Latest files category issue

[Marat 1]

Hi!

I have a question. Why after upgrading of the site no latest files category is available now? Previously it was very easy to see the latest files to download. But now it is impossible and one has to check all subcategories to see what new was added to download. Will this be available again? 

Many thanks! In fact the site has become more pretty!

 

 

[UllyB 1,206]

well first it was a little confusing for me too but I managed to coexist with the new system. I guess adapting is the answer to your problem.

[+Erik 1,812]

I don't understand this question. There are now more places to view this information than the old site.

Home Portal Top Slider:

 

 

Forum Index Right Column:

 

Download / Files Portal Top Slider:

 

Download Files Categories New Content Indicator (Dark Icon):

 

Forum Index File Announcements / Support Topics (Dark Icon and Bold Type for new content):

 

On top of these quick five there are probably a few more places we've placed new file content lists.

Like I said I guess I don't understand your question, or at least I'm taken at back by the assertion that the content doesn't exist leading to an exhaustive search.

Thanks,

Erik

 

[+Gunrunner 314]

Erik, yes, there are more places, but quite frankly, they are far less useful than the previous system.

First, my suggestion, drop the subcategories below at least the main categories (skin, plane, terrain) or ideally the game level (SF1, SF2, FE, OFF), adopt a flatter hierarchy, replacing subcategories by tags (this can be done in batch through scripts).

And then, my comments on the current situation.

The sliders look great, but that's about all they do (I mean, they only work for the last 10 to 14 uploads, depending on which page and they're not present on useful intermediate levels).

The new content indicator is nice, but only works at the root of the download tree, not on the further nodes, making it completely useless (eg. I know there's something new in SF, or DCS, but once I go more specific than that, I lose that information, I don't know if the new file is in SF1 or SF2, and so on).

The superset categories not showing the content of the subsets is frankly a huge step back ("No files here[...]", forcing you to search down to each lowest level to find if there is something new to you, but not new enough to show up on the sliders).

The release threads, they've always been kind of redundant and do not constitute a useful search tool as they are not categorised, forcing you to open each thread to be sure whether it's a map or campaign, a plane or skin etc...

So, sure, Marat's question is weird, but it's easily explained by the fact that the current system is objectively less functional than the previous one.

As usual, no offence was meant, you're used to the system, navigating it and to you it makes sense and is useful enough as is, but from an outside perspective, it's a step back.

Also take into account that it means that to find new content you have to go though more pages, most of them with pictures, using more resources because the information we need is not provided in a meaningful way.

Just in case you need an example, let's say I get away for some time, that a skin I'm interested in gets released, then a few dozen other files are uploaded. When I come back, I only get the information that there are new files, not a useful information, I either need to go down deep into the tree to the specific plane in the skin branch to know there's a new file there, or I need to open every file release topic since I left to find it... It's not efficient. With the old site, I just went to the Strike Fighters 2 downloads, and there was the list of all files, by update date, no need to go diving each and every subcategory to get that.

Edited September 18, 2017 by Gunrunner
Adding my suggestion on how to fix things

[+Erik 1,812]

@Gunrunner  The current category structure was designed by @Wrench and @MigBuster so I would have you table your ideas about that to them. Basically what you're asking is for us to undo everything that was done to create a library structure. I can't say I immediately agree with that conclusion. Our file list is so extensive at this point that the thought of implementing your requests in the backend scares me. You're talking about a month of work, no joke. All of the stuff you are saying existed in the old site is in the new site there's just more of it but located in different places. The fact that we don't show you files in sub-categories anymore was a design change because that list was never complete it was random at best.

Sort order for example is and can be viewed exactly like you described it now. To further that you can start your own activity string which will do all that for you so click click and you've got a full detailed list. I think most of this isn't that the site doesn't work as it did it just works differently. I'd ask before you commit me to a month of labor to flatten a design that took months to get into place only to replace it with searchable tags that you all see if you can't figure out the new site. If you have direct questions I can answer them to help you.

Thanks for the lengthy reply and I understand what you're asking.

Erik

[+Erik 1,812]

I'm moving this to the site support thread in the General Forums. This could get quite lengthy and is off topic here.

[+Erik 1,812]

Hey just so everyone knows I'm dealing with some personal stuff that has me on strong medication for pain. Please don't take anything I say personally as it's the drugs talking. @Gunrunner  I get what you're after I'll dig on this and see if there's anything that can be done to restore the old functionality. Until then there are some work arounds for you to use.

E

 

[+Erik 1,812]

I had to reinvent the wheel but see if the recent changes give you what you want with the way files are displayed in the categories.