[Dark0ne]

It's oh so cliché to say on the internet these days but this site is run "by gamers, for gamers", or maybe "by modders, for modders".

Recently I've been putting a lot of work in to improving various aspects of the site, ramping up the functionality, increasing usability and action efficiency and generally trying to roll out updates that are going to improve things around here based on recommendations from users within the community. Indeed I've found I have a lot more time for coding these days now that the infastructure behind the site is a lot more stable.

My imagination isn't the greatest, I'm not an experienced "outside the box" thinker and sometimes listening to the feedback of the people who make use of this site regularly is more important, and better, than my own ideas. This is my long winded call out to the community to come and tell me how you think this site can improve. What annoys you about the site? What would you improve about the site? Modders; think about what things you are doing regularly that you think could be better handled by the site. What are you constantly telling the people who comment on your files? Do you have any thoughts on how to make the site better, either in new functionality or in improving the functionality already available?

I'm not sat here doing updates for myself, I do them because I think people will use them and like them. I'm not a part of some corporate chain, bound by limitless bureaucracy and heirachies to get any changes done, so if you tell me what you want or waht you'd change then maybe I'll do it!

Some of the quickie ideas I've had recently have been:

• A way of listing the other files that are required in order for your mod to work, along with a list of other files the mod won't be compatible with
  
• Bringing back the "Author notes" field from TESSource, or having a list of options for mod authors to show quickly how they want their mods to be used, distribution permissions, etc. (feel free to chime in with more options)
  
• Providing a more elaborate way of authors being able to choose how their contacted, if at all, and describing their role of support for the file they've just released (a way of indicating whether you'll be willing to answer PMs, only stick to replying to comments, or won't be providing support at all)
  
• A changelog tab/pop-up so file descriptions aren't clogged up with 3 years worth of change logs
  
• Another look at the tracking system to see if I can't make it more versatile and increase usability

So help me throw some ideas around. Comment on this news article and get the ball rolling.

[juanjoqwerty]

I think you proposed good ideas,but i think the website its very good.I give you my thanks for spending time in the Nexus pages(tesnexus,fallout3nexus and dragonagenexus).

This is all for now.

This post has been edited by juanjoqwerty: 20 November 2009 - 04:54 PM

[Lisnpuppy]

Not knowing how difficult any of this may be.....perhaps a function of being able to see similar mods..or a category of..If you liked this mod maybe you would like this...people who downloaded this mod also downloaded this...

That kind of thing. I have seen it done on other sites (mainly Curse.com) and it isn't always perfect but may be useful?

[juanjoqwerty]

Yeah,I think is a good idea adding a "similar mods",because if I looking for a kind of mod,maybe be a better mod,or a mod who likes me more.

[cglucifer]

I'm fairly new here, though I've been using Oblivion Nexus for quite some time now, and am an experienced modder of TW games, so not completely new! At any rate, here's some of my suggestions for improving the site:

1) Allow comments to be posted with AJAX. Right now I'm typing this in a little window aside from my browser window using Firefox. I assume that's the default behavior. Most forum sites allow a 'Quick Reply' type function where a box appears above or below the 'thread view'. In fact I've switched to the forum mirror(I presume) of the thread since it was bugging me. In the case of Nexus I'd probably suggest such a quick reply box appearing above the list of comments, firstly because the posts are shown in what's known as 'Linear - Newest First' mode, so most users will be seeing the last comment up top and then responding, and secondly because it's more visible to new users unfamiliar with the in's and out's of forum or comment software.

2) Allow switch to 'Linear - Oldest First' mode on comment view. This thread is showing as Linear - Oldest First, where the first post at the top of the first page is made by the thread creator. That seems to be the default behavior of most forums, and the backwards behavior of most comment areas. As someone who's more attuned to forums, I'm much more comfortable seeing the initial post first, and would therefore utilize the ability to switch it in preferences.

3) Track downloaded files and receive updates. I've subscribed to the RSS Feeds for New Files and File Updates, and I'm also aware that you can sort it and view them on the site. When I view this page however, it's a bit of a jumbled mess despite all attempts to clarify it with an image key. The truth is that when it comes to updates, end users are far more concerned with updates to the files, such as patches or new releases, than any other possible changes. What I'd propose is a way for users to say they've "Downloaded" the file, and subsequently view any new updates in a section of the member area. This area should ideally list only file updates they have not downloaded, similar to the way the site tracks downloads for rating files, so it shouldn't be that difficult to port.

Optionally there could also be a way to receive e-mail notifications when files you've marked as 'Downloaded' have received new updates(this works really well for places like CNet, Sourceforge, and so on). What this also can also do is allow a user to un-check "Downloaded" or just un-check notices for 'Downloaded' files, and then the "Downloaded" amount can be displayed on the file page. vBulletin.org uses this system, except it calls it 'Installed', and it's a more effective way to track how many people are actually using the file than the total number of downloads ever, or the endorsements. People will un-check 'Downloaded' when they've uninstalled the file due to issues, obsolescence, or other things, and that way the community will be able to convey to new users that while a file might be downloaded 80,000 times, it's possible it has been superseded and as such isn't marked as 'Downloaded' by many anymore. Naturally this last utilization is aided by the ability to sort files by most marks as 'Downloaded'.

4) Allow modders a way to control file version intuitively. Popular project hosting sites like Sourceforge have the right idea when they have the Downloads trunk complete with all versions of the file, from newest to oldest with point releases categorized in conjunction with major releases. Not every mod will need a way to control versions, but the more long lived ones, such as MMM from Oblivion, could do with a way for users to see the file history, update history, and so on. This lets mod creators communicate when a release is a major release (v 1), patch(1.1), or quick fix(1.1.1). That helps users decide if they should update where it may break compatibility, and is more intuitive than the text-based changelog(but can still incorporate a changelog). This is not to say that all files should always be kept available for download on the server, but files could be marked by a mod creator as 'not legacy' so an older version persists if the newer versions take a different direction, and those be allowed to be downloaded still.

Furthermore, a couple other things could be included in the more elaborate downloads page for the benefit of end users. The first is a "Download Most Recent", or what have you, right at the top or even outside the 'Files' section itself and up there by the project name. Clicking this button would automatically download whatever is the latest full, point, or fix release(the mod creator should be able to change it, since some patches and fixes would be provided without the point release included, making them useless as a 'Latest' file). The second is a way on the improved 'Files' page to see what the latest version is that you've downloaded, presumably using the same tracking systems applied for file rating and the above suggestion concerning 'Downloaded' files. Maybe a green check to the left of the file name to signify which version you're on.

That's all I've got for now, thanks for your time and consideration.

EDIT: Oops, just realized I posted this on my old Nexus account, should really change the auto-login for the forums. :/

[CWardUSC]

Can't edit my above post due to different user, so apologies for the double post. Is there any particular reason this thread is under "Oblivion" on the forum? It seems to be posted on the TES Nexus as well, though I got here from the Dragon Age Nexus. Maybe would be easier to locate on the forums if it was in the main Suggestions or Announcements forum that isn't game delimited. Just a thought!

[Gaviteros]

Cglucifer has very good ideas. Being dynamically able to control the information about version information would be an amazing boon.

In pure navigation, the Files tab at the top is a bit unsuccessful. The recent uploads and edits are very important boxes but I believe that the most important thing that should come up immediately upon clicking the "file" tab is the list of categories.

I'm sure that there have been discussions about why the Files tab does what it does- and I do see how it can help jumpstart new mods but it seems to be not as helpful for people wanting to find specific things. The tools in the Nexus are definitely available for finding specific files or file types, but to a new user can be confusing.

As a new user I would immediately click on FILES then be confused as to why I'm seeing only the most recently uploaded ones.

Of course the information on how to continue is right beneath those but it is important to remember how short of an attentionspan the average internet user has and how confusing that would be.

Perhaps simply put the list of options (Browse Search Etcetera) above the two boxes: that way it is easily apparent what the options are even for someone who just came in because they want only one mod.

EDIT: I think that also adding a view counter for individual images would be fantastic. Of course that is probably an unnecessary waste of site resources but I would like to see which images draw people's attention. It would be mostly so we do something for it.

[DarkNinja13]

Is there any way that you guys might be able to get the site so that when you do a file search on this site and click a file's page to get a better look at it, you don't get a "webpage has expired" message when you go back?

I ALWAYS get this and it's bloody annoying.

It never does it when browse categories, only when I search.

[Sti3ld3rby69]

There should be a "Now Hiring" or "Job Listing" page that modders can edit per their modding needs. For example, you could have a list or archive of all active mods, who is the creator, and have positions they can add. You can have a comment board on these pages, where Modders can "Hire" based on what other users can provide. The Modders can than fill that job slot with aforementioned user, and there you have it. Organized job roles for mod creation.

[torrentss]

I'm fairly new here, but I noticed some annoying things:

* All the comments have horizontal scrollbars (really annoying), and generally, the navigation area to the right takes half of the screen space. Maybe it's not so on widescreen monitors, but it sure is on mine (1024x768), Possibly has to do with higher font DPI on my machine.

* The dark theme is too hard to read. Please make the links brighter, or add a light-color theme (much better).

* The fonts are too small. Please honor the browser settings for default font sizes, they are there for a reason. Right now I have to zoom the page to 120% in Opera to make it comfortably readable.

* A mod details page is a mess:
A gallery first - clicking it doesn't do anything perceptively (you have to scroll down a lot to see its effects).
Too much vertical space (a full screen) is taken by stuff which could fit in just a line or two (author, uploader, downloads, views, score...).
The score-altering links are completely unnecessary.
Reading a description should definitely not require scrolling down 2.5 pages.
If you consider moving the description area a bit higher, consider making a separate entry for changelog, as it takes up too much space in there.
The files area - too much unused vertical space between sections.
Clicking the "Tags" link just to see the tags is too cumbersome for such feature.
Having to click a header to see a feature is annoying, as it requires a lot of scrolling. I know it's ajaxy and all, but please, the all-on-one page is usually much more usable. See, for example, this: http://nwvault.ign.c...h.Detail&id=346

* The article view (e.g. the one I'm commenting to): The "add comment" link should be at the bottom - scrolling up after I read the article doesn't make sense.

To summarize: There is too much space waste (both horizontal and vertical) on this site. Please