128684-f2p-will-there-be-a-new-forum-design

== Content ==
			
Hey folks,
 
As far as I can remember the current design of the forum is there since CLOSED BETA. As a webdesigner I'm curious if there are any plans to introduce a new theme/design for this forum so it fits to the style of the official website.
 
I know this is only a default phpBB standard template which has been slightly modified but I wish there are any plans to change that, like:
 
- bigger profile pictures
- showing badges, titles whatever (which can be also earned by doing good stuff here)
- jQuery animations
- Carbine employee posts are more highlighted than before *bluepost*
 
Greetings,
 
Ethunyiel Schraubschwinge	
----
			- Not having to relog every time you visit the forums	
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
- Not having to relog every time you visit the forums
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
Hey folks,
 
As far as I can remember the current design of the forum is there since CLOSED BETA. As a webdesigner I'm curious if there are any plans to introduce a new theme/design for this forum so it fits to the style of the official website.
 
I know this is only a default phpBB standard template which has been slightly modified but I wish there are any plans to change that, like:
 
- bigger profile pictures
- showing badges, titles whatever (which can be also earned by doing good stuff here)
- jQuery animations
- Carbine employee posts are more highlighted than before *bluepost*
 
Greetings,
 
Ethunyiel Schraubschwinge
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
- Not having to relog every time you visit the forums
----
			
I want a us and them forum section....maybe I should be playing the dark side  	
----
			Forums unfortunately are an NCSoft thing.	
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
 
I want a us and them forum section ...
 
----
			I just hope there's a forum where people still make morning coffee posts.	
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
I just hope there's a forum where people still make morning coffee posts.
----
			
Hi, We are looking at having a new forum software. We don't have any ETA however. Obviously before F2P launch would be ideal, but we may not get there in time. Regarding the few points mentioned here. >Bigger profile picturesNot something we want really, avatars are big enough right now. An avatar shouldn't expand your post height if you are only replying with one or two lines, otherwise it's bad design. There's nothing more annoying than scrolling through a thread because avatars are increasing a page's height. Your post content should do that, not your avatar. We also limited avatars in size and weight for accessibility reasons. And that is also why we don't want pictures in signatures and why signatures are restricted to 3 lines. The size we currently use is fairly standard for forums.>Showing badges, titles whatever (which can be also earned by doing good stuff here)Not something we want either. If possible we want all users to feel equal and we don't want new comers to feel intimidated by people having multiple titles and so on. That is also why your registration date and post count aren't directly displayed. And also why we only allow "likes". Being popular on forums doesn't always mean "doing good stuff here" :)
 
You will distinguish yourself by the quality of your posts over time.
 
>jQuery animations That would be great for certain things yes! If we manage to get a new forum software, it may happen. >Carbine employee posts are more highlighted than before *bluepost* We would love that as well. And like above, if we migrate to a new forum software, this will be on our feature request list. >Not having to relog every time you visit the forums That is something we have been asking ever since NCSOFT Platform has been used to log on forums. Believe me, this is affecting us more than everyone else in here as we spend at least 10 hours per day on these forums (including on private areas that can only be seen when logged on). Unless we change forum software, I don't expect this to improve unfortunately, I'd rather be honest. >Improving the design As much as we would love that, it's at the bottom of our priority list. Functionalities and usability come first. Obviously if we get a new software and a new design is needed, we will update it!	
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
>Not having to relog every time you visit the forums
 
That is something we have been asking ever since NCSOFT Platform has been used to log on forums. Believe me, this is affecting us more than everyone else in here as we spend at least 10 hours per day on these forums (including on private areas that can only be seen when logged on). Unless we change forum software, I don't expect this to improve unfortunately, I'd rather be honest.
----
			
Well if you want help with a redesign, feel free to ask. Sure some of us would be more than happy to lend a hand...
 
{| class="blockquote"
Is that an IP.Board issue?  Seems like something really basic and I think that one's been around long enough to have corrected that mis-feature.  At the very least I wish the fake-out would go away. (haha, no you're really not logged in sucker)
 
There's something I really (really really really really really really) like about IP.Board: The ability to jump to the first unread post.  No it's not perfect but it's much better than having to guess like you do on phpBB based boards.
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
I believe it has more to do with NCsoft security features kicking in as the forums and the account management are linked to a degree. I'm not sure if other games who share the servers have the issue on their forum, but for example as you log in you can watch the URL and it will flash really quick thorugh the lineage and aion login authorization.
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
Is that an IP.Board issue?  Seems like something really basic and I think that one's been around long enough to have corrected that mis-feature.  At the very least I wish the fake-out would go away. (haha, no you're really not logged in sucker)
 
There's something I really (really really really really really really) like about IP.Board: The ability to jump to the first unread post.  No it's not perfect but it's much better than having to guess like you do on phpBB based boards.
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
It's the same with our current forum theme. We can technically update it now if we wanted to, but it's more likely to happen if we have to change software and thus redoing a theme from scratch!
----
			
Something that'd also be nice...
isif the Carbine employee status was more ummm "stable". Sometimes it's like every other day it feels like Mr.Smiley for example is one day an employee, than another day hes just a player and I'm like "noooo not mr.smiley!"	
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
Something that'd also be nice...
isif the Carbine employee status was more ummm "stable". Sometimes it's like every other day it feels like Mr.Smiley for example is one day an employee, than another day hes just a player and I'm like "noooo not mr.smiley!"
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
That's an issue when our product key expires. Our accounts, just like yours guys, must be "subscribed" is order to appear as staff. If an account goes inactive, it will appears as "Guest" automatically. NCSOFT Platform enforces that through IPB, making sure that any account without game time automatically reset to the Guest primary usergroup.
 
So if you see one of us with "Guest" under their name, it's most likely because their account expired and they didn't notice it. For internal policies reasons, we cannot give "unlimited" keys to employees, so it's usually 6~12 months keys. Not everyone is checking their forum accounts on a daily basis, so it may take some time before an employee realize that his account has expired. (Also one person could be on PTO, Business Trip etc.)
 
Sorry about that!
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
- Not having to relog every time you visit the forums
----
			I do think we should have larger file sizes on avatars. 200px ^2 limit increase?	
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
That's an issue when our product key expires. Our accounts, just like yours guys, must be "subscribed" is order to appear as staff. If an account goes inactive, it will appears as "Guest" automatically. NCSOFT Platform enforces that through IPB, making sure that any account without game time automatically reset to the Guest primary usergroup.
 
So if you see one of us with "Guest" under their name, it's most likely because their account expired and they didn't notice it. For internal policies reasons, we cannot give "unlimited" keys to employees, so it's usually 6~12 months keys. Not everyone is checking their forum accounts on a daily basis, so it may take some time before an employee realize that his account has expired. (Also one person could be on PTO, Business Trip etc.)
 
Sorry about that!
----
			I really wish we could have images in our signatures.	
----
			
The private run MMO forums...just look and feel so much better	
----
			I mean, if a new design is on the lowest point on your priority list, just tell me where you guys need help. I think here are a lot of good web developers out here who would love to help. Unfortunately there are no open job positions for that. :(	
----
			
If I have one design request...
Can we get rid of the white border around our avatars?	
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
I mean, if a new design is on the lowest point on your priority list, just tell me where you guys need help. I think here are a lot of good web developers out here who would love to help. Unfortunately there are no open job positions for that. :(
----
			Speaking of forum features, what happened to the top posters and user list feature?	
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
Actually, there are:
https://www.appone.com/MainInfoReq.asp?R_ID=1058211&B_ID=44&fid=1&Adid=&ssbgcolor=&SearchScreenID=2285&CountryID=3&LanguageID=2
Web team falls under NCWest, even though they're here in Orange County with us.
 
The full list for Orance County:
http://us.ncsoft.com/en/jobs/carbine-studios.php
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
Do I need to have Gold in vet STL, or is silver good enough? I guess I can grind out gold though if that helps.
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
If I have one design request...
Can we get rid of the white border around our avatars?
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
I can do that now in few seconds. Right now it's one pixel of padding and one pixel of white border. That can be changed for any colour / any size.  Now it's more a matter of taste, if a sizable part of members are asking for it, the switch can instantly be made.
----
			
{| class="blockquote"
I can do that now in few seconds. Right now it's one pixel of padding and one pixel of white border. That can be changed for any colour / any size.  Now it's more a matter of taste, if a sizable part of members are asking for it, the switch can instantly be made.
----
			I dunno. Given the forum has a dark background, I think the white border helps make darker icons visible. xD	
----
			
One person already suggested and offered redesign help before launch, but the whole thing was entirely overlooked because it was in the Community Creations (a forum section that really should be made more prominent).
 
https://forums.wildstar-online.com/forums/index.php?/topic/51865-i-redesigned-the-forums/
 
The link to the design no longer works, but there is an image of an early version of that particular idea. Personally, I loved it.
			
				
	Edited July 3, 2015 by Bathory Bane	
----