Site Updates! (With Important Info)

[Admin!]

Hello Hammelites!

There are a lot of exciting things going on at Hammel right now, so let's get cracking! If nothing else, make sure you read the first announcement, as it's very important and will affect how you access the site.

Announcements:
Our host Proboards has spent years developing its latest version of forum software, Proboards v5, and started upgrading sites to it in April. Hammel will soon be upgraded as well. At the moment, we are planning on upgrading soon. EDIT: An announcement will be posted at least 24 hours before the upgrade, but we're not going to announce until we're sure we're ready.

What does that mean for you?

• Linked accounts - You will create one universal proboards account and then link your individual accounts to it. Changing from one character to another will be two clicks away. You will have to upgrade each account. I will have a thread with instructions posted before we upgrade.
  
• Easier PMs - You'll be able to PM people by either display or account name. Once you see the system, you'll like it.
  

OOC Stuff:
Activity check! Go sign in!

We would like to welcome Trixie to our staff! She has been a dedicated member of Hammel for a long time now, and I know she'll be a great asset.

We are also sorry to see Raena go, due to some real life time commitments. She's been with us since the beginning, and she will always be welcomed back.

Don't forget about our writing and graphics challenges!

IC Stuff:
Sign up for Graduation! Is your character at least 17, a senior at Hammel, and able to control their power? Then they are qualified to graduate from Hammel! Click the link for more info.

There's still time to sign up for the Thread Roulette!

Feedback:
Hammel has been running for over three years. Three years of OTMs every month and at least two challenges. That being said, sometimes we don't get too many nominations for the OTMs. Would members be interested in doing something different? Perhaps a rotating spotlight where just one character, relationship/thread featured at a time, but there isn't voting? Should we get rid of OTMs all together and have more challenges? Keep things the same? Let us know!

[Kendall Rossa]

I know I haven't been around much since my lappy top died, but I do have some input on OTMs. Perhaps we could do a seasonal/quarterly or semi-annual spotlight? Instead of once of month every two, three, four, or whatever months? I've seen this work really well on other sites, and I think now that Hammel is so big that it could be a great solution.

[Ferris Macklin]

Maybe you could do a different type of spotlight? Like spotlight chars that have something special going on in whatever month you're in? Like, it's their birthday, or they're graduating, or it's their anniversary. Or maybe in the month previous they were in a lot of threads, or they threaded with a bunch of people they've never threaded with before, or something in that vein. Or maybe have goofy nominations? Like, oh, char with the best hair or nicest shoes. Char most likely to have moist towelettes handy. Char most likely to be kicked out of a major league sporting event. Char most likely to become a crazy cat person. I've read the OOC and I'm sure there would be no lack of suggestions for goofy noms...

[Ann Hudgins]

I can't speak for anyone else, but the reason why I don't nominate, or vote all the time (gasp), is because One:) my activity level is a skeleton, and Two:) I don't really know what is going on outside of my own plot thread because I don't have the time to stalk everything thread, like I used to.

I second Omega's decision. Like the nominations for year books....or something.

[Admin!]

Announcement: The upgrade is being pushed back until we're sure Hammel is ready for it. There is a lot of setup staff needs to do first, and we want to be sure we're ready. When we will upgrade, there will be an announcement here at least 24 hours in advance.

Keep the discussion about awards coming!

[Avinea Jale]

I know I haven't been around too much, but I think the OTM's should stay, they are one of my favorite parts of the site, as it allows for full site interaction. It gets the site involved in the rest of the threads, not just their own. It also allows for great honoring of the writers and plot lines that builds Hammel to what it is. It also shows potentials we are active enough to have voting each month.

--cat

[Gwen Peyton]

Being a new member, OTM is something I look forward to, and I do hope that my character gets nominated for any of the awards someday, so naturally I vote for it to stay. With a community as stimulating as Hammel, I still think it's a good motivator, or even a bonus for writers to do their best. However, I also like Cap's suggestion of adding new goofy nominations as well, just to shake things up, because, you know, we're goofy that way.

[Calliope Gallo]

If it stays (and I do so hope it does!), I'd like to have a new rule considered; that you can't nominate yourself and or threads / relationships you're primarily involved in. Personally I tend not to nominate myself (save for ONE occasion - to showcase Neon's work as opposed to my own). I also tend not to vote for people who do nominate themselves. While nominating yourself is a great way to get your latest personal achievements and storylines out there, it comes across as overly self indulgent. Recognition by your peers is much more meaningful if you don't overtly ask for it.

Perhaps there should something where you can keep people up to date with storylines / threads that other people might take interest in?

[Tanner Larson]

I feel bad posting my opinion since I'm not currently active (I actually come here a lot, I'm just museless these days so haven't reactivated my characters yet), but you know I can never resist stating my opinion

Nanners' and Eddie's posts got me thinking: what if, in order to help broaden folks' knowledge of what's going on around Hammel outside of their own plots and make nominations a bit easier, there was some sort of weekly or every-other-weekly 'newsletter' that introduced recently-made characters, trumpeted some of Hammel's important goings-on (like graduation and other major events), and spotlighted some cool threads people might not know about? That way people can get more intimately involved with characters or threads not otherwise on their radars. That might boost the number of nominations; I feel like some months get a lot of nominations, and some get very few, particularly more recently.

Anyway, them's just the ramblings of a crazy person XD But if the staff likes that idea, I'd be happy to help in any way!

I do think every-other-monthly OTM's might be a good idea, too.