User talk:Commdor/Sandbox

Daily news
Holy cow, I already love the idea of putting the latest Cerberus Daily News article on the front page. Can't wait to see what else you had in mind. Dammej 23:15, July 12, 2010 (UTC)


 * Thanks. That was the primary motivation in this. I also split the regular news column into game news and wiki news sections, mainly because "What's new on Mass Effect Wiki" was dominated by decidedly non-wiki-related items. I'm mulling over a few other things, then I'll put it to vote likely in the next couple days. -- Commdor (Talk) 23:21, July 12, 2010 (UTC)
 * If you decide to, and from what I've seen so far, you have my vote. Just be sure to open a new page on the Projects Forum, but something tells me you won't have a problem getting support. Lancer1289 23:28, July 12, 2010 (UTC)
 * You might want to add a link for the SR-2 as well. Lancer1289 00:54, July 13, 2010 (UTC)
 * Done, good thinking. I might rearrange the links further, I don't really like the alphabetized layout. -- Commdor (Talk) 00:58, July 13, 2010 (UTC)

Images
Since I was waiting until you had the images up, but I really don't feel comfortable using the ME2 Achievement images for the buttons. The buttons before looked so much better than just the achivement images. Even with the backgrounds cut out, they still just look to, what's a good word, unimpressive, when put against the current buttons. I won't object to an update, but just using the images themselves, just doesn't fell right. I can see an update for the achievements button, but again I really don't fell comfortable with replacing the button images with just the achievement images. Also just throwing this out there, the main page, with the current buttons were featured in Gameinformer. Lancer1289 22:01, July 15, 2010 (UTC)


 * Well, it looks like we have differing opinions on the buttons. I found the old ones to be bland and unattractive, hence me using achievement icons. I've got other ideas though. I was considering asking Dammej to whip up some new buttons with images from the games, but without that blue border and maybe a different shape. Either way, I believe the buttons need an upgrade. -- Commdor (Talk) 22:08, July 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * Yes they do need to be updated, but I did like the border, and it made them unique in my opinion, but I guess we will just have to wait and see. If you have other ideas, I am not going to say stop, I'm going to keep score. (Figure out where that came from.) Again other ideas always help and there seems to be no shortage of good ideas lately. I will approve of the achievement image for its button, but the rest need some better images. Also jsut to note that the Dragon Age wiki designed their main page off ours, and I really like their buttons. Lancer1289 22:17, July 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * I noticed they were similar. Maybe we should have eight buttons too, and at least thin out the borders. Like I said, lots of ideas for this, still experimenting. -- Commdor (Talk) 22:34, July 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * No objections. Lancer1289 22:44, July 15, 2010 (UTC)

I am gradually gaining control of GIMP 2. Hopefully the new button images are more to your liking. On a somewhat related note, I've implemented a new template heading which requires a monaco.css code to see. It's just the bluish gradient seen around the search bar, thought it looked sleeker than a plain matte blue. If we use this main page upgrade, the code can easily be inserted into the wiki's monaco.css page. -- Commdor (Talk) 03:35, July 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * Yes they do look better, and I thought of two new button, Missions. It always puzzled me why we don't have one for that page. And the second, Locations.
 * Anyway I do like the style, no complaints, but the images for Characters and Races I do have a problem with. Now these are my opinions so take them as you will. I really do think that Characters button shouldn't show Garrus wounded, becuase if anyone hasn't played ME2 yet, it will raise a few questions. Personally I think Garrus is a good choice but an ME image would probably be better, that or another character. As to the Races button, vorcha really? Becuase I was thinking, well, any other species, just not the vorcha. Personally I think the krogan, turians, or asari, but those are my opinions. The rest of the images look great, I especially like the Illsuive Man for the walkthoughs, for more than one reason.
 * As to images for the Missions and Locations Buttons. I was thinking of the Citadel, and a view from the Wards, or the view from Zakera would be good. However that one is very open to interperatation. There was a great promotional image I liked that had the view from Zakera, but alas my efforts to find it have proven futile. For the Missions button, I really don't have an idea, but I'm sure you can think of something.
 * Finally as to the new template, I was wondering what happened. But the color is the same that surrounds the search bar, correct? If so then yes that would be better. As to the code, I can implement it, I just might need a few instructions so I don't mess up. Anyway those are my lengthy comments, looking great so far. Lancer1289 05:30, July 16, 2010 (UTC)

Well I like what you did with the images, and I like the images for the Characters and Races buttons. That is a nice shot of the turian Councilor btw. I like the missions button especially, a thresher maw certainly emphases the importance of them. As to the locations button, I have to say that it does look great. However I found the picture in question. If you have the Collectors' Edition art book, look at the spread on pages 22-23, the start for the Alien Worlds chapter. If you don't have it I can scan it in and upload the image. Again the page is looking great. Lancer1289 21:47, July 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * Yes, I found an image, a little big, acutally huge but I think you might get the idea here. Again that was just my thing and I will be more than happy with the current image. All I ask is that you just take a look. Lancer1289 22:16, July 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * Even better I found a BioWare forum thread with different sizes of the image here. Again all I ask is that you take a look you don't have to or change anything. Thanks. Lancer1289 22:23, July 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * I knew what you were talking about. I did want to use that image initially, but the constrictions of cutting a circular portion out of a wide rectangular image with no standout feature didn't work out too well. At least you're fine with my third choice of image. But I'll mess around with the different sizes you've found; no guarantees, I think this is one of those images where cutting things off is detrimental. -- Commdor (Talk) 22:30, July 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * Sorry for the edit conflict, and I had to step out for a few minutes, and will again in about 20. Anyway thanks for taking a look at them. If you can't get it to work, then I complexly understand, and as I’ve said I'll be very happy with the current picture. Always like that cutscene btw. Just out of curiosity, since you said this is your third, and the image in question was the first, what was your second? Lancer1289 23:49, July 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * The second image I tried is the one found at the top of the Citadel article here. I ended up disappointed because it emphasizes the Normandy and not the Citadel, and I don't think the Normandy is a good symbol of galactic civilization. Anyway, I'm afraid your suggested image didn't succeed. I got a good shot, but it only looks good at around 300px; any smaller and it becomes difficult to distinguish details. At the 100px necessary for the main page, you can't really tell it's the Citadel at all. -- Commdor (Talk) 00:49, July 17, 2010 (UTC)
 * Oh well, again thanks very much for trying. Well the image will still look good as a new wallpaper for my laptop. Again thanks for trying and the images look great. Oh and yes I can see why the second image was a problem as well, thanks for satisfying my curiosity. :) Lancer1289 00:56, July 17, 2010 (UTC)

Just a quick question, what happended to the walkthourgh button, did you replace it with one of the comic book images? Becuase it really looks inconsistent with the other in-game images. Lancer1289 02:36, July 19, 2010 (UTC)
 * It's from a piece of concept art. Thought it looked better than the previous one, which is also a drawing (specifically, that one is used in-game as the background for the mission summary screens). But back to the drawing board... (unintentional pun). -- Commdor (Talk) 03:04, July 19, 2010 (UTC)
 * I'm not saying that I don't like that particular image, hmm, just a thought, what about pulling something from the cinematic tralier or the trailer itself. Again just thinking out loud here. I do like the Illusive Man in his office for the walkthroughs tab, seems appropiate. Lancer1289 03:16, July 19, 2010 (UTC)
 * Crossing my fingers with this next one. I've started going through HD YouTube videos and taking screenshots. The cinematic trailer turned out to be so detailed and had such contrasting lighting that nothing was discernible when shrunk down to 100px. I went to the next best thing, the ME2 introductory cinematic. -- Commdor (Talk) 03:51, July 19, 2010 (UTC)
 * Well it was just a throught, since I am not good at image manuipiilation, I wouldn't know the results. Anyway I like the new one, seems even better IMO than the previous versions. Hopefully this can be close to getting a forum up about this. That reminds me, I need to look at the stuff for the images and names again. To the Forums. Lancer1289 03:55, July 19, 2010 (UTC)

Page width
Thought I should let you know that, with the current button widths you have, the main section of the page gets railroaded into the right hand side at a resolution of 1024x768. If we go to 8 buttons, we might have to have the same widths as used on the DA wiki for maximum accessibility.

(addendum) The images look fantastic by the way. Much better than they were with the big blue border, imo. -- -- Dammej ( talk ) 21:29, July 16, 2010 (UTC)


 * Darn, I liked 'em big. :( Oh well. I'll see about reducing them. -- Commdor (Talk) 21:37, July 16, 2010 (UTC)

Milky way image
Not trying to steal your thunder, but if you're still looking for a pic of the galaxy map for the "Milky Way" button, I've got a couple of screenshots I took:

Cheers! -- Dammej ( talk ) 21:08, July 18, 2010 (UTC)


 * Thanks a bunch. Spart wanted a good image of the map but there weren't any on the wiki to use. I picked the slanted looking one, I'm fond of unique perspectives like that. -- Commdor (Talk) 22:47, July 18, 2010 (UTC)

Further comments
Any last words before I formally put this project out there? I think it's finally ready for the wider community to examine. -- Commdor (Talk) 19:05, July 25, 2010 (UTC)
 * The only gripe I have is with the addition of the forum thing. I really don't think that deserves a place on the main page, or a list of recent blog posts for that matter. I have seen wikis where they too absorbed in blogs or forums and the mainspace gets neglected. While forums are useful, don't get me wrong, the Projects forum was a great idea and is useful for keeping track of projects, but I just don't like that on the main page. I like everything else. Lancer1289 19:59, July 25, 2010 (UTC)
 * Good point. It was more of a test than anything else, I was ambivalent about keeping or removing it. Since you're not in love with it, odds are others won't be either, so I shall smite it from the page. -- Commdor (Talk) 20:07, July 25, 2010 (UTC)
 * While listing forums might be a bad idea (I'm ambivalent too, really), I think that having a link to the project forums in the "Helping out" heading would be useful. Something along the lines of "Lend a hand with one of our current projects." -- Dammej ( talk ) 21:58, July 25, 2010 (UTC)
 * I like that idea, I can see a link under the Adding Content section. I'll leave it up to you where to put it under that heading as anywhere would be a good idea. However a slight rewording like, "See if you can lend a hand with one of our current projects." Just thinking out loud here. Lancer1289 22:03, July 25, 2010 (UTC)
 * I'll see about sticking that in. -- Commdor (Talk) 22:17, July 25, 2010 (UTC)
 * (Edit conflict) The only reason I omitted the "see if you can..." part of the sentence is because all of the other suggestions use very active language. "Add to one of our incomplete lists", "Help us by fixing...", "...check the list of wanted pages for frequently linked-to..." etc. My point is that the other items don't have the fluffed-up language like "see if you can add to an incomplete list." and whatnot. I don't really have a problem with your re-word Lancer, I was just aiming for consistency with the other bulleted items in the list. -- Dammej ( talk ) 22:19, July 25, 2010 (UTC)
 * Hmm I can see your point. How about switching it to say "Help us by lending a hand...". That way we have the active language component? Sorry for the additional work Commdor. Lancer1289 22:24, July 25, 2010 (UTC)

And added. I split that statement and a few others off into a "wiki maintenance" group, to differentiate it from links intended for new users and links intended primarily to add content to the wiki. -- Commdor (Talk) 22:29, July 25, 2010 (UTC)
 * Good call, it looks much better but with the spelling, I sugggest linking it to the spelling seciton of the style guide. I really get annoyed fixing needless spelling mistakes. Lancer1289 22:33, July 25, 2010 (UTC)