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View Poll Results: Good, bad or ugly (the little known meaning of "ugly" which means "indifferent")
OK, you've had a little time to get used to the new "style" of news reporting, so I thought I'd post another poll. Originally people voted about 55% in favour, 32% didn't like it and 13% didn't care one way or the other; however this was on the first day of the new style, and I'm wondering if opinions have changed since then. So, here's the new poll.
While I can definitely see the merits of both methods or reporting, I prefer the old method. It made it a lot easier to quickly peruse the news to find items of interest.
While I can definitely see the merits of both methods or reporting, I prefer the old method. It made it a lot easier to quickly peruse the news to find items of interest.
I have to agree with Wildcard. The first time through it's okay to read, if I'm in the mood to read, but if I'm trying to find a particular link I saw the day before, it's a real pain.
I'm good with it. Once you tweaked the basic organization and layout a little bit, I found it much better. It's not as accesible as the old style, but there's more personality to it (which is good).
I like the new news style, but I agree that it *is* more difficult to scan. How about putting key points in boldface (or something similar)? Or, if you were willing to use some simple hidden markup codes in the text, you could have a simple script pull a digest version out that could go in the archives.
As I type this I am the 9th "bad" vote to 45 "good" so nothing is going to change. However, I <u>will</u> state that my reason is the same as those above me -- I have trouble scanning for items of interest in the new format. It takes me longer to read the site, and makes me less likely to want to visit when I know how long it takes to read all this now.
Every time I try to vote, it gives me the following message:
"The action you have attempted could not be performed as your session appears to be invalid. Click the below link to attempt this action again with a new session."
I am logged in correctly when I try to vote.
Since I am having trouble voting, I will express my opinion here:
I do not like the new opinion related form of news on your website. I get enough opinions each day from work, the news, my family, my friends, etc. I just want the hard-core facts and news related to d20, and specifically D&D.
The free-form style also makes it more difficult to pick out the stuff I want to read versus the stuff I dont want to read. I prefer listings of information, as you did previously.
Originally posted by houlette Or, if you were willing to use some simple hidden markup codes in the text, you could have a simple script pull a digest version out that could go in the archives.
Hey, now there's an idea!
I, too, like the new style. It's much more personable. I tire quickly of information that's presented in "soundbytes," preferring to read complete sentances with something akin to punctuation used. On the other hand, I seem to tire of subjects where the author drones on for pages about little or nothing of interest. You seem to have found a decent middle ground.
It would be good, though, to have the ability to scan (do a search?) through the news history, only looking through topic phrases for paragraphs. I wonder how hard that would be to implement...
__________________ The Spoon
"If you don't stir the pot,
the stuff at the bottom just sits there."
Suggestion:
Use a mix of new and old. Use the old style of grouped by subject, as in a table with links on the main page. In the linked pages use the new style for ease of reading.
It is html after all.
And it's your site, if you want to plaster your opinion on it, that is your business (and right).
Still don't like it. Old news much easier to digest.
__________________ "This game requires no gameboard because the action takes place in your imagination..." - Cover of Dungeons & Dragons Basic Rules Set 1.
I prefer this type of news everyday, but I'm afraid it's a lot more difficult to find something when you look for it some days after the reporting... Still, I answered Good because I believe it's better this way!
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I still prefer not to have opinion in the news. I'd much rather see comment links to each news item where people can talk about them (like www.ve3d.com does it).
It's interesting that most all the comments posted so far are negative, even though most of the votes are positive.
Originally posted by Psion Still don't like it. Old news much easier to digest.
I hate to say it, but ditto with me.
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I like it, you provide more information than before and I don't mind a little extra reading. I am used to it based on how long some of the rpg books we read are.
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The boards are fun to read now! I like it *much* better.
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I think the commentary brings a new level of interaction to the news, and warms you right up for the message boards! The flow is informal, and that's exactly why I think it stands to add a dose of wit to the d20 publishing community. From my own perspective, I enjoy getting a chuckle or reading a funny with my news. In that way, the viewer also gets to associate with the news provider's personality and sense of humor.
A rotating "banner" of message board topics, columns, and essays might be cool if your fielding requests.
Glad to see all the positive feedback! Good job, Morrus!
Robert
__________________ "To be ruler of all lands, one must shatter the heart of all resistance."
I find that I miss the ability to quickly scan the news for things of interest but I also like the fact that there is more meat on the "news bone". I think that the suggestions of previus posters are very good, I think that with a simple bold headline-title to the news items the ease of finding thinks of interst would be greatly increased.
I understand the wish to move away from the simple headline news that the site used to use and I fully agree with it but I do find that specially when I have missed a few days of news it becomes almost impossible to cach up with the current events. So a simple highlight of the gist of the news would be great.
I don't think I like the idea of a serch system. It's hard to know what news is of interst to you (if you already knew what it whas it would'nt be news!).
I definitely prefer the older news page format. I like to get my info straight rather than conversationally. Seeking information on old post was easier than the new method, now you read less the first time through but finding an older announcement takes more work.
The Auld Grump
Last edited by TheAuldGrump; 30th August 2002 at 12:39 AM..
However, I <u>will</u> state that my reason is the same as those above me -- I have trouble scanning for items of interest in the new format. It takes me longer to read the site, and makes me less likely to want to visit when I know how long it takes to read all this now.
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