Rebuild the SC4D Website

Mikey Knox · January 10, 2016, 07:21:53 AM

When i look at Simtropolis and how they totally broke the Search Function (at least for me) and messed up the Description of Files (broken Links in 9 out of 10 Cases, messed up formating) , i hope SC4D will never update.

mattb325 · January 10, 2016, 12:35:51 PM

The overwhelming response from the community is to leave the site alone and the admins have explained that they haven't the time/facilities to upgrade (even if they wanted to).

I am surprised this topic is receiving so much air-time.

Golhbul · January 10, 2016, 01:20:38 PM

Make a new design on the forum at least improve it will not be a lesser evil ... A bit of modernity would be a plus.

The LEX is really good with his addictions system and whether it has already been downloaded ... From group dependencies into one download ... To add to a list to download later ... I love ... Only shade while is not listed but it is only a matter of patience.

matias93 · January 10, 2016, 01:30:17 PM

About accesibility, one have to remember that the game itself that convocates this community is not very accessible: many subtle details, small fonts, very reliant on mouse use and mostly visual; so, if a person cannot use the game, why try to use SC4D? Maybe older members with newer dissabilities could be an exception, but the site is very flexible for using an accesibility layer (I'm thinking on a Greasemonkey or Stilish script to change the aspect), so the writing of such script could resolve the problem without requiring a change for all users.

mgb204 · January 10, 2016, 01:45:37 PM

Actually now its been brought up, the LEX is full of small useful features. The number of times I've gone to download something, only to be informed I have already done so, is quite high. Each time I see this I can use the filename to bring up a search that will always find it on my PC and avoiding duplication of downloads for both me and the site.

I really dislike change, because so often it's done to make thing look pretty, with little regard for the function.

000 · January 10, 2016, 02:24:37 PM

Mikey Knox said everything for me.

Simtropolis after several updates, the download is less easy to do. I have every time use Google Image to find is that I want in the end...

For several years I use Simtropolis and Devotion, Devotion quality level and still the best. It is true it is a little difficult to navigate at times.

I think that we should not touch Devotion, it may be old, but it is also making its mark manufacturing I think!

Excuse me for my bad english!

indovote · January 10, 2016, 09:23:06 PM

Just for Info: Regarding the update system, please refer to the update disclaimer on the post #1.
In that disclaimer, I said that the SC4D update system not same like ST.

compdude787 · January 10, 2016, 09:35:38 PM

Sorry, indovote, but I think the case is settled: No website upgrade here. And it's hard to guarantee that there's not going to be any bugs with a new site, because those things will always happen since humans make mistakes. There's always some bugs (however minor) in each new NAM version! Even though the NAM team does a good job of testing new features, there's always some stuff that gets overlooked.

Also, Tarkus, it's interesting that the LEX was actually part of an effort to unify the file exchanges across multiple websites. Honestly, I'm not surprised that that didn't happen.

indovote · January 11, 2016, 10:47:01 PM

Quote from: compdude787 on January 10, 2016, 09:35:38 PM
Sorry, indovote, but I think the case is settled: No website upgrade here. And it's hard to guarantee that there's not going to be any bugs with a new site, because those things will always happen since humans make mistakes. There's always some bugs (however minor) in each new NAM version! Even though the NAM team does a good job of testing new features, there's always some stuff that gets overlooked.

Also, Tarkus, it's interesting that the LEX was actually part of an effort to unify the file exchanges across multiple websites. Honestly, I'm not surprised that that didn't happen.

I know that no planned site upgrade today, however, I still watching for webmaster response because is possible for the site webmaster to
plan the site upgrade, however, the upgrade maybe don't run today, maybe running on some next days/months.

noahclem · January 12, 2016, 10:16:51 AM

Quote from: mgb204 on January 10, 2016, 01:45:37 PM
Actually now its been brought up, the LEX is full of small useful features. The number of times I've gone to download something, only to be informed I have already done so, is quite high. Each time I see this I can use the filename to bring up a search that will always find it on my PC and avoiding duplication of downloads for both me and the site.

I've been surprised at how much that feature has helped me! Would be nice if the STEX would add something like that too as I know I've wasted a bunch of their bandwidth re-downloading unnecessarily.

Quote from: compdude787 on January 10, 2016, 09:35:38 PMAlso, Tarkus, it's interesting that the LEX was actually part of an effort to unify the file exchanges across multiple websites. Honestly, I'm not surprised that that didn't happen.

I was surprised to hear about that, though not as much that it didn't work. The most obvious problem would be that it's been fairly common over the years that people have strong negative feelings toward another site but even forgetting that it still adds an additional burden for uploaders to support work across multiple exchanges. More cooperation between the exchanges would be great though as the game ages, especially plans for dealing with another worst-case scenario like what happened with SimPeg. Discussions have taken place about asking uploaders to choose when uploading whether they consent to having files uploaded elsewhere if (God forbid) the LEX ever disappeared or even to ask about consent for future bundling into larger dependency packs to make things easier on new users as the amount of content grows and grows over time. The disappearance of Gobias' beloved files has made me wonder if there should be an option to (voluntarily) commit to making files available elsewhere if they're removed from the LEX. While no one besides him knows why they were removed, if it was due to bad feelings about our site it would be great if they were available on another fan site or file host. Policing against a "gray market" of exchanging unavailable files is the last thing any site wants to deal with, would be difficult no matter how zealous enforcement was, and the situation will inevitably leave some people unable to obtain important files/dependencies.

Regarding the actual suggested changes to the website, I thought Alex was quite clear about what our plans and goals are and what they are not. A sweeping set of changes of questionable utility is simply not in the cards at this time. If we did have a large amount of time to donate to the site in the short term our priorities would be the ones Alex outlined earlier.

mgb204 · January 12, 2016, 10:31:51 AM

The thing is, I can write in my uploaded Terms and Conditions the following:

"The works contained within are wholly owned by MGB, re-distribution, specifically limited to this installer package only, is acceptable. However, when referencing the resources used within, for use with another mod. You should always link users to this download, please do not include such resources directly."

But is that legally enforceable, it's a muddy area. Looking recently at things like the MiT licence, it fails in one area for me. I don't want to allow commercial use, I couldn't care less what people do with my work, provided they don't think they can cash a paycheck on the back of it. I fear the spirit in which I wrote the above (agreement for TGN/NGN mods), may not be respected due to fears of the potential consequences because I didn't use a vetted licence for the explicit wording.

I don't want to stir up a moral quandary. But if I'm being totally honest, if someone I knew made a request for such unobtainable files, I'd find it difficult to refuse. I know how gutted I would be if I saw the beauty of Gobias' terrain mods, only to find that I couldn't get a copy. In fact I'd scour the darkest corners of the internet trying to find it. Now I'm not recommending any of this or advocating anything. But it does cause a dilemma.

catty · January 12, 2016, 01:30:26 PM

Quote from: noahclem on January 12, 2016, 10:16:51 AM
...The disappearance of Gobias' beloved files has made me wonder if there should be an option to (voluntarily) commit to making files available elsewhere if they're removed from the LEX. While no one besides him knows why they were removed, if it was due to bad feelings about our site it would be great if they were available on another fan site or file host. Policing against a "gray market" of exchanging unavailable files is the last thing any site wants to deal with, would be difficult no matter how zealous enforcement was, and the situation will inevitably leave some people unable to obtain important files/dependencies....

I uploaded the MAXIS official updates to CB and justified it on the grounds that EA Games had deleted the websites they were on and they were still selling the games so people still needed the files especially when it came to the SC3 files, but if someone deletes their own work ....?

One solution is the LEX CD and DVDs and also the STEX DVDs and I'm now kicking myself that I didn't grab a copy of the PLEX CD when it was available as I now have files that have long since been deleted from the STEX, one of my parks is still available on one of the STEX DVDs even tho its now only available over at CB these days and I did have to agree to have my park included on the STEX DVD ... you could make it part of the LEX Upload that people agree to have their work included on a DVD or these days a Cloud location (even something like noahclem suggestion of another site) so even if they delete their work from the LEX it will remain on the "DVD" or other location especially when they are dependencies.

-catty