I think forums in general can be scary places, especially the more established ones, be it this one or any other. It's a bit like walking into a well established pub with it's own regulars for the first time. 
From what I've seen elsewhere though, this place is tame compared to others though, I've seen some that would tear this place to shreads for sheer stupidity, hatred and vitriol!!
We built this city on Rock and Roll!
No worse than some, better than most.
Unfortunately the arrogant know it all eejits exist in all walks of life, and seem to congregate on gaming forums more than anywhere else. Sadly, there's nothing you're going to be able to do about that, and these are the kinds of people that put potential new comers off.
One idea for promotion of events is to have some of the more popular global chat channels advertised on the CoH website.
@SteelRat; @SteelRat2
"Angelina my love, I'm a genius!"
"Of course you are darling, that's why I married you. Physically, you're rather unattractive"
http://faces.cohtitan.com/profile/SteelRat
[ QUOTE ]
No worse than some, better than most.
[/ QUOTE ]
I would agree with that. Besides, judicious use of the ignore function makes them a more pleasant place.
Octavian Vanguard
@ohmsEU and @ohms 2
Badging character: Bimble on the Union server, Badgehunter.com and City Info Tracker.
[ QUOTE ]
Are our forums really scary at all?
[/ QUOTE ]
Not at all...
<.<
>.>
<.<
RAAAWR !!! 
Seriously though, eventually quite a few players do discover that yes we do in-fact have forums, but yes they should be advertised more on the EU.site and perhaps in the near future a request to Avatea like Steelrat's suggestion may bring about such a feature.
We mention and link via tiny urls to the forums quite a bit on Union Chat, especially lately with all the excitement over the Mission Architect, some people have discovered them that way ie: hearing people talk in-game about organising events and posting on the EU.site.
These? Scary? I specifically bought EU version because of ultra-nicety niceness of both the forum and ingame chat. Seriously, I've been active on dozens of messages boards of all kinds and so far this one seems to be one of the friiendliest, especially for a game site. (Of course, paid membership, moderators who work for salary, not ego inflation and relatively small number of the active posters are MAJOR part of that, but (naive idealist in me hopes) they aren't the only reasons. )
BOO!
I agree that these forums are certainly better than most others I've seen, and its very easy to just stay to the events sub forum just to see if anything is planned.
With regards to further advertising of the forums and chat channels more than whats current, todays Robot Rampage and the Hami raid have been spread across "Defiant Events"(and others) MoTD for well over a week with dates times and links to the forum and yet still people when logging on who have been online and in said channels during that time were asking "is there a raid or something?" How much more can be done?
Kneeling girls! Statues driving cars! What's going on? Ten years ago a man was arrested in the area for driving statues around in a car. Was it him?
@Ted Maul - The Echelon
We are . . . . kind of. The majority of us (myself included) always treat new forum members/low post costs as new players to the game regardless of when they joined.
When i first joined up to the forums most of my views were ignored/taken as wrong (or noobish?) and were often shot down in flames. For people this can be seen as ignorant or "elitist" in that we only respond positively to posters we recognise and thus they'ld no longer read the forums.
They cant really advertise the forums anymore really can they, on the updater they have links that get you straight to the site/forums, so its really up to them end of day to come and check the latest news Of course it'ld still be better if for player events they could send out MoTD to that server.
@Damz Find me on the global channel Union Chat. One of the best "chat channels" ingame!
[ QUOTE ]
have absolutely no idea of what i am
[/ QUOTE ]
tbh, me neither 
(selective quoting ftw!)
But anyway, perhaps not scary but they just lurk around. This forum aint the most 'friendly' one around (timeout, form not valid, huge ammount of subforums), they often see it and go 'meeh i ask ingame instead'.
Also, most games have forum(s).XXXX.com as their forum part, for many easier to get to. Why not do the same here? :?
50)Sinergy X/(50)Mika.
(50)MaceX/(50)Encore
Sign the petition, dont let CoH go down! SIGN!
Jackasses like me scare people off. 
[ QUOTE ]
When i first joined up to the forums most of my views were ignored/taken as wrong (or noobish?) and were often shot down in flames.
[/ QUOTE ]
You say that as if it has changed. You're still as wrong as ever! 
If I thought these were unfriendly forums where that sort of comment would be taken seriously I wouldn't of put it, nor would I likely be here
[ QUOTE ]
For people this can be seen as ignorant or "elitist" in that we only respond positively to posters we recognise and thus they'ld no longer read the forums.
[/ QUOTE ]
That may actually be more telling of your own attitudes and perceptions of the forums.
I don't think it's the case that 'only posters that we recognise' get any special treatment one way or the other. btw who is this 'we' anyway?
Of course there are bound to be the odd people that any individual considers a good/intelligent /kindred poster and the odd one that they think of as complete eejits. That's just natural for any group, but I don't think that name recognition per se means a darn thing.
The content of a post... now that's a different matter.
By my mohawk shall ye know me!
my toons
Funny: Ee-Ai-Ee-Ai-Oh! #3662 * The foul-mouthed Handyman! #1076 * City of Norms #132944
Serious: To Save A Single World (#83744) * Marketing Opportunity (#83747)
If you meet anyone afraid of the forums, tell them we are cuddlesome and huggable people
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
Yes we can be welcoming.
But
Yes you can get flamed to death here as well. If you happen to touch one of the subjects that we think has been discussed way to often.
Last week for example where someone wanted to know if there were going to be server merges. I am certain he will think twice before answering a question first. And yes he could have asked nicer and yes we have a (not very well working) search feature. But not everybody knows the forum etiquette by heart when they start posting.
Forums are not scary.
I just prefer reading them then writing posts.
"If you want to win you must not lose."
"Easiest way to turn defeat into a victory is to put on the enemy's uniform"
"Better strategic retreat than dishonorable defeat"
- Il Numero Uno (The Number One)
[ QUOTE ]
If you meet anyone afraid of the forums, tell them we are cuddlesome and huggable people
[/ QUOTE ]
You forgot funny too!!!!! *shoots the GG*
(hidden added)
@Damz Find me on the global channel Union Chat. One of the best "chat channels" ingame!
Indeed, Welcome. But Lord help you.
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you meet anyone afraid of the forums, tell them we are cuddlesome and huggable people
[/ QUOTE ]
You forgot funny too!!!!! *shoots the GG*
(hidden added)
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm bulletproof 
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
*stares at CatAstrophy's avatar*
damn that's one cute and fluffy kitty cat...I assume he/she is yours CatAstrophy, if so damn you for having such a cute cat!
Now I must coerce my cat into acting cute for pictures...instead of just gnawing on the camera lense...
Badge Earned: Wing Clipper
A real showstopper!
Forums aren't scary.
Moths are scary.
(AAAAAAAAA MOTHS)
[ QUOTE ]
*stares at CatAstrophy's avatar*
damn that's one cute and fluffy kitty cat...I assume he/she is yours CatAstrophy, if so damn you for having such a cute cat!
Now I must coerce my cat into acting cute for pictures...instead of just gnawing on the camera lense...
[/ QUOTE ]
pets these days are now doomed to become internet Celebrity's forget about companionship
Point whiny old Sae Whatsit over to this thread and tell him to stop being a pansy
"Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these. It might have been."
[ QUOTE ]
Indeed, Welcome. But Lord help you.
[/ QUOTE ]
They mostly come at night.
Mostly.
( hi btw )
Extremus: if moths really do bother you, don't read China Mieville's Perdido Street Station.
Is it time for the dance of joy yet?
Compared to other games especially those by NCSoft (I'm looking at you L2), this forum is a blessing and a pleasure to deal with.
Sure I don't post much and am still learning the game despite having just earned my 15 month vet reward. So forum wise I'm still firmly in noobie land.
For the most part folks are willing to answer any question no matter how dumb it may seem but they do tend to get a wee bit miffed if its one of the "OH NOES NOT THAT CHESTNUT AGAIN!!!" subject.
You know the ones where the horse has not only been beaten and flogged to death but BBQ'd, eaten (with a hint of Texan chilli sauce) and its bones ground down and added to feed for the carrots.
Like any group of folks there are clashes of personality but at least here there are individuals, not mass clones all spouting the same old ordained and pre approved rhetoric.
Ma
Don't know about you guys but for the past few months I've been putting together some big events over on defiant and of course on the day of the event some people (or dare i say a lot of people) will have absolutely no idea of what i am on about or knew of it but didn't check the forums. when i asked why i quite often get the response of the forums are too scary or intimidating or have had bad experience in the past on other forums and so avoid ours altogether.
Are our forums really scary at all? i myself think not overall but it is odd a lot of new comers find this true, so i ask if there's anything we can do both here and in game to encourage our fresher, newer members to brave our forums and find out that its not so bad a place after all.