[Xelion]

I'm certainly in support of some of JGZinv ideas, particularly the HLP apprv. tutorial system.

Three features I'd like to see improved or made available:

1} Search function for the forums enhanced

2} FRED dedicated wiki, independent of the current wiki. More of a manual that documents how to use the program. Since the introduction of so many SEXPs and features it would be helpful to visit a single source that provides simple explanations and guides on how to use them.

3} SCP website and recent builds posting system revised and improved to be more streamlined. All build posters should use the same method of posting a build, eg post title: BUILD YYYY/MM/DD and then some sort of code that can identify the build developer, perhaps whether FS2/FRED2 open files are available, feature title (optional) and so fourth. I also think the post should appear in a certain order as well, like the features in a list, bugs in a list, and then comments. I was also thinking that when a bug is submitted in mantis the id associated with that bug should be posted by the user in the thread's build. I have more ideas I could post about relating to the SCP/builds/etc but I don't see a point unless its going to lead to somewhere.

I offer my help for the 3rd feature if its wanted

[Wanderer]

2} FRED dedicated wiki, independent of the current wiki. More of a manual that documents how to use the program. Since the introduction of so many SEXPs and features it would be helpful to visit a single source that provides simple explanations and guides on how to use them.

Why should the FRED wiki be separate from the current wiki? All FRED related pages can be clearly marked that is. People should just expand it.

[Mars]

The search function is honestly the only thing that comes to mind...

[Fury]

Since the general discussion boards no longer count posts and the public consensus seems to be leaning towards keeping it that way. One question arises; should we recount all posts and retract those ~386700 posts from members post counts?


As for forum search. You will have to wait for SMF 2.0 to see any improvements on that area.

[CP5670]

I think that would be going a little too far with it. It could be argued that those posts were made with the assumption that they would count towards the total, so they should satisfy the rules that were in effect at the time they were made.

Actually, I'm coming to the view that the post counts should be reenabled there at some point in the future, although maybe not immediately. The amount of crap in there has gone down noticeably since the forum rearrangement (maybe it was all moved into the meeting hall, can't tell), and although it's hard to say how long that will last, there are a few useful threads in there.

[jr2]

(maybe it was all moved into the meeting hall, can't tell),

Erm... no.  Just no.

I think the temporary implementation of the Padded Cell is responsible for that.    Having served its purpose, it is no longer with us.  Here's hoping it stays that way. 

[Sandwich]

Just wanted to say that I'm liking a lot of the ideas here, guys... in the words of everyone's favorite commando, "Keep 'em comin!"

[Xelion]

Why should the FRED wiki be separate from the current wiki? All FRED related pages can be clearly marked that is. People should just expand it.

The current 'FRED' section of the wiki isn't exactly a manual or documentation which most people around here would love to have (for example I'm talking on the lines of documentation like for Perl or for that matter any coding language). And yes I know the current 'FRED' section could be expanded to include that sort of information but...

It would be beneficial to have a FRED wiki (even possibly a different type of software for creating documentation) independent to that of the Freespace Wiki for reasons of security (editing access for approved users only), stability (if there are errors in this wiki or the Freespace wiki they don't affect each other) and a different color scheme (something to that of the original FRED DOCs and something printable without having to click on 'printable version', and of course a print CSS that works).

Lets not forget HLP's endeavor - bringing modders together, since FRED is maybe the best way to literally do that why not provide documentation that helps them get involved within the community. This sort of documentation needs to be clear, simple and obvious, a link would also need to be included on the main menu as well. There are many more benefits of having dedicated documentation for a program which is central to that of HLP's purpose, I've only stated some of them.

Since the general discussion boards no longer count posts and the public consensus seems to be leaning towards keeping it that way. One question arises; should we recount all posts and retract those ~386700 posts from members post counts?

Maybe just retract posts from the time the problem started getting out of hand till now

[Nuke]

these boards are just stuff of useful knowledge yet theres so much bull in between the actual useful stuff is hard to find. what about post ratings. have a little drop down menu on every post that users may rate them with on a 1 to 5 star rank or text.  this way we can identify the usefull stuff and omit the crap. this is helpfull so you can search through only posts that the community deems usefull. it might be too much for a post by post rating so thread ratings would be good too.

rather than stars you could use strings depending on which board you're on. like if i was on the modding board i could look at a thread and in the rating box would be a list of things like "tutorial", "usefull knoledge" , or "constructive comment".  its why the same questions pop up over and over again. these boards have too much to search through. you're gonna post a new thread if you don't find what you're looking for after 20 minutes of searching.

this also has a housekeeping aspect. you can have ratings such as "spam", or "useless comment". and if you feel like tidying up the boards, you admins just have to search for things with that name and click delete. or even automate the process, and make threads/posts that have been deemed useless by enough members automatically delete themselves.

perhaps we can also have a best of feature, where the top 5-10 most useful posts on a board get autostickeyed.

[jr2]

EDIT: Any way to make the siggys individually collapsible?  Maybe then I could turn them back on, and see ppl's siggys without wasting all that space while reading.

[Mongoose]

Either that, or impose an overall line limit on the things.  Anything that can't be said in 3 or 4 lines really doesn't belong in a sig to begin with, in my own humble opinion.

[Flipside]

The things about the Wiki though is how far you take it. The Texturing section, for example, give people the information they need as long as they have a moderate understanding of 3D Modelling and Texturing. Do we start including 'How to model and Texture' in the Wiki, or should that really be down to the modder themselves? After all, once you get to how to model and texture, you start hitting application specific stuff,

The Wiki, in my opinion, is NOT a tutorial, what it should be is a complete reference to FS2's abilities and how to access them properly. But the art of learning how to make models or texture them etc. is really a question of somebody's skills in their own modelling or painting program.

I think if we started Wiki sections on 'How to UV a model', or the like, then we will be in trouble, since you'd have to subdivide up to 'How to UV in Wings, How to UV in Blender, How to UV in 3DS Max, how to UV in Truespace etc etc'. Same with Texturing or any other kind of Model or Image manipulation done outside of Freespace. Really, 'just the facts' are all that should be supplied in the Wiki as far as conventions are concerned, it's a Freespace 2 Wiki, not a Truespace/3DS Max/Photoshop Wiki

[Mobius]

Uhm, if you're talking about the wiki, I would like to add something...

Somekind of not-canon campaign database, where the campaigns are descripted,  paying attention on the creator's inventions. "According to x, that fleet was based on that system and was led by that ship while y"...

[666maslo666]

Ok, a few ideas:
I dont like the whole minimalistic design of the HLP mainpage, its just shouting FILL ME! so
-add downloads section, sometimes its very hard to find something in forums, it will be good to have all files and downloads in one place, big noobfriendly DOWNLOAD FS2OPEN HERE button will also help with torrent speed
-add links section, something like this http://members.lycos.nl/afdportal/
-add IRC client like on SCP page for #hard-light
-add shoutbox
Forum layout is good for me, maybe move games and gaming down near off-topic...

[redsniper]

Bring back [lvlshot] and

Spoiler:

tags.

I realize that you get the scrollbar with large images, but then when people post long strings of screenshots and I want to see the ones near the top I have to scroll way down to the bottom, then way back to the top and so on.

Typing in black is no substitute for proper spoiler tags since only half of the posts have black backgrounds.

User-selectable alternate color schemes would be kinda cool, but are hardly a necessity. I was a fan of the old bright red scheme even though most didn't like it.

Kudos for having that little notice at the top of every page. I don't check the News and Support boards very often and I know I would've missed this otherwise.

[Polpolion]

user-controlled custom titles?

Just because you don't like yours doesn't mean that other people don't. Whether you like it or not, that's your label on the HLP forums for all eternity.



Oh, and I remembered what my idea was, but other people took it (was the spoiler tags).

EDIT: Maybe a link to that one Freespace download site, to boost its use (not Hades Combine, the one that on guy made recently).

[Nuke]

The things about the Wiki though is how far you take it. The Texturing section, for example, give people the information they need as long as they have a moderate understanding of 3D Modelling and Texturing. Do we start including 'How to model and Texture' in the Wiki, or should that really be down to the modder themselves? After all, once you get to how to model and texture, you start hitting application specific stuff,

The Wiki, in my opinion, is NOT a tutorial, what it should be is a complete reference to FS2's abilities and how to access them properly. But the art of learning how to make models or texture them etc. is really a question of somebody's skills in their own modelling or painting program.

I think if we started Wiki sections on 'How to UV a model', or the like, then we will be in trouble, since you'd have to subdivide up to 'How to UV in Wings, How to UV in Blender, How to UV in 3DS Max, how to UV in Truespace etc etc'. Same with Texturing or any other kind of Model or Image manipulation done outside of Freespace. Really, 'just the facts' are all that should be supplied in the Wiki as far as conventions are concerned, it's a Freespace 2 Wiki, not a Truespace/3DS Max/Photoshop Wiki

im sorta inclined to agree about the wiki. modeling, texturing, uv maping and the like are all pretty much universal concepts which may be applied to modding pretty much any game engine, or to even make your own from scratch. on the other hand the tutorials on say how to convert models with pcs should be included because those steps a specific to this engine. then again i see no problems to havng external links to relevant tutorials, or tutorials by the community.

[jr2]

I want to see my updated signature without checking one of my posts

After you hit "Change Profile", try movin' your mouse up there to the top.  See where it says "Profile"?  Click that.  You can smack me later.  *runs*

[Fineus]

As Sandwich said, good ideas guys - please keep them coming.

Also, I deleted the spammy bits of this thread. Please don't post crap in it....sheesh.

[IPAndrews]

.OGG replacing .ANI would be nice, as would that new power management system I outlined a while back, as would world peace. More importantly though consolodation of some things that should work already would be great. I'm speaking of the warpin speed which is buggy, and multiple docking which is also buggy. The issues with both of these are known I believe so I'm not sure what good mantising them again would do.

Addendum: Oh something actually seriously useful! Real weapon accuracy for the AI! (as opposed to just changing the firing speed