Thoughts on Site, Features, Layouts and Sections - Round 2!

[BLUEVOODU]

Your thoughts - Round 2 - thoughts on the site, features, layouts and sections.    The forums are now a little older than 2 months!  1st off How is everyone enjoying the forums?

What do you think about the sections and layouts?  Anything you would like to see?    I know @targetrasp mentioned stuff about the old forum he liked... and it is 100% ok to mention other features from places you'd like to see.  Features / boards / categories...etc.  We can mold it our way and make something of it.  We might not be able to implement everything, but throw it out there!

Since the 1st topic, the following has been implemented:
1.) @notify members  based on @mastermario suggestion
2.) Restructured layouts and boards based on @CreepinDeth , @Kinikko , and targetrasp  - gaming deals, and location / layouts of boards.
3.) Added Retro board based on @retro junkie
4.) Added Enotify - that pops up when a topic you replied to has a new reply.
5.) Added new profile sections in your profile to include many new services
6.) Created post titles / level up system based on @ThravRande suggestion.
7.) Video Embedding - based on Creepindeth suggestion
8.)  Facebook Like, Tweet, and Google +1 - Though I don't think anyone was able to test yet.
9.)  Spoiler Tag

Looking at the following:  New custom theme (similar, but I will develop with our logo) and custom smiley set... something custom like we had before.

Thank you for all your help and input - please keep it up and posting.  The more we keep up conversations, the more members we will acquire in the near future.  I've started to advertise the boards a bit - working to get more traffic here. 

New Ideas:
1.) Gaming Backlog Tracker - we may split this out to its own topic.
2.) Dark Theme
3.) URL Transformer - make URLs of the board a nicer format - may do this
4.) Topic Tagging - so we can start making "tags" for topics.  I Think this could aid in searching... but also organizing posts by tags in the future - May do this.


Original Thread:
Thoughts on Layout, Sections, Etc?

Post it up!

[Kinikko]

I would personally like a nice looking dark theme. If there is one already, sorry I just didn't see it lol.

[retro junkie]

Enjoying the forum? After the silence of EGA? It is great being around something that is alive. I am sorry that I cannot be more active at the moment. Work and life in general has been hogging time. I do spend spare time thinking out what to post next. I am going through some old material. Working on updating for new posts.

[BLUEVOODU]

I would personally like a nice looking dark theme. If there is one already, sorry I just didn't see it lol.

I will look into that!  Nice looking is subjective lol. So we can look at a couple. Maybe I'll create our custom theme and a dark variant. Or maybe our theme will be darker. Looking into this.

Enjoying the forum? After the silence of EGA? It is great being around something that is alive. I am sorry that I cannot be more active at the moment. Work and life in general has been hogging time. I do spend spare time thinking out what to post next. I am going through some old material. Working on updating for new posts.

No apologies!   It's all good. We are all pretty busy these days.... Totally get it.

It's good to be back ... and have something active again.  Working on making this better than before. I know we have a lot of memories, but there are things I think that could've been better.  That's what I'd like to accomplish.  Some of that will be development. Working on that now and quoting a couple other things out.

Also trying to make sure everyone has a chance for input - if they wish too provide.

[BLUEVOODU]

OK. So dark theme. Anything else? If not... then that's fine as well lol.. If you like everything you like everything.

What would you think about a gaming backlog tracker in your profile?   In a good format and shareable with other members. 

[Kinikko]

What would you think about a gaming backlog tracker in your profile?   In a good format and shareable with other members. 

That sounds kinda cool depending on how it works.  Only thing I'd worry about is someone like typing in some kind of progress in there if it has that kind of feature and spoiling the game. 

OH OH OH HO Do we have some form of spoiler tag?

[BLUEVOODU]

That sounds kinda cool depending on how it works.  Only thing I'd worry about is someone like typing in some kind of progress in there if it has that kind of feature and spoiling the game. 

OH OH OH HO Do we have some form of spoiler tag?

SPOILER TAG - good call.. on the list.  Might be able to do that by Sunday.  This was added to the 1st post to keep track of what we will  OR are looking to do / add.

Hm... as far as backlog tracker... I was thinking of a list where you could populate certain game information.. and be able to check it off the list where it would strike it out... or you could delete it.   I was thinking of making something though where it would be more of a repository where the game companies and systems are saved... maybe leading to a game repository of some sort - more to come on that.

I'm looking into other ideas though for the backlog tracking.. maybe something more sophisticated as well... but as a start - was looking for a way to do what I mentioned above.


Do you have ideas or thoughts you could see on this?     I might split this out into it's own topic if it catches on. 

Keep up the good suggestions!

[Kinikko]

You mean some form of pre-programmed sort of list? That would be really cool if that's the case. I would totally use it. 

If not I guess I'm having a hard time picturing what you're trying to explain. @_@

[BLUEVOODU]

I'll explain more shortly after this.

Spoiler Mod installed.  Test is here:
Spoiler Test Thread

Everyone - Please Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

[targetrasp]

I missed this totally... what is a gaming backlog tracker?

[BLUEVOODU]

ok - Spoiler Tag has been fully implemented.

There are 3 new BBC codes you can use:

Code Select Expand

[spoiler][/spoiler]
   -   Spoiler - This is denoted by SP in the BBC bar

Code Select Expand

[changelog][/changelog]
   -   Change Log - This is denoted by the paper and hour glass... to the right of SP

Code Select Expand

[offtopic][/offtopic]
   -   Off Topic - denoted by OT - to the right of the hour glass icon


@targetrasp and @Kinikko I'm going to create a new topic on the Gaming Backlog Tracker.  Topic here:
Gaming Backlog Tracker - Idea topic

[trkorecky]

I like the new theme and would of course switch to dark ASAP, but is there a way to modify it so the left bar is anchored to the window and not the top left of the site? So it's always floating and accessible as we scroll down through a topic? Maybe move the hamburger "minimize sidebar" button to it as a left / right arrow?

[BLUEVOODU]

I like the new theme and would of course switch to dark ASAP, but is there a way to modify it so the left bar is anchored to the window and not the top left of the site? So it's always floating and accessible as we scroll down through a topic? Maybe move the hamburger "minimize sidebar" button to it as a left / right arrow?

Those are good suggestions @trkorecky .   I think @Kinikko wanted the darker colored theme as well.   At some point, I'll develop a darker theme based off this one.   

I will looking into potentially changing the 3 bar to an arrow and the float.   That would be more helpful IMO.  Not sure how hard it'll be to change everything right now.  Trying to keep everything as close to stock for the time being - customizing has changed since we were on the last version of SMF.   I Will definitely look into this though.