NuroPicks Discord Structure Proposal

Target structure for guild 1493431898049876140 to replace the current 11-category / 68-channel sprawl with a tight, research-backed 5-category layout. Goal: premium feel, fast onboarding, clear free vs paid preview.

Based on the sequencing research brief (2026-04-21): Discord UX must be locked before any paid push. A bloated server feels like a pump-and-dump group; a tight one feels like a product.

Proposed layout (5 categories, ~16 channels)

1. WELCOME (read-only announcements + entry)

#welcome - pinned welcome message + rules + how-it-works in 60 seconds
#rules - explicit rules, auto-enforced by bot
#verify - reaction role to acknowledge rules + age gate (21+)
#announcements - platform updates, model retrain notices, policy changes

2. FREE PICKS (public, 1-2 picks/day + ledger)

#free-picks - bot-posted AI picks, 1-2 per day during active slates
#record - bot-written append-only ledger (mirrors nuropicks.com/record)
#results - daily grading recap posted after slate settles

3. EDUCATION (evergreen, builds trust + retention)

#bankroll-101 - Kelly, unit sizing, CLV explainers
#glossary - betting terms, markets, vig math
#academy - link out to /glossary + /how-it-works + quizzes

4. COMMUNITY (conversational, moderated)

#general - main chat, moderated, no links-to-other-services
#wins-and-losses - personal bet slip sharing, no solicitation
#requests - feature + sport coverage requests

5. PREMIUM PREVIEW (locked category, teaser for paid)

#premium-sample - 1 pinned sample premium embed per sport
#upgrade - single pinned upgrade CTA with pricing link
(locked channels below unlock on paid-role assignment)

Paid-only (hidden until role granted)

#premium-picks - all premium picks, 3-5 per day during NBA/NFL slates
#premium-record - premium-only ledger
#office-hours - weekly voice/text Q&A thread

Role ladder

@New - default on join, can read #welcome + #rules only
@Verified - after /verify reaction, can read all free channels
@Active - auto-applied at 7 messages in #general (keep it light)
@Pro - paid tier, unlocks premium category
@OG - founding member, role granted manually by David

Migration plan

Export current channel/role state (audit log) - one-time via Discord API
Announce the migration in #announcements 48h before, with FAQ
Move retained channels into new categories (preserve IDs where possible)
Archive deprecated channels to a hidden category #archive-2026-04 instead of deleting (message history matters for audit)
Re-pin welcome + rules + upgrade messages in new locations
Update the bot's welcome flow to point to new channel IDs

Environment variables to set on Railway after migration

PICKS_PUBLISH_CHANNEL_ID=<new #free-picks id>
PICKS_PREMIUM_CHANNEL_ID=<new #premium-picks id>
RECORD_CHANNEL_ID=<new #record id>
OPS_ALERT_CHANNEL_ID=<ops-only channel id>
WELCOME_CHANNEL_ID=<new #welcome id>

Scripts

scripts/audit-discord-structure.js can be built to compare current vs target. scripts/archive-deprecated-channels.js to bulk-move to #archive-2026-04.

Do not run these without David's explicit go; they mutate shared Discord state.

Open decisions (require David)

Voice channel policy: keep #lounge voice or remove until premium tier ships?
@OG grant list: hand-picked or tied to first-N-verified-members?
#off-topic or no? Free servers get drowned in this; NuroPicks brand might be cleaner without.
Public server or invite-only during alpha? Research says alpha is the right time to restrict intake.