Suggestions regarding AGS homepage

mätzyboy · Sat 23/10/2004 20:10:13

I just now visited the AGS homepage for the first time in a while. All the fun is here on the forums, so I rarely go to the main page. However, I came to think of a few improvements, mainly of the games page, but also some other stuff... I tried searching for older threads with similar discussions, but I found none i thought suitable. So here goes:

The Games Showcase should be changed every once in a while. Why not use a similar script to the one used on the MAGS page, displaying two random games every time? This should be fairly simple to do, right?

The link labeled Downloads in the navigation bar goes to the same place as the link labeled tutorial, which in it's turn has the FAQ as the first link. This is confusing, at least to me. Is it supposed to be like that? Actually the whole "Resources" part seems a bit mixed up/unstructured, doesn't it?

Along with "list most recently added games" there should be "list games by rating". What's the real point of having a rating system, if it's not searchable?

The games in each category should be sortable by rating and perhaps creator, # downloads, size, date of addition to list etc. Alphabetical order isn't always optimal.

Somone should be chosen to have as his/her duty to update the game of the month. It doesn't look good when months pass without change. I think someone trusted by the visitors of this community should do this, and only this. If the person is also a moderator he/she might have to much to do and simply forget about it in the rush.

That's my 2 cents. Anyone agree/disagree?

Edwin Xie · Sat 23/10/2004 20:28:45

Hmm, I agree, especially about the links. They sometimes lead to a site that has been abandoned and sometimes goes to the wrong links. Yeah, the game showcase has to be changed, I don't want to see 5 Days a Stranger and Night of the Hermit all the time. I agree on the sortable by date of addition too, I don't want to see old games on the first page.

mätzyboy · Sun 24/10/2004 18:45:01

Quote from: Edwin Xie on Sat 23/10/2004 20:28:45
Hmm, I agree, especially about the links. They sometimes lead to a site that has been abandoned and sometimes goes to the wrong links.

Hmmm... That's not what I meant, and I don't really see how you interpreted it like that. I think keeping the links up to date is more of the game creators work, don't you?

More thoughts, anyone?

HillBilly · Sun 24/10/2004 19:52:38

I fully agree on improving the game search system.

Takkar Tekekak · Mon 25/10/2004 11:06:19

When I first tried to read the forum page, I scanned through the rules and missed the "Enter Here" button, I agree that you must read the rules before entering and then doing the quiz, but I had the feeling as I read it that because there was no button, I would read all of those pages simply to get to the bottom line "sorry forums down for a time" but the link wasn't even at the bottom, it looked like an out of the way caption in the middle, a fottnote on the rules you never read...

mätzyboy · Thu 28/10/2004 20:01:57

This quiz before registering was invented after my joining. I think it is a quite clever idea!I don't really understand the problem you had with it, your explanation gets kind of fuzzy around "I had the feeling"...

Maybe you could make it clearer somehow?

Hmmm... This thread didn't become the hot topic I had expected. I thought we would get a bunch AGSers agreeing on, or suggesting other, changes. The rest would flame me for being ungrateful towards CJ who obviously put a lot of effort into the site. Well well, if this is all that comes out of it, then that's it. It was worth a shot!

Takkar Tekekak · Thu 28/10/2004 20:23:05

i'm just asking if the "enter the forums now" lin could be bigger, and gave a vague explanation why.

Pumaman · Sun 07/11/2004 00:01:27

QuoteThe Games Showcase should be changed every once in a while. Why not use a similar script to the one used on the MAGS page, displaying two random games every time? This should be fairly simple to do, right?

I didn't want to make the main webpage a dynamic page because that would increase server load ... and with the events recently, that's even more at the forefront of my mind

Still, I don't see why it can't be manually updated from time to time.

QuoteThe link labeled Downloads in the navigation bar goes to the same place as the link labeled tutorial, which in it's turn has the FAQ as the first link. This is confusing, at least to me. Is it supposed to be like that? Actually the whole "Resources" part seems a bit mixed up/unstructured, doesn't it?

Yeah it is a bit of a mess there. Basically, the new sidebar was created with plans to change actual the page contents, but it's something I just haven't got around to.

QuoteAlong with "list most recently added games" there should be "list games by rating". What's the real point of having a rating system, if it's not searchable?

This has been discussed at some length:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/yabb/index.php?topic=10267.0

QuoteSomone should be chosen to have as his/her duty to update the game of the month.

This job currently rests with AGA -- but realistically, you can't expect it to be updated on the 1st of every month. Everyone has other things to do apart from keeping the AGS website up to date

QuoteWhen I first tried to read the forum page, I scanned through the rules and missed the "Enter Here" button, I agree that you must read the rules before entering and then doing the quiz, but I had the feeling as I read it that because there was no button, I would read all of those pages simply to get to the bottom line "sorry forums down for a time" but the link wasn't even at the bottom, it looked like an out of the way caption in the middle, a fottnote on the rules you never read...

Fair point, I've added some space to clarify the Forums entry page.

AGA · Sun 07/11/2004 15:19:32

I haven't updated the pick of the month because er... um... my head caught fire!

VBJonC · Mon 08/11/2004 02:47:19

I couldnt find a better place to put this.

I am new to the site so maybe I missed a few things but here goes:

1) A suggestions page in the forum
2) Sort games by topic instead of size/length. By topic I mean Sci-fi, humorous, adult, etc. Maybe each game can get multiple descriptive topics allowing it to appear in multiple lists.
3) Sort games by popularity (votes or download count)
4) A definition of the content advisory icons? Maybe sort by them too?

TerranRich · Mon 08/11/2004 04:34:51

You poor thing.

AGA · Mon 08/11/2004 05:19:29

It's been updated now, I managed to extinguish the inferno.

BerserkerTails · Mon 08/11/2004 06:03:54

Hehehe, and what an update it was

Sorry, just giddy. You know, "First Game Released" syndrome, haha.

auhsor · Mon 08/11/2004 06:41:08

Well I just noticed that the website link for Two Of A Kind is wrong, it links to http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/www.davelgil.com . I know this is probably the wrong place to point that out, but since the game was sorta mentioned here, dave or a mod will notice and fix it.

edit: And another thing that doesn't really matter much. the AGS page failed the w3c standards: http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.adventuregamestudio.co.uk&charset=%28detect+automatically%29&doctype=%28detect+automatically%29
It seems that it's failing because of spaces after " and < 's. Its probably not that important, as it all works good, I just thought I might point that out also.

Haddas · Mon 08/11/2004 14:47:09

Quote from: AGA on Sun 07/11/2004 15:19:32
I haven't updated the pick of the month because er... um... my head caught fire!

ahaa... it's you... http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/195918

Should've known! it looks like you! Although he acts like me

mätzyboy · Mon 08/11/2004 18:18:31

Thanx for your informative response,CJ. I am aware of the workload of dealing with, not only creating the AGS engine, but also running a website. I hope you didn't take my suggestions as critique, it was merely meant as suggestions of improvements.

And, AGA, I guess we all know what happened, since this movieclip of last time your head caught fire has been spread on the internet for quite a while now....
http://webflash.com/indexframe.php?id=310

Pumaman · Mon 08/11/2004 18:34:32

Quote from: VBJonC on Mon 08/11/2004 02:47:19
1) A suggestions page in the forum

We used to have one. People abused it by posting everything they could think of ever wanting, so it turned into a huge and useless wish-list.

Quote2) Sort games by topic instead of size/length. By topic I mean Sci-fi, humorous, adult, etc.Ã,Â Maybe each game can get multiple descriptive topics allowing it to appear in multiple lists.

This is a good idea and something that's under consideration. Obviously since none of the games have a genre setting at the moment, it would take a while to phase this in.

Quote
3) Sort games by popularity (votes or download count)

See the other post in this thread.

Quote
4) A definition of the content advisory icons?Ã,Â Maybe sort by them too?

The content advisory icons are as well-defined as they can be, really. Trying to define where the line is between "mild" and "strong" violence, for example, would only cause arguments with people disagreeing about the definition, so it's best left up to common sense interpretatin I feel.

Andail · Mon 08/11/2004 19:47:37

If I had more time, and played any games, I would pick up the reviewing again.

- and if my head wasn't on fire.