Journal #5724
Posted 15 years ago2009-04-05 07:41:20 UTC
Okay, let's talk TWHL improvements.
As said in the news post, I'm recoding TWHL. Why? because the current TWHL code is disgusting, and I never want to look at it again. (This is the reason I never make any changes/improvements/bug fixes/etc to TWHL.)
The solution? Recode it. Entirely from scratch. HTML, CSS, PHP. Some of the HTML/CSS is okay but mostly it isn't as flexible as I would like it to be for a dynamic website. The PHP is unrecoverable, and has been completely scrapped.
You may be thinking, "Won't the same thing happen with the new code?", and you're right to think that. Hopefully, the way that it's being coded will make it easy to make changes/additions/upgrades without making me want to kill myself. I'm using a framework this time, CakePHP, and it's actually very fun to work with. It has a ton of really nice features that are dead easy to implement, and should make TWHL a much more friendly site to navigate.
So let's look at features for said TWHL recode. For easy reference, let's call it TWHL4.
Bold - percentage lines explained:
<feature> - <percentage chance of happening>
First of all, I'm not sure if the theme will stay. I'm rewriting all the HTML and CSS, but I'm making it look pretty much exactly the same. I'm leaning towards changing the theme to something less orange, but this theme will be available as an option (as will custom user-created themes, if anyone actually bothers to make one).
New default theme - 60%
Custom/multiple themes - 90%
A better tutorial system is a must-have. I don't know exactly how it'll be better, but it will be. There needs to be drastic improvements on tutorials from proposing to drafts and tutorial revisions.
The VERC Articulator wiki will need to be implemented so that people can start adding the missing images and formatting them with BBCode. This will definitely happen.
I'll also try to make the entity/error Wiki more attractive to people who might edit them.
Better tutorial system - 100%
VERC Articulator - 100%
Wiki spruce-up - 60%
Map of the Month! I hope that TWHL4 will bring new votes to MOTM, as well as making it easier for Daubster and co. to upload reviews. I'll do this by implementing a proper MOTM admin panel for Daub (and other reviewers) to use, and putting a MOTM thingie on the right column of the main page. Also, I'll put up a big obnoxious message telling you to vote for MOTM if you haven't (disable-able, of course.)
MOTM admin panel - 100%
MOTM widget & reminder message - 100%
Javascript might play a larger role in TWHL4, but it will be designed to degrade gracefully if javascript is not enabled. TWHL3 doesn't do this. Naughty penguin.
Graceful javascript - 101%
User/Admin alerts will no longer suck.
You'll be able to view previous poll results.
A more complex polling system might be made.
I don't know about poll-threads, I don't like the idea of them. But, maybe.
Shoutbox Live might actually be live.
It'll be easier to get to your own profile.
Top right icons will be changed to look clearer.
The old avatars will be replaced with new, HL-related ones. (The old ones will still be available.)
Non-sucky alerts - 100%
Poll history - 100%
Surveys - 60%
Poll threads - 20%
Shoutbox Live living up to its name - 70%
Find yourself - 90%
Easy-function icons - 90%
New avatars - 100%
CakePHP makes URLs much neater. So, instead of
/forums.php?thread=12345, it's
/forums/thread/12345
This is done automatically by Cake, so I don't need to do anything!
Fancy URLs - 100%
Static pages (about, where, servers, etc) will be easier to edit, meaning that people's servers might actually get on there once in a while!
Servers/links page updated sometimes - 80%
I might open up some spaces for user-created compo's. And maybe more than one compo running at once.
More compos - 90%
Profiles will be improved - birthdays, PC stats, xfire/Steam details, last login, stats that actually increase when you do things...the list goes on.
Profiles 2.0 - 100%
That's all I can think of for now. And that's just the start of it!
In the comments: what changes would you like for TWHL4?
Please, don't list bugfixes, as they'll probably not even exist once the new code is done. I'm talking about what core functionality of TWHL you think should be changed.
As said in the news post, I'm recoding TWHL. Why? because the current TWHL code is disgusting, and I never want to look at it again. (This is the reason I never make any changes/improvements/bug fixes/etc to TWHL.)
The solution? Recode it. Entirely from scratch. HTML, CSS, PHP. Some of the HTML/CSS is okay but mostly it isn't as flexible as I would like it to be for a dynamic website. The PHP is unrecoverable, and has been completely scrapped.
You may be thinking, "Won't the same thing happen with the new code?", and you're right to think that. Hopefully, the way that it's being coded will make it easy to make changes/additions/upgrades without making me want to kill myself. I'm using a framework this time, CakePHP, and it's actually very fun to work with. It has a ton of really nice features that are dead easy to implement, and should make TWHL a much more friendly site to navigate.
So let's look at features for said TWHL recode. For easy reference, let's call it TWHL4.
Bold - percentage lines explained:
<feature> - <percentage chance of happening>
First of all, I'm not sure if the theme will stay. I'm rewriting all the HTML and CSS, but I'm making it look pretty much exactly the same. I'm leaning towards changing the theme to something less orange, but this theme will be available as an option (as will custom user-created themes, if anyone actually bothers to make one).
New default theme - 60%
Custom/multiple themes - 90%
A better tutorial system is a must-have. I don't know exactly how it'll be better, but it will be. There needs to be drastic improvements on tutorials from proposing to drafts and tutorial revisions.
The VERC Articulator wiki will need to be implemented so that people can start adding the missing images and formatting them with BBCode. This will definitely happen.
I'll also try to make the entity/error Wiki more attractive to people who might edit them.
Better tutorial system - 100%
VERC Articulator - 100%
Wiki spruce-up - 60%
Map of the Month! I hope that TWHL4 will bring new votes to MOTM, as well as making it easier for Daubster and co. to upload reviews. I'll do this by implementing a proper MOTM admin panel for Daub (and other reviewers) to use, and putting a MOTM thingie on the right column of the main page. Also, I'll put up a big obnoxious message telling you to vote for MOTM if you haven't (disable-able, of course.)
MOTM admin panel - 100%
MOTM widget & reminder message - 100%
Javascript might play a larger role in TWHL4, but it will be designed to degrade gracefully if javascript is not enabled. TWHL3 doesn't do this. Naughty penguin.
Graceful javascript - 101%
User/Admin alerts will no longer suck.
You'll be able to view previous poll results.
A more complex polling system might be made.
I don't know about poll-threads, I don't like the idea of them. But, maybe.
Shoutbox Live might actually be live.
It'll be easier to get to your own profile.
Top right icons will be changed to look clearer.
The old avatars will be replaced with new, HL-related ones. (The old ones will still be available.)
Non-sucky alerts - 100%
Poll history - 100%
Surveys - 60%
Poll threads - 20%
Shoutbox Live living up to its name - 70%
Find yourself - 90%
Easy-function icons - 90%
New avatars - 100%
CakePHP makes URLs much neater. So, instead of
/forums.php?thread=12345, it's
/forums/thread/12345
This is done automatically by Cake, so I don't need to do anything!
Fancy URLs - 100%
Static pages (about, where, servers, etc) will be easier to edit, meaning that people's servers might actually get on there once in a while!
Servers/links page updated sometimes - 80%
I might open up some spaces for user-created compo's. And maybe more than one compo running at once.
More compos - 90%
Profiles will be improved - birthdays, PC stats, xfire/Steam details, last login, stats that actually increase when you do things...the list goes on.
Profiles 2.0 - 100%
That's all I can think of for now. And that's just the start of it!
In the comments: what changes would you like for TWHL4?
Please, don't list bugfixes, as they'll probably not even exist once the new code is done. I'm talking about what core functionality of TWHL you think should be changed.
31 Comments
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i opt we have the choice to block the tools so we (personally) dont see their forum posts and what not.
EDIT: TWHL forever! (We need more tuts for source, though.)
About the possible new theme, maybe I shouldn't say this, but a certain someone has shown interest in doing a new one (not me). >_>
Looks like somebody watches the shoutbox.
Anyway, best wishes with TWHL4.
If you think it's all your doing, you're sorely mistaken.
Srry: ...Don't get your hopes up. Strider's mysterious "certain someone has shown interest in doing a new one" mentioned colours that were very much NOT orange/yellow.
I hope so too Commander, FOR YOUR SAKE =)
Orange and yellow for win. Anything else, is a waste of material(and subsequently fails). Not preserving the main theme would be a big mistake imo...
What about the ORANGE box?
Orange is still a pretty predominant colour, think lambda graffiti in HL2 and the episodes.
Orange TWHL forever. Tunnel Snakes RULE!
Something to think about: Enable HTML for the profile biography and journals. That way, instead of posted links and such, we can make a nicely packaged journal with all of the works in it, like youtube videos, flash, and etc. Kinda like Deviant Art.
Here's something I was thinking :
Firstly, it would be great for us if we could upload (or link-post) more images for a map. The possibility of adding a video using youtube or any other source(using vodPod).
GIF avatars !!!
Ads for money - but don't exagerate( for you
A "waste of spaces" posting corrector :D.
I hope you don't mean animated GIFs!
"Ads for money"
Yea I like the idea of having ads all over the site. It would be such an improvement... NOT! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING WITH? Not to mention it is not morally right. No good community use ads.
"AIDS" > "ADS", learn2program.
Considering the limit will still be 2 mb for a map post.
And donations are always better than ads.
Never mention this again.
BOLLOCKS
Seriously tho, i find the current layout pretty and easy on the eyes. If i had to look at a black/grey theme layout like SnarkPit for any period of time, i'd have to tear out mine eyes.. = (
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