|
|
Post by Artemis on Apr 22, 2012 17:09:37 GMT -5
Hey everyone,
I want to pitch an idea to you that I've been considering for quite some time now, and has recently become possible for Wonderwhy. Many boards are externally hosted, for example Sordid Secrets, Monrova, Aftermath, etc. and I've been toying with the idea of having WW being hosted by an external source. An old roleplaying friend of mine, Debain, has a hosting service on her site Infinite Muse. I contacted her yesterday to inquire about her helping to code some board modifications for WW, which I planned to do this summer.
Because of the nature of proboards, the board modifications I would like are not compatible with this software. What I would like to do are a board mod [change the way the boards look], profile mod [this would allow you to input your character biography on your profile, so when people click your name it's shown there], an inventory [so you can earn badges, trophies, etc.] and a few other modifications.
Since this isn't compatible with proboards, Debain has suggested we move the board to a new forum software, Simple Machines which will enable full customization and all the modifications I have planned. Debain would help code the forum with the specifications I would like, and our staff would help as well.
The main issue comes at this point though: we have to rebuild the forum on the new software. Proboards doesn't allow members, threads, posts, or anything else to be "transferred" per say. This would mean that once the new site is made, this forum would become a "read only" archive, and you would have to join your characters up onto the new site. We will then transfer over bios, and any current threads going on manually. Your pawprints will be transferred as well, so you will not lose anything. This forum will remain open, so no one will lose anything here.
WW has had such a loyal community and we are like a family; I do not want to force you to do something that you do not want to do. However I think that this move would give Wonderwhy many more options to create a better, more fun roleplaying atmosphere. As well, it would make us look more professional and boost activity and new members joining, because such a move shows we are serious about the site.
I want WW to be the best it can be, and I would love to implement these modifications. Unfortunately in our current state, I cannot. I would like you guys to vote in a poll, or specify here, whether you think this is a good step forward for WW, or not. The new site would be made while this one is still open; there would be no interruption in your roleplaying until the move, and only for that day. The site would open with the brand new features, the new skin depicting the character from the person who won the posting contest, the new pack will be created, and I plan to bring in abellio creation at that time.
The move would also be like a "spring clean" and would weed out inactive accounts, and would also give us a chance to revise rules, species, powers, etc. Once we either agree or disagree to go ahead with this move, I will be requesting member feedback on what parts of the site should be edited, removed, added to make WW an even better site than it already is.
So please, let me know your thoughts, feelings, opinions on this. I feel that this is the best step for WW right now, but if the members don't feel it is, then we will not choose to move forward on it. Also please let me know if you would like to see links to things like board modifications, inventories, profiles, etc. You can find them all depicted on sites like Valoria, Aftermath, etc. but I will provide examples if you would like. The move would allow everything we have on Wonderwhy regarding features and more.
Thanks guys.
Artemis |
|
|
|
Post by °Crow° on Apr 22, 2012 20:35:01 GMT -5
Haha, yay first post! Anyways, onto business... a move to victus-rpg then? the sites all seem well thought out and organized. (Not to say wonderwhy is not.) And I like the idea of the setup, the Month of's and how everything is put together. You stated before that we are still keeping all the history and such here and moving things like pawprints and characters to the new site. If that is the case and we are only adding onto it, I see nothing wrong with a board change. (Unless you just don't like change, then that's about it.) Of course, I have not had the pleasure of being on this site for very long so I am not as attached as some other members might be. The abellio I have waited to see come out and be roleplayed so that will be a nice change of pace, as for the the new pack and skins to come out too! I'm looking forward to making Wonderwhy a larger, more professional yet still open and friendly site. If we can make this move then there is nothing us, as members, can't do! -Crow P.S. -Squee! Is this the pack I'm thinking of??? Cause if it is... I am sooooo ready for this  |
|
Chiyo
Loner 
[M:0][A:4]
Posts: 3
|
Post by Chiyo on Apr 22, 2012 21:58:28 GMT -5
Board moving is always strange for me. I like how WW has never resorted to leaving a trail of "We have moved, click here to go to version x." I also am personally pretty attached to the Proboards setup, simply because it was where I first started roleplaying and is still the only place where I do. I've always been too lazy to figure out InvisionFree or any other host.
But this is Wonderwhy, and wherever Wonderwhy goes I'll figure out how to work the site. I would prefer it if the setup was not incredibly different, but I support WW looking more professional, like it deserves. So yeah, I guess that means I'm for a move.
|
|
Sumeria
Loner
[M:50][A:14]
○ plumeria ○
Posts: 14
|
Post by Sumeria on Apr 22, 2012 22:59:16 GMT -5
I already posted on the shoutbox that I'm all for a move. This would make it much easier to work out the profiles, acceptance, moving things, earning PP, and various other things.
|
|
Juniper
Loner
[M:217][A:4] [SG:0]
Eldarwen
Posts: 33
|
Post by Juniper on Apr 23, 2012 4:48:02 GMT -5
Personally as an admin I preferred other sites over proboards, with it becoming my least favourite. As a member it didn't matter so much but I've found from a graphic point of view, I do prefer these other sites with the HTML coding. I've also come to like the character information in account profiles as it saves you searching for things as it's all already there. I don't really mind what you choose to do though; if you stay, I'll be sticking around and if you move, I'll be following.
|
|
|
|
Post by Artemis on Apr 23, 2012 8:30:50 GMT -5
Sounds great everyone, thank you. We would be moving to Infinite-Muse, since that's the server of my friend. I initially started with invisionfree, but found proboards easier to manage to a point. Either way from a member's standpoint it should look fairly similar. If SMF doesn't work out, we can go with IPB but that doesn't allow exactly everything I want in the specifics I do, unless we pay $175 for the upgrade. I agree with liking the fact we've never had to moved to version x, though I do think considering we've been open two years now, and have had two ownership changes it might not do us some harm to get a "fresh paint of coat" so to say. ^^ Anyways, thanks for your feedback, and do let me know if you have any questions, concerns, ideas. c:  The move will be hosted by kittensBut not actually. We're not that cute. |
|
|
|
Post by Artemis on Apr 23, 2012 10:24:17 GMT -5
Oh, another neat thing to mention would be that certain members, when you click on their profiles, it would enable you to have "different skins" for that certain member. I'm not sure how it's coded, but I know it would be possible. For example check out Valoria's main site: CLICK!But then if you click on the profile belonging to Teffi: CLICKThe skin is different, and very customizable. I think this is a really neat idea and could be a great "prize" for contests. :] |
|
|
|
Post by Moonrose on Apr 23, 2012 10:58:50 GMT -5
I am all for a board move, considering Proboards is a pain in the rear end half the time when it comes to wanting to do certain things as far as coding and such goes. It might be a bit difficult for some of our table makers and picture editors, but I am sure something can be worked out. Rather than needing to pay the extra money to make the modifications needed, a board move would be better for the site.
The decision has my full support.
|
|
|
|
Post by Somatra on Apr 23, 2012 12:41:02 GMT -5
I am in full support of this move, Wonderwhy deserves a host that will allow it to appear more professional, function with more ease and permit members to indulge in more options. I have been learning how to code HTML table so can be of assistance with this as well, though I have yet to master the scrolly in html...The different skin options is excellent, if I am not mistaken you can customize your own with your personalized banner as well.
--Somatra
|
|
|
|
Post by Artemis on Apr 23, 2012 12:57:55 GMT -5
I have not explored the in character coding but I imagine it will be similar to invisionfree/IPB in that it will use HTML, which actually allows for way more features than the tables on WW. It will take a bit of adjusting, but you'll be able to do way more and do it much easier. BBcode tables are really finicky and difficult.
|
|
|
|
Post by °Crow° on Apr 23, 2012 13:30:10 GMT -5
I do like the idea of regular HTML anways.. I knew it before whatever we use here. (is it bb code? I think so.) And I do like to customization, that was the reason I got into the sims xDDD
But enough of my jumbling mess of speech. I do have a question. I was noticing on the other sites that their pack setup is definitely different from our current setup. How will this be changing and do you have a template in mind? Or are we just going to rip and modify someone else's? To be honest I have looked at the source code and it does not look that difficult. Both codes are actually pretty similar. The only main difference is the use of < and > rather than [ and ].
Again, I'm all up for a move, I'm just curious what we can (or per say will) be implemented along with it.
|
|
Sumeria
Loner
[M:50][A:14]
○ plumeria ○
Posts: 14
|
Post by Sumeria on Apr 23, 2012 13:39:54 GMT -5
If this host doesn't work out I'd suggest maiahost.com. But with all hope it will work well for you.
Maiahost does php, javascript, and most basic programming language, has unlimited space and bandwidth, and is only $50 a year.
It includes php, mysql, gd, curl, domain registration, one free domain for life, daily mysql backups, weekly/monthly backups, unlimited disk space, unlimited bandwidth, you can host 2 sites, you get a cpanel that is easy to navigate, 100 email accounts on-site, 10 databases (you only really need 1 or 2), phpmyadmin and mysql manager, zend optimizer, ioncube loaders, imagemagick, website e-mail, sub-domains, domain parking, ftp access, hotlink protection, spam assassin, anti-virus protection, anti-malware protection, no cotnract fees or hidden ch arges, 30 days money back garantee, immediate account activation, and a bit more.
It also comes with a forum that you can install, but it works like invision free so you'd probably want someone who could program the forum instead (unless you can).
|
|
|
|
Post by Artemis on Apr 23, 2012 13:50:11 GMT -5
crow - I can easily code us some sexy HTML tables; I actually learned HTML by making tables so those are really easy for me. It was difficult for me to learn BBcode table making. xD We could possibly use the same pack layout we have now, if that seems best, but with the access to HTML in posts we have the ability to jazz it up a lot more. As for things to be implemented, what I've mentioned so far, but if you have any other ideas, do let me know, I'd be happy to hear them and consider them so long as they're possible. ^^ Sumeria - Thanks for the heads up! I was actually considering buying WW its own domain, but I'm not entirely sure I'm skilled enough to do so. I'd rather have another host "host us", per say. That would be one of my last options since I'd need a lot of help setting it up and understanding how it works, plus I'd need to have the annual fee for it. I honestly would love to, but I'm not sure we can consider that right now. But if this falls through I will definitely check it out. ^^
|
|
Juniper
Loner
[M:217][A:4] [SG:0]
Eldarwen
Posts: 33
|
Post by Juniper on Apr 23, 2012 14:28:10 GMT -5
I've managed to create a few variations of tables, including the scrolly ones Som so I can get back on rot briefly to PM you that. Its easy enough for people to learn, and we have a basic standard one then gives members a template to work from. Can do the same with those profile skins, I may have a code for that too that will probably only need a little tweaking if any to work.
|
|
|
|
Post by Artemis on Apr 23, 2012 14:31:35 GMT -5
Sounds great Eldar. c: Might make you our "go to gal" when we get stuck. We should definitely look at making a "tutorial" about how to code tables once we get onto the new site. They're actually really easy with HTML, even the scrolly ones, once you get it.
I'd love the profile skins code though, but no need to jump the gun. When/if we get to that stage I might be requesting some help. ^^
|
|
