Mission Download Page - feedback?

[scottlu]

We have the "easy to use" mission download page nearing completion. Here is the link:

http://www.handmark.com/warfare/leveleditor.php

Please take a look and post feedback. Thanks!

(note to mission posters... you can take "Mission: " out of your title, turns out it is unnecessary)

[drdeath2k3]

It's looking pretty good so far.... looks like i won't be getting the editor working for a little while though which is too bad.... i'll just have to rely on others to post some more masterpieces....

[SoLan]

I have taken "Mission:" out of the title and I got a demonstration of the "live" quality of the download page while I was doing it. Nice

I think the download page looks nice - clean layout and easy enough that it shouldn't be a problem for anybody. There is going to be some more text in there, right? Just some explanation of what the level editor is and what you need to play the user submitted mission packs. Maybe something about installation?

I was also under the impression that the download page would contain something of the descriptions we add when we upload the levels. I am not just asking so that I can see my own description on the page - although my mission pack now looks like a real heavy-weight when it doesn't say anywhere that it contains more than one level - but I think it would be useful for the players who are browsing the levels. Is that something that will be there when the page is finished?

[scottlu]

There will be a description of the mission editor, screen shots, and instructions for how to download missions to your device.

Handmark's web guy says that descriptions are too long and wordy to put on this page. As an alternative he suggests changing the link "discussion" to "description".

I suggest experimenting with changing your topic title to mention additional details. A side benefit of this approach is that these details will also show up in the topic view on the sharing forum.

[SoLan]

What if we added a "short description" that would be maybe max. two lines in the forum view or something? Or even less. Please?

[mitch]

Does this page grab the topics from Mission sharing? If so, itd be nice if you made it so that when the user clicked on the name, the first post of the topic would show (thus showing the description and such).

[scottlu]

SoLan: I've asked Handmark for this and they have said no, I think from a time point of view. I will ask again, I agree that it is important. For the time being, try changing your topic title (which currently has the mission title in it) to include the short description, and it will appear on the download page.

mitch: the link "discussion" for each download item takes you to the discussion thread for that given mission. Perhaps we could just link the title instead of having a separate "discussion" link. I will look into it.

[SoLan]

I have tried changing the topic title, but it seems like the title has a limit of 60 characters. With 60 characters divided between the mission name and the description, it has to be a short description indeed.

[scottlu]

Ok, descriptions have been added! Thank you Handmark. Check out the download page.

When you submit your mission there is a text box called "File Comments" that you can enter a textual description into. This is where the mission pack description should be entered. This text will be put into the download page automatically.

In addition, the mission download count resetting issue is going to be dealt with as well.

[scottlu]

By the way, some "bonus" descriptions where entered into the existing posts for download page testing purposes. Authors please edit as appropriate!

[SoLan]

Thank you Handmark and thank you scottlu!

The page looks great. Now the mission list should be much more browseable for players.

When I looked at it I thought of one more thing. Version numbers might be useful in the list, for players to see when mission packs have been updated. Those can easily be included with the mission pack name or with the description, though.

[mitch]

Another great addition would be for users to be able to rate (on a scale of 5), the mission.

[drdeath2k3]

mitch wrote:

Another great addition would be for users to be able to rate (on a scale of 5), the mission.

good idea



let the popularity contest begin

[PhillipEarl]

I think this may be a compatability problem between php code and Macintosh computers, but I can't download from this page. I get an error message stating that my computer doesn't know how to handle the file. According to the message, the mime type is application/octetstream and the filename (regardless of which file I download) is download.php.

This isn't really that much of a problem. I just choose the "Save As" option it gives me, and save the file to my desktop, being sure to change the name to download.pdb (In other words, changing the file's extention from .php to .pdb). It will still sync over to my Tungsten/E, which shows the file's correct name in my file manager (FileZ). Sure enough, the game reads it!

Given the stubborn nature of the Macintosh computer, there's probably nothing anyone can do to make the download work as intended for those poor few of us who do own Macs, but I thought I would post this just in case any of my fellow Mac users get stuck!

Maybe a dialogue or a short faq could be added to the bottom of the downloads page?

[scottlu]

Thanks PhillipEarl, I'll ask Handmark to take a look at that.

[drdeath2k3]

PhillipEarl wrote:

I think this may be a compatability problem between php code and Macintosh computers, but I can't download from this page. I get an error message stating that my computer doesn't know how to handle the file. According to the message, the mime type is application/octetstream and the filename (regardless of which file I download) is download.php.

This isn't really that much of a problem. I just choose the "Save As" option it gives me, and save the file to my desktop, being sure to change the name to download.pdb (In other words, changing the file's extention from .php to .pdb). It will still sync over to my Tungsten/E, which shows the file's correct name in my file manager (FileZ). Sure enough, the game reads it!

Given the stubborn nature of the Macintosh computer, there's probably nothing anyone can do to make the download work as intended for those poor few of us who do own Macs, but I thought I would post this just in case any of my fellow Mac users get stuck!

Maybe a dialogue or a short faq could be added to the bottom of the downloads page?

It sounds like you're an IE user... so my first question is:
Do you have OS X?
If so, go download Safari now and solve all your problems.
If not... go find some alternative to IE....
I have no problems downloading anything (using safari on OS X jaguar..l)

[PhillipEarl]

scottlu wrote:

Thanks PhillipEarl, I'll ask Handmark to take a look at that.

Much thanks, Claxbane, for your help (and patience!)

drdeath2K3 wrote:

It sounds like you're an IE user... so my first question is:
Do you have OS X?
If so, go download Safari now and solve all your problems.
If not... go find some alternative to IE....
I have no problems downloading anything (using safari on OS X jaguar..l)

You've diagnosed my problem perfectly! (Must be why they call you DOCTOR Death! )

Unfortunately for me, I have the misfortune of having an older (pre-OSX) mac. Plus, I'm afraid the alternatives (like Netscape) aren't any better. What bugs don't appear in IE do appear in others, etc...etc...

Oh, well. No biggie. It is good to know that OSX has no issues. Now I've just gotta get a new computer....

[drdeath2k3]

PhillipEarl wrote:

scottlu wrote:

Thanks PhillipEarl, I'll ask Handmark to take a look at that.

Much thanks, Claxbane, for your help (and patience!)

drdeath2K3 wrote:

It sounds like you're an IE user... so my first question is:
Do you have OS X?
If so, go download Safari now and solve all your problems.
If not... go find some alternative to IE....
I have no problems downloading anything (using safari on OS X jaguar..l)

You've diagnosed my problem perfectly! (Must be why they call you DOCTOR Death! )

Unfortunately for me, I have the misfortune of having an older (pre-OSX) mac. Plus, I'm afraid the alternatives (like Netscape) aren't any better. What bugs don't appear in IE do appear in others, etc...etc...

Oh, well. No biggie. It is good to know that OSX has no issues. Now I've just gotta get a new computer....

what computer DO you have?
I have an old (400mhz) iMac.. and it runs OS X fine.... and it's not OS X that doesn't have these problems.. IE in OS X still sucks... but Safari is the best browser ever made...

[Verdagon]

[quote]I have an old (400mhz) iMac.. and it runs OS X fine.... and it's not OS X that doesn't have these problems.. IE in OS X still sucks... but Safari is the best browser ever made...[/quote]

400mhz is pretty good for a mac...
LET THE FLAME WAR BEGIN!!!
Jk man, macs are pretty good. Notice how I didn't say they were sufficient.

AAAAnyway... about the rating thing, i think maybe out of a bigger number would be beneficial, maybe 100 or so? and then have subcategories, like storyline, replayability, etc.

And there should be a "review" page and a "strategy guide" page. That'd be great.

[SoLan]

I have had a look at the new mission download page. It looks good, but I was wondering if the page should mention the need for players to upgrade to v. 1.1 of Warfare Inc. in order to play the User Authored Mission Packs? It may also be an idea to say that you need a registered version to play these missions.

[scottlu]

Thanks for the feedback. It's actually in the middle of being updated right now and that's one of the changes to be done (hopefully in the next hour!)