How best to keep the Squadron going?

[Obi-Shawn]

As I build the new version of the H-Wing (Z-Wing, actually) I thought we should take a look at how best to keep Road Squadron going. Few folk seem to come here any more, so should we re-evaluate? What is the best place for us to commune? Facebook? Google?

Any ideas?

[skai]

I would favor Google, or better yet, Yahoo. I would get regular notification when stuff was happening here.

I dropped out of Facebook after my account got hijacked.

[Darth Marmalade]

I like having this site out in the open like this, but it has been awfully quiet. I'm on Facebook a lot more than Yahoo, and haven't explored Google groups at all. I don't know what the best option would be. I know there are a lot more spaceship and sci-fi cars than are represented here, but how to organize their owners, or at least attract their attention? Don't know.

[[e-mail]]

So, I've just registered here for a variety of reasons. Mainly Obi-Shawn's H-wing being just too awesome not to stalk online, the regret of not pimping my New Beetle into a TIE-fighter based design, and my new journey to finally embrace my inner Starwars Nerd (TI designation and 2 droids in the works!)

So this topic I guess is appropriate for me to comment on because I'm one of those new people you'd like to have around here more often I'm guessing. If I could toss in an un-solicited 2 cents here...

Google and Facebook groups won't give you the same dynamic you have on a discussion forum stand-alone website like you have here. Take that into consideration. In my years in the Volkswagen community, and being a professional network nerd, I can tell you that a combination of things is probably what you'd like.

Accept that you can't tell EVERYONE about the site because, they all use different ways to interact. Having said that, most of the free world is Facebooked, so a "fan page" there would be a good way to go. Groups on facebook give you a bit more room to discuss things, but using a fan page tends to get A LOT more notice (people can "become a fan!" and all their friends instantly see), and can be just great for directing people to your website (here) where you keep the meat and potatoes content. I've done this with a project I started that had a great catchy domain name, and was getting talked up in discussion forums all over, but wasn't seeing many actual new users. My registered user count went up 10x in about a week, and more importantly I've seen about 10x more in steady traffic on the front page (where I hope to put some ads soon)

Domain name. Who started this whole thing and who is up administering a discussion forum into the future? Both of those people (or if they're they same, that person), should consider making sure everything dumps to the main domain when mentioned around the net as much as possible. I got sent a link directly to the proboards.com sub-domain, which makes me instantly doubt the longevity of a group, or the level of content within it. I noticed RoadSquadron.com was infact registered and leads back here, which is good.

501st, R2 Builders, etc... talk up your community with other communities that have a related, yet not competitive content focus. I actually also found this forum through a mention of one of Katie's photos of her and an R2 dome, on Astromech.net!

Lastly.... PHOTOS. Again harking back to my VW show days, I can't stress enough how photos make the difference. The internet has the attention span of a gnat, and even a car nerd gets wall-of-text-itis with the mods lists and discussion now and then. Put in some eye candy wherever you can (a gallery sub forum?) and that will appease the casual passer by and entice them to look deeper and, hopefully, get involved with the community.

Now... I'm off to spend my kids college funds on droid parts for me and the wife, and shop for a vynil shop that can cute me some stickers for my Honda Element, which will become my droid transport vehicle. I'm thinking of doing a spoof of an in-home droid repair department of the empire This should be fun...

[tom0]

Hi All, I'm new here, but would like to encourage you to keep it rolling. TiePilot, you hit the nail on the head. Photos, and lurking(to an extent) should be encouraged. I'm a fixya guy(T0Max), lifelong gearhead, and artnerd. Recently I've have been challenged by a buddy of mine to "turn his echo into an A-wing" while he is deployed in Afghanistan. Your site has been most encouraging and quite enlightening.

I'll admit that I considered being a mere lurker, but feel that the work you folks do deserves a heck of a lot more then that.

So, that said if any of you mini-mopar folks (I think I spied a Neon and a shadow) have any performance questions hit me up.

Also, I noticed on the site that Red5 was asking about street legality, Let me get a "treatise" together on that one. I have some experience with that (in a good and bad way)

Looking forward to doing some great things with you all.

May the Force be with you.

[Red Two]

I dont know my last post date, but it's a while. Truth is, there has been no movement on my own car until now and there seemed little point to mention nothing is going on. But things do change over time and to lose this forum would be a loss. I keep getting a dialogue box popping open asking me to sign into roadsquadron.com. I"m not even visiting that site by being here, so can't figure that out...

But if you advertise on those other outlets to point to here, that's cool. I'm one of the non-fb'ers around and don't intend to change that

I thought I saw that Shawn had started up an alternate flight squad? Was that based on having the uniforms more than the car?

Anyhow. I'm gonna go post my update if I can find my threads again.

Keep RS forum going!

...After a look around...

The place does need a cleaning. The last time I was here there was talk about spreading some admin powers around and some possible category redesign. There should be a full gallery forum, for example.

The whole thing needs a wash. Happy to do it or collaborate. Just need some admin powers. That's a big killer here is no one to admin properly or have a staff to do it.

Someone had been talking to Katie about taking over, but that's nearly 2yrs ago. Doesn't sound or look like much has changed.

[Darth Marmalade]

Greetings, Blue Leader. Your car looks good! Mine was stolen last May. Insurance paid me some money for it, and I've got another car that I want to decorate in Star Wars fashion, but so far, no progress there. Things are awfully quiet around here, even though I know that there are other sci-fi cars out there. Keep us informed of your progress.