Big Forum Updates

[Kitmitsu]

Currently I'm working on a new layout for the site but we can talk about that when I have some idea of what I'm doing. When I'm done I want to make some changes to the forums aswell and I want you, our loving community to give me some input. First of all I'm going to upgrade to the new version of vBulletin and with that I hope to add lots of features which should help as our forum is growing.

Gil & Shop
What I was thinking was using the shop hack for vBulletin to make a store to buy certain forum extras. You gain Gil by posting and then you can use this to buy your items. Items could include the ability to change your name, user title, colour of user title and other items. I do realise this mod is widely used on other Final Fantasy sites but I think it works well. I'd like suggestions for other items we could sell that could be used on the forum like Plushies of FF characters which used to be available to buy from the AdventChildren.net store but seem to have dissapeared. The ones they had were mostly made by Joesephiroth (Pixel) who used to be a member of Dante's old forum a few years ago and made us some. Here are some of the plushies he made: Clicky
They were pretty popular on AC.net even though they don't serve any real purpose, just a fun thing to add to your signature but I think some plushies of FFXIII and Versus characters would look pretty cool.

Forums
Just a collection of small changes I've thought of. First of all the rules will actually have their own page on the forums instead of just a post in the support section which isn't very visible.

Next we need some more forums as I was in quite a rush to set it up in the begining. One forum which is a must is a Fabula Nova Crystallis General forum as right now we're relying on the FFXIII forum. Please give me any new ideas for forums and I'll move existing threads which should go in them when I'm done. I was also thinking we could rename them as their titles are pretty dull at the moment. Many forums rename theirs to place names in Final Fantasy's and now we know 2 names (Pulse and Cocoon) we could begin doing that.

We may also need some new smileys for you guys to use so post some ideas for them too. Don't make them too crazy and no bigger than our existing ones please

I was wondering if the Top 5 stats thing at the bottom of the forum index is useful to people. Tell me if you guys wanna keep it or not.

We'll also have new default avatars for the forums for those lazy people who don't want to upload their own

Layout
I'm also going to be attempting a new forum skin (or I may make someone else do it) to match our new site layout. I'm going to try and make both look professional and much more neat than our current one. I do also know some of you want an alternative to our current dark skin so whatever colours I pick for our new layout I'll make both a dark and light skin for you to choose from.

Okay that was a long post, sorry for making you read through all of that. I really do want some feedback on this stuff though please. Any changes I'm making I'll run by you guys before I put them up

[Yurian]

I think everything looks wonderful. The Gil and Shop idea sounds interesting - I've never experienced it myself before, but it could be something which could guarentee more users to stay, as well as interest more users to come.

I'm not sure about having more forums, because that could possibly over complicated an already very simple, neat, and attractive layout. The only other forum I could think about is a Roleplaying forum, but that would only develop if people had the initiative to start a roleplay.

Web Designers are so talented o_O I have a classmate who designed his own site - from the scripts, to the images, etc. - and after I saw his website I was completely oglified, especially after taking a Web Designing class myself and seeing how complicated it is.

I can't wait to see the new layout

[Unknown Kaze]

Yeah, everything sounds smashing, but I disagree with Yurian on the issue of more forums though, being a former admin, nothing attracts people than a variety of forums. I can almost gaurantee a significant post increase, providing the topics are interesting enough to post in.

[Pulse]

Originally Posted by Kitmitsu

Gil & Shop
You gain Gil by posting and then you can use this to buy your items. Items could include the ability to change your name, user title, colour of user title and other items.

I like the way things are run at the minute, with the fact that you can change your little subname thing any time you want. I think it adds more freedom to the profile section of the forums.

I'd like suggestions for other items we could sell that could be used on the forum

I remember when ffx2.net was still around they had V.Bulletin and they had a killer battle system thing, and you coul actually fight other members of the forums in like an arena thing, so I think you could buy like magic and stuff to heal yourself so that you can battle again. This was done on ffx2.net and I was a big fan of it myself.

Forums
Please give me any new ideas for forums and I'll move existing threads which should go in them when I'm done.

Okay, a Fabula Nova Crystallis thread is a must, because as you say, were posting stuff about the entire compilation in the FFXIII section lol

I was also thinking we could rename them as their titles are pretty dull at the moment. Many forums rename theirs to place names in Final Fantasy's and now we know 2 names (Pulse and Cocoon) we could begin doing that.

Okay here are my ideas for a few renames....

Site Updates >>> Heavenly Consul ( or whatever the cocoon based government was called, I thought it was something like this but I am not too sure at the moment so whatever the government is called I think would sound good.

Final Fantasy XIII Updates >>> Fabula Nova Crystallis Novus ( Because Novus means news in Latin )

Support / Feedback i think should just stay the same.

General Chat >>>> General Discussion ( Sounds more formal I think )

Introductions >>>> Cocoon ( as it was designed for people to live safely and have a good time........ sort like this site was designed for people to converse safely and have a good time etc.)

Off Topic >>>> Pulse ( as they throw the people away as though they are dangerous and dont matter, the same could be said for the posts in there lol not that they dont matter its just that they dont help your post count.

General Gaming >>> Imperator Venatus ( Means general game in latin. Or you could just name it Venatus, or Venatus Online or something like that I duno lol, people will get that its the gaming section because of the little sub descriptions beneath)

I think entertainment and the design section should just remain under their original names aswell as the Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts and Square Enix Threads retaining their original names.

We may also need some new smileys for you guys to use so post some ideas for them too. Don't make them too crazy and no bigger than our existing ones please

To be honest I think we have actually got alot of good ones already, the only ones I could suggest are.... drooling.... wide eyed (like the cat in shrek 2) and no ( like but the shakey head left and right version << How well do I get my point across lol)

I was wondering if the Top 5 stats thing at the bottom of the forum index is useful to people. Tell me if you guys wanna keep it or not.

A definite must keeper, it helps me alot, and gives me an idea of where to post things and other stuff like that. Its a keeper.

We'll also have new default avatars for the forums for those lazy people who don't want to upload their own

I will be happy to help you make some cool ones if you want? No tags or nothing like that.

Layout
I'm also going to be attempting a new forum skin (or I may make someone else do it) to match our new site layout.

I would love to help you do that, I have missed out on my site for so long that I would really love the opportunity to use my dreamweaver and Photoshop again haha.

I'm going to try and make both look professional and much more neat than our current one. I do also know some of you want an alternative to our current dark skin so whatever colours I pick for our new layout I'll make both a dark and light skin for you to choose from.

I think the whole choice thing is good, to be perfectly honest I think there should be four, a Fabula Nova Crystallis One, A Final Fantasy XIII one, A Versus One, and an Agito One. And the way I think people could choose is when they choose the game they are most looking forward to?? I think that would be a brilliant way of doing things.

Just an off point topic, I think you should allow people's log in time to be longer, because in the time it took me to write this out I had been signed out of the forums lol.

Okay that was a long post, sorry for making you read through all of that. I really do want some feedback on this stuff though please. Any changes I'm making I'll run by you guys before I put them up

I think i may have beaten you with the length of post to be honest mate, hope you like my ideas. Lol

Josh x

[Enedok]

Gil & Shop
What I was thinking was using the shop hack for vBulletin to make a store to buy certain forum extras.

Im not used to it, but im for it.

Forums
Just a collection of small changes I've thought of. First of all the rules will actually have their own page on the forums instead of just a post in the support section which isn't very visible.

Would it be better to have it on top with or next to disclaimer?

Please give me any new ideas for forums and I'll move existing threads which should go in them when I'm done.

Fan corner?
Neat ideas Pulse

We may also need some new smileys for you guys to use so post some ideas for them too. Don't make them too crazy and no bigger than our existing ones please

Change this to this (Crap paint i know, but you get the idea. The oversized mouth annoyed me )

I was wondering if the Top 5 stats thing at the bottom of the forum index is useful to people. Tell me if you guys wanna keep it or not.

Latest post and newest member are useful, top poster is more boring since it just stands there and rarely moves.

Layout
I'm also going to be attempting a new forum skin (or I may make someone else do it) to match our new site layout. I'm going to try and make both look professional and much more neat than our current one. I do also know some of you want an alternative to our current dark skin so whatever colours I pick for our new layout I'll make both a dark and light skin for you to choose from.

Dont "overdo" it with lots of fancy colors etc.

[Pulse]

Originally Posted by GHenrik

Neat ideas Pulse

Thanks very much. I need a creative outlet lol, this seems to be the place to do so.

Josh x

[Yurian]

In response to Pulse's idea for merging the Design section with the Entertainment section: I'm not quite sure about that. Those two sections concern different subjects - one for fan videos, signatures/graphic design, fan art, and art in general. On the other hand, entertainment embodies things such as movies, books, etc.

In response to GHenrik's idea for putting the forum rules in the disclaimer: From what I understand, the disclaimer is the rules to which a new forum member must agree to by checking the disclaimer box while signing up.
I'll be frank while I say this, but I don't read the disclaimer - sometimes they're long, and I'm usually anxious to just get into the community. Perhaps including it as a "sticky" in the introductions section with the title "PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING" - something like that. I think it'd be easier to access, and it's more apparent.

[Pulse]

Originally Posted by Yurian

In response to Pulse's idea for merging the Design section with the Entertainment section: I'm not quite sure about that. Those two sections concern different subjects - one for fan videos, signatures/graphic design, fan art, and art in general. On the other hand, entertainment embodies things such as movies, books, etc.

Whoops, my bad. I meant ORIGINAL names, lol. I never thought it would be read as them all being under the same umbrella lol

Josh x

[Enedok]

Yes, I remember one more thing thats useful. A lite edition 56kb of the forum.
Something like this:http://forums.finalfantasy-xiii.net/archive/index.php
So its stripped of all design and images except the ones posted in thread.
And that you can respond to a thread.

[Misschoco]

Okay here are my ideas for a few renames....

Site Updates >>> Heavenly Consul ( or whatever the cocoon based government was called, I thought it was something like this but I am not too sure at the moment so whatever the government is called I think would sound good.

Final Fantasy XIII Updates >>> Fabula Nova Crystallis Novus ( Because Novus means news in Latin )

Support / Feedback i think should just stay the same.

General Chat >>>> General Discussion ( Sounds more formal I think )

Introductions >>>> Cocoon ( as it was designed for people to live safely and have a good time........ sort like this site was designed for people to converse safely and have a good time etc.)

Off Topic >>>> Pulse ( as they throw the people away as though they are dangerous and dont matter, the same could be said for the posts in there lol not that they dont matter its just that they dont help your post count.

General Gaming >>> Imperator Venatus ( Means general game in latin. Or you could just name it Venatus, or Venatus Online or something like that I duno lol, people will get that its the gaming section because of the little sub descriptions beneath)

lolz their good ideas for names

but on the other hand there are the few people who will have no idea what they mean unless they come on this thread and read it, but there always is the topic description

[Neal]

I think making a "lite" version is a waste of time TBH.

If people are still using dialup thats their problem xD

[Enedok]

Originally Posted by Dante

I think making a "lite" version is a waste of time TBH.

If people are still using dialup thats their problem xD

Or if I want to use a cell phone. The next generaton of dial up