JKOC.com v3.0b

jedi_bmack · Communication Councillor Joined: Feb 08, 2004 Posts: 1248

Welcome to JKOC.com version 3.0b.

it's been a long time in the works, but the latest, greatest update has finally happened. soon, we will be updating several other areas of the forums with our new membership policies and the like. so until then, we're marking the whole site beta.

in the proper spirit of a beta site, please let me know, in this thread (read: not by PM) if you see any issues with the site or the layout. i'm looking for things like broken images, modules or forums you used to have access to and no longer do.

so, enjoy... have fun, same rules still apply. again, please note we are still in the roll-out phase of the website, so you may bump into some minor issues. let me know here, and i'll get right no it...

-b-

EDIT: unstickied the thread

TheRandomMenace · Jedi Knight Joined: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 1886

I preferred the layout of the other site due to aesthetics and whatnot

_-Reborn_Jedi-_ · Jedi Knight Joined: Mar 27, 2004 Posts: 602

MY EYES!!! GAAAAAHHHHH!

Quick, someone pass me a spork so I can gouge my eyes and rid myself of the horror I've just seen!

Seriously though, the last layout is worlds better than what this is. So in the famous words of that horse from the old Ren & Stimpy show...

"No sir, I don't like it!"

Beltayn · Jedi Knight Joined: Apr 18, 2004 Posts: 1712

I like it

DWH · Jedi Knight Joined: Mar 31, 2004 Posts: 509

Some features are nifty, such as this "quick reply" thing.

Not sure I like the big blaring folders. Kinda cartoony. I could come up with a lengthy aesthetic critique, probably, but my gut reaction was, "Whoa, folders."

So, yeah. Some good, some meh.

jedi_bmack · Communication Councillor Joined: Feb 08, 2004 Posts: 1248

well, i'd like to hear more constructive criticism as to what changes are not being looked on too favorably... i can work with that... but can't do any evaluation if i don't know what i should be evaluating.

translation: don't just tell me it sucks... why was the last layout better? what specific things do you not like? give me some bloody reasons, folks...

-b-

Beltayn · Jedi Knight Joined: Apr 18, 2004 Posts: 1712

Everything is easy to see, colors stand out more, quick reply is nice.

ZuckussWife · Jedi Knight Joined: Jun 28, 2005 Posts: 625

i like alot.......

TheRandomMenace · Jedi Knight Joined: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 1886

I liked the smaller folders and buttons above the posting message body box. I believe the margin was smaller on the left hand side in the other design... I don't know if it's just my computer, but the webpages seem "extra wide" and I have to scroll over to see the right hand side, whereas I didn't have to do that on the boards before this version. I don't like the smaller message body width in the column where the actual posts are. I agree with DWH about "whoa, folders." Looking at the buttons above while posting this, all I can think are, "whoa, buttons." Plus when I tried to upload an image earlier today, the code on the image button didn't show up... had to manually type it in.

anavrin0901 · Jedi Knight Joined: Dec 23, 2004 Posts: 795

NO THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER B- THE QUICK REPLY IS GREAT AND I KEEP MY HOME PC IN 800X600 FOR ALL THE WEB DESIGNING STUFF I DO AND IT ALL LOOKS AND FITS ON THE SCREEN LIGHT YEARS BEYOND BETTER THAN THE LAST LAYOUT DID...TWO THUMBS UP FROM ONE WEBMASTER TO ANOTHER!

TheRandomMenace · Jedi Knight Joined: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 1886

I like quick reply a lot. But I also liked the other stuff I already said above, too. Also, is there any way to make the sticky topics not stay red? I sort of feel the urge to click on them because they're red, even if they haven't been updated. That's annoying.

jedi_bmack · Communication Councillor Joined: Feb 08, 2004 Posts: 1248

after, seeing the site in use more than just running through some testing, i have been thinking about bumping the folder icons down to a smaller size. so that probably will happen... at least on one or two to see how it looks to start.

the buttons above the posting box are the exact same files as the old site. so, no change in size there.

the left hand margin is the exact same size as the old layout.

the layout is fluid and should adapt to the size of your browser window. like Anavrin mentioned above, the window can be taken down to 800px wide before the window will need to scroll left and right. the message body should not be smaller than the previous layout either. if anything, it's showing on mine a bit larger. avatar size may lead to some issues with that and once i get the avatar sizes locked down, that issue may disappear. also, please keep in mind that any thread that has a wide image or a very long, continuous line of text in it will make the window scroll left to right.

Random, i need more info on the image upload problem that you are having. PM me and also see if you can get screen caps...

last, to address the sticky/announce thread icons from Random's second post: if you look at the key at the bottom of the forums, you can see that there are no setting to differentiate between sticky and sticky with new posts, as well as announcement and announcement with new posts. so unfortunately, that one will stay as is... i suggest reading dates to the far right of the thread to see if there has been anything that was updated. additionally, there is a function on this version that, it just so happens, was on the old site as well... at the very top right of the forum pages, there's a link that says "View posts since last visit." i suggest using that link as it will help out in seeing what recently went up that you may not have read.

Anavrin, thanks for the kind words... much appreciated coming from another web designer... you don't have to shout next time though... Wink

-b-

TheRandomMenace · Jedi Knight Joined: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 1886

Well, thanks for addressing everything, Brian.

jedi_bmack wrote:

the buttons above the posting box are the exact same files as the old site. so, no change in size there.

the left hand margin is the exact same size as the old layout.

I suppose that's why I used the word aesthetics earlier. To me, everything looks different. Perhaps it's just the sizes of the avatars that you mentioned.

jedi_bmack · Communication Councillor Joined: Feb 08, 2004 Posts: 1248

no worries eric...

for everyone's edification, i'm in the process of changing over all the forum icons... the smaller ones look tons better... much thanks to all for that suggestion...

-b-

Krash · Jedi Knight Joined: Mar 20, 2004 Posts: 3495

I went with "not bad"...because from my perspective, there wasn't much changed from an appearance standpoint. And as I asked Brian earlier, (from a technical aspect) "does this new version run smoother then the previous (answer: yes)...cool"

FORUMS:
My concern about the size of the forum folders seems to have already been taken care of. Quick Reply...love that feature!

What's up with the emoticons?

BMack wrote:

but can't do any evaluation if i don't know what i should be evaluating.

Can we change the quoted text block to something other then white? It kinda gets washed out...even if someone uses a different font color then the default.

ARCHIVES:
Also like that the albums in the archives don't scroll down anymore, trying to add some details (date/location/what it was about) was difficult at best.

OVERALL:
So basically, ALL major functions can be found in the left hand margin. Most of the time I knew this...but somethings have been moved there as well (me likes!)

Nice job B! I know you've been working on this for a long time. I'm sure once everyone gets used to the few cosmetic changes to the site, it will seem like nothing's changed.