Forum Ignore function, update

trailturtle

I know some people were asking about this one, and I did some research, so figured I'd post so everyone's up to date on it. The Ignore function is possible on these forums, but putting it in place would require some in-depth coding, it's not an easy on/off switch. We might be able to implement it in a while, but there won't be resources for it anytime soon.

That being said, if there are some features that would work well, I'll look into them. There are some easy changes that I may not know are wanted, like today I changed the auto-logout to be 1.5 hours rather than 5 minutes. Not everything is possible, but if there are things that can make the forums easier to navigate or more fun to be in, I'll certainly look into it.

decorumfriends

A forum "report post" would probably be useful, as well.

xcaligax

So you're saying that, not only can I be 24 hours silenced in the game, I'll soon be able to be 24 hour silenced in the forums?

BOY OH BOY MY DAY JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER DON'T IT? :biggrin:

trailturtle

Forum ignore works differently -- it's literally just an ignore, preventing the ignorer from seeing anything posted by the ignored.

Report posts are in the same situation, unfortunately. They'd need some coding to enable to Report button.

sterga

I miss the days when ignoring someone in game also ignored them on the forums.

Also, shut up Cal! You know you like it when get you chat banned. It's what you get for talking to the filthy peons in zone.

lafury001200

trailturtle wrote: »

I know some people were asking about this one, and I did some research, so figured I'd post so everyone's up to date on it. The Ignore function is possible on these forums, but putting it in place would require some in-depth coding, it's not an easy on/off switch. We might be able to implement it in a while, but there won't be resources for it anytime soon.

That being said, if there are some features that would work well, I'll look into them. There are some easy changes that I may not know are wanted, like today I changed the auto-logout to be 1.5 hours rather than 5 minutes. Not everything is possible, but if there are things that can make the forums easier to navigate or more fun to be in, I'll certainly look into it.

Whats happening re: future development and communication? I think more are concerned with that then forum semantics.

gandales

I think this should have low priority given:

1) This forum does not look like so big on flame wars.

2) If the problem is harashment, forums preserve proof of it(a bit different from the ingame situation when a screenie is commonly needed)

3) There are N+1 more pressing things that devs should be work on.

That being said, forum policies/techs given uniformization done by PWE should be an general endeavor from pwe and not from a single game team.

honestresearcher

trailturtle wrote: »

We might be able to implement it in a while, but there won't be resources for it anytime soon.

Thats the part that really ###### me off. Theres people investing in the game more than enough to deserve more in return.

Also for those who needed evidence that our money isnt being spent on CO, this is some of it.

cyrone

honestresearcher wrote: »

Also for those who needed evidence that our money isnt being spent on CO, this is some of it.

Total agreement.

flyingfinn

But resources used on the 'Off Game' features are different than resources used to 'In Game' features, right?
Right.
Right?
...
Or it just means no new Costume Set to Z-Store for over the Ignore Button.
Once it's implemented i'm gonna get my moneys worth of the button.
...

honestresearcher

flyingfinn wrote: »

But resources used on the 'Off Game' features are different than resources used to 'In Game' features, right?
Right.
Right?

No.

Either / Or , its all the same. There's 1 forum staff, and so far evidence of 1 'Mystery' person working on the game doing very small mission additions and some very ancient bug fixes. No staff whatsoever came to address our "Calling for a dev"...that clock is still ticking.

Not enough...for simply how much theyre getting from us, this is not enough. The money is very clearly not being re-invested, it's redirected.

smoochan

Cryptic1: People are critisizing us on the forums...

Cryptic2: Hmm.. that's a problem... potential new players might see that and be turned off from trying the game...

Cryptic3: We need to keep the people who disagree with each other on the forums from talking with one another somehow...

Cryptic1: How about we implement some sort of... forum ignore feature?

Cryptic3: ...brilliant! People will ignore anyone who's opinion differs from their own, and arguments won't even be able to start! Hell, those threads won't even get past the first page!

Cryptic2: Yes... just as brilliant as our other plan to reduce the amount of xp needed to level to make it seem like there's more content....

Cryptic1,2,3: <evil laughter and various unwholesome noises indicating a variety of vices>

jonesing4

smoochan wrote: »

Cryptic1: People are critisizing us on the forums...

Cryptic2: Hmm.. that's a problem... potential new players might see that and be turned off from trying the game...

Cryptic3: We need to keep the people who disagree with each other on the forums from talking with one another somehow...

Cryptic1: How about we implement some sort of... forum ignore feature?

Cryptic3: ...brilliant! People will ignore anyone who's opinion differs from their own, and arguments won't even be able to start! Hell, those threads won't even get past the first page!

Cryptic2: Yes... just as brilliant as our other plan to reduce the amount of xp needed to level to make it seem like there's more content....

Cryptic1,2,3: <evil laughter and various unwholesome noises indicating a variety of vices>

You just made my "ignore" list, pal.

trailturtle

... Guys, y'all were asking for more communication, right? This is part of that. This is a status update on something that I know some people were asking about.

Some forumites on Friday mentioned it, so I poked at it and researched it a little. It turned out that it wasn't something that I could handle myself, and I judged it as a fairly low priority (this is nifty, but not crucial). As part of trying to make sure everyone was as informed as possible, I posted what I found rather than let it become a recurring, unanswered question.


To head off any questions, the web front-end team is entirely different from the in-game team, but that team is shared with other games. Let me repeat that: the Cryptic devs are utterly uninvolved with forum tech.

honestresearcher

We aint mad at you Turtle you're doin ace.

lafury001200

trailturtle wrote: »

... Guys, y'all were asking for more communication, right? This is part of that. This is a status update on something that I know some people were asking about.

Some forumites on Friday mentioned it, so I poked at it and researched it a little. It turned out that it wasn't something that I could handle myself, and I judged it as a fairly low priority (this is nifty, but not crucial). As part of trying to make sure everyone was as informed as possible, I posted what I found rather than let it become a recurring, unanswered question.


To head off any questions, the web front-end team is entirely different from the in-game team, but that team is shared with other games. Let me repeat that: the Cryptic devs are utterly uninvolved with forum tech.

So instead of saying the new forums don't have as many existing functions as the old ones, this was posted as evidence of increased communication ? Ok.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzghbUlLeP4

kenpojujitsu3

trailturtle wrote: »

... Guys, y'all were asking for more communication, right?

Honestly TT. Don't even bother. It's gotten to point where people complain when nothing is said and then complain every time something is said as well. People even show up out of the clear blue who haven't been around in forever just to complain. There's only around 30-50 of us consistently here anyway having the same conversations we were having in '10 so you might as well just post stuff in the news section and then lock it. Make people have to start new threads every time they want to 'voice their concerns' about any and everything. Much like the game itself, there isn't enough return on investment on the forums to make them worth the extra energy either.

itsbrou

This is good news.

forutnefire

This...no. Jesus, wrong direction.

somebob

trailturtle wrote: »

To head off any questions, the web front-end team is entirely different from the in-game team, but that team is shared with other games. Let me repeat that: the Cryptic devs are utterly uninvolved with forum tech.

Exactly.

Thank you, TT, for letting us know. I know this was something that some people wanted, and good job getting it organized and put in.

Curious - can you do this on the NW and STO boards as well? Or are those entirely different versions/forum software?

rokurocaris

Actually, a certain number of people (I think it was 15) pressing the Ignore instead of Report Spam button on you will get you muted as well! :eek:​​

beldin

trailturtle wrote: »

Let me repeat that: the Cryptic devs are utterly uninvolved with forum tech.

Yepp .. i suspected that for 2,5 year now, since when the old character page was broken
and never get fixed. Na ok .. was not really forum tech, more web-programming, but at least
Cryptic seems to have fired all people who initially created that stuff.

pion01

I don't know who was complaining about your communication on this, but whatevs, thanks for the heads up. Hugs.

smoochan

pion01 wrote: »

I don't know who was complaining about your communication on this, but whatevs, thanks for the heads up. Hugs.

Nobody was.

vizzone

While they're working on the forums, do you think it would be possible to display that a thread is locked before you click the link?

nextnametaken

I vote the ignore button should be Caliga's face.

revanantmorituri

Agreed: not TrailTurtle's or Cryptic's fault that PWE bought a really lame forum software suite, and implemented it across all their properties.

kenpojujitsu3

revanantmorituri wrote: »

Agreed: not TrailTurtle's or Cryptic's fault that PWE bought a really lame forum software suite, and implemented it across all their properties.

Chat system was around prior to PWE buying Cryptic.

zahinder

While it's really obnoxious that people can lock down your communications (including tells, Supergroup chat, EVERYTHING) with no repercussions, the other part I really hate is that I can't ignore people without potentially doing it to them.

I'd like to simply... not hear someone. Period. I want to remove myself, not remove them, and it's... frustrating.


I mean, I didn't even realize 'ignore' did this until 5-6 months ago, and I was utterly shocked. I wonder how many other players use Ignore, not realizing what a draconian effect it has.

polishlightning

kenpojujitsu3 wrote: »

Chat system was around prior to PWE buying Cryptic.

I think revanantmorituri was specifically talking about the forums.

kenpojujitsu3

polishlightning wrote: »

I think revanantmorituri was specifically talking about the forums.

I know. My subtle point is that given how ignore has functioned when last Cryptic implemented it I think we might want to reconsider asking them to implement another one even if a different team is supposed to work on it. It's a slippery slope IMO, might be better to just leave it well enough alone.

polishlightning

kenpojujitsu3 wrote: »

I know. My subtle point is that given how ignore has functioned when last Cryptic implemented it I think we might want to reconsider asking them to implement another one even if a different team is supposed to work on it. It's a slippery slope IMO, might be better to just leave it well enough alone.

I thought the previous forum ignore function worked well. People wouldn't lose their posting privileges but you could block people you weren't interested in seeing.

kenpojujitsu3

polishlightning wrote: »

I thought the previous forum ignore function worked well. People wouldn't lose their posting privileges but you could block people you weren't interested in seeing.

The previous function was one baked into the old software by default and not something like what we have here that TT says will require "in-depth coding" and is "not an easy on/off switch." Consider me a little concerned at anything like this that requires some careful coding considering the history we have here. I'm a little gunshy on things here that require extensive tampering at this point.

theevisceratress

The Champions Online forum is using vBulletin software. More specifically, vBulletin 3.7.1 from what I can tell. I've ran a forum on this software before.

May I ask how this is an in-depth feature that requires coding or modding?

(Also, why such an old software version?)

I'm sorry but this is kind of embarrassing.

kenpojujitsu3

View source strikes again! Gonna make a hero called that now. "View Source"...maybe just Source. Sounds better.

theevisceratress

Version 3.7.1, 4.0.0, 5.0.0 whatever-the-bacon-fed-knave version it is, as far as I've known the ignore function has been a built-in feature of vBulletin for quite some time. This thread leaves me scratching my head.

@kenpojujitsu3: I endorse this.

jonsills

kenpojujitsu3 wrote: »

View source strikes again! Gonna make a hero called that now. "View Source"...maybe just Source. Sounds better.

Use the Source, Kenpo!

(Damn, now I wish there was somewhere I could find old episodes of that show...)

theevisceratress

Essentially I think that there needs to be some straight-forward talk. In previous posts kenpo was doing this, although in my opinion a little more vague.

Let's put it this way. Now I'm only re-iterating what kenpo said previously upthread in different language.

If a built in feature of the software cannot perform correctly (it does not need in-depth coding) then we have a problem. This means that some mishmash of coding or modification/plugin is blocking a BASIC FEATURE from doing its job.

Why is this worrisome? Because it means that the software is running with improper mishmash of coding or something that interferes with basic function. This presents a scenario where exploitation and misuse are potentials.

I understand kenpo's sentiments and I hope my wording was clear. Anyone else, feel free to elaborate or weave better wording. This issue does make me a little wary about any other tampering like kenpo.

polishlightning

kenpojujitsu3 wrote: »

I'm a little gunshy on things here that require extensive tampering at this point.

Whatever, their tampering is what makes the game so exciting. Am I going to have a level 40 all the sudden be a level 0? Is my bank going to be 0 g all of the sudden? Will the Hawkwing I bought be nerfed and a better one be released? It's never dull!

kenpojujitsu3

polishlightning wrote: »

Whatever, their tampering is what makes the game so exciting. Am I going to have a level 40 all the sudden be a level 0? Is my bank going to be 0 g all of the sudden? Will the Hawkwing I bought be nerfed and a better one be released? It's never dull!

I've had this happen so please, just don't.

theevisceratress wrote: »

Essentially I think that there needs to be some straight-forward talk. In previous posts kenpo was doing this, although in my opinion a little more vague.

Let's put it this way. Now I'm only re-iterating what kenpo said previously upthread in different language.

If a built in feature of the software cannot perform correctly (it does not need in-depth coding) then we have a problem. This means that some mishmash of coding or modification/plugin is blocking a BASIC FEATURE from doing its job.

Why is this worrisome? Because it means that the software is running with improper mishmash of coding or something that interferes with basic function. This presents a scenario where exploitation and misuse are potentials.

I understand kenpo's sentiments and I hope my wording was clear. Anyone else, feel free to elaborate or weave better wording. This issue does make me a little wary about any other tampering like kenpo.

Thank you for spelling this out so simply and eloquently.

draogn

Perhaps it is time to upgrade the forum software to something of this century then, you know to the century where things like buttons for ignoring a forum poster and reporting a post have become standard features in even the most basic of forums?

theevisceratress

Something that has been on my conscience I wanted to state: TrailTurtle, this is not an insult towards you.

I don't blame you if you don't know how forum software works, not everyone has experience. I just feel like they flat out lied to your face about this feature. Somewhere, incompetence and/or pure laziness has happened if you were told it would take "in-depth" coding. This is, like re-iterated so many times, a built-in feature of the software and is indeed and off/on click situation.

My utmost apologies if it seems like a personal attack. For all we know, this could have been a forum dev team decision from long ago that they're left to clean the mess up of.

clcmercy

I'm certain nobody here on these forums has anything but respect for TT.

Yes, he's just doing his job and relaying what he's been told. Nobody blames him for doing that.

chaelk

nextnametaken wrote: »

I vote the ignore button should be Caliga's face.

with a boxing glove as the mouse cursor :biggrin:
when are we gonna get a MINI turtle AF?

polishlightning

draogn wrote: »

Perhaps it is time to upgrade the forum software to something of this century then, you know to the century where things like buttons for ignoring a forum poster and reporting a post have become standard features in even the most basic of forums?

theevisceratress wrote: »

I don't blame you if you don't know how forum software works, not everyone has experience. I just feel like they flat out lied to your face about this feature. Somewhere, incompetence and/or pure laziness has happened if you were told it would take "in-depth" coding. This is, like re-iterated so many times, a built-in feature of the software and is indeed and off/on click situation.

Could the problem not be making an ignore function but linking that ignore function to the in-game ignore list and vice versa?

beldin

polishlightning wrote: »

I thought the previous forum ignore function worked well. People wouldn't lose their posting privileges but you could block people you weren't interested in seeing.

The old forums ignore function was also directly linked with the ingame ignore function,
so i supect you could have also chat-ban people at that time via the forums.

agentnx5

kenpojujitsu3 wrote: »

Honestly TT. Don't even bother. It's gotten to point where people complain when nothing is said and then complain every time something is said as well. People even show up out of the clear blue who haven't been around in forever just to complain. There's only around 30-50 of us consistently here anyway having the same conversations we were having in '10 so you might as well just post stuff in the news section and then lock it. Make people have to start new threads every time they want to 'voice their concerns' about any and everything. Much like the game itself, there isn't enough return on investment on the forums to make them worth the extra energy either.

Wow Captain Pessimism much?

No. Speak for yourself, I prefer communication over none.

Yes there will be criticism, and yes you are right some of those people are writing only to explain. But I disagree strongly with your approach

kenpojujitsu3

agentnx5 wrote: »

Wow Captain Pessimism much?

No. Speak for yourself, I prefer communication over none.

Yes there will be criticism, and yes you are right some of those people are writing only to explain. But I disagree strongly with your approach

I did speak for myself and I also didn't ask for your approval/agreement in the process when I addressed TT.

erasmuskraven

kenpojujitsu3 wrote: »

I did speak for myself and I also didn't ask for your approval/agreement in the process when I addressed TT.

I have come back from the depths of time and space to complain about your use of "/" instead of the word "or" .... I now go back to the depths of time and space, carry on. :biggrin:

kenpojujitsu3

erasmuskraven wrote: »

I have come back from the depths of time and space to complain about your use of "/" instead of the word "or" .... I now go back to the depths of time and space, carry on. :biggrin:

ALLLLLLLL of my hate. *shakes fist menacingly* :mad: