Site Suggestions

Discussion in 'Site Discussion' started by Grey Knightmare, Mar 28, 2011.

  1. Grey Knightmare

    Grey Knightmare Founder (Retired)

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    The site is new, in it's infancy. It's quiet, bland and 'unfinished'. Now is the time to pop ideas, offer suggestions and contribute to it's array of features, services and the like. Any ideas for the site? Any idea at all? Whether your pitching your own idea or giving feedback or improvement suggestions to an existing one please post away!

    So to start us off what do you guys who've used Vb forums before think of reputation? Should I activate it and how should it work?
    It'd be nice to add our own twist to it. We'd probably use gem icon art based off such found in episode 19. I considered it to be like a currency, only staff can give out 'gems' but members can 'donate' to one another, just like giving rep but you have to give/lose your own. I can foresee lack of generosity though...

    Really I'm not too fussed without rep I think on a lot of sites it's become too much of a focus, almost an obsession I'd like to avoid that but majority rules, so let's hear your opinions on it and anything else site related that springs to mind! :smile:
     
  2. booXely

    booXely Practically Part of the Site Itself

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    Over on LBPC (my most frequented forum) they have a reputation/market system, and I like the way it's used over there. It just helps distinguish the more helpful/notable users from the rest, as even a troll can have a lot of posts.

    I would like a reputation system implanted, but I can understand if others would rather not have one.
     
  3. Derpy Hooves

    Derpy Hooves Former Derpministrator

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    Reputation is an odd thing really, it can be either really good or really bad, or both, depending on the situation.

    Of course while it's often just fun and games, people are bound to abuse it.
    But of course it does help distinguish more helpful users, but not in ever case - often you can get tons of rep for just posting a lot, people are more inclined to give it for funny things then helpful things. But in the end, this is a pony forum, it's not like there's going to be tons of people asking for like tech help or that sort of thing.

    I can see reasons both for and against it, though it's often just clean fun so I guess it'd be a good idea.

    One thing the site could use though is a chat room, most sites have them really so why not?
     
    #3 Derpy Hooves, Mar 28, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2011
  4. booXely

    booXely Practically Part of the Site Itself

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    When I'm on there's usually only 2-3 people on, so a chat room may be a bit obsolete at this point, but later down the line, and with more members, it could work.
     
  5. Jaret

    Jaret Retired Staff
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    Yep, a reputation system shouldn't be bothered with right now. The chat room and various other little things, in my opinion, could be added right now, and used massively later. The top priority for us now is to get a lil' bigger number of users. Though, we need more to show off so users would find interest in this...
    We definitely should get a custom system, similar to the reputation. For instance, this forum has something called "range" which increases every time you make a thread or post.

    By the way, for those who want to finally play an action-pony game: Watch this. It is coming.
     
  6. Grey Knightmare

    Grey Knightmare Founder (Retired)

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    Cool, I got CMPS/Vbadvanced - www.everypony.com/home
    Also accessible via the home link in the navbar.

    I'm not sure about a chatroom just yet most free ones I've seen are well inadequate and I don't fancy (perhaps not even capable of) coding one from scratch just right now, I'll keep an eye out though.
    Reputation is a more plausible direction but I'll need a good idea of exactly what you guys want.
    I've heard the words 'shop' (purchasing with rep?) Range (could you explain that to me?).

    Generally speaking assuming we'd agreed on rep, how would you customise it for this site... Let's try and make it a tad' unique.
     
  7. Derpy Hooves

    Derpy Hooves Former Derpministrator

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    This is probably going to be the cheesiest thing I've said in a while but....

    Perhaps instead of gems or anything instead for rep it shows a "cutey mark"
    As your points increase, it changes with the value becoming something better/cooler/whatever you want to call it and better as it goes on.

    Not sure what exactly would be worth buying, I mean aside from like badges or something like that (which I generally find kinda dumb, we don't need or own equivelant of DA's llamas). As for range, that was more of an integrated reputation/post count system, I don't see much of a point of integrating post count into it though - that just encourages spam, really post count shouldn't be a measure of one's status, why anyone does I have no clue.
     
    #7 Derpy Hooves, Mar 28, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2011
  8. Grey Knightmare

    Grey Knightmare Founder (Retired)

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    Hmm interesting.
    Maybe you can buy more/better Cutie Marks from a shop with 'rep'? ^^

    But then gathering a database of cutie marks worth working towards won't be no easy feat either..
     
  9. Derpy Hooves

    Derpy Hooves Former Derpministrator

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    It actually would be interesting if instead of having a sort of "standard," users were able to customize their rep more.
    I guess what you could do is set up multiple tiers, depending on how much rep/posts/whateverelse you have you can advance to higher up tiers with cooler/more elaborate marks
     
  10. Grey Knightmare

    Grey Knightmare Founder (Retired)

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    Yeah. Just the problem of getting a database of marks really, though I like the customization idea, you can work for rep and spend/use it how you like rather than just have it sit there as a number which rly despite many people thinking otherwise means very little
     
  11. Derpy Hooves

    Derpy Hooves Former Derpministrator

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    Well I'm not sure if spending it really is the right idea, I was thinking once you gain more it sort of unlocks more tiers
    Like a sort of "level requirement." Though spending it could work too.

    As for a database, I guess you could borrow some sprites from video games for things (just general things) to get it started, at least until we get a bored artist (/me glances at Jaret) willing to do a bunch of them.

    [​IMG]

    For starts you could probably use the fruit sprites from pacman for testing

    Other ideas
    http://charas-project.net/resources/Charasets/41352_1223069875.PNG

    http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj84/arose1010/pokemonitems.png

    http://pixeljoint.com/files/icons/full/items.gif

    http://gamesprite.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/chaosemeralds8ff.png
     
    #11 Derpy Hooves, Mar 28, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2011
  12. Grey Knightmare

    Grey Knightmare Founder (Retired)

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    Good ideas, I'll most certainly look into the probability. So your saying high rep = main char/celestia marks. Less means simple icons and stuff. :derpe:
     
  13. Derpy Hooves

    Derpy Hooves Former Derpministrator

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    You probably could save the Sun and Moon marks for admins/moderators
    I mean, they make the most sense for the them

    Unless you don't want it to have any base in power
     
  14. Steelion

    Steelion Deactivated Account
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    I say we need a chat room. Littlebigplanetarium has one that works great as an example of what I am suggesting.

    Sent from my ERIS using Tapatalk
     
  15. Grey Knightmare

    Grey Knightmare Founder (Retired)

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    I don't generally like prejudice... We may be admins but just like we won't bump our rep we shouldn't really be entitled to better icons without working towards it. Though using them as contest (if we could have any) or user awards would be a good idea.

    Alright I'll look at a chat room to, but I'm not making any promises on that one :grin:
     
  16. Jaret

    Jaret Retired Staff
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    [act_kewl_reaction]You know... that would be kewl[/act_kewl_reaction]

    [real_reaction]You, my friend, just hit my domain! I LOVE DOING SPRITES! THAT'S MY #1 FAVORITE THING! I'VE BEEN DOING THEM FOR LIKE 9 YEARS, AND I'M 14! GONNA START... THIS WEEKEND![/real_reaction]

    EDIT: OK, i've got ideas, my brahnies!
    1. The "user title system" I guess isn't yet decided with, so we put up "admin", "mod" and "user" titles. The thing now is, instead of titles, we should have cutie marks. No ordinare cutie marks, but more or less these kinds of:
    The users that are less than 1 month old wouldn't have a title/cutie mark... so, something like the cutie mark crusaders! They "search" our forums and how they stack up with the posts, they get their cutie marks:
    So, basically, here're some examples: If i post a lot in the Visual art forum, I get a "Drawing" art cutie mark. If Derpyhooves posts a lot in the Music forum, he gets a "Music" cutie mark.

    2. The other thing is, basically, if we implent a "Rep" system, the rep pictures should be jewels, like in the show.

    I hope ponies'll like my first suggestion, Cause I really like it a lot.
    And do not panic about the huge amount of cutie marks, every forum'll get just 1 cutie mark... and that basically is, in total, not more than 20 different cutie marks. And that way, you can see who's an artistic pony without watching their drawings/etc. Special ponies'll get special cutie marks, and admins/higher ranked users of course...
     
    #16 Jaret, Mar 29, 2011
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2011
  17. Grey Knightmare

    Grey Knightmare Founder (Retired)

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    Yeah I'm not sure about coding that first idea but it would be nice, saying that though it would probably just encourage people to spam in a forum (not to the extent at which we can punish them but lots of 'yeah' or 'cool' posts without much reason or use).

    As for chat rooms, I looked into it - it's not worth me coding one from scratch it'd take ages and have next to no features or functionality - there a few options commercial and otherwise but most have a flaw of some kind, flashchat for e.g. is popular, works well etc but yeah it's flash and tbh looks nasty/garish. The other option is trying to go a forum with a custom chat and request their code - the problem with that being I'd probably have to put an ad or similar to their site in exchange.

    What do you guys think?
     
  18. Jaret

    Jaret Retired Staff
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    Well, the first doesn't have to be coded, but done manually. I don't think people'll spam that much, at least if they do, we'd have some reason to use our Admin powers. Or we could always set the ones who spam without a cutie mark...

    But this sprite is a must do.
     
  19. The World Is Flat

    The World Is Flat A Pony Every Pony Should Know

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    I Support the idea of a possible rep exchange system later on, and also of cutie marks (as achivements or awards, maybe spending reputation to 'buy' the cutie marks you like.)
     
  20. Oatmeal

    Oatmeal Retired Staff

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    Hmm... DROP THAT SPOON MISTER!!! >:(
    I think we should be able to make our own cutie mark. Too many people will have the same cutie marks and there just seems to be something wrong there.

    You definitely have to change the white on light green color theme. The dark green isn't a problem, but the white letters sort of blend in with the light green.

    The layout is exactly like LBPC. It's like I'm still in its forum. It's nice to be familiar with the layout.

    What exactly will you get rep for? Like jokes, pics, vids? There really isn't much else to be thanked for on this site.

    I'm all for the chatting. But private chat could be better. Well, there are the visitor messages.

    Only an idea, but maybe there could be an older section. NOT FOR THAT WEIRD STUFF/NO 4CHAN STUFF, just for more grown up jokes. I've come across some funny dubs, but they have like two or three inappropriate words or suggested themes. But this site is more focused towards the youngins. So maybe not.

    Instead of the gems for the rep, why not have them for trophies, experience, or some new kind of currency. Maybe sell custom made avatars/pics/those things you're thinking of. Heck, you could probably go as far as to try and make money by selling gems. Like to get them quicker. Similar to buying more stuff for Farmville or something. Though, this can come off as a very bad idea.

    Can you add like a type of pony as a kind of gender?
    There's: males/females (Stallion/Mare)
    Then: Unicorn, Pegasus, Pony, Pegacorn. (Just for the lolz)

    What sets this site apart from the others? I think you need a gimmick, catcher, lure.
     

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