CAG Blog Layout & Features: Feedback Wanted

[CheapyD]

I think the blogs are off to a good start, but I realize that some changes need to be made. I'm interested in hearing what kind of layout changes and feature additions you would like to see added.

We will be replacing the horrible sidebar navigation with a horizontal one, similar to what you see in the forums.

I would like to make the main blog post width narrower. Currently, that area is 777px wide and I think somewhere around 500px will provide much better readability and will make the blogs more aesthetically appealing. If you look at most blogs, you will see their posts areas are around 500px wide.

If we narrow the posting area, this will free up a lot of room and then we need to decide what will take up that extra space.

Anyway, what are you thoughts (from a features and layout perspective) on the CAG Blogs?

[WhipSmartBanky]

I would also like a quicker link to get to albums, instead of having to jump through my profile to albums or my UserCP to albums.

[thorbahn3]

I'd like to be able to replace my blog header as many times I want and for it to show the new image immediately. Right now new images only show up in firefox.

[fart_bubble]

not a fan of they way the tagging and category is currently setup. Seems like a lot of hassle for something that should be really easy

[Ugamer_X]

The ability to rate blogs. Plus, the ability to sort blogs by most viewed for the week/month/all-time and sort by top rated.

[Trakan]

Center the blog entries. It's currently taking up the left side of my monitor.

[lordwow]

Quicker access to adding categories.

[The Mana Knight]

Center the blog entries. It's currently taking up the left side of my monitor.I have to agree in ways because what I currently have to do is center all my images for they look right.

Anyway, I really want to be able to remove tags someone put in our blog ourselves (like for thread titles).

[krazy14kraz]

rate blogs and to have a separate reviewing type blog that has different features. like game-play 8 out of 10. or watever

[BlueSwim]

I like blogging on CAG, but these fixes would help big time.


1. A quick way to the photo album. It's a royal pain as it stands.

2. Quicker refresh rate on the "views" counter. 0 views with a couple of comments is kind of contradictory.

3. A "Top Blogs" ranking for regular blog posters complete with it's own "views" counter.

4. Some subscription numbers would be nice. I'd like to know how many people have subscribed to my blog.

5. Better promotion of CAG blog posts to the front page that aren't deal related. It's been a month and I have yet to see one blog post that isn't a deal get promoted.

6. An easier way for other people to get to my blog. Something like "www.cheapassgamer.com/BlueSwim/Blog" or something like that.


I love my CAG blog (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/blog.php?u=105908), as you can tell by my blog post count. But these changes/additions would be welcomed.

[CheapyD]

These are all great suggestions...keep 'em coming
FYI, http://www.cheapassgamer.com/blog/blueswim should do the trick.

[The Mana Knight]

If there's a blog rating, I'd like there to be an optional feature to turn it off, if possible.

[lilboo]

I'm not sure if this exists, but what about notifications for when you receive a blog comment?

[CheapyD]

I'm not sure if this exists, but what about notifications for when you receive a blog comment?

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/blog_usercp.php?do=editoptions

Default Subscription Mode: Blog Entries
Select "Instant Email Notification"

[BlueSwim]

These are all great suggestions...keep 'em coming
FYI, http://www.cheapassgamer.com/blog/blueswim should do the trick.


Great! Thanks Cheapy!


Also, if there is a blog rating feature it might be a good idea to keep away from the 5 out of 5 system so people won't abuse it. Something like diggs would be better but maybe without the need to constantly have peopple digg it.

[BlueSwim]

Is there an easier way to keep track of other people's blogs posts I've commented in without going through old posts page by page? If not then perhaps a "My Blog Comments" feature might be something to look into.

[lilboo]

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/blog_usercp.php?do=editoptions

Default Subscription Mode: Blog Entries
Select "Instant Email Notification"

Oh, my bad.
Actually I should have made myself clear. Is there a way to get the same notification on CAG like you would get when you receive a PM or a visitor comment?

[FriskyTanuki]

It would be great to have ignore options for blogs, so that either blogs from certain people don't show up at all in the blog listings or that comments from those on other people's blogs. Either the main forum ignore list could carry over, which would be the ideal solution, or maybe a special blog ignore list would be nice to have.

[BlueSwim]

It would be great to have ignore options for blogs, so that either blogs from certain people don't show up at all in the blog listings or that comments from those on other people's blogs. Either the main forum ignore list could carry over, which would be the ideal solution, or maybe a special blog ignore list would be nice to have.


Yeah, maybe some sort of check box system where you can pick and choose who's blogs show up in the main blogs section. Don't want to see blogs from someone, un-check their box.

[Rei no Otaku]

A feature that lets you reply directly to a certain comment in a blog post would be nice.

[Kingfalcon]

Maybe I just can't locate it, but is there a feature that will notify me (besides email) when there is a new post to a blog I am subscribed to? I am thinking about something along the lines of the PM system. If there is no way to do that, I would really love to see that feature added.

[botticus]

The blog entry subscription seems to be busted still - I have a ton of subscriptions to my own entries that don't delete, and no subscriptions to some blog entries I've commented on.

Also, a way to view all of a user's (at least your own, possibly others) comments.

[Gothic Walrus]

How about a quote button next to each comment?

Quoting the blog post itself is sort of useless (though you could add a button for that too), but when conversations break out in the comments it might make things easier to follow. And, I wouldn't have to do it manually anymore. :)

[Blackout]

More focus on CAG blogs on the front page. Right now the little box on the right hand corner is really not cutting it. A lot of CAGs have done some great blogs and they really haven't gotten put out there.

Some sort of rating system, for each individual blog post as well as the blogger as a whole, and in some way some system to promote who's the highest rated, most popular blog posts of the day, week, month, etc. A Digg feature on the blogs would be awesome, if that were at all possible.

I think some kind of blog section where you can click on what people are talking about. Want to read about 360 stuff? Then click here and go to read about 360 blogs, or cheap ass game scores blogs, etc. I think that would be a cool feature.

[CheapyD]

Very good suggestions...keep 'em coming!

[BlueSwim]

More focus on CAG blogs on the front page. Right now the little box on the right hand corner is really not cutting it. A lot of CAGs have done some great blogs and they really haven't gotten put out there.

Some sort of rating system, for each individual blog post as well as the blogger as a whole, and in some way some system to promote who's the highest rated, most popular blog posts of the day, week, month, etc. A Digg feature on the blogs would be awesome, if that were at all possible.

I think some kind of blog section where you can click on what people are talking about. Want to read about 360 stuff? Then click here and go to read about 360 blogs, or cheap ass game scores blogs, etc. I think that would be a cool feature.


Making good suggestions, your doing it right!:applause:

Maybe a Digg like system would be better to keep out 1 star rating trolls. Also, in the "blog entry subscriptions" section of the blog control panel it only shows the latest comment for blog posts, not something like "so-and-so commented at 1 oclock, and no name commented at 1:02" . Because of this I end up with half a dozen updates in that section telling me the same thing. That could use some fixing.

[Blackout]

Here's another idea. For your individual blog, it would be cool to see how many visits your blog posts get a day, a week, a month, etc.

[WhipSmartBanky]

This may have already been suggested, but I would like to see threaded comments, so that you could reply to individual comments and the result would appear inline.

[mguiddy]

This may have already been suggested, but I would like to see threaded comments, so that you could reply to individual comments and the result would appear inline.
...
inline or nested?

[RelentlessRolento]

i would love to have a notification show up in User CP
when you get a new response on any page of your blog. That alone would make me use my blog more.

[CheapyD]

Just wanted to say that we are currently working on some changes to the blog system and would love to get some more feedback.

We will likely change the left column of the blog to match the width of the front page (and most other "real" blogs). Studies have shown that narrow = better for readability and it will allow room on the right column to implement some of the changes you have requested.

[BlueSwim]

Is it possible to add a "Entry Subscriptions" link into the "Quick Links" section? I hate having to go to the blogs section first before I can check what's new in the blog entries I've commented on. Also, it seems like some blog entries don't show up in the "Entry Subscriptions" section even though I have commented on them. Some sort of glitch, maybe?

[Filler2001]

Well, the only thing I would like for these blogs are the ability to see "more" of a post without having to click a link, with like an expand, and then "close expansion" option (a la spoiler tags). Love the blogs though.

[Dr Mario Kart]

It would be nice if people could collaborate on a single blog. That is to say, I could clear person A, B, and C to post on my blog and I would have moderation privileges over all of it, while they would be able to moderate their own posts.

This would allow people to put together some more interesting efforts, I think.

[RelentlessRolento]

It would be nice if people could collaborate on a single blog. That is to say, I could clear person A, B, and C to post on my blog and I would have moderation privileges over all of it, while they would be able to moderate their own posts.

This would allow people to put together some more interesting efforts, I think.


I'll second this.