| Posted By
Csabo
on 2004-04-28
22:06:53
|  Site Improvements
"Oh no, not this again!" Yes, this again. Lando mentioned the new addition to the games pages (A-Z links at bottom too), and I didn't want to continue in that thread. Anyway, you know how it goes, read if you are interested, skip it if you're not.
I haven't publicly mentioned anything about implementing a lot of the changes/request in a long time, but quietly it's getting there. The site is never finished, there is ALWAYS lots to be done.
Some of the things are:
- minimum 5 votes to appear on the Top list, commercial games only Top List.
- Software details now includes separate Memory Requirement (e.g. 16K) and Device Requirements (e.g. disk only). This used to be only one field, but it could not accurately describe some of the games.
- Old polls can be viewed (requested by James C)
- The Tools page has a new field: Active: Yes/No (suggested by Gaia)
- Two way links between software and hardware (e.g. bundle releases)
- Two way links between publications and hardware/software
- Software Creators have a new field for alternative handle (for a good example, check out Fusion's releases, it used to always display Fusion, but now his older releases list him as TTL or TBL.)
- The Solutions page lists games that only have Tips, but no solution. (requested by Lavina)
- The Remakes page now actually has details on each one (e.g. like this), with two screenshots (new and old) which are cool to compare
- The downloads page layout has been improved, and lists sites that are down separately.
- Style specific images: users of the text-only or GreenCompact styles have text links instead of some image links (like the down arrow on the forum which goes to the last post)
- Hardware and Publications get hits in the search engine (you'd be surprised how many people searched for stuff like "1531")
- The forum messages store time as well as date.
and lots more that I have already forgotten.
One thing that I'm working on right now is the "Type-in" games. This great site gave me a great idea: "Type-in" is also a form of distribution (e.g. Airwolf C16 is not freeware, nor commercial). Then I thought "Freeware/Conversion" should also be a separate distribution type. Of course going through the whole database and marking each one will be a LOT of work, but we will be able to get a separate Top List for converted games for example. Besides that, the database still needs to be modified to allow for links between programs and publications, such as "This game was published in magazine XYZ, page 123". So that's on my to-do list. And that's my point here: while I can't promise that whatever you guys will ask will be done, or that it will be done this decade, but I can put it on my to-do list... That's all I wanted to say.
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Posted By
Bionic
on 2004-04-29
02:16:47
| Re: Site Improvements
One thing that just came to my mind:
How about showing the votes in the release lists for groups and individuals? For example that would would allow finding fusions best release etc..
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Posted By
Bacon
on 2004-04-29
02:55:03
| Re: Site Improvements
Will the Device Requirements also list which disk drive is required? I usually only connect my 1551 drive to my plus/4 (to avoid the hassle of disconnecting the 1541 from the C128), but I've come across a few programs (demos mostly, I think) that'll only work with the 1541. It's good to know beforehand whether I'm going to have to connect the 1541 too.
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Posted By
SVS
on 2004-04-29
04:10:30
 | Re: Site Improvements
My request is to supply a good list of the available utilities for new and old users. I think an important lack for new plu4ers, arriving to the site, is that they do not know what hi-quality SW was written for our dear black-box.
At least, the 264 serie was marketed for professional use, not only for gaming.
A top list of "tools/utilitis" should be welcome too.
Bye
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Posted By
Csabo
on 2004-04-29
08:23:52
| Re: Site Improvements
Good ones, thanks guys. Bacon: yes, that was partially purpose for the new field. Some entries already show 1541 only or 1551 only (e.g. Compact Disc). If the game/demo is a standard disk multi loader, it will say Disk Only. Finally there are some games that load only from tape, those are Tape Only.
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Posted By
Gaia
on 2004-04-29
09:23:08
| Re: Site Improvements
While we're at it: the toplist page could be interactive, that is you could select categories from a drop-down list and see the best scoring 10-50 programs in that category.
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Posted By
MC
on 2004-04-29
12:23:40
 | Re: Site Improvements
yep
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Posted By
Csabo
on 2004-04-29
14:23:21
| Re: Site Improvements
For example that would would allow finding fusions best release etc..
I just added this, and it's a pretty sad sight: there's not but one single release that has enough votes (happens to be Digital Dream). The rest have two votes or less.
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Posted By
Csabo
on 2004-04-30
13:44:53
| Re: Site Improvements
Another thing I forgot to mention: recently I added yet another small feature to the Top List, specifically to the [ Votes Needed ] section. This section lists all the programs that have votes, but not enough. The ones marked with * are the ones YOU (as a member) have not voted, and the ones in bold are the ones that have exactly 4 votes. Only one more vote and they would make it to the top list. So if you see any lines with * and bold, that means YOU can really make a difference. If you're going to take the time to vote on anything, let it be those. Remember, the more votes, the more accurate the results will be.
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Posted By
Bionic
on 2004-05-01
04:55:49
| Re: Site Improvements
Csabo: You could just omit that vote thresholds when displaying the votes on the group pages.
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Posted By
Bionic
on 2004-05-02
17:19:47
| Re: Site Improvements
Another thing:
Now, since the FLI-slideshows started pouring in, it is maybe a good idea to introduce another category for slideshows. I do not think it is very fair to compare them to demos in the top lists.
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Posted By
Csabo
on 2004-05-12
22:19:36
| Re: Site Improvements
Votes per release have been added to both Members and Groups pages. There is no 5 vote minimum, the average vote is displayed (with the number of votes in brackets). The new column will not appear, if a person does not have ANY votes on ANY releases (e.g. Chicken, but by the time you check this he may have some votes).
Two new Demo categories have been added: Picture Show and Music Box. We pretty much need to go through all demos and sort them out before those lists will become meaningful though.
One quick note (especially non-English speakers): when entering the language for new productions, please always use the English word (e.g. type in "German" and not "Deutsch", or type in "Hungarian" and not "Magyar"). The word "German" will be automatically translated to German, Hungarian, Italian, etc. by the site, but "Deutsch" (or a mis-spelled word for that matter) will be not. Thank you and have nice day! 
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Posted By
Bionic
on 2004-05-13
15:33:59
| Re: Site Improvements
Lots of changes... Thanks for picking up all the suggestions!
Wow, and now I see that people do not like the turrican demo I coded when I was 13.. I am shocked 
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Posted By
Luca
on 2004-05-13
19:26:09
 | Re: Site Improvements
...but I love Rotten's parallax!
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Posted By
Bionic
on 2004-05-14
14:06:02
| Re: Site Improvements
But that is converted, emberassing
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