Yo chief, got a few things to try and implement (that would require little to no effort on your part)

Question

So I'll be back and with much more time on my hands. I had really tough classes my freshman year in University, so things will be much easier from here on out. I also wanted to say that I'm glad to hear your dad is doing better.

In any event, I had a few proposals for the site that I think will be of interest to you. Many if not all of these have already been suggested to you several times, so instead I have ways to quickly get them off the ground and with little management.

1.) Get rid of the Ban Report Page

I don't think this needs any explanation as to why it's a good idea. I figured it could be done through the same material as the approval posts for newer users, that way reports are only visible to moderators, and they can interrogate whoever they need to and deal with the situation instead of a potentially innocent person being put on the site and letting everyone comment and starting more fights. I know I suggested privatizing it before, but I think this would be a good way to do it as to avoid more work.

2.) Use the DB YouTube page for walkthrough Material

This would only include in-game audio and text if needed. It would help to lower our dependency on other sites for information, would help to provide information on things that aren't easy to explain through text (that strength puzzle in Sapphire comes to mind), and it would help to prevent using other peoples' YouTube videos and end up getting dead links, not to mention the extra site attention can't hurt. TM Locations, Rare candy locations, other rare items, sidequests, and legendary guides are all also very popular search materials to work with.

3) Create a content page to submit coding on the DB.

This would definitely be good for those of us with programming knowledge that could either help knock some of the projects of your list, or to just propose and later create other tools for the site. If I remember correctly, you have a degree in this field and could easily run circles around most of us, but a few of us can still run some basic stuff for you, any of which you still have the ability to edit too and there are plenty of sites that help with sharing source code, so a venue isn't a difficult problem to get past. I've written pokemon specific stuff before, and I'm sure there are others with a bit of programming experience that may be willing to help.

4) Posting a listing of things you'd want done for the site and feel okay sharing

It can be as simple as a question here, but anything you'd feel comfortable putting there that you'd want to do on the site at some time in the future would be a cool idea, that way users can get an idea of where the site is going, and implement strategies to make it happen, if applicable. I'm sure there is one, but publicizing it in an easy to see location would help.

5.) Give the moderators frostys from Wendy's

I've wanted a Wendy's frosty for a while now. Actually, we can just all go for some frosty chocolate milkshakes.

Comments

Not sure I agree with the Ban Report one but everything else I like.

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Can you make me mod so I can have a frosty from Wendy's please? Thanks.

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+1 for dem frosty chocolate milkshakes.

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I'm saying to privatize the ban report so that not everyone can see it, not to get rid of the idea completely.

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But then how can we show how other users have misbehaved if no Mods are around? unless PMing is installed before this happens, then we will have no way of telling you guys whats been going on until you get to chat next.

On the walkthrough thing, I love it so much <3. The puzzles you mention are one thing, but we could also implement "video tutors" where the more experienced users ladder on showdown or something and tell people how to battle / use the site ect: and making walkthrough guides for all the games helps too xD

I am still learning about coding, but with the online tutorials and my new tutor coming up this summer, i can really see why this could be a very good idea. You can appoint "Programmers", (Handpicked by PM shouldn't needed to be said) who have the same ranks and privleges of mods or higher, and can install new features or fix very simple bugs or updates which take up PMs time but are quite trivial.

The list thing seems an easy way to take stress of PM from being miverd about updates :D

I don.t need one of your Wendy's Milkshakes. I got the Funky Cow over here ;}

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"But then how can we show how other users have misbehaved if no Mods are around? unless PMing is installed before this happens, then we will have no way of telling you guys whats been going on until you get to chat next."

Mods are the only ones that address issues on the ban report anyway. If it is a duplicate account issue, then Mods are the only ones other than pokemaster that can do anything, so nobody else needs to see an accusation. If it is someone doing something stupid, the mods go out and ask if anyone is involved. They can ask around on the chat, and if things get out of hand, they can control is because they are mods. My whole rationale behind not showing the ban reports is that there have been WAY too many instances where something is:

-Not that big a deal, but someone gets upset that they are reported here and everyone gets in a fight

-People make baseless accusations and have everyone at their throats.

-People that don't have any business discussing throw in unnecessary crap

You're right that not everyone can say what was going on, but not everyone NEEDS to. The whole point behind the private posts is to protect the identity of the one making the report and to have more control over who is getting involved with it. If the person being reported was innocent, then it means a lot less trouble for them, much like how most criminal justice is handled. More here: http://pokemondb.net/pokebase/meta/25344/i-propose-doing-away-with-the-ban-report-page

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Ah, I see your reasoning now. Sorry, I guess I didn't fully understand it. I don't agree 100%, but it would clear up a lot of issues.

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So how would you implement a private post system to keep the reporter from taking recoil damage as it were?

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A submission box that forwards only to moderators, similar to the "approval needed" markers put on questions from new  users here. That way you can still submit stuff, but if you needed to report, say, Breaking Point for spamming a lot, he doesn't know it was you that sent it and won't start hounding you.

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I want a Frosty, but I'm not a moderator... :(

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+1 for the Frostys.

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Frosties :3

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I agree with all of this. Frosty's +1

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I want frostys.  Better become a mod.

Answer 1

Thanks for the well-thought-out post as usual. Though I will add that not everything is as quick and simple as it might sound :)

1. Get rid of the Ban Report Page
   This is something I plan to do. As has been suggested before a private message to the mods would be the best solution I think. I don't think it would be simple to set up the approve/reject system to apply to one question.

2. Use the DB YouTube page for walkthrough Material
   This is something I planned to do, but never had time. If anyone can do this, and has the right software for playing the game and recording it, then I would be happy for them to do it and upload the videos themselves.

3. Create a content page to submit coding on the DB.
   Again this is a lot more complicated than it sounds. It would take a lot of effort for most people to even set up a working copy of the site (including the database) on their computer, let alone find your way through the code to add stuff. Even the tools like the moveset searcher are integrated into our database so it would be difficult for someone to make a new tool such as an IV calculator.
   HOWEVER, the one thing that would be quite easy is for people to submit content updates and improvements. That does happen on Meta now to an extent, but we do have a lot of moves and abilities (and soon, items) without full descriptions. If anyone wants to write some of those (using the same style we have now) then that would be great.

4. Posting a listing of things you'd want done for the site and feel okay sharing
   I do have this page which I have updated several times over the past couple of years. By the way that is pretty much still my current list :/
   There are also the two suggestion threads from last year - here and here - and I am planning to do most of the top suggestions once the new design is up.

5. Give the moderators frostys from Wendy's
   Sorry we already did. I left you a note:
   

Seriously though, one of the things I was thinking about is some prizes/presents for the people here who have helped out the most. Perhaps Pokemon games for something big, or maybe little badges like this:

Feel free to suggest anything else :)

Comments

When i get my 3DS capture card i can do things like how to find so and so things on a few pokemon games i have like Heartgold,Black 2 and hopefully Y when it comes out for the youtube channel. If you need that of course

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Lol poor DT missing out on the Frosty Milkshake.

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Ah, sorry if there was a misunderstanding on what I was suggesting for number 3. I wasn't talking about making edits to the site directly, but rather just using some code sharing sites and submitting basic tools, basically the latter half of your answer. Sorry if i made it seem as if I was suggesting a direct editing of the site.

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@Pokewatt: ooh, where can you get a capture card from? That sounds pretty interesting.

@DT: okay no probs. What kind of "coding things" did you have in mind that people could submit?

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glad I already spoke with you about it. In addition to my own capture card material, I also have access to screen recording stuff, so I can pick up the older games as well.

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The prize thing was suggested by me a while ago, but it got forgotten.
http://pokemondb.net/pokebase/meta/19633/suggestion-the-amazing-wonderful-awards-extravaganza