Private, Members only Section

I think it'd be a really cool idea to have a members only section of the forums that isn't viewable by the general public, and isn't picked up by webcrawlers.

I often have really good(I think) ideas and unique strategies that I'd like to run by members of TDC, but that I don't want every lurker on the internet to see every time he types a related phrase into google. I don't want to come up with a unique list and way of playing it, only to see 20 copies of my list at the next major GT.(This hasn't been a problem since I stopped posting my list ideas online).

Anyhow, I'm sure others could think of additional reasons to have a private, members only area to the forums. What are everyone else's thoughts?

I think this is a great idea Betray....if only just to have a place to discuss tactics and float ideas. Hey, it's not like there aren't secret places in the "real" Dark City....

I like when people copy my list ideas, but that's just me.

I wouldn't be opposed to a Members only section, but I can't think of what I'd use it for.

Jimsolo wrote:

I like when people copy my list ideas, but that's just me.

And that's great! That's why we have a public army lists section!

I just stopped posting my own army lists about a year and a half ago because I ended up seeing an exact, carbon-copy of my fairly unique list I'd made winning a GT. I searched online, and no one else anywhere had posted a list similar to it. It's possible that I had the same idea as another person, who no one else on the internet shared, but it's also possible that my idea was used from being posted online without so much as a thank you, or a comment.

Generally, the way that really good, unique list ideas work is that you get 1 good use out of them before the meta shifts and other people also start using copies and derivatives of your idea. A private discussion area could help those of us interested in playing competitively to get that 1 good use out of our own ideas before they're unleashed into the community at large.

It'd also be helpful and fun to make a competitive "team" out of TDC members who are interested in going to competitive events. It'd help draw attention to the site while simultaneously giving us an outlet to bounce tactics and ideas off of other competitive players without "showing our hand" to the general public. Sure, it doesn't take much to sign up for a membership, but this would stop the google crowd from seeing it, which is the big one for me. I don't mind members seeing and useing my ideas, but if they win a major tournament with it, I'd appreciate them shooting me a "Thank you!" thread.

BetrayTheWorld wrote:

It'd also be helpful and fun to make a competitive "team" out of TDC members who are interested in going to competitive events.

I'm in.

Oh. That sounds fun.

Sounds like an idea with merit, and similar ideas have been discussed before. We also already have a couple of forums that are hidden from the public (Barter Port and the Realspace Lounge) so I don't see why we couldn't have another if it would be used and not neglected.

Until this can be discussed I recommend posting lists and things you want to remain hidden in the Realspace Lounge with a note in the subtitle about wanting it to be accessible to users only.

Cheers

Awesome, thanks for the heads up Cavash! Didn't realise those 2 areas weren't accessible to the public.

No worries.

Barter Port also isn't visible until a certain number of posts have been made to stop people making accounts to just ditch models and not participate in the forum.