EarthQuake
9.5 on the Richter!
Posts: 2747
Registered: 05-03 |
I would consider using it, if it actually met my needs. While I liked Wads In Progress, it was really restrictive in how you could present your project and did not feel very "homely" to me. Simply put, I didn't feel comfortable using it.
Forgive me if what I suggest is out of your intended scope, or seems impractical. I'm just pulling this stuff off my head as I type.
Anyways, what I would like to see is something simple, yet functional. I don't wanna get lost in the interface. These very forums are sort of like that, and the only reason I don't get lost anymore is because I've become accustomed to the software.
Look at the main forum index. To access my profile or member list or do forum searches, those are located at the top. Current users and private messaging are on the bottom. My login information at the top-right with a link to "view new posts" right beside it, but at the bottom-right is the "log out" option, and "mark all forums read". So you have relevant items scattered in different places, and sometimes irrelevant items grouped together (like at the top menu bar). Although there are probably reasons why things are like this, it doesn't make it easy to use, because you have to remember where some feature is within the interface before you can decide to use it. There are other features lurking around the site too that are easy to miss.
Now I don't mean to complain about the DWF because what I'm describing is in no means severe, but this is the kind of thing I'd appreciate if you'd avoid. :)
Similarly, users have certain expectations when using software. If I sent out a PM to a bunch of users, and I spot a mistake afterwards, I would more or less expect there to be a way to correct my mistake before the message is read (say an "edit" feature, or something similar to the message tracking here on Doomworld).
When it comes to content, I should be able to delete something I have created, especially if it's related to a project I am working on. Say I have made a post that is no longer relevant, or a screenshot, or a file download; I should be able to nuke it at my discretion, and immediately replace it with something else if needed.
The same goes for the project as a whole. If I feel a project that I am creating is not going anywhere, and will turn into vaporware, I should be able remove it entirely.
As for content presentation goes, I would expect some flexibility in how I can set things up. Not necessarily visual things like colors, or background images, or fonts, or silly shit like that, but more along the lines of page hierarchy. Say I want an about page, maybe a page with download links, maybe a page for screenshots, maybe a map index with screenshots and credits for each map, maybe even a FAQ, walkthrough, or whatever other type of page I deem necessary for the project. Using a simple CMS that allows page building with some BBCode-like markup would fit the bill perfectly. Essentially what I'm describing is a miniature wiki. A simple multi-post blog, or single-page project description (like WIP) does not fit my needs.
So uh, yeah. Some of that might sound crazy, some might be obvious, but there's my two pence.
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11-29-11 15:32 
