The Soda Shop Message Boards

Agreed, it'd be very sad to see the CC go though.

The only merger that I see having any chance of happening would be CC and SS. Any merger with ToO is next to impossible.

Bren wrote:The only merger that I see having any chance of happening would be CC and SS. Any merger with ToO is next to impossible.

But, the CC and the SS already share a large member base, and you...

Why is a merger with the ToO impossible?

For one thing you have to get all parties involved to agree. A merger with CC would basically me just closing CC. It's not like they're gonna put me on staff or anything. As far as SS, it's not just a stand alone site. This is an extension of the scoop. As a matter of fact, this is a replacement for the interact feature. I also don't see the ToO community as a whole wanting to start fresh unless they want to run the risk of losing people. If somebody wants to suggest it over there you can. I just haven't said much because I don't see it being given much consideration by ToO in general.

Well I think at the very least CC should merge with SS. As you say this site is an extension of the scoop so that is a unique feature that isn't offered by the ToO.

But I'm not suggesting the ToO start fresh and move here, I'm suggesting we merge and create a new site that includes elements from both. After all the chat is a ToO feature that many here use.

Eleventh Doctor wrote:Well I think at the very least CC should merge with SS. As you say this site is an extension of the scoop so that is a unique feature that isn't offered by the ToO.

But what are you saying a merge would be?

As I said before, they already share members and an admin?

And who wants to present the idea to the ToO team?

Eleventh Doctor wrote:Well I think at the very least CC should merge with SS. As you say this site is an extension of the scoop so that is a unique feature that isn't offered by the ToO.

But I'm not suggesting the ToO start fresh and move here, I'm suggesting we merge and create a new site that includes elements from both. After all the chat is a ToO feature that many here use.

CC and SS are too different. We would have to decide whether we should keep the RPG elements, such as story arcs and currency, and if we did, we would have to sell them to the people who aren't so much into those, or risk losing them. By the way, if we merged, would we purge the topics, or migrate them over?

I don't really see a point of a merger... That is a lot of work for what I see as very little gain.

It has already been stated that there is not much activity on the CC, moving dead posts over makes little sense.

As for moving the users, they will move on their own if they want to. Migrating users doesn't suddenly make them active.

It is sad to see change, but I believe the CC is end of life. Bren has certainly tried to keep it alive but... It is what it is.

Different structures would either mean a total overhaul or a messy merge.

And I ask why?

As for the SS and the ToO, I can't say I see that happening either. People are two places because they choose to be.

Anyone who thinks merging them would just result in the sum of their activities, I would have to ask you to rethink that.

Like a church merger only makes sense when there is one explosively growing church.... What do we expect to happen here?

The CC dies and life moves on, just my opinion.

What benefits or changes does anyone expect a merge would bring that is so beneficial?

Wakko wrote:It's no secret that activity had been down on the CC. In fact there's next to no activity. So, Bren and Eugene have decided that they might shut down. But, they're giving us a two month grace period, if we get activity boosted within the next two months the CC will stay open. If not the CC will shut down. So tell all your friends to come on over to the CC!

While the CC has a number of likable attributes, I can't make a commitment to three Odyssey boards. I think a lot of other people are the same way.

Eleventh Doctor wrote:We'd merge them, there would be changes on the new forum. The ToO is pretty dead, I doubt there'd be much push back about changing stuff there.

While it's an intriguing thought, I don't see a merge as a possible solution, at least for a long while. The ToO is dwindling, somewhat, but it still has very committed members, as well as many old members, who drop in occasionally but would not join a new site. I think there would be incredible resistance to a merge there, if it meant significant change to the ToO.

My personal view of what will happen:

Campbell County, unfortunately, will not get enough active members to stay open, so it will close. Its members will either cease being active or become (more) active on the SS.

The Town of Odyssey will continue dwindling. It's possible that it may undergo a major shift and regain activity, but I doubt this. More likely, the Odyssey content will continue to drop, and eventually the rest of the board will follow over the course of the next couple of years.

The Soda Shop will continue as it has been, with changes here and there. Its member base will get older, and it may become a little more like the ToO.

EDIT: Agreed with Limerick. A merge might not be bad in the end, but it really isn't needed. Members will move naturally and dictate the fate of the SS and ToO themselves.

As a member of the ToO team I'll go ahead and take the lead on selling it to the ToO.

@Belle Bren already said what a merger between CC and SS would look like

@Whit Does anyone actually participate in the RPG elements? I think that was the reason for the ToO's failure. We would migrate active topics and archive older topics.

@Lime Both the ToO and the SS in certain areas have been very slow with some of the same people posting twice in both. I disagree about the church merger, I expect the communities to come together and be the sum of their activities. I don't see your argument against that.

@T.S. I agree that the SS will begin to become like the ToO so why not hasten the process?

I've always preferred CC since I joined. I don't know why. Maybe the smaller userbase makes it feel more personal. I'll be sad to see it go, for sure, but change happens.

BUT THAT DON'T MEAN I'M GOING TO SIT BACK AND LET IT DIE!!

I am an admin there, after all.

Eleventh Doctor wrote:@Whit Does anyone actually participate in the RPG elements? I think that was the reason for the ToO's failure. We would migrate active topics and archive older topics.

I wouldn't say the ToO failed; it had many good years, and may continue to exist for some time. I do agree that the RPG elements could be completely stripped.

Eleventh Doctor wrote:@T.S. I agree that the SS will begin to become like the ToO so why not hasten the process?

Because it isn't necessary and even wanted at this point. I think that the SS will shift slowly in terms of member age and content, like the ToO did over the years. A merge between two very different usergroups would lead to problems, in my opion.

T.S. (myself) wrote:

Eleventh Doctor wrote:@T.S. I agree that the SS will begin to become like the ToO so why not hasten the process?

Because it isn't necessary and even wanted at this point. I think that the SS will shift slowly in terms of member age and content, like the ToO did over the years. A merge between two very different usergroups would lead to problems, in my opion.

Yes. Amen. Amen. Amen.

I felt like the smaller userbase prevented real communities from forming but the users who use both the ToO and SS have formed a community that I am happy to be a part of and I see no reason why we need two forums. As of right now most of the posting happens in SS but the chat is maintained by the ToO.

@TS Failed isn't the best word, I do agree that the RPG elements could be stripped though.

I don't think there are two different usergroups at this point, at least not among active users. Is it necessary? No of course not but I have talked to people who want it to happen.

Does someone want to make a thread on the ToO and link to this? I'm curious about what people there might think.

Eleven said he would.

Posted, we'll see what happens. Jump over and discuss it if you want: http://thetoo.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t= ... 7#p1105127

And prove my point about needing a merge

Please. Don't merge the To boards!