Forum:Skin Update - Social Tools
From AoCWiki
As many/most/all? of you are aware, AoC Wiki has a new skin up and running. Kinda hard to miss this huh?
Anyways, what the purpose of this topic of discussion is to generate some feedback and ideas for the coming implementation of wikia's social tools. If you are interested in making a community for the AoC Wiki successful and lively and a place to more than just go to and click "edit" on random pages, then please bookmark this discussion and check back (even ask questions or provide possible ideas/solutions as appropriate) for it!
First up, if you know nothing about the tools at all, please go here and read up on them somewhat, especially the User Levels as we'll need to start working on a list of ranks people can acquire. Gifts would be a good one to start considering as well. Just a few, we can easily add more later!
Anyways, when you have this sorted, PLEASE do post back here your thoughts and ideas and we'll build on it from there!
Thanks Daworm 13:59, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
- Note that points aren't planned as a part of the initial rollout, but the other modules are. Kirkburn (talk) 14:27, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
Contents |
[edit] AndyBear's Opinions
These new functions looks super cool to me :> .. I'd like a "real" forum on the AoC Wiki if it's possible? (: .. It's easier to create communities like that in my opinion. A nice free one is SMF Board. (google it :b) Also, great new design for the Wiki, can't wait till the new functions are up and running.
Ciao AndyBear 23:57, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
- I agree, this is something I am talking to Wikia about but am holding off just now as they are trailing a new forum option. Otherwise we should be able to get phpBB forums configured for our use in place of the current setup. Daworm 01:11, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
- I really like some of the new things things skin brings to the wiki, I'm really happy about the change. Forums would be cool, although I do enjoy the chatter staying on the wiki pages. The talk about the page can stay right on the page :) It just seems easier and simple, and a wiki thing to do. Although either way I support :) --Damaruskt 07:11, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
- I like AndyBear's idea...actual forums would be nice to have, and if you need hosting, i have a server to host the boards on...Hendryx 00:54, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
- hehe - Forum hosting isn't an issue at all :) It'll be a change to the current setup. But with Social Tools, that may be alleviated as eventually there are Blogs that we can use for starting discussions etc. I'll get back to you about that, in the immediate future concentrate on what was linked above and the profiles / avatars and ranks sections. :)
- I like AndyBear's idea...actual forums would be nice to have, and if you need hosting, i have a server to host the boards on...Hendryx 00:54, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
- Daworm talk / cont 01:09, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] User Ranks
Will the 'user rank' unlock anything new as you move up in ranks? and, if it doesn't then it SHOULD! If you start using this rank system then i would start out with random number of points...then we can get a general idea on how easy/hard it is to move through the ranks...Hendryx 01:14, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
- At the moment I don't think they do, but what sort of things would you suggest they could unlock? Now I think it's mainly used as a way to show off that you're active :P Zido [Talk] [Contribs] 11:11, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
- Physically rewarding users (as opposed to just labels) merely for editing is a bit scary - it might encourage spamming a bit too much. Kirkburn (talk) 12:33, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
- Kirkburn: Does the current system revert points when the edit/whatever is reverted? I know in many cases it would be impossible to check wether the edits were actually reverted, but with the use of the rollback function it shouldn't be that much of a problem. Zido [Talk] [Contribs] 20:38, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
- to KIRKBURN response's...i think giving them labels would encourage spamming too...i dont think there is a way around that...maybe you could reward users with emblems or something...or maybe when they have like 2000 points they can upload images or make a new page...Hendryx 23:54, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
To clarify - I'm saying that giving the users tangible rewards such an adminship or rollback privileges would be a bad way to go. The current setup is that you just get award pictures and a level (e.g. "private"), and it's not something you can easily flash around. That way, users get feedback on their actions, but can't thrust that in other people's faces. Recording rollbacks would indeed be difficult - however the admins can remove points from users if neccessary. Kirkburn (talk) 13:01, 18 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Beta site and update
We have a beta site live at http://beta.aoc.wikia.com - please check it out. It can go live fairly soon. When viewing that version, please note the address bar after clicking links - it is easy to find yourself back on the normal site. Also note the database is shared so changes made on live/beta sites affect both. Kirkburn (talk) 16:20, 21 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Stuff to do
To ensure users know about these features we recommend doing the following things:
[edit] Main page
For the main page, we've got an extra few things to be added. See for example http://gta.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page. These extensions can be placed on your main page or community portal to "surface" social activity on a wiki. The first two are used together, as only one or the other will ever show.
| Meet the Community | Welcome User | Site activity |
|---|---|---|
| For logged out users, this hook allows you to display avatars of the community. You can specify the number of avatars to show and the number of rows to show them in. | For logged in users, this will display any open friend requests, gifts or other social notifications. | This is a visual version of recent changes that you can display on your main page. It also includes some of the profile activities that don't currently show up in recent changes. |
Meet the Community              
| Site Activity |
Five edits milestone
More info on w:c:help:Help:Profile tools#Supporting extensions
[edit] Custom fields
You will need to put some custom text fields in - they are shown on http://beta.aoc.wikia.com/wiki/Special:UpdateProfile/custom
For example, "favourite race", "favourite feature".
Info on how and where to do this - w:c:help:Help:User Profiles#Custom
- I have done a couple. I'll do the others later, really wanna chance the colour of the damned boxes though! :)
- Daworm talk / cont 22:25, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Sitenotice
Don't forget to add a sitenotice to tell people about the new stuff! See w:c:gta:MediaWiki:Sitenotice for an example. Don't forget to increase the MediaWiki:Sitenotice id of course :)
[edit] Site Scout
You will probably also wish to link to the new Site Scout extension on MediaWiki:Monaco-sidebar‎. The page can be found at Special:SiteScout.
[edit] Profiles
Fill out your profiles and start friending/gifting everyone you know on the wiki!
[edit] It lives!
Profile tools are now live :) Edit count and awards should also be up to date with regards to old edits. Kirkburn (talk) 15:47, 23 April 2008 (UTC)
I note tocs were showing with the wrong colours - I've attempted fixes, but it'll probably need improvements. Kirkburn (talk) 16:07, 23 April 2008 (UTC)
- I like the new tools. People are now easier to find because you can add them as friends...*EDIT* I just noticed that there aren't that many statistics, will there be more in the coming days?Hendryx 16:01, 25 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Ranks
We're still in need of preparing some rank names appropriate to Conan. Suggestions anyone? w:c:help:Help:User_Levels
[edit] Prod for main page modules
About getting those modules on the main page - I recall talk of a main page redesign? What's the current situation? Now would be a good time to get the stuff up there, with the start of the open beta :) Kirkburn (talk) 16:18, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- I have made some move on it, but not terribly much as yet. User:Daworm/Temp/Mainpage I'll try work on that some more this week though, just my design skills are limited.
- Daworm talk / cont 22:24, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
- I don't wish to be "pestery", but this is cause I was taking a look at the site metrics earlier (Special:SiteMetrics, activated for non-staff today). The main page modules seem to be fairly important in advertising the new stuff. I realise you've had to deal with the skin issues as well though :/ Btw, I have a PSD of the remade avatar logo - who could I email that to? Kirkburn (talk) 22:38, 5 May 2008 (UTC)