I have been thinking about this sort of sub-consciously. But I do feel there is an issue regarding the site and how it comes across to an average person with no interest in fan editing themselves or doing any sort of video preservation.
Is there enough for an average person to sink their teeth in to here, just to perhaps talk about Star Wars or Other films and just be happy people talking about stuff.
I think you need to move with the times and attract new Blood and re-build a more active community that is not just people who focus on Video Editing or what not. Not just Technical is what I am saying.
The Star wars General Discussion is poorly catergorised.
It should be something in the Vein of.
Star Wars Movies
Star Wars Comics
Star Wars Models
Star Wars Toys / Games
Star Wars Books
Star Wars Art (official)
Star Wars News
Star Wars Memoribilia (trading)
Star Wars General Discussion
Star Wars Music and Sound effects
You Definitley need a general film Discussion Board. (The Comment against the off Topic Subforum is enough to scare any new user away)
Off topic for everything else…
Creative Star Wars section = Fan edits / Preservations / Disc Labels /Artwork / scripts
Creative Other Section = As Above for other films.
This community does accomplish great things there are no two ways about it. But I don’t think it does enough to attract average or casual fans that would create a much more diverse mixture of people and better organized.
I also want to add I think it is the greatest Star Wars fan site but I think it could be much better for casual fans.
Although I know the front Page is going to be re-designed. The Petition for The Original Star Wars Films to be released is really what this Site is about!!!
That does not come across at all, it’s not in any way intuitive, this should be the top title of your Menu.
The Goal of Original Trilogy.com - To have the Original Films released Officially in HIgh Quality and preserved and made availble to the general public. This should link to the petition thread and the petition itself. People need to know the message loud and clear. If there currently is not a petition active let people know and why…
Theatrical cut’s vs Special Editions = Fighting with one another / having a punch up / Bad wording /competitive. This should be in a Versions of Star Wars catergory. And should have a sticky thread for the History of the Star Wars films and their various iterations. As it is much broader than this as a subject. And is Part and parcel to your mission so it should also be educational for Casual fans to want to join your mission.
All of this should be joined together in your mission and top title along with sites supporting.
So I think what I am talking about is branching the site better and finding better relationships between subjects but also making that branching more intuitive.
The Star Wars general though is really a mess and it would be great to see that split and populated by more people talking about the new films and all the new stuff and old. This is something you really need to capitalize on and grow a place for new fans to the series franchise.