Completed build threads

Discussion in 'Website Suggestions' started by Kevin P., May 18, 2018.

  1. Kevin P.

    Kevin P. Well-Known Member

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    Not sure if this idea has come up before or not, so I apologize if this has already been discussed.

    What do you think about making a section to gather completed build threads to serve as a more efficient research tool? There are a lot of in process builds and mothballed threads in the builds folder making it difficult to sort through (I have several that are 'paused'). It could divided by big gun and fast gun, and then maybe by General ship type (large bb, bb/bc, pre dread, cruisers, destroyers)

    The intention would be for it to not get contentious about what qualifies as complete, I think it's usually pretty clear in terms of level of build detail shown for an impartial moderator to put together a useful set of builds
     
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  2. Beaver

    Beaver 2020 Rookie of the Year Admiral (Supporter)

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    I brought up a similar idea a while back. Don't remember where. I think it's a good idea, though.
     
  3. Anvil_x

    Anvil_x Well-Known Member

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    Ditto, good idea. Maybe have the completed build thread in some sort of archived status with links to the "refit/mod" thread for that boat or something, but that may be too complicated. I do enjoy watching Beaver's KEVII as it progresses further past completion.
     
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  4. Kevin P.

    Kevin P. Well-Known Member

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    My thoughts about refits/continuation would be to not really differentiate in that regard, I see no issue if the builder wants to continue to document refits to add to the same thread. I think the moderator could move the thread from the normal warships build folder to a completed folder once the boat gets to the point of making it to the first battle (or battle-capable status)

    In the past couple of years since I've been active again I don't think there are a ton of completed threads, and it seems like a lot of the older ones lost their pictures with photobucket or whatever which is unfortunate. That's why I think the general level of subdivision I recommended above is about right, specific enough that only relevant builds are shown (not comparing a destroyer build to a battleship build), but not so specific that it gets divided into really small groupings of 1-2 threads. There could also be a folder for convoy ships
     
  5. Anvil_x

    Anvil_x Well-Known Member

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    yeah cool, I was thinking of adding "Completed" to the name of my build thread as soon as I finished (seven days til Minneapolis!!!), but I think your idea is pretty fleshed out and ready to go.

    Perhaps to prevent the super small subdivisions, we could have radial button sets when starting a build thread that specifies
    type (DD, CL, CA, BC, BB, CV, Convoy)
    and
    rules (Fastgun, treaty, big gun)

    That way, they'd be on the same forum page, with no more subpages, and have little color coded bloop things like on the thread tags in the "Stem to Stern" subforum

    Screenshot (228).png
     
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  6. Kevin P.

    Kevin P. Well-Known Member

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    That's one idea. I'm generally a 'pro-folder' type organizer, but different people find different methods more effective.

    The goal in my mind is to help the new builders who have actually purchased a hull and are working through the build. In that case, they will already be 'grouped' to a certain type of ship, so I think it would be better to go to one folder (like 'cruisers') and have all of the applicable builds right there on one page, instead of having to pic out the subset of applicable builds through a few pages of tagged builds. I think your idea for tags would be better for the 'window shoppers,' but I think it's better to focus on the captains that have at least started to take the plunge.

    I also would recommend keeping treaty and fast gun together since from a build perspective they are very similar, I also am not sure that there would be enough build threads to support dividing between the two.
     
  7. Anvil_x

    Anvil_x Well-Known Member

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    good points. Perhaps a hybrid of the folder/bloop idea? a function on the top task bar of the page that would select for ship type?

    A lot of my ideas are pretty heavy on HTML work, and may take a lot of work to implement.
     
  8. NickMyers

    NickMyers Admin RCWC Staff

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    I think before we get too excited about jumping down the rabbit hole of organization, it might be worth taking a look and seeing how many completed threads with still functioning photos there actually are.
     
  9. SteveT44

    SteveT44 Well-Known Member

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    Whats wrong with a sticky on top of Warship Builds with links to all the completed builds?
     
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  10. Kotori87

    Kotori87 Well-Known Member

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    That would work quite well. Someone would have to keep the list up-to-date, but you could easily include information about each build like ship type, class, format, scale, etc.
     
  11. NickMyers

    NickMyers Admin RCWC Staff

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    People could post a reply with their link and details? Sort of crowdsourced self updating? Then the master list could be updated.
     
  12. Kevin P.

    Kevin P. Well-Known Member

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    I'm still a pro-folder organizer, but I think the sticky thread could work good enough to please the anti-folder faction.

    I am willing to make the thread and take a first pass at skimming build threads. Can someone explain the scope of the pictures issue? When looking up the answer to Nick's question about the number of completed threads I did spot checks through 2009 and saw posts from back then with pictures, but I know some more recent ones have issues

    So if the forum overlords agree to make the post a sticky I will put one together and can update it if suggestions arise. I would want the first post to include the whole list so you don't need to scan through several pages of suggestions to identify the applicable builds (which would defeat the intended purpose in my opinion). I'm not trying to seize power, I'm just a believe that those who provide ideas should also be willing to provide time to implement the actions
     
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  13. NickMyers

    NickMyers Admin RCWC Staff

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    Its two main problems..

    First and biggest is a lot of folk used photobucket which, last year, decided that if you wanted to have your photos show up on other people's sites, you the photo owner, had to pay Photobucket 300$.

    Second is that some people used their own personal web hosting, after which point they either stopped maintaining or altered URL structures of. I am actually guilty of this one myself.
     
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  14. Anvil_x

    Anvil_x Well-Known Member

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    Idea: if you start one just like that and get it on good footing, whenever somebody new gets their boat done, they post a link to their build thread on it. Self curation. go on there maybe once a year and condense all of the links down to one post again, and it could work with almost zero maintenance. *just everybody would need refrain from posting ANY off-topic stuff*.

    It'd maybe look like what @Bob posted in stem to stern showing links to all of the ppb boats
     
  15. Beaver

    Beaver 2020 Rookie of the Year Admiral (Supporter)

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    Here's how I'd do it. Post a new thread in the Warship Builds subforum and pin it to the top. Add hyperlinks to all the current finished build threads you can glean out. Anyone that completes a new build can post on that pinned thread with a link to their build and tag the original thread starter, such as @Kevin P.. Kevin would get an alert and can add that thread to the original post at his convenience. Builds can be divided into the different classes like destroyers, cruisers, and battleships to better organize.
    I think it would be easy to create and maintain, while also being easy to navigate. I can assist in searching out past completed threads if you'd like.
     
  16. Kevin P.

    Kevin P. Well-Known Member

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    that's the plan
     
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  17. Nate G

    Nate G Well-Known Member

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    Re the photos:
    I, too, get frustrated when key photos go missing from really nice information threads here and on other forums. As I am starting to make threads, I want to be sure I am processing pix in the best possible way. I have been uploading my personal photos to "MY MEDIA" and making albums then pulling those pix into the threads as I need them.

    What say you?
     
  18. GregMcFadden

    GregMcFadden Facilitator RCWC Staff

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    As long as photos are uploaded here and not on some 3rd party service, they won't go missing
     
  19. NickMyers

    NickMyers Admin RCWC Staff

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    Unless they're deleted by the account owner.
     
  20. Nate G

    Nate G Well-Known Member

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    got it.