The Campaign Builder's Guild

Whether loging in and/or the home button should direct users to the home page or the profile page depends on what features go where.

The system we have now is pretty good, except that we lack a better way to subscribe to threads and such. You go to the front page and see everything. The profile info doesn't get used 'cause there's not much of use in that section.

But a facebook with a forum approach wouldn't be bad. This would mean a profile page with buddies, subscribed threads, account status, and some sort of news feed (that would inform you of buddy account status changes and changes in subscribed threads and such)... Then a front page with a news feed that shows everything, plus announcements and the tavern as usual. And maybe polls in a place where you don't have to scroll down to see them... and then the forum same as always. All this would be the first three tabs at the top. Probably still "home, profile, forum" rather than profile first.

And name changing is not a big deal for me.

The only way a buddy system would be useful would be if it listed the 5 most recent posts by the buddy- on the front page.

So we have the main feed with new posted-to threads;and then on the sidebar we have collapsible buddy names.

For example:

Steerpike posted in Cadaverous Earth, Goblin, China Mieville Thread as his last 3 posts. I can directly go to my Friend's pages and read his new posts.

that's really the only way I see that being useful.

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There should be a link to the mIRC instructions on the first page and a Java entry into IRC for people who don't download the software- or at least the Chatroom should be more obvious/easy-to-get to for newbies.
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PMing perhaps should be easier than currently. It seems a little clunky... Can't recall my complaints right now, but it just does not seem to operate as it does on other boards.

I'll second that some features are only useful if they come with other features (like buddies and updates from them), and what was said about mIRC.

When logging off and then logging back onto the site, would you rather be automatically forwarded to the last page you were viewing (whether it be a forum thread, a particular campaign setting, etc), to your own personal account page, or to the site's front page where news, updated forum posts, etc are displayed?

News, but I think the News page could benefit from a "10 Most Recent Wiki articles" section, in addition to the forum updates.

Speaking of your own personal account page, what are the 5 most useful things you would like to see on it? Examples are: "Favorited" threads, buddy lists, "Account statuses" (ala facebook), general bio, etc, etc. Not limited to those, just let me know what a good "My Account" page looks like to you.

Maybe I am just a fan of High Fidelity, but "Top 5" lists of things I've done recently are always helpful: forum posts, wiki articles, etc..  Also, being able to tag users or threads to add them to your "feed" would be nice (particularly for the consultant project).

This question seems unimportant, but we've found a lot of dissenting theories on the subject. When clicking on a "Home" button, would you rather be taken to your "My Account" page, or the front page?

The current paradigm is Home -> My Account.  I'd put a "News" link up, if only because it will make things easier for new users (the old users are already addicted and such a simple change will not force us away D;).

Do any of you care about having the ability to post blogs? One of the new features we have will actually somewhat accomplish blogs as it is, but do any of you really care about being able to post blogs about your day-to-day life (or world-building life), or is it pretty unimportant?

Blogs would be neat.  If you don't want to dedicate the space, maybe just a more visible hook for Wordpress or Blogger from an account page.

Slightly off subject, but still useful, would you find it useful (and/or interesting) for the CBG to have a special twitter and facebook account to allow for outside updates (as well as for the rare instance when the site is down and people may want to know what's going on?)

Eh.  Would I use it? Probably.  It might bring in some new users?

How important do you find the name-changing option on this site? One of the only aspects of drupal we've found that's not as good as e107 (in fact, the ONLY aspect) is that it is not easily customizable to allow people to change their display names. You can change your user names, but I don't want to get into the kinds of messes that can be involved with that.

I actually dislike the name changing option, but only because I have a bad head for names and get easily confused. >.>

Also, Ish, my previous offer is still on the table as far as help with design/programming.  I'm well versed in AJAX/JavaScript (especially w/ Prototype library), Php, MySql, etc..

Ah, another idea-

We can post our own announcements in the news feed- in a twitter-like annoucement zone (like the chatbox) But the announcements stay there until closed by the reader or deleted- newest announcements at top.

The Use of the announcements would be to say announce development on your projects or a new IRC  chat or a Q&A. hopefully it will reduce the workload on Ish, who won't have to be bothered to make his own announcements when new things develop.

The problem with that is a potential for abuse/misuse- but we are a small enough community, I think, that anyone who uses the "announcements" to chat instead of to announce will be shamed.

(Note : this is in addition to the current chatbox).

I had my own interesting idea involving a bot posting to the tavern every hour with something along the lines of "Welcome to the CBG, while you're here why not check out (setting) by (name)" with both setting and name linking to their respective spots. Would be a cool way to bring new members in for reviews (and remind old members to check out settings they haven't yet).

1 - When logging off and then logging back onto the site, would you rather be automatically forwarded to the last page you were viewing (whether it be a forum thread, a particular campaign setting, etc), to your own personal account page, or to the site's front page where news, updated forum posts, etc are displayed?

Hmm, I would probably prefer the latest updated forum posts are found; after all, isn't that and posting what we're here for :)


2 - Speaking of your own personal account page, what are the 5 most useful things you would like to see on it?  Examples are:  "Favorited" threads, buddy lists, "Account statuses" (ala facebook), general bio, etc, etc.  Not limited to those, just let me know what a good "My Account" page looks like to you.

Favorite threads, own setting links, general bio, sig, contact information.
Or, perhaps even better, a list of newly updated forum posts on my account page? Sort of meld front page and
user page together somehow.


3 - This question seems unimportant, but we've found a lot of dissenting theories on the subject.  When clicking on a "Home" button, would you rather be taken to your "My Account" page, or the front page?

Probably front page. Only seems you use My Account to update your sig


4 - Do any of you care about having the ability to post blogs?  One of the new features we have will actually somewhat accomplish blogs as it is, but do any of you really care about being able to post blogs about your day-to-day life (or world-building life), or is it pretty unimportant?

Not really important to me; I'm busy as is. Or feel busy anyway.


5 - Slightly off subject, but still useful, would you find it useful (and/or interesting) for the CBG to have a special twitter and facebook account to allow for outside updates (as well as for the rare instance when the site is down and people may want to know what's going on?)

Wouldn't mind, but not something I particularly want.


6 - How important do you find the name-changing option on this site?  One of the only aspects of drupal we've found that's not as good as e107 (in fact, the ONLY aspect) is that it is not easily customizable to allow people to change their display names.  You can change your user names, but I don't want to get into the kinds of messes that can be involved with that.

I'll live, I'm quite happy with my name right now :)

I'm not always around so my thoughts probably don't mean much but here it goes:

1 - When logging off and then logging back onto the site, would you rather be automatically forwarded to the last page you were viewing (whether it be a forum thread, a particular campaign setting, etc), to your own personal account page, or to the site's front page where news, updated forum posts, etc are displayed?

If I'm not logged in, I'm in a forum thread, and then I choose to log in from there to comment, I want to go to that thread. Other than that, I don't really have a preference.

2 - Speaking of your own personal account page, what are the 5 most useful things you would like to see on it? Examples are: "Favorited" threads, buddy lists, "Account statuses" (ala facebook), general bio, etc, etc. Not limited to those, just let me know what a good "My Account" page looks like to you.

Shortcuts to your own things would be nice. I really like how the site is now with the most recently active threads and the tavern always right there when I log in.

3 - This question seems unimportant, but we've found a lot of dissenting theories on the subject. When clicking on a "Home" button, would you rather be taken to your "My Account" page, or the front page?

I never even thought about that. I suppose something like the home page now, where I can see recent activity. On 2.0 I don't know if my account page or the front page would be more like that.

4 - Do any of you care about having the ability to post blogs? One of the new features we have will actually somewhat accomplish blogs as it is, but do any of you really care about being able to post blogs about your day-to-day life (or world-building life), or is it pretty unimportant?

It would be cool, though I'm sure it wouldn't get a lot of use. I'd say it is unimportant but not pointless or bad.

5 - Slightly off subject, but still useful, would you find it useful (and/or interesting) for the CBG to have a special twitter and facebook account to allow for outside updates (as well as for the rare instance when the site is down and people may want to know what's going on?)

I would fan a Facebook page but I despise Twitter. Neither seem too important unless updates start happening more often, though.

6 - How important do you find the name-changing option on this site? One of the only aspects of drupal we've found that's not as good as e107 (in fact, the ONLY aspect) is that it is not easily customizable to allow people to change their display names. You can change your user names, but I don't want to get into the kinds of messes that can be involved with that.

I love having the ability to change names, even though it could possibly be confusing to some. If we're not going to be able to do that in the future I wouldn't like it but it wouldn't chase me away, either. I like the idea of being able to check the user name but change display names. If we can't change names on 2.0, would there be a way for me to be Ninja D! on there instead of my login name?

1.) I'm tempted to say the last page you visited, but I'll go with the account page. See my next answer for further explanation.

2.) If you can manage it, it might be useful to show the last page visited, here. Since you said five things though, I'll list five in no particular order:

* Last page(s) visited
* Threads I've created
* Favorite threads
* What exactly would the buddy list do?
* Recent Changes to favorite Wiki pages


3.) Probably the front page, but that's if the login page is the user account. If the login goes to the front page, then I think Home should be the user account.

4.) I wouldn't use it much (if at all), but I say go for it. There seems to be users that would take advantage of this, so you might as well go for it. The only possible problem I can see with it is disk space.

5.) I don't have a Facebook and I don't check Twitters, so it might be pointless as far as I'm personally concerned. Would it be interesting? maybe, I don't know. I'm not pushing for it, but I'm not pushing against it, either.

6.) I'm definitely in the "for" category on this one. I do like the hover idea, though.


I've been doing some minor tinkering around with Drupal lately, and while I'm sure you already have much more experienced and talented developers (Brainface, etc.) on this, I'd be willing to offer some input. I might actually end up asking for input :p