User talk:The Rooster

Home Talk Bots Contribs Sandpit . . .

Use the '+' tab at the top in order to create a new talk section at the bottom. If I've come to you, let's keep the conversation there, if you're coming to me, I'll be replying here. The archive can be found here. Mall Status Map The only real problem with your updated version is it's a bit 'busy' on the eyes, it not as easy to read at a casual glance as the old one, although it does contain much needed extra information. I did have the idea of combining the suburb feature from the Omnimap into the Mall Status Map, allowing people to see the current status of the suburbs using the colour code and being able to see the names of the suburbs with a roll over. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 14:36, 31 January 2009 (UTC) Yeah, it works better without the names and images. I was hesitant to remove them since it was more of an established page. The rollover provides you with the mall name anyway. We'll see whether other people think it could do with de-cluttering too. I'm inclined to agree with you on that point. As far as the Omnimap bit goes, the whole reason for the suburb system there (as opposed to using the danger map underneath, like the StatusMap system) was because it needed to show SIM data too. It was just a clever workaround, and probably not needed on things like the MSM or NT Status Map etc, unless you mean something else? --  RoosterDragon  15:05, 31 January 2009 (UTC) I've just had a go at this, but my coding fails me. I'm thinking a map similar to the old MSM, using Image:Mall-status-map.png and the old status system, but with the addition of a SIM suburb border overlay. This will allow the MSM to display the relative danger levels as well (though I think the colouring will need to be tweaked to make it easier to read). This also means that rolling over a suburb on the MSM will give you its name and a clickable link to its page and thereby reduce the visual clutter on the current MSM. Am making sense? -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 18:47, 2 February 2009 (UTC) (Deindented)Uh, not really. When you say a 'SIM suburb border overlay' do you mean: The Omnimap's suburb border's, the transparent gif's? The SIM-grid map's suburb grid overlay? Actual SIM data? Something else? I get what you mean by the rollover, the same thing as you currently get for the Omnimap. Am you wishing to use this to replace the current underlay that looks a bit like the suburb danger map? Resulting in, from the bottom-up: Old map image you linked on the bottom Layer of suburb status borders, like the current Omnimap. (If you mean that) Invisible layer of clickable suburb links Old status system (Mall name and status image) on top Have I got that right? --  RoosterDragon  19:59, 2 February 2009 (UTC) This level of complexity is why I can't code maps. You seem to have got what I'm after in your 'resulting in' section. However looking at that image I've linked it's got the malls on the image (I thought it was just a grid), and the coloured blocks representing the current status, like the NT Status Map, seem to make an easier instant reference. Following your list, what I think I'm trying to say is: Grid image (I find an underlying grid to be especially helpful for working out routes without having to use another map) Layer of suburb borders (like the current Omnimap, so it auto updates) Invisible layer of clickable links to suburb pages (again like the current Omnimap) New status system (changed my mind due to the ease of the colour references) Is all that even possible? Viable? And will it actually make it better do you think? -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 20:14, 2 February 2009 (UTC) Possible, very. The various parts listed are all work separately on their own, so you can just mix and match as you want, making some adjustments for size and so on. Making it better is another argument. I would suggest first the mall name and status image get ditched (from the old system) and just leave the auto updating colours on what's left (basically, it would be exactly like the NT Status Map and MPM Status Map, just for malls). I personally don't think the suburb links are that distracting. I can see the suburb's in the back being confusing though, it is a lot of colours. Do you find it a problem on the other two maps I just mentioned? --  RoosterDragon  20:53, 2 February 2009 (UTC) On the other maps (NT and MPM maps) the individual location names aren't needed and the suburb names are, however I feel the opposite is the case for malls, it is the mall name (and therefore links to individual mall pages) that is more important. Saying that, what I found limiting for the old system was the fact I had to click the mall name and then go to the suburb page if I needed a general update. I'd like to see whether it'd be viable to have both mall and suburb links, but it's the suburb name links that seem to clutter the map compared to the old one, but I can see how the inverse would be true given your work on the other status maps. I'll have another go at a mock-up, my last attempt ended in disaster, but I'll see if I can code up something near what I'm trying to convey. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 21:10, 2 February 2009 (UTC) Again my attempt ended in disaster.If the image will go to the background, so the links work, and it all lines up of course, that's pretty much what I'm getting at. I'm thinking a change in the background image colour to a dark grey grid will make the border colouring show up better. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 21:30, 2 February 2009 (UTC) You're basically there actually. Heh. You're gonna struggle lining it all up without some size changes, because both maps operate on very different scales, but no major worries on that. You're right about the background, the Omnimap relies quiet a bit on the fact SIM data is mostly black. If you set up the main table as a gray (not black, or the gridlines won't show) background, and just shift the div containing the image above the code for the suburb links, you're mostly set. Items are pasted on one at a time, so something at the top will get buried by what is pasted on later. --  RoosterDragon  21:40, 2 February 2009 (UTC) I have had a small brainwave, either that or some sort of seizure from too much time editing the Imbalance page today. Anyway, it might be possible to make the little block representing the building clickable, and take you to that building! You already get a nice report on mouseover which tells you the building's name, so would clickability solve the problem with linking to the mall? (Could always add a note on top of page explaining how to navigate the map for such a purpose) Regardless, I might just try that at some point anyway, it would be handy. --  RoosterDragon  22:20, 2 February 2009 (UTC) I'm having a hell of a time trying to resize those layers, time to call the Gnome methinks. Your idea about making the blocks clickable could be workable, the mall have would be displayed on mouseover and might work visually with the page not being over saturated. Depending on how it works it might be an idea to add the other large buildings, cathedrals, mansions and forts to the map for an overall view of Malton. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 22:39, 2 February 2009 (UTC) Resizing wise, you'll probably want to rip open a word processor for some find/replace of size code. I'd suggest scaling up the suburb links and suburb borders to the size of the metatac grid. I'll have a look at it if it's still troubling you. As far as a view of Malton goes, I had a similar idea swishing around in my head, for 'Important' buildings in Malton. Basically, Malls, NTs and Forts. Other stuff isn't that important really. --  RoosterDragon  22:45, 2 February 2009 (UTC) I'm trying both Rev and Gnome to see if they can fix the resizing problem, if you've got time, feel free to have a go, after that I'll see about tweaking the aesthetics to make it legible and then we'll see how it compares to the other designs. The reason I suggested the large buildings is because they tend to be indicative of the general health of a suburb, more so that NTs which can generally be suicide striked by a few survivors to get up and running again. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 22:52, 2 February 2009 (UTC) No reason we can't have both! Big buildings and important buildings on two maps. The BIC would match up with the big ones perfectly. Anyway, I've determined that the suburb links line up just fine (set the table to a colourful background, you can see it, I used that trick to check it lined up on the SIMgrid and Omnimap when I set it up way back when. The suburb borders just need a new template, that formats said images to the correct width (79px) and a small edit to the table for the inclusion of a 1px cellspacing. You're literally done after that. --  RoosterDragon  23:01, 2 February 2009 (UTC) BIC Status Updater Bot Hey Rooster, just wondering how progress is coming on the design for this bot. It would certainly do wonders for the wiki, and save me from changing old BIC statuses to unknown manually. You've made some great bots already, and I'm really looking forward to this one as well. --Maverick Talk - OBR 404 16:18, 7 February 2009 (UTC) It has not progressed since my return, most of my bot related time has been to fixing error after error I've suddenly found with the EMR bot. I think a moron possessed me while I was typing up that code or something. Hopefully the BIC bot will be on the cards soon. --  RoosterDragon  22:09, 8 February 2009 (UTC) Right on. If there's anything I can do to help in the meantime let me know. Otherwise I'll just keep manually updating as many of the BIC reports in the Rose District as I can. --Maverick Talk - OBR 404 22:15, 8 February 2009 (UTC) Rooster, just had an idea for the BIC Status bot. What about setting it up essentially like the bot for the mobile mast status? Add 'safeold', etc to the list of statuses that the bot can automatically edit for ones that haven't been updated in a week, and default to 'unknown' after a month. I don't know how or if it would even be possible to change the actual comment line, but the status image might be a simple fix in the meantime. --Maverick Talk - OBR 404 19:01, 14 February 2009 (UTC) Personally, I hate that system. It just creates a needless amount of updating that can't really be handled by anything other than a bot. The reason it's used for masts is because generators run out after five days, thus 'activeold' which really means 'haven't checked for a while, probably out of fuel'. For continuity, all the others statuses get an 'old' version too. Anyway, I was probably only going to hit stuff over a month old, although week old reports are probably wrong, they might not always be. Besides we don't get enough updates for weekly clean-outs. --  RoosterDragon  16:52, 15 February 2009 (UTC) Hmm... good point. I'll keep brainstorming. --Maverick Talk - OBR 404 18:38, 15 February 2009 (UTC) Testing Dulton Any chance you could run up a similar section for vinetown? --RosslessnessWant a Location Image? 20:46, 9 February 2009 (UTC) Still working on fixing the errors. Those awful newlines have come back to haunt me again. Why are they appearing! Argh! --  RoosterDragon  20:53, 9 February 2009 (UTC) Ok, errors are fixed. If you want to mock up one for Vinetown, go right ahead. The code should be pretty obvious. I'm still in the process of wondering what could yet be gotten out of the system. --  RoosterDragon  22:30, 9 February 2009 (UTC) cyclical activity. Right, I'm off. Thanks for the message and best of luck! --RosslessnessWant a Location Image? 22:31, 12 February 2009 (UTC) User:The Rooster/Sandpit/7 Maybe we could get some sort of project going? --  AHLGTG THE END IS NIGH! 00:16, 13 February 2009 (UTC) That was the general idea, though I'm not entirely sure where to start. I'd like to get something set up so that it gets maximum attention, preferably with a nice block on the main page. Though that's beyond even my generally bold editing of things, and also my user rights of course. I'd be happy to see a project created, but it would need a little time with a few users helping out to set everything up properly, and then a big intrusion onto the main page and general wikispace to try and get the community ball rolling. I wouldn't want to waste my own effort, and especially other user's, setting it up only to have nothing happen. Project CP was a good idea, but CP being the generally deserted area that it was, and the lack of any mission to get people involved again means that the community portal continues to be a generally deserted area. I'm aiming for all or nothing here, and nothing isn't an option. As a reasonably active but almost all behind-the-scenes user, I'm not that well known or particularly influential. Yet here I am, with a backwater sandpit page, pondering nothing less than one of the biggest shake ups in the wiki in recent times. You can see my predicament and general pessimism at this working by now, I hope. --  RoosterDragon  00:39, 13 February 2009 (UTC) Wiki news could help with visibility, but it can only be up there so long. Something large and noticeable would be great, but I don't know where that would fit into the main page. Speaking of the main page, it could probably do with a redesign. --  AHLGTG THE END IS NIGH! 00:51, 13 February 2009 (UTC) Yeah, I'm kinda thinking of a new entity entirely. A nice, permanent, fixture on the main page. Highlighting all the interesting stuff happening. Like I note on my list, maybe an article of the week and/or article in need of help of the week. Wiki news would be a section of it, and the 'Community Portal' (or something else if renamed) would be the general one-stop shop for finding out which wiki-maintenance projects are going on, what ideas people are proposing for new pages, and for getting help in getting pages updated more. It would also be the place to suggest big changes on the wiki, because I envisage it as being a place where users will check a lot. An entry in the wikinews if the project starts would suffice in trying to attract a few users. The first thing we could attack would be a redesign of the main page, to include whatever 'Community Portal' block we'd like, and whatever other changes people might be after. (I'm guessing you have some to suggest, since you mentioned it) Once done, the main page gets updated, and the general invasion of the wiki starts. I'm really am talking about a big attempt to get a proper community spot set up, no half measures. I am probably being somewhat insane. --  RoosterDragon  01:08, 13 February 2009 (UTC) I have a few ideas for a new main page and how to set things up. I'm thinking Urban Dead themed with the colours and style and all, something different from the common Wikipedia-like look to main pages. I'll be gone for the weekend however, so don't expect anything yet. :O --  AHLGTG THE END IS NIGH! 02:42, 13 February 2009 (UTC) When you guys get the ball rolling, you can count me in. --Maverick Talk - OBR 404 06:56, 13 February 2009 (UTC) Sure thing Maverick. Anyway, Gnome I did a little test and found there was 821x550 room on the page in IE, fullscreen for the most common res of 1024x768. Obviously you can have more than 550 height, but that's gonna be in the scroll down region for most people. So if you design it with that in mind, you'll probably be able to get a page that makes the most of the space without too big a cramp. The current version does have some obvious points for improvement, like the 95% width of tables could be 100%, the wiki already gives a margin, no need for extra. --  RoosterDragon  14:22, 13 February 2009 (UTC) The Great Suburb Group Massacre, 2009 Is there a page for this anywhere? I noticed you posting on a group's page asking if they were still active, but I didn't see a link to a page for the project. --Pestolence(talk) 20:00, 13 February 2009 (UTC) Hmm, I had just followed suit based on some earlier posts. Could go back and link it I suppose, though it's not too much of a worry since all they have to do is respond on their talk page. I'll go back and link when I get the chance. --  RoosterDragon  20:14, 13 February 2009 (UTC) OK, cool. Just wondering. --Pestolence(talk) 20:21, 13 February 2009 (UTC) My sig Can I increase the size of the images so those two white bars above them don't show up? Or, is there another way? --Haliman - Talk 16:31, 14 February 2009 (UTC) Bots Do you think it would be possible to program a bot to work off the user list and add the welcomenewbie template to all new user talk pages automatically? The template will need altering if this can be done, but I'd thought I'd check with you if it's viable before planning that. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 23:11, 16 February 2009 (UTC) It'd definitely help, and it gets rid of the user provided WN spam.--Suicidal Angel, Help needed? 23:15, 16 February 2009 (UTC) You aren't allowed to think any of my ideas are good. Remember you're a sysop, everything you think about my contributions should clearly be sung from the "Annoying Loopholes" hymn sheet. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 23:23, 16 February 2009 (UTC) I'm also supposed to ban you every time you're on A/VB. But I've acted fairly so far, right? Right? I need emotional support here!--Suicidal Angel, Help needed? 23:40, 16 February 2009 (UTC) Hey according to Boxy, users are no longer allowed to remove more than one of their suggestions from voting in their entire wiki career. You'll soon start to de-evolve into their way of thinking. Then you'll understand that I can't give you emotional support because if it was up to me I'd have you all the sysops wearing armbands before sending them off to a chalet holiday in Poland. That's the truth, I probably learnt that from one of Karek's posts on a random user's talk page.... -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 23:48, 16 February 2009 (UTC)