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Subject: Should we revise the proposed council?
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Apologies if this is a little long, but ear with me, and read the entire thing so you’ll understand why I didn’t put this in the Council thread.

Okay, I’ve been mulling this over for a while. IMO, the council is the wrong direction for the Seventh Column.

* The council is limited, and biased. It does not equally represent all forums and chapters of B.net.
* Putting together an official council is too much work, and likely not on the priorities for the community team.
* With limited council positions, there is very little reason for the average member to bother taking part. There seems to be no reason for a member to get involved with the council unless they want to get their Chapter spotlighted, in which case a PM would suffice. Most wouldn’t even notice. +99% of the members would be completely indifferent to the council, and the councilors.

I propose that we modify the proposed council to make it accessible to all members of b.net, and easier for the community team to implement.

Here goes:

“The Column”

We start a new chapter, or use an existing official chapter. Make it completely open to the public, completely accessible. We start doing Weekly Spotlights of groups, with the group’s forums for spotlight submissions, discussions, and suggestions, and polls. Everyone in the group can vote in the weekly spotlight. Past spotlights would be listed in a pinned thread.

Since this is all fairly unofficial, we suggest to the members that they leave a link to the current group spotlight in their signature. This way, the current spotlighted group could get thousands of links from various posts around the forum. Quite an advertisement, and something that would really help small groups looking to expand their membership.

Now, you’re probably thinking “But why would anyone really bother to join that group?”, and that’s the question that would need the tiniest bit of official help to answer. All the community team would have to do is tweak the forum code ever so slightly, so that members of the group would get a member role update in the official forums to something like “Column Member”. It’s a different title, but with no new privileges. I’m sure it can’t be more than a slight update to the forum database.

Now you’re probably thinking “Okay, they now have an updated title, why would they stay active in the group?” The answer: Another title change. Each month the forum ninjas would pick one Column member; and then change his member role to something like “Member of the Month”. Once again, there’s a new title, but no new privileges. It would be an enticing reward for active Column members, and enough to get them to keep group spotlights in their signatures.

I think this would be very worthwhile, it would help circulate members around the groups in the 7th column, and maybe even keep some of the members on better behaviour.

Thoughts?

  • 08.26.2005 5:27 PM PDT
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Your plan is grand. I want to be in that group. Please let me join!!!!!!!

  • 08.26.2005 5:35 PM PDT

Ach! Was ist los?

I like it.

The Council group seems to have been in a bit of a rut for some time now. Maybe this is what it needs.

  • 08.26.2005 5:35 PM PDT
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That would be good. We would need to have some way of letting people know about it though. Example, I honestly know nothing about The Seventh Column, or it's council.

  • 08.26.2005 5:37 PM PDT
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I think instead of a group we should bug bungie to make us a Seventh Column homepage. Sort of like the current bungie.net page. We could have news about groups and their activities. It would be nice if we had a seventh column forum, polls and event calendar too.

I think a site dedicated to the seventh column would bring the community together and probably boost group activity.

[Edited on 8/26/2005]

  • 08.26.2005 5:38 PM PDT
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It's much more practical and feasible than the last "council" proposition. I personally think it's a great idea, not any problems I can see at this moment.

I'm not sure about the link in the signature part... it seems a bit unpractical and... sketchy. Many members already have links in their signatures, my brain automatically skips over them, as I'm sure it's the same for many other members. It would be quite difficult to tell which chapter is actually in the spotlight at this time (ie: members forgetting to update their signatures, cluttered signatures, etc.). I think an official page might be better for this, however much more code it requires.

  • 08.26.2005 5:39 PM PDT
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Posted by: Kilroy
That would be good. We would need to have some way of letting people know about it though. Example, I honestly know nothing about The Seventh Column, or it's council.


The Seventh Column really just refers to Bungie fans. The council has been floating around for a while now, as a kind of governing body over Bungie.net members.

People would know about it through word of mouth, and from seeing the new titles.

[Edited on 8/26/2005]

  • 08.26.2005 5:39 PM PDT
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Okay thanks. But anywho. I like this idea. And, if it goes through, can I have a good rank in the group since I was the first to respond to the idea?

  • 08.26.2005 5:41 PM PDT

"It's like a cake filled with pies." -Pete "Mango" Parsons

Seventh Column Contests

yeah... it has potentiol. well i dont really like the website idea because that will take longer then the idea where u just make a group and get things done from there. if u need help setting it up and everything i am there. and how about counsol members?? whats the limit, you have to have a limit to it.

  • 08.26.2005 5:50 PM PDT
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Posted by: ODST1125
whats the limit, you have to have a limit to it.


There doesn't have to be a limit. The more members it has, the better it will do. The old council system had a set number of councillors, and I didn't really think it would work too well. With this system, initiation gets you benefits, and activity gets you even greater benefits.

I think it's win-win, as the marketing types say.

  • 08.26.2005 5:54 PM PDT
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I want to help. I think it's great. I want to join. I want to help improve bnet. I want to get this idea off the ground.

haha. I want a lot of stuff.

  • 08.26.2005 5:55 PM PDT
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A place where anyone can promote their chapter and not be blacklisted for it? Nice idea, although there's still one problem. Would the people reviewing the chapter have to join the chapter, or could Bungie somehow give them the privledges of checking out someone's chapter without the chapter even knowing?

However, I do like the idea of having a place where people can see how good their chapter/group really is.

  • 08.26.2005 6:00 PM PDT
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Definitely sounds like a good idea. And what if the staff, administrators, and moderators of the council also got special titles? I would also like to help out if this ever becomes a reality, sounds like something worthwile.

  • 08.26.2005 6:02 PM PDT
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Yes. Remember the original supporters of the idea, when and if this takes off.

  • 08.26.2005 6:03 PM PDT

Why do people in ship mutinies always ask for "better treatment"? I'd ask for a pinball machine, because with all that rocking back and forth, you'd get a lot of free games.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words - "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.

way too go Vella

  • 08.26.2005 6:22 PM PDT

I hate everything, but it's not my fault.

That sounds like a good idea, although like sotsh said, a website would be even better. I think an even better incentive than the "Member of the Month" title would be to give him a custom avatar too. Whether it is just for that month or if it is permanent would be up to Achronos and Sketch, but I think it would be really cool if it was permanent.

  • 08.26.2005 6:29 PM PDT

The idea of the Council was to have a group of volunteers doing a job that was previously done by very busy Bungie staff. They'd basically deal with the 7th Column homepage and group spotlights.

  • 08.26.2005 6:33 PM PDT
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This would involve a lot of work on the part of Achronos. He would have to do the member name alterations, etc. So, he is basically the only one that can approve this.

Also, if this happens, we should be able to be a part of 26 groups. Because many members, especially the older ones, have all 25 of their slots filled up. It might be able to be done in such a way that we have our 25 slots, then one seperate slot for the council. Just a thought.

  • 08.26.2005 7:08 PM PDT

I think that a combination of both Vella's and stosh's ideas would work best. What I really want is to bring back that old community spirit we used to have before things started going nuts. The site would promote contributing helpfully to the community and I personally think it could help with some of the bad/crazy/waco user problems. I'm all up for it.

Heck, all we really need now is a site and a chance. You have a lot of people willing to help you out the best that they can, Bungie. Let us.

[Edited on 8/26/2005]

  • 08.26.2005 7:13 PM PDT
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The question is, will they ever do anything?

DUN DUN DUN

  • 08.26.2005 7:18 PM PDT

I think a section of this site, for instance another more chaptery forum listed on the right side with all the others, is the best. A few key links and features would be perfect. However the issue of discussion and content, the places where community really spawns, is a tough one.

Perhaps the "special section" could be linked to from The Septagon. From there, a one-page not too complex site is launched, probably similar to the b.net main page.
Key features:
>>Spotlight (with a write-up - this is the key to making it worthwhile. A member of that group, the admin, whatever, needs to write up what's important, why someone should join, and who should join)
>>Mod Soapbox (a much needed place for the mods to spout their rants - in a place where someone might read them - i.e. not in a sticky. This is especially important for the new mods. We need inauguration speeches)
>>Game write-ups (a section set aside for the readers to write epic tales about their combat on XBL or otherwise, with links to the game stats, stories of the game, and community-building trash talk)
>>Fanfiction section (much needed, self explanatory)


All these things would come in a nice little news format like the frontpage, but seperate by category (kinda like Google News except more compact to fit the frame and Bungie.net style). I think the four things (and there are more - in your minds) I mentioned are necessary to get this site more cohesive. With the council as editors/content toll monkeys, the process would be easy. Someone has a fanfic or game write-up, they submit it, the council reviews it like the MPRRS, and it gets added to the correct queue.

I'm not sure that a special reward for participating would be necessary, but it probably would draw in readers faster. A title like "7th Column" instead of "Member" is most likely the way to go.

I just came up with all of that as I wrote it, so please make it better by adding or attacking (I mean subtracting). I think it's feasible (as long as the big A can get to it before he has to work on the Halo 3 stats system, if he hasn't already)

-Eastbeast314

  • 08.26.2005 7:56 PM PDT
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Posted by: EastBeast
I think a section of this site, for instance another more chaptery forum listed on the right side with all the others, is the best. A few key links and features would be perfect. However the issue of discussion and content, the places where community really spawns, is a tough one.

Perhaps the "special section" could be linked to from The Septagon. From there, a one-page not too complex site is launched, probably similar to the b.net main page.
Key features:
>>Spotlight (with a write-up - this is the key to making it worthwhile. A member of that group, the admin, whatever, needs to write up what's important, why someone should join, and who should join)
>>Mod Soapbox (a much needed place for the mods to spout their rants - in a place where someone might read them - i.e. not in a sticky. This is especially important for the new mods. We need inauguration speeches)
>>Game write-ups (a section set aside for the readers to write epic tales about their combat on XBL or otherwise, with links to the game stats, stories of the game, and community-building trash talk)
>>Fanfiction section (much needed, self explanatory)


All these things would come in a nice little news format like the frontpage, but seperate by category (kinda like Google News except more compact to fit the frame and Bungie.net style). I think the four things (and there are more - in your minds) I mentioned are necessary to get this site more cohesive. With the council as editors/content toll monkeys, the process would be easy. Someone has a fanfic or game write-up, they submit it, the council reviews it like the MPRRS, and it gets added to the correct queue.

I'm not sure that a special reward for participating would be necessary, but it probably would draw in readers faster. A title like "7th Column" instead of "Member" is most likely the way to go.

I just came up with all of that as I wrote it, so please make it better by adding or attacking (I mean subtracting). I think it's feasible (as long as the big A can get to it before he has to work on the Halo 3 stats system, if he hasn't already)

-Eastbeast314


That's not a bad idea. But anywho. I would like to be on the council. No matter what becomes of it. I'm not right now, but that could change.

  • 08.26.2005 8:00 PM PDT
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Posted by: Kilroy
That's not a bad idea. But anywho. I would like to be on the council. No matter what becomes of it. I'm not right now, but that could change.


Yeah, but I don't think you understand. There's no need for councillors, and the most they would do is help out with the column group. It's an open group, so anyone can join, and get the same benefit(s) as everyone else.

  • 08.26.2005 9:18 PM PDT

"It's like a cake filled with pies." -Pete "Mango" Parsons

Seventh Column Contests

hmm that might set things a blaze. people like power, they will do anything for it. stickman army u are right about what u said earlier. will they ever?? well i still stick with vella's idea, whatever happenes i will be there to help improve bungie. so count me in.

  • 08.26.2005 9:30 PM PDT

I'll be on my own side.

Posted by: stosh
I think instead of a group we should bug bungie to make us a Seventh Column homepage. Sort of like the current bungie.net page. We could have news about groups and their activities. It would be nice if we had a seventh column forum, polls and event calendar too.

I think a site dedicated to the seventh column would bring the community together and probably boost group activity.


How about we use Psyched's new site as our Seventh Column page? It needs new members right? I'm sure Psyched would go for it. I'll ask him.

[Edited on 8/26/2005]

  • 08.26.2005 9:32 PM PDT

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