Retroids updates -- (Report bugs and glitches here)

[Goffey]

A few comments:
1) I miss the shoutbox on the main forum page.
2) I don't like the chat link opening up a new window. Usually I end up then moving around the forum on that window and heading back to chat and it opens another window.
3) I miss the Retroids dark theme.

That's all for now.

Prettymuch agree with this. While at work I have to be a discrete as possible when on here so having the shoutbox on the same page as the forums it let me view everything at once. Now that it's a separate window I pretty much bring up the shoutbox and get rid of theother window.....hence why I didn't even know this thread existed =/

[Ken]

Thanks for the feedback. Let me put a little perspective on what's going on.

Much of the work was done to upgrade the backend and bring back some missed features, as well as to prepare for the new stuff we have coming up. Setting up the front page is a constant juggle of putting up too much, or not enough, and it will be changing as our needs change. If you really, really, really, like the shoutbox so much that you don't mind it pushing other content out of the way, we can always relocate it. Terry and I will take another look at it. The more I use it in the small box, the more I wish it were just a bit wider, and with a list of users in it. I miss that more than the size.

As for the full page chat glitches, those are known, and I'm trying to get those fixed as soon as I can. As for the chat opening in a new window, what if I make the navbar "Chat" link stay focused, while the embedded shoutbox magnifying glass icon still opens a new window. The idea is to multitask using the full page chat in a separate window, but if nobody's is going to use it that way, I can change it.

The dark theme - which I use too-- as well as the podcast themes ARE coming back. I was forced to put everything on hold for months due to my day job intruding into my free time dramatically over the past 6 months. Steam Sundays was just about my only respite from that nightmare. Luckily, that chaos is ending and life will get back to some sort of normalcy soon. You may have noticed that we've moved to a fixed size theme which allows me far better creative control over the layouts. This will help me speed up my template work.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be streamlining the templates and tightening the layouts. This is a massive amount of work, but it's fun to design and see it finally come to life. The new front page is really just the start, and it is NOT complete, nor is it exactly how I want it to function... Yet. I still have a lot of cleanup to do, and what you see now is the bare minimum I would allow to be able to reopen the site for MGC.

Regarding the focus on retro gaming, that's more of a perception problem, no different than some perceiving Retroids as a PS3 site. We're not. We want to cater to all gamers. We might be starting the Aurcade leaderboard and achievement system with retro games, but we plan to expand it once we nail down all the procedures needed to make it happen. We do want to foster some healthy competition between gamers, so I don't see this as a negative. The goal is interaction, and hopefully through that, a more active site that isn't being torn between several fractured podcasting regimes. If we get a little more discussions going on in the retro section, so be it. No harm there. Rest assured, we still love modern games!

The most important thing you can do is give us feedback. We take it seriously, but we just don't get very much. We would like to hear your ideas! With MGC behind us, we're going to post up a change list that will detail some of the updates and allow you to tell us what you think, and add your own thoughts.

[saskbob]

Thanks for the feedback. Let me put a little perspective on what's going on.

Much of the work was done to upgrade the backend and bring back some missed features, as well as to prepare for the new stuff we have coming up. Setting up the front page is a constant juggle of putting up too much, or not enough, and it will be changing as our needs change. If you really, really, really, like the shoutbox so much that you don't mind it pushing other content out of the way, we can always relocate it. Terry and I will take another look at it. The more I use it in the small box, the more I wish it were just a bit wider, and with a list of users in it. I miss that more than the size.

I find it better to be able to read a page of conversation so the width and length are important, but really my biggest issue is it's not on every page anymore. I don't have the screen estate to have it open in a separate window unless i decide to just maximize it. Then I can't see the forums. I don't it pushes other content out at all if it just goes down the screen a little. I guess if could just open in a little applet sans the redundant site title bar and menu choices that would work.

[Trickman]

For me, the whole shoutbox outcry is confusing. For a very long time, I have been witnessing statements from people that are the absolute opposite of wanting a shoutbox at all on this site. If I went back into the shoutbox archives, I guarantee that I could find and quote hundreds of instances of people saying "deadbox" and speaking negatively about nobody using it. A couple of months ago, I even created some light-hearted memes to joke about the deadbox statements that were being made.

So, if a feature on our website isn't being utilized as a useful tool, wouldn't it make more sense for it to move out of focus and into a small, but accessible corner of our site so people that DO want to use it can, and expand it to their liking?

Ken and I will take another look at the shoutbox situation. I get it that if it's in a new tab, people don't get to see the rest of the site. Maybe if a full-featured one opens up into an entirely new window instead of a tab, that will help.

In any case, please continue to give us your feedback, as we don't know what to fix if you don't let us know. Thanks!

[MadScientist18]

Honestly, I think the reason why the shoutbox being more of a deadbox the past 6 to 12 months is due to everyone moving their conversations to Twitter. Many more conversations take place now on Twitter and I think this has hurt not only the shoutbox, but also the amount of people posting on the forums. I think removing the shoutbox off each of the top of forum pages will only hurt post counts in the end and potentially might stifle discussion even more. Yes, I think lately the shoutbox may have been and yes a little bit of a joke....however I do think there are a dedicated number of people who use the shoutbox and many of these are regular posters.

I mean I know that I use twitter a lot more and I know that's definitely hurt things a bit. I think that this is just a bump in the road and something we'll need to endure.

[saskbob]

For me, the whole shoutbox outcry is confusing. For a very long time, I have been witnessing statements from people that are the absolute opposite of wanting a shoutbox at all on this site. If I went back into the shoutbox archives, I guarantee that I could find and quote hundreds of instances of people saying "deadbox" and speaking negatively about nobody using it. A couple of months ago, I even created some light-hearted memes to joke about the deadbox statements that were being made.

So, if a feature on our website isn't being utilized as a useful tool, wouldn't it make more sense for it to move out of focus and into a small, but accessible corner of our site so people that DO want to use it can, and expand it to their liking?

Ken and I will take another look at the shoutbox situation. I get it that if it's in a new tab, people don't get to see the rest of the site. Maybe if a full-featured one opens up into an entirely new window instead of a tab, that will help.

In any case, please continue to give us your feedback, as we don't know what to fix if you don't let us know. Thanks!

I guarantee the majority of those "dead box" comments are from folks you only see every 3 days. People who seldom post in the forums either.

[Trickman]

Honestly, I think the reason why the shoutbox being more of a deadbox the past 6 to 12 months is due to everyone moving their conversations to Twitter. Many more conversations take place now on Twitter and I think this has hurt not only the shoutbox, but also the amount of people posting on the forums. I think removing the shoutbox off each of the top of forum pages will only hurt post counts in the end and potentially might stifle discussion even more. Yes, I think lately the shoutbox may have been and yes a little bit of a joke....however I do think there are a dedicated number of people who use the shoutbox and many of these are regular posters.

I mean I know that I use twitter a lot more and I know that's definitely hurt things a bit. I think that this is just a bump in the road and something we'll need to endure.

I agree that Twitter is a major culprit, and there's nothing we can do about that. Hopefully we can get the shoutbox in a place everyone feels comfortable with, and still be able to move forward with our updates that will make the site even better.

Has anyone noticed the Gamer IDs under your avatar when you make a post? Pretty cool, eh?

[Jack Bauer]

I was thinking about something that could solve the problem for everyone. Have the chatbox in its old position stretching across the top of the page, but have it hidden in a drop down box by default and for those that unhide it, is always down. if that makes sense.

Sent from my Xperia Arc S using Tapatalk 2 Beta-4

[Goffey]

Honestly, I think the reason why the shoutbox being more of a deadbox the past 6 to 12 months is due to everyone moving their conversations to Twitter. Many more conversations take place now on Twitter and I think this has hurt not only the shoutbox, but also the amount of people posting on the forums. I think removing the shoutbox off each of the top of forum pages will only hurt post counts in the end and potentially might stifle discussion even more. Yes, I think lately the shoutbox may have been and yes a little bit of a joke....however I do think there are a dedicated number of people who use the shoutbox and many of these are regular posters.

I mean I know that I use twitter a lot more and I know that's definitely hurt things a bit. I think that this is just a bump in the road and something we'll need to endure.

Totally 100% agree.

The deadbox comments aren't because people don't want or use the shoutbox...it's just a running joke as it's nowhere close to as busy as it used to be. I really don't think it's because people don't wan tto use...it's just people aren't here to use it.
Everyday(usually during work hours of course lol ) You'll get the regular crew in there plus or minus other people. DAMN YOU TWITTER!!

BUt yeah.....Jacks idea of having it at the top or near there with the option to hide it would be ideal..if that's possible.

[saskbob]

Thanks for listening.