Feature Request Linkage with Latest Chapter Discussion Topic

Discussion in 'Suggestions & Bug Reports' started by umair, Oct 28, 2018.

  1. umair

    umair Well-Known Member

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    As all novels should have a LCD topic to promote a healthy community, I think this should be automated.
    • Add a LCD topic whenever a novel is added i.e. fully automated cascade CRU management associated with the related novel
    • Mention of the topic on the novel page with aesthetic presentation and prioritized placement.
    • Existing novels linked with existing topics.
    Enhancements:
    • Perhaps a customized appearance for LCD topics with novel information and links.
    I understand that the forum is based on a template and perhaps can't be customized much, or the changes would not be easy to make. If you need assistance for any PHP/JS work, I can pitch in.
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2018
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  2. AliceShiki

    AliceShiki 『Ms. Tree』『Magical Girl of Love and Justice』

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    Novels with existing LCD already have them linked to the novel page, click the balloon right next to "Latest Release", if it's grey, no LCD exists, if it's colored, then there is an LCD for the novel available.

    I don't think there is any point in creating them automatically, many LCDs are created and end up being totally dead due to lack of people talking on them, so it's better to just have LCDs of novels that people are interested in talking about.
     
  3. umair

    umair Well-Known Member

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    That's really not intuitive at all. How can you even hope to promote discussion when one user has to actively search for the place to discuss the novel or make a place for it. That is an unnecessary overhead which only a certain level of fans would like to overcome.

    I have been using NU since so long and have never ever gotten my mouse over that particular icon for opening a LCD topic. It seems as just another part of the design. I could have never have imagined that the latest discussion thread could be so properly hidden in the UI.

    LCD not having any activity is not the point, the place is the point. Its not like having some barren LCD topics will kill the servers, even thousands of them will be inconsequential. If LCD gets properly integrated in the user's ecosystem then automatically healthy discussions will result.

    To promote activity perhaps, there could be an additional option in list settings to also notify new posts in LCD for all novels in that list. Or this option could be turned on/off on the novel level also.
     
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  4. AliceShiki

    AliceShiki 『Ms. Tree』『Magical Girl of Love and Justice』

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    I do agree the chat balloon is non-intuitive, took me ages to figure that out.

    On that matter, I think the balloon can be green/blue, and one of those mean there are new messages, and the other means that there are none. Dunno which is which though.
    ... Or you can just Watch the LCD thread you're interested in.

    I still think it's pointless to have automatically created LCDs though, especially if you read the LCD forum rules:
    The bolds were my own doing, but... I think automated LCDs go directly against the intent of the that subforum.
     
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  5. Ddraig

    Ddraig Frostfire Dragon|Retired lurker|FFF|Loved by RNG

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    I agree with Umair here. That button is basically impossible to guess as an lcd link. It will also serve as a visible update to the site, which is good.
    The implementation thingy needs to be work out a bit more but the correct plan is in place...
    Things like deciding what to do with completed novels and preventing thread spam on nuf.
    Another thing that is imp to consider is that if a user creates a lcd, it means that there is someone who wants to talk about it, it advertises the novel and the lcd appears on front page for a while so others know about its existence....So gotta deal with the amount of visibility(?) the lcd recieves too
     
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  6. umair

    umair Well-Known Member

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    What I suggested was a complete rework of the LCD concept. My proposed idea can never be achieved its actual benefit in the current LCD system. If you ponder carefully on each point I made, it is quite easy to understand so.

    The current LCD concept is in fact, not a system, it is just another sub-forum with topics. What I suggested was actually a system which is managed through NU, even though it will exist in the same old forum fashion but with a more integral contact with NU. Like there will be no user controls for creating or managing LCD topics as that will be done by NU's system.

    This way, the LCD system not only becomes a legit part of NU but it also gets a lot more powerful with possibilities of great many enhancements.

    As for the icon, I still stand by my earlier suggestion that it must have a clearer, more explicit mention or representation on the novel page. An Icon can never do that. Perhaps some text and then a link or a separate head in the left-sidebar of novel attributes.

    If it becomes part of the system, then its existence becomes a fact. Thus, the visibility due to updates in that specific forum does not matter anymore. Visibility in this way is in fact a bad design practice.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 28, 2018
  7. Westeller

    Westeller Smokin' Sexy Style!! Staff Member

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    I don't think there's enough justification for automated LCD creation. I do think the chat bubble icon is ridiculously nondescript. It's nice that it's present on both the novel page and the front page, though. I'd personally like to see something more noticeable pointing readers to the novel's LCD, but at the very least I think that bubble should be on the reading list like it is on the front page. ... As far as LCD creation goes, a generic line about there being no discussion and suggesting the reader start one would be fine, imo.

    LCD threads are a pretty big deal. The more popular novels end up with hundreds of pages of discussion, sometimes thousands. Even less popular novels can see tens of pages. ... It'd be nice to see such a highly trafficked section of the forums get a little more TL&C.

    Though, there is that Latest Discussions sidebar.
     
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  8. Nom de Plume

    Nom de Plume [Shio’s Disciple] [True Villain] [Equip: Gunblade] Novel Updates Staff

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    The chat bubble is more about finding the relevant LCD. It’s nondescript but that allows it to be used across the site. I think it’d be nice for the LCD subforum rules to explain where it’s located on NU. Regardless, updates can be done through following threads especially now that forum notifications show on NU. Encouraging people to use that natural already integrated process will make people more aware of it as a feature and reduce the need to create a workaround for every subforum this becomes a problem for.

    Edit: maybe have a legend on NU itself too.
     
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  9. Westeller

    Westeller Smokin' Sexy Style!! Staff Member

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    Y'know, the chat bubble isn't the only thing like this. A full blown tutorial for NU would be good.

    Something modern, not a FAQ. A one-time highlight of the various features.
     
  10. umair

    umair Well-Known Member

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    I guess a tour like highlighting of sections with short help messages will introduce users to all features appropriately. That kind of stuff I had implemented before in some really feature rich websites. I remember that there were many plugins to automate and ease creation of such tours.

    Edit:

    Its fine if LCDs don't get automated generation etc. The whole point was to make this part of the site more involving and reduce any overheads. Including any moderation overheads involved with LCD naming, merging of LCD topics or multiple LCD topics. If you don't see these as issues, then there is no need for such automation.

    I agree with your view that if it does not exist, it should have a UI representation still on the novel page. I would enhance on that and say that from there, it could be a little bit automated. Like that indication could have a link with a sentence like: Start Now!

    That link will open the create LCD topic screen with the tag and name prefilled and unchangeable, thus avoiding issues with naming of LCD topics.

    A site does not provide a good user experience with just only "needed" enhancements, most of the times the good to haves give the biggest of benefits.
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2018