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This topic has moved here: Poll [12 votes]: What do you think?
  • Poll [12 votes]: What do you think?
Subject: A Way to Make Groups More Personal

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstien

Poll: What do you think?  [closed]
I like it!:  67%
(8 Votes)
I like it, but it would be exploited (solutions?):  17%
(2 Votes)
I don't like it.:  17%
(2 Votes)
Total Votes: 12

Well, i figured that groups should be more customizable. Now don't get the wrong idea and think I am being impatient. It is really only what I would do to make groups more intimate and personal for each group that uses them. Im sure we will be blown away when the full group abilities are put up.

Now... lets get started.
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Groups are very simply constructed. Their skins pretty much contain a text color, link color, background color, border color (not too many), and then 3 images, or maybe around 6 if you include the post images. What I propose is that these all be customizable. The admin would obviously have all control over this, and only the root admin could ever see this screen. It would be called Display Options, and would control the entire physical look of your group. The form I propose is below.

Base Color (The overall group color): ######
Trim Color (Secondary color): ######
Text Color (General text color): ######
Link Color (Link color): ######
Link Style (look of links, check all that apply): [-] Bold [-] Italic [-] Underlined
Front Page Banner (Image that appears at top of home page): http://www.imageurl.com/image.jpg
Menu Image (Image behind menu choices): http://www.imageurl.com/image.jpg
Forum Banner (Image that appears over forums): http://www.imageurl.com/image.jpg

This would be monitored by a number of Group Moderators, who are contacted whenever images are found on groups that are inappropriate by members. The group's admin would then be messaged with a 3 day ultimatum to pull the image down. If this isn't done, then the group is closed and the admin blacklisted for a week. Depending on the violation, that blacklisting can change from a week to a perma-ban. This also means the first warning step can be skipped if it is an extreme violation of the rules.

You could also set up an approval system, where a group sets itself up, and then asks for approval to become active whenever a change is made. Then changes are checked by the moderators.

Other controls I propose are on the rank settings, where you can change the color of text for each member rank (moderator, admin, normal member, etc.). Other options I have thought of are possible custom avatars that the admin can make rank oriented, and these avatars are only visible in the group.

[Edited on 07.21.2007 1:59 PM PDT]

  • 07.21.2007 1:58 PM PDT

Sandswept Studios Design Director

Visit us and check out our games at Sandswept.net!

~~Pardon Our Dust.~~

Great ideas, but I think as far as text color of the group links and such, and banners, 7hemes work fine. Custom avatars? Please no.

The only option I'd really love to see is colored text for security roles. ;)
This has been brought up a lot, but the answer is always "The web team is busy getting ready for Halo 3. Groups aren't a priority."

  • 07.21.2007 2:07 PM PDT

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstien

True, but why must the web team worry about making new themes when you could leave the themes up to the users. It might entail a bit of trust on there part though, although trusting your community is a good thing to do and they will generally like a bit of trust.

  • 07.21.2007 2:13 PM PDT

Sandswept Studios Design Director

Visit us and check out our games at Sandswept.net!

~~Pardon Our Dust.~~

Posted by: UL7IM4 G33K
True, but why must the web team worry about making new themes when you could leave the themes up to the users.

Because to implement such a system would require time from them. :P Such a system you're proposing is not in place, and could probably not be put in place very quickly.

It might entail a bit of trust on there part though, although trusting your community is a good thing to do and they will generally like a bit of trust.

Hah. I don't necessarily want the community as a whole to have that level of privilege..

  • 07.21.2007 2:19 PM PDT

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstien

I do... even if the community would probably squander it. We would at least filter out the idiots a little.

  • 07.21.2007 2:24 PM PDT
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Its a good idea. Needs a little tuneing, but it would be very good. I just wish Bungie would bring back Group Customs.

[Edited on 07.21.2007 2:29 PM PDT]

  • 07.21.2007 2:29 PM PDT

Why do people in ship mutinies always ask for "better treatment"? I'd ask for a pinball machine, because with all that rocking back and forth, you'd get a lot of free games.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words - "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.

once the guys at Theme Masters get the layout for the groups, we could get some really good ones. Like the Old Hawtness.

[Edited on 07.21.2007 3:51 PM PDT]

  • 07.21.2007 3:50 PM PDT
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All images should be hosted on B.net, and reviewed by the Group Mods upon upload, before they can be used.
Otherwise, awesome.

  • 07.21.2007 4:35 PM PDT

"It sucking -blam!-s, it -blam!- sucks, it -blam!- blows, it's a piece of -blam!-... and I don't like it."
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Best.Post.Ever.
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Posted by: dalmedya
All images should be hosted on B.net, and reviewed by the Group Mods upon upload, before they can be used.
Otherwise, awesome.

Dont you think that that would take a little too much work?

  • 07.21.2007 4:44 PM PDT
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You Shall Not Pass!!!

Seems like a good idea, but isn't that...controlling for a member or two who don't like it?

  • 07.21.2007 5:01 PM PDT
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Posted by: SpAmMer
Posted by: dalmedya
All images should be hosted on B.net, and reviewed by the Group Mods upon upload, before they can be used.
Otherwise, awesome.

Dont you think that that would take a little too much work?
Less work than reviewing each change. Maybe I should have been clearer; you upload a bunch of images, and select from your pool of maybe 20-30. All a mod would do is click 'Allow' or 'Disallow' after quickly going over each image. It's not like they need to be rated on each pixel; it's the mods call on where to draw the line.
And these mods wouldn't be the forum ninjas, they'd be a bunch of semi-trustworthy forum-goers, maybe 50 or so.

  • 07.21.2007 5:43 PM PDT

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstien

Posted by: Rylite
Seems like a good idea, but isn't that...controlling for a member or two who don't like it?

I don't see how it is controlling, if anything it would be one of the least restricting things on b.net if it were implemented. Besides, the preset themes would still be available.

  • 07.21.2007 9:37 PM PDT
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KOTOR | The WarriorsI'll chain you to the truth for the truth shall set you free
I'll turn the screws of vengeance and bury you with honesty
I'll make all your dreams come to life, then slay them as quickly as they came

Love the ideas. Maybe not uploading banners and what not though. That may cause problems with copyright and pr0n images being uploaded. If each group could only upload one set of images for the group, then maybe. Then they could be approved from there.

  • 07.22.2007 1:18 PM PDT

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." - Albert Einstien

I tried to solve that problem by forcing a group to go through Group Mod approval to be activated. Which, unfortunately, requires a whole new set of moderators.

  • 07.26.2007 8:24 PM PDT
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Posted by: UL7IM4 G33K
I tried to solve that problem by forcing a group to go through Group Mod approval to be activated. Which, unfortunately, requires a whole new set of moderators.
That's the thing; you only need the custom images to be approved, not the layout / rest of the group settings.

  • 07.26.2007 10:52 PM PDT