[!!!]

When I suggest things that are to be done (should, could, can, will, etc.), I say this in the event that God is willing. That being said, let me continue this post:

It's not necessarily "not having a life", but it would be a real, interactive, evolving community. When areas start to die off, the statistics will notice it and perhaps, depending on the previous "binge level" and the now "withdraw" will be a reaction.

Essentially, if there are members who don't even use some forum areas, in their house those areas would have maybe some spiderwebs or something on them and their colors would be darker, dimmed, and further at the bottom (maybe a black background with light text to indicate the lights are out). There would be lots of variations, allowing for lots of possibilities and a strong, evolving system.

When people log on, they can be taken directly to their house and then see a "bulletin posting" or some sort of "flyer" which details the recent activity/activies. They can view statistics of members in their own neighborhood, in their house, their town, country, and so on. So, basically, people can get a bird's-eye-view of the place.

This way people can view the forums based on the community, and not necessarily some built-in or personally defined settings...so, yes, I guess it is sort of like life, but at the same time, that doesn't mean people need to treat it like it's their life, investing all their time on the forums just because they're so nice and revolutionary. Rather, it's a whole new light in online communities and message boards.

So, now, members can have houses (sort of like blogs) and whatnot, and decorate their yards which will be seen by passer-bys and guests, etc. They can, apart from their rooms (maybe there will be something like an "inner room", or "living room") and apart from their activities elsewhere, they can, in their houses, post threads and personal things, sort of like their own sub-forum. Then, they can moderate their own houses--they can deem some members as "burglers" or something, or "intruders", they can require that threads be approved before they show up, etc.

Then, they can (with limited access/power) also post and be active in their own neighborhood, then also in their town, then their county, country, planet, galaxy, and so forth--whatever. Basically it's like a community road-map, and who knows, maybe there could be some sort of interactive graphical map which has routes and roadways and whatnot that display the communities graphically so that you can view them all on a single page. Then, there could be flashing red dots or something on individual houses when someone who lives there is online...and, a watcher can click on that house, or dot, or whatever, and then be taken to that local area (and, when they go to different areas, the environment, statistics, activity, etc. will all be unique, as the communities evolve and settle in, because of the unique characteristics, personalities, etc. of everyone in real life who operate the areas).

So, basically, this gives online communities relativity...taking forums to the next level. Communities should be built on interests, as well.

Yes, it would be a lot of work and it would require lots of graphics, thinking, and innovation, but if someone is willing to jump start the project, perhaps I and other people can help them build on to it to help make it even more complete--because I am aware that this is a big system and idea, and would require lots of different options, statistics, and all sorts of things that would need to be conceived (thought up) and figured out, worked out, and created in order to make it all useful, better, and worthwhile.

But, when all is said and done, the hopes are that it would, indeed, lead to a real, evolving community (a democracy of some sort) by which would make the old ways of forums (particularly intensely involved forums) obsolete, and at the same time all of these capabilities should not be confusing to anyone, nor may it difficult to navigate. Why? Because with a roadmap that gives it all unique environments and habitats, there should be still a forum (a gathering area) which brings it all together.

Sorry for babbling on and perhaps suggesting such a complex idea...but, hey, there has been more complexly scripted things before (even if they aren't for vbulletin)--and vbulletin itself took a lot of work, so it's useless to refuse to take things to the next level if they can potentially improve things drastically just because hard work is involved. But, at the same time, I am not much of a scripter, so far be it from me to judge (lest I too be judged).

Originally Posted by amykhar

The one flaw I see with the idea is the allowing the users to decorate their "houses" or rooms which would essentially be forums. A similar hack was found by jelsoft to be a violation of the license agreement.

Really? I'd like to hear more on that. And, besides, if people can have their own signature, avatar, and caption (and their own username, posting style, etc.), then what's wrong with allowing them to change the color(s) of the tables' backgrounds?...and, also the fonts and whatnot? I'd like to know more.