26 replies to this topic

[Xellie]

I'm aware there's a topic here about this too, but I'm posting it here in community chat so that it gets a bit more attention, as actually, the very topic would be the victim of the problem it's trying to solve if I didn't.

So basically the problem is this,

• WarpPortal Community Forums > Ragnarok Community > Game Discussions > Class Discussion > Acolyte Class

• WarpPortal Community Forums > Ragnarok Community > Game Discussions > New Player Strategies

It seems like a ridiculously long way to drill down in order to find useful information. Things are buried and navigating the forums aren't very intuitive as to where you need to be or where what you want to find is.
On top of that, some of the sections seem completely redundant. Does there need to be a "Class discussion" section? individual classes I understand, but doesn't "what class should I play for XYZ" come under "Game discussions" ?.... Don't most "game discussions" come under community chat? (otherwise, it's offtopic?)

In my opinion, the forums should be laid out flat infront of the user, so they can scan their eyes over and see the area they want, or so older users can easilly notice new posts in what are now buried sections, such as newbie help and class specific forums.

I know that it can't all be on the main page as the forums are shared with the other games, but surely it can all be bought under one heading, so the main page looks simple like this.



Ragnarok Community

Requiem Community

ROSE Community

Dragon Saga Community

CrimeCraft

The Other Stuff

And then under ragnarok community it would look more like this, similar to irowiki.

• Ragnarok Community Chat
• Help and advice ( replaces new player, game discusssion, class discussion, (ai scripting subforum))
• Creative contraptions
• MArket (sub forum : Valk, Ygg : Ymir)
• Guild hall (sub forum : Valk, Ygg : Ymir)
• Party requests (sub forum : Valk, Ygg : Ymir)
• Tech support
• Forum Events (sub forum per event)
• Acolyte Class discssion
• Archer Class
• Mage Class
• merchant class
• Swordie class
• thief class
• Expanded class
• Proposals and Suggestions
• Fungineer stuff

Anyway the point of this topic is to collect thoughts on this kind of forum remodelling and ideas

Edited by Xellie, 17 January 2012 - 03:04 AM.

[VermillionT]

With party booking (not that it's very usable), there's not really much of a need for the Party Requests section. Varying timezones also discourages use of the party section.

Also, you forgot the marketplace section...

[Akin]

That would be true if the party booking system was intuitive, easy to use, and used by a larger percent of the population. Until then, I think the party request section is still viable.

@OP, good idea, I'm all for the change.

[Inubashiri]

I'm Inubashiri and I approve this message.

[Sera]

Did you order things like that on purpose? The higher up in the list it is, the more visibility it has. I understand encouraging people to visit some of the less-visited parts of the forums, but if a forum really serves no constructive purpose or doesn't fit in with an audience here, then it's wasting space that could be used for something better.

Also, didn't the GMs say the forums are the way they are due to software limitations or something?

[Xellie]

Did you order things like that on purpose? The higher up in the list it is, the more visibility it has. I understand encouraging people to visit some of the less-visited parts of the forums, but if a forum really serves no constructive purpose or doesn't fit in with an audience here, then it's wasting space that could be used for something better.

Also, didn't the GMs say the forums are the way they are due to software limitations or something?

Have more faith, I've administered a billion forums including IPB I know it's feasible.

should probably more the creative stuff down and crap, really does need some thought to the ordering

[Oda]

Did you order things like that on purpose? The higher up in the list it is, the more visibility it has. I understand encouraging people to visit some of the less-visited parts of the forums, but if a forum really serves no constructive purpose or doesn't fit in with an audience here, then it's wasting space that could be used for something better.

Also, didn't the GMs say the forums are the way they are due to software limitations or something?

it's more of not wanting ROSE, Req and DS posters having to scroll and scroll past RO stuff. But hey, I'm the RO CM so phooey to those games (don't tell them). I definitely think that there can be improvements made to be more friendly to existing and new posters.

[espeon]

it's more of not wanting ROSE, Req and DS posters having to scroll and scroll past RO stuff. But hey, I'm the RO CM so phooey to those games (don't tell them). I definitely think that there can be improvements made to be more friendly to existing and new posters.

They can hide the game sections that are irrelevant to them. :P

[Hinkypunk]

it's more of not wanting ROSE, Req and DS posters having to scroll and scroll past RO stuff. But hey, I'm the RO CM so phooey to those games (don't tell them). I definitely think that there can be improvements made to be more friendly to existing and new posters.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the forum layout re-vamp Xellie has proposed is for the 'Ragnarok Community Subforums' page rather than the 'Warpportal Community Forums' main page, so the non-RO community wouldn't need to scroll past all of our subforums in theory.

Edited by Hinkypunk, 17 January 2012 - 05:03 PM.

[Zurn]

it's more of not wanting ROSE, Req and DS posters having to scroll and scroll past RO stuff. But hey, I'm the RO CM so phooey to those games (don't tell them). I definitely think that there can be improvements made to be more friendly to existing and new posters.

ima tell on you D;

[Inubashiri]

They can hide the game sections that are irrelevant to them. :P

This, thats what I do

[CeruleanGamer]

Vote Xellie for forum mod.

[Dmentd]

Just take a look at the old ROEmpire forums and make it look more or less like that. Also, please make the forums more searchable. They're not much use if they're not.

[Xellie]

Anyone else got any ideas for a set up? o:

[Sera]

you and your bulleted lists and . in my opinion, each of these sections should be minimizable within the main ragnarok section.

[First: Important stuff]

Community Chat
Help and advice ( replaces new player, game discusssion, class discussion, (ai scripting subforum))
Tech support

[Second: Stuff people will randomly browse, but don't necessarily concern everyone.]

Acolyte Class discssion
Archer Class
Mage Class
merchant class
Swordie class
thief class
Expanded class

[Third: Stuff no one looks at for any reason]

Creative contraptions
Forum Events (sub forum per event)
Proposals and Suggestions
Fungineer stuff

[Last: These go here because people don't randomly view these. They will only come here if motivated by a specific reason imo, no one is going to be casually browsing]

Market (sub forum : Valk, Ygg : Ymir)
Guild hall (sub forum : Valk, Ygg : Ymir)
Party requests (sub forum : Valk, Ygg : Ymir)

Edited by Sera, 18 January 2012 - 08:25 PM.

[TheKraven]

great idea!

[Xellie]

I drew it out on a table but this forum hates tables so I made a pretty bullet list instead ):

[Sera]

):<

Edited by Sera, 18 January 2012 - 08:34 PM.

[Xellie]

[Xellie]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the forum layout re-vamp Xellie has proposed is for the 'Ragnarok Community Subforums' page rather than the 'Warpportal Community Forums' main page, so the non-RO community wouldn't need to scroll past all of our subforums in theory.

Yes, this.

[Rutana]

Ok, my suggestion:

[Ingame Talk]
> Community Chat
> Help and Advice (New Player, Game Discussion, Class Discussion, AI Scripting and more)
> Recruitment (Sub Forums for Guild and Party, incl Subforums for the Servers)
> Marketplace (Sub Forums for Ymir, Ygg and Valk)

[Support and Report]
> Tech Support
> Bug Reporting

[Indepth Help/Class Discussions]
> Acolyte Class
> Archer Class
> Mage Class
> Merchant Class
> Swordie Class
> Thief Class
> Expanded class

[Creative and Improving]
> Creative Contraptions (Sub Forums for Art, Writings and other Stuff - maybe)
> Forum Events (sub forum per event)
> Proposals and Suggestions
> Fungineer Subforum

[ChrisWintermoon]

Ok, my suggestion:

[Ingame Talk]
> Community Chat
> Help and Advice (New Player, Game Discussion, Class Discussion, AI Scripting and more)
> Recruitment (Sub Forums for Guild and Party, incl Subforums for the Servers)
> Marketplace (Sub Forums for Ymir, Ygg and Valk)

[Support and Report]
> Tech Support
> Bug Reporting

[Indepth Help/Class Discussions]
> Acolyte Class
> Archer Class
> Mage Class
> Merchant Class
> Swordie Class
> Thief Class
> Expanded class

[Creative and Improving]
> Creative Contraptions (Sub Forums for Art, Writings and other Stuff - maybe)
> Forum Events (sub forum per event)
> Proposals and Suggestions
> Fungineer Subforum

3

THats really good.
Wuld love to see some changes to make it easier to find something/ navigate.

Hab dich lieb Rutana :-*

[Heart]

it's more of not wanting ROSE, Req and DS posters having to scroll and scroll past RO stuff. But hey, I'm the RO CM so phooey to those games (don't tell them). I definitely think that there can be improvements made to be more friendly to existing and new posters.

lies, seen u on ROSE >_>

[Sera]

Ok, my suggestion:

[Ingame Talk]
> Community Chat
> Help and Advice (New Player, Game Discussion, Class Discussion, AI Scripting and more)
> Recruitment (Sub Forums for Guild and Party, incl Subforums for the Servers)
> Marketplace (Sub Forums for Ymir, Ygg and Valk)

[Support and Report]
> Tech Support
> Bug Reporting

[Indepth Help/Class Discussions]
> Acolyte Class
> Archer Class
> Mage Class
> Merchant Class
> Swordie Class
> Thief Class
> Expanded class

[Creative and Improving]
> Creative Contraptions (Sub Forums for Art, Writings and other Stuff - maybe)
> Forum Events (sub forum per event)
> Proposals and Suggestions
> Fungineer Subforum

Is there any logic to your ordering? I mean the ordering by the way, not the grouping.

Edited by Sera, 19 January 2012 - 12:33 PM.

[Rutana]

Hm... not specially.
But I think it's a nice ordering of "what's most visited"?
It's still just a suggestion ^^