Site Suggestion Topic

[Silver Scizor]

I saw this on another site, what if there was a forum for new members, where before they are allowed access to post in the entire forum, they must prove that they can answer intelligent questions asked by other members. Then, you can weed out the trouble makers from the serious posters.

Of course, one issue with that is people may be discouraged to join if they have to go through the trouble.

 

[Doctor Oak]

Never mind the new members, I can't think of anyone here that could be bothered with that effort.

The system we have here works well.

As for Platinum Friend Codes, there's a major upgrade for the forums coming soon and the Friend Codes will be getting a kick in the arse over the course of it - so you'll have to wait for that.

Platinum sprites in the avatars is possible - though I only have folders of the entire 493 - whether or not they have new sprites. Without going through and removing the ones that don't have new sprites, they'd have to go up like that. So... meh. It'd have to be that untidyness or nothing at all. Shall sort it out soon.

TCM upgrades are pretty much not happening until the summer at some point - and Platinum sprites will probably be down the line at some point, but not until I have plenty of time to do them. As I've said before, updates like that literally take an entire weekend working for hours a day on it.

 

[Lenvoy]

I'm not sure if the code for this can be tampered with, as I have little knowledge of the coding in a forum, but is it possible to get rid of the outlines around images in the signaure? Some images (like mine) are meant to be right next to eachother as links to two separate things.

But meh...I might just be whining too much.

 

[Doctor Oak]

As part of the style settings for the site under this design, all images are padded by default for the sake of wrapping around text. There is a way to make exceptions, but not through the img BBC tags - so the answer is pretty much 'tough cookies'.

You could just... y'know, make it a single image...

 

[Lenvoy]

As part of the style settings for the site under this design, all images are padded by default for the sake of wrapping around text. There is a way to make exceptions, but not through the img BBC tags - so the answer is pretty much 'tough cookies'.

You could just... y'know, make it a single image...

I do like cookies. Meh. I guess I'll just make a trainer card to replace the double-image.

EDIT- Also, I seem to notice that the site-activity has gone considerably down since my last visit a few months ago. Might I suggest new affiliates?

 

[Doctor Oak]

Considering we're more trafficked than 90% of all Pokemon fansites on the web, with a few notable exceptions (all of whom we have good relations with), how exactly would affiliation provide any benefit to us?

Activity has likely been lower lately because a lot of our content is being worked on off-site when possible and the TCM's been forced offline - thus there's really not much available outside of the news and forums for now. But even at that, we're still receiving a steady stream of daily unique visitors that keep coming back day after day.

I'd anticipate that with such a massive summer for Pokecharms coming up - not the least of which will be involving the Manchester tournament, a new server so we can get the TCM back up, the new Pokedex finally launching and a massive overhaul to the Staff Showcase - our activity for the rest of the year is securely high.

 

[Jeydis]

New contest idea just sprung up. How about a creative pokemon ideas contest. Say monthly, have a contest up for creating things for the pokemon universe. Best example of which would be Fanmon. A selected panel of judges would post using a pre-written criteria chart and judge the submitted ideas on points like creativity and realism for in game.

It does not have to be limited to fully made fanmon, it could also be create an item or create a pokemon trait/ability. Monthly winners would be given a prize from the project organizer, probably a pokemon of some sort that is specialy bred for them.

I figured we could put a bit creativity in play then the old create a pokemon move/item topic and maybe bring more people to show us their ideas for the pokemon future.

 

[Toru]

OK, most of the users on 'Charms (The ones who have not made really silly over the top mistakes) will have realised that n00bs have been flooding RP's and topics with low-level pointless posts, I'm not talking about posting irrelevant posts on the wrong topics, it's about grammar and spelling. This has been going on for ages, for instance, when I first started here, which was not long ago, I joined the now closed RP, 'Fall of Sinnoh.' I was posting pretty decent posts, but some were posting low quality, idiotic posts that were making themselves look stupid. So I thought a while and finally came up with a solution to sieve out the n00bs from the good users for when they first join.

A quality tester. Simply put, it's making a thread for the people who have just joined the site that is the only thread they can access, (Like classifying them as a n00b who went to far, but something like a 'beginner waiting for access' status when they first sign into the site) , and then making them post a topic on the thread, which is a paragraph describing themselves with good-quality grammar. Then, Admins' will check the paragraph, to see if the new user who posted the paragraph is 'worthy' of entering. If not, they will have to try again until they are 'worthy' enough to join. Hopefully, if this is put into action, the site will be full of good-quality users. (Hoping they read the rules of course!)

If you have any questions, contact me by PM.

So, Oak, what do you think of my idea?

 

[Doctor Oak]

Way more effort required than the benefit gained. It's been discussed before, and shot down before.

 

[Jeydis]

Who was that adressed to Alex?

 

[Newprofile001]

An idea:

Get a resource sprite, then use the code and credit the source as a whole? I know a site that has the sprites... (but I ain't going to post the link because I don't want to get a 'Charm Citation for advertising.)

 

[Doctor Oak]

Abuh?

 

[Jeydis]

I have a suggestion in link with my previous one: Since I ended up starting the creativity contest as a small topic, I was wondering if it would be a good idea to add a Contest forum or sub-forum to the site to have all the contests in one place. That can range from big time mod hosted contests like the weekend trivia by Blaziken to the lesser contests hosted by dedicated members.

Overall it would be simpler that way then having some announced, some not and it would permit some non-mod members to start hosting contests with some potential and I am sure that an increase in contests can increase forum intrest and activity.

 

[QuilavaEmperor]

I`m not sure if you have this is it possible to place like little video clips or animations, because I`m really good at animations and I want to place them on the forum. I know this will take a lot of tampering but it keeps members of this forum entertained.

 

[Teapot]

Well, it depends what format you want to use - animated GIFs will display fine anyway with the tags, Youtube links (I think) get embedded automatically, and there's a Flash tag for Flash animations. Things like MPEGs and AVIs shouldn't be embedded anyway :p

That help?

 

[Stark]

QE - worst comes to worst, just give links. Most members of the forum have enough of a brain to click a link

 

[Newprofile001]

Why don't you make a phone-frienly version of the site? That way, it wouldn't be so hard to load the page while using the phone or while typing using the phone, like I am now...

 

[Emil96]

????????????????????????????

 

[KoL]

Warned for smiley abuse and blatant spam.

Keep that up and you'll be banned very quickly. Read the rules.

 

[Konekodemon]

I would suggest adding the HGSS female trainer, the FRLG male trainer and the two heroes looks for Platinum.

 

[StellarWind Elsydeon]

Yeah, the HGSS trainers as a whole could be a good idea to add, actually. But I'm sure Alex already has plans for that for the upcoming TCM upgrade.

 

[Toastie]

As far as I can see this hasn't been suggested, so here goes...

Why don't we have a yearly Pokecharms awards? We could have nominees in categories which are serious, such as 'Largest Contributor' and ones not so serious, like 'Person most likely to dismember a body', and the thread for it could be a poll (one vote only) in which people vote for one from each category. I know the idea I've suggested isn't perfect (n00bs might abuse the system of one from each category) but I think it could be quite fun. First, there could be a topic in which people suggest categories, then one where people nominate people, then one where people vote for the winners!

 

[Stark]

I've seen Toastie's idea done on other forums... its worked well. A fun little novelty.

 

[Linkachu]

This is just my quick reply, and many already know my answer, but I don't like forum community awards done like that. They generally end up being popularity contests and the members who don't get chosen feel bad about it (even if they'll only admit so secretly). Regardless of the promises people have given not to take them "too seriously", I've never seen good things come from them.

That said... I'd never say "absolutely not" to the thing if others really wanted to see them done, my overall vote would just be a no. Still, I'm always open to ideas/suggestions on how to hold such awards differently (maybe more skill-based and less popularity-ish).

 

[Doctor Oak]

I think Katie's Member Showcase feature did a much better job than this would ever do. It'd probably do better to bring that back.

 

[Linkachu]

I think Katie's Member Showcase feature did a much better job than this would ever do. It'd probably do better to bring that back.

I wouldn't say no, but I couldn't guarantee I'd have time for 'em right now. There was a reason I stopped doing them...

That said, if someone else wanted to pick up the slack and showcase people for me (like Data did for his writing showcase that one time) I wouldn't mind at all.

 

[Teapot]

I'd certainly be interested in helping out with the member showcase. It was fun last time.

(also, 300 posts! THIS IS SPARTA!)

 

[Linkachu]

I'd certainly be interested in helping out with the member showcase. It was fun last time.

(also, 300 posts! THIS IS SPARTA!)

Awesome, Data. Glad to have the help ^^

 

[Blisk]

I don't know how this would be done, but how bout a way to upload movies that we've made with costumes, figurines, and such? I was thinking a Youtube channel, but that can only be accessed by one person, thus, pointless. I know you won't wanna do it on this site because of how much that would add to the site.

Unless, you could have people post their video on Youtube, then have a separate board under The Pit of Creativity where the creator puts a link to the video. I actually think this idea would work. Just a suggestion.

 

[Linkachu]

My biggest worry there is how much interest it'd generate. We DO have a number of members who make videos, but usually they either put them on the Misc. board or they just insert them into their own topics - whatever topic the video would apply to.

I think videos related to artwork could fit nicely onto the artworks board as it already is, actually. "Post all your artwork here, whatever form it takes." Some people have posted photography, so I figure videos with an art-related nature would work just fine, too

 

[Magpie]

I think videos related to artwork could fit nicely onto the artworks board as it already is, actually. "Post all your artwork here, whatever form it takes."

Totally agree. If you, or anyone else makes videos then feel free to post them in the artworks board or the Misc forum, depending on the content. I don't think there would be enough interest for a separate board - a topic maybe, like the existing Video topic we have, could work. But like Linkachu said, posting them in the Artworks/Misc boards makes sense, especially if you do lots of little skits or something - then one topic in the Artworks forum would be fun ^^

 

[Blisk]

Makes sense. I didn't see the Video topic, hence, I made this suggestion. Thanks for addressing it.

 

[ToadDude]

I have an Idea that might help trading here. If we added a Server Time, then people could write- "Ok. I'll meet you in the Wi-Fi Room at 12:00 ST." instead of writing- "Sure. I'll be in at 1:00 EST. That's (Insert Time Here) (Insert Time Zone Here) in you place. Yes, I know it's a copy of GTS+ but it could help people.
Thanks for Considering it!

 

[Doctor Oak]

The timezone on the forums is set to whatever you want it to be. So 'server time' is useless.

The 'server time' is actually just GMT though. So just use GMT if you want - it's pretty easy to look up how many hours to plus or minus for your timezone after that. Easier than, say, Pacific to Eastern etc etc.