The original thread went away with the forums reboot, so let's start it up again now that you've had more time with the forums. What do you like and what do you dislike?
I'm still a big fan of the moved post links, myself...
New Forum Likes and Dislikes: Redux
90 posts · 2005-08-16 11:06:18 to 2005-11-12 19:41:44
After using the forums today I have to say I now have concerns about how easy people can mess with the rating system. It seems some people just like to hunt through someone's posting history and rate all their posts with one star. Are there any plans to help stop such behaviour?
The new forums are okay, but is there going to be any chance that we can upload our own icons instead of the ones given? I didn't see it when I was going through my preferences.
Have to agree with both of you Walrus & Chuii.
the moved links are a neat neat touch, bit of humour with administration.
The ranking system is a middle subject to me, its to easy for a bunch
of people to rate you low, even on a good post, although peoples
opinions on a good post differ, but a general helping post shouldn't be
rated down, or rated 1 for the hell of it.
I'm liking it because it give us a chance to give props to the helpers that they deserve, but not liking for above issue.
the moved links are a neat neat touch, bit of humour with administration.
The ranking system is a middle subject to me, its to easy for a bunch
of people to rate you low, even on a good post, although peoples
opinions on a good post differ, but a general helping post shouldn't be
rated down, or rated 1 for the hell of it.
I'm liking it because it give us a chance to give props to the helpers that they deserve, but not liking for above issue.
these new forums look's so plain... i guess is not the look of matrix :smileysad:
and well have alot of new options like the emoticons is ez to use now.
and well have alot of new options like the emoticons is ez to use now.
I like the new forums, but I'd like a link back to the beta forums,
there was alot of useful info on them. I do not like the rating system
however, it's just a way to flaunt ego's.
Also, Walrus, your sig is gone so I found a link to it for you.
Archived image unavailable: mxo_walrus_sig_b.gif
Thanks to the MxO Rumbaar for that link.
there was alot of useful info on them. I do not like the rating system
however, it's just a way to flaunt ego's.
Also, Walrus, your sig is gone so I found a link to it for you.
Archived image unavailable: mxo_walrus_sig_b.gif
Thanks to the MxO Rumbaar for that link.
I think admin will eventually spruce up the forum look - or so I
hope. Overall, I like the new forums. They are very quick,
with a much better search option, and overall easier to use.
hope. Overall, I like the new forums. They are very quick,
with a much better search option, and overall easier to use.
I personally have loved the Lithium forums from my old/current SWG days and the bookmarks, Dev Tracker are all for the win.
Only things are possibly subdividing the discisplines down to the 10-mem discs:
Medical Lab - Patcher
Viral Warfare Lab - Virologist
Loading Construct - Programmer
Construction Lab - Code Shaper
Dojo - Soldier
Espionage HQ - Spy
For example, as those names suck.
Would really focus the discussions as Patcher and Viro share only their
love of Evade Combat and Dodge Ranged and are otherwise very different
playstyles (but an old gripe with the old forums)..
... and Discipline icons!
To the people worried about "one-star bandits": it really isn't too
much of a problem, and since we don't know the ranks and how they
incorp. star ranking, it would be even less of an issue.
Only things are possibly subdividing the discisplines down to the 10-mem discs:
Medical Lab - Patcher
Viral Warfare Lab - Virologist
Loading Construct - Programmer
Construction Lab - Code Shaper
Dojo - Soldier
Espionage HQ - Spy
For example, as those names suck.
Would really focus the discussions as Patcher and Viro share only their
love of Evade Combat and Dodge Ranged and are otherwise very different
playstyles (but an old gripe with the old forums)..
... and Discipline icons!
To the people worried about "one-star bandits": it really isn't too
much of a problem, and since we don't know the ranks and how they
incorp. star ranking, it would be even less of an issue.
Message Edited by Cal on 08-16-2005 12:24 PM
I'll again say that the rating system is pointless and exploited. Drop it.
Also the WYSIWYG editor does not work in Mozzy.
Also for some reason the l in my name is lowercase maybe and option to change display names.
Also the WYSIWYG editor does not work in Mozzy.
Also for some reason the l in my name is lowercase maybe and option to change display names.
I like the navigation of the new forums. It's very easy to get around. These new forums have really grown on me fast... at first, I'll admit, I was a bit unsure, but now I really enjoy them! 
Good to see you back Walrus.
After using the forums for a little bit longer, i am still liking these
more thatn i did the old forums. Lots of nice features, like the
ability to edit your posts in HTML. I understand some might not
like the plain/simple look of the new forums...but i feel this is one
of the good elements. It's simplicity doesn't detract from the
purpose of the forums as well as keeping them nice and quick.
It was mentioned in the old thread that it might be nice to have the
option to turn a background picture on, for those that don't like the
plain black. I thought this was a nice suggestion.
I like how customizable everything is, all of the options we can change
etc and the Dashboard is an excellent addition to the forums.
The moved posts links are a nice touch, helping to keep track of
things, as we all know this can be difficult in a large community.
I'm especially liking the Technical Support Area, and TSR-Joel seems to be working his virtual fingers to the bone :smileyvery-happy: This area has been most helpful.
Some new avatars would be nice, or even the option for custom
avatars. I would like to be able to post a picture of my
character or even something to match my sig, but i'm quite happy with
the lil' alien dude at the moment.
My main concern, as is already mentioned here, is the rating
system. Again we are seeing it already getting abused with people
adding a single star rating to posts that really didn't require rating,
or at least don't deserve a single star. If this continues the
rating system will become useless, although i would not like to see
that as it could be extremely helpful and informative.
-Menos
more thatn i did the old forums. Lots of nice features, like the
ability to edit your posts in HTML. I understand some might not
like the plain/simple look of the new forums...but i feel this is one
of the good elements. It's simplicity doesn't detract from the
purpose of the forums as well as keeping them nice and quick.
It was mentioned in the old thread that it might be nice to have the
option to turn a background picture on, for those that don't like the
plain black. I thought this was a nice suggestion.
I like how customizable everything is, all of the options we can change
etc and the Dashboard is an excellent addition to the forums.
The moved posts links are a nice touch, helping to keep track of
things, as we all know this can be difficult in a large community.
I'm especially liking the Technical Support Area, and TSR-Joel seems to be working his virtual fingers to the bone :smileyvery-happy: This area has been most helpful.
Some new avatars would be nice, or even the option for custom
avatars. I would like to be able to post a picture of my
character or even something to match my sig, but i'm quite happy with
the lil' alien dude at the moment.
My main concern, as is already mentioned here, is the rating
system. Again we are seeing it already getting abused with people
adding a single star rating to posts that really didn't require rating,
or at least don't deserve a single star. If this continues the
rating system will become useless, although i would not like to see
that as it could be extremely helpful and informative.
-Menos
I'll again say that the rating system is pointless and exploited. Drop it.
It's pointless becuase it's exploited. It should only be for indicating good or bad posts and that can only really be controlled if the rating is done by a moderator at the request of users. If that isn't possible, then I agree, it should be removed altogether.
Also the WYSIWYG editor does not work in Mozzy.
You can use the preferences setting to turn the WYSIWYG editor off, if you so wish. I know that doesn't exactly help those who want to use it, but it might be something to test in Mozilla.
***edited for typos at 4.30am (I wish I could sleep, darn heat T_T)***
It's pointless becuase it's exploited. It should only be for indicating good or bad posts and that can only really be controlled if the rating is done by a moderator at the request of users. If that isn't possible, then I agree, it should be removed altogether.
Also the WYSIWYG editor does not work in Mozzy.
You can use the preferences setting to turn the WYSIWYG editor off, if you so wish. I know that doesn't exactly help those who want to use it, but it might be something to test in Mozilla.
***edited for typos at 4.30am (I wish I could sleep, darn heat T_T)***
Message Edited by Chuui on 08-17-2005 05:29 AM
I do like the new forum navigation, and I must admit it is a bit easier
to get around but I do have the same general concerns expressed by
Chuui. The rating system (I'm not currently using it because of
this) is way to easy to mess with. Kaspanova brought up a good
point early on, that it does allow us to give props to those who
deserve it, but it is also a tool for some people to unjustly
manipulate the system. I also miss the feature whereby you could
reply to a specific person's post in the thread, not just the thread
itself, as far as I can tell there isn't a way to do that here.
Those are my concerns for this new board, but overall I do like the
change, I'm just hoping something can be done to more fairly moderate
the ranking system.
Chuui, I'm using Firefox (v1.0.6) here at work and everything appears
to be workin for me. I did tweak some of the settings for
it though, perhaps that is it.
**Edited to add the firefox stuff in**
to get around but I do have the same general concerns expressed by
Chuui. The rating system (I'm not currently using it because of
this) is way to easy to mess with. Kaspanova brought up a good
point early on, that it does allow us to give props to those who
deserve it, but it is also a tool for some people to unjustly
manipulate the system. I also miss the feature whereby you could
reply to a specific person's post in the thread, not just the thread
itself, as far as I can tell there isn't a way to do that here.
Those are my concerns for this new board, but overall I do like the
change, I'm just hoping something can be done to more fairly moderate
the ranking system.
Chuui, I'm using Firefox (v1.0.6) here at work and everything appears
to be workin for me. I did tweak some of the settings for
it though, perhaps that is it.
**Edited to add the firefox stuff in**
Message Edited by TheEx on 08-16-2005 12:33 PM
Also the WYSIWYG editor does not work in Mozzy.
I'm not sure why or how, but i can now use the WYSIWYG editor, or the HTML editor in Firefox, which is cool :smileyhappy:
In the bottom right is an option to edit as HTML, once in the you can
go back to the WYSIWYG by selecting an option, again in the bottom right
*edit* rather than post again, thought i should just mention
here...Using the "Reply" button next to someone name should definitley
note to which person you are replying, after you have posted the
message....it could help save a lot of confusion. :smileywink:
I'm not sure why or how, but i can now use the WYSIWYG editor, or the HTML editor in Firefox, which is cool :smileyhappy:
In the bottom right is an option to edit as HTML, once in the you can
go back to the WYSIWYG by selecting an option, again in the bottom right
*edit* rather than post again, thought i should just mention
here...Using the "Reply" button next to someone name should definitley
note to which person you are replying, after you have posted the
message....it could help save a lot of confusion. :smileywink:
Message Edited by Menos on 08-16-2005 12:40 PM
Chuui, I'm using Firefox (v1.0.6) here at work and everything appears to be workin for me. I did tweak some of the settings for it though, perhaps that is it.
It's possible but I don't know. I'm not currently using Firefox much as it still has trouble handling Japanese language input and I need that a lot more so I'm stuck with using IE =) And I think finally, I can get some sleep...
But I agree about the reply to thing, it would be nice to have it indicate a reply to someone's post if we use the reply link right next to their name.
It's possible but I don't know. I'm not currently using Firefox much as it still has trouble handling Japanese language input and I need that a lot more so I'm stuck with using IE =) And I think finally, I can get some sleep...
But I agree about the reply to thing, it would be nice to have it indicate a reply to someone's post if we use the reply link right next to their name.
As I asked over in the general section here before these posts went up, when you (Walrus) were talking about a new site going up with the transfer, was it these new forums you were talking about or was it a replacement for DN1 (which btw really needs a major update - like the server tracker which is still showing the servers as under scheduled maintenance).
BTW, staying true to the purpose of this thread, I really like these new forums. I was never really a fan of the layout of the previous ones having been far to used to the beta forums and the layout on these seems to be a modified version of the beta ones, which I liked.
Have to agree with folks about the post ranking system though, to easy to get frustrated with a low rating, or none at all, when your trying to be helpful.
Make it were admins/devs/customer support people stick out more. I mean I have to look hard to see where Walrus, or Brenlo posted. Make them have the Agent avaies back, so I can pick them out better.
I like them, but then again, I've been a long time SOE customer, so I'm very used to them.
Just ignore the rating thing. If you make a big deal out of it, people will be jerks. Once people realize they arent getting the attention anymore they'll move on and bug other people.
I personally didnt like the old ones at all, or maybe just how they were laid out.
As with anything it's going to take some getting used to. I agree with
some of the above comments about how easy it is to mess with the rating
system.
I also tested something earlier and was surprised to find that we can
post a new thread and check the box to "Keep this message at the top of
the board list" and it'll do so. I don't see a point in even having the
feature there seeing as once everyone figures it out every single
thread will be "doubled" by being placed both above and below the
"green line" as it were. I tested it with my faction recruiting post
and was amazed to see it worked.
some of the above comments about how easy it is to mess with the rating
system.
I also tested something earlier and was surprised to find that we can
post a new thread and check the box to "Keep this message at the top of
the board list" and it'll do so. I don't see a point in even having the
feature there seeing as once everyone figures it out every single
thread will be "doubled" by being placed both above and below the
"green line" as it were. I tested it with my faction recruiting post
and was amazed to see it worked.
I like the new forums because they load much faster . :smileyvery-happy:
I use my PII notebook for forum browsing and only turn on the P4 for the game.
I don't like the rating system because of the potential abuse issues.
Sospechoso
I like that they are more concise. Though the thing I miss most
is what the old Beta Boards had. Just a page where ALL the most
recent posts were.
I like the HTML Inclusion.
Rating System? Whatever.
Wish there was a straight black and white skin rather then the high vis black/green.
LOVE dev tracker...
is what the old Beta Boards had. Just a page where ALL the most
recent posts were.
I like the HTML Inclusion.
Rating System? Whatever.
Wish there was a straight black and white skin rather then the high vis black/green.
LOVE dev tracker...
I would just like to add to my previous post by saying that the [ NEW ] in the title bar of all the new posts since your last visit is a definate plus, so much easier to get up to speed on a thread.
Edited for late night typos.
Message Edited by Virtuality on 08-16-2005 08:54 PM
I love the layout of these forums, just things which have been implemented still puzzle me. Namely the ranking system.
SWG used the post ranking feature, after months of use the development
team decided it was pointless and exploited so they dumped it. I am
just wondering, but why are we stuck with it?
As a replacement I suggest a system which ranks users on Time
Subscribed to the Game, and Post Count. I don't like refering to SWG
often, but well.. their system is pretty neat, and a nice example.
______________________________________________________________
Required for rank 1 (Member same as current) 1 month minimum
Required for rank 2 (Community Member same as current) 1 month minimum 50 post (Edit Granted)
Required for rank 3 (Sr. Member) 2 month minimum (Edit Granted)
Required for rank 4 (Sr. Community Member) 2 month minimum 75 post
Required for rank 5 (Contributor) 4 month minimum
Required for rank 6 (Community Contributor) 4 month minimum 100 post ----New Icons Granted-----
Required for rank 7 (Veteran) 6 month minimum
Required for rank 8 (Community Veteran same as current) 6 month minimum 125 post
Required for rank 9 (Guide) 8 month minimum
Required for rank 10 (Community Guide) 8 month minimum 175 post
----New Icons Granted-----
Required for rank 11 (Elder same as current) 9 month minimum
Required for rank 12 (Community Elder same as current) 9 month minimum 250 post
Required for rank 13 (Advisor) 10 month minimum
Required for rank 14 (Community Advisor) 10 month minimum 300 post
----New Icons Granted-----
Required for rank 15 (Leader) 12 month minimum
Required for rank 16 (Community Leader same as current) 12 month minimum 325 post
Required for rank 17 (Advocate) 14 month minimum
Required for rank 18 (Community Advocate) 12 month minimum 350 post
Required for rank 19 SWG Crewman 16 month minimum (Officer insignia appears)
Required for rank 20 SWG Petty Officer 18 month minimum
Required for rank 21 (Pilot) 12 month minimum 400 post
----New Icons Granted----- (planned)
Required for rank 22 SWG Chief Petty Officer 24 month minimum
Required for rank 23 SWG Ensign 28 month minimum
Required for rank 24 (Squadron Leader) 16 month minimum 425 post
Required for rank 25 SWG Second Lieutenant 30 month minimum
----New Icons Granted----- (planned)
Required for rank 26 SWG Lieutenant 36 month minimum
Required for rank 27 (Wing Commander) 20 month minimum 450 post
Required for rank 28 SWG Commander 40 month minimum
Required for rank 29 (Jedi) 32 month minimum 500 post
----New Icons Granted----- (planned)
__________________________________________________
You can see that inorder to 'rank up' on the forums a user needs to
have subscribed for a certain amount of time, but ALSO be active on the
forums (measured using the post count). There isn't much room for
exploitation, if any at all, and seriously a system like that would be
a very nice change to the current.
The current system seems random to be honest, I'm sure that we could
get official word on how it works, but I'd prefer it to be
replaced.
Just my thoughts, no hard feelings
But to generalize, I really like the new forums we have here. They are
neat looking and easy to browse through. However, is there a single
link taking people to The Matrix Online homesite? I've yet to find one,
so if there is one I think it should be made more obvious.
Perhaps have the header link there? I don't know, I'm just speculating. But anyway, nice job guys!
:smileyvery-happy:
SWG used the post ranking feature, after months of use the development
team decided it was pointless and exploited so they dumped it. I am
just wondering, but why are we stuck with it?
As a replacement I suggest a system which ranks users on Time
Subscribed to the Game, and Post Count. I don't like refering to SWG
often, but well.. their system is pretty neat, and a nice example.
______________________________________________________________
Required for rank 1 (Member same as current) 1 month minimum
Required for rank 2 (Community Member same as current) 1 month minimum 50 post (Edit Granted)
Required for rank 3 (Sr. Member) 2 month minimum (Edit Granted)
Required for rank 4 (Sr. Community Member) 2 month minimum 75 post
Required for rank 5 (Contributor) 4 month minimum
Required for rank 6 (Community Contributor) 4 month minimum 100 post ----New Icons Granted-----
Required for rank 7 (Veteran) 6 month minimum
Required for rank 8 (Community Veteran same as current) 6 month minimum 125 post
Required for rank 9 (Guide) 8 month minimum
Required for rank 10 (Community Guide) 8 month minimum 175 post
----New Icons Granted-----
Required for rank 11 (Elder same as current) 9 month minimum
Required for rank 12 (Community Elder same as current) 9 month minimum 250 post
Required for rank 13 (Advisor) 10 month minimum
Required for rank 14 (Community Advisor) 10 month minimum 300 post
----New Icons Granted-----
Required for rank 15 (Leader) 12 month minimum
Required for rank 16 (Community Leader same as current) 12 month minimum 325 post
Required for rank 17 (Advocate) 14 month minimum
Required for rank 18 (Community Advocate) 12 month minimum 350 post
Required for rank 19 SWG Crewman 16 month minimum (Officer insignia appears)
Required for rank 20 SWG Petty Officer 18 month minimum
Required for rank 21 (Pilot) 12 month minimum 400 post
----New Icons Granted----- (planned)
Required for rank 22 SWG Chief Petty Officer 24 month minimum
Required for rank 23 SWG Ensign 28 month minimum
Required for rank 24 (Squadron Leader) 16 month minimum 425 post
Required for rank 25 SWG Second Lieutenant 30 month minimum
----New Icons Granted----- (planned)
Required for rank 26 SWG Lieutenant 36 month minimum
Required for rank 27 (Wing Commander) 20 month minimum 450 post
Required for rank 28 SWG Commander 40 month minimum
Required for rank 29 (Jedi) 32 month minimum 500 post
----New Icons Granted----- (planned)
Required for rank 30 SWG Captain 48 month minimum
----New Icons Granted----- (planned)
Required for rank 31 (Master Jedi) 48 month minimum 1000 post
----New Icons Granted----- (planned)
Required for rank 31 (Master Jedi) 48 month minimum 1000 post
__________________________________________________
You can see that inorder to 'rank up' on the forums a user needs to
have subscribed for a certain amount of time, but ALSO be active on the
forums (measured using the post count). There isn't much room for
exploitation, if any at all, and seriously a system like that would be
a very nice change to the current.
The current system seems random to be honest, I'm sure that we could
get official word on how it works, but I'd prefer it to be
replaced.
Just my thoughts, no hard feelings
But to generalize, I really like the new forums we have here. They are
neat looking and easy to browse through. However, is there a single
link taking people to The Matrix Online homesite? I've yet to find one,
so if there is one I think it should be made more obvious.
Perhaps have the header link there? I don't know, I'm just speculating. But anyway, nice job guys!
:smileyvery-happy:
I love the new forums.
* It's easier to get around.
* The WYSIWYG editor is good.
* And now you have and OFF-TOPIC SECTION!!! w00t! Yes, I know it may be hard to grasp, but there are people that play this game and want to talk about something else for a change.
* We have avatars now.
* We can have text sigs now.
The only things that need improvement:
* Loose the rating system. IMHO, it's kinda pointless.
* Custom avatars, or at least a "Matrix" avatar section in addition to everything else.
* Have the forum handles tied directly to toon names like in WoW to eliminate "my name is taken" drama.
* A WYSIWYG editor that works for browser that Internet Exploiter. I use Opera and Firefox mostly and have had no luck.
Message Edited by DolalrBill on 08-16-2005 02:58 PM
I like that they are all in one spot and easy to access.
I dislike that the forum wipe destroyed half of our forum handles.
Like: That all forums are (mostly, see below) all on one page.
DEV TRACKER.
Dislike: That you have to go to a second page for the server pages. why
not just include the list automatically on the first page, or make it
so I can drop down my server?
DEV TRACKER.
Dislike: That you have to go to a second page for the server pages. why
not just include the list automatically on the first page, or make it
so I can drop down my server?
I actually think the forums are pretty good. They look kinda dull and
kinda boring. But for the most part I like all the features. One thing
I have noticed is that you arent able to add people to your friends
list. Ive been trying to add walrus and other devs to my friend list
and it doesnt work.
kinda boring. But for the most part I like all the features. One thing
I have noticed is that you arent able to add people to your friends
list. Ive been trying to add walrus and other devs to my friend list
and it doesnt work.
The Good:
The Bad:
- WYSIWYG works in FireFox! Woot!
- Loving the Dev Tracker.
- No longer need to log in every time I close the browser window like on the old WB boards.
- Dashboard. Nice feature.
- "Insert Image" button is awesome.
- Centralized forums.
The Bad:
- Ranking system. That's just asking people to spam.
- Color-coded names. Too confusing. There should only
be two colors: Green for regular folks and Red for Admins/CSR's.
Besides, I thought the devs swore that there would never be anything
blue in the Matrix.
- Threaded view... /puke. Back to Linear for me.
- Skin. Not very Matrixy.
good: color and interface, awesome job Lithium... lol
bad: taken forum handles, etc (even though it didn't affect me)
bad: taken forum handles, etc (even though it didn't affect me)
Being from the Beta days and I absolutely loved the old Beta boards, I basically stayed clear of the last version of the forums except for the Announcements and occassional Development Roundtable.
The old forums was terrible, this version is great. I see myself visiting the official forums regularly again. Well organized and easy to look at. And the DEV Tracker is the best thing ever. Now we can check up on you guys to see if you hear us.
The whole posting interface is absolutely great to work with and being able to use HTML is A++.
As for gripes (which are pretty minor). Of course the ranking system. Although I love the idea of being able to rank people, as it has numerously been stated its too easily abused (in both senses of trashing someones rating and boosting it). Plus, it would be nice to know what the break down is. What exactly each moniker stands for (I'm currently rated Controller, yet I have no clue how that ranks against every other moniker) would be great to know.
The avatar selection is just gross. There is not one thing relating to our Matrix universe. The best additions would be the Discipline icons (I'm working for Kung Fu Master, so to be able to choose that as my avatar can give people a better idea as to who I am, instead of a nuke cloud). Of course, the ultimate option would be to have us choose personal avatars, but I know thats a stretch. You can also go the simple route. A Matrix code icon, an Agent icon, Sentinel, etc... Hell, Neo and Smith's face, just throwing ideas out.
Other than that, I'm loving these new forums and see myself visiting frequently once again (like back in the Beta). Great to still have you Walrus, you're the man! Keep up the great work and good luck at SoE!
Actually, I belive it only is at the top for your own personal login, everyone else will see it in the natural thread order.
Nanashiko wrote:
"Keep this message at the top of the board list" and it'll do so. I don't see a point in even having the feature there seeing as once everyone figures it out every single thread will be "doubled" by being placed both above and below the "green line" as it were.
I like the new forums better than the old ones.
Everything is in better order, looks cleaner, a universal post count, a
Dev tracker link (very useful), and an off topic forum!
Everything is in better order, looks cleaner, a universal post count, a
Dev tracker link (very useful), and an off topic forum!
I
Mr.Wido wrote:
Actually, I belive it only is at the top for your own personal login, everyone else will see it in the natural thread order.
Nanashiko wrote:
"Keep
this message at the top of the board list" and it'll do so. I don't see
a point in even having the feature there seeing as once everyone
figures it out every single thread will be "doubled" by being placed
both above and below the "green line" as it were.
believe that's correct. As for dislikes on the forum I would have
to reiterate everything about how the rating system can be easily
manipulated. I think everything else about the forums is a 200%
improvement over the old boards.
I think the forums are nicely organized - drove me crazy having to click fourteen times to get back and forth between the different boards. And I'll chime in that I think the rating system is pointless and I'd like to see at least Matrix-themed avatars (or customizable). Otherwise, certainly an improvement over the old forums.
Oh, and give a way for people to change their Forum names or set it up for everyone's forum names to match their oldest character name. (I think that was the way it was set up before.) For some reason, my forum name came out right - even though my Station Access name is totally different. But I know a lot of people haven't had the same luck and have ended up with wonked forum handles.
Message Edited by LineGhost on 08-16-2005 01:51 PM
I like the "Dev Tracker" link.
Overall, I think these are an improvement, especially since they are less factured/more unified.
I still think ranking/rating systems are silly.
Overall, I think these are an improvement, especially since they are less factured/more unified.
I still think ranking/rating systems are silly.
And if it is anything like the SWG forums.. they will take the rating system away after a bit..
I like the forum so far... I had a prior post that got wiped with a
more comprehensive list of the pros and cons that I have with this
board... I'll try to do some of them here, also updated
Pros
HTML editing
WYSIWYG editor now working on firefox (for me, before the wipe it wasn't)
Icons on the left
Sigs can be links
Autocorrect of non-SOE approved HTML
Make your own stickies!
Cons:
#1 you cannot click on the MXO banner at the top and go back to the main forums page.
You can really screw up the way the forum looks by moving things. (is there a reset to default button?)
No list of what HTML is acceptable.
Autocorrect of non-SOE approved HTML does not tell us what was bad/not allowed.
No seeing who you're talking to in your posts (use the quote and ditch all the information but who you quoted: EX:
more comprehensive list of the pros and cons that I have with this
board... I'll try to do some of them here, also updated
Pros
HTML editing
WYSIWYG editor now working on firefox (for me, before the wipe it wasn't)
Icons on the left
Sigs can be links
Autocorrect of non-SOE approved HTML
Make your own stickies!
Cons:
#1 you cannot click on the MXO banner at the top and go back to the main forums page.
You can really screw up the way the forum looks by moving things. (is there a reset to default button?)
No list of what HTML is acceptable.
Autocorrect of non-SOE approved HTML does not tell us what was bad/not allowed.
No seeing who you're talking to in your posts (use the quote and ditch all the information but who you quoted: EX:
Mr.Wido
(unless it isn't directed to anyone)
maybe you could change the stars for a word sayi rate your post as " + 3 cool "
maybe...
maybe...
One thing SOE does right are forums and this is no exception and im pleased in the overall layout, the forum community on SWG is very strong and is helped alot by the ease of the forums.
One thing I would like to see would be a game guide forum section dedicated to player made guides and tips for other players, this works nicely in SWG and think it would be nice to add to the MxO boards.
I find the red a little hard to see compared to the othere colors.
Why is my email still un-vertifed?
I also notice as i type this the bright green the the lower right hand side of this window is very hard to read.
Why is my email still un-vertifed?
I also notice as i type this the bright green the the lower right hand side of this window is very hard to read.
nezodon wrote:
One thing SOE does right are forums and this is no exception and im pleased in the overall layout, the forum community on SWG is very strong and is helped alot by the ease of the forums.
One thing I would like to see would be a game guide forum section dedicated to player made guides and tips for other players, this works nicely in SWG and think it would be nice to add to the MxO boards.
Yeah, that's a good idea, instead of searching around for the scattered gems.
D3RM41 wrote:
I find the red a little hard to see compared to the othere colors.
Why is my email still un-vertifed?
I also notice as i type this the bright green the the lower right hand side of this window is very hard to read.
They're working on the un-verified e-mail problem. But they said it was nothing to be concerned about. Its not affecting any forum features.
Don't like the brown background or the grey letters.
Should be black and white. Much easier to read.
The black border on either side should be filled with matrix code.
Rating systems are always abused. Should get rid of that.
If a thread is going to be 'rated' it should be on the number of posts and/or views.
Multi-coloured forum names. Arg. *has a sesame street flashback* Have mercy.
All on one page except game world forums? Uh. Why
I'd like to see an RP forum for each gameworld and leave the Next Renaissance (?spelling?) for Fanfics and stuff like that since that's pretty much all that was there before the "transition".
I'd like to see a couple other things regarding the forums, but it would require a live events team of some sort otherwise it's pointless ... so I'll wait until I hear something about that I guess.
Other than that, I like them.
:smileyhappy:
A few minor (very minor) things that bug me...
Organization:
Having all of the forums being linked to on one page was a bit of an overload for me at first. But I think I'm getting used to it. Things seemed neater when they were seperated in the three "Announcements", "Gameplay", and "Game Worlds" pages.
Avatars:
Please let us link to and display our own avatars like we can do with our sigs. This gives me a small feeling as if I'm not in complete control of my forums profile. My only options are to use an avatar that looks like it came off of a clipart CD from the early 90's, or have no avatar at all. The guidelines for sigs could easily apply to user-created avatars as well.
Folder Icons:
The color scheme of the actual forums looks great. Green, black and dark grey go together very well and are very "matrixy" colors. But the icons that the forum system uses clashes terribly with them. The red and yellow folder icons next to each post are almost headache-inducing. With photoshop and about 5 minutes of effort, these icons can be changed to better fit the color scheme of the rest of the forums.
Name Colors:
I get that the color of a user's name signifies their status on the forums. But is it really necessary? A user's post count is already listed under their name in a thread, why do we need to have brightly colored names all over the place? Again, it just clashes with the rest of the forum's color scheme.
Rating System:
This is just something that I see on nearly every forum software that I've come across. It seems kind of pointless to me, but I'm sure there are others out there who feel it can prove to be a vital feature. On most of the forums that I've seen where this feature is included, it is rarely used.
Things I like...
Dashboard:
Very useful and handy. Thanks!
I am really loving the new forum. For one, its look is cleaner and less
distracting. A must when your searching for facts for hours, heh.
I like the WYSIWYG editor, and hey, it works in my version of Mozilla Firefox. Adding images to posts is so much simpler.
The dashboard is great, as well as other functions that enable you to see your fav threads and boards quickly.
The ranking thing is a bit well...evil, but it will be interesting to
see if it's highly abused or if just becomes yet another feature we
take for granted.
All in all, a big :smileyhappy:
distracting. A must when your searching for facts for hours, heh.
I like the WYSIWYG editor, and hey, it works in my version of Mozilla Firefox. Adding images to posts is so much simpler.
The dashboard is great, as well as other functions that enable you to see your fav threads and boards quickly.
The ranking thing is a bit well...evil, but it will be interesting to
see if it's highly abused or if just becomes yet another feature we
take for granted.
All in all, a big :smileyhappy:
It was virtually impossible for me to log in period. Someone should try to simplify the process.
First I must say I'm impressed with this forums, but it's not hard to get better than our last forum.
Pro's
-More personal controls, from the number of topics per post/thread (50+ yippie) to overall forum format controls.
-Signature banners and limited HTML use.
-All forums are now on one section and one profile to rule them all!!
-The move function is operational and has a visual guide.
-'View discussion in popup' option in post, being able to review the whole thread instead of just the last post is a blessing.
-Ability to insert image/s into body of text.
-Able to mark your own floating stickies in each section!
-Text Macro's, tho their ful use is yet to be reach by myself at least.
-Ability to stay logged in forever!!! Even after shutdown of browser!
-Drop down short-cut menu ('bout time!) I'd asked for that one on the old forums for ages...
More I'm sure but overal I like them a lot more than the previous
version we have had, and look forward to the little tweaks to come (MxO
based icons and forum skins).
Con's
-Server and Discipline sections are grouped, where as sections like Off Topic are expanded on the main viewing page.
-WYSIWYG is a little screwy (at least on FireFox). With copy and paste and inclusion of certain HTML is inconsistant.
-non MxO related icons, no custom icons.
-Still a lot of Off Topic type threads being posted and allowed in General when we have an Off Topic section now.
I'd say ratings system as well, but it really doesn't mater in the
global scheme of things and more of an ego issue for most. Unless
it does have an actual forum use like ban/premotion.
Pro's
-More personal controls, from the number of topics per post/thread (50+ yippie) to overall forum format controls.
-Signature banners and limited HTML use.
-All forums are now on one section and one profile to rule them all!!
-The move function is operational and has a visual guide.
-'View discussion in popup' option in post, being able to review the whole thread instead of just the last post is a blessing.
-Ability to insert image/s into body of text.
-Able to mark your own floating stickies in each section!
-Text Macro's, tho their ful use is yet to be reach by myself at least.
-Ability to stay logged in forever!!! Even after shutdown of browser!
-Drop down short-cut menu ('bout time!) I'd asked for that one on the old forums for ages...
More I'm sure but overal I like them a lot more than the previous
version we have had, and look forward to the little tweaks to come (MxO
based icons and forum skins).
Con's
-Server and Discipline sections are grouped, where as sections like Off Topic are expanded on the main viewing page.
-WYSIWYG is a little screwy (at least on FireFox). With copy and paste and inclusion of certain HTML is inconsistant.
-non MxO related icons, no custom icons.
-Still a lot of Off Topic type threads being posted and allowed in General when we have an Off Topic section now.
I'd say ratings system as well, but it really doesn't mater in the
global scheme of things and more of an ego issue for most. Unless
it does have an actual forum use like ban/premotion.
I like the new forums and all, but when I tell the login page 'remember my password', it doesn't remember.
is this only happening to me?
What happened to spell check? Or am I blind and can't see it?
It's pretty well down, the only thing is that I still have to get used to the whole thing and how does the little title under your name work? (Bluepill, Awakend, coppertop...etc.) and the sig isn't working for me AGAIN!
Message Edited by 4rk on 08-16-2005 08:21 PM