Cryptic, when you revamp the forums...

[Father_Origin]

Cryptic, when you revamp the forums (it always happens sooner or later) can you
give it a nice LCARS skin and feel to it?

Just a thought.

[USS_Parallax]

We need ranks based off post counts. Maybe make the post count invisible at the same time.

We need the ability to upload animated avatars.

[Magnuson]

Cryptic, when you revamp the forums (it always happens sooner or later) can you
give it a nice LCARS skin and feel to it?

Just a thought.


That would be pretty sweet.

[USS_Parallax]

LCARS are outdated. I'd never want to put them on a website. Been there done that. It's so 90s. LCARS needs a new look and needs a revamp. The current Windows and Mac OSes look 10x prettier and cooler. LCARS looked awesome back in the day but no longer! It must be redone! Made to look more awesome then the simple modern OSs out there!

*eyes glow red*
Bwhaha! Bwha! Bwhahahahaha!!!

[RookActual]

If they can do an okudagram, but update it, then fine. Other than that, I don't think we need yet another LCARs Trek website.

As for expanded ranks based on post counts. What good does that do? Encourage people to post non- contributory posts in pursuit of a superficial rank? People already have to filter through the crap I post to get to the important or intellectual parts of a conversation. We don't need more overinflated post counts from low brow scrubs like me. :D

[Trekkie]

I do not really think that the forums need to be revamped, but I wouldn't mind seeing an LCARS-like layout if the format did change.

[Decius]

I didn't even use LCAR's for my website, originally I started doing the design for it.. but it felt very overused. If they could implement something that I did on here would be cool too, here's a copy of what my post information looks like under my avatar on my site..

Administrator
Fleet: Star Trek Alliance (http://www.startrekalliance.com/)
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 31

I made the fleet directly linkable to a fleets website, so they can use their signature for other things.

[Sevenblade]

If they can do an okudagram, but update it, then fine. Other than that, I don't think we need yet another LCARs Trek website.

As for expanded ranks based on post counts. What good does that do? Encourage people to post non- contributory posts in pursuit of a superficial rank? People already have to filter through the crap I post to get to the important or intellectual parts of a conversation. We don't need more overinflated post counts from low brow scrubs like me. :D

Oh god. Rook the overinflated posting low brow scrub is officially a meme. What are these boards coming to? :eek:

[Captain_Intrepid]

We could always ask for ST: Original Series type graphics;)

[Banach]

small banner size sigs please!

[Elvennomad]

I still like Lcars. Their are much cleaner approaches though. Look at anything nintendo or apple is doing. Sleek and simple.

[k.mpok]

Maybe its the hidden 70s/80s kid still hiding in me but I always liked the look of LCARS.

My biggest request to Cryptic, if they do do a forum revamp, is to give us plenty of time to save any info we may want to save.




hehe I am pretty proud of my Klingon post. See (Computer, access Species Database. Subset Klingon)below if you haven't had a chance to read it yet.

................|
...............v

[Nimisis]

Great ideas!

I like the forums so far, but in addition to what is available and what we have, I like the suggestions so far.

Especially the LCARS.

It would be cool to be able to choose and pick your forums "Skins" for your account, have the different looks and interfaces according to your species/factions...

[marscentral]

Instead of LCARS, it's possible the new film will introduce a new starship OS that will look cool and modern.

*Prepares to get flamed*

[Decius]

Well, graphically I like it the way it is. It's clean, easy to read, and efficient. I don't really want to see LCARS, unless it's not overused and properly done. Think I've just seen too many sites with LCARS or something.

[RookActual]

Well, graphically I like it the way it is. It's clean, easy to read, and efficient. I don't really want to see LCARS, unless it's not overused and properly done. Think I've just seen too many sites with LCARS or something.

I agree. It wouldn't be horrible, but I also don't think they intend on people getting settled in here. It's supposed to be more or less a 'professional forum'.

-closes the janitor's closet on the forum to conceal the furnishings he's moved in there.-

[Sevenblade]

I agree. It wouldn't be horrible, but I also don't think they intend on people getting settled in here. It's supposed to be more or less a 'professional forum'.

-closes the janitor's closet on the forum to conceal the furnishings he's moved in there.-

Sounds about right. Helps explain why we can't post images, gif.s, or sigs anywhere on here.

[RookActual]

Sounds about right. Helps explain why we can't post images, gif.s, or sigs anywhere on here.

They'd have a liability with that, if we were paying subscribers it might be more binding on us to behave ourselves, but signatures have to be monitored and there are a lot of members here. It's just not currently worth that much policing.

[Decius]

They'd have a liability with that, if we were paying subscribers it might be more binding on us to behave ourselves, but signatures have to be monitored and there are a lot of members here. It's just not currently worth that much policing.

I hear that, with busy forums it can take an army of moderators to keep things in hand. That would just be another thing for the moderation to worry about, and it's a big reason why I understand why they don't have those features.

[Sevenblade]

They'd have a liability with that, if we were paying subscribers it might be more binding on us to behave ourselves, but signatures have to be monitored and there are a lot of members here. It's just not currently worth that much policing.

Yeah, not to mention it's simply more of a hassle and takes each page longer to load if people have a their own sigs scattered every where. That's probably the most minor reason, but it actually has more effec than you'd think.

[Syphus]

...

Oh definately... I'd love a way to turn off picture signatures :P

Although I am probably hated by people for them since I have a few animated gif sigs :P

[DanSeale]

Just a couple of thoughts from them old man... I'm not up to speed on the proper techno-bable sooo let me explain it the best way I that I understand.

I like the idea of graphics used in sigs.. I've done several in varroius sizes. Which brings me to the next part (or question) .. how big? I'm ONLY GUESSING .. but what 175 h x 450 w (max) maybe ? And would like to be able to up load them the same way I did the avitar. (My web site was moved and I have yet to get some tech stuff fixed).

As far as updating the site . that's their call. What ever it is ... it should reflect Trek as it was released over the years AND the game STO as they are developing it. Most artists have their own ideas of expression sooooo It may be kinda hard to tell them how to do their stuff for the site.

I don't know if this comming across the right way or not. Just don't take it as a rant or anything negative.

[Hagon]

To tell you the truth, and I know it's probably considered blasphemy by many, but the look of LCARS has never really appealed to me. In fact I think it looks pretty ugly actually. Just a personal taste I know, but there it is.

[DanSeale]

To tell you the truth, and I know it's probably considered blasphemy by many, but the look of LCARS has never really appealed to me. In fact I think it looks pretty ugly actually. Just a personal taste I know, but there it is.

A couple of us really don't know the difference!

:eek:

Now if someone would explain the difference!

:D:D:D

[marscentral]

To tell you the truth, and I know it's probably considered blasphemy by many, but the look of LCARS has never really appealed to me. In fact I think it looks pretty ugly actually. Just a personal taste I know, but there it is.

It's another example of our technology moving ahead of what was possible to simulate back then. Back in 1989, the LCARS graphic looked sleek and cool on TV, now it all looks a bit dated.

[Decius]

I still think LCARS looks sorta sleek, but after all these years it's sorta old, at least for the use of a website. For the gameplay GUI, it's fine with me.

[Flatfingers]

We need ranks based off post counts.

No, no, clearly we need ranks based off average post length.

;)

But yes, I'm a little puzzled that this forum isn't in something like an LCARS skin already....

--Flatfingers

[TheMasterpiece]

Id like new ranks as well like others have mentioned. Maybe an ensign to captain system? devs can be admirals? just a thought. post count could be visable or not, doesnt matter, and maybe a lighter look to it. a more star trek feel. i really dont care though because this forum is really nice as is.

[RookActual]

No, no, clearly we need ranks based off average post length.

;)

But yes, I'm a little puzzled that this forum isn't in something like an LCARS skin already....

--Flatfingers

Sorry, I don't think God Emperor of Lengthy Posts is going to be incorporated any time soon ;):p

Id like new ranks as well like others have mentioned. Maybe an ensign to captain system? devs can be admirals? just a thought. post count could be visable or not, doesnt matter, and maybe a lighter look to it. a more star trek feel. i really dont care though because this forum is really nice as is.

I've been in enough forums that were designed to look cool, or fit a theme, and they were about as functional as a rubber duck in a sandstorm.(I really dont know what that means.)

This forum has all, or most, of the tools you need to carry on a discussion fluidly without cramming ten dozen unnecessary features into a tight space. I don't need flashey graphics, signatures, I think posting links to images is absolutely better than the images being ported in. Especially when people post images that are huge, or wide, and I start having to scroll right to read posts. This forum is efficient.

[DanSeale]

Sorry, I don't think God Emperor of Lengthy Posts is going to be incorporated any time soon ;):p



I've been in enough forums that were designed to look cool, or fit a theme, and they were about as functional as a rubber duck in a sandstorm.(I really dont know what that means.)

This forum has all, or most, of the tools you need to carry on a discussion fluidly without cramming ten dozen unnecessary features into a tight space. I don't need flashey graphics, signatures, I think posting links to images is absolutely better than the images being ported in. Especially when people post images that are huge, or wide, and I start having to scroll right to read posts. This forum is efficient.

1. I kinda some what sort of disagree about the siggy thing .. though I've seen some that were annoying and really can't blaim ya too much. As long as they were ohhhhh .. saaaay 150 x 400 they should fit nicely.
2. Posting huge wide renders .. yeah .. again very annoying. Just upload the thing on to your prive site and hook up a link. That should be good enough. Frankly I use to do it either way depending upon the individual server or forum requirements. IMHO follow the guidelines that the host has requested and eveyone should do just fine.
3. The forum is effecient .... AGREED

Even the way it looks is not that bad. In time if the DEV team wants to spend the extra time on the forum board instead of working on the game .. well .. ok I guess. I just as soon they worked on the game!

[Flatfingers]

Sorry, I don't think God Emperor of Lengthy Posts is going to be incorporated any time soon ;):p

Dang.

How about "Prince of Prolixity"?

"Viscount of Verbosity"?

"Bishop of Bloviation," maybe?

I'll work on it. :)

I don't need flashey graphics, signatures, I think posting links to images is absolutely better than the images being ported in. Especially when people post images that are huge, or wide, and I start having to scroll right to read posts. This forum is efficient.

Amen.

That's why one of the first things I do when I sign up on some new forum is to go into the Preferences and turn off sigs. I know people spend time on them, and I'm sorry I don't see any of them, but I'm here to try to read the ideas in posts and that's harder to do when I'm visually assaulted every two column inches by some garishly colored image.

Cryptic, when you revamp the foums, please feel free to keep the feature that allows us to turn off sigs. Those of us trying to save our eyesight will thank you. :D

--Flatfingers

[RookActual]

1. I kinda some what sort of disagree about the siggy thing .. though I've seen some that were annoying and really can't blaim ya too much. As long as they were ohhhhh .. saaaay 150 x 400 they should fit nicely.
2. Posting huge wide renders .. yeah .. again very annoying. Just upload the thing on to your prive site and hook up a link. That should be good enough. Frankly I use to do it either way depending upon the individual server or forum requirements. IMHO follow the guidelines that the host has requested and eveyone should do just fine.
3. The forum is effecient .... AGREED

Even the way it looks is not that bad. In time if the DEV team wants to spend the extra time on the forum board instead of working on the game .. well .. ok I guess. I just as soon they worked on the game!

I like signatures, don't get me wrong, but there's no way to filter them without visually inspecting them, which usually means the following happens:

No one cares about the offensive material on R0xx0rz signature, but R0xx0rz disagrees with G1antD00sh on a PvP/PvE discussion, so, G1antD00sh(being who he is) reports R0xx0rz's to the mods...

So it just becomes an unnecessary hassle.

[Bad_Boy]

i think an lcars interface for the forums would be awesome!:D

[Kelesh]

Maybe Cryptic could uptade the forms to hint at game interaction between players :)

[RookActual]

Some ideas that just hit me that would be nice for a revamp:

1. Some forums have minimum for replies before you may start a new subject. In a forum this populated it may be useful to keep down duplicated subjects. Such a limit would only be five to ten posts.

2. Volunteer sub moderators. There are some people on here that I've noticed are very professional, and probably read most threads. Perhaps they could just have the ability to lock or hide a thread until Razor or another community service representative made a judgment on it. Providing the forum with coverage most of the day. This is a difficult liability issue, though, so perhaps not. I know for example I wouldn't trust myself with that privilege.

3. Thread Bumping Policy. I've noticed a few threads that keep being bumped every few days by their OP, and with no contribution to the discussion. (It does not seem it is prohibited.) This causes other topics that are currently under discussion to get pushed down the list.

4. A reasonable time limit on post editing, particularly with the subject post. Perhaps establish an original post can not be edited after so many responses, or even allow an OP to delete a thread they started. It creates a lot of heat and tension when a discussion goes on for three pages, the OP changes the subject post, and the criticism seems unfounded to new readers, who then begin to add their own uninformed criticism of the original responders. It is a quick way to thread derailment.

5. A no update-beggar policy. Anyone posting threads begging for updates should have their account suspended Everyone here wants updates. There's no use in posting a thread about it.