Hello all,
As you may have noticed, the admin team has installed a few new BBtags that can be used along with the default ones. Here is a list of the new functionalities, as well as a general description.
Note that the tags have also been added as buttons, under the area where the default ones appear. Unfortunately, we have not yet figured out a way to make them appear in the same area as the rest. Personally, I would be inclined to have the new buttons removed altogether (the tags would still be functional, as happens with other hidden tags like align), to reduce clutter in the typing page. It is also possible to have some of them show up and the rest removed. Please let us know what you think about this, so that we can make a decision. For now, the buttons will stay so that all members become aware of the existence of the new tags and how to use them.
We would also like to ask for your feedback on a few more issues. First of all, do you like the new tags, or believe they are useful? Let us know if you believe that some of them are not necessary, as having them can cause a (minor) increase in the forum loading time. Also, it is relatively easy to create new tags. So, if you have any ideas about functionality you would like to see added in the form of a BBtag, let us know and chances are that it will be easy to implement.
Secondly, we would like some feedback on the code names for the tags we added. For example, is "hl" for the highlight too cryptic or too similar to the "hr" tag? What would be a better alternative? Personally, I would like to hear about the "hide" tag. Originally it was named "spoiler", then it was shortened to "spoil". Then it was renamed into "hide", after a personal decision of mine, as its functionality is more general than just to post spoilers in RPs. However, I have come to doubt this decision of mine, as the new name is obscuring and does not reveal much about what the tag does, whereas everyone knows how a spoiler tag works. Please let us know of your opinion, and any better suggestions you may had.
Thirdly, the hide tag right now posts the link text inside brackets, [], and then you can click on that to reveal the hidden text. Personally I don't think this looks very good, however I haven't been able to come up with a better design. Many things are possible, for example we could make it look like how a quote tag appears, i.e. something like
HIDE (your text here)
or some other word instead of hide. We could even add a note like "click to reveal". It is also possible to get rid of the link text, and have it used like
with just a default text showing up on the link (ideally both should be possible, but as was mentioned right now we don't know how to do this). Please let us know of your suggestions.
As you may have noticed, the admin team has installed a few new BBtags that can be used along with the default ones. Here is a list of the new functionalities, as well as a general description.
- Highlight: You can use this tag to post text with a colored background. Here is an example of how to do so. Typing
will result in the followingCode:[hl=yellow]text in yellow background[/hl]
[hl=yellow]text in yellow background[/hl]
Of course, you can use combinations of colored backgrounds and fonts. For example, typing
will createCode:[b][hl=green][color=white]Europeian[/color][/hl][hl=blue][color=white]Republican[/color][/hl][hl=red][color=white]Navy[/color][/hl][/b]
[hl=green]Europeian[/hl][hl=blue]Republican[/hl][hl=red]Navy[/hl]
Not all of the colors that are available for fonts will work. However, the highlight code will work with any color, as long as you know its HTML code. Also, one warning. As will all visual effect options, too much of them will make your text ugly and hard to read. Show some conservation in the use of this new tag, in the same way as you (hopefully) do with colored fonts, bold, italics and underlining. - Symbol: This tag will allow you to type non-standard symbols if you know their ALT code. For example, typing
will result in the followingCode:[sym]0233[/sym]
[sym]0233[/sym] - Region: This is similar to the region tag in NationStates. If you type
you will get a link to Europeia's page in NationStates,Code:[region]Europeia[/region]
Europeia - Nation: Similar to the region tag, but for nations. Note that you need to insert only the nation name, and not its title. For example, using
will create a link to my nation in EuropeiaCode:[nation]Renaissancistic people[/nation]
Renaissancistic people
Note how I have used only its name, "Renaissancistic People", and not the full title, "The Civilised Penguin Land of Renaissancistic People". - Hiding text: This is a spoiler-like functionality. You type some text, and other people only see it if they choose to reveal it, which they do by clicking on a special link in your post. Let me give you an example. If you type
you will get the followingCode:[hide=Anumia's...]...face![/hide]
[hide=Anumia's]face![/hide]
Try clicking on the word "Anumia's" to reveal the rest of the message. You can also click it again to have it hidden back.
Note that whatever you put in the first hide tag appears on the link, in the same way as with the quote tag. Note, however, that right now if you only type
then this will not work. There is also an unresolved bug. If the hidden text includes a quote tag, then the hide tag fails. Other than that, the hidden text can include any BBcode you want.Code:[hide]Anumia's face[/hide]
Note that the tags have also been added as buttons, under the area where the default ones appear. Unfortunately, we have not yet figured out a way to make them appear in the same area as the rest. Personally, I would be inclined to have the new buttons removed altogether (the tags would still be functional, as happens with other hidden tags like align), to reduce clutter in the typing page. It is also possible to have some of them show up and the rest removed. Please let us know what you think about this, so that we can make a decision. For now, the buttons will stay so that all members become aware of the existence of the new tags and how to use them.
We would also like to ask for your feedback on a few more issues. First of all, do you like the new tags, or believe they are useful? Let us know if you believe that some of them are not necessary, as having them can cause a (minor) increase in the forum loading time. Also, it is relatively easy to create new tags. So, if you have any ideas about functionality you would like to see added in the form of a BBtag, let us know and chances are that it will be easy to implement.
Secondly, we would like some feedback on the code names for the tags we added. For example, is "hl" for the highlight too cryptic or too similar to the "hr" tag? What would be a better alternative? Personally, I would like to hear about the "hide" tag. Originally it was named "spoiler", then it was shortened to "spoil". Then it was renamed into "hide", after a personal decision of mine, as its functionality is more general than just to post spoilers in RPs. However, I have come to doubt this decision of mine, as the new name is obscuring and does not reveal much about what the tag does, whereas everyone knows how a spoiler tag works. Please let us know of your opinion, and any better suggestions you may had.
Thirdly, the hide tag right now posts the link text inside brackets, [], and then you can click on that to reveal the hidden text. Personally I don't think this looks very good, however I haven't been able to come up with a better design. Many things are possible, for example we could make it look like how a quote tag appears, i.e. something like
HIDE (your text here)
or some other word instead of hide. We could even add a note like "click to reveal". It is also possible to get rid of the link text, and have it used like
Code:
[hide]Anumia's face[/hide]