Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Okay I am going to make some changes as requested to the current board upgrade. I do plan on adding a reverse order option again, however this is a code change and will require some design time.

One of the REALLY nice things about going to UBB Threads is since it is in php, and php is easy to code in, we can make hacks a lot easier than before.

Right now I have bumped the text size to 10, from 12 as it was before, to see what folks think.

I have also added an unlimited time edit to the SE:IV Board. You should be able to edit your Posts dating back forever. Let me know if this doesn't work...

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Post#283226

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I have added a quick UBB Code for a "Post Link" to help in getting back some of the links to individual Posts. It works like the URL UBB post.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I prefer 12 (I'd rather scroll than squint!)

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I'll agree with that, scrolling is better than squinting.

Also, the old system gave us a little window on the page where we post replies in which we could scroll through the previous Posts.

Right now, typing this, I can only see the first post in this thread.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

With the ability to choose a specific style sheet in your profile, it should be a snap for Richard to add a couple of "font size" styles, with the only differences being 8 pt, 10 pt, 12 pt, etc. fonts (as appropriate). This would be the optimal solution, rather than forcing the same font size on all Users.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I agree wholeheartedly!

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

yea! what fyron said!

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Odd, I can get to this thread, by clicking where it is listed as the Lastest post. But I get 'Page cannot be displayed' when I try to open the SE IV forum.

http://69.56.133.54:81/threads/postl...mp;Board=UBB23

that's the one that won't come up.

hmmm... why is it using the IP and not a name?

[edit: still can't get to it]

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Sorry Richard, but the old board seemed to flow a lot better on the eye, and everything you needed was right were you needed it.
Just my 2 cents, which converted to US cents is less then 0.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

No problem, of course we heard the same complaints the Last time we changed the Boards colors. In fact I think the Last time we changed the board to the previous look, we got the exact same comments we are getting now.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Yep, I remember, although I liked the new look almost from the start.
I'll stop bothering you now, and go back to staring at the Beach and wishing it wasn't raining. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

No, sorry to have sounded crabby, but it's late and I am pretty tired after getting very little sleep this weekend.

I wish I was at the Beach http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I still cannot see the SE IV forum. To get to the threads I click on the 'latest post' thing and use 'next' and 'previous' to get around.

Of course, this could be a problem with my computer.

Any advice?

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Send me, via email, a screen of what you are seeing.

richard@shrapnelgames.com

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Because they have 'outsourced' their bulletin Boards. A reverse-DNS on that IP returns 'theplanet.com' as the owner, not Shrapnel Games. The Planet is apparently a large Internet Hosting service.

It seems to be working relatively well for me, but then I surf behind Proxomitron with a large set of filters. It could be removing or fixing all sorts of things for me that others cannot get around. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I don't think that is it. The only difference when I disable Proxomitron is that the ad banners at the top and bottom appear again. The forums look and function identically for me.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

No our entire server farm as at The Planet. We are using the IP because we haven't reserved a name for this particular IP yet.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I just wanted to say Richard, thanks for all the hard work you and your team have obviously put into the Forum upgrades. I know that some people don't like some of the results (myself included), but I do know that we ALL greatly appreciate the time and effort that you've put into this, trying to make the Forums a more welcoming and pleasing place. Thanks a lot. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I second this!

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I agree. Like anything new it takes getting used to. And when it is time once again to change things we will all still make the same complaints that we did this Last time. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I love the sig file. Great imagery.


<font color="blue">-- The administration of programmers has been compared to herding cats.
Basically you shoo them all in a particular direction by standing behind
them, waving your hands and making loud noises. Eventually one of them
might get there.</font>

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Any way to get bigger text size? this teeny tiny font is giving me a headache reading http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Yep, switch to Firefox. For some stupid reason the text is much bigger in that browser.

On a more serious note, most browsers have text size settings. I have to say the "upgrade" hasn't been much of one so far. About the only plus is the return of file upload capability..

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

The forums look a whole lot better in IE then it does in Firefox. In fact I really like the way the forums look in IE, except for the fact there are no borders in the main root of a forum to seperate things. The big text in Firefox ruins the formatting and is a pain...Having to switch font size to smaller setting inside Firefox is even a bigger pain as then you need to switch it for other sites yet again. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Again, fix that problem and then get it to where the order of Posts is optional and I will be really happy with the forums.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Having commented about the "Who's Online" being one more click away than it used to be, I also see that it shows EVERYONE on, not just the people in the SE4 forum...another negative.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Guys, if you want to report a bug, by all means, report it. But please limit such Posts to just the report. Let's stop being so negative, and saying everything sucks, or everything is "another negative," or everything is worse, etc., etc., etc. Such comments are not productive, at all. Further, I doubt that Richard needs any more stress right now. Upgrading the forums to a totally different type of software is extremely labor intensive, as is fixing most bugs. Please make his life easier. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

EDIT: "please such limit"? ack!

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

First of all, I appreciate Richard's concern for trying to make a new product work in much the same way as it did before while bringing better capabilities. Secondly, I appreciate your level-headedness in this comment.

However, since your response came on the heels of my comment, I don't want you to take it the wrong way. When I said, negative, I meant that as an comment in a very objective way. I didn't mean for my comment to be taken as, "This sucks". I meant (plainly) that it was a negative on the great "tally-board" of pros and cons that have been listed in various places. And, since I am on the subject, it's a plain fact that viewing people who were Online in THIS forum was much easier with the old BB.

I voted in the poll and I voted that the change was necessary. I just want to list the things that I don't like in hopes that (1) they CAN be fixed and (2) enough people voice an opinion about it that it WILL be fixed/altered.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Slynky, my comment was not meant to be directed towards you specifically, just towards the general trend in Posts related to the forum upgrade. This is why I clicked on the Reply button of the initial post in this thread, so that it would not appear directly after yours in "threaded mode." I apologize for any miscommunication. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

In other news, we can now delete our own Posts! Weee!!! (Richard, there is an armada of Phong warships waiting for you if you decide to remove this ability... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif j/k)

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

There is another thing I would like to see return, when time is found to bring it back. No rush.

It would be nice to have the thread to which I am replying visible in the reply window, so that I can scroll through it to copy and paste or whatever.

Also, there used to be a link, in the reply page, to the thread itself. This was nice for 'right-click, Open in New Window', so that the thread could be browsed easily while a reply window is still open.

Again, no rush, just a low-priority request.I have to wonder if this new feature will inspire Hadrian to return to finish the self-erasure he started.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I guess it was the use of the word, "negative", in your response that made me feel like it was directed toward me.

As a person who works in IT and helps decide on the configuration of new PC software (Ghost) images, I am fully aware of the aggravation of trying to make everyone happy with changes. I don't envy anyone in that position. So, perhaps I should have been "nicer" instead of "blunt".

Thanks, Fyron, for reminding me that I may be a bit guilty of the same things I get upset at "my" Users for doing. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

To be brutally honest i did prefer the old forum on practically every account on a personal Opinion and would have rather they hadn't changed it.

But I recognise that Richard and Shrapnel upgraded to provide us with a better community and have put a lot of dam work in to it. Sure i might have preferred the old forum but i certainly am very grateful that the people at shrapnel put this much effort into improving these Boards and creating a better community.

So although I don't particularly like this upgrade I'll get used to it (with some editing to make it more firefox friendly http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif) and I am thankful of Richards and all those involved efforts in this to provide and upgrade this community http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif I'm sure most here are as well.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Actually I am viewing it in Firefox now to see what it looks like. I haven't had a chance to try any of the new open source browsers since I used to use Opera.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I don't see any 'Post Reply' buttons not attached to specific Posts. Can't we post a 'general' reply in a thread anymore without directing it to a specific previous post?

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

I believe that to do so, in a threaded message board, you must reply to the post that started the topic.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Have any font changes been made? I logged in tonight (using Firefox, which I have used for a while now), and the font size is much smaller (and nicer to read) than it was when I signed in this morning. The smaller font is great for my 20/20 eyes at 1024x768. I'm just a little curious.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

There's a new config feature in your MyHome that will allow you to choose how Posts are shown in showflat (ie Newest or Oldest First).

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Thanks Richard! It's working great! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

*bows*

The right order has returned! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif

Thanks Richard, and thanks for making it look more firefox friendly http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Yes, thank you Richard for all your work in making everyone happy. The option of chosing which post displays first is a great feature and I official love the new forums. Having everything display in Firefox better now makes the formatting issue not so noticable. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Thanks again!

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Richard,

One thing I would suggest is reverse the Viewed and Posts on the forum thread lists.

Do you think it would be best read as POSTs first then Viewed second? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif (From an astetic POV that is.)

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

If you're taking requests, could we have a 'mark all as read' or 'update Last read pointers' button? Sometimes you don't want to have to enter every single thread to clear the 'new Messages' marker -- whatever it might be, graphic or color change.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

There is already one there in My Home (the main page), below the descriptions of the various preferences sections.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Awesome! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Slight problem though. When there are new Posts in a thread, if you click on the main thread title, it automatically sends you to the first page with a new post. When you have the Posts displayed in the correct order (ie: newest first), this still happens. If there are 2 pages of Posts and one new post, clicking on the main thread title sends you to page 2, which only has old Posts, rather than page 1, which has the new post. Certainly, this can be worked around by always selecting the page 1 link rather than the main thread link, but it is going to be a source of confusion for some.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Fyron, I have noticed this only happens part of the time. Sometimes it works just fine for me and others it does not. I have not been able to determine what causes it to work and what does not but I am sure there is something there doing it.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

A neat feature that people might not have found yet is the new search feature. You can select the forum or even multiple forums (shift-click and ctrl-click work for selecting Groups), ask it to show you all of the Posts for the Last day and click the box saying you want to see a bit of the post. You can also include some words from the subject or body to just see certain threads. It makes it much easier to figure out what you want to reply to in a long thread or a particularly active day.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Great work Richard, Thanks.

BTW, did you get the new forum icons I sent?

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

Now when the Posts are in the right order (Thanks Richard), I'd like to get the page I'm writing to viewable in reply page (hmm, perhaps Loser explained it better http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif). It would be nice.

Also perhaps fonts could be made customizable so everybody could select his favorite font and size.

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

*TerranC repeatedly jumps up and down in order to express his profound happiness at seeing the old order come back, until he hits the ceiling of his room*

Re: Changes to Boards - please read as we go along
 

One thing that just bit me:
Right after posting a reply, the displayed page should be the one where your reply ended up.

Multi-posting increasingly panicky Versions of the same message over and over is not a good thing.
(But at least I was able to delete them and hide the evidence of my troubles http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif)

-----

We could also use a "reply to original post" button somewhere at the top and bottom of the the page, like we had before.