Page 1 of 1

MODs suggestion for the phpbb community

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 6:16 am
by cstotes
It would be really nice if the mod releases and support threads were separate. This would be nice because for people like me who have a ton of mods installed (40+) or even for people with just a few mods installed. It is quite inconvenient to weed thru a release thread that has 10 pages of support posts just to look for one post saying that the mod works with 2.0.5 or that it has been updated and stuff to that effect. So I suggest:

MOD Release Announcements and Support be changed to Official MOD Release Announcements
this forum would have only release related announcements. Allowed posts would be the original release announcement, new posts when the mod is updated (makes it nice and easy to see with the new post icon when updates are done), and other important info from the mod author (like if it works on 2.0.5, or 2.0.x, or an extra feature, etc and other important info).

Official MODs Support
this would be a new forum with a thread for each mod and all support would be done here in the appropriate thread.

MOD Support be changed to Unofficial Mod Support
this forum would stay the same. Name change would just be to clarify its role and to differentiate it for the Official MODs Support forum.

Now I know that this would create more work for someone (probably JohnAbela) but it would be creating one extra thread per mod only. Hell I'd even move all the old support posts out of the current Announcements & Releases forum threads and into the Official Support forum if created (and into the appropriate thread).

So I think the main advantages would be:
1. Lets users who have the mod installed clearly know when updates are made (since it would be a new post in the release thread)
2. Lets mod authors communicate important information easily (these posts would go in the release thread)
3. Lets users have a separate area for support
4. Lets mod authors clearly know when someone needs support
5. Saves time spent for mod authors and mod users by not having to look thru so many posts for certain information

Main disadvantages:
1. JohnAbela (right?) would have to create two threads instead of one when a mod is released.
2. Current thread posts would need to be moved (well not necessarily but would be nice)
3. It would (preferably) have to be so that only the mod author and JohnAbela could post in the release threads.

Just an idea that I think would help the community out.

Re: MODs suggestion for the phpbb community

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 7:40 am
by Slimeboy
cstotes wrote: Official MODs Support
this would be a new forum with a thread for each mod and all support would be done here in the appropriate thread.

MOD Support be changed to Unofficial Mod Support
this forum would stay the same. Name change would just be to clarify its role and to differentiate it for the Official MODs Support forum.


Why would you need a new MOD support forum?

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 9:02 am
by cstotes
The new forum would just have support posts from other users and the author's responses while the release forum would have have release and updates information (and anything else that is important). Each mod would have one thread in the new forum (like it does now in the release forum) but this thread would only be for support. Might want to reread my post again since I though I had made that part clear... perhaps I didn't. :( Here's an example:

- MOD Release Announcements (forum name)
-- [2.05] Link Mod (thread name)
--- initial post by JohnAbela (1st post in thread)
--- update post, updated to version 1.1 by JohnAbela (2nd post in thread)
--- important info from author by author (3rdpost in thread)
--- update post, updated to version 1.1 by JohnAbela (4th post in thread)
--- etc

- Official MOD Support (forum name)
-- [2.05] Link Mod (thread name)
--- initial post by JohnAbela (1st post in thread)
--- post by joe user 'i need help' (2nd)
--- reply by author 'fix this' (3rd)
--- post by john doe 'I have an error' (4th)
--- reply by author 'fix this' (5th)
--- etc

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 4:45 pm
by A_Jelly_Doughnut
Erm, AbelaJohnB has updated the topic titles to say [2.0.5]MOD name on most of the confirmed MODs (by the MOD author).

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 10:03 pm
by AbelaJohnB
Hello.

First, thanks for the comments.

Ok, Second, the forums are not intended to be a place for information about, and download of MOD's, that is what the phpBB MOD Database ( http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/catdb.php?db=1 ) exists for.

The phpBB MOD Database clearly lists MOD's for existing and previous versions, last update, MOD Author information, a download link, a support link, and much more!

The forums are support.

I really do not see us taking any action at this time in concern of these issues.... mainly because... if you keep the above points in mind, most of these issues will be nullified.

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 8:29 am
by cstotes
All righty. Keep up the good work John.