[Xanth]

Seeing as I'm most likely going to be rewriting a lot of skills (if not all at this rate), I thought it was a great opportunity to take a look at the way the skill pages are presented and experiment with a few ways to try and make the information easier to scan. I've been fiddling with the skill template a bit and come up with four different variations.

(The old version can be seen here or in action on the wiki for comparison.)

As you can see, I've just been playing with boxes more than anything. In this poll, you're voting based on different factors, ie, which is the easiest to scan (as if you're a new member scoping out what's available without looking too in-depth), which is the most useful for continued use (ie, referring back as needed), which is the most user-friendly, and which is the most attractive to look at.

The poll doesn't really allow for it, but please feel free to comment with your favourite bits of each if you want to mix and match.

[Alvanon]

After looking at them all, I found Version 4 to be the one that seemed easiest on the eyes. It seemed to allow me to just flow from one section to the next easier, which is what I believe you're looking for with the update.

[Zephyr]

Maybe I'm strange, but it'd be easiest for me to actually assess them if there were actual pages for us to interact with rather than screenshots. Would this be possible to set up?

[Xanth]

Ooh yes, guestyfish/lurkerfish opinions will be helpful too. Thanks for taking the time to post, Drae!

Russ, I'll see what I can do?

ETA:
I've updated the poll links to go to draft pages instead of screenshots:
Version 1
Version 2
Version 3
Version 4

[Desp]

Personally? I like the detail of Template 1. Everything you need to know AS A NEWB is at the top when you scan through it. I personally sat forever trying to figure out how to work my skills when I first joined and STILL had to be corrected. If all of that information was at the info center first thing, I MIGHT have had an easier time. (I make no promises on that, I'm blond.)

But if you're wanting to go with something cut down that asks for more scanning? Template 3, without a doubt.

I think the thing to keep in mind is that for newbs, this site is a LITTLE intimidating. It's huge, the world is extremely well developed and it takes a LONG time to read through just the information needed to make your first character. Navigating it, at first, is overwhelming, just a tad. It's well worth it, but frightening for someone whose never played a game in this style. I should know, I personally avoided games like this for YEARS because I was intimidated by them, even as an advanced player. Yours is my first, and it was quite the frightening thing that first four days of lurking trying to figure out just what the hell I was doing on the wiki, lol. X3 And it's not because it's poorly made, but rather because it's SO well done that EVERYTHING is cohesive. Just to write a history you have to research life style, life cycle, race politics, what kind of raising a job takes. All of that. Skills? You have to have that history down pat to make sure your skills make sense.

So for someone like me? That first template has EVERYTHING set up on the information center and makes it so much easier to scan than going through each level looking for the unlocks and such.

But again, blond, so I'm not the most sensible of people anyway. :3

This post has been edited by Desp: 02 November 2012 - 12:07 PM

[Zephyr]

So I'm a problematic member.

I vote 3.5 (meaning the top.bottom bit from 3, but the mid bit from 4)

I love the footnotes set up of three, and the top block of info is really easy to access. But I like the way the individual levels are done on 4 much more. It is way more aesthetically pleasing, for me at least.

((I voted in the poll as 3, but wanted to clarify my vote more here because I'm super duper picky and stuff))

[Xanth]

Thanks, guys.

Taking into account everything said here, I've come up with a fifth version. I managed to get the Toggle recipe (PmWiki's version of spoiler tags) to work, so meet Version Five. I think this answers to all the comments, but I'll leave this thread open in case anyone has anything further to say.

[Desp]

Gotta say Emma, I quite LOVE the new version. :3

[Xanth]

Yay!

Okay, I'm settled on Version 5, so I'll close this poll. Thanks, guys.