DarrkPhoenix: Splitting up a forum too much can really end up dividing and ultimately killing off the community. There might be enough post volume here to justify splitting the general discussion forum into gaming/non-gaming sub-forums, but I'd still be a bit worried even with that split. If the post volume doesn't end up being near a 50/50 split, then what will probably happen is that the sub-forum with less post volume will end up seeing less and less activity, as threads get started in the other sub-forum (regardless of which sub-forum they belong in) just to ensure that the thread gets noticed and replied to.
Such a split also tends to require some degree of forum moderation to ensure threads get placed in the correct forum, and to merge threads that cover the same topic but which get started in both sub-forums.
Overall, I don't think that this is the right time for the GOG general discussion forum to get split up. Maybe if the current post-volume doubles then such a split would make a lot more sense, but right now such a split probably wouldn't be the best idea.
This, on all counts.
Though even in the optimal case of a 50/50 split, like StingingVelvet I probably wouldn't ever visit the OT forum. I occasionally add my 2 cents into non-gaming related threads on GOG, but in nearly every online forum I've been a member of the Off-Topic forum is invariably filled with politics/religion/environmental debate threads (as well as other stuff that never fail to be provocateurs, like pro-Eugenics, gender warfare/bitching, and all people, places, and things WW2) that swell to elephantine size and take an express train to nowhere fast. 95% of what's written doesn't sway other peoples' minds, but it you can be assured that a lot of adrenalin and cortisol gets pumping as people snarl and fume.
I prefer to visit other sites and online rags that have a broad cultural focus for that sort of thing anyway, like Salon/Slate/NPR.org/NYTimes.com, which also have their own comment sections.
