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Network Talk
For discussions about network-wide site topics, announcments, etc.
The Way Forward...
staff_Jim
Staff MemberPublisher
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Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2020 - 04:48 AM UTC
Wow... I just posted my last feature for this database/version of KitMaker. That was weird. And it was painful!! Yikes...this site has been in bad need of updating. After using our new forum and content sites for the past few months having to deal with our old system was grueling. I know some of you will not be happy about this change, but trust me given time most of you will be very happy for it.

Needless to say this is the thread that should have automatically been created but my code bugged out as I was doing this from KitMaker and not a sub-site so yeah. Failed.

Proceed with the comments...

However I can't promise I will respond to everything as I am hella busy these days with techie stuff.

Cheers,
Jim
TankManNick
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Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2020 - 05:37 AM UTC
Thank you, thank you. thank you! For doing this posting. Hopefully all is now clear RE: "the changes"!

Actually, many thanks are in order for doing the ACTUAL WORK! I think as 'users' that fact can get forgotten. Sone one has to DO the actual support work.

Looking on the bright side, at least the level of response indicates the passion that people bring to the table and, I think, indicates that the future will be quite rosy. This is absolutely NOT the death of KitMaker (and my favorite, Armorama) but the start of a new chapter.

Bye-bye icon!
tigerproductions
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Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2020 - 05:54 AM UTC
I love the new format, we MUST change or get left behind.

I will continue for sure in the new sites.

The feature I would like to see improved is the ability to load a photo or video directly from our PC/Laptop instead of putting in URL and other things. This will make it easier to share content with all.

If I may suggest, vendors/manufacturers should be given the permission to put in new vendor announcements and information (like we can do on Face Book, Planet Figure) without having to wait for a Moderator to do it for us.

Thanks for all you do.....

Jose
Custom Dioramics
www.customdioramics.com
staff_Jim
Staff MemberPublisher
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Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2020 - 09:13 AM UTC
Hi Jose,
That's a very good idea. Of course on the forum level (which we will have dedicated vendor forums for those that want to use them) you'll be able to do that. On the content site side I can probably re-work the permissions a little so that selected users or vendors can post immediately rather than wait for staff action. That's going to require some coding first though. Ironically that was already built into the code for 'editors' but I needed that group to be able to take more than their stuff live immediately so I reconfigured all that permissions code to do what I needed it to (take other users stuff live in the queue). So yeah should be easy to rework that level back into the overall permissions scheme.

Cheers,
Jim
Petition2God
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Posted: Friday, October 30, 2020 - 09:18 AM UTC
As one of the early members to Armorama (I joined in Feb. 2002), this site has so many fond memories and given me a lot of useful info. It's actually nice to see the changes as the technology evolves. Of course, change is hard, and we can't please everyone.
Of course, it's not a good-bye but a new beginning.
Regardless, thanks Jim for paving the way and for all your hard work during the last two decades.
Pzrjager72
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New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted: Saturday, October 31, 2020 - 02:56 AM UTC
I love this site. It's a wealth of Information on building armour. My only suggestion would be to make it more mobile friendly as a lot of people use their phones to access information from their workbench.

keep up the good work!
agincajun
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Posted: Saturday, October 31, 2020 - 03:22 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I love this site. It's a wealth of Information on building armour. My only suggestion would be to make it more mobile friendly as a lot of people use their phones to access information from their workbench.

keep up the good work!



As a new member but someone who's been following Armorama for close to fifteen years I want to thank you Jim, Robin and everyone else that are working so hard to make this new evolution happen. I am diggin' the new site, I've always been slightly intimidated by some members' comments or replys in the past and I suppose that's why I've waited so long to participate, the new forum however seems more welcomeing. Frankly I'm one of those bean heads that assumed the site just happens never considering the mechanics of it but because of the debate and reluctance of some members to just get on board and the patient encouragement of Robin in particular, I'm seeing how much time is devoted to the maintenace of this site. So thanks again and I agree that working from a Smart phone is a bit of a challenge, especially when making a text entry vs. veiwing area, it is what it is though, some of my posts or replies are gonna not be quite what I intended.
varanusk
Staff MemberManaging Editor
ARMORAMA
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Posted: Saturday, October 31, 2020 - 11:29 PM UTC

Quoted Text

My only suggestion would be to make it more mobile friendly as a lot of people use their phones to access information from their workbench.



The new forums are prepared for mobile access, check them!
Tank1812
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Posted: Sunday, November 01, 2020 - 12:40 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

My only suggestion would be to make it more mobile friendly as a lot of people use their phones to access information from their workbench.



The new forums are prepared for mobile access, check them!



I agree, I only use my phone to access both sites and the new one is even easier on the phone. I am not sure understand how it could be more mobile friendly?
md72
#439
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Posted: Sunday, November 01, 2020 - 04:43 AM UTC
Ahh, is one of the inducements to get up to move removing the latest post link from the top of the page? There used to be one in the header at the top of the page and one in the footer at the bottom. Now it's just the one at the bottom.
RobinNilsson
Staff MemberDirector of Member Services
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Posted: Monday, November 02, 2020 - 12:26 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Ahh, is one of the inducements to get up to move removing the latest post link from the top of the page? There used to be one in the header at the top of the page and one in the footer at the bottom. Now it's just the one at the bottom.



The Latest Posts button was visible at the top when I checked 30 seconds ago ...
AussieReg
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
#007
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Posted: Monday, November 02, 2020 - 01:49 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Ahh, is one of the inducements to get up to move removing the latest post link from the top of the page? There used to be one in the header at the top of the page and one in the footer at the bottom. Now it's just the one at the bottom.



The Latest Posts button was visible at the top when I checked 30 seconds ago ...



It's not there for me either, only at the bottom of the page.
staff_Jim
Staff MemberPublisher
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Posted: Monday, November 02, 2020 - 02:19 AM UTC
Robin was speaking of the LP button on the main forum page. It is still there.

The LP button was removed on the topic pages to make the archives cleaner. There will likely be MANY more changes to the way the current forums here are working to make sure the archive captures all the posts as we missed some when I did the Model Shipwrights archive. Hopefully I can go back and re-archive just the forum on another pass for MSW.

Cheers,
Jim
SGTJKJ
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Posted: Tuesday, November 17, 2020 - 01:24 AM UTC
Jim, did you just call me old and resistant to change in your last post??!! (Just joking)

I think the new forum works great. In fact, I guess this will be my last post here.
I think the new homepages will look great too.

Only thing are the campaign ribbons. I hope this will be a feature for future group builds in the new forum.

See you all in the new forum
JPTRR
Staff MemberManaging Editor
RAILROAD MODELING
#051
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Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2020 - 04:20 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Only thing are the campaign ribbons. I hope this will be a feature for future group builds in the new forum.



I would like the campaign ribbons retained, too. And with 252+ campaigns completed,that's a big salad bowl on your tunic!
md72
#439
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Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2020 - 04:40 AM UTC
I am liking most of the features of the new site. But I do miss my campaign ribbons and my 'rank'. I was so close to 5,000 posts.
staff_Jim
Staff MemberPublisher
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Posted: Wednesday, November 18, 2020 - 06:34 AM UTC
252! Wow Jesper. Nice job.

Yeah the old ribbons will likely have to be memorialized in creative ways like Jesper has done on his profile on the new forum, for new campaigns we will try to achieve some kind of badge for them. It's a work in progress.

Cheers,
Jim
CReading
#001
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Posted: Friday, November 20, 2020 - 04:21 AM UTC
Well Jim I realized there was need for change but after years and years of being comfortable with the old format I was apprehensive about change.
I had perused the 'new' forum and it seemed like I was lost in a huge mall, not knowing where anything was our how to do anything.
A couple weeks ago I forced myself to spend time at the new forum. It wasn't too long before I was comfortable with and began to understand the new layout.
Now, after about 10 days, I really like the new layout and all the new features. The hallmark of course is the ease in which the user can post photos (be sure they are the right size). I have posted more photos in the new forum last few days than I had posted in the old forum in the past few years.
It's just like the original Armorama in the beginning days.
I would recommend to anyone who is posting in the old forum to swing over and give it a try..... you will love the atmosphere and ease of navigation once you get used to it.
And again Jim, let me thank you for having provided a great site for us to gather information, share our hobby and just hang out on for the past 18 + years. Looking forward to the next decade(s) of Armorama.
Cheers,
Charles
Lada_Niva
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Member Since: October 06, 2019
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Posted: Friday, November 20, 2020 - 05:20 AM UTC
I haven't been active and this is the first time I was going to login and came across this article.
It really brings me joy to see that we are finally moving on and get more modern.
And that there are finally some improvements in usability and such things.
Looking forward to this.
bomber14
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New Jersey, United States
Member Since: February 02, 2015
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Posted: Wednesday, December 09, 2020 - 05:41 PM UTC
jim
can't say i'm a big fan of the new layout. i checked out automodeler and don't like the car, truck builds and site content(new releases) all in one forum. and as far as aeroscale goes, no more campaigns and ribbons? what happened to our ranks? nothing seems organized, a lot of searching around to find what took a second before. i understand you had to modernize but couldn't you keep it as simular as possible as the old site. it is nice to be able to post photos directly without using a host site as you claim. i have not tried it yet.
also why do my user name and password not work on the new site?

joe b bomber14
md72
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Posted: Wednesday, December 09, 2020 - 06:58 PM UTC
Well, they haven't eliminated the reply button yet.

Joe, in one of the earliest posts about the transition, Jim pointed out that we had to re-register for the new site, the old credentials didn't transfer over.

Yes, I miss ranks, ribbons, campaigns and my icon. But I seem to be reading more posts than before.
Tank1812
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Posted: Wednesday, December 09, 2020 - 10:20 PM UTC
Campaigns haven’t stopped, they are called Group Builds. A number have carried over and new ones created. Lot less restrictions for a campaign.

Here is away for you added you ribbons. I haven’t tried as I only have two.
https://forums.kitmaker.net/t/create-your-own-copy-of-your-campaign-awards-to-add-to-your-profile/2558
bomber14
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Posted: Thursday, December 10, 2020 - 04:39 PM UTC
i would prefer to continue calling them campaigns. lends itself more to military builds plus every other site call them group builds. why be ordinary.
i find the layout on the new site confusing and un organized. i don't feel comfortable navigating on it. like i mentioned all the topics are all listed in one column, reviews, builds, new releases and so on. don't mind the upgrading of the site just like to see some organizing of the different categories as on the bottom of the old site.
And do we really have to have a pink heart for the like icon??lol...no, really.
Tank1812
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Posted: Thursday, December 10, 2020 - 10:41 PM UTC
A number of threads still call them campaigns but the category is listed as Group Build.

Yes, it appears as the software likes hearts more then thumbs up. Either way I think it helpful to have some that can people can acknowledge the post without filling up more posts with right on or other generic posts. On a build you use it to not post generic praise but still allowing you acknowledge the build.

Either way this is the direct Jim decided to go.
staff_Jim
Staff MemberPublisher
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Posted: Friday, December 11, 2020 - 07:34 AM UTC
I am not against changing the category names to 'Campaigns' I just wanted to get a consensus from the members when we actually DO move sites like AeroScale and Armorama over to the new sites.

And FYI Joe you are looking at the forum like it's the whole site. It's not. It's just the forum.

Cheers,
Jim
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