Hey, gang!

 

I just updated the Broomcloset's splash page with links to the Kickstarter and this forum, and it got me thinking about what lies ahead for the SQN/Broomcloset merger.

 

Since this has been such a community-driven initiative, I wanted to solicit some ideas about how we should proceed with integrating the Broomcloset material into the merged site. This raises a few questions in my mind:

• What should we do with redundant content? Walkthroughs and point lists leap immediately to mind -- stuff that's basically duplicated in one form or another across both SQN and the Broomcloset.

• Is there any material at the Broomcloset that shouldn't stick around after the merger. I know there are some "stubs" in the Articles section in particular. Is there anything we'd flag for deletion along the way?

• Does anybody know any HTML redirection magic that would make it easier to transfer visitors who reach random Broomcloset pages via Google to the new site? Obviously, I could manually edit every HTML page in the Broomcloset, but I'm wondering if there's an easier way.

• Do we want to attempt archiving the SubChan in some form before it's deleted permanently? Yes, we could keep it around in its current "locked down" form, but I'd like to make a clean break with the past if possible. I'd hate someone to stumble across it via Google, think it's the only SQ forum on the web, and then move on disappointed.

Again, I'm open to ideas. Ideally, I'd like to see the merger completed sooner rather than later. A unified community will only help promote the new Two Guys project that much more effectively. That said, I'll need a ton of help to make it happen. All that content isn't going to migrate itself. ;)

 

Take care!

 

Jess

What should we do with redundant content? Walkthroughs and point lists leap immediately to mind -- stuff that's basically duplicated in one form or another across both SQN and the Broomcloset.

I think what's been happening so far (with multiple versions across SQN, VBC, and the Omnipedia) is just merging the content together into a new layout that works. That's probably the best way.

 

Does anybody know any HTML redirection magic that would make it easier to transfer visitors who reach random Broomcloset pages via Google to the new site? Obviously, I could manually edit every HTML page in the Broomcloset, but I'm wondering if there's an easier way.

If you've got .htaccess support (or web.config if the server is IIS), it's feasible and quite easy. Just look up htaccess redirect and it should be clear enough.

 

Do we want to attempt archiving the SubChan in some form before it's deleted permanently? Yes, we could keep it around in its current "locked down" form, but I'd like to make a clean break with the past if possible. I'd hate someone to stumble across it via Google, think it's the only SQ forum on the web, and then move on disappointed.

If I were you I'd probably end up keeping a backup for posterity, but everyone else could probably just depend on the Wayback Machine.

I'm all for transferring the unique content on the VB to the new site (I read through the SQ Smackdown a few weeks ago, and that thing is just as fun to read now as it was when it was first posted).

 

I'm also in favor of keeping an archived version of the SubSpace Channel available. I was actually looking around there a few weeks ago (the same time as I was reading the SQ Smackdown), and while some of the stuff there is pretty juvenile and embarrassing, there's still some interesting stuff to be found there. It's a big piece of the fandom's history, and I'd hate to see it vanish completely.

Definitely want to keep the content from the VBC, I'm not so inclined to demand keeping the navigation/layout (it's a bit outdated - no offense, of course).

Do we want to attempt archiving the SubChan in some form before it's deleted permanently? Yes, we could keep it around in its current "locked down" form, but I'd like to make a clean break with the past if possible.

I'd definitely prefer keeping it around. For example, the thread where VSB got started is still there in its original form and we've linked to it on several occasions.

 

I'd hate someone to stumble across it via Google, think it's the only SQ forum on the web, and then move on disappointed.

It's possible to put up a message that shows up at the top of every page on the forum and lets people know where the active SQ forum is.

Not sure if you can do it from the admin panel, but you can edit the header template file manually.

I think it could be fun, actually, to keep the old site around, as a sort of museum exhibit. I mean, the Broomcloset was, for all intents and purposes, THE place to go as a Space Quest fan, certainly in the earliest days (don't meant to take anything away from SQN here).

 

I'm not sure how such a "virtual exhibit" would work -- maybe display in an iframe on the new SQN or something? -- but having it around, old look and all, is like looking back in the time machine and seeing how the whole SQ community got started.

 

And, as Justas -- sorry, mjomble -- suggests, there are probably MANY places out there who have hardlinked to some material on the old Broomcloset, who would suddenly all return a 404 or a redirect to the new SQN frontpage. If we could somehow interject a "this page is an archive" message on each page, or redirect accidental visitors to the "old Broomcloset exhibit page" on the new SQN, that might work.

 

Tell me if I'm dreaming.

I've now added the Broomcloset's walkthroughs for SQ1-6 to the new site. A couple of questions...

 

First, do we want to include walkthroughs for TLC and SQ0 in the walkthroughs section or under fan content (or duplicate it in both places)?

 

Second, do we want to create a separate category under "Articles" for point lists, or file them under the walkthroughs? I prefer a separate category, but I can understand the desire to minimize clicking too.

 

Take care!

 

Jess

Man, I really need to get my ass in gear. I haven't forgotten about adding to the interview database; I just haven't had time yet.

 

Damn your efficiency, Jess. ;)

I think if we're keeping fan content separate it needs to be separate across the board.

Also, great job, by the way. ;)

 

I was thinking: For the SQ4 walkthrough, the Skate-o-Rama bit is still somewhat confusing. Especially the whole "move down, try not to get shot," etc. is just confusing. This is the new millennium, after all: Could we get someone to film themselves beating the Skate-o-Rama? (My SQ Historian video might not be, er, factual enough for this purpose.)

 

In fact, we could expand the idea and have video walkthroughs of particularly tricky sequences throughout the series. Nukem-Dukem Robots in SQ3 comes to mind.

I was already going to suggest adding images to the walkthroughs for different areas. Videos is another great idea.

Images and videos sound great for the walkthroughs. I'm not in a good position to generate them myself, but if someone else wants to contribute, feel free to edit them into the existing walkthroughs.

 

Jess

It would be easy enough to capture video in DOSBox. I might churn a couple out sometime when I have the time.

I'll be going through some of the Space Quest games for the purposes of capturing footage for the Historian videos, anyway, so if I happen to actually do good at something and film it at the same time, I'll post them, too.

Another organizational question...

 

Do we consider something like The Two Guys from Andromeda Story to be an article or fan content?

 

More generally speaking, I wonder if "Articles" is the most descriptive title for the navbar link. If I were visiting the site for the first time, I'm not sure whether I'd think to look under "Articles" if I were searching for hints.

 

Maybe that's just me, though. Sorry to be pedantic about all this organizational stuff.

 

Jess

I would merge the Two Guys article into their Characters database entry.

 

About "Articles", I'm up for alternate names, but I lack ideas.

So, now that we all have tons of free time on our hands post-Kickstarter...want to see if we can make some headway on merging the sites? ;)

 

Jess

Okay!

I am in too if you need my help.

 

- Steph

I worked a bit on converting over material from the Broomcloset this afternoon. The following articles are now in the Articles > Ramblings section:

• Bea's Diary
• The Two Guys from Andromeda Story
• The Unofficial Astro Chicken FAQ
• Secret Tales from Andromeda (or, a Dedication to Roger's Benefactors) -- by Josh Mandel
• Twenty Questions I Wish Somebody Would Ask Me About Space Quest (and the Answers I Wish I Had Thought Of) -- by Josh Mandel

If anybody feels these would fit better elsewhere on the new site, feel free to shuffle them around as needed.

 

Jess

Awesome!

Great job Jess :y:

Two more pages down, only a million left to go:

• A Chat With Scott Murphy (1997)
• Leslie Balfour: Gal from Andromeda (1997)

Both interviews focus quite a bit on Space Quest 7, which was still in production at the time. Also, Leslie's story about how she ended up at Sierra is classic.

 

In 1993, I was working as a carney for a small circus called Wanda's Big Top and Catering. As fate would have it, we were on our way to North Fork, California, to do a rich kid's birthday gig, when the front truck (the one carrying Wanda--she always had to be first) lost its brakes and plunged over the side of a mountain and caught fire. Thank heavens no one was hurt, but the big top was in that truck, so we were pretty much without the inventory necessary to put on a circus. At that point we broke up the act.

 

Wanda was pretty mad about the truck burning up, and blamed me for absolutely no reason, just because I was the mechanic. She left me on the side of the road with my thumb sticking out. I couldn't get a ride, though, because I was subbing for the bearded lady that month. Out of desperation, I walked down to Sierra and put in an application. They gave me a job, insurance paid for the beard removal, and the rest is history.

Jess

Added the Broomcloset's Space Quest 7 news and rumors archive. How depressing.

 

This particular article raises a question worth discussing. Since this is an area where the Broomcloset and SQN overlap in terms of content, how should we proceed? Merge together the SQ7 coverage from both sites into a single article? I think that makes more sense than maintaining two separate pages, but I'd like to hear other folks' opinions.

 

Jess

Yeah, I'd say merge.