How to make a simple forum?

[GOKuCommander]

I want to make a forum for my Call of Duty Xbox clan. I have barely any experience with making forums. If anybody could help it would be greatly appreciated.

[Amdac]

Setting up a forum is extremely easy. It's as simple as uploading the software of your choice, creating a database in cpanel (1 click), and running through the web based installation. Setting up categories and basic site settings are done through the software's admin panel.

 

What you do beyond that is where it may take more skill and effort. Everything from installing add-ons, custom template designs, etc.

 

From my own polls myBB seems to be the free platform of choice, while IPB and Xenforo are the paid platforms most would recommend.

[CityGirlLuv]

Amdac is right on the money with everything. I just wanted to add in the fact that if you decide to have some moderators, make sure you fully trust the people. Reason being is that you don't want anyone banning you from your own forum and then taking over. You wouldn't imagine how many times this has happened in the past and it still to this day continues to happen. A great Google search will help you in getting comfortable with everything as there are tons of sites with articles catered towards setting up and managing your own forum.

[TheDespite]

Your clan is most probably not going to need any fancy forum. As an option to the above answers I would suggest you take a look into premade and free hosted forums such as Forumotion

[Thomas]

*starts to write a guide*

[SpikeTheLobster]

Just yesterday, I discovered bbPress - WordPress's incredibly simple forum. Takes about three minutes to set up and looks/feels like WordPress. You can even tie it in to a blog.

 

As forums go, it's VERY light. You have virtually no control over the look (without building stuff yourself) and none of the cool features of bigger forum installs. But then it's phenomenally fast, easy as pie to set up and dead simple to use. If all you want is a very basic setup, it's a heck of a lot easier than trying to find options in most forum control panels and stuff.

 

Just another option to consider.

[crumblepie]

From what I understand, you are not going to be monetizing this forum, right? Forums typically take a lot of time and money to setup, upgrade, maintain, moderate and advertise. I would highly recommend you to opt for a free forum at http://www.proboards.com (I have no affiliations with them, I just lurk on a lot of their forums and know what a great system they have). That way, the only thing you have to focus on is advertising, if you even need new clan members in the first place. If not, problem solved

[Godric]

If you want to go the free way then go with 000webhost and PhPbb. They are the best combination I see now.

Although it would have been much easier with Paid hosting with 1 click installs. Go for hostgator.

There is a 25% discount coupon " rapidranking" and another is "rapidranking4u"