[S] Trial description page

[GanonZD]

Looking at Meph's V6 website prototype, I figure that he intends the Front Page and Games sections (and generally, everything outside the forum) to be more dynamic and hold more information. I fully support this idea and would like to suggest that it be taken even further.

In the prototype, the Games section now contains a small description (so far containing only "lorem ipsum" ) and a screenshot/logo. I suggest even more of that; in fact, I think selecting a trial should not open the trial itself, but a separate description page, containing information like:

• A link to the forum page related to this trial.
• A longer, extended description of the trial in question; perhaps this could simply be imported from the forum page that the trial is linked to. That way, such information only has to be updated in one place.
• A YouTube-style rating of the trial.
• Logo and screenshots.
• Spoiler information: A list of the official and unofficial games that this trial is spoiling.
• Length, number of episodes.
• Info on awards and whether this trial is featured.
• Number of people having played it (maybe the number of play-throughs? Or BOTH the number of play-throughs and the number of total views)
• Options to favourite it and subscribe.

Thus the user can review all of this before clicking "play".

[Kroki]

A link to the forum page seems good enough. u_U

[GanonZD]

But as Unas has recently pointed out, it's easy to import the first post from a forum thread. So why not import it directly into the Games section to make everything seem nicer and more... inviting?

[Meph]

So basically, every trial would have a landing page about it? That's a good idea, but why couldn't this be included in the Player itself in the right column? This is what I've been suggesting for quite a while.

[GanonZD]

That could be great as well. It's a bit YouTube-style, too.

But I must say that a separate page allows for much more information, namely in the format of pictures, logos, art covers etc. - a lot of people have started to make those anyway.

But actually, I don't see any problem in just implementing both. Apart from the longer description I'm suggesting, we also need a shorter version to be visible next to the trial logo on the front page, as in your prototype. These descriptions have a length that would also suit a right column description within the player itself.

[Kroki]

but why couldn't this be included in the Player itself in the right column?

I don't see where that description would fit in my Firefox window. O_o
If the point is making a good-looking introduction to the game, then it should not be on the side, plus it would disturb the player during the game.

[Unas]

I'd rather avoid putting too much stuff on the player page.
The player page should stay focused on, well, playing, you see. All this content would be distracting.
(Bah, Kroki beat me to saying this xD)

Overall, Ganon, I like your idea, but linking each trial to a specific topic is a little bit of a problem. Not technically speaking, but in terms of user interface : I don't really think asking authors to copy and paste the ID number of the related topic is really intuitive. If I'm to do something like this, I'll probably have to do some kind of interface that creates the topic right from the manager or something.

Anyway, that could be really good but would require quite a bit of work. I don't think I'll do that for 6.0, but I'll keep that in mind - it could indeed be really nice.

[GanonZD]

Glad you like the idea.

But I think the part about linking to the forum took all the attention . The suggestion is basically to make some description page open before the actual player opens. It could be the forum post - or a separate description written just for this purpose. The most important thing is that one knows what one is opening.

[Unas]

Yeah, but it does make more sense to reuse the forum post, since it already contains most of this information.

[Meph]

but why couldn't this be included in the Player itself in the right column?

I don't see where that description would fit in my Firefox window. O_o

Oh well things like that wouldn't be included. There are two types of metadata for a trial: the type to persuade you to play it (like the description, or the rating) and the type that tell you more information about it (like the number of plays, or the author).

Also, since there is no beta of the AAO6 Trial Manager yet...

Moved to Comments and Ideas.

[GanonZD]

How... dare... you... move... ARGH!!

Well, actually, I wanted to move it myself, but I couldn't.