Modding on the Spectrum

Recently, I came to the conclusion that the true heart of the Spectrum is the Modding hub. A long time I wasn't sure where I put the focus on - more on the mods or more on the neurodivergent side. The activity in the neurodivergent sections were altogether a lot less than in the Modding hub. That's why I had put the Neurodiversity hub to a more prominent position some months ago. But it didn't help to increase the activity there. I think the users need more time until they get used to talking about these sensible topics. It's easier to talk about mods and gaming. And the Spectrum is a forum about mods and gaming after all. So I moved the Modding hub back to its old position which it had in the early days of the board, below the Forum Related Stuff area.

In addition, I moved the specific neurodivergent sections Autism, ADHD/ADD and Co. to the new category Specific Neurodivergent Sections which is below the Neurodiversity - General Discussion in the board index.

Regarding my own posts and topics, I already shifted them towards the modding side. I will still post topics related to neurodiversity and mental health from time to time.

I plan to translate some of my mod creation tutorials for various games to English and publish them in the next weeks and months on the Spectrum. When I'm doing this I could finish an unfinished tutorial for Fallout 4, too. And I have ideas for new tutorials... but first things first.

Edit:

Complementary to the shift in focus, I changed the board's tagline from "Neurodivergent mod users and authors united" to "Gaming and modding in all facets of life". Because life is a spectrum, too:

Life is a spectrum with extremes at either end, and in the middle, there is balance. The experience of life has the potential to be whatever we make of it.

There will be a shift in focus in the Neurodiversity hub as well that complies with the new tagline. The first step is renaming this hub. I think the new name will probably be "Mental Health". What are your suggestions for the new name?

I have another idea for the new name of the Neurodiversity hub:

the "Life" hub

and the Mental Health forum would be part of it. Neurodivergent topics could be marked with appropriate tags (e.g. "ADHD" or "Autism"). This means that I consider putting the neurodivergent categories aside (not deleting them completely, just making them inaccessible so they can be reactivated if needed).


If things didn't work out the way you hoped (in this case the activity in the neurodivergent sections), then it's time to try something new.


Edit:

I tested the "Life" hub idea in the test forum on my local machine: If you have a better name for this hub and/or ideas for additional subforums that fit this category, please don't hesitate to post them in the thread.

I am a bit bit confused. What's wrong with "Neurodiversity"? That's part of what this forum, Modding on the Spectrum, is about.

Generally, it's nothing wrong with Neurodiversity. The circumstances are bothering me. All my efforts to raise the activity in the neurodivergent sections of the board didn't have the desired outcome. The forum is not only about Neurodiversity. It's about mods and gaming, too. I didn't say I gave up neurodiversity. It will always be a part of the Spectrum (just in a different form). I never considered it the central aspect of the board. Initially, it had the same importance as the modding/gaming sections, or rather I couldn't decide which one is more important. So I tried to concentrate on both subjects equally. Eventually, this contributed to my recent exhaustion besides other things (I slowly get better). But where should the focus of the board be now? I looked at how I see myself. I'm not only my neurodivergent conditions. I'm a mod user and a mod author for so many years. It's a big part of my life and my passion. The whole neurodivergent stuff came a lot later.

To be honest, I wasn't completely content with the Neurodiversity label but kept it because I had no ideas for "better" names at the time. At the very beginning, before the board came into existence, I only wanted to address mod authors on the Autistic Spectrum (hence the name of the board). Then I realized that this is too limiting. So I included the mod users that are autistic as well. The initial idea took on more and more concrete forms (see the development thread on AFK Mods). Other neurodivergent conditions like ADHD or High Sensitivity were integrated. You can say that I extended the target groups each time.

Soon I wanted to address everyone. Because everyone can struggle in life, not only neurodivergent people. And now I remember how I got the idea to rethink the main emphasis of the board. I read Steven's description of Modding on the Spectrum in his Helpful Links and References, Section 6 - Miscellaneous guide on Steam:

As gamers we've heard it all: "Why don't you get some fresh air instead of sitting in front of that screen?" "Playing games at your age? Shouldn't you be doing something useful?" "Haven't you got anything better to do?" and, even, "Why don't you take the grand-kids for a walk?" Not all the time, but I'm sure often enough. And as far as talking about the game to others, often we may get that strange, sidelong, look and "Uh, what are you talking about?" and so we find ourselves in a forum, where other like minded individuals may be.

But for some, and indeed all too many, there are other things, as well. Issues that some of us may deal with every day, issues that may make it harder for us to cope, issues for which even if you can talk about what is bothering you, people still just don't get the gaming part. Well now there is a place - a place for everyone to gather - whether they are just enthusiastic players of games, or also suffer from some personal challenges. Modding on the Spectrum. All are welcome! If you just enjoy games and like discussing them, that is the place. Do you find that you are afflicted with troubling issues and that gaming helps to alleviate those issues? That is the place! Do you like just shooting the breeze with others - even things not related to games - yes, Modding on the Spectrum is the place.

I had put the plans aside because they were things which had more precedence. My need to step back gave them room again. They are still a work in progress and therefore may be subject to change (i.e. when I got other ideas and/or take your suggestions into account).


Edit:

Regarding raising the actitivity in the neurodiversity hub, I forgot to try one thing:

Lifting the posting restrictions in the specific neurodivergent sections.

Edit 2:

I came up with a new idea for the restructuring of the Neurodiversity (soon "Life") hub.

[ Life ]

• About the Life hub*
• Mental Health
• Neurodiversity

* a link to a thread with a guide about where to post what in this hub. Additionally, it contains hints regarding the hide tag and the use of the (upcoming) neurodivergent tags ("ADHD", "Autism" and so on).


Edit 3:

I tested the idea from the second edit of this post in the test forum:

I will sleep over my ideas one more time (this time the ones from the three edits of the previous post). If I'm still content with them and if any objections haven't been raised until then, I will integrate these ideas into the live forum tomorrow.

Edit:

No, I haven't slept yet. My mind can't stand still right now. Before I try to go to bed, I want to let you know that I will implement only a few of the ideas that I got recently. I realized that intregrating all at once may be too much. Which ideas made it onto the shortlist remains a surprise