The New Forum Software!
 

Well here you go, your prayers have been answered (or left flaming by the wayside).

The new forum software is here with the forum still intact. In an effort to create a much more user-friendly look I will be shifting and editing Posts around (stickies and others) in order to bring this albatross back down to the ground. Any comments about the new software/look please keep them to this thread.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Whoa!

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Any possibility to turn down font size (besides setting it in the browser) ?

I'm running 1152x864 on a 19", and the forum font very much looks like 14pt to me ...

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

I had to reregister to logon again. Is there a chance I could go back to using my original email address with this board? However the new Boards do look much nicer. I was always looking at print_topic before.

Edit: I just realized why i could not logon
I feel very foolish

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

WOO WOO Posts are in the "correct" order now. yes yes yes I love you bboard upgraders

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

The stickies have been resurrected from their crypt deep in the forum. I will also be making massive revamping changes specifically to the Game Faq and Newbie lov'ns as well as "Current Community Projects" and "Wishlist" stickies once I have these under control. I will, for now take suggestions for any stickies/ideas that are placed in this thread.

I would also like to point out one minor point. For those of you who are browserly challenged and do not like the current setup (I'm not saying it won't change) try using Firefox.

Find it here!

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Any way of getting the old forum links within Posts to work w/o having to edit them by hand?

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Links? You mean in the sticky threads how they are all broken ? Yes I will have to redo them in order to make them work, unfortunately.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

A lot of new threads have already been covered in detail. Moderators or other forum trolls respond with links to previous Posts. These links take you to the shrapnel forum index.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Yes, they are all broken. Like the AAR's and such, I will have to relink them when I have a chance. It may be a little slower, since there are quite a few links within the frame of the forum.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Nice the Posts are in the correct order finally... just have to get familiar with the new design

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Linky times

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

It appears that no Posts made prior to the upgrade may be edited by Users, so any of our postings that have bad URLs are going to be stuck that way. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Oh my. This is ... surprising.

Dammit, I *liked* the reverse post order... and the new interface is beyond hideous.

Oh well, maybe there is a silver lining. I'm sure the shrapnel admins wouldn't go to such trouble, merely to afflict the regulars. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Hope so, otherwise I suspect we are going to lose major traffic on the Boards. Is there an old-board skin I can apply? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif


Rabe, in HIDing

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

hm i don't like the changes so far . i have to fully agree with rabe . the old forum had flair . this looks really like a step backwards http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif.

shrapnel could have done a poll if we want this . the old forum had a kinda unique look this looks so far not good .

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Me likes it. Just add a few edit options, like choosing the fontsize, which is way too big.

Otherwise, it's going to be some pain in remembering to start reading from the top again, but it is a good thing all in all.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Me likey. Third the opinion on font size but if it can't be helped, reading Posts in order is still worth it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

- Kel

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

There was a poll done. It was in Shrapnel General forum for ages.

Also, most of the changes you dont like are not changes. They are now user options in your profile.

Be nice people. The shrapnel color scheme converted (so at least we dont have the shouts about new colors too much), upload/downloads are back (one of the reasons we shelled out for this. please use the mod forum for mods and probably maps also), the accounts came across (beta's still need some tweaking), the avatars work, the forums came across, the threads survived (THANK GOD), the server is happy with switching to a php/mysql format (knock on virtual wood). All in all, as conVersions go, and sysadmin can tell you this is sweet.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Yay! Thank you Shrapnel! Now let's see how long it takes me to adjust to reading Posts in the correct order...

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Hey guys,

I fixed the editing problem, you should be able to go back and edit any Posts you made in the Dom 2 forum. Richard is going to try to find a solution this week to convert the links from the old board into the new board format but this may take several days and we can't give any guarantees that it will work. For now though, you can edit the links to your hearts content! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Thanks, Mindi!

However, the in-post HTML/UBB code is broken:

<div align="right">
<bold>Bold</bold>
<large>Large</large>
</div>


<center>This line should be centered, but isn't.</center>
<font size=1>This line should be small, but isn't.</font>
<font color="darkblue">This line should be blue, but isn't.</font>

The odd thing is that the Posts that were imported when the forum was upgraded display fine (example: post #252172), yet any that I edit get ruined (example: post #252184).

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

As my next suggestion, you might want to significantly raise the number of post views that a thread needs to qualify as a "hot topic". Pretty much most/every thread in the Dom 2 area is now "hot". Personally, IMO, "hot topics" should be based strictly on replies and not how many times they're viewed. Tracking only replies more accurately reflects forum activity, and not just what threads the lurkers are looking at.


Sincerely,

Arryn

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Alright, yes http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

There are still some bugs to be worked out and as you can see Mindi and Richard are more than willing to work them out as they can. Though there are certainly going to be some pains in the change.

As for the forum sorting issue. Boron and others, there was a poll, there was not a small fraction of people who wanted the ability to choose the sorting method and this is the step to do so. As of *right* exactly now, there is no way to view the forums like they were (With reversed order), but Richard is over the next few days going to be coding that into the forum so it will be availiable, just when is the question http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif.

I would ask a little paitence with the forum until it can be manhandled (or mindihandled!) into something like it's former glory, but if you find something that doesn't work, please go ahead and post and if it's fixable I will try to alert the people who fix such things http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Actually, I think we are going to get rid of the hot topic notation all together, Richard just hasn't gotten around to deleting that stuff. As the week, and probably even the next whole month progresses, you will be seeing changes to the forum. Please send Richard any suggestions and we are going to try to accomodate as many as we can provided they make sense for the community and are workable. The most important part of the upgrade was that we will now have file downloads/uploads available again(!) and the board got transferred with basically all the information still intact. Everything else will be straightened out in the next few weeks or so!

Mindi

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Beyond cool! Kudos to whoever made this. A few points,good and bad:

1. As for the font size, please be a good citizen and use the default browser size --- that is, after all, the one the user has declared he wanted. If that is not possible, please use a relative (e.g, font-size: small; or font-size: 0.8ex;) instead of absolute sizes (font-size: 10pt or font-size: 12px). The latter sucks for those of us running a reasonable large resolution or those who have actually set the correct DPI-size for our monitor.

2. It appears that one cannot view this forum with the threaded+expanded mode. It just hangs there with "Waiting for reply..."

3. I really love the "all" button on the subjects. Cool!

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

That poll is largely irrelevant because it was _not_ properly promoted to all of the Shrapnel forums. It is a very biased reflection of the forum membership. Not to mention the poor wording chosen on the options in it...

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

That hardly matters now, does it? They bought the software, they installed it and now we have these forums which have the possiblity of making the options of choosing how you'd like it as opposed to having it one way without any options along with a feature that has been missing in downloading.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

The fact that forums are often posted as links, and Users come &amp; go without seeing the other forums or shrapnels main page is a subject being worked on.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

It matters in that it can not validly be used as a representation of what the majority of the forumers want.

We do NOT have the option to display Posts how we would like it. They are forced in the oldest to newest order.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

As of right now you don't, but Richard has already said he's going to be working on coding that particular feature. As of right now, you can also do alot of things that you couldn't previously.

Validity has nothing to do with something that has already happened. Justification doesn't really matter at the point that they decided to upgrade the forums (for any number of reasons, not the least of which would be because newer, non SEIV gamers had a hard time using them) and that the possibility of having the option is there, whereas with the old way there was not even the possibility.

There are quirks with any new software that have to be worked out, but whining about it doesn't solve the problem, yeah?

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

So, what options do I have to take if I want to use the old style forum (or at least the newest - oldest order)

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

There is nothing you can do. Richard has mentioned that he might modify the forums to allow us to choose the newest to oldest post order. The list of topics can be displayed in any order, but the topics themselves are always displayed oldest post to newest post.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Who is whining? I have simply repeated what I have said from day one of that polls existence. There is a huge difference between discussing the validity of a sample of data and whining about a forum upgrade. I was doing the former.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

If that's the case and what you've been doing since day one, I'm sure you could have posted a link to the poll or made a new one if you felt it was biased or innaccurate. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif I liked the former style as well and this forum upgrade has caused it's share of headaches for me, but I doubt discussing (instead of arguing) the validity of the reasoning *why* the forum change happened is going to do much of anything. I don't think Shrapnel made it's decision based on any one aspect, considering their official stance has been "Sorry if you don't like it, we'd love your business but if you can't handle it, then you don't have to." roughly summed up.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Well I wouldn't go that far. I think we have been more than helpful in working through issues that have been brought up. No matter what forum software we chose, a move from a non database (ie, flat file) forum that is ancient to a modern database based one is going to be painful. I am actually quite please at how most of it went off without a hitch. As we run into issues we will make decisions as to how to balance out everyone's desires. Remember what one person hates on a board, another person loves.

This wasn't aimed at you Zen, but I wanted to clarify things a bit. Thanks for your help so far, and suggestions.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Hmmm Im not sure it was meant to be a poll of what the forumers want. The forumers automatically represent the Users to whom the format wasnt a problem. Being in the "ask Shrapnel questions" forum meant it was placed well to catch people who were first timers, and often Last timers.

I admit that when I looked at the software we were getting it did seem that the order would be user choice. The community-chat sequence that many newer web Users preferred, or the customer-support sequence that I preferred. We will see if it can be achieved. If not then I guess Im out of luck.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Maybe I should have more accurately said "When the issue of the forum sorting method, reasons for and reasons why it is not (your) prefered way" is brought up, the general response is:"

I never ment to say that Shrapnel didn't do it's best to be helpful and accomidating. With the amount of instant changes that have already happened, it should be obvious that you are more than willing to be both http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

The new forums will take some getting used to for us all. Personally, I preferred the old style. That may be because it's what I'm used to and it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks...

I'd like to stress, though, that the main problem we had with the old software was the inability to offer you all uploading and downloading files. We saw that as a very real problem, and this is our solution. It's been a long time coming, and we apologize for the delay. We were concerned we would lose the wealth of information you all have shared here and that there would be a great deal of downtime in the conVersion. Hats off to Mindi and Richard for not allowing those things to happen!

We've taken a great deal of criticism over the years for the sorting order of the old style. I know you all have seen the debates. If it were a matter of sorting only, we probably would have left things alone. We preferred to read the new Posts first. We're aware that the only way we may please everyone is to be able to offer the option to sort whichever way the individual reader prefers, and we're working to be able to bring that to you.

Meanwhile, we truly appreciate your patience and your willingness to hang in there with us while we finish up the project. Be sure to go into your user preferences - you'll find many more options than were there previously. I found that my ability to recieve email notifications for private Messages had been turned off. Others may want to check that in their preferences.

Soon we hope you will all find the benefits of the new options a big improvement overall.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

It wasn't really relevant, just a place for a few people to ***** before leaving the forums. Not something I would want to support.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

how can i increase the letter size ?

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Oh come on. You really arent getting it? The forums are full of people who were not TOO bothered by the sequence. And the "place for a few people to ***** before leaving the forums" represents some of the people who left because of it. You say they arent representative, but neither is the forum membership.

Yes the overall numbers (when added together) dont show a huge majority in favor of change but it was enough to make it part of the consideration.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

I'd say that is a untrue statement. It has been said before and reiterated that people who did not like the forum, and/or did not get used to it and still did not like it, even for SEIV and other games of Shrapnel did not leave, but suffered through that which they did not enjoy and kept a presence (however limited) on the forum.

Maybe not the people you consider important that you talk to on a regular basis, but there are other games here than you particular favorite or mine. Which may have an impact with the option to choose their sorting method. I would hate to have people not get the customer support they feel they need because of such limited vision if it's feasible to avoid it.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Funny, every time some one expressed a dislike of the forum order, they were directed to the poll and asked to vote. Seemed pretty open, fair and relevant to me. I liked the reverse order, so I took the time to go over to the thread and voice my opinion. It was available to all and it was used by a fair number of people on both sides of the issue. Seems to me that calling it irrelevant is sour grapes. We voted, we lost, we live in a democracy. Well, actually, I don&amp;#8217;t really live in a democracy and I am not allowed to vote where I live, so I am particuarly appreciative when someone like Shrapnel gives me a chance to voice my views.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

I don't think anyone "lost" per say. Richard hasn't given the word that "I can't allow this other sorting method! It won't work" and it may, in all reality, be possible and implemented in a timely manner. It's far to early to tell.

Regardless, the fact that the poll was there and it did at least give thought (plus the years of critisms, Emails and various other comments Shrapnel has recieved, no doubt) to allowing both methods instead of picking a forum software that only needed reverse order. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

I like the new forum style. It was confusing reading the post backwards.
Especially when you are used to read forums forwards. It was the first time I've discovered a forum board was "upside down" and I never got used to it.
So from my point of view it's an improvement. Also the new look makes it more easier to browsing.

best regards
Thilock

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

Thx!!

it looking 3xbetter what Last Forum software

now i can see first post... not the Last one.. it realy help in reading of forum

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

All of the new "features" are good, I think Shrapnel did a great job. Only thing I sort of miss but I am sure will get used to is the old "flavor" and look/feel.

One oddity -- I used to have an awful rating, I suppose people thought (think?) I am an annoying idiot. I was away for a few days (wedding anniversary and other RL stuff) and see my rating is "good". So either people suddenly read all of my Posts in my absence and thought, hey, he is actually trying to be helpful often and isn't such a jerk after all, or this forum has totally randomized the Ratings. Not that I care, just thought I'd say that.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

One thing that would be nice is if the window that we type into could be made a bit larger. It's a little hard to see what you've written sometimes with the small one.

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

The settings for that are in your profile

Re: The New Forum Software!
 

I don't know if this was intended by the admins:

http://69.56.133.54:81/threads/images/hottopic.gif Topic with over 100000 replies or 100000 views

It seems a bit high IMHO http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif