Discussion of changes to Armageddon Website

[Jeshin]

In regards to scrolling... It's not that people do not scroll or should not scroll or are not naturally inclined to scroll. The reason the homepage (which is what I was comparing) should be scroll free is because you want to minimize clicks/actions/effort/searching. For the homepage at least. With that said the golden rule is whatever the client (staff) want to get the image they are going for. So it is also an aesthetic choice.

[Morgenes]

Thanks for your feedback Jeshin.  We actually had several discussions about 'the fold' and 'not scrolling' and trying to fit everything in one page, but we came to the realization that you can't fight that battle.  What's one page?  One page on a 1100x768 screen?  One page on a landscape tablet?  One page on a portrait tablet?  One page on a phone?  Really, people are used to scrolling to find what they need.

For us, we feel the purpose of the home page is to draw in new players and get existing players what they need quickly.  I've already said elsewhere that I plan on having the front page have a different layout once you are logged in (adding more usefulness to the home page for existing players).  I feel that the design we have in place (while not perfect) does a good job of getting people who are new to mudding or new to Armageddon in and into intro information quickly.

We very likely will end up moving the current time information as we incorporate it with the server time and uptime information.  It's not decided yet.

Again, thank you for feedback.

And, we haven't said it before, but thank you for the kudos, praise and excitement over the web page.  It is heartwarming to hear after the many months of sleepless nights trying to push this out to make it ready for you.  Thank you to those of you that are supporting us with your praise and your constructive criticism and your opinions (whether or not we like to hear them).

[Maso]

It would be interesting to see screenshots from folks...to see if there's any browser/OS discrepancies that are making it particularly unenjoyable for anyone.

Would also recommend (to the staff) to think about maybe doing some quantifiable research...not sure what your database looks like (whether you can separate out older/newer uses and target them with different emails)...but maybe sending out a short feedback quiz to new users could be really helpful in determining what their takeaways are from the website.

You could also send out a feedback quiz to pre-existing players too, but it would need to be differently angled.

[bcw81]

I would -really- like to be able to stay logged into my account even after closing my browser. I don't like having to log in every single time I need to send a request.

[Morgenes]

I would -really- like to be able to stay logged into my account even after closing my browser. I don't like having to log in every single time I need to send a request.

Sorry, that is a security feature.  I would suggest not closing your browser window.

[bcw81]

I would -really- like to be able to stay logged into my account even after closing my browser. I don't like having to log in every single time I need to send a request.

Sorry, that is a security feature.  I would suggest not closing your browser window.

:c I guessed that's what it was... Still... Security's for chubs! (I jest)

[Miggy]

I am a long time player who rarely posts anything, but this seemed a good thread and oppurtunity to say something.
With full time work, a family, a grandchild that lives with me, and many other extra activities, I cannot even IMAGINE
what it must be like to put the amount of effort you guys do into keeping us gamers entertained better than any game
I've ever had the pleasure to play.

That said... I think the new site is visually stimulating, and if I was a newbie just browsing for a new game, I think it
would definitely catch my eye. I especially like the pics of all the races and the ease of going right to everything one
needs to create a new character and get into game.

Since I am no kind of programmer or web designer or anything of that nature, I'll save my criticisms for something evil.
Muchas Gracias for all your efforts!
Juan Miguel

[muckguppy]

I just want to quickly say: The website looks great! I just checked in for the first time in a month or so, and was blown away by the new design. What an improvement on the previous, I really like the illustrations and overall flavour added also.

Okay that's all.

Seeya!

[Zoan]

I love the website, Morg and Nyr. I just got a bit sad that the old documentation for clans don't seem to exist as a hyperlink with the clans any more (I needed to research something recently and didn't find the old open documentation). Was this deliberate, or overlooked?

[Nyr]

I love the website, Morg and Nyr. I just got a bit sad that the old documentation for clans don't seem to exist as a hyperlink with the clans any more (I needed to research something recently and didn't find the old open documentation). Was this deliberate, or overlooked?

Documentation for clans (for the most part) is all being moved to the GDB, where your profile on the GDB would be your secure connection to the documentation.  This takes longer in the big/established clans where changes to documentation are also occurring at the same time (revamping and the like).  Anything open to the public should be available on the website.  If you're referring to the tribal human documentation that was all previously in the public, I believe that also will (or should be?) moved to the forum for those groups.  You can pop in a request to let us know what is missing though.

[Zoan]

No, that's precisely what I was after. I presumed it was being moved to GDB, but that raises one problem, chief - what if you're like, applying to be a delf or something but you need to sight the docs first? How will that work?

[Adhira]

Where previously you'd ask clan staff for the password for those docs now you will ask clan staff to access to the documentation forum.

[Zoan]

Ohhh, I get it. The documentation is on its own forum now. Cool idea.

[Molten Heart]

It would seem that all of the documentation is also help files now.  Noticing this, I checked to see if I could find the folk songs that were on the old web page and was unable to find them (like the wind blows over the plains,  the Oashi they are hiring, the ladies love a stone mage, etc).  If they aren't currently there, could they?  It'd be a shame if they weren't available somewhere on the website.

[Morgenes]

It would seem that all of the documentation is also help files now.  Noticing this, I checked to see if I could find the folk songs that were on the old web page and was unable to find them (like the wind blows over the plains,  the Oashi they are hiring, the ladies love a stone mage, etc).  If they aren't currently there, could they?  It'd be a shame if they weren't available somewhere on the website.

http://www.armageddon.org/original/search/songs

You can search for each of those titles.

[Molten Heart]

It would seem that all of the documentation is also help files now.  Noticing this, I checked to see if I could find the folk songs that were on the old web page and was unable to find them (like the wind blows over the plains,  the Oashi they are hiring, the ladies love a stone mage, etc).  If they aren't currently there, could they?  It'd be a shame if they weren't available somewhere on the website.

http://www.armageddon.org/original/search/songs

You can search for each of those titles.

I didn't think to look there.  That's great, thank you.

[Delirium]

Trying to add a note to an open request timed out (and I lost my note!). I'm not sure if it actually went through or not.

Should I try again to submit the note?

For reference the original request is dated 2013-04-12 12:15:13AM.

[Morgenes]

Trying to add a note to an open request timed out (and I lost my note!). I'm not sure if it actually went through or not.

Should I try again to submit the note?

For reference the original request is dated 2013-04-12 12:15:13AM.

Reload the page and see if the note is there.  Sorry if it was lost.

[Morgenes]

http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,45338.0.html

[James de Monet]

I don't know if this was mentioned already, but am I the I only one who can't access the Community drop-down on their phone?  I can select the text, but it appears to be inert (no attached menu)...

For debug reference, I'm using an iPhone 5 with Safari, iOS 6.1.3, issue 10/10 tries (from various pages, scenarios).

[Morgenes]

I don't know if this was mentioned already, but am I the I only one who can't access the Community drop-down on their phone?  I can select the text, but it appears to be inert (no attached menu)...

For debug reference, I'm using an iPhone 5 with Safari, iOS 6.1.3, issue 10/10 tries (from various pages, scenarios).

Hrmm, ya I see that on the iPhone as well, sorry, I've looked it over and don't see anything that might be causing it.  I'll note it as something to try and debug more thoroughly later, for now you can bookmark http://www.armageddon.org/original and http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb (the only two links under that menu).

For those of you hoping for a Preview before you Submit requests, I've got that working now.  Hit the Preview button to see what it'll look like before hitting 'Submit'

[James de Monet]

for now you can bookmark http://www.armageddon.org/original and http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb

That'll do.  Thanks Morg.

[Alesan]

With regards to the request tool, I'm trying to use it on my mobile tablet, but the drop down box for request categories isn't scrolling down at all. It's an Android v2.3, if that helps.

[Morgenes]

With regards to the request tool, I'm trying to use it on my mobile tablet, but the drop down box for request categories isn't scrolling down at all. It's an Android v2.3, if that helps.

You can type in the search to subset it too, but it seems to work fine on the ipad.  You can scroll through the categories or search. Sorry I don't have an android tablet to test. Let me know if you have one and can figure out what's wrong.  Or if you want to send me one ill gladly take one. 

[Alesan]

With regards to the request tool, I'm trying to use it on my mobile tablet, but the drop down box for request categories isn't scrolling down at all. It's an Android v2.3, if that helps.

You can type in the search to subset it too, but it seems to work fine on the ipad.  You can scroll through the categories or search. Sorry I don't have an android tablet to test. Let me know if you have one and can figure out what's wrong.  Or if you want to send me one ill gladly take one. 

Not sure how else I can describe the problem, really... although looking at it, I believe it's because the dropdown box is so close to the bottom of the page that it simply doesn't show the bottom of the dropbox at all. There is no scrollbar for the dropdown box either, not sure if there's supposed to be. If I had arrow keys on my tablet, I could just cycle through them that way. I just have no way of scrolling through the options. I did find that searching works, however.