Website Overhaul - Planning

[mifu]

Hello!

So in the next few months I hope to be working on making this website better then it currently is. I have not discussed this with everyone yet because for me to be able to do that I figured id come up with a list of suggestions (or grievances if you like) on how the website looks and works (this thing here https://zandronum.com/)

We can also extend this feedback for the forums (im sure we got a backlog just no time to do it in... till now), tracker and the wiki.

So im asking for any suggestions on how we can improve the site in general. Make sure its a civil discussion!

And right of the bat, no its not about public image. We did get a good suggestion in that thread about adding a list of mods made for zandronum and I figured if there is anything else that can be done, to add it to the list.

[TGminer]

1st!!

Curious, will we be able to look at the current servers on the master list for Zandronum like the Doomsday Engine? I know there are over like 500 servers but I am curious.

[mifu]

1st!!

Curious, will we be able to look at the current servers on the master list for Zandronum like the Doomsday Engine? I know there are over like 500 servers but I am curious.

Dont know how do-able that is, but we can look into it.

[Catastrophe]

You guys should add a very simply how-to play online tutorial on the website; all the way on the top. The wiki just doesn't cut it, you need to spoon feed this. There are a (surprising) amount of people who still ask me how to actually play online from my YT. Specifically mention doom2.wad because that's what every server uses. I'd even add keywords such as "how to play brutal doom online" too just so it's that much easier to understand.

[doomjoshuaboy]

You guys should add a very simply how-to play online tutorial on the website; all the way on the top. The wiki just doesn't cut it, you need to spoon feed this. There are a (surprising) amount of people who still ask me how to actually play online from my YT. Specifically mention doom2.wad because that's what every server uses. I'd even add keywords such as "how to play brutal doom online" too just so it's that much easier to understand.

I wish i can record mac versions because i have a mac i know most people don't like macs but comes in handy for mac people.

would be a good idea though

[SyKoTiC]

A subscribe button to users would be nice so we know when they make important or dank posts to keep up to date with what they work on or talk about.

[ZZYZX]

Master list on the website should be easily doable, there are implementations of master query protocol in JS (by AM, was used in DoomSpy) and Python (mine).

[CrashOveride]

I don't see why not, Kaillera could do it.
http://www.kaillera.com/

[Cutman]

You guys should add a very simply how-to play online tutorial on the website; all the way on the top. The wiki just doesn't cut it, you need to spoon feed this. There are a (surprising) amount of people who still ask me how to actually play online from my YT. Specifically mention doom2.wad because that's what every server uses. I'd even add keywords such as "how to play brutal doom online" too just so it's that much easier to understand.

I'm glad someone brought this up. Many people that ask me how to set up Zandronum don't even know what to do with a zip file. Not to mention the fact Zandro/ZDoom has god awful default settings, has way more options than your average video game (tons of options can scare away new players) and relies on third party applications to get the thing up and running online with other players with the mods they're playing.

Also I have to ask, how useful exactly is having a list of active servers on the front page? I would say most users won't even go there unless they're looking for the forum/wiki/tracker. Unless you can click the servers there and instantly connect to the servers listed on there without the need of Doomseeker, I don't think it's worth the effort.

[Sean]

Maybe fix the fact I have to go incognito to submit anything to this site at all
Would be a good idea to upgrade it off this prehistoric ubuntu version too

[NachtIntellect]

You guys should add a very simply how-to play online tutorial on the website; all the way on the top. The wiki just doesn't cut it, you need to spoon feed this. There are a (surprising) amount of people who still ask me how to actually play online from my YT. Specifically mention doom2.wad because that's what every server uses. I'd even add keywords such as "how to play brutal doom online" too just so it's that much easier to understand.

I'm glad someone brought this up. Many people that ask me how to set up Zandronum don't even know what to do with a zip file. Not to mention the fact Zandro/ZDoom has god awful default settings, has way more options than your average video game (tons of options can scare away new players) and relies on third party applications to get the thing up and running online with other players with the mods they're playing.

To be honest, I am actually doing something similar but this doesn't really concern the website, I am writing several how-to's in a notepad for people who are new to the mod I am making such as how to run, what engine/engines the mod runs in, how to fix hud bugging out and etc I am pretty sure not many people are willing to read in order to get stuff working the way it should but this is nice for people who have no clue, I think if there is going to be such a thing that the homepage should also have a disclaimer like '*Certain users may or may not include a how-to in order to tell you how to run their mod the way it was designed, in that case seek out the how-to/info.txt in the folder it should provide you with what you need to know' since I think there are very few people that do this or would do this though I think it may cause some confusion among some people.

[doomista]

You guys should add a very simply how-to play online tutorial on the website; all the way on the top. The wiki just doesn't cut it, you need to spoon feed this. There are a (surprising) amount of people who still ask me how to actually play online from my YT. Specifically mention doom2.wad because that's what every server uses. I'd even add keywords such as "how to play brutal doom online" too just so it's that much easier to understand.

I'm glad someone brought this up. Many people that ask me how to set up Zandronum don't even know what to do with a zip file. Not to mention the fact Zandro/ZDoom has god awful default settings, has way more options than your average video game (tons of options can scare away new players) and relies on third party applications to get the thing up and running online with other players with the mods they're playing.

To be honest, I am actually doing something similar but this doesn't really concern the website, I am writing several how-to's in a notepad for people who are new to the mod I am making such as how to run, what engine/engines the mod runs in, how to fix hud bugging out and etc I am pretty sure not many people are willing to read in order to get stuff working the way it should but this is nice for people who have no clue, I think if there is going to be such a thing that the homepage should also have a disclaimer like '*Certain users may or may not include a how-to in order to tell you how to run their mod the way it was designed, in that case seek out the how-to/info.txt in the folder it should provide you with what you need to know' since I think there are very few people that do this or would do this though I think it may cause some confusion among some people.

Wouldn't be better to make a video instead of a written guide? I think it would be much more comprehensive.

[Doomenator]

Wouldn't be better to make a video instead of a written guide? I think it would be much more comprehensive.

Manual unlike video can be easy translated to any language.

[NachtIntellect]

Doomista has a point though, videos can be taken in as less boring and more direct, in other words it's more than likely people especially those new to ports will watch a video rather than read a document in order to find what they need to know, I think the text thing might be a bit redundant and I know it sounds a bit lazy for those who let the videos explain for them but ease of access is a thing.

[Doomenator]

You decided to provide the theory of visual perception or what? Are you can make a video to support all the languages? I'll be glad to look at.

[Sean]

Why is every page part of the forum now? It really doesn't look very nice at all compared to what it was - a good example is the home page.

[Catastrophe]

Doomista has a point though, videos can be taken in as less boring and more direct, in other words it's more than likely people especially those new to ports will watch a video rather than read a document in order to find what they need to know, I think the text thing might be a bit redundant and I know it sounds a bit lazy for those who let the videos explain for them but ease of access is a thing.

No one watches tutorials > 2 mins anymore. Reading is a lot easier.

[doomista]

Doomista has a point though, videos can be taken in as less boring and more direct, in other words it's more than likely people especially those new to ports will watch a video rather than read a document in order to find what they need to know, I think the text thing might be a bit redundant and I know it sounds a bit lazy for those who let the videos explain for them but ease of access is a thing.

No one watches tutorials > 2 mins anymore. Reading is a lot easier.

Cannot argue with that one. Still I always found it quite hard to write easy-to-read tutorials for whatever doom port based. Mainly because of sentences including lots of Directory->Subdirectory->Subsubdirectory links. I spend a lots of time in an effort to make it somewhat visually clear but never hit the sweet spot. It can be covered with images though, but it would be much less work to produce couple of >2 min tutorial vids than fiddling with images imho.

About that argument with translations: Youtube supports subtitles in various languages. Yes, subtitles are harder to produce but it is a way

[Doomenator]

The text guide make much easier and faster. Easy to translate, edit and supplement. It has a small size. It will be available even on the potato gadgets. It can be added to archive with the mods and new zan build.
But the video guide is also useful especially for those who can't read.

[Doomkid]

I noticed registration dates are vague rather than specific now (X years ago as opposed to an exact date), is there any reason for that? It's pretty much totally inconsequential, but it still seems like a tiny downgrade with no real gain?