Beasts of Beyond has ran on Simple Machines Forums (SMF) 2.0 for almost six years now. Our users have gotten used to the platform and found it is comfortable. Even so, SMF has upgraded to 2.1 and is in the process of creating 3.0. The last update to 2.0 was in 2021, leaving us behind by two years, and potentially more if we do not upgrade. While I would love to stick with SMF, I have been running into issues with upgrading to 2.1.

Three of our key modifications are out of date and cannot run on 2.1 without changes. Those being post templates, BBCode template coding, and subaccounts. I have managed to get BBCode template coding working, but the ability to save post templates and switch between accounts is something I will have to commission. After consulting some coders, the estimate for work is around $850 and it would take several months to finish. This does not include the other fees I have to take to keep the site hosted.

We can try to fundraise to stick to a familiar platform and upgrade our modifications accordingly. It may take some time, but I do believe we could do it. That said, there are other options.

Another option would be switching platforms. There are multiple options, but I have greatly considered MyBB and Xenforo as possible additions. MyBB is free, while Xenforo is paid forum software and is significantly pricier than what we are dealing with now (especially if not self-hosted). To make things simpler and easier to read, I will include a table pointing out the difference between each platform below.

Our final option is to stick with 2.0 and pray that things will get updated eventually... Truthfully, I do not see this happening though. The modifications mentioned have been abandoned and not updated within years. It is highly unlikely that something will come to replace it, especially so quickly. I worry that sticking with 2.0 will cause us to lose out on modern technology and, in the end, be more trouble than it's worth. While I love SMF, I cannot help but prioritize what is best for us.

To see our options, please check out the table below.
I would like to hear your in-depth thoughts about each option, not just a vote. This is a big decision that will effect our site's future.

Personally, I am conflicted. SMF's community has always been welcoming and has gladly assisted us with our many issues, but we are being held back from upgrading (due to cost and time). If we upgrade to 2.1 without fundraising, we can always just login between accounts or use post templates to signify what character we are roleplaying... That is not my favorite idea though.

On the other hand, MyBB is a free platform that includes a lot of the features that we already have. It does lack an up-to-date shop feature and that is a big part of our site too. This platform also has slightly working modifications to have post templates work, but it's not exactly ideal. That is why it's listed as 'somewhat.'

Xenforo is a paid platform. This can be fundraised, but I can also shoulder the costs myself. We would be losing posting templates with this platform.

Overall, I want to stick with what we know, but at what cost? This is WHY I want your input.

I am going to note that MyBB’s shop plug-in has been announced to have a new developer that’ll be keeping it up to date. Please disregard that section of the table.