View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Smifferific O ho monster
Joined: 30 Jan 2004 Posts: 10
|
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 4:57 pm Post subject: Puzzle / Forum flip |
|
|
Don't know whether it is feasible, but wondering whether it would be possible to go directly from the forum discussion on a puzzle to the puzzle itself (obviously assuming you have got that far!), and likewise from the puzzle to the relevant forum discussion (in fact that way is the more important!).
I realise that it is perfectly possible to have two windows open but when you have completed a puzzle, to get to the discussion forum you need to go back to the main menu to get to the new discussion area.
It would be a "nice to have" particularly when on slow connections
BTW - I'm really enjoying the challenge - Cheers
Smifferific |
|
Back to top |
|
|
bazza Thy mother's name is ominous to children
Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 26 Location: Mile End Club
|
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I was about to post something along the same lines when I noticed a fellow puzzler had already made this point.
Is this feasible? I generally have at least three windows open - contest, current forum and the previous level's forum to gloat at (sorry, assist) those coming up behind.
Best regards _________________ bazza |
|
Back to top |
|
|
xyphic Forum git
Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 2804 Location: Cambridge, UK
|
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hmm. It would probably be possible, but very hard to do. I will have a look into it. _________________ Puzzletome - Confusion now hath made his masterpiece! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
arwin Thy mother's name is ominous to children
Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 43 Location: USA
|
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Actually, I don't think it would be that difficult to do. Just put the link to the beginning of that puzzle's forum thread below each submit box. Now that all of the puzzles have threads started for them, this seems like the most logical route. And of course remember the "blank" tag so it pops up in a new window rather than closing out their puzzle page. As far as vice versa goes, I don't think that would be needed nearly as often. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Stretham Forum Hardass
Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 24862 Location: Here, there, somewhere, everywhere
|
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
The problem is doing it generically rather than going in and doing each one by hand. This is especially true as we plan to have future contests. More importantly though, I think the original question asked for the link the other way (forum to puzzle). Again this is something that is generically very difficult to do.
Stretham _________________ Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
arwin Thy mother's name is ominous to children
Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 43 Location: USA
|
Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Yes I see what you mean and did figure the other way round would be more difficult since then each link would have to know exactly what puzzle the user is personally on. And when it comes to PHP, I'm baffled. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Nicky P Soft and dull eyed fool
Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 3 Location: London
|
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 4:55 pm Post subject: Puzzle to forum (and back again) |
|
|
Smifferific and others are right to demand game/forum/back-to-game/back-to-forum hopping. Your site structure assumes that people are either doing puzzles or are in forums, which simply doesn't reflect actual usage. Websites are supposed to be designed around the users: most of us start a puzzle, want to chat about that specific puzzle, seek help, offer help, whatever, and then go back to the puzzle. You guys who come up with these puzzles are definitely bright enough to solve this simple web problem. Basically, as a website it's not great. The puzzles are meant to stretch our minds, but navigating your site is not meant to be part of the puzzle. Or is it? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Titanium22 your chamber lye breeds fleas
Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 12253
|
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: Puzzle to forum (and back again) |
|
|
Nicky P wrote: | The puzzles are meant to stretch our minds, but navigating your site is not meant to be part of the puzzle. Or is it? |
Has it occurred to you that you can have two browser windows open - one on the puzzle site and one on the forum...? Or that many people want to access things on the forum that are unrelated to either the puzzle or even the contest that they are currently on...?
T22 _________________ Puzzletome - for serious riddlers
Last edited by Titanium22 on Sun Jun 26, 2005 5:13 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
hyperbit Pernicious and indubitate beggar
Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 368 Location: Cambridge, England
|
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 5:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
A personal preference of mine (I use the firefox browser), is to have the forum on one tab, puzzles on another....etc
I also "bookmark" puzzles for easy browsing _________________ uoznnz ufnl vhg kilcrnz |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Stretham Forum Hardass
Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 24862 Location: Here, there, somewhere, everywhere
|
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: Puzzle to forum (and back again) |
|
|
Nicky P wrote: | Smifferific and others are right to demand game/forum/back-to-game/back-to-forum hopping. Your site structure assumes that people are either doing puzzles or are in forums, which simply doesn't reflect actual usage. Websites are supposed to be designed around the users: most of us start a puzzle, want to chat about that specific puzzle, seek help, offer help, whatever, and then go back to the puzzle. You guys who come up with these puzzles are definitely bright enough to solve this simple web problem. Basically, as a website it's not great. The puzzles are meant to stretch our minds, but navigating your site is not meant to be part of the puzzle. Or is it? |
There are some very valid points in there, but one thing you need to bear in mind is that Puzzletome is a hobby for us to carry out in our spare time. If we were making money from the site (and I can assure you that the reverse is the case) then it would be fair to expect a whizzy interface that moved at the speed of light and had easy to find links to everywhere from everywhere else. Now I agree that we *could* solve these problems, as two of us are software engineers. But we tend to spend our time on (a) coming up with (hopefully) enjoyable puzzles, (b) helping some of our members come up with and test their own puzzles, (c) keeping up with the 'social' aspects of the forum, and (d) having a life outside of work and Puzzletome.
However, if someone would like to pay us to work on Puzzletome full time (and pay the costs of server/bandwidth) then xyphic and I would jump at the chance and we would promise to produce something world class. 8)
Stretham _________________ Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
I don't know and I don't care! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
xyphic Forum git
Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 2804 Location: Cambridge, UK
|
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 6:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
We *have* considered doing this in the past, but with the current site software it'd be an entirely manual process. There's already enough legwork involved in setting up and testing a contest without having to cross-reference puzzles and forum posts. So, as nice as it would be to have this feature, at the moment it isn't feasible to do it.
As Stretham said, we work on the site in our spare time - and after spending all day writing software, it can be difficult to get motivated to do more in the evening. A complete rewrite of the site is underway; it's a slow process, but it's getting there. All suggestions (including this one) are being considered for inclusion. Certainly, something like this should be fairly easy to automate, as long as we factor it in from the beginning. _________________ Puzzletome - Confusion now hath made his masterpiece! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Nicky P Soft and dull eyed fool
Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 3 Location: London
|
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 6:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Dear Stetham and xyphic, Thanks for your replies. I will say no more on this topic for now. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
theandygrant This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet
Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 1264 Location: The Lethargic Dodecahedron
|
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 8:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Wow. NickyP, I don't know if you meant it as such, but you came across as very rude! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Shiz Pernicious and indubitate beggar
Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 366 Location: Middle of England, Ex-pat Scotland
|
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 1:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
At this juncture it's probably appropriate to offer a big round of applause, and a great heap of thanks, to Si, Stretham, T22 and Xyphic (in no specific order... well, other than alphabetical - I didn't forget anyone did I??) for all of the hard work that they do do on PT.
Having never explored the online world of puzzling before, perhaps I don't have a broad range of sites with which to compare this one, but I do have to say I have spent just over a year thoroughly enjoying this site (ooh... belated Happy Anniversary me!) and all the puzzles it has to offer, as well as the contact with many other members who you will find to be friendly and helpful, and prepared to assist you along the way if you ask nicely.
I've seen myriad evidence of the hard work that goes on to keep the site up and running, and deal with not only their own puzzles but the playtesting and hosting of other members' contests, as well as site problems, worm attacks etc.
Sit back and enjoy / appreciate the site and puzzles for all it has to offer, NickyP. You'll find that whatever you're prepared to put into it you will get back. _________________ Banging one's head against the wall seldom results in the answer falling out. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Rebecca Thou whoreson cullionly barbermonger
Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 128 Location: Perth
|
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 5:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
Shiz wrote: | At this juncture it's probably appropriate to offer a big round of applause, and a great heap of thanks, to Si, Stretham, T22 and Xyphic (in no specific order... well, other than alphabetical - I didn't forget anyone did I??) for all of the hard work that they do do on PT.
Having never explored the online world of puzzling before, perhaps I don't have a broad range of sites with which to compare this one, but I do have to say I have spent just over a year thoroughly enjoying this site (ooh... belated Happy Anniversary me!) and all the puzzles it has to offer, as well as the contact with many other members who you will find to be friendly and helpful, and prepared to assist you along the way if you ask nicely.
I've seen myriad evidence of the hard work that goes on to keep the site up and running, and deal with not only their own puzzles but the playtesting and hosting of other members' contests, as well as site problems, worm attacks etc.
Sit back and enjoy / appreciate the site and puzzles for all it has to offer, NickyP. You'll find that whatever you're prepared to put into it you will get back. |
My sentiments exactly. A lot of hard work has been put int ot this site both structurally and puzzlewise and being a fellow puzzle site admin I can appreciate their efforts. Let's just enjoy ourselves and get onto solving the riddles. _________________ Growing old is INEVITABLE. Growing up is OPTIONAL |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|