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Pegasus Grand Admiral Pitch Black
Joined: August 02, 2005 Posts: 434 From: Eleventh galaxy on the right!
| Posted: 2009-07-22 05:06  
Isnt it about time the forum software is upgraded? Currently Darkspace forum is on version 1.4.2, phpBB is now on 3.0.5.
With increased functionality we often find on other forums it is another way to help keep the community together. Along the lines of out-dated Darkspace website and forums the general public joe blogs will see this as their first impressions of the game community and the players and staff that support it.
Just a thought.
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Shigernafy Admiral
Joined: May 29, 2001 Posts: 5726 From: The Land of Taxation without Representation
| Posted: 2009-07-22 06:36  
Yes, it is time.
Unfortunately, the website and forum softwares are so deeply interwoven that it would be a headache and a half to actually do so.
But hey, I've been looking for a project for a while, something that doesn't involve me screwing up the game, so maybe I should take another crack at it.
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Lacrosseian Fleet Admiral Raven Warriors
Joined: October 01, 2004 Posts: 1254
| Posted: 2009-07-22 07:55  
Quote:
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On 2009-07-22 06:36, Shigernafy wrote:
something that doesn't involve me screwing up the game
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This explains everything!
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Coeus Grand Admiral Sundered Weimeriners
Joined: March 22, 2006 Posts: 2815 From: Philly
| Posted: 2009-07-22 12:59  
Now he's just gonna screw up the admin panel =P
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Tael 2nd Rear Admiral Palestar
Joined: July 03, 2002 Posts: 3697 From: San Francisco Bay Area
| Posted: 2009-07-22 13:50  
I remember we looked at going from 1.4 to 2.x and it was such a headache we threw in the towel...
Though I'd be happy if shig or someone cracks it and gets it working.
The big issue as Shig said is that its so integrated. We customized a lot of the phpBB and the upgrade would wipe out much of it and need to be redone.
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Eledore Massis [R33] Grand Admiral Templar Knights
Joined: May 26, 2002 Posts: 2695 From: tsohlacoLocalhost
| Posted: 2009-07-22 17:08  
Jack looked at upgrading to 3.0.#
But he was thinking about fixing his headache by head+axe.
Only way to do it would be a separate installation and get archive this current version or delete it..
Seeing that a lot of history is inside these forums deletion wasn't a good option. in addition, i don't know if he even looked at to get all the required functions of the current one, possible in 3.0.#.. but if it isn't, it would just be a waste.
I for once don't mind having this oldie, it does it job perfectly, and all those additional functions are not really needed.
The only function i would ever like to see added here would be a "" button. but that is just me.
[ This Message was edited by: Eledore ICC Massis [R33] on 2009-07-22 17:09 ]
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Tommas [ USF HunnyBunny ] Chief Marshal Pitch Black
Joined: February 04, 2006 Posts: 581 From: Norway
| Posted: 2009-07-22 17:38  
Delete the old, that belongs to the past, the forum looks so old and boring thats its almost depresing.
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Kestalkayden Marshal
Joined: June 04, 2005 Posts: 85
| Posted: 2009-07-22 17:42  
Kind of Agreed with Tommas. Its 2009. I think an overhaul would be nice, especially with all the updates that have been coming in. Could be what is needed to lift spirits. [ This Message was edited by: Cyn on 2009-07-22 17:43 ]
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Azreal Chief Marshal
Joined: March 14, 2004 Posts: 2816 From: United State of Texas, Houston
| Posted: 2009-07-22 18:28  
history for a game is pointless lol. It's like keeping boxxes because you think the artwork is cool.
On a side note, would it be possible to at least make the lobby maps acurate? Entire systems don't show a single planet in them, and others, like Sol, only show a handful of the planets that are in the system.
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Ham&Swiss Grand Admiral
Joined: October 12, 2004 Posts: 418 From: 10$ to whoever finds me
| Posted: 2009-07-23 00:01  
Hey now, I still have my original DarkSpace game box...and i enjoy the art work!
Now i agree the forums could do with an update or two, but it's not necessary. Though i'd love for spell check in this!
H&S
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Pegasus Grand Admiral Pitch Black
Joined: August 02, 2005 Posts: 434 From: Eleventh galaxy on the right!
| Posted: 2009-07-23 04:27  
If I was a brand new visitor to the site and I was having a look around the place without even downloading and testing the game itself, I personally would view the site inviting me to play some sort of browser game, that's the general over all feel I get from it.
It does'nt draw me in like some sites do, examples EVE, Black Prophecy, Jumpgate.
A revamp would be nice and I understand it will take someone a lot of time and work to do it, but its 2009 now soon to be 2010 and its not 2001 anymore, we need to move on just not with the game but what promotes the game and the community as well. I understand we don't have the manpower but the above examples and others do upgrade and do face-lifts quite regually.
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Walrus of Apathy Admiral Templar Knights
Joined: August 07, 2005 Posts: 466 From: Dorans Basement
| Posted: 2009-07-23 14:01  
Quote:
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On 2009-07-22 17:08, Eledore ICC Massis [R33] wrote:
Jack looked at upgrading to 3.0.#
But he was thinking about fixing his headache by head+axe.
Only way to do it would be a separate installation and get archive this current version or delete it..
Seeing that a lot of history is inside these forums deletion wasn't a good option. in addition, i don't know if he even looked at to get all the required functions of the current one, possible in 3.0.#.. but if it isn't, it would just be a waste.
I for once don't mind having this oldie, it does it job perfectly, and all those additional functions are not really needed.
The only function i would ever like to see added here would be a "" button. but that is just me.
If we deleted then we would have to start over on the Random lobby quotes!
There is a lot of crap in that thread i don't think we should lose, and frankly i kinda like things the way they are around here.
[ This Message was edited by: Eledore ICC Massis [R33] on 2009-07-22 17:09 ]
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Azreal Chief Marshal
Joined: March 14, 2004 Posts: 2816 From: United State of Texas, Houston
| Posted: 2009-07-23 17:54  
Beastkiller
Cadet
really? u do??
amazing
random lobby quotes could be recopied. its full of crap anyways (really, most of them are so UNFUNNY), so why bother. But if they wanted they could copy it over.
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jedi42 Grand Admiral Evil Empires Inc.
Joined: February 25, 2002 Posts: 478 From: jedi42
| Posted: 2009-07-24 02:55  
what is stopping you guys from running two concurrent installations?
In other words, leave the other forum software active to maintain site functionality, but add a "second" "ALL NEW" forum. Link to it from "Forum" and redo the "latest topics" blurb on the home page.
What's the problem there?
Logins could even be separate to avoid that issue, if you couldn't easily write a script to port them over (I assume the user.db is significantly different, so that may be impossible, or at least, impractical). That's how many big commercial sites are handled... 1 login for "the game", 1 login for "the forum".
In other words, instead of perpetuating the short-sighted integration of the two aspects of the web site, why not fix the problem permanently by leaving the old school phpbb to drive the site and THE ARCHIVE. And then installing a brand new 2009 DS Forum for further conversations. If possible, migrate the major stickies and popular threads, if not, start V2 and link to the archived versions. For example, on the new forum start thread "Funny Lobby Quotes (Insert something funny! here) v2" and say, "Here's the new thread... archive here (link)."
I mean, anyone could fire up some PHPBB3+ forums and they could be linked from the DS homepage.... insta-new forums, minimal effort.
The main feature I use on new forums is search and the search function to find your last X number of posts. That way I can correspond to posts I've long since forgotten about that people have updated.
The implementation is pretty easy... next time you send out a free 7-day trial, launch the new forums and ask that people sign up. That way oldies that want to come chat will have an incentive to do so.
Is the only critical integration in the forum the link back to the user profile and fleet-tag? If so, make that opt-in by using custom fields in the new installation. In other words, each profile is assigned a UID. You could input your UID in your profile and have a link auto-generated to your ARCHIVE profile on the old-school phpbb. If you are worried about abuse, just setup a forum for asking a mod to add your UID to your profile. It'd take about 30 seconds for a mod to do, and once the first 200 people did it, it'd mostly be done. [ This Message was edited by: dj42 {C?} on 2009-07-24 03:42 ]
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Eledore Massis [R33] Grand Admiral Templar Knights
Joined: May 26, 2002 Posts: 2695 From: tsohlacoLocalhost
| Posted: 2009-07-24 06:24  
Quote:
| On 2009-07-24 02:55, dj42 {C?} wrote:
what is stopping you guys from running two concurrent installations? |
| I think you just named everything why we won't be getting that option..
p.s. Search has been disabled since the physical database of phpbb and the Game are the same.
It has been removed in the past since it created a to high resource hug, even to a point where the game was influenced.
(Ok we did had more people in the past).
Use google search is my advice. every public forum has been indexed already.
[ This Message was edited by: Eledore ICC Massis [R33] on 2009-07-24 08:37 ]
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