one 20 page black&white fanzine and built it to a 80 pager colour cover mag, been making the national sf con twice (5000-6000 attendees), been the main organizer of the first national animecon, acted as a society president for 10+ man years, kicked off a national sf writing competition (150-200 entrees a year), organized a record breaking 100 hours straight of sf movies event, ran for two years a player city community for 200 people altogether... And a score of other smaller stuff.
Each thing, big or small, has operated always with the same principle.
When you decide that something is worth doing, you prepare to do all the work on your own. You must know that you can do it all because you very well might have to. If you want to see something succeed you do it yourself.
Plan the thing. Consider how it will work. Then share the idea with a few friends, or find some enthusiastic people on the forum, and fine tune the plan. Take all the feedback from your team (and from others) that you want, make sure that *you* like the final plan, and then launch it.
The team will back you up, but dont expect them to pick up the pace at a crucial moment. Every time youre counting on someone else to just get excited enough to do something you run a high risk of being disappointed and having to do the stuff yourself. As long as you deep down know youre going to do it all by lonesome anyway youre covered.
The team, and all the other people will by this system be able to only surprise you positively. Whatever they contribute, big or small, it will just decrease your own burden, which is all the possible work. What is integral for the success of any project is maintaining the positive feel and faith. When you start counting on others you start running a risk of being disappointed. It might not happen, but its possible.
You grabbing the ball and running with it full steam will have a side effect. Youll be making your plan work but also your positive enthusiasm will induce the same enthusiasm to others. Maybe not to many, and not straight away, but it will catch on. When we ran our player city there was a time when there was only three of us hanging around our social center, but we did it diligently. Week after week. There was also one point when we considered calling it quits after half a year. Three days later the pace picked up and went on for a year all the time reaching higher. It gained momentum, players, plots, GMs, the works.
I listed a hoard of achievements. I didnt accomplish all that on my own. Of course not! Each project had a team and quite often there was someone or several who did more work than me. At times the ball was dropped but it was recovered by someone else, or ultimately by me. The manic need to see the plan and idea through caught on and often whipped the whole crowd into a frenzy, people busting their chops to make the best possible outcome of it.
The Silent Tempest is running smoothly. Some of the members I knew from before, some are completely new to me. In the beginning I had no idea what would come out of it. Its been less than a month from conception and things are already just rolling. Im not the hardest working person, again. The team is there, doing its stuff. Im prepared to pick up the ball if it is dropped but right now its all I can do to keep up with the rest. And its a wonderful thing. Same as I try to boost others by my own enthusiasm Im blown away by the dedication and sheer fun that others are having.
The coalition idea will work on this same principle. Im prepared to plunge myself into it, creating and doing and working and just wishing that someone else will be there too. Past experiences throughout the years, and so far with Tempest, pretty much guarantee that I will not be alone in it. If in one month I have two more SGs signed on Im a happy camper. If I dont Im still keeping the dream alive. I know, for a certainty, that it ill catch on, in the end. Theres no other possible outcome or theres no sense in even setting it up.
If it still fails, it was because I didnt have the energy for it, after all. Never start a project you dont have the energy to do and complete on your own. After the launch, just have faith, set your eyes on the gold and dash like mad. Run all the way to the finish line and be positively surprised if by that time there are people running past you.
Reep, it could be someone picks this up during the weekend and you get a nice surprise when you get back, but dont count on it. Just, you know, make the plan, and get cranking. Create. Push forward. Make your own dream true.
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For ideas - A character histories section would be nice, right now you have to trawl through the rest of the creative section, or look on the wiki. A news section would be nice, but I think doomed to failure unless you focused on one particular group, since there's no consistant world view, and can't be one. IC chat areas would be nice, I don't know how much use they'd get since most of us work, and when we're not at work we're in game, so what's the point. SG info and OOC event info would be nice, but I'm sure you were thinking of more than a glorified calendar
Ultimately what I think is achievable is a character history archive - A function currently fulfilled by the GGwiki, a history of plots - a function currently fulfilled by the 9pm under GG's skirt thread, and a list of RP events - a function currently fulfilled by posting either here in the RP forum or the relavent server boards.
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Character histories was something i didn't think of myself. Thats definately a good thing to have a recording on. Along with that could be supergroup backgrounds and information, perhaps in a seperate section so that people know what major groups there are in the world, and how active they are.
A news section, I gave a bit of thought over. It could be an utter disaster, given how many people we have around and how much goes on in the world, but this could have an input from everyone. This could go as a sort of 'billboard' idea. A forum that describes any posters, propaganda, newspaper adverts/articals and things that anyopne can shove in. Sort of a 'newspaper' board.
Bit difficult to word my thoughts. Might have to clarify when i'm a bit more awake!
Of course, a plot development forum would be awesome for OOC knowledge and enjoyment. I love reading up on what people have done in the history of RP and i'm sure i'm not the only one. I suppose, similarly, everyone can shove their plots in here - although, I suspect it would take some maintainance and overlooking.
I didn't think of setting up a calendar for OOC event info. That could be a good idea, given that we also have a forum alongside where people can start threads for RP events for further infomation. Thats definately a good one.
IC areas go without saying. Much of the happenings IG can't actually be acted out on CoH itself. I'm having doubts about a plot of my own that may be better served on a thread rather than IG. There would also be the IC news channels, as mentioned earlier for ICable knowledge.
The trouble with livechat is that it dosn't give records. The entire reason I'm doing this is to make seperate infomation easier to get hold of, and easier to record. I'm hoping it would encourage more context, more plots and more interaction. I understand that GG is a great way to get hold of each other, but, as said, it dosn't suit everyone's style. Its certainly not the best way of getting a character into the world of RP, which is something else that could be achieved with a forum.
Right now, i've said it a few times (at least once a post) that i'm craving feedback. I have advice up to my chins, which I appreciate, but Hikari's post is exactly what i'm after right now.