I used to contribute a lot to this site, so I feel like giving some input here:

Gamrconnect 2.0 sounds like a nightmare. While the new data does sound very promising (the more charts the better!), the last thing any part of this site needs is MORE features. If I can be a jerk (which I always am), this site is incredibly bloated, overcomplicated, and slow. Sites that are primarily data or information focused should generally be as linear, fast, and straightforward as possible. Finding the data you want should take you less than 20 seconds most of the time.

New information is fantastic, and new data tools are always welcome. But hell, a lot of great forums are just made using the same generic forum template without any gimmicky features at all. If features get in the way of functionality, then it's completely counterproductive to the cause of the site.

I think I've made this same post half a dozen times, but I still insist that this site actually has a total overhaul that makes it much simpler and more organized. I've been with this site since 2007, and I know that it's never been the speediest or more organized site. But with every update or change, it seems like more gimmicks get added and they don't do anything good for the site except make it more clunky (which actually isn't good). 

I'm just making this post because it sucks that Neogaf has a higher traffic rate and is just a site with two or so boards and not much else.

Yeah. I'll have to side with Montana on some of this. VGC needs to be streamlined in a big, bad way. I've been on the site since late 2006 or so and I can't find stuff anymore. There are just too many links, whizbangs, and doo-dads cluttering up my screen and unless I've used that feature before, it takes me a few minutes to find it.

On the other hand, there are soooo many things I don't use, nor do I see much of a use for on the site. I'm sure a few users like the stuff but there comes a point where you have to look at the good of the site versus placating 5% of your userbase.

I'm still very insulted that I lost all these points because my banners were replaced. And I'm not the only one. We were rather ignored.

I used to contribute a lot to the game database. Oh well, your loss.

Make the site more text-based. I don't really think everything needs an image for it. For example, Gamrreview has pictures for all of the reviews, an ad for Black Ops, pictures for the Hot Games, Top News, screenshots, and other things. And if that wasn't bad enough, it also has a gigantic pop-up ad. NOT TO MENTION that the very first picture is of giant breasts.

I wouldn't even mind that the site is a little clunky if it was at least faster. One of the reasons I lose my patience with Vgchartz is because everything takes so long to load. It's like having Dial-Up again! On my laptop, I can load other gaming sites pretty quickly and easy. After the inital slow load, Gamespot and IGN are pretty quick and easy to use. Gamefaqs and NeoGAF are just about instant. With Vgchartz, it feels like I have to go through several pages to get to the content I want, and it takes a while to load everything because every page is really long and filled with tons of images and pop-ups and banner ads.

I'm not an expert in web design. I don't really know much about it at all. But I do know that I like quick and easy sites that are easy to navigate. In fact, you probably don't even have to streamline the site. Just make it faster to load.

I understand. You have a constantly-evolving need to add features as you attract new users. My point is that you should consider trimming some of the older, unused features that take up screen space. Going back to a system more similar to the older forums is a good start. The new system is pretty frustrating at times.

One quibble I have with the site is that I accidentally click on the side bar ads FAR too often. I have multiple windows open all the time and when I click back to Chrome or FF, I often end up clicking through to an ad that I didn't want to see. I don't run ad blockers because you are providing a free service to us and I don't want to slap you in the face by blocking that revenue stream. On the other hand, making it so I'm not constantly going "whoops" and closing unwanted advertising tabs is a fair trade in that arrangement, I believe.

Oh, and change the load order of the forum. I'm constantly clicking on a thread I've posted in already (using the handy-dandy recent posts bar on the left of everyone's forum screen, a feature I love), only to accidentally click on "Settings" or something like that because that menu ALWAYS populates last and jumps the "personal recent posts" menu below my cursor. Drives me insane, actually. It's kind of hard to explain and I can clarify if you like.

Of course, that would be fixed by a speed boost on the site. If a page didn't take so long to populate, I wouldn't be moving the cursor and trying to get into a new area before the page finished loading.

I've already disabled sigs so that's not the problem. Honestly, just getting rid of that side menu with Settings/Features/etc. would go miles to making me a happier camper.

Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for 3.0. I have a few complaints but honestly, what you're doing here is great and if you implement some changes to the forum, that will silence most of my complaints. You probably don't hear it often but thanks for providing everyone with this site... for FREE. People like to bitch about free shit on the Internet but what you've built here is impressive and some of us appreciate it.

If you ever get around to it, a mobile version of the main page and forums would be a god-send. We don't need access to everything but a pared-down version of the charts and forums would be great.

Fair enough. I don't usually complain about site changes. I work in IT and web development and understand that changes must be made and features added. I give any changes time to see if I adjust to the changes and then decide whether it's worth saying something about or not. I just spent the past 20 minutes browsing the site and found what I was looking for (mostly). The overall layout works pretty well, there's just SO MUCH to filter through that it can be overwhelming.

One thing, though... how on earth do I filter articles? I was reading a thread about editorials and wanted to take a look at some of the recent op-eds but couldn't figure out how to filter articles by category.

Scratch that, I figured it out. Me r stoopid. It's not entirely obvious how to do it, though.

New gamrconnect? Does that mean that the PM system will be fixed?

I personally love this site, and don't see how other people see it as being slow, because I've never had issues.

The ONE thing that I request to get fixed, however.  Allow us to use the plus sign, lol.