[Legal Fish]

The Linkshell Community could use some improvements. As it stands, it has little use for linkshells with websites. Consider the following. I will group things in to 3:"Universal", "Linkshell", and "Player", as what they change.

Universal
-Add a Message Board for each server. The Message Board will have three Forums: "General Chat", "Event", and "Market". Its pretty obvious what use these boards will have. Have them be moderated by GMs and all that jazz. Every update have a patch-note dicussion posted(with new information posted) as a sticky until the update becomes old news.
-Allow direct linking to Linkshell Pages, Linkshell Message Boards, and Player Profiles.
-Server Calendar. Records Limbus and Dynamis from Linkshell Calendars(see below). Also notes Vana'diel Holidays(beginnings and endings) and Server Maintenace.
-Can be accessed from PlayOnline.
-Can be accessed from Cell Phones / PSP.
-Can be accessed from Game, similar to Temp Logout.
-Improved Server. Less "Busy Server messages". Able to hold at least 200,000 active viewers at a time.
-Able to send and receive/check PlayOnline messages. An "Inbox" has been added to check this.

Linkshell
-Expand Purposes:
* Add the following: NM, HNM:Casual, HNM:Hardcore, Conquest:Windurst, Conquest:Bastok, Conquest:San d'Oria, Strategy:Missions - All, CONFLICT:All, CONFLICT:Ballista, CONFLICT:Brenner.
* Remove the following: Expditionary Force, Garrison, Notorious Monster, Strategy:Ballista, Strategy:Brenner.
-Add a Blog-like News section to the frontpage that can hold 3 updates/dates at a time(with a link to archive). The updates can contain 3 images(however must be hosted on another server).
-Optional Calendar. The 3 assigned moderators may set dates on an optional calendar that only members can see. Name/Type of event must be chosen from a list that can be a nonspecific as Event or Gathering or more specific as Apollyon-NW or Dynamis-Xarcabard. A time will be set(1-12/24, depending on what nationality is viewing it, example: 12:30pm~ or 1:00pm~, or 12:30 or 13:00). They can write a small note about the event. Limbus and Dynamis events(name and date) can also be recorded on the Server Calendar.
-Optional Attendance Point/Rank System: It is possible for the 3 assigned moderators to add/subtract ranking in an optional LS ranking system that can only be viewed by members. It won't directly count attendance and must be changed manually. It is also optional to include a point amount next to the name/rank. This rank will be included in the players profile if members of the same LS are viewing it.
-Able to set a "Looking for Members" status. A note of requirments will appear at the bottom of the frontpage and can be search able by players. Requirments that can be set include "Minimum Level", "Job(s)", "Race(s)", "Nation" and "Rank/Mission Progress". For example a LS based on Conquest might want Rank 3, level 25 min. An End-game LS might be looking for BLM SMN MNK BRD, level 70 min. Also possible to set a "All Welcome" mode. Can search for players who fufil the requirments and have a "Looking for Linkshell" status(however, players looking for a certain type of linkshell will not appear for "All Welcome"). The LS be picked by the "Looking for Linkshell" search.

Player
-Can log in without a linkshell.
-Player profiles will now have a blog-like section that can hold 1 update at a time(with a link to archive) with same limitations as a linkshell news blog. A player can have the latest linkshell news be their latest update.
-Players can leave comments/post on the players profile(like a single thread). Players can manage this section(delete comments)
-A "Community Friendlist" will be added(seperate from the playonline friendlist). This will include a list of 20 or so(can expand the list into another page) friends that will be listed with their avatar image and their names as links to their page. Pretty much a Myspace's friendlist(not that I like Myspace or don't want to destroy it).
-Able to set "Looking for Linkshell" status which will appear at the bottom of the player's profile. Pretty much lets the player choose 2 to 5 "Linkshell Purposes" they are interested in. They can also do a Linkshell search a lot like a linkshell's member search.
-(In my opinion the most important change) Allow players to search players by their mission progress / jobs. This could allow them to find party members(not so much) and people they can do missions with(very useful).

Also:

Allow players to paste a banner(as in for forums) that would be an up-to-date status telling image of their character that would include:
-Current Mission of Player
-Current Title
-Current Location
-If Online or not
-Top 5 level jobs, or top 4 jobs and current job(if logged on).
-Linkshell
-Race

When clicked it would link people to that player's community profile.


What these changes do:
-Make the whole system more blog-like, on a linkshell and player level. One can say, even a FFXI Myspace(maybe even allow music from the game/Final Fantasy games/related music on their page?).
-Allows Linkshells and Players to find each other easier.
-Allows the Community Site to be a strong base of operations for a linkshell.
-Simply be better.

Double Post Edited:
Also, allow different skins to view it all in.

[Murphie]

You know, I have to agree. The Linkshell Community site really needs some work to make it more functional/useful for players. As it is right now, it's just not that great.

Good suggestions!

[GereOfRemora]

I see no question in this post.

[Murphie]

Originally Posted by GereOfRemora

I see no question in this post.

Good point. Still, the ideas have merit.

[Anheuser]

Originally Posted by GereOfRemora

I see no question in this post.

get over it.

[GereOfRemora]

Originally Posted by Anheuser

get over it.

Ok,

I'll get over the fact that these ideas will be no more visible to se than those on the main forum since whoever is doing the interview will only relay questions.

[Legal Fish]

Consider the following.

Normally I wouldn't respond to a 58 DRG who brags about intimidating Avesta who was wearing Crimson/Blood gear, but you get to be special.

[Icemage]

Originally Posted by Legal Fish

Normally I wouldn't respond to a 58 DRG who brags about intimidating Avesta who was wearing Crimson/Blood gear, but you get to be special.

Normally I don't concern myself with people who return to a forum under a new identity after having been previously banned, but you get to be special (but not in a good way).

---

Simmer down and try to stay on-topic, folks.


Icemage

[Sabaron]

Here are some comments I have regarding LSComm Beta:

• Post size limit is far too small for one to be able to present significant data without using multiple posts. I can use multiple comments to display the data, why not just increase the field size in your database? Reduced number of records. As it is, you just end up with comments following a thread that continue the original. Obviously there should be some limit, but it should be based on more of a functional limitation than an artificially imposed one.
• HTML-like editor: Just like FFXIOnline and so many other forum/blog sites. Failing that auto-recognition of links in posts would be nice
• Ability to edit the Original Thread. It's so useful to be able to update a thread rather than endlessly commenting on it. You can edit a comment, why not the original thread?
• Either (a) default threads to Private or (b) allow user to select a default thread visibility preference in settings.
• A new thread defaults to "Discussion" category. Removing this behavior and forcing the user to select a category creates a cleaner and more appropriate post category as many users just don't bother. I prefer to force them to categorize their own post, but that might just be me.
• Fix the over-limit comment on editing (this is a bug I assume). If you go over the character limit on a post while editing and attempt to submit, the application dies.
• Fix the over-limit post-wipe on submission. If you submit a comment that's over the character limit, the application wipes your post and returns an error. If you're using MSIE, you can't get the post back. Fortunately, Firefox remembers the content of the text block if you push Back.

Other than that it's tip-top. Kinda pretty too.

[Ziero]

Well, I'm sure they have a 100% intention of massively improving the LS community as what we have now is only their 'beta' version.