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TrueSite getting Revamped


Balladeer

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I'm finally going to start implementing some of the neat stuff I've been learning in my college classes. One of the major things I've learned is that planning before you start saves a buttload of time in reworking half-done stuff later. To start the planning process, I'd like your input on things you'd like to see on the scenario pages. The end user IS the most important, after all.

 

Here is the information already on each page:

 

  • Scenario Name
  • Scenario Download/s
  • Author Name
  • Author Website
  • Link to Reviews
  • Description if available
  • Hints if available
  • Walkthrough if available
  • Map if available

 

I'm also thinking of adding the following:

 

  • Screenshot
  • Author Highlight(if authors are willing to submit them)
  • Download Size
  • Genre
  • Recommended Party Size
  • CSR Rating - updated monthly hopefully...
  • Meet the Characters? - I might be biting off more than I can chew with this one.
  • Random Review Quote - picked by me from those submitted

 

For your part, I'd like suggestions for other things to include (Any other important specifications to include?), and your feedback for those things I've listed as wanting to add. Suggestions for format are also welcome. CSS and JavaScript will be utilized. If I don't know how to implement a feature yet, I'm willing to research it so go crazy.

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I think it'd be neat to have a feature to browse by author and/or do sorting stuff. The latter would be pretty easy in JS, and the former could either be done server-side (assuming you switch everything over to a database rather than static html), or just have static pages (not like new scenarios are spewing out anyway...:/)

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SQL database is possible... It adds to completion time but it's something I should practice anyway, so why not.

 

Hmm. I'm thinking of a TAB format, one tab for each applicable item: 'Description, Hints, Walkthrough, Maps, Author Scenarios.'

 

Author Scenario Table has scenarios listed by Release Date? Or should I try to make sure all series are listed together? That might be tricky to query. Easiest just to cheat and give scenarios custom order id's.

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I like a lot of your ideas of what to add to the scenario pages. Especially the screenshot, author highlight, and the CSR Rating. It would make things much more convenient for those looking for scenarios to play. (Less clicking around.)

 

The tabs would also be a nice touch. It would make the scenario pages look much more interactive and professional.

 

I'll see if I can think of anything else to suggest later. For now, I can say that I'm looking forward to what TrueSite will feature in the future.

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I wasn't planning on ALL the characters in the scenario, but more like the characters you will be playing or barring that, the characters that introduce the quest. Things about them the player would find out within the first 5/10 minutes of playing. People have different tastes, so I was thinking like the excerpt on the back of a book. Give a taste for them to better decide if they want to play it.

 

Again, though, the effect I'm going for could be something gotten in an author highlight. Maybe if the author is unavailable or unwilling to give a highlight, I could do a 'meet the characters' instead for that scenario.

 

Thought of other things to add.

  • Important Notes (Tab)- To list things like known bugs/issues, special requirements (like a custom party) with instructions if necessary
  • Contests Entered
  • Awards Won
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If you're going to get into sql programming, you could build a better database for the BoE graphics. What I am doing is emulating Brett Bixlers java style search engine, which is really not the most efficient way to do things. I would happily cede that to your website which is more robust with regard to Blades of Exile. I would provide you all the information I have on my web site.

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Originally Posted By: Jewels in Black
Again, though, the effect I'm going for could be something gotten in an author highlight. Maybe if the author is unavailable or unwilling to give a highlight, I could do a 'meet the characters' instead for that scenario.


Maybe a summary of a designers style would be better? Unless that's what you mean by "author highlight"?
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@Hare - A BoE graphics database was always something I wanted to eventually do. PixPro will be getting its own revamp, but atm I was going to focus on the scenario pages. Treat them like different projects so I finish one thing before starting another. Feel free to send me whatever information you'd like, but realize I don't see that update coming for 6-12 months.

 

@Nikki- I was thinking more like something that inspired the author to make the scenario (Like Doctor Who:Blink for your scenario, The Eternal.) Or something they learned while making it, or a character's favorite quote. It'd be author's choice for what they wanted to show the public.

 

Ooh, something else DrWho:Blink made me think of.

  • Easter Eggs, anyone?

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And it begins.

 

I have updated the index page at http://truesite4blades.com but I have not updated the mirror index at http://www.truesite4blades.com/Home/. Take a look at both and tell me if you have any problems/concerns/suggestions/features you just can't live without.

 

What I'm really looking for is to make sure the CSS renders correctly for everyone. If you cannot see the navigation buttons on the new one let me know. They are written on with Javascript. I'll be looking into an alternative to show for those who don't have Javascript enabled but the number of people who respond will affect how quickly and how quality I make that alternative. Whatever it is, though, navigation links will not be hard coded into each page again. I just found some links to the old, OLD forums hiding in PixPro... hard coded links are not a good idea for someone who goes years at a time without updating...

 

Edit: Just showed them both to Hubby and he says the new one looks too much like a template. He likes the old one better... *le sigh* All the added functionality and I'm still old school.

 

Edit2: Actually that wasn't too hard. I haven't tested it but there should be functionality for those of you who don't have js enabled. Let me know if it doesn't work.

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I see only one error (Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:19.0) Gecko/19.0 Firefox/19.0) - the js dropdown links spill into two rows, and when you look at a link with a button below it, the below button covers it up. This probably could be fixed by liberally applying "z-index: -1;" to your #nav dropdown elements.

 

 

Also, to be honest it looks a little awkward with the fixed-width layout on my 1920x1080 screen. Lots of purple deadspace around the content; maybe switching to a fluid layout would fix that?

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I see only one error (Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:19.0) Gecko/19.0 Firefox/19.0) - the js dropdown links spill into two rows, and when you look at a link with a button below it, the below button covers it up. This probably could be fixed by liberally applying "z-index: -1;" to your #nav dropdown elements.

 

I had that happen when my buttons got too wide for the fixed width in chrome. Probably a trick of the resident browser font size. I could fix it with absolute position CSS markers for each button or just make the buttons all a little smaller. idk, i really want the end of the last button to line up with the right side of the banner. If I throw fluid layout into that too, it'll always be messed up.

 

Also, to be honest it looks a little awkward with the fixed-width layout on my 1920x1080 screen. Lots of purple deadspace around the content; maybe switching to a fluid layout would fix that?

 

Tried a fluid layout and didn't like the result. I have this thing about symmetry and messing with the width did not work at the extremes. I'll look at it again, though. Maybe I'm missing something that can help. (min and max widths?)

 

@Nikki: It's light purple. :p The news headings can be changed to reflect the things that are going on in the community. If we don't have any contests or new scenarios but three different RP/AIMHack's going I could post about those instead. **cough** Ahem... gonna need some people that keep an eye on things better than I do to give me a heads up when fun/noteworthy stuff happens. **coughNikkiSylaecough**

 

Edit: Sy, Firefox uses fixed width with orange deadspace around the content. Do you dislike their layout, too?

Also, finding it difficult to trouble shoot Firefox and Explorer because they refuse to reload the javascript file no matter how many times I refresh the page. Grumble, gumble.

 

Edit2: nvm, they just render css differently from chrome. Looking correct for me on IE, FF, and Chrome.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I've been looking at the Scenario Trivia which I created years ago, which I'm not sure how many people care about, but nevertheless it's still on the Lyceum and thought it may be worth saving, and what better place to do that than TrueSite. Hey, maybe I'll actually finish it if it's there. :)

 

EDIT: Of course, some of the trivia may need to be adjusted, especially considering the CSR was revamped.

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