Things to think about for upcoming upgrade

[Magi_Gabriel]

I'm currently working on re-customizing the lastest version of FlashChat to have some extra features and would like some feedback from folks regarding the general nature of these features including suggestions for future ideas.

1) /roll command

Assuming I can work out the ActionScript in time then the upgrade will dispense with the cute dice and include a command where you can simply /roll your dice and it will come up in a unique manner that will hopefully reduce concerns about people faking rolls with the emote command.

Sound good?

2) Sidebar icons

Currently only admins can have icons next to their names, this is both to help distinguish us without making titles necessary but to also because the only way to enable it for general users at this time is to enable Smilies. I'll try to elminate the smilie parsing code from the chat so as to speed things up and reduce this problem, however I would like to know are people willing to suffer the possibility of people using smilies inappropriately in order to have access to a modest range of icons (male, female, !, etc)

3) Profile pages

We started discussing this on Unlikely Heroes, but may as well pick it up again here, what kinda information do people want displayed on their profile pages and what kind of information do the not want displayed?

4) Background

I'm currently looking at making a plain, no frills EN World Skin that will serve as the default skin. Both making it resource friendly skin and matching it to the web site. Do people want any decoration on this skin or would they prefer it simply be simple with no background image?

Please every feel free to post your thoughts on any of these ideas, I'll hopefully have a deadline set in the next couple of days.

Gabe

 

[Lince'sa]

/roll is great, please do

I can tolerate smilies if I must, with teh understanding that they should ONLY be used on occasion, but yes DEFINATELY need icons for gender, it streamlines so much for those of us who call someone "sir/ma'am/m'lord/m'lady/madam/miss... etc.

profiles, I would like CHaracter screen name, Character's REAL NAME/Full name, age, alignment (if easily detectable), basic appearance stats (Referance the profile pages on The DenRP, thanks Fatora!. with one exception, no pictures, they'd take WAY too much space up for everyone that comes here), and character's home page/LINK to character's picture.

I say a somewhat plain back ground. pictures would REALLY complicate the already heated topic of choosing a text color. (Poor Maciver and his oooey gooey hatred of all red headers) however, if you could add like dragons and such wrapping aorund the main chat window, that would be wicked cool : ) and I'll love you forever and a tuesday

Suggestion... can we maybe not have PM's tied to the sender's screen name in the list? I'd like them to stick around even if they log off. sometimes someone says something then logs off really quick before I get a chance to read it.

now for things that I am still having a problem with.... the bug sheet reborn... sorry to do this...:

!) the description's won't take anything with a ' in them still.

2) when using IE (some have this problem, some don't) I can't edit my profile page, it instead brings up the page as someone else would read it, and it cannot be altered.

3) also an IE problem some have and some don't, when looking at the thread list on the right hand side of the chat log in screen, I have SOME thread titles listed, not all. Most of them just show the last poster, and the number of replies. (might not be Gabe's problem, please forward accordingly, thank you : )

4) the black text will not hold over from logout to log in. If I leave the chat with BLACK (not dark gray) text, and log back in, the text color in my font color box will show as black, but my name, and the text on the screen will show up as white, I must choose another color, then go back to black.

5) the double-login

6) can we pretty pretty pretty please add a script at login so auto-complete will work? (Referance the above love forever and a tuesday, I'll add a wedendsday, of YOUR chioce)

7) The Log in chime... it won't go away even when I ask it nicely. I have to disable most sounds, then, click off the "mute all" then click "Mute all" again to disable it... but then I don't get my PM and window close sounds. if this problem can not be fixed, I'd like it to play ALL of "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder. if I HAVE to hear something, it might as well be something good.

8) the Room/User list bar... if you click on the space below the scroll bar to go to the next "page" it's blank.

9) eating too many doughnuts makes my butt big... YOU REALLY need to invent the "no-big-butt doughnut...

10) there is no "We love Gabe!" button on there anywhere... I'm sure it was left off by accident or there was an unsolvable problem with Norton Internet Security... it COULDN'T be by design.

 

[Sir Kellandros]

A few suggestions

... with one exception, no pictures, they'd take WAY too much space up for everyone that comes here),

I agree with all but this the pictures. perhaps they could be limited in size or somthing of that sort to save space and load time? I have many of the same problems as Lince'sa and would like to see this awsome role playing chat become even better. I would also like to see Magi online more often as so many people break rules for charactor discriptions (Vamps, demons, and winged, clawed scaly things) and having respect for other people (rudeness, crude behavior, and such).

Sir Kellandros


"Only the arrogant see in lack and white." - Magnus Vincent Sloan

 

[Willow_Calypso]

I personally like the idea of pictures. As long as they're tasteful pictures. I think we're all adult enough to imagine what someone looks like nude. We don't need a picture of the bits to know folks got them. But if we do add pictures. I'd rather not see them in a display list (example: The Den).

I originally liked the idea of the action/description bar on the bottom of the screen, but now; I don't like it so much.

I have to admit the double login is extremely annoy, but I know you're already working on that.

I'm not quite sure if I like the idea of adding basic physical attributes in a survery form on the profile page. That is why we have descriptions.

Also I agree with the comment about Magi regulating the areas. I hate to say it, but it is currently needed. Folks have gone hog wild and forgotten that there is basic rules.

 

[Andion Isurand]

YES to all, except background

keep the background a simple solid color so that most fonts can persist on the window without annoying other people

 

[Lince'sa]

I personally like the idea of pictures. As long as they're tasteful pictures. I think we're all adult enough to imagine what someone looks like nude. We don't need a picture of the bits to know folks got them. But if we do add pictures. I'd rather not see them in a display list (example: The Den).

I originally liked the idea of the action/description bar on the bottom of the screen, but now; I don't like it so much.

I have to admit the double login is extremely annoy, but I know you're already working on that.

I'm not quite sure if I like the idea of adding basic physical attributes in a survery form on the profile page. That is why we have descriptions.

Also I agree with the comment about Magi regulating the areas. I hate to say it, but it is currently needed. Folks have gone hog wild and forgotten that there is basic rules.

I'm not arguing, it's not my style, in fact Willow, Hun, you know I luv ya : ) I'd like to think your a good friend. With that in mind. I do respect your descisions, I just want to add my thought process, in case others, don't see what I see.

Pictures: as long as they are NOT in the description list. I have no problem with them. IN the list is takes forever for the pictures to load. however, for every person who has a even 20 characters (a very low estimate from what I've heard), and the last polls on wizards had something like 50 players (that read the boards and care enough to vote on that one) that's 1000 pictures, of any size. now if Enworld thinks they can handle that memory load then I say lets do it, I just want people to realize their IS a limited number of MB on the server, I don't want them overwhelmed, the stability might suffer, the people at Enworld might suffer.

The only reason I say Physical Attributes should be in the profile is because, in a room full of conversation, you don't always have the chance to read someone's (possibly) very detailed description, and you only need to know "do I look him in the eye? look up at him, or (rarely ever my problem) down at him?" Also it could be a helpful tool to trying to remember if you KNOW the person. so many characters, so many more aquaintances, so little memory.

those two points being, I hope, fully explained, I say HUGS TO ALL, and TY Willow for making me realize, 3:00 AM is no time to be discussing "thoughts" hence the two clarifications and thank you for reminding me "not everyone thinks lie me" which is a good thing. : )

 

[Dontella]

1. /roll

I thought we had a cute little dice roller on the side? Or did it vanish and I just did not notice? Heh.. me.

2. Icons

Not really all that important. I personally don't care one way or the other on this one.

3. Profiles

First.. I would love to be able to edit mine!

Ideas: Pictures, but a size limit. Some folks do have older PC's, so maybe we keep pictures, but we also keep them within a range, therefore there is still the option to use them if folks wish to take advantage of it.

THere should be two sections.. The Short list of basics at the top, the details at the bottom, thus we cater to all persons.

The First: A quick Look. This could do a fast character summary, for those who just want the basics like: Race, Height, Weight, Hair, Eyes, Apparent Age.

The Second: Detailed Description. This is the space where we can put a longer description of the character, for those who enjoy writing them.


4. Skin

Plain, without background, would probably be the most user friendly.

 

[Willow_Calypso]

Enworld thinks they can handle that memory load then I say lets do it, I just want people to realize their IS a limited number of MB on the server, I don't want them overwhelmed, the stability might suffer, the people at Enworld might suffer.

To be honest I didn't even make that realization that the pictures would occupy space that could be put to better use for the benefit of EnWorld. Thanks for the clue in. I'm not entirely that cyber-net savy.

The only reason I say Physical Attributes should be in the profile is because, in a room full of conversation, you don't always have the chance to read someone's (possibly) very detailed description, and you only need to know "do I look him in the eye? look up at him, or (rarely ever my problem) down at him?" Also it could be a helpful tool to trying to remember if you KNOW the person. so many characters, so many more aquaintances, so little memory.

I also didn't realize this either. I have a tendency to forget my time difference, and that the normal crowd of RPers are not online during the times I play. I haven't been in an extremely crowded room in ages. I could see how long descriptions could interupt the stream of RP.

 

[Magi_Nashira]

Background images, as in pictures I think should be avoided. I like the clean simple look the site has now, and I think images will slow down login/load times.

 

[Mayu Amakura]

Not sure if anyone has suggested this yet, but, how about an all around clock of some sort? I tend to get all confused about the time and such and think it would be nice if players had some sort of easy and simple way to set up meeting times with each other going by one simple time setting.