Community Project: Cleaning Up the Suggestions and Feedback Board

[ArchVileTerror]

Regarding:  https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/17619-argo-cap/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-196495

 

Basic premise:

Those of us who have been here a while (whether that just means Homecoming, or goes all the way back to Legacy Beta; whatever) have noticed a lot of threads have a tendency to come up again and again.  Some excellent discussions have been had in these past threads, detailing the reasons for and challenges against various ideas and proposals.  There's a lot of helpful information just sitting out there already, but it's not terribly well organized, and not everyone has the same skill in "Search-Fu."

We've asked for GM support in organizing these threads, but really, they're volunteers and have their hands full with a lot of other stuff.  SO!  Let us step up.  We as a community can organize this board to help other users see what's already on offer, which helps us stay sane and to-the-point rather than getting snarky and sassy when we see topics which we feel are "old hat nonsense."

 

My proposal:

Step 1 - We list a series of topics (here in this thread) which we feel should receive this treatment.

Step 2 - Fine tune the list.  Discuss where overlaps exist, or which topics have a clear divide.

Step 3 - Take volunteers who will search through the forums for threads related to our chosen topics.  

 - - Two or three volunteers per topic so that overlap does occur and improves our odds of finding all appropriate threads.

Step 4 - Compile our lists for quick peer review in this thread.

Step 5 - Hand our lists over to GMs, who can then post and sticky the threads.

 

What do you say?  Can we be a team for this, folks?

 

Edited April 9, 2020 by ArchVileTerror
So . . . many . . . spelling errors . . .

[Galaxy Brain]

Im down to help for sure

[Redlynne]

You realize that we may wind up with multiple pages of stickies by doing this ...

[ArchVileTerror]

I figure just one Stickie, which uses the first post as a Table of Contents for the other posts in that thread, each of which is for a different topic.

[Solarverse]

1 hour ago, ArchVileTerror said:

I figure just one Stickie, which uses the first post as a Table of Contents for the other posts in that thread, each of which is for a different topic.

That would be far better I think than a page full of stickies.

[Solarverse]

To add to this, once this has been completed, anyone who makes a post that resembles one already in the index sticky, is reported and removed. That would also help tremendously.

[Zepp]

I've been planning on putting together a compilation thread for Proposals. (Too busy right atm because the Rona has moved all the courses I teach online and I only have a week to rewrite and solve tech issues with putting brick & mortar classes into a binary format). I plan on doing that in May, so basically I'd move / reformat my proposal compilations with a title page/menu followed by several posts wherein I compile AT, Assault, Melee, Ranged, Pet, Support, Manipulation, Armor, Control, & Pool proposals. I would need to do it at a time when I could reserve 10 pages without an interrupting post though.

 

I'm also planning on doing a rework of the colors - r = attack, g = support, b = protections - assess the eight powerset types to establish unique attack/support/protection numbers (0-255) that can be converted to hexcode colors. (please help me figure these out).

Does that sound like something that belongs in there?

Edited April 10, 2020 by Zepp

[Haijinx]

I'm kind of down for deleting them.

 

That way we can have more recurring threads ala groundhog day.

[Galaxy Brain]

So, there are currently 2551 topics in the suggestions forum over 103 pages.

 

We need a getting process for what we're looking for... an easy start would be to sort by the biggest threads and see what could be repurposed as "main topics" given the size and discussion. 

 

Secondly, I'd say anything with at least 100 topics dedicated to it is an easy shoe in for the master list (thinking aggro cap and instant healing threads)

 

After that, it's a guessing game lol.

Edited April 10, 2020 by Galaxy Brain

[Galaxy Brain]

Sorting by size, there are 13 pages of threads with more than 1 page of discussion, meaning there are also 90 pages of 1-page threads...

 

For sanity reasons, lets go through only the last 6 months (November till now). Sorting by Start Date, this gives us 40 pages. This cuts down the size of what we're combing through from 103 > 53 pages (with overlap as some big threads are within the 6 month window).

 

Thoughts @ArchVileTerror?

[Oubliette_Red]

I'm surprised that they don't have sub-forums to separate things. Like Powers, Animations, Mechanics, Enhancements, Srcs, etc.

 

Though I suppose it could be argued that they left it this way to see what floats to the top, so to speak.

[ArchVileTerror]

I was honestly thinking we'd just do categories like what Red just suggested, Galax.  No need to overcomplicate it.  Some suggestions -do- wind up with a LOT of dedicated threads, but I think trying to prioritize based on some kind of algorithm without automation will be a bit stressful.  I figured just start with brainstorming those categories, fine tuning that list, and then each of us pairs off to do some Search-Fu and/or page scanning to compile.  

 

We don't necessarily need to get every thread sorted either.  Just the ones with significant information.  Sometimes those threads -are- the short ones.  ie:  Someone makes a suggestion, and the very next post explains why that suggestion is a non-starter. 

That means some feet-on-the-ground sleuthing from volunteers, but I think that "human touch" will result in a better end product.

 

Of course, if the will of the group is to tackle this using a different method, I'm flexible.

[Yomo Kimyata]

I will suggest AH as a topic, which I am happy to spearhead.  Something broader would be Economy, but I don't have as much interest in championing that other than to soothe my thirst with the tears of low fixed-cost item advocates.

[WanderingAries]

5 hours ago, Oubliette_Red said:

I'm surprised that they don't have sub-forums to separate things. Like Powers, Animations, Mechanics, Enhancements, Srcs, etc.

 

Though I suppose it could be argued that they left it this way to see what floats to the top, so to speak.

People have a hard enough time putting things in the right primary forum, let alone sub-forum TBH.

 

What probably needs to happen is to have a group that will have the power to go through old threads and delete the dupes/depreciated ones While perhaps scraping useful tidbits and putting those into sort of Master threads.

[WanderingAries]

Something I've noticed with my own threads is that I either don't know how or don't actually have the ability to do things like edit the title, add media to the original posting, etc.

[ArchVileTerror]

I don't think deletion is ever necessary.  It's not like there's a significant physical barrier being constructed out of dead threads.

MAYBE an auto-lock feature for any thread not flagged by a GM as "persistent" after a 5 month lull.  But deletion is pointless.

[WanderingAries]

On ‎4‎/‎10‎/‎2020 at 5:49 PM, ArchVileTerror said:

I don't think deletion is ever necessary.  It's not like there's a significant physical barrier being constructed out of dead threads.

MAYBE an auto-lock feature for any thread not flagged by a GM as "persistent" after a 5 month lull.  But deletion is pointless.

I was thinking more about those single post threads that are basically duplications or may have just a tiny sliver of info. The type that usually existing because people don't search before posting.

[ArchVileTerror]

Ok, come on folks . . . let's keep this ball rolling, please?

 

Category suggestions!

-Gameplay and Mechanics

--Powers

--Enhancements

--Features

 

-Content

--Maps/Zones

--Missions/Story Arcs

--Task Forces & Strike Forces/Trials

--Events

 

-Art/Assets

--Textures

--Costume Pieces

--Animations

--Music

--Sound

 

-Quality of Life and User Experience

--User Interface

--Chat/Socialization

--Ease of Accessibility

 

-Hardware(?)

 

Each of the above have subcategories of:

---New Additions

---Modify Existing

 

 

 

What do you think?   Any more to add?

[Galaxy Brain]

@ArchVileTerror, wanna take this to Discord / Elsewhere? It may be easier to coordinate there then return to the forums 🙂

[ArchVileTerror]

discord is not an option.  And considering this affects the forum, what better place to do it?

If people interested in the project would mind subscribing to the thread, that might be a good step toward regular progress.

[ShardWarrior]

I have mentioned this before - STO has a "Frequently Created Threads" post for this exact purpose.  It works well over there however I am not sure leaving it up to the community here is a good idea.  Opinions can vary greatly on what should or should not be on it.

[Doc_Scorpion]

14 hours ago, ArchVileTerror said:

Ok, come on folks . . . let's keep this ball rolling, please?

 

Category suggestions!

 

What do you think?   Any more to add?

Why not borrow the category list over in the Guides sticky, and work from there?
 

 

[Obus Form]

On 4/10/2020 at 1:43 PM, Yomo Kimyata said:

... other than to soothe my thirst with the tears of low fixed-cost item advocates.

Water water everywhere, and not a drop to drink

[plainguy]

Suggestions and Feedback should have sub sections.. 

Example 
Current Power Sets

New Power Set Ideas

Costume Customization

Alternate graphics / animation for powers

Economy

 

Could they add data fields to fill in or drop down boxes ?

Example

Archtype - Mastermind

Primary Power - Repair

Then the suggestion.

 

Maybe add in other fields like

Issue - This field would have a drop down box of debuff, To Hit buff, Endurance, Hit Points, Damage, Crowd Control, Status Effect.

 

Have an other option and then another drop down box to fill in what this Other option is. 

If anyone notices the Other is incorrect we point it out to the author of the thread to fix the selections.  

 

This would then allow, as someone suggested a much easier way to parse data out. 

Now they can say Give me all Mastermind suggestions for Power Sets with issue Endurance 

 

For costumes you could have a field, New Costume, Then the part of the body, EG boots, back, Then from back as a further example, Backpacks, then which backpack item, EG Quiver

Then the suggestion. EG.. Can we get more quivers options, like this picture. 

Weapons could be broken down further.

So again they can say give me all New Costumes where field is weapons  and hand guns, Rifle, Sword, ETC. 

 

For New Power Sets It would be a blank fields until some common themes start popping up.. 

Again as an example I would guess Whips is a common one. I Know Zepp has a lot of power sets consolidated. 

When you see X suggestions for a power set come up, you add the field to the drop down.  EG 5 request for Grenades power set puts it into the Drop down. 

 

 

Think Mids Reborn concept. 

All the data is there. 

Core stats

Misc Buffs

Status Protection

Debuff Resistances 

 

But with all of this The GMs and Devs have to have a sticky with a reality check.  They need to make clear what is possible and what is impossible and some sort of scale of where ideas land even when possible.  

 

This way as another example, Mastermind Pet customization possible but Extensive amount of work category. We can only do this amount of work, 1 Extensive for the the year and and some combinations of Moderate and light ( EG 2 light equal a moderate score rating ) is the most we can do.

 

Vehicles Impossible. Spiderman type Traveling impossible.. Burrowing Travel power Impossible. 

 

Some sort of thread control to close out or delete impossible ideas. No one should be wasting their time or discussion in the Suggestion forums on impossible suggestions.  No hard feelings. It is in the sticky.. This will keep the Suggestion forums lean and have less noise, because you know every thread there is something possible. 

 

Every quarter ( or whatever they feel is right) they parse the data and toss up the numbers in the sticky.  Similar to what they did with Powersets and least used power set combos. 

This way when someone says why aren't we getting new quivers.. They can look and see because more people wanted flip flops in the Feet category.  

 

Or why are there no new power sets ? Because people wanted different animations for EXISTING powers, EG Staves and wands to shoot fire from.  Energy Blast from different parts of the body.. EG Iron man chest beam.. ETC..  Assault Rifle attacks from shoulder mounted guns and wrist or arm guns.. 

 

[arcane]

I will think a little more on this once I have had some coffee and all that but..

 

Knockback threads

New AT/powerset suggestions

Animations/MinFX

Costume options

are recurring topics that clearly could use consolidation.