I'm testing a new layout for the main site.
I would like to have a couple of beta testers who want to test it and suggest improvements. Apply by private-messaging me.
The time-window for this is the next few days from this posting.
I could post the testing address here... But I don't know if it's better to do a full public beta rather than a small test group beta, so I'm going this way now.
What does the new layout affect exactly? Has editing changed?, has a complete redesign been placed?, is it just aesthetic?
It is mostly aesthetic.
Some content was moved around and some new pages were written, but mostly, it's just to bring the style of the site forth by a few years.
EDIT: Oh, and for testers, note: It uses a backup database, which is out-of-sync with the main site. So you can also do edits there without worries of destroying anything meaningful.
(Do not change torrents/images though. The forums are not duplicated, either.)
A round of changes has been implemented, new feedback is desired :)
Spoiler 1: Starred movies are coming back.
Also, edits to certain pages, such as the Articles page, are welcome. The same accounts and privileges work on the testing site as on the main site. The changes will be merged (without history) when the testing period is over.
Answers to some questions…
Re: Starred movies
Unless a better solution emerges, the starred movies mechanism will be using the same method as earlier, i.e. admin picks & inheritance.
However, the criters for choosing the stars are different. There's no longer a per-game starred movies limit, for instance. It was one of the most annoying limits in my opinion.
For starters, I restore the old starred movie list. However, due to obsoletions, it will immediately need changes.
The stars will be called specifically that, "special stars", and no longer a vague term like "recommended movies".
Maybe a poll will be created for the desired mechanism of how stars are granted, similarly to how was done with the submission feedback system.
Re: When will it be published
When the tester feedback suggests that it has nothing significant that should be fixed. (Excluding things that also should be fixed in the current site.)
Re: New data
The data content will be pretty much the same. Some new pages are written, some content is moved around.
The only significant new thing is that movie screenshots can be annotated with a description, explaining what happens in the screenshot. This will be used as a caption to wherever the screenshot is used to decorate text.
EDIT: Actually, this part I already decided to publish, so editors can start adding descriptions to screenshots… They are shown only at NewMovies.html for now.
Unless a better solution emerges, the starred movies mechanism will be using the same method as earlier, i.e. admin picks & inheritance.
Sounds like an ok option, as long as the list is kept up to date, and there is a discussion thread about it, where opinions, ideas and suggestions are (at least) noted.
Bisqwit wrote:
Maybe a poll will be created for the desired mechanism of how stars are granted, similarly to how was done with the submission feedback system.
Although I don't think that the most popular mechanism should particularly be picked, this might be a good way to get some ideas for possible other mechanisms.
The only significant new thing is that movie screenshots can be annotated with a description, explaining what happens in the screenshot. This will be used as a caption to wherever the screenshot is used to decorate text.
EDIT: Actually, this part I already decided to publish, so editors can start adding descriptions to screenshots… They are shown only at NewMovies.html for now.
How can we add descriptions to existing screenshots? Do we have to replace the old files with new files to add descriptions?
<klmz> it reminds me of that people used to keep quoting adelikat's IRC statements in the old good days
<adelikat> no doubt
<adelikat> klmz, they still do
Joined: 11/11/2006
Posts: 1235
Location: United Kingdom
klmz wrote:
Bisqwit wrote:
The only significant new thing is that movie screenshots can be annotated with a description, explaining what happens in the screenshot. This will be used as a caption to wherever the screenshot is used to decorate text.
EDIT: Actually, this part I already decided to publish, so editors can start adding descriptions to screenshots… They are shown only at NewMovies.html for now.
How can we add descriptions to existing screenshots? Do we have to replace the old files with new files to add descriptions?
I'd hold off before you start trying to replace every screenshot on the site and wait for the functionality to change just the caption to be added.
<adelikat> I am annoyed at my irc statements ending up in forums & sigs
If you noticed, that was a question of how to do it, not a statement that he was going to try replacing every single image. rolleyes
In any case, sounds like a potentially interesting feature. Unfortunately, showing up on NewMovies is pretty much the most useless place you could've put it.
So hopefully it shows up elsewhere soon.
functionality to change just the caption to be added.
Oh year, I didn't think of that. Hmm… hmm…
Coding that feature was not on my todo list… Phh. I may not have time to add it very soon.
I'll add it once I have time, though.
