Public discussion: I think the banner system could be better

Berry

resident homo
aa
Dec 27, 2012
1,056
1,898
Let's face it, the current system for banners on the home page could definitely be improved (despite there being a new banner up recently). As far as I'm aware banners are currently a case of "wait for people to get so tired of looking at the same banners that they make their own and send them in" or "wait for something so big to happen here that not making a banner would be a really crappy move".

What I can see wrong as of now is two things: Whoever sorts out the banners isn't too interested in making new ones, and there's not a lot of stuff to make new banners for.

Suggestion 1
Seeing as there's a lack of banners around, yet there's still quite a few people who show interest in making banners, why not just have a way for people to submit banners? All I suggest is a simple thread titled something like "Banner Submissions and Requests" where people can both request ideas for banners, and submit ones to be placed on the front page. Firstly this idea would make people realise that (as far as I know) the site is open to banner contributions from anyone (with quality control obviously) and promote the creation of more banners. Secondly of course, this makes it easier for people to give in banners to be put in and therefore there's more in there.

Suggestion 2
I think alongside a better system, there could be more news-y things for there to be banners about; "best map/s of the month", more map packs, more of the newsletters, gameday promotions. I know it's not a massive community compared to some others, but there probably can be more stuff going on around here.
 

iiboharz

eternally tired
aa
Nov 5, 2014
857
1,291
This is a bit more minor, but the banner slideshow thing itself is a bit buggy. It has a button to pause its automatic function which doesn't actually seem to work, sometimes clicking on individual banners doesn't take you to that banner etc.
 

Berry

resident homo
aa
Dec 27, 2012
1,056
1,898
This is a bit more minor, but the banner slideshow thing itself is a bit buggy. It has a button to pause its automatic function which doesn't actually seem to work, sometimes clicking on individual banners doesn't take you to that banner etc.

The slideshow won't take you to the correct banner if you're to click another within about a second or two of it changing
 

iiboharz

eternally tired
aa
Nov 5, 2014
857
1,291
The slideshow won't take you to the correct banner if you're to click another within about a second or two of it changing

Yeah that too.

I'd say it'd be worth getting a new plugin for the banner thing but that might be a bit too much work for the site staff :p
 

Geit

💜 I probably broke it 💜
aa
May 28, 2009
598
1,161
I think a more pressing issue is that the entire front page is pretty lackluster. - there's pretty much no reason for any regular to use it, it's pretty damn ugly, it doesn't highlight what we as a community do very well, it's outdated more often than not, etc.

I'd like to redesign it, but I don't really like working within the confines of VBulletin very much. We're always open to suggestions though.
 

RubbishyUser

L7: Fancy Member
Feb 17, 2013
414
488
I am one of the few who uses it all the time. Particularly, the recent posts. Any redesign has got to have that in it.
 

iiboharz

eternally tired
aa
Nov 5, 2014
857
1,291
I think a more pressing issue is that the entire front page is pretty lackluster. - there's pretty much no reason for any regular to use it, it's pretty damn ugly, it doesn't highlight what we as a community do very well, it's outdated more often than not, etc.

I'd like to redesign it, but I don't really like working within the confines of VBulletin very much. We're always open to suggestions though.

Yeah honestly vBulletin is really... ehhh.... I'll just say it's never really been a choice website platform.

I will admit the front page is a little... mm.... I do in-fact use it sometimes, but I feel like it could use a big overhaul.
 

Idolon

they/them
aa
Feb 7, 2008
2,105
6,106
I think the main issue with the front page is that there's too much stuff going on. Trim the fat! Merge the User CP section with the section underneath the website logo. Put the Community section where the ad is right now, and move the ad to a vertical format on the side of the page. See if you can expand the banner and the showcase/latest maps bars to fill the whole body. Also see about removing the bar that has the search box, and move that search box into the navigation bar on the top (or just below it).

EDIT: quick 'n' shitty mockup
mockup2.png
 
Last edited:

Berry

resident homo
aa
Dec 27, 2012
1,056
1,898
I think the main issue with the front page is that there's too much stuff going on. Trim the fat! Merge the User CP section with the section underneath the website logo. Put the Community section where the ad is right now, and move the ad to a vertical format on the side of the page. See if you can expand the banner and the showcase/latest maps bars to fill the whole body. Also see about removing the bar that has the search box, and move that search box into the navigation bar on the top (or just below it).

EDIT: quick 'n' shitty mockup
mockup2.png

I think recent posts should definitely be higher up too while there's a re-design, it's pretty much my only reason for visiting the home page other than it being the home page.
 

killohurtz

Distinction in Applied Carving
aa
Feb 22, 2014
1,016
1,277
I'm also one of those people who uses the front page for the recent threads, and I agree that it could really use a revamp.
And while the site doesn't exactly need a separate mobile layout, it could be made a little easier to navigate. If these
thread_hot_new.gif
were added next to the front page threads and clicked through to the unread posts, that would definitely help.
 

Idolon

they/them
aa
Feb 7, 2008
2,105
6,106
I think recent posts should definitely be higher up too while there's a re-design, it's pretty much my only reason for visiting the home page other than it being the home page.

Maybe move the showcase/recent maps over to the right column, and put the previous posts directly below the banner?
 

fauks

L2: Junior Member
Jul 7, 2013
68
17
Google Chrome takes me straight to Unread Posts. So I haven't looked at the front page (or browsed forums) in a long time.
 

Seba

DR. BIG FUCKER, PHD
aa
Jun 9, 2009
2,364
2,728
IMO the front page doesn't need to be super fancy, it just needs to push a newcomer towards the forums since that's where most of the action happens. I made this but I think it looks like ass, apart from the map scrollthing (no autoscroll, would alternate between sets of 4 showcase maps and newly submitted maps).

tf2m_mockup004.png


Oh, and ads on the side in floating windows, like Ido said.
 

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
aa
Nov 14, 2009
4,694
2,579
Just so long as you don't make the minimum required width of anything wider than it already is. I hate it when web designers automatically assume (A) I have a relatively narrow monitor and (B) consequently I maximize every single window.