Scenario Depot v2 Release Date - June 6, 2004

[Admiral Keth]

The Scenario Depot is finally going live!

After a tremendous amount of work, strenous testing, and copious amounts of beer and bad words, The Scenario Depot v2 will be going live on Sunday, June 6, 2004.

So that you can read up on the new layout, features, and enhancements, you can download The Scenario Depot Usage Guide from the following URL:

Scenario Depot Usage Guide (PDF) (2.6 Mb)

Here is a brief list of SOME of the enhancements implemented at The Scenario Depot:

* Featured Battles, Operation, and Maps - Near the bottom of the main page, you'll see a short list of randomly selected battles, operations, and maps. These are generated each time you load the main page, as is simply intended to pique interest in older scenarios.

* Shorter Synopses - Those players wishing to know the absolute minimum about a scenario prior to playing it can now safely do so. Players wishing to know the full details can simply click the More Details button to display a new window which contains all of the battle or operation specifics. Maps do not require this feature.

* Updated Date - Battle, operation, and map synopses now show when the author updated the scenario. This does not necessarily mean that they updated any associated file, but only that the details within the database have been changed.

* More Exhaustive "Other Battles" Lists - The right column on each battle, operation, and map synopsis now displays the complete list of CMBO/CMBB/CMAK battles/operation/maps published by the author.

* Updated/Submitted Dates - You can now see when a battle, operation, or map was submitted, and when it was last updated.

* Edit Reviews - Reviewers may now return to their review and modify the values, including text and/or numeric values, if author permitted. This includes editting the spoiler portion of the review, as well.

* Review Spoilers - Reviewers can now add detailed spoilers to their reviews, and have them displayed only if the reader clicks a button.

* Author File Uploads - Authors now have the option of uploading and attaching battle, operation, and map files at the time they post the synopsis.

* Author-Selectable Review Types - Authors may now choose to elicit numerical, textual, both numerical and textual, or no reviews for their battles, operations, or maps. They may make this choice at time of posting, as well as any time after posting, through the Authors Only menu option. What this means is authors who put no stock in numerical ratings can simply receive textual feedback regarding their work. This option can be activated or deactivated on a per-scenario basis (not per review), and as often as desired by the author.

* Hide Detailed Reviews - If authors opt to receive text-based reviews, they may also opt to show the entire review on the synopsis page, or force the reader to click a button, which will display a pop-up window. This can alleviate spoilers within reviews. This option can be activated or deactivated on a per-scenario basis (not per review), and as often as desired by the author.

* Author Selectable Labels for Numeric Reviews - This enhancement enables authors to choose their own field labels for numerical reviews. Thus, if an author does not want the stock label for "Force Balance", they may instead use whatever category they believe is relevant. This feature will be on a scenario-specific basis. Of course, the default "stock" labels will always be available.

* Biography Editting - Authors can update their biographies.

* Historical Reviews - If historical reviews (which used the previous review system) exist, then those reviews can be read by the click of the "Historical Reviews" button. Reviews which used the previous system may no longer be posted.

* Search Scenarios by Reviewer - Got a favorite reviewer? You can now search battles, operations, and maps by the reviewer's name.

* Search Historical Reviews - You can seperately search for scenarios based on particular historical or current reviews.

* The Lists - The Lists no longer use the numerical rating system to compare one scenario against another. Each individual battle, operation, and map review stands on it's own, and the cumulative rating system has been abolished. The Lists currently show battles, operations, and maps submitted within the last 30 days, Top 20 Downloads, and Top 20 Reviews Submitted in the Last 30 Days.

* Database Changes - Adjusted the lengths of various database fields to allow more data.

* Field Length Enforcement - All fields which allow variable length data, such as text fields, now have their maximum lengths enforced. Text areas now show how many chracters you have remaining to enter (requires that your browser allows Javascripts).

* Submission Form Changes - Review and Scenario Submission pages now have additional field validation which enforces type and quantity of data being entered.

* User Accounts - The Scenario Depot now supports user accounts. You must log into your account to perform the following tasks:

Submit a battle, operation, or map.

Submit a review.

Edit a battle, operation, or map you previously submitted.

Edit your profile.

Access the Author's Only section.

* Stay Logged In - You can either log in for a single session, or stay logged in (requires that your browser allows cookies) between sessions.

* Banning - The Scenario Depot now has the capability to ban users who submit malicious or abusive reviews, submit bogus battles, operations, or maps, or anyone who detracts from the general CM communities' ability to enjoy this site. Please read our Acceptable Use policy.

[jwxspoon]

Wow

[Moon]

Yes, I'd like to repeat that:

Wow

Martin

[junk2drive]

backwards wow

and thanks

[_Axe_]

w00t

[imported_Iron_Duke]

You truly are the man, Admiral!

I want to thank you for all your hard work and dedication to such a great service, for all of us who love to author battles and op's.

Kudos++ to you!

[Pzman]

Thanks for all the great work you put into making SD even better than it already is. These changes look great and I'm looking forward to the new system.

[GJK]

Great news Keith, congrat's on the changes, sounds like some great new features!

Not that you're wanting to get right back into coding, but after the dust settles a bit, perhaps we can put our heads together to see if there's a way to incorporate The Proving Grounds beta scenarios with The Scenario Depot - an easy way to transfer tested and finished scenarios from mine to yours without repetitious data entry by the authors (as previously discussed).

Congrat's again!

[Admiral Keth]

Originally posted by GJK:

Great news Keith, congrat's on the changes, sounds like some great new features!

Not that you're wanting to get right back into coding, but after the dust settles a bit, perhaps we can put our heads together to see if there's a way to incorporate The Proving Grounds beta scenarios with The Scenario Depot - an easy way to transfer tested and finished scenarios from mine to yours without repetitious data entry by the authors (as previously discussed).

Congrat's again!

You bet. The ability to transfer data is on The Scenario Depot v3 list (yes, there already is a v3 list). I have been actively researching methods, and I would be delighted to discuss them with you in a couple of weeks once the shakedown period for the SDv2 ends.

[Brent Pollock]

June 6, eh?

We'll have to start calling it Depot-Day.

Well done.

[Hans]

BIG THANKS ADMIRAL

[beady]

Am I the only one having trouble downloading the usage guide?

[Admiral Keth]

Originally posted by beady:

Am I the only one having trouble downloading the usage guide?

beady,

Demand is pretty high right now, thus bandwidth is pretty low.

Are you receiving a specific error?

[Michael Dorosh]

Good news!

[PittPanther31]

AK--

Your work keeps the game fresh.

Thanks.

[Mad Russian]

Your excellent site just keeps getting better. Thanks for putting together this first class site for all of us to use.

There are few CM sites that are in the same league as the Scenario Depot and it just got better. We appreciate all of your hard work.

Panther Commander

[ June 04, 2004, 09:31 AM: Message edited by: Panther Commander ]

[Hans]

Review of the documentation

good and thorough, easy to read, informative.

[markl]

From reading the documentation it looks very good.

From the perspective of an occasional visitor a drop down list for the "Author" search page 12 would be very nice. I have on a couple of occasions seen a review of a scenario on the forum but had a devil of a time finding the right author name to search by at the depot.

If we are going to be able to search by reviewer their names in a drop down list would make it easier as well ref page 13. I think this is one of the best extra enhancements.

With the most recent submission list, will the link take you straight to the download like CMMODS recent mods rather than go to the details screen for quick downloads?

That is one thing I liked about the original Boots & Tracks Site it was a bit quicker to get more than one scenario.

I hope you have plenty of bandwidth for the opening day for passwords.

[Admiral Keth]

Originally posted by markl:

From reading the documentation it looks very good.

Thanks. Admittedly, it is a very hasty version, and I want to expnad upon several features. However, it should be sufficient for the time being. Being a Senior Technical Writer with 15 years of experience, I can see where I could have done better, but time simply wasn't permitting.

Originally posted by markl:

From the perspective of an occasional visitor a drop down list for the "Author" search page 12 would be very nice. I have on a couple of occasions seen a review of a scenario on the forum but had a devil of a time finding the right author name to search by at the depot.

If we are going to be able to search by reviewer their names in a drop down list would make it easier as well ref page 13. I think this is one of the best extra enhancements.

Both of these features are excellent suggestions, and in conducting some experiments this morning, I have them half-coded already. While the drop-down list is a great way to select the name, the player conducting the search should also be allowed to enter free-form text on those fields. Thus, a selection from the drop-down list would populate a text field, or the user could type in all or part of the author's name.

I'm going to slate this feature (same feature applied to both fields) for Scenario Depot 2.5.

Originally posted by markl:

With the most recent submission list, will the link take you straight to the download like CMMODS recent mods rather than go to the details screen for quick downloads?

That is one thing I liked about the original Boots & Tracks Site it was a bit quicker to get more than one scenario.

I hope you have plenty of bandwidth for the opening day for passwords.

This feature will not be added. As I have stated many times previous, The Scenario Depot was designed with considerable input from the authors. Their desire for the player to actually visit the synopsis and read something about it prior to downloading the file was a strong requirement. Once again I state that there will never be a feature where the player can simply click one link after another and download the files en-masse.

However, I am still working on a feature where the players can visit each synopsis, click a link, have the file added to a "download bundle", then download their selections all at once. This feature is rife with technical issues, thus no ETA for implementation is given.

[junk2drive]

the s d always worked well for me. i'm in no hurry. i enjoy perusing the selections and reading all the text before downloading.

[Sergei]

Admiral Keth,

can we see in future "search for keyword" kind of option which looks through both scenario name and descriptions/notes?

Anyway, your work deserves applauding. *clap clap clap*

[Admiral Keth]

Originally posted by Sergei:

Admiral Keth,

can we see in future "search for keyword" kind of option which looks through both scenario name and descriptions/notes?

Anyway, your work deserves applauding. *clap clap clap*

Absolutely. On the SDv2.5 To Do list.

[Fredrock1957]

Admiral Keth,

Reviewed the Guide and the Feature List, truly an awesome thing... A big thanx and I can't wait to use the new site...

FredRocker

[GJK]

Originally posted by Admiral Keth:

Both of these features are excellent suggestions, and in conducting some experiments this morning, I have them half-coded already. While the drop-down list is a great way to select the name, the player conducting the search should also be allowed to enter free-form text on those fields. Thus, a selection from the drop-down list would populate a text field, or the user could type in all or part of the author's name.

I'm going to slate this feature (same feature applied to both fields) for Scenario Depot 2.5.

On TPG, I just did a quick search of the uploads database under authors name and pulled out a list of authors (unique values) to populate the pulldown list. If an author hasn't uploaded to the site, no sense and trying to search for their name. Everyone that has uploaded is shown in the pulldown list - which is dynamically populated.

Couple that with the keyword search that searches (you'll recognize these variables): strName+strYear+strCountry+strRegion+strDescription+strAttacker+strAuthorComments

and I think you'll find that scenario finding is much simplified for your visitors.

I have a basic and advanced search, see

http://www.the-proving-grounds.com/scenario_finder.html

for ideas for v2.5.

HTH!

[Hans]

Admiral a suggestion for CMx2

When a scenario ends and the game summary comes up why not have a button there to whisk the player to SD for a review? Or another button for a "quick review", that would ask for general feedback.