Please switch forum software

[Slight]

While this isn't directly related to the game itself, I think the community would flurish much better with a bit more proper forum software (PHPBB, vBulletin, ect). Whatever software is being used currently is just... terrible to be blunt. Quoting is non-existant, the reply feature bumps a post up which is bad, it looks way too basic, a lot of standard forum features and bbcode are missing, and the title of a post/thread isn't even seperated from the post body so you keep seeing the first few words of posts being repeated...



Both PHPBB and vBulletin have simple to use database migitation features as well so it shouldn't be hard to port the forum database over.



Would really like to see this done, it would make the site seem immensly more professional not to mention more usable and readable.

 

[Archer6621]

I honestly recommend XenForo, it\'s simply really good, many of the larger communities (Starbound for example) are using it because of how easy it is to setup and because of how much you can customize it to your own needs.

 

[Traxie21]

XenForo is nice... if you are willing to set up an entire website based on it and pay the cost of the software.

IMO, XenForo is nice for projects, servers, and communities, but when it comes to games, it just dosn\'t cut it.



Games should have a unique site feeling that really draws you into the game atmosphere.

 

[Archer6621]

Well what StarBound did, was setup a game website not relying on XenForo, with a link to a XenForo forum, it works quite well, maybe something similar can be done here.

 

[Dark.Spencer]

just change the following code and everything will be fine

(style.css line 174)


table {



border-spacing: 0;

font-size: 12px;



}



(system.theme.css line 49)



td.active {



background-color: #252525;



}



(advanced-forum.naked.structure.css line 379)



.forum-post-panel-main p {



font-size: 14px;

margin-right: 10px;



}



i also recomend adding this code



.forum-table-topics td.views-field-last-updated .username{color:#F4CE2C;}





doing this will fix all the visual issues with the design.

 

[Archer6621]

Will that also fix the subject boxes?

 

[vernes]

I wish I could upvote threads so I could just click on that and not have to post here to keep it in focus.

 

[provet]

Yea the site definitely needs some polishing.

 

[Nootau]

Schema has better things to do than simply make the forum look different, like fix and add new things to StarMade, the game he loves working on.

 

[Stakhanov]

Just about anyone can use phpbb ; this has been asked for many times. Problems will only worsen as population increases.

 

[Slight]

I think you\'re trivializing the matter here. It\'s not \"simply [making] the forum look different\", it\'s making it more functional and usable. Making it attractive and readable is also important, as people will actually want to participate in the forums and will put more effort into the community.



Also, switching forums is a pretty simple thing to do, especially when he could even get one of his buddys to do the brunt of the work for him considering just about anyone knows how to do it. I\'m sure he could take a few hours break from game development to set it up, after all why not give love to the main medium of communication for the entire Starmade community?



Hell, I\'d do it for him.

 

[Criss]

I must disagree. Currently the majority of information about this game is available through the forums. If its easy to fix then I would gladly see it fixed. Game support is just as important as the game itself. Its in alpha. It\'s not as if Shema is in a rush to finish anything in the game yet.