Let Us Come Together

[IDS2 3,368]

Originally posted by: Simfan34 We ought to watch out. Joining here is too easy. Look at what happened to this poor site:

Note: Some innapropeate comments

Should we get a better server? Maybe we should become an .org and tax-deuctable.quote>

Jeez! Look at that place. All ads. Thing is they probably don't have mods. We have mods, good ones at that. If we keep trying we can keep this place goin'.

[rewright 804]

This site is still a huge resource for SC4 fans, with so many downloads, forums and inspirational journals to help new players and veterans alike, that I would dearly miss it. With 160,666 registered members it isn't surprising that some conflicts have occurred. I remember when we closed on 25,000 and it was a big deal.

It reminds me of a region that begins to really take off and grows and expands, gaining momentum. Then one day you realize it is so big that it becomes unmanagable. Growth becomes redundant and things just don't seem to fit together like they should. I experienced that with my Casa Grande journal. I even had to expand the region at one point.

It would be helpful if the administration people posted their thoughts on the concerns some have. In the meantime I will enjoy Simtropolis as long as it exists.

[Superchan 23]

i spent some time today to type up some of my ideas for simtropolis, that would improve it, make it faster, more reliable, more interactive, and useful. also, what has happend recently with BSC, why did they leave, and what are the other going ons this year so far, i havent payed much attention, anyways here are my ideas Changes Needed

More Efficent Servers, we need servers that can handle more requests, and more bandwidth at a time.

we should implement a system of rewards for good members (people who help *****s, people who do good things for the community, people that try to stop flamers), and penalties for bad members (flamers, people who are rude to *****s, unlikely to be promoted, possibly can not be nominated for trixes)

rules about flaming, we need rules and action against flamers to prevent them from doing it, we also need statments and stuff that talk about flaming and its dissadvantages, and asking you to not do it

an overhaul of the entire site, new graphics, new look for the stex, new layout for easier navigation and use, custom backgrounds (only used while logged in), and some other asthetic things that would make the site look better

improved modds & downloads section, and omnibus, which is easier to browse and

locate specific things, better search, so typing a keyword will first bring up topics with the keyword in the topic name, then topics with it in the topic itself

easier to browse stex, with easier selection of file types and catagories, can

open stex files in seperate new windows, so you can start downloads quicker, and you can have other windows open to start other downloads, improved search for stex, so its easier to find things.

omnibus area should have collapsable sections instead of fourm like links, collapsable sections would reduce bandwith from moving back and forth between omnibus sections and also prevent clutter from putting omnibus back to all on one page, also include collapsable sub sections

a thread to submit articles to be included in the omnibus, this increases participation a bit by allowing users to make there own omnibus articles

page numbers on fourums should be able to be opened in new windows, reduces bandwith when comparing diffrent pages

topic notifications should have the name of the topic instead of simtropolis subscription update as the subject name, so you know what topic the notification is.

reset notifications, to reset your notifs so that you dont have to revist threads to restart notifications.

links in notifications link to the post that was in the notifiation instead of the first page, reducing bandwith going to the post, which would be loading 1-3 diffrent pages just to find the post.

fixing small common errors that cause big open blue spaces between the top of above the threads.

news page, for news not related to the site or game, and a news team.

bi-annual trixes, have Summer Trixes hosted in June/July.

better fourum game section, with special interactive fourum games, and live

chat fourum games, for better interactivity.

links in search need page numbers, so you dont have to open it then click on a

certain page, just click on that page if its there.teams to create programs and mods, new nam, city plugin dependency scanner, etc.

view my posts feature, i would like to see the posts i have made recently, or a long time ago, and only my posts not others posts.

no automatic double spacing, this is kind of annoying when copying and pasting stuff since it seperates long paragraphcs or sentecnes that are copied and pasted.

[Voar Tok 4]

Some of what you say sounds good in theory, but take the omnibus stuff for example.  In order to implement a lot of what you suggested, the site would have to be reprogrammed, and some of it would actually be more strain on the server.  Also, the omnibus is designed like it is because the forum search function will search the omnibus - something that it wouldn't do in ST 4 and largely made the omnibus kind of unnoticed.  So it's actually better off this way.  And for the record, members are allowed to submit articles to the omnibus.  All they need to do is get in touch with Cheese89, Mikeaut1, beebs, or another SHS member, and we'll be more than happy to help you get it on there.

As for all the stuff about new windows, most people find it rather annoying when new browser windows keep getting opened.  For example, I hate it when that happens so much that I downloaded an extension for Firefox that forces all new windows to open as a tab.  However, I'd bet that a lot of people either don't have that extension or don't have it set up that way, so most of them would just get ultra-annoyed.

[hamsterTK 93]

My suggestions

1. I think it would be cool if larger signature images were allowed. On a different non-simcity site I visit, the size of your signature is governed in terms of length, and if its too long a bar will appear at the 300 pixel limit telling you and the mods that it needs to be cut back.

2. Another thing: can the STEX ratings be displayed in half or quarters of stars? You would still rate with whole numbers, but the average would be displayed as is and not rounded.

3. Personal pages on the STEX for prolific batters to post dependency lists and things of that nature. If necessary this could work like the omnibus and be searchable from the forums

4. A Links section with links leading to SimcityEa,  SC4Devotion, and the foreign language sites. Doing so would help new people realize how much stuff is out there instead of getting the false impression that stuff on the STEX is all there is

[Mikeaut1 261]

I love how people want more and more but yet they complain about the waiting times and the server timeouts.

I think in terms of layout, the site is at its prime. The only thing that could probably be tampered with is the search engines. Sometimes the search doesn't give correct results. Someone mentioned about finding just our posts, that's a good idea too, and also a good tool for the moderators.

[Superchan 23]

okay my omnibus idea would allow searching, it would just allow the sections to be opened up without loading things, that way you can easily look at all kinds of stuff, im not saying new windows, i mean that when you need to be able to right click and click open in new window, that wont work on links on the stex, only one can be opened at a time, and for the forums you cant open a page in a new window, you have to open a new window somwhere else, and copy and past the link to the page you want to go to. also if reprogramming and redisigning the website would help it, and reduce stress on the server, then it should be done, it would take time, and a bit of money, but in the end it would pay off

[Voar Tok 4]

Originally posted by: superchad okay my omnibus idea would allow searchingquote>

That would require reprogramming the search engine.  The search engine only searches the omnibus because the omnibus is on the forums.  If we did what you are suggesting, it would have to come off of the forums, and that would sever it from the search function.

also if reprogramming and redisigning the website would help it, and reduce stress on the server, then it should be done, it would take time, and a bit of money, but in the end it would pay offquote>

Unfortunately, the thing here is that it very likely won't.  It isn't just the website.  It's also the number of people using the website at any given time and what the server might be doing at the time.  For example, earlier today, everything was running pretty fast with over 200 people on.  Now, there aren't that many on, and everything is taking two minutes to load.

[Superchan 23]

some of the stuff fixes some asthetic, and non-bandwith using stuff, like simtropolis subscription update has name of topic, and some stuff would allow less bandwith per person, that way when one person uses the site they use less bandwith for certain things.

[Constantina 5]

How about City Life and Sims 2 stock avatars in Simtropolis?

[Mikeaut1 261]

Originally posted by: Constantina How about City Life and Sims 2 stock avatars in Simtropolis?quote>

I think stock avatars aren't used enough anyway. Most everyone here has an avatar of their own, so I don't see how general avatars from those two games would be an appropriate addon to the site.

[MsD 0]

I have been wanting to say a few words for quite sometime and after finding this thread I guess here and now would be as good a time as any.

I, personally, have let my mouth over ride my brain on several occasions.  I know I have made quite a few people angry with me and I know why for most of them.  Others, well, I am just not sure what I did.

Knowing what I have done helped me make my decision to lay low for a while.

Now that I am coming in more often again, I would like to apologize to everyone for my attitude and start anew.

Good Luck To All!

[MrCinatit 30]

Not sure what you are apologizing for, MsD, but apology accepted.

[MsD 0]

Thank You! But those who I have Angered know what the apology is for.

[JohnB 66]

Let me tell you what the problem of Simtropolis is. Its not the website. The website is excellent and is the best it has ever been. Sure there are some bugs in the forum layout, but these will eventually be fixed.

Getting to the point. The problem is the exploiting of bats and other projects for your own personal glory. In other words ego trips. The whole thing with BSC, was the most childish bunch of garbage I have ever seen. You people claim to be adults. 

But its bound to happen. Every music group, every sports team, and etc have in the end broken up and went their own way. Its a very few people who can actually work together in spite of their differences. 

Bat making used to be about having fun and making the game more interesting. The possibilities are still endless. This game will never die because the amount of stuff you can make for it is endless. 

So the only way to bring Simtropolis back to the old days is for people to work together on projects and actually help each other. 

Yes many of us have moved on to deal with real life, and I myself have to take a break from nearly all video games and Simtropolis in order to do well in college ( I am still planning to bat Pittsburgh no matter what, and those of you who think I have quit, just don't know me )

But there are many new members with a lot of talent who have created amazing new buildings and who do actually work together. Lets learn from them.