I think we're getting too carried away with these SMF packages

[stormeus]

I went into my profile to edit something and found a strange and unadvertised tab for an "SMF Social Network." For some reason, I'm able to tag people in my posts and rate threads. And now, when I make a post, there are buttons for spoilers and Pawn code. There are bookmarks for threads. There are pages like "About Us" that use entirely separate packages for things that can easily be done with the SimplePortal software that's already been installed.

I think this hype of installing packages for packages' sake needs to stop. I feel there's too much functionality being shoved into this forum when little are bound to use it. The Pawn BBCode benefits only scripters who work on Pawn-based servers (aka SA:MP and SA:MP Stunt only; VC:MP is already bound to move away from it). The "Bookmarks" plugin seems frivolous since every modern browser already supports bookmarks. I see no practical purpose for tagging people in threads when they can be messaged about it. Then there's the "With us since" package that's probably going to end up being flaunted like /whenmade is in SA:MP.

I lost it at the social network though; I know that attempts to make some sort of "Argonath Social Network" have already been made, and failed at that. The forum itself is virtually the heart of the community. I see no reason why we should cheapen it further with a social network mod that nobody is going to use. And as I already mentioned, ADDITIONAL packages are being used when those tasks can be accomplished with the tools we already have at our disposal.

As for the Downloads system, I'm largely indifferent. I know it's a feature I'm likely never going to use since there are already established websites for GTA mods and the GTA:MP download links are widely available already, and hosted by the mod developers themselves. It just seems like something else to use our bandwidth on. Same thing applies to the auction house, though it may make auctions more orderly. We'll see about that.

To reiterate, what annoys me is that we're installing all of these packages for what looks like the sake of having them. The forum looks more cluttered and cramming as much as possible into the forum makes us look like a modern version of a 2002-era webmaster adding as many GIFs, MP3s, and

glowing headers

as we can.

In my opinion, the way the forum is administrated and modded should be looked at the same way we would in-game.

"How does this mod help improve the forum?"
"Will this package actually improve the way our website looks and feels?"
"Will this be inefficient? Will it be left unused?"
"Do we already have a way of doing what we want to do?"

On top of that, there are other issues that could be focused on. There are entire forum boards that some groups cannot see because of bad setups. Some people have to be set as board moderators for some boards, like SA:MP Managers in unban requests, because their group doesn't inherit those privileges automatically, leaving some boards' moderators to be neglected until brought up. (e.g. In the VC:MP boards, there are some board moderators who aren't even active anymore; Tai is inactive and doesn't seem to have authority over the site anymore but still moderates this board). The helpdesk still doesn't allow scripters from one server to report bugs in another.

TL;DR Instead of forcing all these gizmos and whatnot into the forum, we should just start thinking practically about what we want/need and what we don't.

[Ratko Gavrilovic]

If you don't like it, ignore it.
They are great functions that really refresh the forum.

[Devin]

In theory we are turning into Facebook... 

[Radagast]

Don't like them? Don't use them

[stormeus]

Don't like them? Don't use them

So instead we simply install every irrelevant feature we can possibly find, then leave the forum to fragment into billions of glittery pieces since people can simply ignore the sections they don't like. :roll:

In theory we are turning into Facebook... 

[Lionel Valdes]

Additional to an extra modify button under the posts. Yes, we are turning into Facebook with all these 'social' functions - I don't see the purpose of using these functions here while there are plenty of good social websites such as Friendster, oh wait.. It's closed due to the owner has developped a fail bank system. Well, the only ones left are Twitter and FB - use them!

[Radagast]

So instead we simply install every irrelevant feature we can possibly find, then leave the forum to fragment into billions of glittery pieces since people can simply ignore the sections they don't like. :roll:

Why not? I and others use them

[stormeus]

Why not? I and others use them

Rather than installing thousands of features to each satisfy a few users, we should be installing a few features to satisfy thousands of users.

[Radagast]

Rather than installing thousands of features to each satisfy a few users, we should be installing a few features to satisfy thousands of users.

Such as...?

[stormeus]

Such as...?

Such as the new portal feature that was installed to replace the decaying home page (which should probably be tweaked a bit to look a little nicer) and restoring "Politics and religion" into "World and local news" instead of wasting our time with a silly social network that has already been tried and proven to be abandoned and neglected and badges for doing nothing but being here longer.

[Radagast]

Such as the new portal feature that was installed to replace the decaying home page

Well you've got it.

(which should probably be tweaked a bit to look a little nicer)

Things take time, and it's not all about aesthetics .

and restoring "Politics and religion" into "World and local news" instead of wasting our time with a silly social network that has already been tried and proven to be abandoned and neglected and badges for doing nothing but being here longer.

Haters gonna hate...

[stormeus]

Haters gonna hate...

I'm just saying, how does a forum-integrated social network benefit anyone? This forum practically IS the social network, and even if you wouldn't consider it as such, we already have a Facebook group for it.

And how does a forum-integrated bookmarks system benefit anyone? My browser already supports bloody bookmarks.

How does Pawn BBCode benefit a wide audience? Only SA:MP/SA:MP Stunt scripters are going to end up using it anyway.

We already had small-size BBCode for spoilers, but I guess spoiler tags are cool too.

[saberman]

I don't hate the new forum. And why are you so bothered? You're only talking points which can be replaced with others, not how they are bad.

[stormeus]

why are you so bothered? You're only talking points which can be replaced with others, not how they are bad.

Because I wouldn't try to add a script that I can already do with /me and /l, and I certainly wouldn't do the same to a forum.

[Radagast]

I'm just saying, how does a forum-integrated social network benefit anyone? This forum practically IS the social network, and even if you wouldn't consider it as such, we already have a Facebook group for it.

Perhaps those who don't feel comfortable about revealing themselves via the Facebook group, or creating a fake Facebook account would like the chance to be able to interact with others from Argonath in a similar way...

And how does a forum-integrated bookmarks system benefit anyone? My browser already supports bloody bookmarks.

I use around 8 devices regularly, and surf websites and this forum on all of them. I don't want the hassle of adding bookmarks to each device, when I can bookmark useful topics on the forum, enabling me to keep abreast of what's happening, regardless of which computer I'm on.

How does Pawn BBCode benefit a wide audience? Only SA:MP/SA:MP Stunt scripters are going to end up using it anyway.

As SAMP is the most populated of the servers, I don't see any problem with this being here. It makes perfect sense, for script support, or submitting ideas.

We already had small-size BBCode for spoilers, but I guess spoiler tags are cool too.

(which should probably be tweaked a bit to look a little nicer)