How can we improve?

mrhahn · 10-10-2005, 08:10 AM

Here at BFNation we're always trying to improve the site, to ensure we're still the only Battlefield site you need to remember. In order to do this, we need your feedback.

What do/don't you like on the site?
Would you like to see more news being posted? What type?
What sort of content? Articles, interviews, reviews, etc?
What sort of community features? File services, game servers, etc?

Personally, I feel that BFNation's biggest strength is motivation - we're not here to make money, sell products or be EA's mouthpiece. Our purpose is to be the best damn Battlefield site on the interweb - with the best community behind it.

With your support, I think we can get there, and earn back our reputation as the Battlefield site.

Dick_Justice · 10-10-2005, 10:46 AM

Well, I´m not sure what exactly your trying to achieve !

I know your saying you want to be the "best", but its unclear what that involves ! Everybody might have their own idea of what's best for BFN.

I mean if you want to take on established sites like www.planetbattlefield. com you´ll going to have to invest quite a bit, and to be honest I´m not sure if thats really what would be best !

Regarding News:
-I think we should try to get about 1 news post a day. We don´t need to post about every little custom map that has been release, but we should really tell the community all they need to know about BF 2 mods and etc.

People need to realise, that by visiting this site, they´ll stay up to date on all the important developements in the BF series.
As it stands now, I still visit PBF or totalbf2 to stay up to date.

About files:
-I´ve seen that BFN already has some kind of file-server available, but you should really aim to increase the amount of files hosted. All patches and major mods should be available for download if possible.

The site:
-I´m not sure, but last I checked some of the main site sections were a we bit outdated. I also have to say, that the site isn´t exactly very attractive. Its rather grey and lacking colours and screenshots. You should hammer it with flash-animations etc. but it could do with a little spicing up.

The Forum:
-Same applys to the forums. I still use the ornage + grey theme as I have for the past 3.5 years. I know its sleek, but it could do with a facelift aswell, imho.
The restructuring of the forum is something I´ve mentioned a few times already...

-I know some of you might be concerned about the time of people an expation might attract, however people joining new communitys will always adapt to the apparent situation. So as long as we stay nice and polite as usual, I wouldn´t worry to much about the scum...

mrhahn · 10-10-2005, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dick_Justice

I mean if you want to take on established sites like www.planetbattlefield. com you´ll going to have to invest quite a bit, and to be honest I´m not sure if thats really what would be best !

That's really not what we're aiming for - PBF have their ..industry ties which we simply can't compete with, nor do we want to if it involves ads all over the page, etc. When I say best, I mean the best community site. A site where people come for their news, where they come to ask questions or discuss Battlefield. A site that's run for Battlefield fans - not for profit.

Quote:

-I think we should try to get about 1 news post a day. We don´t need to post about every little custom map that has been release, but we should really tell the community all they need to know about BF 2 mods and etc.

Yep, I totally agree. A lot of sites post every single mod they hear about - which probably makes it look good and active, but when you actually read the news it's about a new render or something. At the end of the day, we could post this, but it seems like most users just don't care.

Quote:

People need to realise, that by visiting this site, they´ll stay up to date on all the important developements in the BF series.
As it stands now, I still visit PBF or totalbf2 to stay up to date.

Absolutely - this is where "being the best" comes in. We want BFNation to be the place people come for their news, to ask questions, etc.

Quote:

-I´ve seen that BFN already has some kind of file-server available, but you should really aim to increase the amount of files hosted. All patches and major mods should be available for download if possible.

Development on this has already begun and should hopefully be finished within a few weeks. I'm trying to create exactly what you've described.

Quote:

-I´m not sure, but last I checked some of the main site sections were a we bit outdated. I also have to say, that the site isn´t exactly very attractive. Its rather grey and lacking colours and screenshots. You should hammer it with flash-animations etc. but it could do with a little spicing up.

I'm in the process of overhauling the BF2 content right now - it'll be far better than you've seen elsewhere

As for colours, that's something I liked about BFN. It wasn't all bright and over the top - it was simple, elegant, clean. Not sure how anyone else feels about this?

Quote:

-Same applys to the forums. I still use the ornage + grey theme as I have for the past 3.5 years. I know its sleek, but it could do with a facelift aswell, imho.
The restructuring of the forum is something I´ve mentioned a few times already...

Have you tried Rexxie's skin? It matches the site colours, etc. so it might still seem a bit dull, but it looks more..professional I'd say. And forum restructuring is something happening this week.

Hope that clarifies everything

grim reaper · 10-10-2005, 07:32 PM

What do/don't you like on the site?

Quality of articles, when we do them they are ace, we just need more. hang on, thats what I was hired for, oh shit......

And ban NavalLord, he's gay you know?

Would you like to see more news being posted? What type?

More mod overviews, not every new render as that is dull, just a general overview of mods in progress.

What sort of content? Articles, interviews, reviews, etc?

More articles.

What sort of community features? File services, game servers, etc?

File hosting, I know thats work in progress at the moment.

TitanSound · 10-10-2005, 07:37 PM

Try and get a real community spirit by us all playing together. God knows its hard to get the 10 players needed for a server and its frustaring when people come in and leave right away when your at the 6/7 mark.

Everyone is welcome to use our clanserver whenever 85.236.101.54:16567 (I know we have the BFN server but is it ranked?). Its in the UK but I know 420 gets a smooth enough experience (the dirty dog

).

I know time is an issue for the guys in the US/Canada but we could arrange a regular weekend time and all meet up and have a few good games

mrhahn · 10-10-2005, 07:59 PM

Yup grim, all of the stuff you've mentioned we're starting to work on now, including some new staff (no redundancies though!).

Titan - that's a good idea. I prefer your server because it's ranked, so us BFNationalists can play together against some pub foos!

DanTesla1 · 10-10-2005, 11:12 PM

Ok, some tips for BFN:

1. More interactive website. Get some good stuff going, like files and such. Also, maybe get Comical Weapons back... that was a BFN only kinda thing. Made BFN different from every other Battlefield Website. (The UGO hosting was good.)

2. Get some sponsors out there. We have Clan HQ... but we need more. BFN should be out there getting into the mods, too. Maybe even host some new mods that are being developed. We could use that as extra attention.

3. Xfire skin. I'd be glad to make one.

4. Make me admin.

melee · 10-11-2005, 01:42 AM

We need like newspapers over the urinals so we can read something as we take a piss

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanTesla1

3. Xfire skin. I'd be glad to make one.)

For the 10 people in this forum that use xfire...

Really the big thing I see right now is lack of community gaming. If we could make a night that we hit up the server at a certain time or something. Maybe not a BFN^92, but damn playing on the old TVA lead BFN servers was damn fun.

I also vote to make DanTesla1 not mod

RichM · 10-11-2005, 01:51 AM

Burn it all to the ground, and start over from the ashes.

melee · 10-11-2005, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichM

Burn it all to the ground, and start over from the ashes.

Damnit Rich, thats what you say about everything.

Your poor grandmother....

RichM · 10-11-2005, 01:26 PM

Sorry, melee - been feeling pissed off recently, and society dictates that I should not act on my baser instincts to kill and maim.

Hopefully my world will be back on a more even keel soon.

Spy98 · 10-11-2005, 02:38 PM

I really like the amount of professionalism that's put into the deisgn and
journalism of bfnation, the news posters do a well job.

As for me, I'd like a bit more interactivity, such as voting on the PotD or comments directly integrated into the news posts. As it is now, comments
are usually in the forum, but that takes the users away from the frontpage.

Starting the monday-brief again is a good thing, it's a thing I missed.

Maybe polish up the screenshots section, so users can submit their screenshots and can rate or comment them. No need for pop-up windows here though.

Polls are good, they're definitely a keeper. Much more statistics there or a history would be cool too.

Xee Thot · 10-11-2005, 04:25 PM

I would like an option to access the site with a skin that were more Palm friendly... Yes, I'm the nerd acessing it with a Palm and Blazer browser.

I can acess everything actually, but have to scroll sideways to read anything... Maybe a www.bfnation.net/pda that uses a different skin that has 320ish pixels width max... And I surf the forums that way too... real weird but that's all I have since my work blocked all internet acess.

mrhahn · 10-11-2005, 04:26 PM

Thanks Spy. Comments for news, PotD, PotW, etc. are something I'd considered in the past, but against due to the amount of development work needed, compared to the amount of use they'd see. But if you guys think it would get used, then I'd be happy to have a go at it at some point. Got a lot of BFN plates spinning right now!

Xee Thot - haha, I must admit I occasionally try to browse using my phone (SE T610) and it's a lot of work really. I don't know much about PDA accessibility, but it's something I can look into - doesn't sound like too much work.

Xee Thot · 10-11-2005, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrhahn

Thanks Spy. Comments for news, PotD, PotW, etc. are something I'd considered in the past, but against due to the amount of development work needed, compared to the amount of use they'd see. But if you guys think it would get used, then I'd be happy to have a go at it at some point. Got a lot of BFN plates spinning right now!

Xee Thot - haha, I must admit I occasionally try to browse using my phone (SE T610) and it's a lot of work really. I don't know much about PDA accessibility, but it's something I can look into - doesn't sound like too much work.

I think it's basically width, less images... It looks like a small ie/firefox window. Try it in a frame with 320 width and height and you'll get what most PDAs get.

Ok. On my palm now. With the blue & white background style, the screen wraps like this:
View previous topic :: View
next topic

Maybe disabling signatures and avatars so the page loads faster...

Xee Thot · 10-11-2005, 05:51 PM

On the wide view mode, the user data column on the left of his post takes a bit over half the screen...

CSS works fine, but loads with the images...

So I think it's mostly talking width into account and removing sigs and avatars 'cause this connections tend to suck.

Damn... You try to write all that with a stylus....

Trident · 10-11-2005, 06:45 PM

I like the idea of MOD reviews. Not all the little ones. Maybe a few of the larger ones atleast. And maybe have a "weakly review" on a monday or friday to update on all the other little mods and maps.

Plus it would be cool to organize some events where all BFN can play. There a lot of good players here... it could be fun.

Or maybe add a TeamSpeak or Ventrillo (sp?) server?

And maybe add more guides?

10-10-2005, 08:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
mrhahn General Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,925	How can we improve? Here at BFNation we're always trying to improve the site, to ensure we're still the only Battlefield site you need to remember. In order to do this, we need your feedback. What do/don't you like on the site? Would you like to see more news being posted? What type? What sort of content? Articles, interviews, reviews, etc? What sort of community features? File services, game servers, etc? Personally, I feel that BFNation's biggest strength is motivation - we're not here to make money, sell products or be EA's mouthpiece. Our purpose is to be the best damn Battlefield site on the interweb - with the best community behind it. With your support, I think we can get there, and earn back our reputation as the Battlefield site. __________________ Donate to help keep BFN running.

10-10-2005, 10:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dick_Justice Major Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Marl, Germany Posts: 3,350	Well, I´m not sure what exactly your trying to achieve ! I know your saying you want to be the "best", but its unclear what that involves ! Everybody might have their own idea of what's best for BFN. I mean if you want to take on established sites like www.planetbattlefield. com you´ll going to have to invest quite a bit, and to be honest I´m not sure if thats really what would be best ! Regarding News: -I think we should try to get about 1 news post a day. We don´t need to post about every little custom map that has been release, but we should really tell the community all they need to know about BF 2 mods and etc. People need to realise, that by visiting this site, they´ll stay up to date on all the important developements in the BF series. As it stands now, I still visit PBF or totalbf2 to stay up to date. About files: -I´ve seen that BFN already has some kind of file-server available, but you should really aim to increase the amount of files hosted. All patches and major mods should be available for download if possible. The site: -I´m not sure, but last I checked some of the main site sections were a we bit outdated. I also have to say, that the site isn´t exactly very attractive. Its rather grey and lacking colours and screenshots. You should hammer it with flash-animations etc. but it could do with a little spicing up. The Forum: -Same applys to the forums. I still use the ornage + grey theme as I have for the past 3.5 years. I know its sleek, but it could do with a facelift aswell, imho. The restructuring of the forum is something I´ve mentioned a few times already... -I know some of you might be concerned about the time of people an expation might attract, however people joining new communitys will always adapt to the apparent situation. So as long as we stay nice and polite as usual, I wouldn´t worry to much about the scum... __________________ Plays BF 2 in Europe under the name of \"Erich_Felsner\"

10-10-2005, 07:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
TitanSound Captain Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: London, England Posts: 2,784	Try and get a real community spirit by us all playing together. God knows its hard to get the 10 players needed for a server and its frustaring when people come in and leave right away when your at the 6/7 mark. Everyone is welcome to use our clanserver whenever 85.236.101.54:16567 (I know we have the BFN server but is it ranked?). Its in the UK but I know 420 gets a smooth enough experience (the dirty dog ). I know time is an issue for the guys in the US/Canada but we could arrange a regular weekend time and all meet up and have a few good games __________________ "You often find drummers have amazing memories, they have to remember long musical phrases as pure data, its almost binary"

10-10-2005, 07:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
mrhahn General Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,925	Yup grim, all of the stuff you've mentioned we're starting to work on now, including some new staff (no redundancies though!). Titan - that's a good idea. I prefer your server because it's ranked, so us BFNationalists can play together against some pub foos! __________________ Donate to help keep BFN running.

10-11-2005, 01:51 AM	#9 (permalink)
RichM Forum Moderator Brigadier General Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: West Richland, Washington Posts: 2,891	Burn it all to the ground, and start over from the ashes. __________________ "The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the Democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is Fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any controlling private power." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

10-10-2005, 07:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
grim reaper Forum Moderator Brigadier General Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: England Posts: 7,255	What do/don't you like on the site? Quality of articles, when we do them they are ace, we just need more. hang on, thats what I was hired for, oh shit...... And ban NavalLord, he's gay you know? Would you like to see more news being posted? What type? More mod overviews, not every new render as that is dull, just a general overview of mods in progress. What sort of content? Articles, interviews, reviews, etc? More articles. What sort of community features? File services, game servers, etc? File hosting, I know thats work in progress at the moment.

10-11-2005, 01:26 PM	#11 (permalink)
RichM Forum Moderator Brigadier General Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: West Richland, Washington Posts: 2,891	Sorry, melee - been feeling pissed off recently, and society dictates that I should not act on my baser instincts to kill and maim. Hopefully my world will be back on a more even keel soon. __________________ "The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the Democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is Fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any controlling private power." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

10-11-2005, 02:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
Spy98 Sergeant Join Date: May 2002 Location: Brandenburg, Germany Posts: 330	I really like the amount of professionalism that's put into the deisgn and journalism of bfnation, the news posters do a well job. As for me, I'd like a bit more interactivity, such as voting on the PotD or comments directly integrated into the news posts. As it is now, comments are usually in the forum, but that takes the users away from the frontpage. Starting the monday-brief again is a good thing, it's a thing I missed. Maybe polish up the screenshots section, so users can submit their screenshots and can rate or comment them. No need for pop-up windows here though. Polls are good, they're definitely a keeper. Much more statistics there or a history would be cool too. __________________ //Spy98 currently listening to:

10-11-2005, 04:25 PM	#13 (permalink)
Xee Thot Private Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brazil Posts: 61	I would like an option to access the site with a skin that were more Palm friendly... Yes, I'm the nerd acessing it with a Palm and Blazer browser. I can acess everything actually, but have to scroll sideways to read anything... Maybe a www.bfnation.net/pda that uses a different skin that has 320ish pixels width max... And I surf the forums that way too... real weird but that's all I have since my work blocked all internet acess. __________________ Grenades kill people, not tanks.

10-11-2005, 04:26 PM	#14 (permalink)
mrhahn General Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,925	Thanks Spy. Comments for news, PotD, PotW, etc. are something I'd considered in the past, but against due to the amount of development work needed, compared to the amount of use they'd see. But if you guys think it would get used, then I'd be happy to have a go at it at some point. Got a lot of BFN plates spinning right now! Xee Thot - haha, I must admit I occasionally try to browse using my phone (SE T610) and it's a lot of work really. I don't know much about PDA accessibility, but it's something I can look into - doesn't sound like too much work. __________________ Donate to help keep BFN running.

10-11-2005, 05:51 PM	#16 (permalink)
Xee Thot Private Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brazil Posts: 61	On the wide view mode, the user data column on the left of his post takes a bit over half the screen... CSS works fine, but loads with the images... So I think it's mostly talking width into account and removing sigs and avatars 'cause this connections tend to suck. Damn... You try to write all that with a stylus.... __________________ Grenades kill people, not tanks.

10-11-2005, 06:45 PM	#17 (permalink)
Trident First Sergeant Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pennsylvania - USA Posts: 578	I like the idea of MOD reviews. Not all the little ones. Maybe a few of the larger ones atleast. And maybe have a "weakly review" on a monday or friday to update on all the other little mods and maps. Plus it would be cool to organize some events where all BFN can play. There a lot of good players here... it could be fun. Or maybe add a TeamSpeak or Ventrillo (sp?) server? And maybe add more guides? __________________ Have a nice day!