Apolyton civ site

[DanQ]

o
xcl......

Excalibur?

 

[Berrie]

Excalibur?

xcl = ten character limit

The x stands for ten (in latin) and I think you can guess what the c and l stand for. It's used to lengthen a post to fall in the character limit.

 

[ggganz]

Apparently the only advantage Apolyton has over us is a lack of the xcl (it really should be called ten character minimum)

 

[Macha]

Ah. I believe I know what you're getting at, but I think a better word is "cohesive", not "consistent", and I will agree with that -- to an extent -- on the composite sites.

Apolyton was originally made up of 2.5 sites (the 'half' being my CivI site) and then a third with our Alpha Centauri coverage -- that's a few, not "various" in my book (and the latter is the 'latest' from 1999). The site has had three different hosts to date, but has changed domains only once: from a sub-domain off of our first host to its own and current domain. That's not "several".

The grey is too much. That is probably the main complaint from CFC users. Also I'd put the money you are currently using to have 10 domains to get a new version of vb as I can't imagine Jelsoft are still patching vb2 which is quite dangerous to use outdated software on a site.

CFC also looks much more professional than poly, in part because it has images in the skin and more colours than shades of grey and one shade of red. The ApolytonPlus links and register look horrible and the main page is very crowded.

Just switching colours for alternate skins doesn't change the fact that your template is nothing more than a few tables and text to start with.

 

[aaglo]

I think CFC is more "user-friendly" when it comes to modding civ-games, altough I haven't been active at poly for a long time.

But Apolyton is far from dead I think. One of the funniest places in the net at a time used to be the OT of poly .

And they allow animated avatars

 

[Macha]

so does CU and Planet Civ and most small forums.

 

[DanQ]

xcl = ten character limit

The x stands for ten (in latin) and I think you can guess what the c and l stand for. It's used to lengthen a post to fall in the character limit.

Ahhhh. I know that 'X' stands for 10 in Latin, but I had never heard of this acronym before and had not considered that the X could stand for ten here.

Apparently the only advantage Apolyton has over us is a lack of the xcl (it really should be called ten character minimum)

Apparently, this list of yours is short.

The grey is too much. That is probably the main complaint from CFC users.

In the forums, there are multiple styles to choose from. (I take it that is what you're referring to mostly if not specifically.)

Also I'd put the money you are currently using to have 10 domains to get a new version of vb as I can't imagine Jelsoft are still patching vb2 which is quite dangerous to use outdated software on a site.

The issue is not money -- we are using a highly customized version of vB2 which makes porting data to vB3 an involved and time-consuming process. There is an extended discussion on this in a recent thread on Apolyton.

CFC also looks much more professional than poly, in part because it has images in the skin and more colours than shades of grey and one shade of red.

Again, see above re: different forum styles.

The ApolytonPlus links and register look horrible

No argument there. We are wanting to replace it and have for some time but, once more, it's an involved process combined with our limited staffing and time of those staff members.

and the main page is very crowded.

Yes, in certain respects it is. So is CFC's homepage as far as I'm concerned.

Just switching colours for alternate skins doesn't change the fact that your template is nothing more than a few tables and text to start with.

That it's "a few tables and text", so to speak, isn't an issue to me.

I think CFC is more "user-friendly" when it comes to modding civ-games,

Fair assessment, assuming our definitions of "user-friendly" are on par of course.

But Apolyton is far from dead I think.

 

[Will9]

In the forums, there are multiple styles to choose from. (I take it that is what you're referring to mostly if not specifically.)

Yes. They are all named after games covered by Apolyton:

MoO3- mostly shades of light blue (the one I use and it seems to be most popular)
SMAC- mostly black and orange I think
Civ3- I believe it is moslty shades dark blue
CTP2- I don't have the slightest clue.

Each style also has a light and heavy option. Light has many less features, but I use because I see all those extra features cluter everything up to me.

CFC also looks much more professional than poly, in part because it has images in the skin and more colours than shades of grey and one shade of red.

Heavy has images.

 

[Goldar]

I think both home pages could use some restyling

Being no expert, I think it's bad design to have to scroll down on a home page to see all content like on CFC. Just add a link 'see older news' maybe when the page has been filled up or keep news items shorter with just 1 or 2 lines and you can click through to the whole story. Also, the extended list of links to the left on the CFC home page is unnecessary; just make it click-through per game variation or a drop down menu. The Apolyton homepage uses way too many colors and fonts, creating a very nervous impression IMO; to me it screams 'go away'; but at least it stays on 1 page.

It's probably a massive undertaking to overhaul a web site's style, so especially when there are no paid web masters around I understand things like these are at the bottom (if at all) of the to-do pile

 

[GenMarshall]

Poly has been dead or at least slow in recent years.

 

[DanQ]

Thanks for your note, Goldar.

Poly has been dead or at least slow in recent years.

 

[Sub]

I would go to Apolyton a lot more often if it wasn't for the interface. The main page is cluttered, it's trying to display too much information which makes the page seem unorganized. I'm also not a fan of the forum, but it's passable o.O

 

[Will9]

The main page does take a minute or 2 to find everything, but then it is quite good. I think it would be better if the Forums link was easier to find. Although, if you don't like it, you can just go straight to the forum main page.

 

[DanQ]

Although, if you don't like [the homepage], you can just go straight to the forum main page.

There's a recent status update from a fellow Administrator at Apolyton that addresses our recent behind-the-scenes efforts on the forums specifically.

 

[ggganz]

Yes, "heavily modified" was obvious.
But.... "3rd party hacks"!?!? Why would you need to hack vBulletin???

 

[Dabur]

anybody posting there also , ...

 

[Perfection]

I post there on the odd occasion

 

[Grandpa Troll]

I post there on the odd occasion

I know it was odd, but i posted about 36,000 + times

And yes, Perfection added his special touch to many posts old Gramps enjoyed participation in

 

[Will9]

Where have you been Gramps?

 

[Grandpa Troll]

Where have you been Gramps?

Read my sig, I have cast off that shore, to return, alas, no more

Great to see a good man again Will9