Torn World Forums

Tell me what you think of this new layout!

I've picked a few sheets that have different amounts of text, stories and artwork, so you can get an idea of how the page will look for different characters. (You can also look at any character in the database by clicking on their public sheet and changing cisdisplay.php to cisdisplay2.php in the address bar!)

Areluu: http://www.tornworld.net/members/cisdisplay2.php?id=34
Fala: http://www.tornworld.net/members/cisdisplay2.php?id=18
Kativa: http://www.tornworld.net/members/cisdisplay2.php?id=2
Relissem: http://www.tornworld.net/members/cisdisplay2.php?id=92
Taiv: http://www.tornworld.net/members/cisdisplay2.php?id=74
Tekura: http://www.tornworld.net/members/cisdisplay2.php?id=46

Basically, I've added a teaser of artwork and fiction in a right-hand column, which makes the character information a little less 'block of text' and gives some bling to the page in general. The full lists of artwork and fiction are still at the bottom, with handy jump-down links.

See if you like that, and if so, I can make it public!

I love the idea of including teaser artwork and fiction links. However, the mechanics are a bit awkward. With most characters, this makes the text into a very long skinny column. That's pesky to read, if someone wants to do more than skim -- especially if you're looking for something in the middle of that text.

Possible solutions ... I don't know which of these would be feasible for coding ...

* Keep this layout, but install a button so people can toggle to the text-only view that we had before, with its wider column for easier reading.

* Modify this layout so the art/fiction teaser block is a fixed size. Put the upper part of the character sheet into a left/right column with the teasers, but the main body of text underneath those in a single wide column.

* Reduce the teaser to a single image and fiction link, probably the latest ones. Put those in a horizontal block underneath the character's opening details, and above where "Appearance" begins.

AH! The first option appealed to me the most, and I coded in a toggle that doesn't even require reloading the page.

Pretty! Means I don't have to scroll to the bottom to read things that involve the character!

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Lorna.
There is hardly anything in the world that cannot be solved by the eating of cake.
*flails around*
Owner of: Lenarai, Areluu, Olarali Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ

I've made them public! I'm also working on a better character landing page. This is what I've got so far: http://www.tornworld.net/cisintro.php

I want to standardize their bio pictures (Kalitelm needs one!) and improve their blurbs a bit, as well as add some of the others we've talked about, but it's a start. Note the link to search the characters! That top band for browsing will show up on all of the character list pages.

I really like the new character page! Could we make the thumbnails of the art (or at least the top one) bigger?

The Lead Characters page is shaping up too!

I could possibly use one of my unused contest prizes to commission a portrait of Kalitelm, if you think one of the artists who donated those prizes is a good fit for her--and if they have time.

Here is the "question-lady" again! I do not know where else I could post it.

Just curious: the page says any contributor could invent a new character, right? And supporters could adopt them. Are you planning to give this growing crowd a limited number?

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aka Vaerys (at livejournal.com)

Um, sorry for not being clear. I rather meant: how many (well developed) characters and NPCs will inhabit Torn World at the end???? I mean, just in case every new contributor creates 3-5 characters and 20 active members join in the next 5 years ... that would make 60-100 CIS...

I just wanted to know if you are going to set a limit. (Well, at least I was deterred by the crowd of characters at kadanzer.org... that is one of reasons why I do not really try to work through all the stories there.)

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aka Vaerys (at livejournal.com)

We might end up with hundreds! Maybe even more than Kaz! But we'll have better filtering, so that you aren't faced with all of them at once. You'll meet the most important 25 (or so) most prominently - and if you WANT to find out more about others (or if you need, say, a baker for a bit part in a story, or a young girl in Affamarg), you can search the full database, but you aren't going to have to wade through ALL of them to get to any content. (I found that intimidating, too!)

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aka Vaerys (at livejournal.com)