Forum

[Tsrill]

Ok, this comes up every once and again: people having issues with the current state of the forum (navigation, looks, etc). I'm always open for suggestions (but <strong class='bbc'>please note that I prefer the forum to stay on invisionfree</strong> and since I'll probably have to do most of the work in a transfer, I think my opinion should have some weight in this matter ).



So, please post here:

- what do you like about the current forums

- what do you not like about the current forums

- how would you change the things that you do not like.



Speak out here and now, or shut up about this topic for at least another year.



I will wait with commenting until a few people have posted. Let's hear ideas and opinions first, and then discuss.

[Carondia]

The ONE thing I dislike about this forum is that it doesn't have Fast Reply on. If someone would please turn that on I would :wub: you

[Topid]

If the 'Welcome to the south pacific' thing can be centered at the top rather than over to the left, I think it would look better, IMO.Also the who's online time could be shortened, if there are more options. I think maybe a list of people who have clicked in the last 10-15 minutes would more accurately show who is online. Hmm, other than that the only weird thing I've noticed is I have about an image and a fourth wide of the background because my screen is wide, so there is a random line down the right, but I rarely notice the image since the forums cover it mostly so not a problem worth addressing IMO.

[Unibot]

Hmm, other than that the only weird thing I've noticed is I have about an image and a fourth wide of the background because my screen is wide, so there is a random line down the right, but I rarely notice the image since the forums cover it mostly so not a problem worth addressing IMO.

I have the same issue, this should be a quick fix, the forum just needs a bit bigger image for a background to accommodate the wider monitors of 2011 and tiling should be turned off, probably.

[Haxstree]

Copied from MOO1. Minimize some areas from view by default (Security, Justice, TSP History, Archives).2 Merge some areas togethera. Opinions into Off Topicb. History into Archivesc. Market Street goes into Enter if You Dared. Affairs goes into Regional Newse. Citizenship Request goes into New to The Forums----------------3. Also I think the depressing graph should go into a MoS forum and off the homepage, and the poll of the week too since it just sits there.We can have a banner contest or something to replace them, maybe change the banner every month or every season? Or every event, like an election? Anyway, it can be a lot nicer and more interesting.4. Some kind of Super Archive like they have in TRR, maybe after a set number of days it is automatically archived (if possible) or hidden from view like I've seen on some forums (it only shows topics active in the past 30 days by default).5. Some better notification system when a PM is received.6. People complain about the skin but I actually like it for one Mostly it just needs to be more simple, less cluttered, and more new player friendly. Also would an auto-PM be possible when a new nation registers so we could have the welcome message idea made automatic?

[Milograd]

carta should be an admin; i would make this place sooper prettybut i don't see that happening, hence this:--We seriously need to condense the forums ( shrink them down ); it is uninviting to newbies and is generally dead in some parts.--The forum needs a larger link to IRC, since IRC is glorious.--I personally think that admin validation on all accounts is not necessary unless the site is under attack or something, but thats just me.--The forum needs a link to irc at the tippy top; IRC is glorious.D:<<<<<<<<<<<

[Hileville]

I would like to see the cabinet members names at the top of the forum. Also I agree with Carta as to condensing the forum a little. When I first registered on the forum it was very overwhelming (I have learned to navigate it a little better know).

[Belschaft]

I think sports and the market street could be moved into Roleplay.

[Tsrill]

A few quick replies:

@Carondia: that should be possible...

@topid:

If the 'Welcome to the south pacific' thing can be centered at the top rather than over to the left, I think it would look better, IMO

:unsure: For me it looks centered, but then again I don't have one of those extreme wide screens of today. Could you post a screen shot?

also the who's online time could be shortened, if there are more options. I think maybe a list of people who have clicked in the last 10-15 minutes would more accurately show who is online.

:blink: A while back people told me it should be longer rather than shorter, so the forum would look more active. Their reasoning was you can click on the link and see who read what at what time.

@topid and unibot: the tiling is one for Todd

I will address the other opinions later. Keep the ideas flowing, guys

[Topid]

<a class='bbc_url' href='http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae163/Topid/tssp.png'>http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/ae163/Topid/tssp.png</a>

Also notice my screen is a little bit too tall for the image too.

[Haxstree]

Beyond agreeing with what everyone has said about condensing the forum, I'd like to just say on the subject of the active users list I think it is fine where it is right now.

[Tsrill]

Copied from MOO

1. Minimize some areas from view by default (Security, Justice, TSP History, Archives).

2 Merge some areas together
a. Opinions into Off Topic
b. History into Archives
c. Market Street goes into Enter if You Dare
d. Affairs goes into Regional News
e. Citizenship Request goes into New to The Forums

----------------

3. Also I think the depressing graph should go into a MoS forum and off the homepage, and the poll of the week too since it just sits there.

We can have a banner contest or something to replace them, maybe change the banner every month or every season? Or every event, like an election? Anyway, it can be a lot nicer and more interesting.

4. Some kind of Super Archive like they have in TRR, maybe after a set number of days it is automatically archived (if possible) or hidden from view like I've seen on some forums (it only shows topics active in the past 30 days by default).

5. Some better notification system when a PM is received.

6. People complain about the skin but I actually like it for one

Mostly it just needs to be more simple, less cluttered, and more new player friendly. Also would an auto-PM be possible when a new nation registers so we could have the welcome message idea made automatic?

Sorry, took a while to respond:

1: I don't like to hide things from view unless necessary for security reasons, because people will miss it, and feel left out

2: Yeah, some things should be merged, although I do not agree with all of your suggestions. Market street shall not be merged with Enter if you dare. No matter what the new structure is, the subforum "enter if you dare" will remain for forum games and general spam only.

As I said before somewhere, I prefer a restructuring in a user-group oriented way: things mostly relevant for new users, things mostly relevant for everyone, things mostly relevant for citizens and things mostly relevant for government.

3. The graph can go elsewhere, although I don't know what's depressing about it. If you have a better suggestion for something up there, feel free to speak. Moving the poll of the week is not a good idea, IMO. It's one of the things that's attracting people, considering that the response is uisually higher than the amount of regular posters. The reason that it just "sits" there, is that after running it for a couple of years I have run out of poll questions. List me a number of questions (answers not necessary, just questions), or even better, start a poll once a week, and I'll be quite happy to export it to the front page.

4. Topics hidden after 30 days is by default activated on all forums except where it caused to much trouble. I don't like things as automatic archiving as you lose a bit of control on what's going on on the forum. Archiving can be done either way, we used to have all archives in the history section, recently part of that was changed to archive subforums in every section. Both have their merits and demerits.

5. What do you mean with better? What do you want? Please don't state only what's wrong, but also how you like to see it instead, that's much more helpful.

6. Excellent

7. First of all I don't know how this can be done, and secondly an automated welcome message is quite the opposite from inviting, isn't it?

Further I will split off the discussion about zetaboard conversion because it has nothing to do with this. No matter how cool and shiny zetaboards is, if it is structured the same way as this forum within a month the same complaints will come up.

[Tsrill]

carta should be an admin; i would make this place sooper pretty

but i don't see that happening, hence this:

--We seriously need to condense the forums ( shrink them down ); it is uninviting to newbies and is generally dead in some parts.

--The forum needs a larger link to IRC, since IRC is glorious.

--I personally think that admin validation on all accounts is not necessary unless the site is under attack or something, but thats just me.

--The forum needs a link to irc at the tippy top; IRC is glorious.

D:<<<<<<<<<<<

The reason that you ask for admin is a good enough reason to deny it

- I agree to some extent (see post above, and one of my responses to moo)

- The forum link to IRC may need to be updated, I'll see to check the link

- I agree on admin validation. This is directly tied in with citizenship and some other matters, which need to be tackled soon.

[Tsrill]

I would like to see the cabinet members names at the top of the forum. Also I agree with Carta as to condensing the forum a little. When I first registered on the forum it was very overwhelming (I have learned to navigate it a little better know).

That's actually a good idea. I will see if that can be automated, but it's not such a big job so it could also be done manually

[Tsrill]

@Topid: header image should be centered. Better?

I've added fast reply's to some of the main off topic forums.

Excellent, SB

[Topid]

Yes, it appears centered on my end.

[Todd McCloud]

People with wide screens: is the forum image fixed on your end?

[Tsrill]

Thanks Todd. Topid: inbox issue split off to technical.

[Carondia]

Has any more research into a fast reply box been done?

[Topid]

Has any more research into a fast reply box been done?

SB added them to some sections of the forum.

What is the thought process on which sections of the forum get them or not?

[Southern Bellz]

My thought process on only adding fast reply to off topic is that is a section of the community where emphasizing quantity of posts helps it out, where in others I would prefer to encourage quality, thought out posts.Does this make sense or am I thinking too much about the feature?Give direct input on this if you want me to address it asap.

[Carondia]

Personally weather there is Fast Reply or not I always respond as I see fit. I can see your school of thinking but I still think it is just plain annoying NOT to have it. It never affects the quality of what I write, but it does always save me five seconds and make it easier for me to reference the topic when I post.

[Hileville]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >I would like to see the cabinet members names at the top of the forum. Also I agree with Carta as to condensing the forum a little. When I first registered on the forum it was very overwhelming (I have learned to navigate it a little better know).

That's actually a good idea. I will see if that can be automated, but it's not such a big job so it could also be done manually
</blockquote> Any status on this?

[Rebel-topia]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' > <blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >I would like to see the cabinet members names at the top of the forum. Also I agree with Carta as to condensing the forum a little. When I first registered on the forum it was very overwhelming (I have learned to navigate it a little better know).

That's actually a good idea. I will see if that can be automated, but it's not such a big job so it could also be done manually
</blockquote>Any status on this?
</blockquote> Im assuming, as (most of) the cabinet has just been elected, it was most likely put aside until all cabinet positions were officially announced...??

[Hileville]

Anything that we want to change about the layout of this forum or any suggestions that you want to make about the layout of the Zeta forum can be made here.