Hi there! You are currently browsing as a guest. Why not create an account? Then you get less ads, can thank creators, post feedback, keep a list of your favourites, and more!
Warrior Gryphon
site owner
Original Poster
#1 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 4:53 PM
Default Site Suggestions, September 2009
The past year has seen some fairly good technological improvements here on MTS - implementation of the Lightbox image viewer, usage of jQuery and AJAX to help alleviate server load, and the tabbed Profile and Download pages, not to mention a lot of minor changes to the general layout, navbar, and download browser interface.

Most of these changes have been suggested, designed and implemented in-house by yours truly, but long time members of the site will remember that occasionally (about once a year) we have Suggestions threads that ask for members input as to what features you want to see here.

To that end, let me officially open the 2009 Site Suggestions thread. Please note this thread is only for TECHNICAL suggestions for the site - it's not a request thread for downloads, but for what kind of features you want to see here.

All (reasonable) suggestions are considered, even if it's only for .5 of a second. This is your chance to suggest ideas about how the site works. I'll try to get to everybody and reply but if the thread gets busy that may not be possible.

Regards
Delphy

Story books are full of fairy tales, of Kings and Queens, and the bluest skies.
8 users say thanks for this. (Who?)
Advertisement
world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
#2 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 5:06 PM
PS:

No, we're not making a requests forum again, ever.

No, we're not bringing back QXpress or making a QXPress-Sims3-Version either.

my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
Panquecas, panquecas e mais panquecas.
Mother Function
retired moderator
#3 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 5:39 PM Last edited by daluved1 : 13th Sep 2009 at 7:40 PM.
I'm just gonna throw in my two cents

The edit profile section is kinda messy, especially the "Profile Override Colors" section. Is there a way to (1) Make it easier to distinguish which color does what, and/or (2) allow for some sort of preview?

Also, maybe add a little note under the "Customised Profile Title" that says for featured creators only so people--like moi--won't go crazy trying to figure out why theirs won't show up

Anyhoos, good job with the site so far ^^

Edit - I'd also like to see the CFF split off into sub-sections like lots, bodyshop, sims, etc..that way you can easily pick what you'd like to help with.

"Holy Shift! Check out the asymptotes on that mother function!"
Scholar
#4 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 6:20 PM Last edited by Gangreless : 14th Sep 2009 at 4:14 AM.
Default Fix references to old MTS2 name
My suggestion is mainly about tidying up the site. There are still quite a few references to the old MTS2 site, as opposed to MTS. The wiki link, for example, still says Sims2Wiki, but the wiki has been changed to just "Sims Wiki". Another one I just noticed, at the top of this page, where it shows the location: Mod The Sims > Welcome to ModTheSims2 > Site News, says "Welcome to ModTheSims2". I'll keep an eye out for the other outdated references to MTS2 and edit this post as I find them.

References to old MTS2 name
  • Link at top of page to Sims2Wiki
  • Forum Welcome to MTS2
  • Wiki entry for About MTS2 In fact, the entire wiki is rife with MTS2 references.
  • In the "User Tools" menu, it says myMTS2. The actual page has been renamed myMTS, but the navigation at the top says Mod The Sims > myMTS2 and on the page down toward the bottom, it still says myMTS2 options.
  • On the myMTS Edit Options page, there are 4 references to the old name in the Search options.
  • The copyright in the footer of pages reads "All Rights Reserved. ModTheSims2 and MTS2 © 2004-2008" and makes no mention of ModTheSims and MTS.
  • In the navbar under "Site", it says "About MTS2" and the page it links to has several MTS2/ModtheSims2 references.
  • Also in the navbar, under Downloads>Shiny Stuff, it reads "MTS2's top items"
  • In the description on the Site News page, it says, "All news items for MTS2, detailing changes and other information are located here.
    To see a log of all changes made to MTS2, see here"
  • In the Download Browse Editor, the very last option is MTS2s Top Items.
  • The description for featured uploads says, "This is a featured upload! It showcases the best talent and creativity available on MTS2 and in the community. "

Creator of the Sparkly Things
In Soviet Russia, the Sims mod you!

ZOMG Patterns! ZOMG! Patterns! the Group!
Awesomeness: When I get sad, I stop being sad and am simply awesome again. True story.
Banned
#5 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 6:22 PM
I've mentioned before I would like to see tick boxes for new mesh, Maxis recolor, mesh recolor for easier browsing. Instead of having to choose one or the other, why not choose one of the combinations? I personally love to download new meshes, and Maxis recolors, but hate to download new mesh recolors, because of having to go to other sites, or download something else. While others love only say for instance Maxis recolors, and mesh recolors, but hate to download new meshes. Instead of having to choose only one of these, why not choose which ones you would like to see.
Field Researcher
#6 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 6:36 PM
I personally would love to have a change to one of the download browsing options. Would it be possibly to only view featured/top downloads on the first page, instead of on every page?
Thanks.
Also, yay suggestions thread!
Typical
#7 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 6:40 PM
I don't know why, but I'd like to see thread titles in red at the top of the page. It'd be something diferent.

Multi-cloloured text! Pwetty pwease?
Lab Assistant
#8 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 6:42 PM
This probably won't happen because it's a new feature, but I really, really dislike the "thank download" bar at the bottom of every download page. I know it's small, but IMO it seems quite pointless to have a bar across the bottom of the page at all times with nothing on it but "thank download", or when you click that "add to favorites". On top of that, it takes away space for those of us with low resolution monitors, especially with the (much more useful) navigation bar at the top. I guess the good thing about it is that lately I've been thanking almost everything I look at, whether or not I download it. ~_~

Maybe instead of it always being there, there could be an option to turn it off? Or it could just be made into a tiny box in the bottom left corner instead of a big bar taking up far too much space.
Scholar
#9 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 6:53 PM
Default Thanks Toolbar
It does seem quite useless to have just the Thanks button on that bar. I don't mind having the bar there, but I'd like it if it had more useful links in addition to the Thanks button. I'd like it even more if it were customizable with our own links (similar to the My Links menu on the navbar).

Creator of the Sparkly Things
In Soviet Russia, the Sims mod you!

ZOMG Patterns! ZOMG! Patterns! the Group!
Awesomeness: When I get sad, I stop being sad and am simply awesome again. True story.
Lab Assistant
#10 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 7:56 PM
YEs!!!!!I have been looking for this everywhere!!!

Ok, so my main suggestion is about the SIMS 3 part.

I will be HONEST, I think modthesims2 was the best website for the sims 2 ever. The content was very well presented.

But the layout for the sims 3 content is not very appropriate for this game.

I think there is way TOO MUCH houses in comparison to the create a sim content (this is because of create-a-style, I think you accept more houses than you did in with the sims 2)
Plus, the new thing about the sims 3 are the patterns. The patterns are different items as they can be applied to both houses/objects and sims.

Everything seems a bit messy, and create-a-sim items are not very attractive.

I think you should make a new layout for the sims 3 part (if possible), by separating, on the main download page, houses/objects, create a sim parts, and patterns.

Anyway, this is still a good website, but it is REALLY time, I think, to "update" it, because the sims 3 is too different from the sims 2, and keeping the same layout for both games...
it's a bit "old fashioned" for the sims 3 I think ^_-

Well, these are just suggestions. I don't know if they realisable or not, but it's just my opinion.

Thank you ^_^
Née whiterider
retired moderator
#11 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 7:59 PM
Kanno, we already do that - just click "Lots & Houses", "Patterns", or "Create-a-Sim" at the top.

And, yes, the balance of upload types has shifted - but really there's not much we can do about it. If people don't upload more CAS, then we can't host more CAS stuff. Nevertheless, we do try to make it as easy as possible to find stuff - I think that system works well, but it can always be improved upon.

In technical terms, it's not possible to have different layouts for TS2/TS3 (I think), as TS2 and TS3 are actually just categories; when you're viewing only TS3 items, all that's happening is that the site isn't displaying the items categorised as TS2.

Joninmobile, D has had something like that on his to-do list for a while.

What I lack in decorum, I make up for with an absence of tact.
Lab Assistant
#12 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 8:44 PM Last edited by kanno : 13th Sep 2009 at 9:26 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by whiterider
Kanno, we already do that - just click "Lots & Houses", "Patterns", or "Create-a-Sim" at the top.

And, yes, the balance of upload types has shifted - but really there's not much we can do about it. If people don't upload more CAS, then we can't host more CAS stuff. Nevertheless, we do try to make it as easy as possible to find stuff - I think that system works well, but it can always be improved upon.


Whiterider, I know that we can click "patterns" and "create a sim".
The site is very easy navigatable, and that's the good point.

But I think, most people usually only go to the main download page, and they only see the latest downloads. It's personnally what I do.
And sometimes, If I look specifically for glasses, I'll see other accessories.

I think the system worked very well for the sims 2 but not for the sims 3. The amount of creations is too different.

It's just a question of presentation... attractiveness!
you know, just when you make advertisements, or a shop window! you only buy or get attracted by what is better presented.

In one word: my suggestion is just about the main download page !
The one with the latest downloads. It would be nice if this main download page could separate at least houses from sims stuff.
^_^

Well, thanks for reading my suggestion.
Maybe if some other people agree with it would be better.
Mad Poster
#13 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 9:05 PM
I think kanno means it would be nice if we could customize the main download page to make it where we can choose specific uploads, then see latest uploads in just those.

....

Is that even possible? I would like that as well.
Scholar
#14 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 10:08 PM
RiBlan: If you go to the Download Browse Editor, you can apparently customize which categories you want to see on the downloads page. I don't know if this is still working, or if it is yet another feature that has been abandoned in favor of faster server times. If it is working, that's what you're looking for. If it is not working, then that particular feature should be deleted from our links.

Creator of the Sparkly Things
In Soviet Russia, the Sims mod you!

ZOMG Patterns! ZOMG! Patterns! the Group!
Awesomeness: When I get sad, I stop being sad and am simply awesome again. True story.
Instructor
#15 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 10:13 PM
I'd like the ability to sort downloads by number of thanks or maybe by how much it's been downloaded. Since we don't have an actual rating system for downloads. Because the three in existence (Post Time, Update Time, Last Post) aren't really very helpful to me.
Blenderized to Pieces
retired moderator
#16 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 10:29 PM
Hi Delphy! Thanks for the opportunity to make suggestions! :0)

I do have suggestions regarding Mod Groups and THEMES:

I've worked with 2 modding groups who have published large themes. The way the current overview and download and comments pages are set up make a situation where many new to MTS visitors do not know that the theme's content is located in the Comments tab instead of under the Download tab. It seems that fully one HALF of them are not seeing the theme content because they think that the only downloads are on the download tab. (Yes, there IS text telling them to go to comments but we know our visitors don't read the fine print - they need a BIG SIGN)

For example, - The Seminole theme -
http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=228252

The download tab has one song that has 4,136 downloads. Only half of the visitors realized they needed to go to comments tab for the actual theme's content.


Example 2: The High Rollers -
http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=307946

The downloads tab for High Rollers contains 1 download "See first 16 replies for atttachment.rar" that one has 2,334 downloads, but the most downloaded mesh only has 1148 downloads. This is repeated on all the large themes - only half of the MTS visitors are savvy enough to go look at the comments section for the theme's downloads. It's a shame that they are missing stuff that so many people spent a lot of time making for them.


Example 3: The Dark Project -

http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=232462

Download tab has "Look at the other posts for the downloads.zip" - 35,751 downloads

Comments tab downloads - Largest download is 26,000

If I remember correctly, Dark Project was published before the new 'tabbed downloads' came into being which is why their download ratio between download tab and comments tab content is better.

------------------------------------------
It is to be expected that visitors will not download everything in a theme but there is a definite pattern between the number of downloads on the download tab and the number of downloads contained in the comments section.

---------------------------------------
I don't know how feasible rewriting the code would be:

Perhaps the simplest thing is to rename the Content tab as Comments and Additional downloads OR,

A better way would be to break out the posts in the Comments section which contain downloadable itmes and move them to a new tab called additional downloads. Even better would be a tab for each post containing downloads that have the 'title' for that post as the download tab's name.

THEN, with separated out comments which contain downloadable items, we can correctly create keywords for those items.
Field Researcher
#17 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 11:05 PM
Just a little thing: I noticed that very recently the number of members online has disappeared from the very top of the main page. Has it been moved to another location or completely removed? I liked seeing how many others were on the site. I don't need to see individuals, just the total like we had was fine with me.

Oh, and will the adult site ever be updated? It's sad to visit it because it's been neglected for so long. Any chance it could get an overhaul & see some of the great changes you've made for MTS?

One more thing: could we have the top downloads/featured downloads on the front page sectioned as Sim 2 & Sims 3, instead of all together?

Not having a sig IS my sig. Oh wait, this is a sig, isn't it? Nevermind...
Field Researcher
#18 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 11:21 PM
I see someone just added the numbers online back to the home page. Man that was quick! Thank you!

Not having a sig IS my sig. Oh wait, this is a sig, isn't it? Nevermind...
Née whiterider
retired moderator
#19 Old 13th Sep 2009 at 11:56 PM
Gangreless, I've fixed some of those instances of MTS2, thanks.

What I lack in decorum, I make up for with an absence of tact.
Scholar
#20 Old 14th Sep 2009 at 12:09 AM
Wonderful, whiterider. It's been bugging me ever since we switched to MTS. As I said, if I find more of them, I'll edit my original post.

Also, feel free to edit that post yourself to strikethrough the ones you've fixed.

Creator of the Sparkly Things
In Soviet Russia, the Sims mod you!

ZOMG Patterns! ZOMG! Patterns! the Group!
Awesomeness: When I get sad, I stop being sad and am simply awesome again. True story.
Warrior Gryphon
site owner
Original Poster
#21 Old 14th Sep 2009 at 12:16 AM
porkypine, with regards to the "look in comments" - you already have the big text "look in comments" but additionally there is the new option for "Related Posts", or, more specifically "Multi-part set". This is specifically designed for large sets to point people to additional posts, and appears on the download tab itself. Thus, the site is already setup to allow the creators to easily tell people where to get the files - the caveat is, of course, that the creators have to tell people where to get the files. Breaking out the "additional downloads" is something that we could do (with some coding, of course), but this requires coding, and would be additional load on the servers, especially since for Guests, the comments are not loaded automatically - and considering that we already have systems in place for the creators to manually specify any additional downloads (and, indeed, have a special vbcode for them (see threadthumb)), it's not something I'm inclined to do automatically for the (very) few large sets, that could easily be updated by their creators.

Gangreless: With regards to the Wiki, you can't simply change MTS2 to MTS, becuase MTS2 is a namespace, and if you rename it, you can cause all kinds of issues. The others can probably be done though.

Mini: I already did update SXS2 with the lightbox feature, but the codebase is so far behind MTS's that it would require pretty hefty changes to bring it up to date, hence why I have concentrated mostly on the smaller things.

astrognash: To be honest, I really don't see the value in sorting by thanks or most downloaded, becuase you will always see the same downloads on the first few pages and would have to drill back quite a ways to actually see anything change, especially considering the age of the site and the length of time (or popularity) of certain items. If you want the really good items, then may I suggest looking at the Picks and Featured? Becuase, after all, these are the ones that would appear most anyway.

elpemmy: Believe it or not but the Featured downloads actually used to appear on the first 10 pages, and I dropped it back down to the first 5 quite some time ago. I'll consider dropping it to one, especially considering new featured items get showcased on the front page now (which didn't used to happen, hence why featured downloads appear on more than just page 1).

lewjen: Multi-coloured text will absolutely NOT been happening. This has been disabled on MTS since it's founding (or, rather, since vBulletin was put on), and will never, ever, ever, be put back while I am running it. Sorry, it's just the way it is.

Thread titles in red? I don't see how that would make them any more visible - and when you consider that the thread title appears in the navbar - which has multiple background colours depending on style - then red really is not a good choice.

rmrm / Gangreless: My intention is to add things to that bar as and when I actually think of things to add to that bar. I'll look into making this bar optional depending on the user, but I am at a loss as to what "Custom" links you could possible put there? I think that shrinking it to only the bottom left would make it extremely easy to miss. Right now, it's not easy to miss, becuase it goes all the way across, and thats half the point of why the bar is there. (Incidentally, for your own threads you also have an Edit button at the bottom right too).

kanno, You can already filter the Download Browse sections, to turn off areas you don't want to see (which is what you are asking for, after all). If you don't want to see Lots & Housing, for example, just use the Download Browse Editor screen to turn it off. Keeping the same layout for both games is actually beneficial, because the games really aren't that different. Both have Sims, both have Lots, both have Clothing and Makeup you can make (Body Shop in TS2, Create-a-Sim in TS3, both marked as such in the Download Browser). TS3 has the additional of patterns, but then Build and Buy Mode are also very similar too.

Thus, I really don't see the need for a new layout just for TS3, especially considering you already can customise what appears.

Story books are full of fairy tales, of Kings and Queens, and the bluest skies.
Scholar
#22 Old 14th Sep 2009 at 2:31 AM
Just a quick one: I'd like there to be tick boxes instead of single-selection radio buttons when choosing a category for pattern uploads. A lot of pattern sets can't be confined to one category, and the "multiple (for sets only)" option isn't very search-friendly if you're looking for something specific.
Lab Assistant
#23 Old 14th Sep 2009 at 2:31 AM
I would really like to see the list of downloaded items return - it was under user tools, my downloaded items or something along those lines - very useful feature that went kaput when the server went down.
Field Researcher
#24 Old 14th Sep 2009 at 3:04 AM
I have only two suggestions.

Firstly, would be some other way of donating without having to use PayPal. I understand PayPal is the "easy" solution, but as a personal preference, I refuse to use that site. The other way of donating is to purchase from the store, but those items are outdated so that option really is out the window too.

And secondly, I'd love to see a member voting tool implemented, so not only are there featured and picked items, but possibly a weekly/monthly members choice favourite. Something along those lines.

But all in all, the site is free, and well, you get what you pay for and I couldn't be more happy. I do think it's wonderful you guys ask for suggestions although I think we all should be grateful with just having the ability to be apart of a free, friendly community anyway.

Ok, I'm done
Mad Poster
#25 Old 14th Sep 2009 at 4:15 AM
Quote: Originally posted by twitchhugstrees
Alright, not sure if this has been covered anywhere (I looked but found nothing) but maybe in the FAQ there could be a short description of the Accomplishments/Achievements? Most of them are self-explanatory (Thanks x100, etc) but I'm not sure what some of them mean (Puppeteer??).

I also second making that new bar across the bottom optional, I really don't see the point.

Thanks for listening, this site is by far one of the best run sites I've ever been on.


That's already there. just click on one of the achievements.
Page 1 of 15
Back to top