Questions about TPR's Front Page - Please read!

[Wes]

I can answer all these very easily, I have bookmarked the forum index page and just come directly here. I may have once looked at the front page in the year or so I have been here.

 

Wow that's great. Can you be any more useful?

[Tanks4me05]

1: The constant influx of updates - for example, [hint]the video contest results.[/hint]

 

2: Probably special features. But that's not to say I don't like it.

 

3: Nuttin.

 

4: Almost never.

 

5: Whenever I access the site.

 

6: I completely forgot about it - for about 2+ years. IMO the What's New link is a redundancy as it shows exactly what's on the front page.

 

7: A very large (permanent) message stating that Sylvan Beach is the supreme park on the planet.

 

8: Read above statement. In all seriousness, the "icons" in our forum, for example, the SpellCheck button, is just a white box, with black outline and black text. Almost all the buttons are like that. It's kinds boring. Could you change it to be more creative? It's been bugging me for a while. An example of a cool button is the quote button that you see when you are not posting a reply - being a black box with rounded edges, gold outlining, gold text and a bit of a 3D effect.

[coaster_dude2002]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

- Recent updates, major announcements, and trip reports

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

- Search

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

- No

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

- Every once in a while I will scroll all the way down

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

- Every time I visit

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

- Occasionally

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

- Can't think of anything right now

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

- No

[TheArchfiend]

My one complaint about the front page is that the pics in every update/feature on the front page are not clickable links. I always go to click the pics on the front page here as I find that is the trend that most of the other sites use that I go to.

 

Other than that minor quib, the front page serves it's function just fine for me.

[Skramp]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

Quick links to good forums post, or recent TPR trips info.

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

Too much to scroll through, might be nice to just have the "top 10" on it or something

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

No, not really, the only thing I don't like is that when I try to click on the forums tab and accidently click on the main logo, it refreshes the page and I feel stupid.

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

Since I read TPR everyday, usually not too far unless I'm looking for something I read before and want to check out again.

5. How often do you look at the front page?

Daily, if not semi-daily, quarter-daily, basically anywhere between 1-6 times a day

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

Not so often, maybe once a week

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

Maybe break it up between TRs, News, and Cool Stuff or something.

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

Nah, not really, seems pretty cool already and with a little tweaking, could be extraordinary!!

[Big Mike]

I am answering these questions without looking at the first 3 pages of responses so my answers wont be swayed.

 

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

The link to hit to get to the forum.

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

nothing

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

no

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

I have never scrolled down until today, and I was like WOW, this page is long.

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

Every day just to get to the forum or if there is a cool update I want to see

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

never

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

I would like to see somewhere just an update on when the new 2008 coasters open. Like a current open/still closed thingy. I am always searching TR to see if they opened yet

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

I wouldlike to see a coaster counter.

 

 

Peace, Big Mike

[GriffyTiffy]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

The multiple updates shown.

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

Nothing, really.

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

Nope

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

All the way to the bottom.

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

Everyday

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

A few times a week.

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

Links to cool parks in the game threads.

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

Maybe a link to the best parks/rides in RCT/NL. Maybe a screen, description, and download link.

[robbalvey]

7. Make the forums more easily accessible.

What do you mean by this?

[coastercrazed49]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

-Being organized and easy to navigate through.

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

-Nothing, very well layed out.

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

-Nothing is confusing to me.

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

-About 1/2 to 3/4 of the way down. But sometimes the whole page.

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

-At least once a day.

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

-Not much.

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

-Nothing I can think of.

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

-Nothing, its a great site.

[nagro5]

7. Make the forums more easily accessible.

What do you mean by this?

 

Since the forums are a big deal with this website, maybe you could make the fourms have their own section instead of mixing the link in with the whats new, park index, download videos, ect.

[sfotkid]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

Most of the time, updates of some of the TPR trips

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

Nothing really.

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

Its a little, but its not hard to get used to it.

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

Not at all

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

Everyday

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

I haven't

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

Just a suggestion but have a "Best of each thread of the week link".

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc? Nope, everything looks good!

[natatomic]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

It's like the central hub of the site.

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

The "Official Updates" and the "Forum Updates, News, and Other Stuff" could really be merged. I don't think it's necessary to distinguish between the two.

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

Nope, it's pretty easy to navigate.

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

I hardly scroll at all. Since I see the front page almost every day, I'm caught up on all the old updates. But because of that, with the "Special Features" section so far down and so rarely updated, I don't often notice it. It's a bit lost and out of the way.

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

Pretty much every day.

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

I did just now for the first time! :}

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

Both of these have already been mentioned, but I'd like a place to log in and I think the overall look could use a face-lift.

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

Nope, I think that's it!

[coasterdude5]

1. Important updates that I might miss in the sometimes-crowded sticky section.

 

2. I believe it's all of importance. (except the search/email list entry forms)

 

3. No

 

4. Since I visit frequently, everything I need is near the top.

 

5. Every day

 

6. Never

 

7. Cooler looking, maybe some better graphics - but that doesn't affect the content.

 

8. It'd be cool if there was a section on the front page where you could highlight what was going on in the games forum. Sometimes it seems like that section of the forum gets forgotten.

[FeelTheFORCE]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

 

I use it to keep up on all the latest info about parks, coasters, TPR news, etc.

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

 

Nothing, really.

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

 

Nope.

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

 

Usually not that far because I've seen everything before.

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

 

About once or twice a week.

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

 

Never knew such a thing existed, honestly.

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

 

Nothing.

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

 

When I see a thread in the forums, sometimes about 2 weeks later I'll see that same thing pop up on the front page as something "new." I understand that the admins are busy, but maybe things can be added slightly quicker. This only happens every once and a while, though, all in all, it's run great.

[robbalvey]

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

- I don't know how technically it can be done, but something like a randomizer for the special features section that randomly picks some of the big updates on the site. I do think that if a big update just randomly came up, it's be a draw enough to recall bits of it and revisit the update.

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

- I'd probably change the name of the special features section to something like "big updates" or "best of TPR". This really isn't really a front page thing, besides a link of it appearing on the front page, but I'd also think the addition of some sort of primer to TPR might be a welcome addition. Just a simply page for people who are new to TPR saying "Welcome. How are ya? So you're new here. Well, this is who we are. Hey, you might wanna look here, oh and check this one out too. It's awesome." and linking to what you, or the group, feel are some of the best TRs we have. Something like that. I think the current set up might be a little imposing for people just finding the site. Maybe even add a podcast...ok so that's stretching it a little bit.

LOL! I need to ask you more often....pretty much ALL of that is in the works!

 

--Robb

[jackskellington101]

LOL! I need to ask you more often....pretty much ALL of that is in the works!

 

--Robb

 

I know my new media strategy.

[Bubba83]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

 

The thumbnails of pictures along with the titles of the posts so that I can quickly see what content updates are new since I have checked it last, and get a brief description of what that content post includes.

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

 

The entire top area. I've never used anything up above the content area except for the link to the forums. The top area takes up too much space.

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

 

There is too much text scattered everywhere. I don't really like the layout of the announcements portion.

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

 

I visit it regularly enough to be able to see if there are 1-2 new things without needing to scroll. If I haven't visited in a couple weeks though, I'd have to scroll a few inches to see everything perhaps. With my resolution (1152x864) I only see the top two updates.

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

 

Once or twice a week.

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

 

I had never clicked the link until just now to see what it was, looks like just a text link version of the frontpage. I will not use this link again.

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

 

Better organization. I like the content that is there, but it needs to be organized in a more logical way.

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

 

Leave the thumbnail previews for the content updates.

[robbalvey]

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

- there should be an email dan button on the front page

LOL! There actually was one up until about a month or so ago. I finally had to remove it because people thought it was our official "Email TPR" link!

 

--Robb

[robbalvey]

My one complaint about the front page is that the pics in every update/feature on the front page are not clickable links. I always go to click the pics on the front page here as I find that is the trend that most of the other sites use that I go to.

That's actually a very interesting point. I honestly never thought about that before!

 

--Robb

[Bubba83]

Oh, also an RSS feed would be nice to alert people of new content updates. I have an RSS bot in IRC (Internet Relay Chat) which gives me updates from Slashdot and LiveScience, would be great to have it feed TPR updates as well.

[Coasterlvr_nc]

1. Having a showcase of the best and most current forums is always nice to have

 

2. Umm... Probably "whats new" seeing as I have never used it before

 

3. Not for me!

 

4. Until I see updates I have seen previously

 

5. Every time I visit (multiple times a day)

 

6. Never...

 

7. Not sure, I like it the way it is

 

8. Nada

[Hand 0f Time]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

Thumbnail picture with the link to the topic.

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

The link to Coaster DVD's. Since there's a link to Store already.

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

Nothing is difficult or confusing.

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

Not very far unless it's been a while since I last came to this site.

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

Every day.

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

Just did for the first time now, lol. So that's like super rare.

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

A short little TPR animation with 2 buttons. On the left button, it'll say: Watch Intro. And the right button say: Skip Intro.

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

More construction pictures!

[robbalvey]

When I see a thread in the forums, sometimes about 2 weeks later I'll see that same thing pop up on the front page as something "new." I understand that the admins are busy, but maybe things can be added slightly quicker. This only happens every once and a while, though, all in all, it's run great.

I think that happens because there are so many good forum threads that if we posted all the good ones every day the front page would be as busy at the forum!

 

So we will have a "queue" of things to add to the front page, and sometimes things fall further back in the queue if something comes up.

 

Usually when we do this we will add 2 or 3 items to the front page so there is at least something "new" or at last "notable."

 

--Robb

[lapseofreason]

1. What do you find most useful about the front page?

The links across the top of the page

 

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

Really old updates

 

3. Is anything on the front page confusing?

Nope, it's laid out pretty well

 

4. How far do you scroll down the front page looking for updates?

Maybe about 1/3 of the way

 

5. How often do you look at the front page?

If something catches my eye that I'm interested in

 

6. How often do you click on the "whatsnew" link?

I think I did once when I was bored...sorry.

 

7. What would you like to see added to the front page to make your visits to TPR better?

Nothing

 

8. Anything else you would like to mention? Like any thing else you would like to see us add/change/leave alone/etc?

Nah, I'm good.

[robbalvey]

2. What do you find least useful about the front page?

The link to Coaster DVD's. Since there's a link to Store already.

Yeah, as I update the store to add more content and descriptions in there, this link will dissapear. But at the moment the only place to get a "detailed" description of our DVDs in the "coaster DVD" link.

 

--Robb