News Reporting Poll, Take 2

[EricNoah]

Definite thumbs up to me -- your personality is starting to shine through, and it seems less like a bunch of lists. Still, there are somethings that deserve the list treatment and I'm sure when you get tired of trying to work Map a Week into a sentence you'll figure out a good compromise.

I like the idea of highlighting key words to call attention to paragraphs -- or even mini "headlines". Kinda like this old news:

Master Tools Poll: You can participate in three polls about Master Tools here. The first poll asks about your plans to purchase the initial Master Tools product; the second asks you to pick the most important unsupported MT feature; and the third ... (etc.)

This is a prose passage but the headline allows the reader to decide whether this paragraph is relevant to him/her before reading the whole thing.

I don't think all news items need such treatment, however.

edit: Oops, I see you did this very thing for one article ("New D20 products available"). That's the idea, I think a little more of that would help guide folks.

 

[HellHound]

While the old method was MUCH easier to get information from and digest, the new version makes it a lot more personable.

I would actually go for a mix of the two.

I like the elaboration and "fluff" of the new style, but I think it should be used for one or two news items per day, and also include a news summary at the top for each day, in point form, like the old news.

 

[WanderingMonster]

I say scrap the whole text thing, and post an audio file, where you read it to me like a bed-time story.

 

[Morrus]

I say scrap the whole text thing, and post an audio file, where you read it to me like a bed-time story.

Yeah, but then instead of getting people who email me to tell me I spelled "rumour" wrong, I'll end up with people who tell me I pronounced "address" wrong....

 

[Agnostic Paladin]

Bad

But not really bad...

While it is a more interesting read if I take the time to dig through it, I can no longer quickly skim it easily and read what looks interesting.

 

[Dragongirl]

Well it would not let me vote, gave me this error 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.

And no I didn't vote and try to again.

I would have voted bad, the new reporting style seems to be too chatty and too self serving, which is fine if that is what you want. I find I have to go through more filler stuff to find the things I am interested in so that is why I would have voted bad if it had let me.

About the site in general, wish you would get rid of column on the right, or at least put it in the left column. The news gets too squeezed and it still look too crowded.

 

[Altin]

Well, I am quite a big fan of the new style because I find myself clicking the links more often than with the old style because of the bit of 'fluff' that goes with it. Also, I'd almost plain given up on reading the old style because it was too difficult for me (as a casual observerof the d20 thing) to tell what might be of interest to me and what might not.

Additionally, writing is always more engaging when it contains character so it helps make the front page more enjoyable.

Yours,
Altin

 

[Olive]

initially hated it, now i can't imagine going back...

but i do wish that the links would open in a new window like in the message boards. i spend more time on the boards than at the front page and always forget...

 

[Morrus]

but i do wish that the links would open in a new window like in the message boards. i spend more time on the boards than at the front page and always forget...

Just right click and select "open in new browser".

 

[Ketjak]

What's the point?

Harder to read news and collect information, which is purportedly the main reason for the site. I like Morrus, and I like his (your) filtering of the crap from the good stuff, but I don't want to wade through prose about his (your) Creature Counter or how great it is to talk to someone from some company to get that news.

Easy-to-find information with a link to an editorial or "gossip" column featuring his (your) views would be great. Frankly, I'd probably read it - but on nights when I have only a few minutes to scan and read one item of interest, those few minutes are spent reading the news page to find that information... which I no longer have time to read.

Yes, I'm about ready to find a new source for that information. No, I don't know what I'll do, but I have tested it and it's easier to scan the top pages of a few sites (Monte, Wizards, SKR's, a few RPG sites) and find one item of interest than it is to read the main news page at ENWorld now.

- Ketjak