Site suggestions/bugs

Andrei said:
All i'm saying is that members who are on "trial period" (until they have 100 snarkmarks or something) should have their profiles removed if they don't post anything for large periods of time. That way we won't have a 2 million member list with only 1000 users who are actually active.

We tried something similar once. My number used to be "21"

Apparently its a lot of effort on Leps part so it hasn't been done again.

All we can do is accept that some will not return.

Except for the first few hundred numbers, I really do not look at membership numbers anymore. We have a lot of quality members with very high place counts.

In other words, member 2000 may be as good, or better than 150 is. (for example, I am not gonna look up who 2000 or 150 is)

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The best things in life, aren't things.

<div class="quote"><div class="quotetitle">? quoting Andre:</div><div class="quotetext">All i'm saying is that members who are on "trial period" (until they
have 100 snarkmarks or something) should have their profiles removed if
they don't post anything for large periods of time. That way we won't
have a 2 million member list with only 1000 users who are actually
active.

</div></div>

I don't see the point of that. It's not like the members who
don't show up anymore are cluttering things or getting in the way of
anything. I don't think you should have to pass a certain margin
of posts or SM before you're safe from becoming an "unperson."

Back to Orph's original idea. While I see your point and I agree
that some crap maps are getting fairly high scores (from what I've seen
during my short time here so far), what you're hoping for is the
implementation of some sort of standard rating system. But I
think it will be impossible to make everyone rate maps as
harshly/fairly as you. I think the system works fine as long as
everyone has a chance to voice their opinions. If someone rates a
killbox a 10 and you rate it a 2, hopefully a person browsing the
comments will see that your reasons for the low score make sense while
the person who rated it a 10 is just biased/insane.

This site is welcoming because it doesn't have some sort of tiered
feature system. I don't know what I would have thought about this
site if I couldn't have rated anything until a month (or whatever)
after my sign up.

Addicted to Morphine said:
This site is welcoming because it doesn't have some sort of tiered feature system. I don't know what I would have thought about this site if I couldn't have rated anything until a month (or whatever) after my sign up.

But, think how good you would have felt afterward. Milestones do have a positive effect, sometimes.

/methinks, it could be a filtration system if it was clear BEFORE you joined that you would not be permitted to bloat a score just by signing up.

Its not like it happens too often, and the ones doing it would not be missed if they didn't join because of the probation.

As I said, it stinks of elitism, but I see no way around it... Other than just permitting it to continue.

shrugs

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The best things in life, aren't things.

But if you are saying it doesn't happen that often, then why limit what
legitimate new users are able to do on the site just to avoid these
rare misuses?

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

ReNo said:
But if you are saying it doesn't happen that often, then why limit what legitimate new users are able to do on the site just to avoid these rare misuses?

I know.. Why do you think I have not mentioned it before, or often Duncan.

Its not too often, but it does undermine the situation by eroding the system.

sighs

gimme a break will'ya, I am still annoyed at the screenshot situation but have pretty much let it drop for lack of support. I hate seeing wrongs uncorrected for lengths of time. :/

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The best things in life, aren't things.

If you find a map that you think has been over-rated, then play it yourself and give it a poor rating if it turns out that it is rubbish. Unfortunately, as we've seen from killboxes and fy_ maps, people have different tastes, and there's not much you can do about it except offer your reasons for disliking something. I'm not going to introduce some 'trial' membership period or delay before being able to post.

Why did I have the feeling that it would come down to "my" having to put out effort to remedy this? :sad:

Yeah, its my problem so it stands to reason but.. I was hoping. You know what? when you consider that we (all of us) could gang bang these maps and solve the issue, thats not really a good thing either. It would send out an even worse message. I was hoping to get the message across with the least amount of confrontationalism.

shrugs

nevermind.. in the end, I know which maps suck ass, and I am all the better for knowing it. When it comes right down to it, my record for distinguishing the two is pretty damned good.

You are right.. /me bows.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

If you're ever looking for some new implementation ideas:

A 'hiding' or parsing feature for the forums would be pretty cool (being able to turn it off and on in the control panel would be a good idea as well, as with any large change)

For example: You could have it parse the list of threads alphabetically by title or creator.

Date of creation is another one. Hide locked/closed/old threads.
Parse by number of replies. Hide non- ?fire? threads, or hide fire threads. It'd be a nice addition I think. Stickys should stay at the top though, I think.

Also, expanding the Search function to find user's threads, etc.

Taking that php executes for every person that visits whatever page writing some new functions wouldn't hurt performance much. I doubt it'd have more impact then refreshing one of the forums pages.

Anyway, it's just a thought.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

That sounds interesting, though I'd prefer to do it through cookies than the database. And yes, the site search should be better- I'll work on it over the Summer.

Hey, what's the ETA on some new interviews? Someone should interview Reno or something!

We could have an interview with jam13 from PFL. :biggrin:

I think Des has run off again, so I'll get round to doing some after my exams (which are coming up this week... argh!)

Line 103, Line 42, both character 3. Javascript errors on whatever software this (and a few others) internet terminal runs.

Small problem but I thought i'd point it out..

Object doesn't support this property or method

Yes I've noticed that, but I can't seem to figure out exactly what's causing it :/

I get the line 103 error when I check snarkpit on the road.

I was gonna report it, but kept forgetting.

Something to do with truckstop net providers I had assumed. :/

[edit] your timing is off again. The old/new post thingy is borked. It says its old news, the second I click it.. course, it could be considered old news, but time wise, I had just seen it.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Yes, that's new, it remembers when you've read a thread now :razz:

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Leperous</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Yes, that's new, it remembers when you've read a thread now :razz: </DIV></DIV>

Coolness, I thought perhaps it was a symptom of another bug somewhere..

/me likes.

BUT, even though it says "old" the icon "go to newest post" still does not know..

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The best things in life, aren't things.

I keep getting logged out, in spite of me checking the box to keep me logged in.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Allow me to reiterate. I am getting really really annoyed at being logged out. Sadly, it only happens when I hit the submit button (or seems to) and I lose my post. Yes, I know I should copy/paste it so it would not be lost, but dang it.. I am losing it for a weird reason, not one I am used to dealing with.

Am I the only one here who keeps getting logged out?

i never get logged out here, but i do on one of the other forums i use. it can happen within minutes of logging in, or be stable across several browser sessions. never here though.

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i eat paint

I haven't done anything to the site which would make you randomly log in/out. You shouldn't be losing the post when you submit (I'll check and make sure all the possible errors it throws up repeat your posts), though otherwise you can try to use the 'restore lost post' button...

Leperous said:
I haven't done anything to the site which would make you randomly log in/out. You shouldn't be losing the post when you submit (I'll check and make sure all the possible errors it throws up repeat your posts), though otherwise you can try to use the 'restore lost post' button...

Restore lost post has never worked for me. I just assumed it was one of your ideas that was "work in progress" and you would make it functional soon.

This log out thing. It started only yesterday. I prefer to remain logged in continuously, so I check the little box. It has worked flawlessly up to yesterday.

I have lost 1/4 of my posts because it logs me out when I press "submit".

I am upset, but I am not placing blame or nothin.. This may be on my end entirely.. Although, I do not know why, or how.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Doesn't it tell you your post underneath when it logs you out though? Does it just take you to another page when you submit, or does it give you an error message? (and if so, what does it say)

Leperous said:
Doesn't it tell you your post underneath when it logs you out though? Does it just take you to another page when you submit, or does it give you an error message? (and if so, what does it say)

When it happens again, I will take a screenshot. For now I will say that.. it scrunches everything right and left. the entire center portion of the page is black/blank. take everything you are now looking at and fit it into a 1 inch area both right and left and you will get an idea.

Does that help? If not I will wait for it to occur again.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

The last two days I have been auto logged out.. and I have the keep me logged in box checked. It just happend right now.

I was logged out again, but damned if I forgot to save a screen. I stayed logged out to give the page another chance to show my dilemma.

[edit] stinking thumbnails are borked now Lep. I fixed this thing twice and it keeps borking back to a normal [img ] tag. :sad:

http://www.snarkpit.net/pits/orpheus/pics/logout1.jpg was the original target.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Suggestion:

Our maps section goes mostly un-noticed anymore. Perhaps we can have a weekly spotlight or something similar. I think we need to do something to bolster our maps more. Perhaps during the week we all can vote or score particular maps, then next week it is spotlighted, while during that week we are voting/scoring on the next.

Perhaps this would encourage more submitances, but also discourage people only using our site for pimpage and leaving till their next release.

Anywho's, i would entertain any ideas on this subject.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Monthly might be more appropriate. I'm just worried about dry
spells when we may have to spotlight something less than deserving
because of the lack of alternatives.

Addicted to Morphine said:
Monthly might be more appropriate. I'm just worried about dry spells when we may have to spotlight something less than deserving because of the lack of alternatives.

I am not talking about putting the best on a pedestal here.. I am wanting to spotlight the less famous.. If we were to hold the vote this very minute, I would vote for this map..

I think you are confusing my intentions with something hard to do.. All I wanna do is draw some more attention to our maps section.. We have maps posted with little or no feedback.. I know people looked at them cause I saw them do so but... (no finger pointing) I feel they should be either ashamed of themselves, or at the very least, concerned that they have been at this to long and are not interested enough to be contributing members anymore. :/

I am not saying everyone should comment on everything, thats silly, but ask yourselves.. "when was the last time you did comment?"

A spotlight might show the rest of the world that the "BIG BAD SNARKPIT" isn't so anti-n00b.

anywho's, I think you are confused as to my intentions.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

I agree with you that we should try to find some way to increase the
interest in the map section. I try to offer some thorough
comments, but its only on a random maps every now and then. It's
just hard to have sustained interest in every map that passes through
this site. When a project catches my eye I try to do my best to
offer my opinions.

As for your idea, if it would increase interest/participation in the map section then I think it should be pursued.

I'm sorry if I misunderstood the intentions of your first post. I
thought you just wanted to encourage more submissions, but now I see
you want to encourage more participation from the members who aren't
reading up/commenting on new maps that come through here.

Why can't a paste any links on the forums now?

There are a lot of things that need changing/fixing/sorting out right now, I'll get on to them over the next couple of weeks, just as soon as I've finished my exams :redface:

I'm having orphs problem too... I keep getting logged out randomly. But I know exams come first Lep (mine are in 2 weeks :/)

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"If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?"

• My yr11 Economics teacher

When writing tutorials and you preview them the option to save them
goes away, so i have to copy it go back and paste it. I got my exams
now aswell, im in the half term break at the moment so no exams till
next week.

what about a 'best screenshot of work in progress' every week.

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i eat paint

Quite, sounds like a good idea to me. Maybe it would deter people from posting their maps on the front page for publicity.

I just deleted my map from my profile and now there a gap in the
control panel, seen
here??

I'm still getting randomly logged out... hoping your break starts soon Lep :wink:

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"If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?"

• My yr11 Economics teacher

I was using internet explorer on my new computer before I downloaded
Firefox, and I was getting logged out too. But when I switched to
Firefox, no more problems.

Well, I think I've fixed it now (forums are setting them when you visit a topic to remember that you've read it, and I think it can break the cookie limitations in IE and hence make you lose the 'keep me logged in' cookie) but we'll have to see, so far so good for me.

How long does it take to change pictures (the ones in the gallery of
horror)? Yesterday I tried to change my photo, and while it says
my profile was updated, it hasn't been changed yet. Should I just
wait some more or should I try again?

I'd have thought it should be immediate - try refreshing or, if that
fails, clearing out your temporary internet files and refreshing.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

Unfortunately that didn't work. It allows me to update the little
"about me" writeup immediately, but the picture doesn't change, even
though it says the photo was uploaded successfully.

Edit: Others are seeing the new photo and not me.

Edit2: I logged out and then refreshed, and it worked.

Lep, have you thought any more about the multi-author maps idea? I know
it was brought up before but don't recall if it was dismissed or not.
Recently we had a case of a joint map being posted and one of the two
authors being able to give the map a rating, which isn't really ideal.
The whole thing then devolved into an argument...

http://www.snarkpit.net/maps.php?map=2091

On that note, I wasn't able to edit the comments. Dunno if this is by
design, but as I can edit news posts and forum posts, I figured it was
probably a mistake.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

I think it all depends on what level admin/mod you are Duncan.. Obviously, there must be some distinction between "owner" and "subordinates"

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Yeah there are different levels of "power", but it just struck me as
odd that I can edit most posts, but not ones made as map comments. I
wouldn't have thought it required more responsibility to have control
over these things, so I figured it was an accidental oversight or
whatever that my level of power couldn't do it.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

ReNo said:
Yeah there are different levels of "power", but it just struck me as odd that I can edit most posts, but not ones made as map comments. I wouldn't have thought it required more responsibility to have control over these things, so I figured it was an accidental oversight or whatever that my level of power couldn't do it.

Hmm, well I never thought that a forum mod couldn't edit all forums posts either but I found out differently..

I think you are responsible enough, but then again, why not hand you the keys to the Mercedes? If you understand my meaning..

Think of it this way Duncan, I have been here just as long as you, and I got Server admin status by default.. How does that look?

/mumbles and wanders away.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Er no I haven't done anything about multiple authors yet, but I've got all of next week off so will probably start then- I'm spending the odd free moments right now getting a forum/comments spell checker working :smile: You should be able to edit comments now, though.

I'm still getting logged out occasionally... is this fixable, or an issue with the host?

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"If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?"

• My yr11 Economics teacher

Not a complaint, just an observation: The tables are now off because of the spell checker button..

Not a problem but perhaps you should move it to the top and the smileys to the bottom. the suggestions could be in a popup window perhaps.

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The best things in life, aren't things.