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Thread: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

  1. #1
    z3n's Avatar State of Mind
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    Default [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    First I will preface this by saying it is of my opinion that modernizing TWCs links would be very simple as it mainly concerns the header & html code which anyone who has 30 minutes to spare can understand. But perhaps Gigantus or somebody else can chime in if this isn't the case.

    I intend to highlight several things I consider problems that adversely affect the site in subtle ways.

    Users often describe mods as the life blood of TWC and most english speaking people read from left to right.

    On TWC's home page we have several links:

    Home - Wiki - Store - Forums - Downloads


    Consider again how most people read, and yet Store, an entirely non-functioning link is listed directly after the Wiki.



    Now consider the way Steam Workshop presents itself, Steam allows people to download whatever mod they want after immediately presenting them with that option.

    What does it do specifically?

    a) Steam immediately presents several downloads to the user
    b) It has a single link that immediately allows them to browse the download section

    This can't be done in the same way on TWC, obviously we like to direct people every which way and bombard them with content which leads to information overload. But! That's ok.

    Perhaps we can simply remove the non-functioning link to the store and replace it with Downloads or the Forums.


    Now let's take a look at the links on the forum we are now at the top. Where exactly is Downloads located?

    Links in order from left to right:
    Home - Articles - What's New? - Forum - Competitions - Blogs - Rules - FAQ - Wiki - Awards - Downloads


    To be precise, it is located in the 11th position, Directly at the very end.

    Let's think about demographics, most commonly active users are in the age range of around ages 12 to 65 but heavily clustered around 12 to 25 based on a random sample of users with their ages shown.


    This age range isn't likely to have a large attention span and reading left to right leaves them unlikely to see the last item unless they're very interested in whats on the end.


    Ok, what do you say, steam is a different platform?

    Fair enough, lets look at Nexus Mods. A very famous site for TES & skyrim modding. How do they structure their links? Incidentally they have two ways.

    Their primary links are:
    Game - Mods - Images - Videos - Updates - Support

    With a secondary one above it and pushed to the middle right
    Nexus Home - Forums - Chat - News


    I'd suggest we take a long and serious look at how these things are structured as they play a very important role in retaining guests and turning them into members.


    Nexus currently follows a rule where they allow a download to be visible to a guest but alert them that they can only download files under a certain size (something like 1MB).

    We used to hide download links that were attached to the site from guests. I'm uncertain if that is still the case but if it is -- then it might be a good idea to let them know that they can't see the link until they register or simply limit which files they are allowed to download by size while still showing them it, and then alert them to the fact that they need to register.
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  2. #2
    Lifthrasir's Avatar "Capre" Dunkerquois
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    This thread might interest you.
    Anyway, as long as GED is not fully "back on tracks" for TWC, I don't think that much will happen unfortunately
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  3. #3
    ♔Greek Strategos♔'s Avatar THE BEARDED MACE
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    Quote Originally Posted by Lifthrasir View Post
    This thread might interest you.
    Anyway, as long as GED is not fully "back on tracks" for TWC, I don't think that much will happen unfortunately
    I remember a discussion for possible solutions about handling such issues (during GED's absence). But I'm not sure if we had any actual results.

  4. #4
    Leonardo's Avatar Reborn Old Timer
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    Quote Originally Posted by z3n View Post
    First I will preface this by saying it is of my opinion that modernizing TWCs links would be very simple as it mainly concerns the header & html code which anyone who has 30 minutes to spare can understand. But perhaps Gigantus or somebody else can chime in if this isn't the case.

    I intend to highlight several things I consider problems that adversely affect the site in subtle ways.

    Users often describe mods as the life blood of TWC and most english speaking people read from left to right.

    On TWC's home page we have several links:

    Home - Wiki - Store - Forums - Downloads


    Consider again how most people read, and yet Store, an entirely non-functioning link is listed directly after the Wiki.


    Now consider the way Steam Workshop presents itself, Steam allows people to download whatever mod they want after immediately presenting them with that option.

    What does it do specifically?

    a) Steam immediately presents several downloads to the user
    b) It has a single link that immediately allows them to browse the download section

    This can't be done in the same way on TWC, obviously we like to direct people every which way and bombard them with content which leads to information overload. But! That's ok.

    Perhaps we can simply remove the non-functioning link to the store and replace it with Downloads or the Forums.
    Agreed. It make sense to remove the Store from the link header of the Front Page and replace it with the Forum, not Downloads as the Forum is between the Wiki and TWC Download which is a logical order.

    Maybe add the HotSeat for those interested in multiplayer, which has a similar purpose to what the TWC Store now have and what I mean is a direct link to a forum category.

    Quote Originally Posted by z3n View Post
    Now let's take a look at the links on the forum we are now at the top. Where exactly is Downloads located?

    Links in order from left to right:
    Home - Articles - What's New? - Forum - Competitions - Blogs - Rules - FAQ - Wiki - Awards - Downloads


    To be precise, it is located in the 11th position, Directly at the very end.

    Let's think about demographics, most commonly active users are in the age range of around ages 12 to 65 but heavily clustered around 12 to 25 based on a random sample of users with their ages shown.


    This age range isn't likely to have a large attention span and reading left to right leaves them unlikely to see the last item unless they're very interested in whats on the end.


    Ok, what do you say, steam is a different platform?
    I think Home - Wiki - FAQ - Rules - Forum - Downloads - What's New - Articles - Blog - Competitions - Awards looks better than there is now.

    Yes. I think Steam is a different platform, but don't forget Bethesda.net as a competitor to Steam and now can people there do exactly the same thing as people can do on Steam when downloading mods.

    Quote Originally Posted by z3n View Post
    Fair enough, lets look at Nexus Mods. A very famous site for TES & skyrim modding. How do they structure their links? Incidentally they have two ways.

    Their primary links are:
    Game - Mods - Images - Videos - Updates - Support

    With a secondary one above it and pushed to the middle right
    Nexus Home - Forums - Chat - News


    I'd suggest we take a long and serious look at how these things are structured as they play a very important role in retaining guests and turning them into members.
    Indeed. Nexus is a well known TES modding site when it comes to hosting mods, among other smaller TES community sites such as AFK Mods (AFK stands for Away From Keyboard Mods), GHF, TAL, TESA (also have a modding school for Oblivion, Skyrim, and I think for Morrowind too).

    It has never been wrong to borrow a good idea from another and doing that wouldn't hurt either, I suppose.

    Quote Originally Posted by z3n View Post
    Nexus currently follows a rule where they allow a download to be visible to a guest but alert them that they can only download files under a certain size (something like 1MB).
    It's actually 2 Mb for guests and have always been like that as long I can remember for at least 10 years unless Dark0ne,the site owner of Nexus, recently changed that.

    However, I do know that does not work for members who wants to download a mod as guests and the reason for that is what Nexus now have. What they have is a Donation Points system, which requires already registered members to download mods when one is logged in and not how it has been in the past.

    Quote Originally Posted by z3n View Post
    We used to hide download links that were attached to the site from guests. I'm uncertain if that is still the case but if it is -- then it might be a good idea to let them know that they can't see the link until they register or simply limit which files they are allowed to download by size while still showing them it, and then alert them to the fact that they need to register.
    Or why not allow guests to only download one mod per day similar to what the Dark Creations (DC) have done for a couple of years now (not entirely sure if they still do that or not), which is gonna to be shut down for good the 1th of January 2019.

    I think guests can see the links, but IIRC trying to download anything will automatically be redirected to a page stating that registration is required to download.
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  5. #5
    Squid's Avatar Opifex
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    I've updated the links. I've removed the store and added links to the forums drop down for the missing games and removed some outdated ones. It still needs a bit of work because the list is too long and currently doesn't scroll, so items at the bottom aren't accessible if your resolution is too small.
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  6. #6
    Leonardo's Avatar Reborn Old Timer
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    Quote Originally Posted by Squid View Post
    I've updated the links. I've removed the store and added links to the forums drop down for the missing games and removed some outdated ones. It still needs a bit of work because the list is too long and currently doesn't scroll, so items at the bottom aren't accessible if your resolution is too small.
    Indeed. That list of links needs to be a lot shorter as it doesn't look good. Even I have a problem to see all links in that list of links with a 1920x1080 monitor.

    How about adding a link to a thread instead of having the TW game forum links, like the Announcements from Mods & Hosted Mods (All TW Games) thread?

    Which already have the relevant links for the respective TW game forum.

    Also, add a direct link for the respective download sections on TWC Download in the "Download" link, because TWC now have a separate download section for the hosted non-TW mods on TWC Download.
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  7. #7
    Squid's Avatar Opifex
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    I've added links to individual download sections.
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  8. #8
    Leonardo's Avatar Reborn Old Timer
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    Quote Originally Posted by Squid View Post
    I've added links to individual download sections.
    Awesome.

    I appreciate that a lot. Thanks, Squid.

    +rep
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  9. #9
    Leonardo's Avatar Reborn Old Timer
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    Anyone else who is interested in this dicussion than just me?
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  10. #10
    ♔Greek Strategos♔'s Avatar THE BEARDED MACE
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    Quote Originally Posted by Leonardo View Post
    Anyone else who is interested in this dicussion than just me?
    I'm always eager to discuss about site improvements. Even theoretical ones atm

  11. #11
    Gigantus's Avatar I am not special - I am a limited edition.
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    I think squid might have missed out on the initial idea, I did some illustration on how to move the download 'tabs'. Basically right next to the 'home' tab:

    Spoiler for the homepage

    Spoiler for forum view


    While I don't think it's essential for the homepage it surely should be done for the forum view.
    Last edited by Gigantus; August 06, 2019 at 08:32 AM.










  12. #12
    Leonardo's Avatar Reborn Old Timer
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    Default Re: [Site Feature] Modernizing TWC Links & Downloads

    Quote Originally Posted by Gigantus View Post
    I think squid might have missed out on the initial idea, I did some illustration on how to move the download 'tabs'. Basically right next to the 'home' tab:

    Spoiler for the homepage

    Spoiler for forum view


    While I don't think it's essential for the homepage it surely should be done for the forum view.
    You're right the home page doesn't need to be changed, but the forum do need a change.

    Although, I agree with you, however, I can't see why Download needs to be moved entirely to the left instead move Download to after Forum.
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