NEW FORUMS - Current will be read only - FEEDBACK

[Elmagor]

Moving to the new forums will be great in many, many ways, but it is true that it will be a problem for old historic links, and it isn't really clear that there is much to be done about it other than encourage relevant links to be re-done for the new links and encourage people to repost relevant content under the new forums. We can't do a typical redirect since we are keeping the same URL for the new forums, with the old forums going to something like forums-old.lotro.com. It may be an unfortunate pain point of this process that will be resolved with updated links. Folks should be able to do a copy/replace from forums.lotro.com/restoftheurl to forums-old.lotro.com/restoftheurl, or if faced with a page not resolving change the url from forums.lotro.com/whatever to forums-old.lotro.com/whatever.

Dark Mode is something that we intend to bring in the future, but it will not be available at launch. Messed around with it this morning but unfortunately there are some issues it caused preventing needed elements from displaying correctly. I also tried in a test environment simply flipping the text and background color, but it made the forums not look very good, since some other elements were not able to be changed.

What if OLD forum have same link and everything and NEW forum will have something like forums-new.lotro.com/ ?

[Pontin_Finnberry]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll be looking into your questions this week. I would point out that the current forums don't have a dark mode, either, but it's something I'd love to bring to the new forums in the future.

The Current forums have always been in Dark Mode by default no way to change it, the only non Dark-mode is mobile version that's white only on mobile, but the web version is always dark, I guess it won't be dark like the current web version as it always has been, but later i guess

[LagunaD2]

Hopefully the stickied posts, which are usually almost 15 years out of date and generally contain completely useless, obsolete information (an excellent example is this post of mine - from 2010! - in the LM forum: https://forums.lotro.com/forums/show...chanics-in-SoM) will NOT be blindly copied to the new forums...

[StinkyGreene]

the only non Dark-mode is mobile version that's white only on mobile, but the web version is always dark

Reading the Bullroarer mobile site Changelog is absolutely impossible. They obviously dont browse their own fora on mobile devices. Yellow text on white background.... heh

[auximenes]

Moving to the new forums will be great in many, many ways,

Sorry if I missed it, but do we have to re-register on the new forums, losing our account history? I suspect that's the case and if so that will be very disappointing.

[Neinda]

Why is there even a new forum being set up since discord seems to be more popular with the devs and the community? Would it make more sense to just move everything to discord?

[JH15547]

Why is there even a new forum being set up since discord seems to be more popular with the devs and the community? Would it make more sense to just move everything to discord?

Wow ... let it go

[Neinda]

Wow ... let it go

Don't mean anything negative but it just seems to make sense to move to something more modern if they are changing anyway. If this forum is being discontinued why not move to something more modern that is used by more people? It seems like a good time to change.

[Pontin_Finnberry]

Sorry if I missed it, but do we have to re-register on the new forums, losing our account history? I suspect that's the case and if so that will be very disappointing.

I asked on live stream before and was said you use the same account info to login as you do the game, so login isn't changing, but on new forums everyone will need to claim their forum name and we all will start over at 0 Post, a fresh restart on new forums, so you will loose your forum post history. However as thread title states the old forums (ones we on now) will be set to read only, but if you need to go back and reference old post you can.

[Tralfazz]

Don't mean anything negative but it just seems to make sense to move to something more modern if they are changing anyway. If this forum is being discontinued why not move to something more modern that is used by more people? It seems like a good time to change.

Is Discord more modern or just a more recent development? I know it has voice chat and other features, but the message-board equivalent is basically a collection of group text threads. I'm sure it appeals to the Short Attention Span Theater types because it encourages short messages whose authors often skip the niceties of grammar and punctuation. However, it lacks a great deal in terms of formatting, in-line display of image links, and organization. More importantly, it's not searchable and readable by anyone who isn't "invited" or a "member" of a specific "server".

I don't have a lot of experience with Discord. I joined Discord for the first time only a few months ago so that I could participate in voice chat while doing instances with a kinship. But as far as my experience goes, for threaded discussions separated by broad topics with room for editing and moderation, I don't see how it would be superior in any way to a message board of the type we have here now and I think there are a number of things it doesn't do as well.

From SSG's perspective, a LOTRO Discord server lives on Discord's actual servers and is a service of a third party. They would have less control than they do running a piece of software they fully own (or subscribe to) on a piece of hardware that belongs to (or is rented by) them and is under their direct physical power. I understand that some SSG staff have been engaging with customers on Discord but I imagine that it is not considered an "official" corporate presence.

It appears that this decision has been made, the message board is going to continue just with new back end software necessitating some (mostly) visual and formatting changes. I welcome a more modern software back end. While whatever is running the current LOTRO forums isn't the oldest and least capable still in operation (there is one message board dedicated to a specific kind of bicycle that I frequent which is still running on something from like 2003) I'm sure that among the reasons SSG is switching is to provide them with more features which will improve their ability to gather data, to communicate with their customers, and – over time, even if not immediately – to improve the experience for us users.

[Neinda]

Is Discord more modern or just a more recent development? I know it has voice chat and other features, but the message-board equivalent is basically a collection of group text threads. I'm sure it appeals to the Short Attention Span Theater types because it encourages short messages whose authors often skip the niceties of grammar and punctuation. However, it lacks a great deal in terms of formatting, in-line display of image links, and organization. More importantly, it's not searchable and readable by anyone who isn't "invited" or a "member" of a specific "server".

I don't have a lot of experience with Discord. I joined Discord for the first time only a few months ago so that I could participate in voice chat while doing instances with a kinship. But as far as my experience goes, for threaded discussions separated by broad topics with room for editing and moderation, I don't see how it would be superior in any way to a message board of the type we have here now and I think there are a number of things it doesn't do as well.

From SSG's perspective, a LOTRO Discord server lives on Discord's actual servers and is a service of a third party. They would have less control than they do running a piece of software they fully own (or subscribe to) on a piece of hardware that belongs to (or is rented by) them and is under their direct physical power. I understand that some SSG staff have been engaging with customers on Discord but I imagine that it is not considered an "official" corporate presence.

It appears that this decision has been made, the message board is going to continue just with new back end software necessitating some (mostly) visual and formatting changes. I welcome a more modern software back end. While whatever is running the current LOTRO forums isn't the oldest and least capable still in operation (there is one message board dedicated to a specific kind of bicycle that I frequent which is still running on something from like 2003) I'm sure that among the reasons SSG is switching is to provide them with more features which will improve their ability to gather data, to communicate with their customers, and – over time, even if not immediately – to improve the experience for us users.

From what I can tell, the more "modern" crowd prefers something like discord. I guess discord is to texting as the forums here are to writing an actual letter maybe? I agree on the punctuation. It is useful, but I think that is probably an age thing on my part lol.

[DavidmeetHal]

Why is there even a new forum being set up since discord seems to be more popular with the devs and the community? Would it make more sense to just move everything to discord?

Oh Hell no. I like the forums inside of the actual company website. I like being able to purchase content and visit the forums in the same place.

Not only that, I despise Discord.

Hell No.

[WorrBinpike]

I admit that Discord is very useful, but not in a forum-style. No Thanks.

Also its really annoying that we loose all our post count.

Ive seen Forums converted to xenforo and they were able to take over ALL data incl user stats.

But ok, it is what it is.

[zipfile]

Probably best to delay new forums till dark mode is enabled, or at the very least, we get to choose some other colours being displayed.

The "blues" (partially colourblind so I assume) and brightness in general is very unappealing to look at.

[Pharone]

Moving to the new forums will be great in many, many ways, but it is true that it will be a problem for old historic links, and it isn't really clear that there is much to be done about it other than encourage relevant links to be re-done for the new links and encourage people to repost relevant content under the new forums. We can't do a typical redirect since we are keeping the same URL for the new forums, with the old forums going to something like forums-old.lotro.com. It may be an unfortunate pain point of this process that will be resolved with updated links. Folks should be able to do a copy/replace from forums.lotro.com/restoftheurl to forums-old.lotro.com/restoftheurl, or if faced with a page not resolving change the url from forums.lotro.com/whatever to forums-old.lotro.com/whatever.

Dark Mode is something that we intend to bring in the future, but it will not be available at launch. Messed around with it this morning but unfortunately there are some issues it caused preventing needed elements from displaying correctly. I also tried in a test environment simply flipping the text and background color, but it made the forums not look very good, since some other elements were not able to be changed.

Once the new forums are made available, I can take a look at it and offer CSS suggestions to fix the issues for a dark mode. I am sure many on here have the knowledge and experience to help.

[auximenes]

I asked on live stream before and was said you use the same account info to login as you do the game, so login isn't changing, but on new forums everyone will need to claim their forum name and we all will start over at 0 Post, a fresh restart on new forums, so you will loose your forum post history. However as thread title states the old forums (ones we on now) will be set to read only, but if you need to go back and reference old post you can.

Thanks.

[YamydeAragon]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll be looking into your questions this week. I would point out that the current forums don't have a dark mode, either, but it's something I'd love to bring to the new forums in the future.

I am seriously happy that i will be able to use again my in-game main toon screenshot as my LOTRO forums account portrait. I already have set a Gravatar account with that image & only waiting for the new forums release. My Custom Signature served its purpose well while i couldn't fully customize my portrait & i have saved it as a sweet memory, but may use it again if the new forums allow it too.

Moving to the new forums will be great in many, many ways, but it is true that it will be a problem for old historic links, and it isn't really clear that there is much to be done about it other than encourage relevant links to be re-done for the new links and encourage people to repost relevant content under the new forums. We can't do a typical redirect since we are keeping the same URL for the new forums, with the old forums going to something like forums-old.lotro.com. It may be an unfortunate pain point of this process that will be resolved with updated links. Folks should be able to do a copy/replace from forums.lotro.com/restoftheurl to forums-old.lotro.com/restoftheurl, or if faced with a page not resolving change the url from forums.lotro.com/whatever to forums-old.lotro.com/whatever.

Dark Mode is something that we intend to bring in the future, but it will not be available at launch. Messed around with it this morning but unfortunately there are some issues it caused preventing needed elements from displaying correctly. I also tried in a test environment simply flipping the text and background color, but it made the forums not look very good, since some other elements were not able to be changed.

I find that a real optional darkmode will be awesome, but even a gray background, sorta like it is now here can work for me. I'm just happy as long the page isn't all white background. That really strain my eyes. I hope that you find a way around. I could wait for a refined darkmode to be released a bit later, after the new forums debut.