HEY!
...sorry for shouting.
Before you make any judgements about this suggestion, I want to make this VERY, VERY CLEAR. So clear, I wrote it in all caps just to show how much I need you to pay attention!
The last time this was suggested, everybody made this mistake I need to address, as it hit a point where one of our b-crats even closed the idea, due to making this mistake. And that mistake is...
General Discussion is NOT Off-Topic. They are different! Not equal to each other! 1 does not equal 2, red does not equal blue, like General Discussion does not equal Off-Topic, too!
Within the context of this suggestion, General Discussion is a category used for things that are about the PvZ Wikia or PvZ, but do not file under it. Off-Topic, however, is used for things that are NOT about the PvZ Wikia or PvZ.
The best example I can think of is the forum I frequent, which is also the home of the forums for the online idle game "Cookie Clicker", among Orteil's other creations. You can see it here.
There, general Discussion is used for discussion about the game(s) that are not covered by other topics. However, there is a different category altogether, titled Off-Topic, which is for topics not about CC, IGM, or any of Orteil's projects.
"But Caaaam, General Discussion is for non-PvZ stuff anyhow!"
Yes, while there's nothing saying you can't use General Discussion for non-PvZ (wikia) things, what is it most frequently used for, to the point of it basically being, for all intents and purposes, an "other PvZ things not covered by other branches" branch?
Gee, despite it supposedly being this "same thing as Off-Topic", it sure is being used for not off-topic purposes! In fact, it seems pretty on-topic to me! Literally 99% of the threads in recent memory are PvZ or PvZ Wiki related!
I've only seen one thread, let me repeat, ONE. THREAD. That was both worth having it's own thread, and not related to PvZ, nor the wiki. Out of the past, oh, 5 1/3 MONTHS.
The rest? All PvZ related. All PvZ Wiki related. All have the same core topic of PvZ, despite being a supposed "off-topic" branch! In fact, it hits a point where it almost feels misplaced to see a thread not about PvZ in General Discussion!
Do you understand? If not, do not vote on this thread, and do not, I repeat, do NOT blindly oppose. If you do, however, you can vote.
Now, on with the actual suggestion, that'll be incredibly pitiful compared to this.
Currently, we lack any form of Off-Topic section on our forums. Sure, we have general discussion, but that's for PvZ related stuff.
What really keeps me active on forums is an Off-Topic. I want to stick with this community, on account of both being staff, loving PvZ, and that you all seem very nice from the almost 100 (can you belieil?) days I've spent here.
However, for people who can't keep up with the fast paced discussions chat brings, like me, forums are a lot better. And yet, we don't have any Off-Topic branch? This honestly kind of upsets me a little.
I can't talk about other things I enjoy, such as my musical tastes, or the games I play/am playing, like the Binding of Isaac or Anti-Idle: The Game, without going to chat, a platform of communication I personally cannot use effectively, or keep track of. I do have the aforementioned forum I mentioned in the disclaimer, yes. But there's low moderation there, and that's also going off track.
My point is, I want to see an off-topic branch. Not a General Discussion branch I am sure several people can, and likely will, mistake this for, but the off-topic branch I see in my head. Of course, even if General Discussion is supposed to be the "off-topic" branch, it should be named that. It should be used for that. It should be known for that. To bring this community together, and to also make the forums, well, a forum.
Sincerely,~The zombiez
~Camwood777