A Serious Discussion About Discord

[Sage Leviathan]

Hi. I'm Sage. Pretend this is orange.

Testyourmight (TYM) is the source for competitive Mortal Kombat and Injustice. We have subforums and threads devoted to other video games, but NRS titles are the main attraction. (There are MK sprites in the logo for crying out loud.)

TYM is the reason you know combos and certain techniques for your character.
TYM is the reason you met other players, either in person or on the Internet.
TYM is the reason you know when and where livestreams are being broadcast, and where to find information about pools and other events outside of their own websites.
TYM is the reason you know about online tournaments, who is winning tournaments, and where to go so that you might enter.
TYM is the reason you're able to discuss (more or less freely) what you want regarding characters, what they do, and their place in the meta.

Except lately, it hasn't been.

There's this really cool website/mobile app called Discord, where rooms can be invented and people can come together to talk about whatever's on their mind, without the limitations of thread topics or subforums. Discord channels moderate themselves. It's actually a real convenience to my clanmates and I.

The problem, however, is that TYM is specialized for such discussion, and everything that's typed here is tucked away neatly in its proper place. There are hyperlinks on the home page that take you right where you want to go. The biggest headlines of the week are here. So, if you are new either to the FGC or an NRS title, you come here and find... emptiness? But why?

I could go on about the faults in Discord's framework. When you log on, it's difficult to read what you missed while offline. Your messages are restricted to a private audience. It's about impossible to know what message for which you were tagged unless you immediately respond. And its greatest crime: any discussion held on a Discord server is restricted from the world unless copied from there.

Users wouldn't have ever been aware of these Discord servers without TYM in the first place. If you're wondering why your forums are lacking any sort of conversation, here is your answer.

This website's greatest advantage is that it is a public resource to which anyone can contribute, and it's a damn shame we're currently taking this for granted.

 

[methademic]

You shouldn't have to be in 30 discord channels to get a grasp on the game. I miss being able to browse any given character forum and come out feeling like I had an idea of their game plan. Just looking at the mk9/inj1 forums compared to today is depressing.

 

[Marinjuana]

It probably has a better interface for a popular ongoing discussion but as an actual forum for finding information about characters it sucks. I don't want to have to find the right discord, then scroll through pages of BS to find a combo/tech when it could potentially be neatly put together in a thread on TYM.

When I started getting more serious with FG's in MKX, this site was an amazing resource for combos, tech and gameplay. It's definitely not getting as much of that traffic as it deserves.

 

[chores]

i love tym -- i really do.

with that being said, the format is outdated and not mobile friendly. i reminds me of the main site for quake (http://www.esreality.com) -- it looks like its stuck in 2006

i could write a lot more but the general point is this: discord is clearly filling a gap that TYM is not. if i were TYM i would either

A) list and link to all relevant discords in each forum

or

B) incorporate the features that make discord appealing into TYM's default interface


this is not a dig at TYM. it is true for shoryuken.com, dustloop.com, etc

 

[BlooEyedBeast]

I've already said a couple of times, I feel the Discords take away so much from this site and in a way split our community.

 

[A New Angel Is Advent]

I like having discord as a quick reference point. Whether or not it's hurting TYM isn't as important as the notion that it is going to continue regardless. TYM is great for ongoing discussion but the brevity of discord is nice for getting important information that isn't buried among a bunch of Top 5 and MU number opinions.

 

[Tony at Home]

Hi. I'm Sage.

Testyourmight (TYM) is the source for competitive Mortal Kombat and Injustice. We have subforums and threads devoted to other video games, but NRS titles are the main attraction. (There are MK sprites in the logo for crying out loud.)

TYM is the reason you know combos and certain techniques for your character.
TYM is the reason you met other players, either in person or on the Internet.
TYM is the reason you know when and where livestreams are being broadcast, and where to find information about pools and other events outside of their own websites.
TYM is the reason you know about online tournaments, who is winning tournaments, and where to go so that you might enter.
TYM is the reason you're able to discuss (more or less freely) what you want regarding characters, what they do, and their place in the meta.

Except lately, it hasn't been.

There's this really cool website/mobile app called Discord, where rooms can be invented and people can come together to talk about whatever's on their mind, without the limitations of thread topics or subforums. Discord channels moderate themselves. It's actually a real convenience to my clanmates and I.

The problem, however, is that TYM is specialized for such discussion, and everything that's typed here is tucked away neatly in its proper place. There are hyperlinks on the home page that take you right where you want to go. The biggest headlines of the week are here. So, if you are new either to the FGC or an NRS title, you come here and find... emptiness? But why?

I could go on about the faults in Discord's framework. When you log on, it's difficult to read what you missed while offline. Your messages are restricted to a private audience. It's about impossible to know what message for which you were tagged unless you immediately respond. And its greatest crime: any discussion held on a Discord server is restricted from the world unless copied from there.

Users wouldn't have ever been aware of these Discord servers without TYM in the first place. If you're wondering why your forums are lacking any sort of conversation, here is your answer.

This website's greatest advantage is that it is a public resource to which anyone can contribute, and it's a damn shame we're currently taking this for granted.

ftfy

Also agreed. If it's not already there when I get back, I'm making a Grodd general discussion thread immediately after work.

 

[The chosen puddle]

ftfy

Also agreed. If it's not already there when I get back, I'm making a Grodd general discussion thread immediately after work.

Already there lol

 

[Gengar]

TYM is cancer, thats why no one uses it. I only come back now occasionally for Inj info, but i used to log on every single day. this site has lost its luster

 

[RoboCop]

Glad you posted this, @Sage Leviathan. I love Discord for hanging out and getting games with friends, but when I see people posting "Link to the Joker Discord" all I can think is "why does there even need to be a Joker Discord? You can discuss everything here and easily find it later...".

The issue was that TYM had a ban on discussing any aspect of the game when people had early copies. That might have ended up killing TYM in the long run, because people had to go to Discord to discuss characters. Now that the game is out, though, people are still using Discord for their discussions. I think new players join TYM, see that Discord is a thing, and just assume that's what you do; join your character's Discord.

Coming onto TYM and asking for the link to a character Discord is like pulling up to Burger King and asking directions to McDonalds; it's rude and disrespectful. Discord is a competitor; it is taking traffic away from TYM. If you want Discord info, at least do it in a PM rather than a thread or status update. If I were Storms, I'd straight-up ban any Discord links; you're already leaving the site to go there, so fuck you, find the link somewhere else.

I've since left all character-based Discords and now only belong to my clan and general TYM channels. I urge anyone who loves TYM to do the same. Anyone who was around during the releases of MK9, Injustice, and MKX can see that TYM is now just a shadow of what it once was. We're stuck with the nerf and buff threads while all the valuable information is being discussed on Discord. The site is dying and Discord is to blame.

 

[Crusty]

I personally use discord for coming up with tech with other players in my community on the spot.

THEN I plan to post such strategies on tym provided a reasonable amount of time and info I have on my hands.

Discord is good for those who are labbing in real time.

 

[RoboCop]

I personally use discord for coming up with tech with other players in my community on the spot.

THEN I plan to post such strategies on tym provided a reasonable amount of time and info I have on my hands.

Discord is good for those who are labbing in real time.

That's absolutely true, but I believe the costs outweigh the benefits. There won't be a TYM to post the tech on if these trends continue. TYM needs a reliable real-time chat interface. Hell, it already has a shitty chat feature, doesn't it? Maybe a chat thread could be added to the top of each character forum for real-time discussions.

 

[The chosen puddle]

Agree with the post down with discord.

 

[Tony at Home]

Already there lol

Link? I can't find it.

*Edit
Lol, nevermind. Found it. I had the OP on ignore so couldn't see it

 

[Sutter Pain]

The Tekkenzaibatsu discord is really good and the whole site is behind it, I think it's great. Maybe not work for NRS games as well though.

 

[ILuvFightGames]

I wasn't here for the inj1 times but isn't there a lot of traffic right now? I mean the recently replied to threads are always changing. What am I missing?

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

JuanDingo is the reason why I know how to do combos.

 

[Stilll Alive]

Only benefit I could see is I think alot more likely that you find people to play with or lab a common character together. Not that you can't do that here. But people connecting easier with each other can in turn benefit communities

But I do see how it could potentially pose a threat to TYM, but remember your automatically connected to everyone through TYM. Your only able to see and communicate with the channels your a part of through discord. This is more of a central hub while discord is alot more social.

TYM could and should look into following the current trends and give us some sort of a more personable outlet to connect with other players.

 

[Vengeance135]

I've been able to find more games with people on discord then on tym. To me, peoples willingness to learn MU's are stronger on discord then on tym. I csnt tell you how many times I've reached out to people on tym about games and they never respond. I was actually going to make a thread about this issue.

 

[The_Tile]

I dunno why people moan about the mobile TYM so much. I use it all the time and it's fine for me.

Discord however, sucks ass. You can never find any valuable information as it's all buried. You have to be on there 24/7 to make use of it but no real person who a job has time for that.

And all the god damn notifications... Fuck me

 

[BigMacMcLovin]

I hate discord but I've had to succumb due to the lack of discussion coming through here.

I used to love browsing other characters, whether I will ever play then or not, and see what the community was coming up with but that is no longer possible.

I love this website, It turned me into a lover of fighting games, specifically NRS FGs, and I hate to see it just dead at times.

I don't know what, if anything, can be done to fight off discords popularity at the moment. Maybe a TYM app is the way to go? Something similar to discord but links to the website? I'm no tech wizard but that could be possible, right?

More than anything it needs the community to pull together and start to flood the website instead of private chats then maybe will see it resort back to what it was before.

 

[chores]

Glad you posted this, @Sage Leviathan. I love Discord for hanging out and getting games with friends, but when I see people posting "Link to the Joker Discord" all I can think is "why does there even need to be a Joker Discord? You can discuss everything here and easily find it later...".

The issue was that TYM had a ban on discussing any aspect of the game when people had early copies. That might have ended up killing TYM in the long run, because people had to go to Discord to discuss characters. Now that the game is out, though, people are still using Discord for their discussions. I think new players join TYM, see that Discord is a thing, and just assume that's what you do; join your character's Discord.

Coming onto TYM and asking for the link to a character Discord is like pulling up to Burger King and asking directions to McDonalds; it's rude and disrespectful. Discord is a competitor; it is taking traffic away from TYM. If you want Discord info, at least do it in a PM rather than a thread or status update. If I were Storms, I'd straight-up ban any Discord links; you're already leaving the site to go there, so fuck you, find the link somewhere else.

I've since left all character-based Discords and now only belong to my clan and general TYM channels. I urge anyone who loves TYM to do the same. Anyone who was around during the releases of MK9, Injustice, and MKX can see that TYM is now just a shadow of what it once was. We're stuck with the nerf and buff threads while all the valuable information is being discussed on Discord. The site is dying and Discord is to blame.

i dont think banning discord links would help. discord is clearly valuable in some way(s) that TYM is not, otherwise people would prefer the TYM format. this is happening for all community-based gaming websites btw, not just NRS or fighting games. discord has EXPLODED since its founding in 2015 (here is a good article from yesterday https://techcrunch.com/2017/06/07/discord) -- TYM should either compete with discord by integrating similar features or give in to the changing tides and provide comprehensive links to discords and/or steal the pinned data from character discords and repost it. it could serve as a curator of the massive amount of content each discord is generating. i dont think ignoring it will help.

 

[Stilll Alive]

Yeah banning discord links on TYM is definitely some Nazi Germany stuff that's just going to upset people and drive them away, not productive to the issue at all. If they have to do something new with the website to compete then that's what they have to do, just a way of life unfortunately.

If someone legitimately feels they are connecting with more players and getting more education and information on the game through discord then how can you tell them to stop using it?

 

[HellblazerHawkman]

I have never checked out the Canary discord, and I am proud

 

[big_aug]

No one in discord even plays the game. I asked for matches in multiple channels since the game came out. Only two people were ever up for games.

Discord is where I discuss the game because that's where everyone went for some reason. It's actually awful. It is not suited for this purpose. It's good for voice comms (in games that need that, this isnt one) and general chat. Perhaps one channel for all injustice 2 discussion would be fine. A channel for every character is absolutely insane. Overkill for sure.

Even the discord channels are mostly dead except for some random discussion. I sure as hell am not going to go I to every character discord and read that shit. It's all random discussion of random topics with zero organization.

Good luck. You'll need it.