Weekly roundups

[Flintlock]

Thanks for the feedback. Here's my feedback to your feedback:

I may have to concede that rewording the top story is unrealistic. It just feels a bit of a shame to have virtually nothing original in our roundups, when they now make up 80% of our front page articles (eight of the last 10, 16 of the last 20), yet barely gather a single comment from our readers.

I don't think having just one picture is boring, but I guess we'll see better when I've put one together. It's not like there would be a ban on extra pictures: if there's another story that really needs one, it should get one.

It would be nice to get some stats on article views etc, but I think that the story about Cid's Barber Shop might have generated more views than the story about Lightning. I could be completely wrong though.

Don't feel obliged to be supportive, although I'm glad to hear you liked one part of my ideas

 

[Shademp]

I don't have much to say aside that I like the idea of one top image. It risks looking boring, yes, but it would help greatly in preventing Weekly Roundups fatigue for those who make the articles. Give it a shot, I say.

 

[Flintlock]

Those of you with access to the WP author/admin panel can now see the draft I've put together. I'll work on the formatting later on, when I'm at home, but you can see the structure. Let me know what you think.

 

[Lex]

I wouldn't mind writing an "original" summary of some news items, because there have been too many times where I've went to copy/paste a section that I just wanted to include more information/ I didn't think actually captured the better parts of the "news" as it were.

Following on from that, I do like the current format, I don't mind changing it, but I don't think limiting ourselves to one banner header image is the answer either. We should always try to include images in the articles where we can to keep it eye catching. You might notice in fact, that the older articles I used to write usually had one big image at the top then several (relevant) small ones throughout the article as it continued. I'm happy to go back to that.

Idk maybe it's time to experiment with our own styles for a month or so and see what we prefer? I know it fucks with the consistency but I do recognise the need for a change.

 

[Flintlock]

The roundup is live.

After reading Lex's post above, one thing I was thinking of doing was creating generic icons for various Final Fantasy games - say, one for each main series game and their sequels, plus one for each VII compilation entry - and then using those in the "more Final Fantasy news" section. That way, the article would have a bit more illustration, but it would take no time at all to look up the correct icon and add it.

If someone else wants to do next week's roundup, they can use whatever style they prefer. Maybe a few of us could each try out our own ideas and see what works best

 

[Lex]

Oh Flint that icon idea is a good one, it fills my head with so many ideas.

We could get maybe 5 or so good/iconic images from each game and add a little watermark on the bottom left that has the TLS logo and a little watermark on the bottom right/ top right with the relevant game incase someone doesn't recognise the image.

Then we could have everyone vote on what one looks best and all use that one from now on, or have people rank them and agree to only use the top 3 from each game each time its mentioned.

ROUNDUP FEEDBACK: I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post of the week idea (as well as video of the week), we could even include our own opinion piece next to the video or somesuch.

I also really like the way you kept the original roundup format intact and made it a feature of the weekly article rather than just the whole thing. Creative.

Experimentation <3 New ideas <3

On the back of that, what about a name change? I've come to associate the weekly roundup with the now smaller feature within your article. I'm not sure what else we could call it though, it just seems like something more now than just a weekly roundup. Maybe "This week in FF" or "This week on The Lifestream" or something?

I WISH I HAD UNLIMITED TIME

 

[Flintlock]

Glad you like it I don't mind working on the icons - if this is the format we stick with - but I don't know when I'll have the time to do five per game I was thinking of something more simple, like the Roman numeral of each game, in the Final Fantasy font, on top of either the game's logo or the main character from it.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

I don't dislike this format as much as I expected to, honestly. I actually like it on the whole. I still think it's going to lead to the shaking of heads when there's no FFVII news more worthwhile than "Cloud gets a haircut" while it gets set above something more important, though.

Arguably, the case could be made that the FFXIV news was more signifcant here anyway and/or that this FFVII news was actually FFXIII news.

In any case, it did work out great this week and I like the icons idea, particularly in the form Flint suggests. Good ideas from both Lex and Flint there.

EDIT: Oh, and there's no need to change the name. Everything there has still been "rounded up."

 

[hleV]

I think it would look better if the video was centered and somewhat bigger. Other than that, I like the style.

Also, are the links to forum posts supposed to include the www part of the domain? 'Cuz I end up logged out when I click them (guess www and non-www have separate cookies) until I go back to thelifestream.com without www.

 

[Flintlock]

I think it would look better if the video was centered and somewhat bigger. Other than that, I like the style.

Also, are the links to forum posts supposed to include the www part of the domain? 'Cuz I end up logged out when I click them (guess www and non-www have separate cookies) until I go back to thelifestream.com without www.

I just copy and paste from my browser, and that doesn't include www.

It's interesting that you mention that, though. I have never had the problem at home, but when I'm at work (using Internet Explorer, unfortunately), it does happen. I wasn't sure what was causing it, though that thought crossed my mind as well. It's not the correct behaviour, I'm sure. Perhaps something for one of the higher-ups to look into. If they don't notice this conversation then I'll bring it up in the "report bugs" thread.

 

[Fangu]

Looking good!!

 

[Wolfhart]

It's nice to see a change! To be honest I agreed with what Tres said initially, but now I'm happy with the result too! I'm not sure that, like he said, if the FFVII news isn't more relevant than other FF news it should appear the first one anyway, but we can see how that works. I like the idea of the video and post of the week

Oh and... thanks for sharing the link to my father's thoughts on ACC...? (I really need to start writing better posts)

 

[Flintlock]

It's nice to see a change! To be honest I agreed with what Tres said initially, but now I'm happy with the result too! I'm not sure that, like he said, if the FFVII news isn't more relevant than other FF news it should appear the first one anyway, but we can see how that works.

Well, as so many of you have said that, I am willing to change my view. I'd like to see Final Fantasy VII news receive a high priority, but it doesn't always have to be the top story if something else is significantly more interesting or important. In the event that a non-VII story is the top story in any particular week, the italicised text in the highlighted box should just be changed to "This week's top Final Fantasy story."

 

[Dark and Divine]

Hi Guys!

Sorry, but some irl shit came up and I won't be able to do this week's roundup.

Can anyone do that for me?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lex]

Don't do a roundup this week guys, we've got the Podcast post up and want to give some attention to the new Dirge of Cerberus discovery. Roundups can resume as normal next Monday.

 

[Teioh]

Another Man at Arms video, this time 'Sephiroth's Sword'. The Buster Sword they made last year also makes an appearance though it looks rusty now.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

That new record speed run for FFVII could go in the next roundup. Provided nothing more relevant happens, it could even be the lead story.

 

[Flintlock]

If we are going to write up the top stories ourselves, might it be worth getting Google News syndication?

 

[Lex]

I brought this to Yop's attention at some point last year in the "Our Site" thread, so needless to say yes, I really think we should.

 

[Cthulhu]

iä, if at all possible. I think I looked into it / submitted our site once, but didn't hear back and/or forgot about it, so.

 

[Geostigma]

That new record speed run for FFVII could go in the next roundup. Provided nothing more relevant happens, it could even be the lead story.

As a for fun speed runner, fan of speedrunning and active member of the SRL chat.. I would cringe so hard if you guys added that "record" to the round up

 

[Lex]

It wouldn't be added as a record Gabe, more like "FFVII in 2 and a half hours using Yuffie Warp Glitch" or something.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Is that not really the record, Gabe?

 

[Lex]

Tres go into the thread about the speedrun and you'll see why Gabe has that opinion

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Ah, right, right. Should have looked at that thread first.

I think we should still include it, as well as mention why the record claim is being challenged and invite people to comment on the matter themselves.