Board Thread:Wiki news and announcements/@comment-1585211-20131207142428/@comment-5065259-20131214155824

King Starscream wrote: I'm not sure if I can add too much to this, but thanks for asking for my opinion NM8 :)

I think a merge and name change is a good idea, largely because of reasons I have discussed in other threads: too many wikis with the same information just breaks up the community based on their preferred site. Now, this IS the NERF Wiki, so I assume that it would focus solely or mostly on Nerf specifically; removing the OffBrand prefix kind of warrants a change to the name. Dart Blaster Wiki is a good name, if the existing one is willing to share it or give it to us. Off Brand should only really be used if the dart blasters of a given manufacturer are not a brand in and of themselves, like the cheap-o stuff you find in drug stores and gas stations.

Multiple portals within the wiki for the different brands doesn't so much create a divide as much as organize the site better. Portals are really just ways to quickly navigate based on brand rather than lumping it all together. There can still be shared categories between the different portals, which I believe will help show that they're more similar than some would believe. For example, Buzz Bee's shotgun style blaster and the Sledgefire both use shells, so despite being different brands they'd share a category.

Short summary: Brand portals would be a good idea, with Off Brand being toys made by really small names. Portals are just for navigation, not breaking the site up. I think if we can do this right we can make Wiki as big and influential as TFWiki.

Thanks for your opinion, it is appreciated that you took the time to join the discussion. That's what i have been saying since the name of this is the "nerf wiki" which means the focus will be on nerf not on other brands. i'm also not seeing from jet's point of view that nerf means both the brand and hobby; collecting dart/water blasters is THE hobby. Nerf is a brand and not a hobby. i don't see how that is difficult to understand. it could just be due to the fact that no one has decided to fix this up at the level that i am at. You pretty much summarized what i started to do on DBE regarding the portals. i completely agree with you on the portals, its better organization and better display of content. i am actually working on a new portal system to replace the current one on DBE and will be much more advanced. the current one only allows linking to one article, the new one will go beyond that. Since i have already been doing research, the following brands should be considered to be included to the new wiki as otherwise its a waste of effort...
 * Nerf: is one of many dart blaster brands, just because its dominant doesn't mean that it should be given special treatment!
 * Buzz Bee: is nerf's main competitor, does better in water blasters considerably well
 * Lanard
 * X-Shot
 * Prime Time Toys: why not, its not like it doesn't exist!
 * Jump Zone
 * Dart Zone
 * Tek Recon: its new and has been since its announcement supported by the majority of blogs with the exception of the critics (NMR/Tactical Tag)

The first wave of inactive wikis were recently closed and redirected to Nerf Wiki due to the discussion that i linked staff to (Phase 1).

i'm not sure i quite follow what you mean by name change if we move off-brand off nerf wiki?

at this point we have a split of users in support, neutral and opposing this effort. Bsim is leaning towards opposing but if reasons convincing would support this split. just to remind everyone that the vote is based on what is said from both the thread here and the one that GameGear360 started on NBW, it is in no way my stance. this is only reporting information to help move the discussion along.