Idea for the forums

[austinpwnz ●]

I've noticed, most especially in the Oblivion forum, a lot of confusion and mistakes made over which version of Oblivion the poster has.

So I was thinking, on the poster info part of each post, the left side, would it be possible to add a field (such as under the number of posts) stating "TES4 System:" (or for Morrowind as well) and then having the options as PC, x360, and PS3?

I have no experience running or editing a forum, so I don't really know if this is possible, but I thought I'd throw the idea out there in case it would help.

[Dogmantra ●]

It's hard to code. It would be much easier to have one of the mods make an announcement like "add what version of Morrowind/Oblivion you have in your signature".

Apart from anything, Daveh hasn't really done anything with the forums for a long time, and he's the only one who could change it.

[austinpwnz ●]

Well I guess I'll put it in my signature then. Maybe a reminder to add it to the signature could be put in the initial new member welcome/registration process?

[alowe ●]

the signature idea is a good one but i personally like to tailor mine to say something funny or evocative. putting in my game version wouldn't fit well with that so i'm guessing others may also not wish to do that, but some will. a quick PC:MW+BM+TR,UMPv1.6.4 at the top of my sig wouldn't hurt.

as for announcements not everyone reads them if they're buried inside another thread. if it was a seperate thread with a title that explained it then it'd be more successful i think. e.g. the "Post your game version and platform 1st" thread. If it was the lowest sticky people would see it most often (since many scan the uppermost threads for new posts).

you could even lay out simple abbreviations in that announcement that people can use, e.g.
Games:
MW
MW+BM
MW+BM+TR
OB
OB+SH
MW Patches:
UMP v1.6.4
MCP v1.2
MPP v1.6.4
UUMP v1.6.4
Platforms:
PC
X-Box

i know the number of announcement threads are growing and i've seen forums where the 1st half of the front page are all announcements which looks really messy and makes the forum harder to read. still, i think you'd get away with one more (creaping doom) announcement thread without effecting it too badly.

[Vargon ●]

Platforms:
PC
X-Box

You forgot about the PS3.

[Calm_Mind ●]

An easier compromise would be an announcement at the top of each relevant forum stating that players must state which version of the game they are playing and what patches/mods are running when they are posting with a particular problem. If this information is all included in the first post, it could result in many things being resolved with a single reply. While the idea to put the information in your signature is not a bad one, a lot of people like to use their signatures to be individual, and if everybody had the same thing in it would just negate the point.

Off topic:

Last edited by Vargon on Tue Jun 27, 20098 8:18 am; edited 23 time in total

Really?

[alowe ●]

An easier compromise would be an announcement at the top of each relevant forum stating that players must state which version of the game they are playing and what patches/mods are running when they are posting with a particular problem

two issues i have with those suggestions are these:
1) if you say people must do something you have to be able to enforce it. i'd rather it was something that was encouraged. it will ultimately help the original poster more than those that reply
2) listing all the mods is impractical. a lot of people have 20 or more mods. some have hundreds

[nyk45 ●]

phpbb3 has a feature to add info like that.

[Josjie ●]

But is it necessary? I don't really see the problem here.

First of all, there aren't that many people with questions like that. Secondly, most of them say what version of the game they have. And if they don't, how difficult is it to simply ask for it?

Sure, this might be a bit easier, but it takes up space, and Daveh has got better things to do, I think .

[nyk45 ●]

Yes, I also agree it isn't necessary.

It could be helpful but not imperative.

I was just saying how to do it easily.

[Boulderheart ●]

I think it would be a good idea, it surely wouldnt be that hard either.

[Josjie ●]

phpbb3 has a feature to add info like that.

This forum uses PHPBB2

I think it is possible by adding forum rules to the Oblivion category, which show up at the top (above the announcements).

But I still do not think it is necessary.

[nyk45 ●]

Precisely, that's why I didn't say 'the current versionof the forums'.

[Josjie ●]

Precisely, that's why I didn't say 'the current versionof the forums'.

Where? I can't find it...

On-topic:

A new announcement topic might be a bit too much, can't we just edit the forum rules topic and add something like this:

- A word of advice: if you ask for help, we'd appreciate if you say what version of the game you own (pc/Xbox360/PS3). That makes much problems a lot easier to solve, which means you'll get a quicker and better answer.

[austinpwnz ●]

A few things after seeing replies.

First I think showing mods is impractical. Just the basics.

Also I like the idea of putting it in sigs, but not so much the idea of just trying to get people to put it in their original posts. The people who would remember that kind of thing are the people who probably do it anyway, and the point was so that people don't have to remember, it's just there.

But like I said, if it's not as easy as adding a single field to the pertinent object, then maybe we just start a grass-roots revolution movement to have people put the system in their sigs?

EDIT: Also I appreciate everyone considering this idea, since it was just a whim of mine.

[Josjie ●]

I think many people prefer having a nice quote or image in their signature.

Another possibility is to put one of these images in your signature:

Xbox 360
http://www.t-xorcist.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/xbox-360-logo.jpg
http://up4.vox.com/6a00cdf3aec6dccb8f00cdf3aec838cb8f-50si

Playstation 3
http://www.adictron.eu/WebRoot/StoreES/Shops/61488288/4726/52FE/AF32/7C2E/723F/C0A8/28BD/DDC2/PS3.jpg
http://www.ps3news.com/forums/image.php?u=2

PC
http://www.simplehelp.net/wp-images/icons/topic_windows.jpg
http://helpdesk.its.uiowa.edu/virtualdesktop/images/windows_small.jpg
http://www.sarkarcubes.com/images/computer.gif

[nyk45 ●]

For ps3 and 360 there's also the gamer card and Portable ID.

[Tom ●]

I'm sure there's a MOD like this for phpBB2 somewhere. I'd start by checking the MOD Database at phpBB.com, and then search Google for keywords for such a MOD.

EDIT: I think I've found a MOD that could be installed on the forum and would do exactly what you are requesting: http://www.phpbbhacks.com/download/6664.

[Kestral ●]

I'm sure there's a MOD like this for phpBB2 somewhere. I'd start by checking the MOD Database at phpBB.com, and then search Google for keywords for such a MOD.

EDIT: I think I've found a MOD that could be installed on the forum and would do exactly what you are requesting: http://www.phpbbhacks.com/download/6664.

Now we just need Daveh or Nephele to come across here. >.>

[Josjie ●]

The mod looks good but, as Kestral says, we need to convince Daveh and that might be a bit of a problem.

[Kestral ●]

The mod looks good but, as Kestral says, we need to convince Daveh and that might be a bit of a problem.

If he's still alive. >.>
Nephele would be equal, she has FTP Access.

[alowe ●]

If he's still alive. >.>

we just need someone to travel to tokyo and find out what baths he's drinking his pina colada in

[Kestral ●]

If he's still alive. >.>

we just need someone to travel to tokyo and find out what baths he's drinking his pina colada in

Yes, a pipe cleaner is enjoying his time in tokyo spending money on things that would benefit the UESP or his life more. >.>

[Dragour ●]

So... just wondering wether something is actually going to happen about this or not?

[alowe ●]

So... just wondering wether something is actually going to happen about this or not?

you're asking the wrong people. we can talk about it but we need input from someone who is in a position to do/yay/nay it. if that's daveh then that's the person who can take this forward. until then all we can do is continue talking about it