- Joined
- Mar 9, 2009
- Messages
- 6,276
This is sort-of a rant thread. It's not meant to be super-organized or well layed out, so forgive me if it's a bit of a chore to read. These are just my thoughts on what i've seen the hive become, and where I see it's future brightest.
Note, that this is in no way a commentary on recent site events. I support Ralle 100%, even If I strongly disagree with more than a few of The Dark Wizard's Bans.
Warcraft 3's hayday was quite a bit ago. Things will only continue to go downhill for here in the Warcraft community. Starcraft 2's hayday is now, but unfortunately for us, we missed the train, and now it's long gone. The Hive cannot compete with the powerful ingrained SC2 modding communities like Sc2 Mapster (Which has curse backing.), especially not from a services perspective. (Feedback, asset generation, support for questions, tutorials, getting team members, popularity). These are facts. Modding, for THW, is only going to continue to spiral downhill.
The hive can't afford to jump off the train late if it wants to remain as a strong, solvent community.
One of the largest issues with most technology groups, websites, and companies, is that after the initial concept, there is often very little done to preemptively adapt to changing conditions. The same exact thing happened to the company, Research In Motion, (RIM, which produced the Blackberry.) Once holding an outstanding 50% market share, it's now plummeted down to a scant 11%, and falling, with it's major new release expected in 2013. Why did RIM fail? It didn't consider the possibility of smart-phones outside of the market that the Blackberry had made for them; non-business, entertainment, utility. Now it's far too late for the company to pick it's feet back up off the ground. I'm not saying that THW is RIM, but the same situations can apply to any industry, and any entity, with ease, and it's already happening to us.
There are numerous examples showing us where the lack of pro-activity heralds a decline, and I've enjoyed THW (And invested in it in more ways than one), too much to not at least make a simple thread with my ideas.
If Warcraft 3/Starcraft 2 modding is going downhill for THW, then what is the next logical step for a site whose very MO is Warcraft/Starcraft modding? We aren't Epicwar; We don't just host maps. We have a large, creative community of designers, artists, and programmers who generate very attractive assets. (Icons, Skins, Programs, Models.) If the site wants to adapt to a new environment, it needs to work to it's strengths, and that strength is it's creative usergroup. For years, users on THW have been making skins, icons, models, competing in art contests, and a whole host of other creative pursuits.
I see THW redirecting itself towards a more generally creative thesis. The best way for the hive to move forward is to directly embrace the talents that it's existence has helped to foster.
If we take that strong community base that we currently enjoy and apply it to a more general field that is less structured on a third party, like a game or platform, the site can avoid stagnation.
I foresee future in creativity;
Graphic Design
2D/3D art
Programming & Technology
General Modding
Asset-Commission
A big part of this is that a fair-sized portion of the site's powerhouse users are getting older, and they need money (I'm sure we all do.), a community that better supports adult existence, and making the transition from what we currently do, to a broader focus on creativity and design is the way to go. The best way to get there is not to directly emulate sites like DeviantArt, because that is not an area in which you can compete, but to find a niche that can be filled without competition, and will support your users and the community, and that's what we all want.
I'd like to discuss the possibility, and how, or if, we'd go about this transformation.
Now, again, this is just an 'off-the-top-of-my-head' rant, so take it all with a grain of salt, but of course, do let me know what you think.
Note, that this is in no way a commentary on recent site events. I support Ralle 100%, even If I strongly disagree with more than a few of The Dark Wizard's Bans.
Warcraft 3's hayday was quite a bit ago. Things will only continue to go downhill for here in the Warcraft community. Starcraft 2's hayday is now, but unfortunately for us, we missed the train, and now it's long gone. The Hive cannot compete with the powerful ingrained SC2 modding communities like Sc2 Mapster (Which has curse backing.), especially not from a services perspective. (Feedback, asset generation, support for questions, tutorials, getting team members, popularity). These are facts. Modding, for THW, is only going to continue to spiral downhill.
The hive can't afford to jump off the train late if it wants to remain as a strong, solvent community.
One of the largest issues with most technology groups, websites, and companies, is that after the initial concept, there is often very little done to preemptively adapt to changing conditions. The same exact thing happened to the company, Research In Motion, (RIM, which produced the Blackberry.) Once holding an outstanding 50% market share, it's now plummeted down to a scant 11%, and falling, with it's major new release expected in 2013. Why did RIM fail? It didn't consider the possibility of smart-phones outside of the market that the Blackberry had made for them; non-business, entertainment, utility. Now it's far too late for the company to pick it's feet back up off the ground. I'm not saying that THW is RIM, but the same situations can apply to any industry, and any entity, with ease, and it's already happening to us.
There are numerous examples showing us where the lack of pro-activity heralds a decline, and I've enjoyed THW (And invested in it in more ways than one), too much to not at least make a simple thread with my ideas.
If Warcraft 3/Starcraft 2 modding is going downhill for THW, then what is the next logical step for a site whose very MO is Warcraft/Starcraft modding? We aren't Epicwar; We don't just host maps. We have a large, creative community of designers, artists, and programmers who generate very attractive assets. (Icons, Skins, Programs, Models.) If the site wants to adapt to a new environment, it needs to work to it's strengths, and that strength is it's creative usergroup. For years, users on THW have been making skins, icons, models, competing in art contests, and a whole host of other creative pursuits.
I see THW redirecting itself towards a more generally creative thesis. The best way for the hive to move forward is to directly embrace the talents that it's existence has helped to foster.
If we take that strong community base that we currently enjoy and apply it to a more general field that is less structured on a third party, like a game or platform, the site can avoid stagnation.
I foresee future in creativity;
Graphic Design
2D/3D art
Programming & Technology
General Modding
Asset-Commission
A big part of this is that a fair-sized portion of the site's powerhouse users are getting older, and they need money (I'm sure we all do.), a community that better supports adult existence, and making the transition from what we currently do, to a broader focus on creativity and design is the way to go. The best way to get there is not to directly emulate sites like DeviantArt, because that is not an area in which you can compete, but to find a niche that can be filled without competition, and will support your users and the community, and that's what we all want.
I'd like to discuss the possibility, and how, or if, we'd go about this transformation.
Now, again, this is just an 'off-the-top-of-my-head' rant, so take it all with a grain of salt, but of course, do let me know what you think.
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