Feedback: Official Forums

[Danikat.8537]

There seems to be something weird going on with forum badges. Today I've gotten badges for 25 Likes and for 25 Insightfuls even though neither reaction is available on this forum.

 

I assume it's something to do with Like and Insightful being an alternate name/version of Thumbs Up and Helpful, but even then I've already got badges for 50 of each, so I shouldn't be getting one now for 25.

 

https://i.imgur.com/X2LFhkC.jpg

[stephanie wise.7841]

> @Danikat.8537 said:

> There seems to be something weird going on with forum badges. Today I've gotten badges for 25 Likes and for 25 Insightfuls even though neither reaction is available on this forum.

>

> I assume it's something to do with Like and Insightful being an alternate name/version of Thumbs Up and Helpful, but even then I've already got badges for 50 of each, so I shouldn't be getting one now for 25.

>

> https://i.imgur.com/X2LFhkC.jpg

 

question is there some place to learn about the badging system? what badge are available and requisite to get them?

[stephanie wise.7841]

> @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> > @DemonNinja.1602 said:

> > The lack of ability to add images to the forums is outlandish at best, and if, as you stated your security person says they are a threat - you should send him back to get further training. Its 2017- we should have images as a part of the forums.

>

> Apparently, it's not images per se. It's apparently a risk inherent to the [Vanilla Forum software](https://vanillaforums.com/en/software/ "Vanilla Forum software"). If I understand correctly (and I'm pretty sure I don't entirely get it):

> * Images can be hijacked to include malicious code.

> * It's possible to scan images using heuristics that would identify known cases (but not all possible risks).

> * Some forum software apparently allows for quarantining images until they are 'tested'; some does not.

> * Vanilla apparently doesn't come with the ability.

>

> > > According to [wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Internet_forum_software#Image_attachments "wikipedia"):

> > Most forums provide the option for a user to upload an image along with a message posting. This is usually accompanied by a space limit (e.g. 1MB per user) to prevent users from filling up the forum host's webspace. Some forums also allow other types of files to be uploaded. Some allow inline linking to images hosted on image hosting services.

> > One major usability issue is whether images can be uploaded to a forum and displayed inline in message postings easily (or at all). The presence of "image attachment uploading" does not imply that in-message display of images within the flow of message text is possible (or if possible, easy to achieve).

>

> I can't claim that I understand why ANet chose a forum software that didn't include this ability, but... there are so, so many business tradeoffs required when licensing a third party system. For example, here are some no-brainer reasons why ANet might have done it: 50% lower cost, more efficient data storage, customization that requires less micromanagement by ANet's web people (not their biggest team, and they have other priorities), and so on.

>

> tl;dr I'm no fan of the decisions that led to no image uploading, but it might be more complicated and more reasonable a choice than it appears to us. (At the same time, I wish we could hear more about the actual risks and the tradeoffs.)

 

so you cannot upload a image from a pc. but can you link a image from the web using code? example: < img src= name of the image link height=42 with=42 >

[stephanie wise.7841]

can they add edit button to be able to go edit when you made a mistake? from a post or a quotes?

[AegisRunestone.8672]

@"stephanie wise.7841" Look at the gear icon on the far right next to your timestamp, and click on it. That will allow you to edit your post.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"stephanie wise.7841" said:

> so you cannot upload a image from a pc. but can you link a image from the web using code? example: < img src name of the image link &gt:

 

Correct.

In effect, ANet is saying that they're willing to let the hosting site worry about their own security.

 

 

[Moira Shalaar.5620]

edit> @symke.3105 said:

 

> So, the question I have to ask is: Will this new forum make this a thing of the past? Someone mentioned they might prefer reddit's form of discussion. Is this the sole reason? If so, will this new forum allow such a functionality? If this is not the reason ... why? What is preventing or stopping them in posting here as well? If there's a question on reddit dev wants to answer and there's no such question or thread on this forum, what's preventing her/him to copy the post here? Or ask someone in community management dept to do it?

>

> Or is plausible deniability the only reason? Meaning "If it is not said on our official pages, we can deny anything". I understand that. I don't agree with it, but I do understand. But wouldn't it make more sense if ANET then instructed their devs to post as musch as they desire, but to do so as official representative only on these official pages?

 

Personally, I agree that the official forums is the ideal place for ANET developers to post and hold conversations. I agree that the debs function as official representatives of ANET, even when posting on their own time. The fact that even on Reddit they have their own tag identifying them as Anet employees strongly suggests that they also share this understanding of the nature of this role. Personally, I am not a fan at all of reddit and would be happiest if I never have to go there to get GW2 information.

 

That said, I disagree with the above response in two significant points. First, working backwards through the comments, suggesting that ANet might use reddit for plausible deniability, and certainly saying "only reason" goes beyond suggesting that is one of ArenaNet's deliberate intentions in using that forum, is not at all fair to either the developers themselves or the company as a whole. In the 10+ years I have been using their content, never once have I seen from them any indication of any form of duplicity, deception, lying or whatever word one might attach to it. If they change their plans, they often announce it straight up. I have seen several instances where players have called them out on something and they have been open about changes in direction, vision, lack of resources, etc. That corporate attitude has been even more visible with MO in the last year and a half.

 

Secondly, I don't expect to see mirroring of every single comment developers make on reddit on this forum. The formats simply do not line up, they are different forms of communicating that are not identically compatible. Even if the comments were brought over, without the context of other conversation to which they are answering those answers will be in large part confusing or even possibly unintentionally misleading because we would be reading them entirely out of context.

 

The above post suggests that ArenaNet employees only post on this forum. How many people are on reddit that never even open this forum? How much of their player base would they abandon doing that? I expect that posting on reddit as well as the forums allows them to interact with a much greater breadth of their users than the forums alone, although I am making an assumption in that and would happily accept correction if I am wrong.

 

That leaves the rest of us that closely follow the game and what the official representatives have to say the need to look at multiple locations if we want to stay abreast of every detail they have to say. From the perspective of one of those consumers this is certainly less than ideal, but not worth getting too worked up about.

[den aelling.7681]

Add a preview feature when I can hover over the title of a post and read the first part of it. Why? Because many people, if not most people, do not know how to make an appropriate title. Example: Title- Quick question

 

Well, I'm not gonna click on that BS...but I would hover over it, and if I could help then I would click it, other than that I'll just ignore the majority of badly titled posts.

[Panda.1967]

Can something please be done about the External Link warning on official wiki links? These links were exempt from the external link warning on the old forums, they should be exempt from them here too.

[Eggshells.1748]

Really like how the new forums looks and works. I'm not a frequent forum user though so it would've been nice if there was an e-mail about it so we would've known from the start!

[WolfSparkSmack.2649]

Hello guys and gals, i was wondering if I can make any suggestions for improving the game here? If this is the right place to post , or i hope you can point me in the right direction please.

[Lanhelin.3480]

I have a question: has the empty space on the right side of the forums a certain purpose? Although there is no horizontal bar clicking the mouse wheel brought me there.

http://www.directupload.net/file/d/4861/xho7fosa_jpg

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

> @WolfSparkSmack.2649 said:

> Hello guys and gals, i was wondering if I can make any suggestions for improving the game here? If this is the right place to post , or i hope you can point me in the right direction please.

 

You can create a Discussion (thread) in the sub-forum that is most apt; General Discussion sub-forum for general game/gameplay suggestions, PvP sub-forum for PvP gameplay suggestions, WvW for WvW gameplay suggestions, etc., etc.

 

You can also post in an existing thread that shares the same topic as your suggestion.

 

Good luck.

[Sniper Jebus.7190]

Restrictions on initial account customisation are a little limiting for me. The addition of advanced markdown features is a very nice change though.

[JasonLucas.4981]

Can we have a fix to images links(show them directly in the thread) or at least a website white list for the "external link warning"? It's really annoying when I need to double click a link.

[Merlin Dyfed Avalon.5046]

I would just like to say thank you.

Steady progress.

[Devata.6589]

The old forum was better readable but that might also simply mean I have to get used to this forum. I don't know. What I do dislike is that these forums don't hold the history of the old forums.

 

Now that might have been on purpose but I still don’t like it.

[Penniegrim.9123]

Can't say I like the headline font. It feels "shoutie". Slightly hard to read. A sans-serif font would be better.

[TheUndefined.1720]

I don't know if I'm overlooking it, but please provide / recreate the option over an official ANet post to jump to the next ANet post within the thread.

 

Currently, it's a real hassle trying to find if there are anymore ANet posts within the thread. This could also save ANet posters a lot of headaches, since posts often get buried within the thread.

 

Thanks

[DreamyLove.8947]

when does we can hve pof avatar?

[MrRay.3027]

I'm sure it's written somewhere, but I just can't find it. That's why I gotta ask, what's the reasoning behind not being able to use our own avatars?

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @MrRay.3027 said:

> I'm sure it's written somewhere, but I just can't find it. That's why I gotta ask, what's the reasoning behind not being able to use our own avatars?

 

The forum software that is used (called "Vanilla Forums") doesn't include robust tools against malicious code in images. Thus, *all* outside images & embedded links are prohibited; it's not specific to avatars. (As to why _Vanilla_ doesn't include the tools or why they can't be added to the forum servers, you'd have to ask a Forum Software and/or Security expert.)

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

It would be nice if we could dismiss the forum-wide notification on the 'External Link Warning' page. I hope it eventually goes away.

[ananda.5946]

On the iPad landscape viewport, the text field width is still too wide for me to be able to read without zooming in so much that I can only read 3/4s of the line at once and have to scroll left and right for each line. BBC News site and most other forums have a smaller width and are perfect to read. This, though, is a pain to read.

[circuitnerd.5863]

Can you restore the ability to attach screenshots please? As of right now the only way we can show screenshots is by uploading elsewhere such as Imgur and then linking it.