Upcoming changes and to-do list

Members Only: This forum is restricted to votes and other formal discussions and is intentionally visible to all forum visitors.

Moderators: General Forum Moderators, Global Moderators

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 10:18 pm

User avatar
NF
Arbiter
Posts: 751
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:51 pm
Location: Manchester, UK
Contact:
I'm on it.
NF

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 10:48 pm

User avatar
NF
Arbiter
Posts: 751
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:51 pm
Location: Manchester, UK
Contact:
Twitch is now set up under "theshatteredstar"

I've added some placeholder images but I'll tweak them tomorrow to get them fitting a bit neater.

Login details have been PM'd
NF

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 1:19 am

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
Got em. Cheers, NF :)
I'll tick that off in the list!

[Edit]
Whilst we're doing the spring cleaning I think we should probably rotate a couple of our moderators whilst we're at it. Strac & Mess haven't logged in since 2013 according to the board, might as well swap em over?
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 12:51 pm

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
Actually, NF. It's not related to this but I may have a photoshop task for you!

One thing we needed for a long time was a bigger version of our Shattered Star logo.
Image
Ignoring the different colours, the left star is the original star which BD designed for us but it was designed at this size and not as a custom shape/vector. This was fine for a long time but as screen resolutions have increased over the years, scaling that star up to a bigger size doesn't work very well as expected.
A couple of years ago I attempted to recreate the star in photoshop with the pen tool, tracing the old one to make a custom shape which could then be used at any resolution - like so. This is the star on the right. The pen tool and shapes/logos are not something I am particularly experienced at though so the recreation was not 100% exact to that of the original. As you can see with the red outline it is missing those joining parts which the left one has, as the original star sits more like 2 shapes on top of each other, whereas the right one all blends together if that makes sense.

You think you'd be able to make an exact copy of the original which we could then scale to any resolution with no quality loss?. I've uploaded the custom shape I did here if that's of any help and can be modified :thumb:
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:10 pm

User avatar
NF
Arbiter
Posts: 751
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:51 pm
Location: Manchester, UK
Contact:
Shouldn't be a problem - leave it with me.
NF

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 1:20 pm

User avatar
NF
Arbiter
Posts: 751
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:51 pm
Location: Manchester, UK
Contact:
Here you go.. EPS file

Done it as an EPS so it will scale to any size with separate layers for the ring and the star. I've also left it two tone so that you can add your own lighting to match whatever background you are putting it on. I've also scaled the ring a fraction thinner than we've had previously as I think it makes the star stand out a little better and balances some of the white space more effectively but if you're not a fan then feel free to revert it back to the thicker version. (Just my OCD so doubt its actually noticeable)

Let me know if you have any trouble with accessing the Google Drive share.
NF

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 1:23 pm

User avatar
NF
Arbiter
Posts: 751
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:51 pm
Location: Manchester, UK
Contact:
If you want me to add in all the shading and the colours then let me know - happy to do so.

Edit: Added a shaded version to the drive as well.
NF

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:49 pm

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
Awesome job!
I don't think I can import eps files in Photoshop whilst keeping the separate layers but I've gotten around that with the magic wand tool so all is good. Had a little fiddle with the non-shaded version and added my own colours:
Image

Few things I've noticed though (I've been staring at this star in PS for years so apologies if I'm being picky lol)
Image
It's hard to spot but this area seems a little bumpy compared to the rest, any way to straighten it out? :)

Also:
Image Image
The top and bottom bits look like they may curve out a little too much perhaps (less so with the bottom), whilst the top of the right wing looks straight compare to the bottom of it and the left wing. I've blown the original up on the right for comparison but parts of that look a little more symmetrical to me. Like, if I look at both the bottom and right wings on the original for example, the left and right of the bottom one looks the same on both sides, as does the top and bottom part of the right wing. Likewise the top of the left wing looks the same as the top of the right. If that makes sense.

Lastly:
Image Image
The highest points on the left and right wings all line up with the middle point on the original too, and can also see from that how both sides look the same there as well.


Hope you don't mind me pointing stuff out btw, kinda used to it with people doing that with me over the years hehe.
Really appreciate your work on this dude. If you're able to iron some of those things out (haven't spotted anything else) we should have a perfect copy of the original here which we can scale and re-colour to our liking :thumb:
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 4:36 pm

User avatar
NF
Arbiter
Posts: 751
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 6:51 pm
Location: Manchester, UK
Contact:
Not a problem at all on the feedback - better to get it right first time rather than revisit later when its been used all over the place!

Managed to upload a slightly earlier version than I had actually been working on so the bumpiness had already been removed so that was an easy one. Also I think I assumed a little more randomness to the bulges and dents which on second look after your comments I actually see is not the case so I've symetrified* the image a bit more in line with your comments.

Apologies ref file format - I'd assumed you had Illustrator. I've uploaded a layered PSD as well as two AI files which you can import (one with star, One with ring) plus the EPS format. One of the files should fit the bill.

* definitely not a real word but I'm going with it
NF

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 5:26 pm

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
No worries :)

Just loaded up the layered PSD file (very handy) and it's looking almost perfect now I think. Just 2 things I'm noticing now:
Image
The top point of the star (left image) looks a little different on each side and like it needs to be pushed over to the right to center itself.
Something looking a little off with that bottom right corner too (right image) but I can't put my finger on it. Might just be me.

Other than that I'm not spotting anything else atm (I'll have another look when I come back to my PC after tea). The other changes you made look great! :)
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:31 pm

User avatar
Anubis
Site Admin
Posts: 4291
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:13 pm
Location: The Unholy Realm
Contact:
Updated the social nav links, and the SC group link. I've also updated the obvious headings across the site, though I've left those where I feel the content needs a wider review than me just changing the abbreviation first. At the very least, these need cursory checking by someone else before I make changes.

The favicon will need to be looked at further. I haven't actually set it for the forum, so I'm not completely sure where it's coming from at first glance - I'll come back to it in the next couple of days. I'll likewise look to do the new imagery in terms of wallpapers etc tomorrow.
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 8:59 am

User avatar
SL33PY
Posts: 980
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 7:25 pm
Also, we don't all need to use that one account
you can add people somewhere so that they can stream as STR without logging into the twitch account of STR afaik

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 6:13 pm

User avatar
Anubis
Site Admin
Posts: 4291
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:13 pm
Location: The Unholy Realm
Contact:
Sig image and avatar additions done.

I need thumb versions of the wallpapers, as per the other ones we host, before I can do those.
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 6:23 pm

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
Oops, sorry. Forgot we needed thumbs :)
Done:
1.jpg
1.jpg (39.04 KiB) Viewed 33470 times
2.jpg
2.jpg (35.12 KiB) Viewed 33470 times
3.jpg
3.jpg (77.19 KiB) Viewed 33470 times
4.jpg
4.jpg (55.94 KiB) Viewed 33470 times
5.jpg
5.jpg (76.79 KiB) Viewed 33470 times
6.jpg
6.jpg (54.01 KiB) Viewed 33470 times
7.jpg
7.jpg (49.35 KiB) Viewed 33470 times
8.jpg
8.jpg (56.18 KiB) Viewed 33470 times
9.jpg
9.jpg (39.47 KiB) Viewed 33470 times
10.jpg
10.jpg (106.39 KiB) Viewed 33463 times
Remove all the existing wallpapers from the page and replace them with these ones mate (full size wallpaper links added to the list) :thumb:

[Edit]
1 more avatar & 2 sigs here too:
Image
Image
Image
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 2:00 pm

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
Anubis wrote:I've also updated the obvious headings across the site, though I've left those where I feel the content needs a wider review than me just changing the abbreviation first. At the very least, these need cursory checking by someone else before I make changes.
For the charter page I'd suggest changing the top paragraph to:
The Shattered Star is a gaming community originally founded in 1997 under 5 core principles; Freedom - Equality - Honor - Integrity - Friendship. These functioned as ideals for members to aspire to and whilst we do not tend to have these as our written law so much anymore, the group is built on the foundation of trust and respect we, as equal members, have for one another.

For many years we were known both as the Shattered Star Confederation (SSC) and later the Shattered Star eXiles (SSX). You may know us in our games from variations of our name ("Shattered Star Community" for example) but our group as a whole identifies itself as simply, The Shattered Star (STR). Here at STR fun, friendship and community are what comes first.
Leaving the rest below it ("Right away you'll" etc). Then change the tag near the bottom to STR ("We do require SSX members to register").

As for:
1. About the STR
2. Why the STR?
3. STR Theorem

I'd probably remove 2 & 3. The Charter itself is the main thing new folk should read and that covers pretty much everything they need to know about us, with a little bit of additional reading with "About the STR" if they wish. Eventually with (I hope), the timeline to support them. No need for more reading material on top of those imo and some of it isn't even true anymore. Keep it simple.
See the history page on our SC org page for what to put on the About the STR page. Obviously changing the Community references to The Shattered Star and STR.

Also, I'd change SSX tag in the bottom right of the site with the copyright so as not to confuse people. (Would it be possible to do the same with news accounts btw? So I don't continue posting news to STR Headlines under SSX-MS? - and change SSX-MS on the wallpapers/sig image pages to STR-MS)

Any other content you thought needed a wider review before updated? :)

I'll make time to try and update some of our older sigs from exiles to STR too (as well as the wallpapers as already said). It will still make sense to have some SSX stuff on there (like our TOR sigs as that is still the name we go under there even if we're not active) but not for the rest.
[Edit: Wallpapers added and updated above]
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 8:52 pm

User avatar
Anubis
Site Admin
Posts: 4291
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:13 pm
Location: The Unholy Realm
Contact:
Updated new Sig Images, Avatar, and Wallpapers.

Also changed your footer entry and news system name as requested. The news system change will not apply retroactively, therefore I've manually adjusted it on just your last post, announcing the name change.

I've also updated the Charter with a slightly tweaked copy of your edits MS. I'll update the other pages later this week.
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 10:24 am

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
Cheers bud. New images look good on there and I can log into the news just fine :)

A thought with the copyright though even if it is tucked away in the corner. I see you're still marked with an eXile tag rather than STR, meaning we're now using different clan tags from one another. Guessing you meant to do that but it might be better just to have us as M.Steiner & Anubis instead if that's the case, as it adds to the confusion imo. Since it isn't one of our individual group sites (where a variation of our name and tag might be used, so TOR would still be SSX for example like Star Citizen is SSC) but our main homepage and forum for The Shattered Star. Like if I had my SSC-MS tag from SC down there. It's just gonna confuse people I think? or look like we haven't properly updated the page. Up to you though ofc :thumb:
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 2:10 pm

User avatar
Anubis
Site Admin
Posts: 4291
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:13 pm
Location: The Unholy Realm
Contact:
Updated the remaining content pages, and fixed the forum favicon.

I've updated the banner and name of the FB page (including local URLs), but need an image at least 180px wide before I can update the profile picture.

As for the copyright, I haven't decided what to do with my entry or tag in general yet. If you want to chat about it grab me on IRC, but one of the core points in your proposal was that those of us who wanted to could retain the tag if we wished. It's up to you however you want to present yourself there, but vice versa too.

That's everything other than the forum update I think, which I'll do next weekend.

EDIT: FB profile pic now updated.
"Perhaps this is what I have always wished for since that day. The loss and destruction of all. That's right, one must destroy before creating. In that case, if my conscience becomes a hindrance to me, then I will simply erase it. I have no other choice but to move forward....therefore!" - Lelouch vi Britannia/Zero, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch

Forever an eXile and proud of it!

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 4:40 pm

Inquisitor
Posts: 3411
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 12:46 am
Location: SSX
Contact:
I like it.
No signature

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 6:30 pm

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
Lovely. I've just updated the Facebook links (and Twitch as I'd forgotten) on YouTube and Google+ too. Updated the OP with lots of green ticks! :thumb:

As for the copyright/tags. - We just talked about it on IRC this afternoon but:
The idea being that we'd allow peeps to use variations of our name in the games they play and to represent & promote those groups (that way giving a little freedom to those who didn't want to drop "eXiles" and "SSX" completely and could still use those to a degree), but that the group as a whole would be identified as just The Shattered Star / STR. So we'd have a main group tag (that being STR) which new groups could be formed with, but also allow the use of variations on those for those who wanted.

So the Star Citizen group goes by Shattered Star Community, coupled with the SSC tag which goes with that. When promoting the SC group elsewhere or uploading SC content to YouTube or whatever I use the SSC tag for it, my handle ingame was also changed to SSC-MS so I'm clearly representing our org.
The TOR group on the other hand are still the Shattered Star eXiles and SSX. So tags on our TOR group site would remain as SSX and that's the tag those of us within that group would use in and around that group. A new group choosing to form under this name could do the same if they wanted.
My tag on the main site news (and site copyright) is STR-MS however, since those are our main pages for The Shattered Star. When it comes to general use of the tag outside of SC and representing the group as a whole, that's the tag I'd use for myself. Also when I upload general content to YouTube (like the vid I uploaded of GTA V for example), I'll use The Shattered Star / STR intro for it.

A little confusing I suppose but was my thinking that at least this way those of us who wanted change could have it, but weren't asking those of you who still felt very attached to the eXiles name and the SSX tag to have to drop it completely and never use it again. Trying to meet in the middle as it were. The important thing being is that it's just The Shattered Star we have above the door :)

Anny did make a good point on if someone joined the SC group for example but never played anything else with us, to them they'd be SSC rather than STR but this is something our recruiters will have to tackle when promoting us as the community we are rather than a single group (which we've always had to do anyway really). However:
For many years we have been known as the "Shattered Star eXiles [SSX]", and prior to that the "Shattered Star Confederation [SSC]". You may know or have come across us in games under variations of our name, but our group as a whole identifies itself as simply "The Shattered Star". Here at the STR fun, friendship and community are what comes first.
Is what our charter now says and is what new members will be linked to when they're recruited. If we're all bringing people back to the same place and they're fully aware of the above when they join us (that they may know us under a slightly different name in the game they're joining us in but our greater community we're bringing them back into is represented as The Shattered Star & STR), then I think we'll be okay. :) (We could modify the above to make that a bit clearer though if peeps think it needs to be?

Anyway, It makes more sense to me (and may help keep the confusion down a little) if we're going to tag something when it comes to our main pages etc that we keep them to the main STR tag. Leaving the variations to our individual group sites, content & sub forums like I give examples of above. That being said, as long as new folk are aware that we do use these variations but know that the community is The Shattered Star & STR and not SSX, SSC or something else, it probably wouldn't be that big of a deal if you wanted to continue using SSX in places like the copyright tag, Anny. Up to you mate :thumb:

[Edit1] Kahn has created us a #STR channel on IRC so I'll add that into the list (to update the IRC guide and chat link). I'll provide you with some updated images for the guide later, Anny :)
[Edit2] Added.
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 12:27 pm

User avatar
SL33PY
Posts: 980
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 7:25 pm
I reported this earlier, it's not yet fixed, but it annoys the f*ck out of me :p

http://imgur.com/SUIhdU4

ty

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 1:11 pm

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
IRC Log from March wrote:@SL33PY • there is an error on the image
@SL33PY • check the friendship arrow and highlight
@SL33PY • it's way off target
@SL33PY • just sayin
@SSX-MS • yeah, I dropped it under the actual star since it's supposed to signify the entire ring bit which surrounds the star
It's not yet "fixed" as I meant to do it like that.
The image on our TOR site (which launched in 2011) was the same.
Image

I can redo the charter one though if it really bothers you. Leave it with me :)
[Edit: Done]
Image
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 2:12 pm

User avatar
SL33PY
Posts: 980
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 7:25 pm
oh man, this stuff is too deep for me :D

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 2:33 pm

User avatar
M.Steiner
Posts: 6114
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: UK
Contact:
lol, tis cool. It actually gave me an opportunity to use the higher resolution star on there which I didn't have at the time :D
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Re: Upcoming changes and to-do list

PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 3:44 pm

User avatar
Cyma
Posts: 154
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2004 11:58 pm
Location: Québec
Insane work you guys are doing :thumb:

Its awesome to see that!

Ok it does not help on all the change you guys are doing but hey i though a little cheering would be nice :clown:
Huh?

Return to “Members”