Website Ideas

[sucramreverse]

So last night as I went to bed (before the forum actually had any activity ) I had a brainstorm...or a brain-tsunami rather. I've been thinking about a website that would allow the community to vote on what additions/revisions should be made official, but with no clear idea of how to pull it off...till now.

I was thinking a specialized type of page similar to a wiki in design. We'd have a page for every facet of the system and universes, reflecting actual pages in a theoretical book (potentially a pdf). They would be clearly labelled in big letters and the page would take up most of the screen with a (hideable) sidebar for navigation, search, etc. These pages would only be editable by "staff" members.

At the bottom of the page it'd have the option to "suggest a revision" and would allow any user to file a change they'd like made to the page. (of course discouraging simple discussion on the page, as that's better left to the forum)

It would then list all the revisions that have been suggested so far, colour coded by their status (Green: Accepted but not yet added to the page, Yellow: seriously considered but still in debate/discussion, Red: Rejected, Gray: Yet to be looked at). It would allow users to vote on each revision that is yellow/gray (thumbs up/thumbs down) and allow comments to be made on each revision.

So basically it'd be an online 'book' with footnotes you can agree of disagree with. And the very real possibility that your revision will be heard and voted on and may be actually made to the 'book' itself.

Each page would also have a version number at the top to keep track of how many revisions have been made to it. Possibly a pdf could be published (for printing and format/reference convenience) whenever enough revisions have been made to warrant one.

(Of course silly revision suggestions like "i like pie, lol" could be deleted, with a notice, by mods to keep the pages uncluttered)

Example page(or the best I can do in a forum post):

Site Banner image	"The Movement Phase" (Page Title)	Ver. 2.0.3.4 (Current PDF: Ver. 1.5.6.7)
Site(/book) navigation and search	(Page content) some stuff about movement and things, an infantry section that reads "Infantry can move 6 inches in the movement phase" and some other stuff.	pictures and illustrations next to appropriate text
Site legal stuff, 'terms', 'privacy policy' stuff	Suggested revisions (with a link to add your own) Change "Infantry can move 6 inches" to "Infantry may move up to 6 inches" on line 2 of paragraph 1 Change "Infantry can move 6 inches" to "Infantry can move 5 inches"(2 thumbs up, 5 thumbs down) Change "Infantry can move 6 inches" to "Infantry can move 3 inches"

Of course with tons more formatting and looking nice and pretty. this is the best I can do with BBcode though. Might draw a picture, but it'd take me less time to just code the thing.

[sucramreverse]

here is my halfass attempt at expressing my idea in a picture before I got bored and decided to just post what I have.

clicky for bigger


missing the whole sidebar which will have navigation links and search bar, but it's enough to show what I mean.

I've already started working on this, and will finish it whether or not we use it. Once I have made enough progress and have something to show I will post the link to my server. Could be up to a week before then though since I'm lazy .

[S W Dickson]

Yep, like it.

How would that work on a technical level though? Just a PHP script, or is it something as part of Acrobat I'm missing? I make no bones - I've not fired up Dreamweaver since 2003!

[sucramreverse]

I'm using PHP and MySQL for the back-end, with HTML and CSS for style, and Javascript for moving parts (hide-ables)

I've done similar things, like forum systems, before but I think this particular format and layout will be ace for this project.

I'm still working on the HTML/CSS to get a nice layout for PHP to work with. might take less time than I thought, but wanted to round-up due to my known laziness.

also if anyone wants to make a banner that's about 150 x 150px and a thumbsup & thumbsdown icons, that'd be awfully nice of you

[sucramreverse]

a proof on concept/design.

http://www.nailsbygeorge.com/herebedragons/

most links don't work, but click around in the revision area and see the magic tricks.

I'm now working on the MySQL database, and then the harder part of the PHP is next.

EDIT: I just checked that code with w3 validator and it's perfectly clean using XHTML Strict. My Web Dev. teacher would be proud .

[S W Dickson]

Seems to be clean and concise. Very much reminds me of Linux Distros version management. (I used to be an Ubuntu aficionado before my laptop died and I'm too scared the desktop will die if I touch it with any new system install - need a new PC! Donations gratefully received, especially if it's a Mac!)

[sucramreverse]

laptop died!? how sad . I'm actually using Ubuntu right now. dual-boot machine with Ubuntu 9.10 and windows XP SP3. I haven't gone on my windows side for months though.

for the website,
I was also thinking about a more experimental side that would take the role of what the "rules development" board is doing now. It would probably run out of use once a basic system is decided on though, so maybe a forum is better suited for that.

anyways, back to coding

[SpaceMonkey]

This sounds like a good idea. I like the prototype. If only google wave was open for general release, it is made for this sort of stuff (the collective document with real time editing and up dating). By shear chance I got an account but have nothing to do on it. I'll just have to keep waiting.

[sucramreverse]

I'm not sure google wave(or wiki) would be right for this, since we (this is all my assumptions) are going to be publishing an "official" or "tested and accepted" rules set, letting everyone edit it freely seems like a bad idea. People have some crazy ideas!

So by doing it this way, it lets any crazy ideas only get through if it's voted and agreed to be added by the majority, otherwise it's voted down and eventually rejected (not to say that rejected ideas can't be used by individuals, but aren't necessarily right for the "official" release).

Anyways, figured I'd give an update (since I'm just that cool ). I have the following basic systems done;

• displaying pages (with a book list, and table of contents for each book)
  
• user registration (with email activation code)
  
• user login/logout
  
• posting revisions
  
• displaying revisions
  
• voting revisions
  
• posting comments
  
• displaying comments
  

Mainly just need to finish up some loose ends and work on the remaining sidebar links and search system. And then add BBcoding for pages and posts. Add user profiles. And finally the biggest task of admin/mod controls for pretty much everything.

btw, I've never coded this much in one day. Energy drinks are baaaad .

EDIT: for your testing pleasure;
http://www.nailsbygeorge.com/herebedragons/
not much there, but feel free to register and post some revisions and comments on the only page. lol.
(activation emails are blocked by most spam filters because I haven't learned how to get around them yet, so be sure to check your junk mail)

[sucramreverse]

This forum is becoming too quiet. I'd better post a bunch! Here's an update on my progress.

• Finished the sidebar, just needs a nice banner image.
  
• Search works, and is quite flexible. any number of words separated by spaces, with "-" before words you want to exclude. If only one result is returned it'll take you to that page automatically.
  
• Book navigation comes up when viewing pages, with links to the previous and next 2 pages in that book.
  
• Main page, License, Terms, and Privacy policy all made database reliant for easy editing later

now just adding vote buttons to revisions (outside of comments), user profiles, and those mod controls

all in all this is going rather smooth, and I don't trust it really...But if anyone is using Internet Explorer (god forbid ) I could use knowing whether it shows up right. that's the only browser I don't have. I've tested it in Opera, Firefox, and Chromium. Who uses Safari these days anyway?

here's the link again, in case you missed it:
http://www.nailsbygeorge.com/herebedragons/

EDIT: I've got the page it's own host and domain:
grimoireofwar.com

Just chose the domain because it was open, can always be changed later.

[sucramreverse]

so so quiet, I sense that people have either shared all their ideas, are discouraged that their ideas aren't getting anywhere, or just a general lull in activity for the end of the week. I'm hoping it's not the dreaded forum death...

Either way, I've got another update on my progress. I like doing these, makes me feel accomplished for some reason. Like a project log.

anyway, I've got the host and domain squared away, the link is above this in pink, and in my sig in yellow; you can't miss it.
I added user profiles, which are looking pretty snazzy, but no way to edit anything yet.
Made a banner because I was tired of that big grey blank spot. (though it does use a stock photo, which means we can't trademark it or sell it but everything else is cool)
Put in thumbsup and thumbsdown icons

Started working on admin controls, but still not very far on that.

also was thinking about adding line numbering for pages, so It'd be easier to point out which line needs attention. But the only way I know how to do that right now means that that the numbering would change based on your screen resolution/window size. I could make the page width fixed, but I'd rather not. So still thinking on that one...

Getting closer, might be done with all the main code by the end of the weekend *fingers crossed*

[S W Dickson]

Just that seasonal - gotta spend time with family - stuff. Not forum death, thankfully.

I dread to think how quiet it'll be next week. I bleedin hate xmas. And that's just the way it is this be all and end all of the year. Makes people crazy. I'm stopping my thought there though, there's a time and a place for my anti-xmas rant.

[SpaceMonkey]

Sucramreverse don’t worry the forum isn’t dead yet. I agree with S W Dickson it is just that time of year. I have a bit of time off from work so I can plod around here but I also have family commitments that will mean I’ll be unable to comment on the forum for awhile.
I think what you are doing is very important. Personally I find it hard to get involved in the Forum to discuss rules. If you haven’t followed a post from the beginning you virtually have to read every post to get the gist of what is going on (you don’t want to suggest something that was canned 20 posts ago so you have to read everything). Your system will help organise that a bit and generate valid discussion. I think the Forum and Grimoire of War are complimentary systems. I see the Forum as the place where general discussion will happen and get people involved in the project but your Grimoire of War will be the place the real hard work (of nutting out the rules) will be done. It will help people see what has gone on and understand the process of rule development. I think you are on the right course. I would have made some suggestions if I thought otherwise (I’m just waiting on a version we can add comments to). So don’t get dishearten, full steam ahead.

[sucramreverse]

Generally why I dislike holidays, I get time off but I have nowhere to go. I'm Probably just going stir crazy.

Anyway, thanks spacemonkey. You can add comments, once registered and logged in, just nothing to comment on yet. I didn't get around to working on it today, but mainly the admin controls to go and then I'll make some people admins so some pages can get posted, even if they are in infancy. Eventually I could get around to making a forum side as well, just working on the main idea first, and there's nothing wrong with this forum for now.

But yep, full steam ahead always, otherwise the engine will run cold and break down.

[poet]

Thats a very nice website, kudos.

I was thinking of suggesting setting up version control for us, but your website seems better suited for the job we require.

Can't wait to have some documents up there.

[sucramreverse]

thanks

Unfortunately I just realized that I had broken the registry page a while ago, sorry to anyone who tried to register and couldn't (it's fixed now though)

I'm still working on the admin controls and editing profiles, but I think everything else has been tied up neatly, so if anyone wants to test it and tell me if it seems to be working ok, that'd be awesome. Especially if you have Internet Explorer (If it breaks in any browser, it'll be that one).

EDIT: Is the grey text too light (in comments and grey revisions)? My screen brightness is turned down, so it looks fine for me. Just want to make sure everyone else can read it okay.

[S W Dickson]

Seems to be fine, but the confirmation e-mail has failed to materialise.

Ho-hum, logs in okay though.

I'm working on a 128px graphic similar to the ...HBD one - same font and stuff. Just getting a good free bible image to photoshop into a lithogrpahic drawing.

Did a couple of pages of rules writing last night - just the intro and stuff. Will post that up in a bit.

[S W Dickson]

Oh yeah, can't change profile details, but I assume that may have something to do with it not being verified by e-mail.

[SpaceMonkey]

sucramreverse - I registered but every time I click on the link in the email I get.

Unable to connect
Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at localhost.

[sucramreverse]

Thanks guys. Though you shouldn't be able to login without activating o.0

Did you check your spam folder SW? E-mails being sent by php tend to be labeled spam, I still have to fix that.

And thanks Spacemonkey, I always miss those little things. localhost is my own computer, forgot to change it to the right domain before uploading.

I'll just activate both your accounts and make you admins. And you can't change profile details yet because I'm still working on that, should be done with at least that by end of today though.

[sucramreverse]

Fixed those issues, and activation email should no longer be spam filtered. (I should add a link to for resending it and for resetting forgotten passwords)

I've got the profile editing done, mostly. the avatar still needs some work, but it's good enough for now.
most of the preferences actually work, but the ones about PM's don't since I haven't even started on PMs...
BBCode should also work, I've got most of the typical ones in there, just haven't tested them all yet.

(I should also add a member list...)

But, yeah that's all I got for today. Maybe I'll get an energy drink tomorrow and bust out the rest of the admin controls

[S W Dickson]

No spam, no nothin. Dunno what went on there. Strangely am registered, and am able to run through all the goodies, and you've enabled my account as level 3 admin. All cool. Just no activation e-mail? Weird. Maybe I registered too fast!

Anyhoo, dunno if you've actually coded in the editation yet, or it needs superuser to do so, so not sure about how that goes. Basically looking nice though.

[sucramreverse]

Might have been labelled "army list", I dunno. I'm pretty sure I fixed it though.

Yeah, I'm making 3 levels. you can see what each can do on that admin panel page, which is just a placeholder until I finish it up (hopefully today).

[SpaceMonkey]

Been playing around with the Grimoire. Looking good but I found a problem.
Every time I click on Thumbs Up I get a Thumbs Down instead.
Every time I click on Thumbs Down I get Thumbs Down.

[S W Dickson]

Here's the graphic I was working on - just for continuity with ..here be dragons.

[Sponsored content]