| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Therise |
Posted - 06 Sep 2013 : 17:13:35
Just a heads up, WotC will soon be transitioning to a new forums.
Nothing posted after 8/26 (and up to 9/9) will be saved and transferred over. And while they're promising to save as much old "data" (aka old forum posts) as they can, it's not certain that all old posts will transfer over. So if you have a old post there that you want to save, make sure you archive it and save it to your own computer before this all goes down.
quote:
Posted by WotC, September 05, 2013
Hey there. We just wanted to let you know that we’ll be transitioning to a new community site on 9/9. There may be a brief downtime on the 9th, but when we come back up we’ll have a great looking new site that’s easy to navigate. While we’re trying to retain as much data as we can, all posts made after 8/26 will not be transferred over. With this in mind, if there is any information that you want to ensure you have after the transition, you should probably copy and paste those posts into your personal documents. Also, signatures will not be transferred during the process, so make sure to grab those before Monday if you want to keep them.
Once the transition is done we’ll have some posts talking about the ins and outs of the new site. Thanks much for your patience and support during this change.
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| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 13 Sep 2013 : 23:37:03
Pretty sure the WotC web teams have feed that little monster quite a bit throughout the years. The layout of the site is drastically different each redesign. |
| xaeyruudh |
Posted - 13 Sep 2013 : 22:59:56
quote:
Originally posted by Dark Wizard
Not an IT person, but from what I've gleamed from other sites, updating old links to function in a new site layout can all be automated to a large extent. Of course there may be groundwork required from the onset, but once established, the system can be updated with feasible effort (as compared to the Herculean task of updating the links to tens of thousands of pages, which is at least the size of WotC's site for D&D alone)
The key is resisting (murdering, actually) the desire to move pages around. Whatever name you give the page when you first create it must be that page's name forever. Wherever you put the page in the directory structure is where that page shall remain until Earth is reduced to cosmic dust.
If you do that, you never have to update links. You can update hardware and software, you can fire people and hire new people, and you'll never have to worry about broken links.
That's all taught in the very first web-authoring class, at any community college. Everyone who works on WotC's web page knows that. Which makes their apparent derpness even more confusing.  |
| xaeyruudh |
Posted - 13 Sep 2013 : 22:51:16
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I suppose it's also possible that there is a directive from above to never update links, but I think that unlikely -- such a command really doesn't make sense.
WotC never does anything that indicates a lack of rational thought? 
I think it's a combination of things you've said... they have some talented people, but their web team is small and their figurative plate is overflowing, because the web presence (outside of DDI) isn't important to whoever determines their budget. Old lore doesn't generate revenue. And they know we don't want them to put everything behind the DDI blockade, and at least for now they're indulging us.
Updating old links probably requires specific approval (to verify that supporting a given piece of old material is still something WotC wants to do) and that approval rarely if ever comes, due to apathy and because if they update a particular link on a particular page, then they have to investigate every link on that list, and all the pages that those pages link to.
So (I'm guessing) the web team is under orders not to update (or even look at) the old links, because it's just too much of a timesink. If they don't have better things to do than prowl through old links, then maybe their position at the company is unnecessary since they have so much time to waste.
But as long as Wayback works and WotC forsakes the ever-growing stupidity of their past approach to worldbuilding, I'm okay. |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 13 Sep 2013 : 09:22:08
Just checked out the WotC Forums. Took me three tries just to find the darn thing amongst all the clutter. Sheesh what a load of crap... |
| The Sage |
Posted - 12 Sep 2013 : 02:24:13
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Well, I missed the cut-off, so if that thread is gone, then Sage is my last hope (and god-help-me if I end up on his 'to do' list). 
I don't see that happening.
In fact, I was skimming an old archive yesterday morning when I came across the entire saved "Utter East" thread I made when I last frequented that particular discussion. So it's close at hand. 
Markus, if you're still interested in this archive, can I ask how and where you'd like me to send it? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 22:37:37
quote:
Originally posted by Dark Wizard
Not an IT person, but from what I've gleamed from other sites, updating old links to function in a new site layout can all be automated to a large extent. Of course there may be groundwork required from the onset, but once established, the system can be updated with feasible effort (as compared to the Herculean task of updating the links to tens of thousands of pages, which is at least the size of WotC's site for D&D alone)
I'm sure it can be automated, but things have been moved around so much on that site that I think it would take a team of people working several months just to find where everything currently is. The site has been redesigned multiple times, often including moving stuff around, and even without redesigns, sometimes stuff still gets shuffled around to new and often unexpected locations.
I've seen little sense in the way some things have been shuffled, and I remain amazed at the way they've got files tucked away that have been on their site for more than a decade, but don't have any links anywhere on their site pointing to them. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 21:15:20
Not an IT person, but from what I've gleamed from other sites, updating old links to function in a new site layout can all be automated to a large extent. Of course there may be groundwork required from the onset, but once established, the system can be updated with feasible effort (as compared to the Herculean task of updating the links to tens of thousands of pages, which is at least the size of WotC's site for D&D alone) |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 20:53:09
I'm disappointed they didn't index their old site and create a set of temporary redirects for each link that now no longer works. Otherwise all you end up doing is turning people's browser bookmarks into roadblocks. |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 18:05:59
Well, in their defense, I'm linking to a forum structure that is no longer there (instead, every post in their forums seems to be a specific "comment" now, with no tree structure to a thread or anything). |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 16:13:31
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Of course they are...
Its not like anyone at WotC actually wants people to find their site useful and go there a lot.
I think they need to put some more money into their web presence... I'm inclined to think that they have a small web team, who are kept so busy tossing up new pages that they simply don't have time to maintain links. WotC does have a nice website, so they've got some talent. So either their web folks can make a good website but don't know how to update links, or they're kept too busy to bother with the task of updating links to older content. The latter is far more likely than the former -- I don't have the web skillz to build one of their pages, but I know enough to go into the HTML of a page and make minor tweaks like updating links. A lot of my not-work-related web surfing is done from links on pages I created myself, and even some of the stuff I do at work goes off of pages I created myself.
I suppose it's also possible that there is a directive from above to never update links, but I think that unlikely -- such a command really doesn't make sense. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 13:48:50
Of course they are...
Its not like anyone at WotC actually wants people to find their site useful and go there a lot. |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 13:08:35
Of course, all my links in my Index are now broken...  |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 13:01:57
The NPCs of the Realms threads are still about as well. Still got them saved locally, just in case. |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 11:02:57
It took me a few tries but I was able to find the new link to the WotC Novels Book Club. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 11 Sep 2013 : 03:21:17
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Well, I missed the cut-off, so if that thread is gone, then Sage is my last hope (and god-help-me if I end up on his 'to do' list).
I don't see that happening.
In fact, I was skimming an old archive yesterday morning when I came across the entire saved "Utter East" thread I made when I last frequented that particular discussion. So it's close at hand. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 10 Sep 2013 : 23:53:08
Well, I missed the cut-off, so if that thread is gone, then Sage is my last hope (and god-help-me if I end up on his 'to do' list). |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 10 Sep 2013 : 23:37:45
They went for the ultra-sleek modern look of different colored squares and shapes, and non-strategic white space. Place looks barren in content, especially given they backed up two weeks ago and everything appears dead since then. They need a few good themes toss on top of this at the least.
Just when I thought the site started to return to decent functionality since their last forum upgrade around the 4E debut, they wipe it all away. They have a year to get things running and looking smooth before 5E officially launches. |
| Therise |
Posted - 10 Sep 2013 : 23:14:07
I'm really not sure what prompted the change to this new format. Personally, I haven't participated there in about 3 years, mostly because there wasn't a whole lot to discuss and some of the other posters became outright hostile (not towards me, but just in general it was rather ugly).
But this new format, it's really clunky. There's just way too much unnecessary white space, gigantic buttons, and navigation has become much more difficult. I also understand that friend lists have disappeared, and for those who play the card games there are other issues. None of my bookmarks work any more, which I sort of suspected might happen, but the search function is also quite poor.
I reactivated my account a few weeks ago, but honestly it's like going through a formatting beta test. Not sure how much I'll be "back" there, if at all, really.
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| Drustan Dwnhaedan |
Posted - 10 Sep 2013 : 21:20:13
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Should I be happy that I've not been active over there for close to 10 years?
If what some members of my gaming group are saying is true, then yes, you should be. (Was going to check it out myself, but it doesn't sound terribly appealing anymore.) Sort of wonder if this 'change for the worse' was deliberate. (Okay, I realize it wasn't, but some of WotC's decisions over the last few years have made me extremely cynical and prone to being a little... harsh in what I say and think about them. I apologize for being blunt. I don't mean to offend anyone, but I can't help how I feel.) |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 10 Sep 2013 : 18:53:24
Not sure, I have not posted there for almost a year.
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| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 10 Sep 2013 : 17:15:51
Should I be happy that I've not been active over there for close to 10 years? |
| Irennan |
Posted - 10 Sep 2013 : 15:55:23
Yeah. WTH, the old forums looked way better and were more intuitive to use IMO.
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| Therise |
Posted - 10 Sep 2013 : 15:27:26
Well, the new WotC forums are up.
I can't even. 
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| The Sage |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 10:02:23
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Ooooh, I hope I don't lose my status as the earliest, still active registered poster.
-- George Krashos
I think they were changed during a previous forum migration.
As I recall, 'twas you, Faraer, and myself who were counted among some of the earliest and still active registered members of the Wizards boards -- from early-to-mid 2001.
But when I last checked, about two years ago, those kinds of details were no longer part of member profiles. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 08:32:53
Ooooh, I hope I don't lose my status as the earliest, still active registered poster.
-- George Krashos
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| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 05:46:25
Heh, Gleemax, the first thing that came to mind when I discussed this changeover on the WotC at another community. Ever in our thoughts.
The positive point to take away from these forum upgrades is that usually there are new features baked into the never versions as well as improved security features. It's technically a good thing that WotC has the resources to do this every few years and actually invests in their forum technology. On the other hand, I've seen such upgrades completely eviscerate once bustling communities due to the initial transition and subsequent disruptions. |
| Therise |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 04:18:12
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Right, the arcane magic wave that rolled over Toril was blue (cerulean), but when it mixed with the anti-magical counter-wave (which was yellow for some reason), it created an angry, crazed, bright green demon known to the world as Gleemax (because of its uncontrollable, hideous laughter). Born of two diametrically opposed forces that drive it into an insane rage, it acts as a living conduit of anarchy between the real world and our dreams (hence its ability to cross between this world and Toril, indiscriminately).
Gleemax was, in effect, the anti-Mystra!!! 
DUH DUH DUHHHHH!!! 
quote:
...But you'd have to let me know right away - everything goes bye-bye in 2 days.
Technically, I think only the most recent posts between 8/26 and 9/9 are guaranteed to disappear. Seems like they're trying to save all of the earlier forum data, which would include everything older than 8/26. But you never know, some things might accidentally get lost in the shuffle.
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| The Sage |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 03:23:43
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Geez, I have to go back a re-copy the entire Utter East thread... AGAIN.
Heh. I think the last time I made a copy of that thread... was back during the forum migration from Gleemax.
Ya know, Sage... you could save me a LOT of time... 
But you'd have to let me know right away - everything goes bye-bye in 2 days.
So long as you or any of the other contributors to that old thread haven't added anything significant since the days of Gleemax, then it should be fine. Otherwise, I don't think I have any copies of the thread if it's been heavily updated since that time.
It might be worth you saving it anyway. My internet connection's kind of wonky today... and I'm presently typing this on a friend's computer away from the SageCave, so I can't currently check the archived thread I have at home. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 01:16:42
Right, the arcane magic wave that rolled over Toril was blue (cerulean), but when it mixed with the anti-magical counter-wave (which was yellow for some reason), it created an angry, crazed, bright green demon known to the world as Gleemax (because of its uncontrollable, hideous laughter). Born of two diametrically opposed forces that drive it into an insane rage, it acts as a living conduit of anarchy between the real world and our dreams (hence its ability to cross between this world and Toril, indiscriminately).
Gleemax was, in effect, the anti-Mystra!!!
DUH DUH DUHHHHH!!! |
| Therise |
Posted - 08 Sep 2013 : 00:23:00
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I think they need to make Gleemax FR canon; some sort of powerful psionicist demon that drove people away (from their homes) by the thousands at the outset of 3e... errr... during the initial onslaught of the Spellplague.
Maybe Gleemax was the Spellplague incarnate. 
Maybe. But wait, wasn't Spellplague all about massive overuse of the word "cerulean"? Seems like they had to paste "cerulean" into every description. Someone loved that color.
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