I voted “Something else” and here is my idea: Why not create an StackExchange site for unreal engine that is part of the official StackExchange network? Yes, this would give up control but this is THE industry standard for anything Q&A.
I’d definitely support this direction, an UE specific StackOverflow network.
Personally, I really don’t feel like the forum is able to support a Q&A. Usually, when looking for any programming question, I check out the StackOverflow answers for a post with the most votes, choose whichever I like best, check the comments if there’s any drawback for such solution, and upvote it if it worked. If it was in this forum… I don’t know how I could see the answers, and the answer-specific considerations. If I’d like to understand how events work, I’m not looking for a long discussion… I’m looking for facts. THIS is how events in UE work, THIS is what to pay attention to, and THIS is the place to find more information in this topic. If I’d like to achieve something complicated in BP, I don’t want to read 52 pages of discussion… I’d like to see the 3 options I have, preferably with references, pros/cons, links to learn more - so, like on Stack Overflow.
Of course, I understand that the distribution of information is an issue, but it’s maybe because it’s not well separated. In my understanding, the Forum should be used for all questions, which are project specific, personal, not relevant to the larger ecosystem. Like, “why my code no works ???”, or “How can I put this sword into this characters hand on this test level”. These don’t belong to Q&A, as these are only helpful for the OP; so these are perfect on the forums. However, “How to add a component of a runtime class to an actor in BPs?” is something I’d like to see on Q&A, with multiple different answers, preferably up-to-date ones too which reflect the most recent changes the engine provides to solve the problem better.
This distinction might not always be super-clear, there are always gray areas, but I feel like sticking to a “technical questions useful for the community belongs to Q&A, others to the forum” is less of a burden than moving Q&A to the forums, losing a lot of features which are expected to exist in a Q&A.
What you might also consider is that people like getting things, even if they are virtual. Stack Overflow works, because (besides getting great questions instead of the same ones beginners ask all over again without any way of filtering them out) with great questions / great answers you increase your standing in the community, you get virtual scores with which you look more professional / cool / whatever. It was similar with the old forum - when you saw someone with like 7 badges and 3000 posts, you knew that you’re dealing with someone who knows their sh*t. I have even written to a mod once when I didn’t get my badge automatically, because it simply looked cool to have, it was a great incentive; now, on the forums it is totally gone; my posts look the same as John Doe’s, who just joined yesterday and spreads technical misinformation, I’m just one “K” of the hundreds, so I really don’t care anymore if I get a badge or not, because, simply, nobody’s gonna know about it. I can accept it. But if now, Q&A will have even less “virtual swag” than it had before (the AH scores), I feel like much less professionals will care about answering questions (there is already not enough).
Btw, I really see it positive that you’re getting in touch with the community regarding such issues. However, I do see the “voting” part a bit less useful. It’s like asking a farmer in Chesterfield if the country should leave the EU. “They are stealing my things!”, so of course he’d say yes, but that’s because he is unable to comprehend all the macro-level changes that happens afterwards, because simply that’s not his profession, he cannot see all the interconnected systems of the economy, etc. Similarly, whichever option “wins” at the end, it might seem that “yeah, it’s what people want”, but at the end it might result in much more negative effects that the people who voted didn’t see into / expected.
Of course, it’s just my 2 cents, maybe it’ll turn out just fine, I just wanted to share my thoughts. Thanks again for involving the community in the discussion!