Site redesign - 2016 Update #1

[Deleted3507349User]

Also, please please PLEASE make it so that whatever drop-down menus there are only drop down when you actually click the button and not just mouse over them.

[DreamingGirl]

In response to post #34710005. #34726575, #34729035, #34740430, #34741895 are all replies on the same post.

DreamingGirl wrote: I only have one plea: PLEASE! don't give us infinite scrolls, give us pages and paginator! Infinite scrolls makes it a real pain to find things again later..

So far it looks ok tho

BlindJudge wrote: Oh no! Really!?!?! You don't like infinite scroll :(

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You'll be incredibly pleased to know that there is no infinite scroll and we have no plans to implement it :D

DreamingGirl wrote: Lol that is good to hear :D

I was just concerned from the pictures that says 'load 10 more' or 'load 15 more' as that is usually a sign of endless scrolling to get anywhere. So you are saying there will actually be pages, and not 'load 10 more' ad nauseum on page one?

Exoclyps wrote: Yeah, page 1... 2.... 3... and so one could be better. But I'm probably gonna be able to live with booth.

J.O.D. wrote: There are webpages that have both - page numbers, yet also the possibility to load more... actually it loads the next page on the same page...ehm.:-)

As long as you can go directly to page 5 without having to scroll through pages 1-4, I'm happy :P

[UhuruNUru]

Most Disliked Feature, the Forum/Nexus Mods links, not that the links exist they are vital for support.

Problem is they don't simply link to the Forums, they present the Forums content, in a different way.

Ignoring all but the most basic formatting instructions and anything more tham simple instructions are presented without formatting.

I thought of adding lots of complicated formatting to this post, but want it understood, examples are easy to find.

This was written on the forum though, it will still look much longer on NexusMods.

 

It makes long well presented help and support posts, unreadable on the Posts Tab and when that was the only link, they disappeered into the depths, even quicker on the Forum, than the Posts Tab.

I instigated and organised MO {Edit: even acronyms don't show up, I'll leave this one as an example} support's move to STEP because of the awful state, it was in. With a single PostsTab/Forum Thread for support.

I'm extremely happy that I was right, STEP's rigour with testing everything they use, has improved MO support the Documentation is first class and as a Wiki, it remains up to date, as long as the users/maker keep it that way.

Moving to STEP was the right choice for MO, but I'm not suggesting it's a solution for all mods.

The addition of the Mod Specific Forums has helped the Mod Support a lot, that was the biggest issue, one thread support was bad support, now Nexus has all the elements that STEP has.

 

Some may be surprised to know that the Nexus already has a Wiki, i know it exists, but found no displayed link on the Nexus, even a Nexus search showed nothing, I had to search the net to find it.

It's hardly used by games, but that's no great surprise, it's never been really been encouraged and no examples of how it can help with mod support.

Take a look at STEP's intergration of Wiki and Forum as an example of what the site can do, if the Wiki is promoted and also used by the site for it's own Public Documentation and information.

 

The communities involvement is vital of course and Nexus isn't one community, but like with the addition of Mod Subforuns, when the advantages are seen the use will usually spread.

I first saw Separate Forum Tabs on the Long War Mod, i don't know if they created the method or not, but it took a while before I saw another mod do so, then suddenly many were being added every day.

Nexus reorgamised the Forums, grouping the isolated threads of Long War's Original method, into the game specific subforums we have now (The Nexus Forums > Nexus Site Forums > Commenting > File topics), though mod specific subforums, inside each game specific one, would be better.

 

With the Sites encouragement, the Wiki can become the source for the basic information needed for each mod's support requirements, the advantage of using a Wiki, is all users can contribute and information doesn't need a Sticky Post to keep it visible.

Of course only a few users provide the help and support for each mod and the Wiki wouild be the same, but over time who those users are will change, when old information becomes out of date, the new users can change the original much easier.

MO has had many Guides made, only the Official guide and a few original authors, who still upate their guides, remain current.

I've moved on to XCOM 2 Modding as my main focus, MO support continues and I think it's much better than when I started. For a while, I was the main Help and Support for MO, though I was never the only one. Only a handful are helping at any one time, Who provides the support, varies over time.

The other advantage of a wiki, is as a place for all the information, that's not mod specific, the general game and/or engine specific information that is often harder to find than the mod specific details.

Though I've gone on a bit about how the Wiki is underutilsed, by all of us, not just the site, that's something else to improve, back to the biggest issue I have.

 

The Nexus Mods to Forum Links should be simply that, if they exist as links at all, they should go to the forum directly.

Another alternative is to break the link entirely, just have the posts Tab and Mod Forums on the Nexus, if as I suspect removing the functionality isn't possible, simply hide the Forum page or just remove the direct links to it.

Both those alternatives essentially mean choosing only one means of displaying the posts, not two incompatible ones.

 

If you want the link to remain, remove the incompatible formatting instructions from Forum posts, before displaying them on Nexus Mods. More than anything it's displaying these that makes the text unreadable.

Having written all that, I've just realised, I haven't even mentionned the real root cause of the extreme lengthening of posts effect, switching to Nexus Mods has on posts.

Why does Nexus Mods only use one third of my browsers width? Why all the wasted space? If Nexus Mods was the same width as the forum, I'd get more information, instead of empty backgrounds. I'm all for more information on each page, not less.

Nexus is better than it was for Mod Support, but not as good as it should be, fixing the Forum and Wiki intergation with Nexus Mods is down to the site.

When switching between the sites is seamless and all cross site posts are presented as originally written, the communities still have to actually use the available methods, to keep mods and games updated

With an integrated Wiki acting as communal "stickied" information, anyone can update the information when neede, even when original authors are no longer available, to edit it..

 

Intergrate the Wiki/Forum/Nexus so each mod can have a page on any of them, show up in all, as written, not badly reformatted.

Ideally all should use the same templates so that to the reader it doesn't matter, where the information originaly came from, still tell them and all mods should use a logical path structure, something like:

Engine > Franchise/Series > Game > Mod

 

Each level above mods has it's own subsection(s), for information that applies across all of the individual entries in that level's subsection.

A full layout change would take time, it's more important that all three sites use the same layout, than what it is, my vote is for full use of the available space on my browser.

Much of the background intergration can be done without changing the layouts. Getting the Wiki and forums using the same Forrmatting system shouldn't be too hard.

Nexus Mods is the radically different layout, I've made it clear it's the one I would change, if it's not going to be a complete new fully intergrated system for all three sites.

The main criteria would be, presenting posts from all three sites written using the forum's style of optional WYSIWYG editing system, to show all posts as written by the author.

This would go a long way to increase all users ability to provide good support for mods, the writer can select where to post, Forum (Poster edit only) or Wiki (All can edit).

Anyone can extract the useful information from any Forum post and add it to the Wiki (Entire posts will rarely be suitable to just paste) and the user doesn't need to worry where it is, they just open the integrated link from the page their currently on.

 

Long post but, it will look 6 times longer in that truncated Nexus Mods window and I've limited any formatting, that may have helped present it better, hope this is fixed soon, however it's done, mod support can only benefit from better site integration.

[WarlordGamingYT]

I Cant wait to see the website like that it looks beautiful and fitting for this site that I spend hours upon hours on just going through the pages of the Skyrim mods and this looks like it will make that job a less of a hassle. Also are redesigning NMM? :)

[TheThirdRace]

In response to post #34721635. #34724495, #34739595, #34739755 are all replies on the same post.

hishutup wrote: I think there is the problem with the whitespace on the sides of the page. Most users are using the standard widescreen displays and the sides usually go to waste, why not display more info like a wider list of pictures.

With ulta wides starting to come into play they will suffer from this issue even more.

llihP wrote: The sides of the page have been left open like that for a few reasons, one of those is a requirement for ads that need to run in a side skin format.

Since the site is build in a modular way, it's easy to build upon it later on for even wider screens if the need arises.

hishutup wrote: I pay so I don't want blank space for ads, I rather have the space properly used for a better experience.
For people that have ads, just reduce the width of the modules.

llihP wrote: Here's one of the other 'few' reasons, I was talking about this the other night. Let me quote myself:

"...scanning left to right with a width of 1400px is a bit much when reading. It's why you'll never find a newspaper with text spanning across each page for the full width..."

And that was said after having designed a page with such a large width.

If there's no limit in place, you're effectively leaving articles, result pages etc to the width of the browser, and I wouldn't exactly call looking from one end of my 27" monitor to the other the greatest experience, especially for reading. My neck would definitely be getting a swivel-like workout.

If you look at Steam stats you'll also see that the vast majority of gamers are on 1080p or below.

http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey

Then there's the cost effectiveness, how much you'd benefit from such a design, how such a design would work across all the templates, how practical it'd be and so on. At the end of the day it's not up to me, but there's more to consider than just the fact that ads will make use of this space that would otherwise be empty anyway. As I previously mentioned, at least it's easier to build upon now.

"...scanning left to right with a width of 1400px is a bit much when reading. It's why you'll never find a newspaper with text spanning across each page for the full width..."

Sorry, but that's rubbish. Newspapers are designed in sections and subsections, blocks and sub-blocks, etc, but taken as a whole they do span across the entire page.

People aren't asking for 1 block to span the whole screen, they're asking for putting more sections/blocks in a given screen.

The Nexus is designed the same way as newspaper are, it is divisible by sections and subsections, blocks and sub-blocks, etc., it just doesn't span across all the available space for whatever reason.

I'm all for more space between sections, making the site breath and whatnot, but I do have a problem when all that space is used to compress the information in a tight and tiny block on the screen because it displays better on mobile...

For example, with the current layout I have 2/3 of my screen unused. All the information is tightly compressed in the remaining 33% of my screen. If you can't see how it's wasted space I guess you will never understand...

[Loveblanket]

Kudos on the new design. I know it isn't 100% accurate, but I like the direction it is going and the sleek new look. The site definitely needed a face lift and I like what I see so far.

[Loveblanket]

In response to post #34710005. #34726575, #34729035, #34740430, #34741895, #34744910 are all replies on the same post.

DreamingGirl wrote: I only have one plea: PLEASE! don't give us infinite scrolls, give us pages and paginator! Infinite scrolls makes it a real pain to find things again later..

So far it looks ok tho

BlindJudge wrote: Oh no! Really!?!?! You don't like infinite scroll :(

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You'll be incredibly pleased to know that there is no infinite scroll and we have no plans to implement it :D

DreamingGirl wrote: Lol that is good to hear :D

I was just concerned from the pictures that says 'load 10 more' or 'load 15 more' as that is usually a sign of endless scrolling to get anywhere. So you are saying there will actually be pages, and not 'load 10 more' ad nauseum on page one?

Exoclyps wrote: Yeah, page 1... 2.... 3... and so one could be better. But I'm probably gonna be able to live with booth.

J.O.D. wrote: There are webpages that have both - page numbers, yet also the possibility to load more... actually it loads the next page on the same page...ehm.:-)

DreamingGirl wrote: As long as you can go directly to page 5 without having to scroll through pages 1-4, I'm happy :P

This /\ . Also a search feature for within a mods posts would be awesome. Mod authors get mad if you ask a question that has already been answered, but some mods have a thousand posts and old posts might not represent up to date info, so yeah. I appreciate people don't like the same questions being asked, but it is very unreasonable to expect people to go through hundreds of posts and dozens of pages to search out answers to questions that may not exist, or may represent out of date answers.

[Loveblanket]

In response to post #34723145. #34723880, #34726020, #34726205, #34726395, #34729495, #34730205, #34730905, #34732815, #34735345, #34735525, #34736795, #34737030, #34737250, #34739260 are all replies on the same post.

kraag wrote: Look like M$ Windows 10 buttons and general "square" layout.

Funny how many many large/corporate websites have gone this way so soon after W10 was released. Almost like they got payed to do it by M$.

I have no idea why you'd want your website to replicate the look of that Spyware M$ OS.

splinter82 wrote: Wow. Conspiracy theorist much>?

kraag wrote: Wow - stick your head in the sand much?

opusGlass wrote: Funny how companies follow the current trends?

kraag wrote: Funny how corporations CREATE current trends.

llihP wrote: Masonry layouts were 'square' and image based well before Windows 10 (or 8, originally) had come out. The most recognisable one from back before W8 was released (2011-2012) would probably have been Pinterest.

http://www.webappers.com/2011/12/29/15-great-examples-of-websites-using-jquery-masonry/

Microsoft popularised the concept because they screwed it up so royally for desktop PCs, plus their implementation was poor as a lot of tiles weren't given any context and a lot of it seemed arbitrary.

If you also consider that many of the design elements that currently exist on this site, like thumbnails, mod result lists etc are already image based, you'll see that the primary difference is a shift of where the content sits - it's mostly over the top of the thumbnail now, alongside data that wasn't previously exposed and required an extra click/page load to see.

Considering how vocal I was about how bad I thought the Windows 8 UI/UX was for desktop PCs all those years ago, I couldn't be any more opposed to making it like W8/8.1/10.

kraag wrote: Glad I'm not the only one, I will wait and see how it turns out though before passing final judgement. As they say the new site layout is still in its infancy. But, like FO4, I fear this is the way they are going, regardless.

Sad to see that whatever the corporations say is "trending" is ultimately what everyone has to abide by - rather than designing your own unique site and standing out from the crowd, essentially, thinking for yourself.

NerevarineKhajiit wrote: Square and sleek has been 'in' with designs in general for some time now, and has nothing to do with Win10.

And don't blame Microsoft for the telemetry; not only are the pretty late to the data-gathering party (Cell companies, Google, etc. have been at it for years now), but I can guarantee the main reason it's there is because of the U.S. gov't asking them for it. Just look at the current drama about Apple and the iOS backdoor. Just look at the NSA phonelogging last year.

The only one sticking their 'head in the sand' here is you for subscribing to the idea that somehow every trend in visual tastes is dictated by anything other than user feedback and artistic style. You think those 'large/corporate websites' can just drop an entire brand redesign in less than 6 months? You think somehow Microsoft is willing to drop that kind of money on something that most people wouldn't even notice? I guarantee most of the recent trends you've been noticing have been in the works a lot longer than Win10 has been out.

Not to mention the fact that Nexus layout and preview windows have already been square/rectangular for years, because, surprise, your screen is that same shape. Why waste time designing rounded edges on something when your Image designer tool is already squared, and so is the device your content will be seen on? It's crisp, it's quick, and it's simple.

kraag wrote: Thanks for your opinion NK - but here you ASSUME that I "...subscribe to the idea that somehow every trend in visual tastes is dictated by anything other than user feedback and artistic style...".

Nowhere did I say that 'EVERY' trend is dictated by corporations - you saying otherwise is twisting my words in an attempt to discredit me.

I'm quite sure there are about 4 or 5 websites left on the internet that are free of any type of corporate influence or greed.

WanderingMania wrote: You do know there are ways to "kill" the spyware on win 10 while retaining win 10's functionality, right?

Trendal wrote: Nexusmods was bribed by Microsoft to have square buttons.

EnaiSiaion wrote:

Sad to see that whatever the corporations say is "trending" is ultimately what everyone has to abide by - rather than designing your own unique site and standing out from the crowd, essentially, thinking for yourself.

Windows 10 is a failure, it's still at 11%. Compare to OSX updates.

You do know there are ways to "kill" the spyware on win 10 while retaining win 10's functionality, right?

Nope. Turn off the services, disable the scheduled tasks, it still isn't enough.

I can guarantee the main reason it's there is because of the U.S. gov't asking them for it.

Exactly. And as a foreigner, the US government is perfectly within their rights to spy on me. So I will protect myself.

At least Win7 has a known EOL date (early 2020) so the world has time to figure out whether to move to mobile platforms, Linux/SteamOS, or OSX while Microsoft withers and dies.

kraag wrote: http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/11/02/microsoft-confirms-unstoppable-windows-10-tracking/


That is correct, it is unstoppable, probably hardcoded spyware.


Getting off topic though.

kraag wrote: @Trendal - You posted: "Nexusmods was bribed by Microsoft to have square buttons."

Do you have evidence of this happening or is this just conjecture?

My original post touched on the fact that I thought the new site design looked exceedingly similar to the new M$ Windows 10 color scheme and general layout with soft, solid pastel colors - much like many many other large corporate websites on the internet are now doing.

llihP wrote: You're going to have to point out these similarities to Windows 10, because I'm not seeing it. The new blue is only slightly different to the current blue you see here (on the 'reply' button, for example). The greys are exactly the same in places, and are only slightly changed in others. The site is still fixed width, unlike the modern trend of going full width, as the background image remains in place. The buttons are no longer rounded because nothing else (thumbnails etc) are rounded either, now they're consistent.

If you're suggesting that the removal of a simple border-radius on a few elements is somehow pandering to Microsoft, that's pretty laughable. Things are bigger now, more obvious, visible, image based, and they fit within a responsive grid. That's not pandering to anybody, it's a design to help users better interact with the site.

It has already been pointed out that Microsoft in no way pioneered the trend you're alluding to, and regardless, their implementation has always been poor. I'd suggest looking at why these sort of designs are common on responsive sites as well as making some proper comparisons.

Oh please, save the conspiracy nut stuff. I program in HTML5 and do web design. People are switching to these style pages to make them phone and tablet friendly. As for Windows 10, I upgraded and I love it so far. It took a few minutes to set my privacy options and I haven't been bothered by anything since. It is easily the fastest and cleanest windows I've used, and yes I used and liked XP, over a decade ago. Things change and frankly they need to. I hope he did get paid to update the site, good for him. Give me a break already with the hipster hate of big companies. I'll take MS over a slave owning company like Apple any day of the week.

[armymen115]

I was alittle hesitent at the thought of the nexus getting a re-design. But after looking at the concepts I really love it. Keep up the good work guys!

[WanderingMania]

 

You do know there are ways to "kill" the spyware on win 10 while retaining win 10's functionality, right?

Nope. Turn off the services, disable the scheduled tasks, it still isn't enough.

 

It's a bit more complex than that. You have to take ownership of cortana's files and delete them. Then get a thing called "Spybot Antibecon" and run that. It's the taking ownership of cortana's files that is the difficult part.