I love you Paizo. My group has bought 2 adventure paths, maps, and quite a few Pathfinder Core and Bestiary books. We will continue buying lots of your stuff. Keep up the good work.
Having said that, these boards are terrible.
- No easy way to view Message Board forum names and sub-forum names...everything, including posts, is on one page. Very hard to navigate.
- You cannot search both the archive nor the current boards @ the same time...why exactly is there a need for an archive section anyway?
- You cannot search on a multi-word string, like "halfling bard"
Any message board from after 1995 has these abilities. I know migration could be a bit of a pain but it would be well worth it, IMHO.
TBH, I don't post here as much as I'd like to, nor browse the forums as much, because of the terrible interface. Please consider doing something about this!
@Mikhalia, there is a way to access the Archives. If you already have figured out how then forgive my assumptions. For example, let's take General Discussion under Pathfinder heading. Click on General Discussions and it brings up a very long list of the current threads. At the top of the page is a link titled "General Discussion Archives". If you click on that it takes you to another list of the past threads. There is one slight disadvantage to that though. You cannot access both the current list of threads topics and the Archives at the same time.
Just my 2 cp.
While there are some improvements I would like done to the boards, I'm actually pretty happy with them. Also, I think that migrating to a different system would more than a pain, I imagine it would be a large expenditure of resources in order to add the capabilities they need on this board (and currently have) that other forum systems are lacking.
I guess one of the reasons I'm fine with it is that I don't really try to search for multi-word strings that often, if ever. Then, while I think that the first main forum page is a bit large (if everything is expanded) I'm not sure what the "No easy way to view Message Board forum names and sub-forum names..." issue is. I'm not really sure what that means.
If I remember the "official stance" correctly, the messageboards are custom software developed specifically to integrate with the online store. And they provide that function exactly as intended.
That, combined with no other forum software capable of performing that function, means a switch of any kind is very unlikely.
I am fairly certain their "webmonkey" will be willing to hear suggestions for improvements/alterations, but beyond that not much will be done. EDIT:: This is not to suggest that these suggestions won't be acted on.
Alternatively, if any one is aware of any forum software that does interact with the Paizo online store properly, I would think Paizo would like to hear about it.
I love you Paizo. My group has bought 2 adventure paths, maps, and quite a few Pathfinder Core and Bestiary books. We will continue buying lots of your stuff. Keep up the good work.
Having said that, these boards are terrible.
- No easy way to view Message Board forum names and sub-forum names...everything, including posts, is on one page. Very hard to navigate.
If you find the "one page with everything" to be too confusing you can always use the triangles next to the various forums to hide or collapse each forum. That way you can have only the forum titles on the same page.
- You cannot search both the archive nor the current boards @ the same time...why exactly is there a need for an archive section anyway?
- You cannot search on a multi-word string, like "halfling bard"
While the built-in search engine might not be up to this, you can circumvent that by using Google.
Type in "site:paizo.com" in Google and then put in what you're looking for afterwards and Google will search the whole site for you.E.g:
site:paizo.com "halfling bard"
The search box on d20pfsrd.com does a search on the paizo boards if you pick paizo boards in the dropdown also. You can search d20srd.org from the same box.
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The search box on d20pfsrd.com does a search on the paizo boards if you pick paizo boards in the dropdown also. You can search d20srd.org from the same box.
I gotta say, brother, You are totally rocking on the D20PFSRD.com! I love the site and it is just about the best resource for Pathfinder that I could imagine. Between that and the Pathfinder Database site I have all I need in resources for Pathfinder.
Thanks Jreyst and keep up the good work.FH
The search box on d20pfsrd.com does a search on the paizo boards if you pick paizo boards in the dropdown also. You can search d20srd.org from the same box.I gotta say, brother, You are totally rocking on the D20PFSRD.com! I love the site and it is just about the best resource for Pathfinder that I could imagine. Between that and the Pathfinder Database site I have all I need in resources for Pathfinder.
Thanks Jreyst and keep up the good work.
FH
Hey much thanks man. I really appreciate it! I do hope though that the existence of d20pfsrd.com and other fan sites do not hinder people from buying content direct from Paizo. Without sending them a continual flow of $ this gravy train will come to a screeching halt lol
I gotta say, brother, You are totally rocking on the D20PFSRD.com! I love the site and it is just about the best resource for Pathfinder that I could imagine. Between that and the Pathfinder Database site I have all I need in resources for Pathfinder.
I am not as active as I used to be (such is life) but the board set out and everything is fine all bar three things.
The ability to delete your comments, the ability to edit your comments and the ability to private message people.
I can see how the ability to remove or edit comments would effect the ammount of bandwidth used.
I am a terriable speller, I am often misinformed so the ability to edit and remove comments would be fantastic.
P.S yes I know their there but only for a limited time...
I gotta say, brother, You are totally rocking on the D20PFSRD.com! I love the site and it is just about the best resource for Pathfinder that I could imagine. Between that and the Pathfinder Database site I have all I need in resources for Pathfinder.
Awwww come over here wiki monster! (gives noogie to wiki monster) Everyone loves the pathfinder wiki!
Yeah, Search... needs help.
Multi-word searches are kind of necessary.
Even single word search actually working consistently would be nice.
I have even run across cases where trying to clarify a rules issue, I refer somebody to a post by Jason Buhlman. Other person searches Jason's post history (which there should be an easier way to do, right now you have to actually find a posting from them yourself to click on their avatar profile), but can't find any post referencing what I was talking about. Some time later, somebody else posts a link to the message I remembered. This message did not appear in the post history, even though it's date was between two posts who were retained in the post history. Insanity.
No easy way to view Message Board forum names and sub-forum names...everything, including posts, is on one page. Very hard to navigate.
Easy fix: Log in. Navigate to the Messageboards. For every forum/subforum that you don't want to see the contained messages, click the triangle to the left of each forum/subforum and the messages collapse/ disappear. If you collapse a forum, none of it's sub-forums appear.
Yeah, Search... needs help.
Multi-word searches are kind of necessary.
Even single word search actually working consistently would be nice too.
And I have even run across cases where trying to clarify a rules issue, I refer somebody to a post by Jason Buhlman. Other person searches his post history (which goes a ways back, given Jason doesn't post a huge amount), but can't find any post referencing what I was talking about. Some time later, somebody else posts a link to the message I remembered. This message did not appear in the post history, even though it's date was between two posts who were retained in the post history. Insanity.
We've been trying to minimize the insanity by archiving the various rulings and clarifications in the unofficial faq on d20pfsrd.com (though I'm sure everyone knows about that by now lol).
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I actually like that there isn't Private Messaging. A few other boards that I use that have this feature I never use it on and once I actually noticed that someone sent me a message....6 months later. Obviously I felt bad but I don't like that I need something else to watch for. I would rather tell ask people in a thread to contact via email if I wanted to talk to them....I don't want to feel like I slighted someone because I absentmindedly forgot to check the PM box.
Don't go changin'
To try and please me...
You need more moderators and Cut the number of pages down to 10 per thread, then start new thread plz! Most of the comments are 1 liners and the threads go all over the place I know these forums are young and under funded but 551 pages on one topic is insanity!
Issac
Erm no... Then you'd just end up with 50 threads on the same topic with 10 pages in each thread instead of one thread on the topic with 500 pages.
That would just create more problems as all these threads push other threads off the front page and clutter up the whole system.Besides, no one is forcing anyone to read all 500 pages in any thread. :-)
Besides, no one is forcing anyone to read all 500 pages in any thread. :-)
That's what YOU think...
Comes sniffing into thread, on the trail of a badger.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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You need more moderators and Cut the number of pages down to 10 per thread, then start new thread plz! Most of the comments are 1 liners and the threads go all over the place I know these forums are young and under funded but 551 pages on one topic is insanity!
Issac
I agree... my OCD forces me to read every page in a Thread so smaller Threads will mean I don't have to wade through 10 pages of "mine" to get to what I want...
ALL HAIL GARY!
Senior Software Developer
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No hailing. The current search feature is pretty terrible. My only excuse is that it's based on code I wrote about ten years ago, and it turns out that there have been some improvements in search technology over the past decade.
What? I can't preemptively hail? Sheesh, I believe in you Mr. Teter.
Edit: Aha, you added a spoiler.
Who's a modest PostMonster?
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Senior Software Developer
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OK, OK. The new search is going to completely and utterly, totally and smashingly, ROCK. Undeniably. Oh yes. It will be that good.
\m/
OK, OK. The new search is going to completely and utterly, totally and smashingly, ROCK. Undeniably. Oh yes. It will be that good.
** spoiler omitted **
Will it support USB and Flash?
Edit: Wrong thread...
Do you have gyno?
OK, OK. The new search is going to completely and utterly, totally and smashingly, ROCK. Undeniably. Oh yes. It will be that good.
** spoiler omitted **
I, for one, am looking forward to the new and vastly improved search.
We won't be replacing our messageboards with someone else's software. We will however be rolling out some improvements soon(ish). In particular, the new search feature is looking pretty good.
Can I ask why you wouldn't use someone else's freely available forum software? You guys aren't in the forum coding business...you're in the RPG business ;)
If there is one thing that I've learned long ago, as a computer programmer, is that if you ever start coding something from scratch, you sure as hell should check to make sure that there isn't something out there that already meets your needs...because chances are there is.
I'm not saying that you haven't, per se, but there would have to be a ton of value-add for someone to write their own forum software!
Yeah I, for one, would rather have people at Paizo focus on making game stuff over coding messageboards lol
We won't be replacing our messageboards with someone else's software. We will however be rolling out some improvements soon(ish). In particular, the new search feature is looking pretty good.Can I ask why you wouldn't use someone else's freely available forum software? You guys aren't in the forum coding business...you're in the RPG business ;)
If there is one thing that I've learned long ago, as a computer programmer, is that if you ever start coding something from scratch, you sure as hell should check to make sure that there isn't something out there that already meets your needs...because chances are there is.
I'm not saying that you haven't, per se, but there would have to be a ton of value-add for someone to write their own forum software!
As Disenchanter wrote further upthread, the forum software is fully integrated in the online store, which is going to be darn near impossible to do with "outside" software. Thus the whole online store would need an overhaul too, just to integrate the new forum software, meaning even more work for the webmonkeys (all hail Gary and Ross) and probably Vic too.
I'm somewhat fine with the boards themselves, but the lack of Private Messages drives me sometimes crazy.
Easily to work around
PRIVATE MESSAGE FOR GORBACZ FOLLOWING - OTHERS DON'T READ:
You forgot to put on pants. Or underpants.
You need more moderators and Cut the number of pages down to 10 per thread, then start new thread plz! Most of the comments are 1 liners and the threads go all over the place I know these forums are young and under funded but 551 pages on one topic is insanity!
Issac
You want us to start another 1000+ posts threat just to spite you? ;-P
I'm somewhat fine with the boards themselves, but the lack of Private Messages drives me sometimes crazy.Easily to work around
PRIVATE MESSAGE FOR GORBACZ FOLLOWING - OTHERS DON'T READ:
You forgot to put on pants. Or underpants.
Even better:
OK, OK. The new search is going to completely and utterly, totally and smashingly, ROCK. Undeniably. Oh yes. It will be that good.
** spoiler omitted **
I, for one, am looking forward to the new and vastly improved search.
Yeah, me too. Searching her drives me a little batty at times.
I'm not sure about private messaging. Haven't we come up with our own solutions when it's called for?
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@Mikhalia, there is a way to access the Archives. If you already have figured out how then forgive my assumptions. For example, let's take General Discussion under Pathfinder heading. Click on General Discussions and it brings up a very long list of the current threads. At the top of the page is a link titled "General Discussion Archives". If you click on that it takes you to another list of the past threads. There is one slight disadvantage to that though. You cannot access both the current list of threads topics and the Archives at the same time.
Just my 2 cp.
...
I feel silly. Thanks Silver.
As Disenchanter wrote further upthread, the forum software is fully integrated in the online store, which is going to be darn near impossible to do with "outside" software. Thus the whole online store would need an overhaul too, just to integrate the new forum software, meaning even more work for the webmonkeys (all hail Gary and Ross) and probably Vic too.
Could somebody clarify exactly what this integration is?
As far as I can tell, it amounts to each product page displaying associated reviews and product discussion threads... which should be easy enough to accomplish by having a macro to create a new latent product discussion thread at the same time a new product page is added and modify the product page's HTML to display/link to that specific forum thread... Or is there some other integration I'm missing...????
I want to see the messageboards replaced by a bunch of pink, fluffy bunnies who line up to form whatever words we want. That'd be groovy dudes.
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As Disenchanter wrote further upthread, the forum software is fully integrated in the online store, which is going to be darn near impossible to do with "outside" software. Thus the whole online store would need an overhaul too, just to integrate the new forum software, meaning even more work for the webmonkeys (all hail Gary and Ross) and probably Vic too.Could somebody clarify exactly what this integration is?
As far as I can tell, it amounts to each product page displaying associated reviews and product discussion threads... which should be easy enough to accomplish by having a macro to create a new latent product discussion thread at the same time a new product page is added and modify the product page's HTML to display/link to that specific forum thread... Or is there some other integration I'm missing...????
While this may or may not be true, to do a clean switch-over would require the old code to be removed, which always causes problems in integrated systems.... pages down, orders getting lost, those sorts of things. Also the restrictions that they want to keep (you can pick an avatar only from this list... ect) might require rewrites of various things, causing downtime for extended periods of time, costing the company $.
Most out of the box (OotB) forum software would force you to link to the thread,and not allow it to be visible/replied to from the product page.
It also requires integration with the custom storefront on a user level (only requiring one sign on to access both) and creates the need for higher security measures (people are less likely to try to break into a custom storefront, and if they can get you're username/password from a security leak in the OotB messageboard software that is documented, it would also grant them access to user's credit card information.) it would also most likly require the databases with user information to be set up a certain way.
These are just issues that are off the top of my head
That'd be groovy dudes.
You mean "good eatin'!", right?