Forum 3.0 is almost finished, anything you'd like taken care of while I'm deep inside the forum code?

[Legend]

It's nice refactoring the spaghetti code I threw together over the last decade. We had ~4 different systems behind the scenes for doing automated tasks.

Now we'll just have "Nuevo Bot!"

Want to perform daily database maintenance? Nuevo Bot!
Want to perform daily server backups? Nuevo Bot!
Want to perform daily restocking of the forum store? Nuevo Bot!
Want to perform daily server clock syncs? Nuevo Bot!

Yeah all four of those used completely independent and unique ways to schedule themselves.

#1 was a secret tiny picture that you load with ever page, and once a day it'd "load" a little slower.
#2 was a delayed execution of a php file on the server, and that file would set itself up in a few hours again.
#3 was a server script that ran every time someone posted, and it'd check if it was the right time to restock.
#4 was a proper cron job on the server, even though clocks should auto sync themselves.

Each method did a lot more than I mentioned, they had reasons to be set up the way they were, but man is it nice to be switching to a single system that can handle everything. (a cron job that runs every minute and uses redis to check if it should go back to sleep or if it's time to do something)

[Legend]

@the-Pi-guy and everyone else

Would you like any changes with the portal to all threads? We definitely want to keep it powered by a post so it's easy to update, but what would the optimal setup be in your eyes? For example I think linking to the first post by default would be just slightly nicer since I go to game OTs less frequently.

[the-pi-guy]

@the-Pi-guy and everyone else

Would you like any changes with the portal to all threads? We definitely want to keep it powered by a post so it's easy to update, but what would the optimal setup be in your eyes? For example I think linking to the first post by default would be just slightly nicer since I go to game OTs less frequently.

That's the only thing I'd ask.

Some other ideas I have would be too much work, more than it'd be worth.

[Legend]

That's the only thing I'd ask.

Some other ideas I have would be too much work, more than it'd be worth.

I'd still like to here those ideas. Forum 3.0 is a very big rebuild. So much old code didn't work on modern php and mysql. I had to rebuild the entire front page of the forum for example.

I'd also like to hear ideas on posting a new topic. How should that flow improve?

[the-pi-guy]

I'd still like to here those ideas. Forum 3.0 is a very big rebuild. So much old code didn't work on modern php and mysql. I had to rebuild the entire front page of the forum for example.

Replacing the post with a list that automatically sorts, maybe even a form that formats the thread link.

But posts are flexible. Easier to make categories and stuff.

I'd also like to hear ideas on posting a new topic. How should that flow improve?

Maybe instead of having a new board:
A drop down for the forum


I don't know how much people separate into the forums in the first place, but save a page at least.

Aside from that *shrugs*

[kitler53]

I'd also like to hear ideas on posting a new topic. How should that flow improve?

not sure how you can improve the flow short of taking up my idea of removing the sub forums.  the workflow is only 2 steps (with the first being selecting your forum) so i'm not sure how you could make it any simplier.

having just gone though the process i kind of feel like the message icon could be deprecated.   i see it is getting some use from time to time but not that often.  and kind of like my previous enhancement idea most of the forum icons look pretty dated.  but all and all things are fine so long as our expectations are a "forum".    ...which personally i like.  i'm not looking for you to go all instagram / twitter / Snap on me.   

[Legend]

Replacing the post with a list that automatically sorts, maybe even a form that formats the thread link.

But posts are flexible. Easier to make categories and stuff.
Maybe instead of having a new board:
A drop down for the forum


I don't know how much people separate into the forums in the first place, but save a page at least.

Aside from that *shrugs*

Nice mockup. I didn't like that idea in the past since people are likely to ignore it and just post in the default place, but it doesn't really matter with our current forum setup.

For OTs we could do a hybrid approach. OTs about subjects are handled well by your current thread and really aren't that hard to manage imo. Game OTs however will just keep growing until the list isn't that useful. A bit of automation there, both when adding links and when finding links, could be handy.

Maybe I make it so you still have your thread, exactly as it is now, but then I generate a dedicated page from that data? It'd present links from your first post as is and links in the later post for games could be auto sorted and even have a javascript live filter to find a game? On that page I'd also put a button linking to your thread so it's still really easy to find and edit but it wouldn't be a sticky anymore.

not sure how you can improve the flow short of taking up my idea of removing the sub forums.  the workflow is only 2 steps (with the first being selecting your forum) so i'm not sure how you could make it any simplier.

having just gone though the process i kind of feel like the message icon could be deprecated.   i see it is getting some use from time to time but not that often.  and kind of like my previous enhancement idea most of the forum icons look pretty dated.  but all and all things are fine so long as our expectations are a "forum".    ...which personally i like.  i'm not looking for you to go all instagram / twitter / Snap on me.  

Icons aren't even visible on mobile. I like the idea of converting the default icon to just a simple graphical element like a dot. Use it primarily to break up the page and make it look nicer than just a wall of text. Just keep customs around for the fun of it.

[the-pi-guy]

Nice mockup. I didn't like that idea in the past since people are likely to ignore it and just post in the default place, but it doesn't really matter with our current forum setup.

If you're still concerned about that you could replace it with a radio button or something.



Just make sure an option is checked, but it'd be smoother than redirecting to a new page. (and there's a nicer way to lay this out, but this was just a quick mockup)

For OTs we could do a hybrid approach. OTs about subjects are handled well by your current thread and really aren't that hard to manage imo. Game OTs however will just keep growing until the list isn't that useful. A bit of automation there, both when adding links and when finding links, could be handy.

Maybe I make it so you still have your thread, exactly as it is now, but then I generate a dedicated page from that data? It'd present links from your first post as is and links in the later post for games could be auto sorted and even have a javascript live filter to find a game? On that page I'd also put a button linking to your thread so it's still really easy to find and edit but it wouldn't be a sticky anymore.

For sure, that's totally fine.

[the-pi-guy]

There's not much that can be cut out of the Thread creator.

It's basically as many steps as making a thread on Era.

Although Era has more features. You can add a prefix to say it's a Sony/Nintendo thread, but probably not necessary for a forum this size.

You can also create a poll up front, that goes live when the thread is created. Which isn't possible here?

This is what Era looks like:

[Legend]

Right next to the new post button, there is a new poll button. Do you guys not see that?

That would be a silly mistake on my part...

[the-pi-guy]

Right next to the new post button, there is a new poll button. Do you guys not see that?

That would be a silly mistake on my part...

Sorry I guess I'm so used to clicking on the one thing, I didn't notice the other button.  

[kitler53]

Sorry I guess I'm so used to clicking on the one thing, I didn't notice the other button.  

i'll admit i didn't notice it either.  xD

[the-pi-guy]

But why not have it be part of the same process?

[Legend]

But why not have it be part of the same process?

Yeah, makes more sense to have an add poll button while making a new post. Polls are not posted 50% of the time, they don't need their own button.