Introduction/Reference Page

[Myskillzownu]

I think adding a new reference page to the task bar up top would be a great idea.

In my head I'm just thinking a simple static HTML page (could make it more user-involved/nice with some JS though), that has all of the information new/veteran players would need.

Examples:
How to buy and sell supplies, how to add/delete users to/from protection stones, how to add/delete people to/from chests/doors, how to make objects public, how to teleport to other user's homes, etc.

You could also post general information about the server, what sort of plugins you run, what users should do if they're just getting started and looking for something to do/somewhere to build, what trusted can do that normal users can't, etc.

I would personally love something like this, and it would have saved me from asking moderators a number of questions. (And I'm sure it would save me from asking them in the future.)

I know the majority (if not all) of the information is scattered around the forums, but I feel as if this would be much simpler and easy to use and find.

If you decide to use this idea, I would love it if you let me create a base design to show you that you could build off. (I've got a nice clean/simple idea that only uses a small amount of basic JavaScript; I'd be happy to write it myself if I wasn't so busy, but that day won't come for a while.)

-Dave

Edit (More):
A .pdf cheat sheet that includes all of the commands users can use for the server would be nice too. (Can have different .pdfs for users of different ranks too; one for members, trusted, donaters, moderators, etc.)
It would be extremely quick and easy, and hard-copy cheat sheets are very nice to have.

[Yomo]

I made one: http://www.opticraft.net/index.php/topic,9583.0.html

[DeeKay]

Good idea, I can see this working. We've never really had a 'main info page' and something like this would be handy for new players. Like you said, although there may already be topics for help, they seem to be all over the place, a page displaying all of the info would be nice.

EDIT: Don't worry, Yomo's on it

[Yomo]

Im quick

[Nick3306]

I have honestly had a page like this ready for a month now lol. Optical just never put it up on the site. Ill bug him about it next time I talk to him.

[Myskillzownu]

Nice work Yomo.
I appreciate the page and I will keep it bookmarked.
It, however, does not contain all of the information, and it's not exactly the most easy thing to find, being on the forums. (A link directly on the nav bar would work best.)

And that's awesome Nick, you should definitely do that!
It would definitely help get rid of a lot of the same questions being repeated.

A simple option could be added with JavaScript as well, allowing users to click a button that displays some frequently asked questions.
There's sure to be some questions that wouldn't fit on the page that multiple users would ask.

A "cheat sheet" .pdf file that people can print might also be nice. Just a basic one that tells you what all of the commands do. (The plugins WorldGuard and WorldEdit for bukkit contain one, and it's very handy.)


And a random question for anyone who knows:
Did Optical create this website himself, or did he use a website/some software to automatically do it?
(I'm just wondering because I rather like how he created the navigation bar, and I'm curious if he would share how he did it. I get how, I just wouldn't know how to implement it into my JavaScript.)

-Dave

[Myskillzownu]

As I was, for some odd reason, pondering this, I got another idea that I might try.

Though Java has taken the programming world by storm, it's still one of the few languages I haven't learned. (I know other languages, so it shan't take too long.)

I had been trying to think of a basic program that I could create as one of my first (something useful), and every idea I had was too complicated for a first program. (Some I could start basic and build from there, but with my current plans for them I would be better of rewriting them later, when I had a better grasp on the language.)
What program would be easier than one that allows users to get information about a Minecraft server and its plugins. (Except a blank window, of course.)

Unless I change my mind, I think I may just do that. People wouldn't have to use it, but it would be a well organized resource that they could use if they so wished.

What do you guys think? If the overall feedback is negative I may just scratch the idea.
If people seem to generally accept it I will get started this summer. I've got a nice Java book that's pretty heft, and I try to read some of it every so often. Thanks to that I'll hopefully just need to fine-tune some things when the time comes. (I really wish I didn't take a 2 year break from C++.)
At any rate, I've got a pretty hefty list of things to do right now, but that should be cleared up within 1-3 months. And if everything goes to plan and I'm not to busy with my MMORPG, I'll put it right up there on the to-do list.

-Dave