Wishlist for DQ version 6.0

[Oscar]

Hi folks,

So I've been thinking about this for ages, but not really got around focusing on it. However I think that a new version of DQ would be neat. There are a few features that I've been considering, but I'd like to hear with you fellow users what you think of them before I actually start the development.

Design
I will redesign the layout and feel of the site and forums. Do you like this bright/white style, or would you rather go back to something more gloom and dark such as the older versions of DQ? Maybe something in-between?

New features:
* Automatic uploads to articles section.
Just as it sounds. If your article has been approved by a moderator it will automaticially find its way to the main articles section of the site.

* "Featured"- users.
Quite blurry still, but I've been thinking of a way to give you main users a way to showcase your creative stuff on the front page or somewhere else outside the forums. Basically a moderator/admin can approve you as a featured user, that way your arts/writing/stuff will be pushed onto the main page such as "Latest by Username" once you make a new post about it. Need to work out a few technical details on how this will work exactly

* RPG's section.
Not sure if needed, but from what we've seen RPG's are quite popular around here. It's possible to give this stuff some functionality on the main site. If you have any ideas on anything you might need, post ahead.

* Blog
At least I imagine that a blog from my side would interest a few of you. It would not be focusing on my personal life or anything like that, but rather on the stuff I'm working on in my free time, since I always work on something even if it's not Castle. I'm thinking smaller more frequent updates than the news posts I give at the moment about my works, perhaps some tips and tricks in software I'm using etc, you get the deal. This could later be expanded to allow user blogs but I'll start off with a personal one.

I urge you guys to use this thread to give suggestions on features you'd like to see in a new version and comment on the ones I've mentioned above. Don't be shy

- Oscar Johansson

[...I'm not telling you!]

I'm used to the design being thee way it is now, but it did only take me a week to adjust to it in the first place when it was changed fro V4 so personally the design probably won't be a big deal for me. Only thing I don't get with the current design is the lego deathstar the site has behind the page boxes

As for the featured, that'd be a good idea, I've noticed the showoff section's been a bit dead at the moment so it might encourage people to get creative .

As for suggestions, I take this forum for what it is really, a way for me to talk with people on here, and it serves that purpose wwell enough for me!

[Kreekakon]

Oh you know us Osc. We're never shy.

Well as for design I myself would be interested to see something in between. I loved the old DQ feel, and this new one has also grown on me. Maybe something in between will create a even better of both worlds.

Also, I would love to see a blog from you Osc. We rarely know what's up, and cooking in your life

[Oscar]

Inty - Alright good to hear.

Kreekakon - Yah I sort of knew that ;) Your point has been seen! And yes, I might be too mysterious at times. Ahe.

[TheOnlyHorse]

I miss emo DQ, I've never liked this bright design anyway...

* "Featured"- users.
* RPG's section.
* Blog

Implent them all! =D

[Kreekakon]

Well as for design I myself would be interested to see something in between. I loved the old DQ feel, and this new one has also grown on me. Maybe something in between will create a even better of both worlds.

Oh HELL yes.

[Mattbot]

I have to admit I'd rather DQ look a bit darker again. Not as dark as the older versions, just something a little less bright and painful. I love the idea of featured users and blogs, at the moment I'm using my group to fill those roles and that isn't really up to the job.

I don't really have any suggestions at the moment though

[Shinoi]

I would like to see background changed to something more related with this site. Something like earlier versions had. Oh, and I wouldn't mind if you made a bit darker layout this time.

I have an idea for Showoff section; making sub-forums specially for art, writing, animations and so on. This way we could navigate more easily.

"Feautered users" is an excellent idea and I like it, I like it a lot.

"Blog"? Yaaaaaay!

What about "Tutorials Forum"? In this forum, users could write tutorials for anything particular, from animation to drawing. It would act like Articles, so when you make a tutorial, it would have to be approved by mod/admin. And it could be a part of Articles Section.

[sgt_Angua]

I'm having a hard time remembering what it was like to read posts with the old style but I think the current design might be a little easier on the eyes (in the sense of eye-strain). Could you maybe post something to refresh our memories of the old design?

Edit: I also like that the current design is a bit more neutral. For example, I first came to the site for Varth's RPG An Adventure You'd Kill For, and the forum style fit that very well, but not so much for things of a lighter tone.

[Shadowtime23]

I like this light style, although it could be a tad darker. Just no white-on-black text or anything neon like...

I also like the other suggested updates in your (Oscar's) post, but what's really getting me excited are the Blog and the Featured users.
Please do this!

Increase signature size limit please

[username]

Design:
...I'm kind of with everyone else on this. I really, really miss the old layout, but at the same time, I'm kind of use to this one, so something in between/darker sounds like fun.

Automatic article uploads/featured users/RPGs section
I dig all of these ideas.

Blog
YES.

Other
Avatar size just a smiiidge bigger? I mean, this really isn't all that big of deal, at all, I just have gifs that would make a cool avi but they're a little bit big. But anyway, I don't really have any other suggestions. Just felt like bringing that one up for no reason.

[leapoffaith]

I like the Blog idea a lot, but only if they were personalizable.

[Oscar]

Great to see you guys are so dedicated

Angua,
Here's a post that gives a decent summary of the older designs:
http://forums.deletionquality.net/sh...l=1#post291957

But yes, I'll be sure to give readability higher priority than the aesthetics in the next design.

[RustyMagnum]

Design
Dark gloomy DQ for nostalgia. Always enjoyed it more, there bright colours hurt my eyes.

Articles
Yup, it's pretty much an useless section right now as they're all being uploaded to the forum. In general i would like to see the other sections of the site put to more use, now practically everything circles around the forum.

Features users
No. This would probably either bring all focus on those members who are features, leaving members who publish less frequently unnoticed, or that everyone want to become features and there's no difference to the current situation. I say, everyone may choose who's threads they want to follow themselves.

RPG section
Go ahead.

Blog
This one could be interesting, and would leave the news section for site news only. I'm up for this.

Other
Up the signature limit, the current one is annoying.

[TheOnlyHorse]

But yes, I'll be sure to give readability higher priority than the aesthetics in the next design.

After going through so many different media courses and schools the past 6 years, I can tell you that black background and white text gives the ultimate readability. And I'm a living proof myself, I need glasses most of the time, but not when I read white text on black background. Emo DQ had a great feeling and readability.

You web designers out there should keep that in mind!

EDIT it's all about contrast

Features users
No. This would probably either bring all focus on those members who are features, leaving members who publish less frequently unnoticed, or that everyone want to become features and there's no difference to the current situation. I say, everyone may choose who's threads they want to follow themselves.

When you say it that way... I think I agree

So I'm going to suggest a fan art section instead :3

Other
Up the signature limit, the current one is annoying.

YES PLEASE

[Polo]

NOT THE WHITE LIGHT. MY EYES. I NEED SWEET DARKNES- go outside.

Seriously, all of these posts about how bright the site is gives me the impression you're all bleeding out of your eye sockets.

[Oscar]

After going through so many different media courses and schools the past 6 years, I can tell you that black background and white text gives the ultimate readability. And I'm a living proof myself, I need glasses most of the time, but not when I read white text on black background. Emo DQ had a great feeling and readability.

You web designers out there should keep that in mind!

EDIT it's all about contrast

Like you say in your edit, sure that gives ultimate contrast. But it's in no way optimal for reading in longer periods of time ;)

[Killing_Time]

I love the idea of a blog - and you know this.

As for RPG stuff I would love to see some way we can manage extra information. Currently a bunch of us are working on starting out Sepso - A RPG which has a lot of background information and a good bunch of players. Currently we're using the groups function on DQ to store and administrate all the information we need. The problem is that pesky character limit so we need to split up profiles and the like into a million little posts of 1000 words. If we could either have some kind of sub-forum or a change to the character limit in the groups that would be cool.

Finally, I don't know if featured users is such a good idea. I'd much rather see featured content so it's about the quality of the content and not about some user who did one or two amazing things out of a bunch of mediocre stuff.

[sgt_Angua]

One thing that I hope you keep in mind is that there's a fair amount of variety of what is posted. I remember the older darker design of the site clashing a bit with more upbeat threads and stories ect. I also remember that someone would occasionally post an image or a piece of artwork that would clash very badly with the site design. Another advantage of the lighter background is that images with small white borders don't look strange the way they did with the darker background.

[TheOnlyHorse]

Another advantage of the lighter background is that images with small white borders don't look strange the way they did with the darker background.

What?

That sounds like an artist who failed at cropping a picture. There wont be any white borders on your image unless you make them yourself (or use a bad image uploader in some cases)

EDIT

I think that often happened with bad gif smileys, but shouldn't be a problem if we use pngs.

That explains it

[Oscar]

I think that often happened with bad gif smileys, but shouldn't be a problem if we use pngs.

Finally, I don't know if featured users is such a good idea. I'd much rather see featured content so it's about the quality of the content and not about some user who did one or two amazing things out of a bunch of mediocre stuff.

Been thinking of the pros and cons and this is one bad thing. Featuring content is an alternative, but probably requires a bit more work from the mods/admins.

[Mattbot]

Heaven forbid the mods actually earn their keep

[Killing_Time]

Hey, you have no idea how many bots I denied entry to DQ grounds just today!

[Mattbot]

Typical mod attitude, always putting the bot man down!

I better stop derailing. If the mods were up to the extra work I would love to see the featured content idea implemented. Sounds way better than the user idea

[Shinoi]

By all those posts I also agree now that feautered content is a way better idea. I would be very happy to see it.