Forum QOL Changes?
Started By
Azane🐏 (#2166)
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Heyo! Just some ideas that have popped by as I’ve been browsing the site looking to get community active as everyone starts coming back!
I’m on mobile, so it’s very possible visual things have already been implemented on the main site but not mobile, so I apologise if that’s the case.
Edit: While making this post I found HTMLs like <‘br’> and <‘p’> act kind of weird. They disappear with each Review Thread Again button. This might be one of those situations if just adapting to making it work, but thought it was relevant to being up.
Currently the forums look a little clustered, so I had some ideas on how to work on that later down the line. I know site optimisation and gameplay are the current priorities but hey
Forum Improvements
Looking at the forums I’ve noticed two issues; Inactivity/Dead Boards and Navigation.
•I’d like to recommend perhaps archiving posts that have been inactive since 2022. This is something I think would benefit sales (especially art) boards the most, since dead posts can be a pain when you go in interested only to see the user hasn’t been on in five years.
•If archiving doesn’t seem right, maybe even just wrangling them into a different section
•As for navigation it’s less of an issue for sure, but I’ve noticed with Subcategories it lists how many there are. I’d like to recommend listing what they are. Perhaps under the forum section titles.
As for the current clustered threads, I have two ideas for making the forums more presentable and less cluttered appearing.
•First is just adding some space between each thread topic. Right now they look more one big paragraph and disce ing them is a bit difficult. I feel just adding some empty space between each on would help greatly
•This is one thing that may already be implemented but I can’t tell while waiting for other accounts to upgrade and post. Given the layout of the forums are small, if an account is upgraded perhaps along with their name have a small icon or tag (50x50px sounds safe) just to help disce ing other frequent posters more often. I know we have a 15x15px image that can be used somewhere (in chat?) that could be used, too, even if just on mobile. The 100px images could be used in desktop site if not already. It might also encourage more people to upgrade accounts- and I’d be happy to make a few premade templates others could use/customise to get a ball rolling.
•Thread background colour- perhaps adding just a lighter hue as backdrop for the thread titles would help. Currently they just sit on the layout colour and it adds to the clustered feeling. I’m bad with words so I hope this makes sense.
Other things will probably pop up in mind for improvements. I’m happy to make up some mock images to show what I mean if it helps in any way!
I’m on mobile, so it’s very possible visual things have already been implemented on the main site but not mobile, so I apologise if that’s the case.
Edit: While making this post I found HTMLs like <‘br’> and <‘p’> act kind of weird. They disappear with each Review Thread Again button. This might be one of those situations if just adapting to making it work, but thought it was relevant to being up.
Currently the forums look a little clustered, so I had some ideas on how to work on that later down the line. I know site optimisation and gameplay are the current priorities but hey
Forum Improvements
Looking at the forums I’ve noticed two issues; Inactivity/Dead Boards and Navigation.
•I’d like to recommend perhaps archiving posts that have been inactive since 2022. This is something I think would benefit sales (especially art) boards the most, since dead posts can be a pain when you go in interested only to see the user hasn’t been on in five years.
•If archiving doesn’t seem right, maybe even just wrangling them into a different section
•As for navigation it’s less of an issue for sure, but I’ve noticed with Subcategories it lists how many there are. I’d like to recommend listing what they are. Perhaps under the forum section titles.
As for the current clustered threads, I have two ideas for making the forums more presentable and less cluttered appearing.
•First is just adding some space between each thread topic. Right now they look more one big paragraph and disce ing them is a bit difficult. I feel just adding some empty space between each on would help greatly
•This is one thing that may already be implemented but I can’t tell while waiting for other accounts to upgrade and post. Given the layout of the forums are small, if an account is upgraded perhaps along with their name have a small icon or tag (50x50px sounds safe) just to help disce ing other frequent posters more often. I know we have a 15x15px image that can be used somewhere (in chat?) that could be used, too, even if just on mobile. The 100px images could be used in desktop site if not already. It might also encourage more people to upgrade accounts- and I’d be happy to make a few premade templates others could use/customise to get a ball rolling.
•Thread background colour- perhaps adding just a lighter hue as backdrop for the thread titles would help. Currently they just sit on the layout colour and it adds to the clustered feeling. I’m bad with words so I hope this makes sense.
Other things will probably pop up in mind for improvements. I’m happy to make up some mock images to show what I mean if it helps in any way!
Azane🐏 (#2166)
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02-23-2024 at 1:24 AM
•Hmm, rather than 'Views' i think the space would be better allocated to displaying when the thread was originally posted. Currently there's no way of viewing that information (short of it being the most recently responded to topic of its category) other than opening the thread itself- and being disappointed that said thread is from 2013 or so.
Azane🐏 (#2166)
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02-23-2024 at 12:56 AM
MMMMMMMMM I DON'T LIKE THIS.
No empty breaklines on desktop, maybe just allowing HTML to work... Unless its case sensitive?
<br>
Let us see...
No empty breaklines on desktop, maybe just allowing HTML to work... Unless its case sensitive?
<br>
Let us see...
Azane🐏 (#2166)
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02-23-2024 at 12:55 AM
............... Ooookay the coding is. certainly a thing. I guess that's another point...
On mobile HTML is required although a little buggy. On desktop, well.
As we can see.
My struggles, mostly, although now I can test if just the enter button works fine on desktop lol.
On mobile HTML is required although a little buggy. On desktop, well.
As we can see.
My struggles, mostly, although now I can test if just the enter button works fine on desktop lol.
Azane🐏 (#2166)
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02-23-2024 at 12:53 AM
Being on Desktop now I can weigh in on some of my points a bit more clearly!
<BR><BR><BR>
•I can see on the thread that my icon/tag appears as a 50x50px image. Given that the image limits for icons on the site is 100x175, this supports the my idea that we should have a 50x50px image option. Alternatively, and I think a more appealing visual as an option, is increase that image size to 100x100px or 150x150px and moving username to sit below the image.
<BR><BR>
150px has been the standard size limit I've seen on most other simulation sites, I think image dimensions that can size down more uniformly would be a good investment, be that 100px or bumping width up to 150px.
<BR><BR><BR>
The <'br'> is still present but I'm checking using 3 in a row instead of just two this time to see if that offsets it.
<BR><BR><BR>
•I would like to expand on my point of upgraded accounts having icons displayed alongside their thread posts. This is coming from my experiences on other simulation sites and hopefully can positively effect site bone purchases and site economy through the sale of art. Having users be able to make threads that also have their tag/icon allowed for easier advertisement, ie 'my tag for sale' and visually eye-catching without needing to open a thread to know if you're interested in the content.
<BR><BR><BR>
•If possible, the ability to edit threads would also be a good addition. This would allow the fix of typos, coding, etc. The latter I was hoping to do once I was on desktop and could see how the coding looked for this thread. It would also let us update a main topic with relevant information or edits without someone having to scroll for information.
<BR><BR><BR>
•A 'Preview Reply' button would be very helpful! Right now, I have no idea how this reply is going to look haha
<BR><BR><BR>
•Personal preference, maybe reverse the order of replies- Earliest to Latest instead of most recent appearing at the top.
<BR><BR><BR>
I have a few other points, but I think that they're more personal preference when it comes to visuals.
<BR><BR><BR>
•I can see on the thread that my icon/tag appears as a 50x50px image. Given that the image limits for icons on the site is 100x175, this supports the my idea that we should have a 50x50px image option. Alternatively, and I think a more appealing visual as an option, is increase that image size to 100x100px or 150x150px and moving username to sit below the image.
<BR><BR>
150px has been the standard size limit I've seen on most other simulation sites, I think image dimensions that can size down more uniformly would be a good investment, be that 100px or bumping width up to 150px.
<BR><BR><BR>
The <'br'> is still present but I'm checking using 3 in a row instead of just two this time to see if that offsets it.
<BR><BR><BR>
•I would like to expand on my point of upgraded accounts having icons displayed alongside their thread posts. This is coming from my experiences on other simulation sites and hopefully can positively effect site bone purchases and site economy through the sale of art. Having users be able to make threads that also have their tag/icon allowed for easier advertisement, ie 'my tag for sale' and visually eye-catching without needing to open a thread to know if you're interested in the content.
<BR><BR><BR>
•If possible, the ability to edit threads would also be a good addition. This would allow the fix of typos, coding, etc. The latter I was hoping to do once I was on desktop and could see how the coding looked for this thread. It would also let us update a main topic with relevant information or edits without someone having to scroll for information.
<BR><BR><BR>
•A 'Preview Reply' button would be very helpful! Right now, I have no idea how this reply is going to look haha
<BR><BR><BR>
•Personal preference, maybe reverse the order of replies- Earliest to Latest instead of most recent appearing at the top.
<BR><BR><BR>
I have a few other points, but I think that they're more personal preference when it comes to visuals.