You asked for it, you got it - New v5 Features

[Renegade]

Jun 30, 2011 8:26:12 GMT -8 RABBIT IN YOUR HEADLIGHTS said:

Although I have yet to become a beta tester so can't really make my comments until I have tried it for myself but at this moment in time I don't feel overly excited. I was originally really excited for V5 because I have always stuck up for PB over other such forums like IF. However from what I've seen so far it seems the features that have been added are more beneficial to community based forums rather than those of us that use PB for roleplaying.

what sort of features would you consider to be more important? Since most of the testing isn't roleplay based, its possible that stuff that you'd find helpful is there, but hasn't been talked about

[RABBIT IN YOUR HEADLIGHTS]

Jun 30, 2011 8:29:16 GMT -8 Renegade said:

Jun 30, 2011 8:26:12 GMT -8 RABBIT IN YOUR HEADLIGHTS said:

Although I have yet to become a beta tester so can't really make my comments until I have tried it for myself but at this moment in time I don't feel overly excited. I was originally really excited for V5 because I have always stuck up for PB over other such forums like IF. However from what I've seen so far it seems the features that have been added are more beneficial to community based forums rather than those of us that use PB for roleplaying.

what sort of features would you consider to be more important? Since most of the testing isn't roleplay based, its possible that stuff that you'd find helpful is there, but hasn't been talked about

Hence why I said I hope when I do manage to test it I can find more new features that would benefit roleplaying sites. I am merely currently giving my opinion on what has been shown on this thread.

Also, as I said, I hope my opinion is wrong

[Renegade]

how about the "switch user" feature? multiple accounts, one login

[Martyn Dale]

Jun 30, 2011 8:26:12 GMT -8 RABBIT IN YOUR HEADLIGHTS said:

Although I have yet to become a beta tester so can't really make my comments until I have tried it for myself but at this moment in time I don't feel overly excited. I was originally really excited for V5 because I have always stuck up for PB over other such forums like IF. However from what I've seen so far it seems the features that have been added are more beneficial to community based forums rather than those of us that use PB for roleplaying.

The whole 'like, follow, add friends' feature - obviously taken from the most popular social networking, and are features that I personally do not feel there is a need for. PB is a forum site, not another social network. The live search seems like a great feature but not necessaries essential. Obviously I cannot judge a book by it's cover but as I said on first impression I'm not impressed, maybe I expected more? I hope that when I finally do get to test it I will see so much more potential with the other features that have yet to be advertised. If not then I hope we have the chase to stay with V4, although I doubt this.

Honestly I hope I am proved wrong about all I have said above.

There are certainly some features that will be useful for roleplaying forums. Of course such examples may not apply to yours specifically, but based on experience with RP forums on PB, the following stand out as immediately useful.

• Multiple accounts per forum - As you will log in with your email address, you will be able to add many forum accounts to the same email address. At the bottom of each page there is a "switch user" button. In 2 clicks (once for the list, once for the user you want) you will be instantly logged in as another user (or character)
  
• Default post content - There is a built in option in your profiles which allow you set default post content. Formatting such as your characters post header, or post style, or closing information will automatically be added to the post field ready for you
  
• Easier code modifications - You will not need to use combinations of header/footer codes to add side tables for story explanations, character lists etc. There will just be a single HTML page you can edit without needing to worry about what goes in the header and what in the footer. There will be a single bit of text, $[content] which represents the main body of the page. Surround that with any HTML you want and you will have much much easier formatting.
  

If you want to be more specific about your needs, I can better address things which may be useful to you. It is hard to be precise for you when taking into account RP forums as a whole. They are all slightly different.

[sbforum]

The features listed look awesome, I can't wait to try them out and I think it will be a lot more useful and perhaps make me want to create a PB of my own again after so many years without one. I like the idea of the PM's being in a conversation, its quite annoying when you reply to someone and they don't quote your post so you have to keep checking on what has been said before.

[Auburn]

*big grin*

Okay... so I'm gonna test the waters here a bit. From what's being described, it seems there's no limit to v5! but surely there must be! I have a big imagination so here goes, one of these is bound to stump it! ;D

Will we be able to...

• Remove the on/off cells via an admin panel option?
  
  
• Remove the last-post cells via an admin panel option?
  
  
• Split/merge categories via an admin panel option?
  
  
• Split/merge posts (as in spacing) via an admin panel option?
  
  
• Add base/head images or graphics via an admin panel option?
  
  
• Move miniprofile to the right side via an admin panel option?
  
  
• See and restore deleted posts? (if you are staff)
  
  
• Make the edges square?
  
  
• Make cookies? =D
  
  
• Change the order of posts in threads?
  
  
• Add custom/blank pages to the forum for special content?
  
  
• Change the location of the navigation tree?
  
  
• Change the navigation tree to display linerarly?
  
  
• Move the banner placement? (so long as it's entirely visible?)
  
  
• Change any/all of the above selectively for each skin?
  
  
• Ignore certain members?
  
  
• Stalk certain members' posts? (as in, recieve notifications when they post) =D jk
  
  
• Upload our own avatars to PB without using third-party hosting?
  
  
• Change the dimensions for max Avatar size?
  
  
• Insert dimensions for max image size? (and auto-resizing to that limit)
  
  
• Add profile pictures?
  
  
• Add profile videos?
  
  
• Have profile comments?
  
  
• Have member galleries?
  
  
• Have custom user fields? (like, Biography/Hobbies)
  
  
• Add custom styling to our own profile page? {like, change the colors/css)
  
  
• Add a custom AOL "you got mail" sound-effect when we get a new notification? =D jk
  
  
• Place party hats on the avatars of members who have birthdays? =D
  
  
• Import forums from other softwares?
  
  
• Export the forum to another software? (not that we'd want to O: )
  
  
• Preview the forum modifications in the admin panel, before confirming?
  
  
• Have an intergrated Arcade section? (or future possibility for it?)
  
  • With a Members Hall of Fame/High Scores?
    
  
  
• Translate the language of the forum via a profile option?
  
  
• Merge member accounts? (as staff members)
  
  
• Have a general announcement/splash window for newly registered members?
  
  
• Merge two proboards forums together? (with consent of both admins?)
  
  
• Have custom posting templates?
  
  • Predefined UBBC?
    
  • Post background color/image?
    
  
  
  
• Be able to "Undo/Redo" in our posting windows?
  
  
• Save unfinished posts as drafts?
  
  
• Summon Shenron?
  

I am totally not expecting a yes to all of these, but just throwing things out there - from some of the things I've seen on a plethora of other forums combined. Just from what I've heard of the admin panel, it's already pro...




Edit: added a few more.

[Renegade]

most of what you posted is possible via the templating system (which is going to be much easier than coding currently is). Ignoring members is in, post notifications isn't, and custom pages is but not for profiles.

[Former Member]

I'm still anxiously waiting for my email from PB to try out v5........

[Martyn Dale]

Pretty much everything you listed is possible, even custom pages.

The template engine is absurdly powerful

[Auburn]

YAYY! ^.^ *happy dance*

I knew you'd include the cookie-baker. *proud nod*

[Renegade]

Craig is the cookie monster, after all....

[Former Member]

I want to be able to summon shenron waahh!!!!!

[Martyn Dale]

Jun 30, 2011 10:15:20 GMT -8 Auburn said:

YAYY! ^.^ *happy dance*

I knew you'd include the cookie-baker. *proud nod*

There is actually a function in v5 called bake_cookies

I just dont think they are quite the same type of cookies as you are thinking of

[NSX05]

Jun 30, 2011 0:46:33 GMT -8 Luke said:

Double post

I can't wait for v10.

Be prepared to wait at least 15 years.

Jun 30, 2011 0:51:25 GMT -8 Luke said:

That's why the admins have so many posts

They learnt from you, did they?

Jun 30, 2011 7:36:03 GMT -8 Ryan Roos said:

Jun 29, 2011 10:41:20 GMT -8 NSX05 said:

I have to say v5 seems to be a tad babyish. Before, we could freely code up our forum how we wanted, v5 sounds like it just does it for us. What's more, the graphics and coding forums out there, which contain codes from v4.5 down, do they have a purpose anymore?

v5 seems to me, like it's aimed at newcomers more than people who are already here. Everything just seems to be already done. I'm curious to know what the new administration panel looks like now, and how the headers/footers will function.

Having said that, there are a few features that I like from what has been shown - the like feature and notifications, which both remind me of Facebook, the avatar system which reminds me of Yahoo! Pulse, and the @username feature, from Twitter and Facebook. The new conversation system is good.

I love opinions like this when we're not even out of the closed beta yet.

Before, we could freely code up our forum how we wanted, v5 sounds like it just does it for us.

You will be able to modify a v5 forum so heavily that you could make it appear not as a forum at all. No one outside of the staff knows about the admin area or its functions. It's a little early to be painting such broad brush strokes. The fact that you are still thinking in headers/footers shows that you have but a thin grasp on the huge expansion that v5 will allow to programmers.

There will still be headers and footers for the less skilled crowd. There will even be a really neat feature for admins with zero programming skill. But if you want advanced editing I suggest you strap on your seat belt and hold on because you have no idea whats coming!


It's like that person that commented on the pin-striping, earlier in this thread (I think they said scan lines) Does anyone think that we aren't going to let you edit that, or provide you with 20 default texture options? We're making the best forum software ever created here people and we're giving it to you for free! ;D



EDIT: Also someone asked when the next hundred were getting in. We just let 50 more in yesterday so keep checking your inboxes.

Ryan, that was based on what was posted.

[Ryan Roos]

That's okay.

I just like to point out that people shouldn't take what is posted as what v5 is in it's entirety. There's so much more and I just get really excited about it.