The Cover Project
General Category => Feedback => Topic started by: Snowcone on September 27, 2006, 11:39:37 AM
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Please provide feedback as the site undergoes it's initial Beta Testing period.
I am aware of the following potential problems:
1. Session errors were being thrown on the main page earlier this week. I may or may not have resolved this issue.
2. Download link in IE "locks" the address in the address bar and doesn't update it as you browse around the site. I am not sure what the cause of this is.
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Snowcone:
I don't get the session error anymore. However, in browsing the site, I get the following error on a bunch of covers:
Couldn't execute query.
You have an error in your SQL syntax. Check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '' at line 1
SELECT * FROM covers WHERE cover_id =
For instance, if I browse the N64 covers and goto section 'B' and click on Bio-FREAKS' that is what I get on my screen.
I do not know if this is an error on the server or an error on my computer or if it related to one of the errors you are already aware of.
Thanks,
Tom.
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Same here .... New covers are fine ... covers in alphabeticised groups appear to be broken.
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Thanks guys. I am not sure how I missed that one, but it is now fixed.
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Hey Snowcone,
Any chance you can make one manual available ... say ... the pdf I created for 007 - The World is not Enough?
It'll good to see the integration of manuals into the layout and it'll also give everyone a chance to comment on my creation.
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I'll handle that tomorrow. It should be mega easy to add that on now that everything else is done.
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Valeman, how is this: http://www.thecoverproject.net/view.php?game_id=548
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A few suggestions/issues for right now (I'll probably post more throughout the day as I test):
1. The game list (e.g. click N64 then click M) no longer has the thumbnails and details, so the real estate could be used better, maybe. Perhaps a 2 column list. Also, why even bother paging? Or increase the page size a lot. No need to make people page when you could list 30 or more games on a single screen without really increasing the download weight.
2. Make the breadcrumbs clickable. I was looking at Mortal Kombat 4 for N64 and the breadcrumbs correctly said N64 > M but I couldn't navigate back easily without just using the back button.
3. Mortal Kombat 4 is in the db as Mortal Kombar 4 :)
4. It is a bit weird that the only place you can see the number of covers for a system is the "Newest Covers" screen. Actually, the Newest Covers screen may or may not be the bext "home page" for each system. What are the plans for expanding the site? E.g. should each system have its own home page with easy access to the covers, but also access to things like guides for making the covers for that system?
5. The # (titles starting with numbers) link has a "9" in the breadcrumb rather than a #.
6. It would be nice to see "Date Added" on the list of newest covers. Speaking of which, is that list correct for N64? they all just happen to be at the end of the alphabet? Or did something get messed up there?
I guess that's all for now. More later....
PS: Same on you for using SELECT * :p
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1. The game list (e.g. click N64 then click M) no longer has the thumbnails and details, so the real estate could be used better, maybe. Perhaps a 2 column list. Also, why even bother paging? Or increase the page size a lot. No need to make people page when you could list 30 or more games on a single screen without really increasing the download weight.
Good point, I'll bump this up from 15 to 20 or 30 and see what it does to the layout. Those game list pages are the one page I am not happy with at all. I am planning on finding a way to add additional information about the games. Suggestions are definitely welcome. You guys are in a much better position to say "Hey, do this to make our life easier" as I am too "close" to the design, layout, and coding.
2. Make the breadcrumbs clickable. I was looking at Mortal Kombat 4 for N64 and the breadcrumbs correctly said N64 > M but I couldn't navigate back easily without just using the back button.
Sounds good. An easy tweak that was actually something I had considered before, but wasn't sure if anyone would attempt to use it like that.
3. Mortal Kombat 4 is in the db as Mortal Kombar 4 :)
Doh. I had to manually type in lots of data this week. My fingers hurt.
4. It is a bit weird that the only place you can see the number of covers for a system is the "Newest Covers" screen. Actually, the Newest Covers screen may or may not be the bext "home page" for each system. What are the plans for expanding the site? E.g. should each system have its own home page with easy access to the covers, but also access to things like guides for making the covers for that system?
I am working on another place to put this. The "home page" is kind of a tricky thing to handle with the question being, when a user clicks a category what are they trying to see? With regards to expansion and guides, we are going to have a guides section just for that, but it might work just as well to duplicate that data on the "home page" along with details about where to buy the covers for that category and what dimensions the cover images are. Thoughts?
5. The # (titles starting with numbers) link has a "9" in the breadcrumb rather than a #.
Thanks. I'll fix that.
6. It would be nice to see "Date Added" on the list of newest covers. Speaking of which, is that list correct for N64? they all just happen to be at the end of the alphabet? Or did something get messed up there?
The old database structure had a table for authors and one for covers. The new design has a games, covers, manuals, and artists table. Migrating the data meaned I had to reinsert most of the covers manually and I did them by platform so it's just the order I happened to re-insert them when I moved the data.
PS: Same on you for using SELECT * :p
:) I am actually rewriting all the queries to only pull the exact data that I need so it's a little speedier.
P.S. How did you know I ran a select * query?
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Breadcrumbs fixed on all points. Limit changed to 30. Kombar fixed. :)
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P.S. How did you know I ran a select * query?
From the error message that was showing earlier yesterday. Thanks for the changes - I'll keep testing as time permits.
Also, you didn't really mention, but how about added the Date Added field to the game list on the Newest Covers screen? I wouldn't want to see it on the other screens, though.
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I think I can add that. I'll have to set the date for all the others to yesterday's date though.
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Valeman, how is this: http://www.thecoverproject.net/view.php?game_id=548
Great thanks.
Suggestion...... Instead of stating the country for manuals how about changing it to "language"
That way we dont have to scan multiple manuals with the same basic layout etc. The UK manuals for instance often simply have French German etc added to them. I remove those extra languages to save on time and size. And I dont think anyone else is going to scan manuals if one in the same language is already available anyway. So potentially we would see one manual for English and maybe one for a Japan manual.
Fixit ...... oh , Amorines has two listings for the same game. The full name is Armorines - Project SWARM but slash000 didnt add the extra to his name. Can you shift his into the full name category so they are grouped correctly?
Cheers
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Fixed the Amorines thing and that's a great suggestion about the manuals. I will get that changed right now.
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Manual shows language now, not country.
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One suggestion. One thing I like about the Snackbar forums is the "View all new posts since last visit" link. Does this message board have a feature like that which I am overlooking?
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Manual shows language now, not country.
Brill ... One English manual will be fine for most people while still allowing regionalised manuals for those needing other languages. And it may help in keeping sizes down for the manuals .... especially those Eur ones with 4 or 5 languages. Jeez they're big!!! Now we could ... in theory ... just scan the particular language into one smaller manual. Easier on site bandwidth too methinks .... although how many here want Deutsch or Spanish etc?
Don't look at me ;) .... I've got my work cut out on nglish manuals and covers at present.
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If the Euro ones are multilanguage we could chop them into individual language ones pretty easily. I guess it depends how much scanning work you want to mess with.
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I guess English as the default language is fine. If someone finds this place and browses the page I guess he or she does speak English or has at least some basic knowledge of the language. If I have to look up something in the manual at all I'll take whatever language comes first whether it's English or German.
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FYI I got an error when attempting to view/download the manual for Mario Kart 64.
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Thanks. I fixed the initial problem, but it throws a 500 error when I try as well. I'll see what's wrong.