Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library?

*Akasha* · August 16, 2008, 05:24 PM

The new look Library has been active for just over a week now, so it's time to gather some feedback. Currently, all the guides are still in the old Library, so if we want to switch back, we still can. And if we do want to switch back, the sooner the better as, unfortunately, I can not copy over from New > Old.

Personally, there are some things with the new Library that bug me.

Any comments made to the guides, don't show up when you use the 'New Posts' or 'Today's Posts' forum feature. You have to do a separate search to see if any comments have been made via the 'Last 1, 3, 7 Days' options under the Library Interface. This can cause comments to be easily missed.

Although I love the layout of the Library Index, it seems very bloated once you go into a category. Instead of providing a simple list of the guides, it gives you a snippet of the start of it, which means you have to scroll further to see the guides at the bottom. That said, that might be a feature a lot of people like.

Note: If we do switch back to the forum based Library, there is some tweaking I would do. For example creating sub-forums to mimic the categories currently.

That all said, I really love the ability to have multipage guides! Canadianpimp's Gear Guide is so much easier for people to navigate with the built in navigation menu. It's probably the biggest plus for the current Library at the moment. Sadly, that can't be replicated in a forum format.

What does everyone else think?

Midnight · August 17, 2008, 02:52 AM

I like the new layout in that the guides are divided into categories. It makes the guides easier to find compared to the forum layout it had previously. It even helped me find guides I didn't know existed before because they were obviously buried a few pages deep.

I don't like that they don't seem to be integrated into the forums anymore. I tend to leave the front page open in the background and hit refresh every nw and then to see if any new posts have been made. I don't get updated anymore when the guides are replied to, which, although isn't a huge deal as 99% of the replies don't apply to me, it makes me feel like the guides are being left out.

I do like the featured guides section though, it makes for easy navigation to the most commonly used guides. And I agree that the multipage ability for the gear guide is nice.

Smok · August 17, 2008, 03:19 AM

^
Yup.

If you could make the forum Library look like the current Library (categories) it would be cool.

Robo-lock · August 17, 2008, 03:31 AM

I like the look, but miss out on when things get updated. Can you make the forum library look the same, and have the guides link to the new library version? That way we get the multipage function, but the benefit of knowing when it's updated via the library.

Cormanthor · August 17, 2008, 11:36 AM

^^
Sounds great. What about linking the "Post Reply" in the Library to the associated guide's forum topic? If that's possible we could have the best of both worlds!

Marsyx · August 17, 2008, 12:49 PM

Personally I liked the old layout better, but then I'm a sore person when it comes to serious change. The biggest change I haven't liked is with not seeing the number of pages to each post. I tend to head to the last page right away, especially if it's a post I've read already or I've already posted on.

*Akasha* · August 17, 2008, 04:22 PM

Thankyou to those who have provided feedback so far. Even just poll votes help, don't feel you need to post a comment (especially if you hate it, the vote gives you a chance to have our say anonymously so to speak).

To answer the feedback so far:

Quote:

If you could make the forum Library look like the current Library (categories) it would be cool.

It's very easy to create 'categories' in the forum based Library if we go back to that option. They are just sub-forums basically.

Quote:

Can you make the forum library look the same, and have the guides link to the new library version? That way we get the multipage function, but the benefit of knowing when it's updated via the library. ... Sounds great. What about linking the "Post Reply" in the Library to the associated guide's forum topic? If that's possible we could have the best of both worlds!

Yup, we can do that. I can set the new Library look to not allow replies to any of the threads, and we can have the threads under the Library section as 'Discussion thread for X guide'. Think of it like a 'Book' and then the 'Book Club' - you read... then you discuss.

Quote:

The biggest change I haven't liked is with not seeing the number of pages to each post. I tend to head to the last page right away, especially if it's a post I've read already or I've already posted on.

Yes, that is a problem. With the above solution, that would solve that problem too.

Mininuke · August 17, 2008, 06:27 PM

This new layout is making my skin crawl, I'm sorry to say but limiting the pages is just annoying =S

*Akasha* · August 17, 2008, 06:29 PM

Wow, how's THAT for feedback lol. When you say 'limiting the pages' do you mean having Canadianpimp's Guide spread over different pages? Or the guides spread over different categories?

Pernicious · August 18, 2008, 08:43 AM

Ok... lets see, the library...

What I like...
The layout of the main Library page. I like how the types of guides are very clearly organized according to category. I also like the left hand menu with "My Stuff", "New Guides", "Most Popular", and "Featured Guides".

When Viewing a guide, I like the right hand "Guide Navigation" as it makes it so much easier to jump through a really long guide to the section you want to read.

What I don't like...
That page, between the main guide and the actual guide, the page that lists all the guides under a category. What I don't like about this screen is the fact it includes the first bit of the guide. I think the blocks for each guide are far to large and it makes the screen far longer than it needs to be. I think the only thing that this screen needs to show is guide name, author, date, number of replies, and rating. The guide title should describe what the guide is about, but it might look nice if a single sentence was there describing its contents as well. But nothing too long.

Otherwise, I like it...

View Poll Results: How do you like the new Library?
Love it!	18	19.78%
Like it...	26	28.57%
It bugs me...	33	36.26%
Hate it!	14	15.38%
Voters: 91. You may not vote on this poll

August 17, 2008, 02:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
Midnight Member	Re: Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library? I like the new layout in that the guides are divided into categories. It makes the guides easier to find compared to the forum layout it had previously. It even helped me find guides I didn't know existed before because they were obviously buried a few pages deep. I don't like that they don't seem to be integrated into the forums anymore. I tend to leave the front page open in the background and hit refresh every nw and then to see if any new posts have been made. I don't get updated anymore when the guides are replied to, which, although isn't a huge deal as 99% of the replies don't apply to me, it makes me feel like the guides are being left out. I do like the featured guides section though, it makes for easy navigation to the most commonly used guides. And I agree that the multipage ability for the gear guide is nice.

August 17, 2008, 03:19 AM	#3 (permalink)
Smok Member	Re: Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library? ^ Yup. If you could make the forum Library look like the current Library (categories) it would be cool.

August 17, 2008, 03:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
Robo-lock Registered	Re: Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library? I like the look, but miss out on when things get updated. Can you make the forum library look the same, and have the guides link to the new library version? That way we get the multipage function, but the benefit of knowing when it's updated via the library.

August 17, 2008, 11:36 AM	#5 (permalink)
Cormanthor Haatom ain't skeert! Character Info Cormanthor 80 Human Warlock Gnomeregan US PvE Guild: Knights who say Ni Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/41/30	Re: Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library? ^^ Sounds great. What about linking the "Post Reply" in the Library to the associated guide's forum topic? If that's possible we could have the best of both worlds!

August 16, 2008, 05:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
Akasha	Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library? The new look Library has been active for just over a week now, so it's time to gather some feedback. Currently, all the guides are still in the old Library, so if we want to switch back, we still can. And if we do want to switch back, the sooner the better as, unfortunately, I can not copy over from New > Old. Personally, there are some things with the new Library that bug me. Any comments made to the guides, don't show up when you use the 'New Posts' or 'Today's Posts' forum feature. You have to do a separate search to see if any comments have been made via the 'Last 1, 3, 7 Days' options under the Library Interface. This can cause comments to be easily missed. Although I love the layout of the Library Index, it seems very bloated once you go into a category. Instead of providing a simple list of the guides, it gives you a snippet of the start of it, which means you have to scroll further to see the guides at the bottom. That said, that might be a feature a lot of people like. Note: If we do switch back to the forum based Library, there is some tweaking I would do. For example creating sub-forums to mimic the categories currently. That all said, I really love the ability to have multipage guides! Canadianpimp's Gear Guide is so much easier for people to navigate with the built in navigation menu. It's probably the biggest plus for the current Library at the moment. Sadly, that can't be replicated in a forum format. What does everyone else think?

August 17, 2008, 12:49 PM	#6 (permalink)
Marsyx Member Character Info Marsyx 70 Human Warlock Dragonblight US PvE Guild: TRC Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/21/40	Re: Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library? Personally I liked the old layout better, but then I'm a sore person when it comes to serious change. The biggest change I haven't liked is with not seeing the number of pages to each post. I tend to head to the last page right away, especially if it's a post I've read already or I've already posted on.

August 17, 2008, 06:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
Mininuke Registered Character Info Mininuke 70 Gnome Warlock Anachronos US PvE Guild: Keepers of Peace Talent Spec: 15/46/0	Re: Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library? This new layout is making my skin crawl, I'm sorry to say but limiting the pages is just annoying =S

August 17, 2008, 06:29 PM	#9 (permalink)
Akasha	Re: Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library? Wow, how's THAT for feedback lol. When you say 'limiting the pages' do you mean having Canadianpimp's Guide spread over different pages? Or the guides spread over different categories?

August 18, 2008, 08:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
Pernicious Character Info Pernicious 80 Blood Elf Warlock Dark Iron US PvP Guild: Dire Beef Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/51/20	Re: Feedback Time! How do you like the new Library? Ok... lets see, the library... What I like... The layout of the main Library page. I like how the types of guides are very clearly organized according to category. I also like the left hand menu with "My Stuff", "New Guides", "Most Popular", and "Featured Guides". When Viewing a guide, I like the right hand "Guide Navigation" as it makes it so much easier to jump through a really long guide to the section you want to read. What I don't like... That page, between the main guide and the actual guide, the page that lists all the guides under a category. What I don't like about this screen is the fact it includes the first bit of the guide. I think the blocks for each guide are far to large and it makes the screen far longer than it needs to be. I think the only thing that this screen needs to show is guide name, author, date, number of replies, and rating. The guide title should describe what the guide is about, but it might look nice if a single sentence was there describing its contents as well. But nothing too long. Otherwise, I like it...