Name of Board: Letters from No One
Link to Board:Letters from No One
Short description of Board: We are a friendly active role play always looking for new members. We are a non canon Harry Potter site set in 2030.

Quick plot -

Since the demise of Lord Voldemort, the Wizard world is at peace and is flourishing.

There is no threat of any sort of danger unless you count getting caught by the caretaker out of your dorm after hours or doing what you shouldn't be. Doesn't mean you can't try your luck.

Although the rest of the magical community is calm you can always count on chaos and drama inside the castle walls. The students currently studying at Hogwarts are a drama filled bunch. School work seems to come second to friendship, love, hate and over all drama.

Basically we want people to have the freedom to play out scenarios of their own, ones that they've wanted to do for a while but never gotten the chance.

Analysis Notes: We're trying to make it simple but appealing and as it's our first board, we'd like to know what else we could add or delete to make it better. We know we've probably made mistakes so be gentle with me, please.

Since our last review everything about it has changed, literally. Personally I'm running out of things that I can see wrong with it, so would like other opinions of the board now.

Link to profile on the Board: Sam Profile

Thanks in advance

~Sam~

Organization:

Everything is pretty organized from just a quick glance at it. One thing i noticed difficult to understand however was the place where you put the advertising section. Normally, you either find the section on the top of the board, or on the bottom (since the top and bottom are usually OOC sections). After a whole minute looking for things, i finally found it. One thing i've learned in the past, if advertisers are trying to link with you, they will lose patience after they look in two different places. Quite frankly, they won't spend much more thought on what they'd lose if they didn't link with your site - they'll just move along to the next one. So, to increase traffic, i'd move that section to the bottom or the top of the forum where all other OOC stuff goes.

Another thing, is it really necessary for rules to have it's own section? I mean, i know there's not as much to include into it as well, but what about a Q&A section? Why don't you even explain IC rules, a list of spells, a history thus far? These are just brain storming ideas, but think about it. Anyway, going back to the rules having their own section, it's a bit tedious to click twice to get to the rules, but idk...just something to think about.

Oh, and i'm not quite sure why Quidditch is in the 6th floor... But, i always thought Quidditch was an outdoor sport.

I'd also think about adding actual links to the staff members' accounts. If members need quick guidance, it's just going to be irritating looking around for the link to the profile. And maybe a quick links section might work as well on the sidebars. And...a mature forum in the middle of everything? I don't know if that's all that necessary. What most boards tend to do is just mark threads mature at the request of the member. Otherwise, having a whole section might just encourage more people to break IF policy, and also, it just takes up more room. Sorry if that was a bit choppy, but things are just coming to me as i scroll around. Anyway, i think that's all it for now.
Grade: 6/10

Appearance:

I'm not a huge fan of really misty / pastel-y skins, but i think you made it work well. The layout is not difficult to read, so that's another plus - and everything carries over a theme. Nice floral background in the back. So, yes, (obviously i'm in a position where i don't have much to say). I would however add some more character graphics on the side bar. A simple way to do this is just add spotlight on the layout, like, an icon of a character that has been around a while. A bit more spontaneous color you know? It'll keep things from looking dry and bland.

8.5/10

Layout:

I think a lot of this is included in the organization part of the critique. Again, the mature forum is not a good idea in my opinion, so i'd find another way to deal with such things as mature threads.

Also, i think it's a wise idea to compensate for adding a few more outdoor places to roleplay in. This could be done with the lawns, the quidditch pitch, the forbidden forest, other forests, the gardens, the lake, etc. Just outdoor places where people can explore and roleplay in. Restricting them to indoors may limit their roleplaying.

But otherwise, the layout seems in order.

8/10

Staff:

Again, i'd get quick links to the staff accounts, but it'll provide easier access to admins.

From what i've seen, only one of the admins is particularly active in the cbox. I don't know if there's enough for me to see where they're helping out other members (since i don't think there's many asking for help on the cbox...which can be considered a good thing no?) but yeah, i'd definitely want one of the admins to step up on being active in the cbox. But then again, it seems that same cbox-active admin is the one that created all the info threads and the core context of the site. So, definitely need to see a bit more cooperation.

Edit: Also, i must say i was very unimpressed when i saw some of the applications that aren't completed already accepted. One particular member skipped the personality section completely, as well as other fields, and yet she was still accepted.

This makes me question whether or not the administrators read the applications at all. So, please change that. What's the point of having an application if they're not even going to be read?

6/10

General Feedback:

I think the site just needs a bit more pizazz. Something about it doesn't make me want to join...so i'd team up with that other admin and put our heads together. It just seems a bit general, so i'd specify by including more member-graphics - such as including characters in the site banner, or showing more member recognition. You have to make the members feel loved so they keep coming back and showing support for your site.

But otherwise, i'd just advertise more, and captivate people better with what the site has to offer. The context of the site is good (since there are only a few HP OC sites out here), but you gotta make sure people KNOW it's good.

but overall, solid.

7/10

Thanks for the review, and I will address a few things that you pointed out.

There is a list of spells but not for guests to see. They took a long time to bring together and I really don't want some guest to just jump onto the site and steal them. Call me mad, but it's just the way I am.

There is no history so far. The only plot is the one that is there. Members make it up as they go along. That's why there's a plots thread for people to brainstorm their characters in. We're very members orientated in that if a member wants a specific thing on there then we'll add it.

I would add staff links but I don't know how to, and the last time I tried I killed the site sending it into all shapes and sizes.

Like I've said, this is our first site and the first one I've ever done any kind of technical stuff on. (Although I have admined/ran other sites before)

Outdoors

We do have a lot of places outside for people to play around in.

The office is on the 6th floor, not actually Quidditch itself. That would be silly. :lol: (See above for the link to the outdoors, where the Quidditch Pitch etc is)

Yes they get read but people choose what year and what house they're in. And as people write the lists of things, some times we don't think it's necessary to do personalities. We leave it up to the individual.

I thought 'come and advertise' would be quite self explanatory to be honest. And we've been advertising everywhere and every day I do more. Someone on Caution actually said 'wow your site is everywhere'.

It's only in the middle while the Wizarding world is there. As soon as each section of the Wizarding World is finished (because of school starting) I hide it. So as soon as the whole is finished the whole of it will be hidden. So then the mature forum will be at the bottom before the OOC/Odd bits sections.

I'm the one who is always on, as Mandy has school and work and doesn't get chance to be on. I'm the one who knows more technical stuff (the little that I do) so this is why it always looks like it's just me. And I also don't mind doing it all.

Anyone can ask anything they like on there, it just doesn't seem that anyone needs too, that they can find what they want easily anyway.



Anyway, thanks for taking the time for the review and I will take your comments under advisement..

(I apologize ahead of time if I repeat anything Rikku noticed. It's probably just something that stands out or could definitely use some attention. I usually have different views and all, but just thought I'd preface with that ^.^ )

Appearance and Organization: The banner looks quite good. The text is a tad hard to read, but I kind of like the whole thing looks, what with the illustrated book and all. Nice difference from the general picture of a castle or something *nervously hides own board*.

I think the purple and gray work well together, though it does seem a tad washed out. That happens a lot with gray forums. The background's also a tad plain jane, but it still works well enough. It doesn't reach out and grab me, but instead sets a laid back, informal tone. Not bad if that's the message you want to bring across.

I'm not as sure I like the organization. I don't quite think that the Headmaster needs his own board, for example. I can understand putting all the staff together and separate from the students, though I'd rather see that done as sub-boards under an "accepted characters" forum then as a set of boards of their own. I also don't like how I scrolled down and saw advertisements before plotting. Just a personal thing, but I kind of see the order as how you emphasize things. Communications just seems to be more of a OoC thing in this case. As it is, I actually thought that was where things like a telephone thread would be put.

I feel like the section title "Wizarding London" is a bit deceptive, as Hogsmeade is in there. Wizarding world might work better for you, and let you add stuff like Azkaban or other things that could serve as future plot areas.

Informational Topics: I was able to find... your rules, easily enough. There's the info in the sidebar too. But, if there's anything else, I'm not seeing it. I feel like there should be something else there, something to catch me up on things. Sure, most people already know about HP and all, but I'd still like a little tidbit on how you do things.

There's twenty years of history between the end of the books and your forum, yet nothing is explained on what happened. Period. at all. Or if there is, I'm not able to find it. That doesn't suit me very well, and makes me feel like you don't really care about that bit of information.

Also, if that weren't enough, your rules would send me running for the hills. There's a good number of them, which is certainly a plus, and they're written in a fairly easy to understand member. I'm not quite sure what the obsession is with insisting that characters talk to admins about pregnancies, but that's more a personal foible. What really gets my ire is the "no sex till 16" bit. Not that I'm approving underaged sex, or that I want to see it on a forum. Quite the contrary, I'd rather not know about it. but to honestly forbid characters from doing it period, off screen? That's hampering the RPing experience in my opinion, and it's enough to make me wonder what else I'd have to beg permission for. Which sends me scurrying elsewhere.

I'm also not sure why there's no IC rules, like guidelines for Hogwarts or anything of that nature... It just seems underdeveloped as a whole, and what's there feels restricting.

Board Strengths: Skin's easy on the eyes, and i like the banner. There's a good number of rules. seems like some care was given into making the characters feel unique. Definitely enough areas to play in.

Board Weaknesses: I don't feel like there's enough information as is to really draw me in. The background and plot feel lacking or totally missing in the case of the former. it seems like there's unnecessary boards, and that some boards are placed in an order that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Really? one board for just one character? Seems a lot like showboating.

Staff: Sam and Mandy, with Sam doing most of the grunt work. Drop down menu makes it easy to understand who's who among the staff. What I can see of them seems friendly enough. Some staff announcements have some personality in them, which is always good.

General: you're an advanced to literate HP forum. Overall it seems... solid. Almost too vanilla though. The plot feels a tad too free form, there's almost no background information, and the rules seem oddly chosen at points. It's a good solid, first effort. My only real thing is this: what makes you unique? What about your forum grabs my attention and makes me want to go here as opposed to the dozens of other HP sites available? You're going to have to find something and work on it. I wish you luck, and hope you find what you need, and that this review helps some.

Thanks for the advice. I'm not saying that I agree with everything that you've said, obviously, but there are a few things I do too. There's a whole bunch of things I could say but here's a few to address the questions asked.

That's the whole appeal of the site in that it's a no-pressure site where we're laid back and don't pester people to post every day.

I'm still shuffling things around every day.

We're just trying to keep it legal, as before the age of sixteen it's classed as child porn. Something that we're not about to start promoting. If characters want to then we won't stop them, well we can't stop them

It seems that everyone has a problem with me doing the 'grunt' work. I do it by choice, and don't think or feel like it being a burden. If I didn't want to then I wouldn't, and Mandy would be fine with that too. She already feels bad that she can't do more, but school and work take precedence over rping.

Unlike a lot of boards, we don't push people to post (as I've mentioned before). A lot of other sites push and pester people to churn out post after post regardless how bad they are.

We're also member run to some extent. People make up their own 'what happened previously' part. So at the moment that works for us. Perhaps in the future we'll get more specific on the what happened.

(Oh and if you look on the Thread Tracker it does actually say Wizarding World, not Wizarding London. So an over-sight :lol:)

Anyway, thanks for taking the time in reviewing it.


EDIT :: I've shuffled EVERYTHING around, like it was said that it needed.

Must have misread that bit on Wizarding world, my bad there.

And I think you misunderstood my compunction about the sex thing. there are plenty of shows and things of that nature starring teenage characters that are no longer virgins; they just show the action off camera. the way you have the rules written states that I cant' even do that, which seems rather contradictory with you're "laid back" philosophy.

Also, I was just commenting on you doing the grunt work. It's not a bad thing, as I've seen it on forums before; heck, mine is like that in some respects, because my co-admin is going through some family stuff. Just thought I'd point it out.

And as long as you take the constructive criticism in stride, you'll improve.

It's not a problem. My mistake on not seeing it.

Laid back doesn't mean we're all 60's hippies *giggling*

I always take things as constructive criticism. If I didn't then I wouldn't have put it in for another re-review.

Can't remember who but they commented about the mature forum being in the middle. As the threads finish in the wizarding world they're being hidden so it will be at the bottom shortly.

So does it look better how I've done it now. I know there's a whole bunch I probably haven't done.

Like I said, thanks for taking the time.