Feedback on a New SAO Forum Software

[Erroneous 0]

Hello SAO-RPG fans!

The staff and I have been for several months discussing plans on moving this small community to a larger forum software with some of the features of options you have been asking us since day one. Right now we've eliminated many possible options and now limited ourselves down to two choices.

For those of you who are familiar with forums and use them day in and day out, will notice that some forum softwares "look alike". And that may be because the software is a common one used by many small and large sites. We at SAO-RPG are currently running the system known as phpBB3. This is a free platform that anyone who has a live website and a database can download, setup, and run.

Now then, we been strongly looking at Invision Powered Boards and vBulletin as our possible candidates to move onto here. What this means is, we will migrate all our accounts, posts, private messages, etc... all over from this software to the next software chosen so that you guys don't loose a thing. But, with the two mentioned softwares above, comes the price tag to obtain such systems (legally). At this time thanks to the donations from all of you, we have enough to cover the price tag of either system. So we are looking very hard at the two and discovering which one would benefit us and all of you the most.

So those of you who are familiar with these systems, give us your feedback on which you would like to see us use here at SAO-RPG.com, we value your input and it could sway some of our decisions on which system to use coming soon. You can also create yourselves a 24 hour demo using your email here.

http://www.invisionpower.com/demo

http://www.vbulletin.com/en/vb5-trial/

Thanks for all your support!

[Miaki 0]

Do you have a set date in mind when you plan to make yer decision and move over to the new software you choose? When I return to the lower 48 I'll be sure to give these two a through look and return with feedback on which one I favor. Cheers gents!

[Guest Caen]

Invision Powered Boards looks quite promising. I don't mind if the forums changed over to that, but it depends if we reach our donations and the support of us. I'm actually excited if the plan goes full proof! So I hope we get those donations coming!

[Erroneous 0]

Do you have a set date in mind when you plan to make yer decision and move over to the new software you choose? When I return to the lower 48 I'll be sure to give these two a through look and return with feedback on which one I favor. Cheers gents!

No definitive date, we could technically do it right now if we wanted. But I wanted everyone to give their thoughts and opinions before we committed to anything.

[Guest Caen]

I hope the feedback come quick! I really can't wait for the new software! A new feel the forum might be great!

[Miaki 0]

I just started examining the two choices in software that you have shown heavy interest in. I am currently working on figuring out what features one program holds over the other and haven't figured them out yet. What I have noticed is that they both support mobile use and access but it would appear that the high end features come in an upgraded package with mobile support. Are you at all looking at the mobile bundles for either case?

[ham 0]

My guild used invision before switching to xen because the upkeep for invision was too much for us to handle. I never used vBulletin before so I have no comment on that.

[Erroneous 0]

Still looking on a bit more feedback from everyone!

[†Demitry Matter †0]

As previous Admin on several occasions for multiple Boards on InvisionPower the admin CP is as far as I'm concerned much smoother to deal with. Of course the coding and such might be a little more tedious than you currently are used to but the more you use it the easier it gets. The customization options are quite outstanding depending on what form of package you are looking into. Even the basic form of IP is nice, looks clean and more pretty.

Now with that being said you should really have a open mind about it. I personally would prefer IP over Bulletin, I'm only speaking from experience and quite frankly IP offers a lot. It may take some users to get used to the whole set up but honestly I've had a ton of success with IP. Everything about the software is really nice. I'd say stick to the same skin design when you transfer so your users can see how everything works. (suggestion really)

The benefits far outweigh the losses

To have seo, Gallery, Nexus Marketplace, Downloads etc ALL covered by support from one company is great - none of this, its xyz's problem not ours when you get a bug. (A common thing you run into on bulletin.) Although while I have stated that particular bug for VB, IP has it's own as well so really there are pros and cons to each of the viable boards.

They are both great forms of software for a community that you want to stay strong, while I lean more toward IP I know plenty of others that absolutely love Vbulletin. Mainly because most of them feel that making skins on it is incredibly easier compared to IP. Now I think the main differences in each are quite straight forward. VB has an easier learning curve where as IP asks for a bit more of your blood, sweat and tears. In all I'd say that IP at the end of it all is a safer more tight, integrated system.

Now like I said this Is just based on previous experiences of my own and a few others that are close friends of mine. They were worried at first moving over to IP would be a bit of a pain, but in reality after a few short months they were hooked. They loved the features, especially IPB's spam service - works wonders when things like recaptcha get compromised. It's not to say IP doesn't have its flaws and reading this I am extremely biased in this situation as I am vying for IP. So whats wrong with Ip and what's great about VB?

You have to renew your license every six months on IP in order to get support (even in the forums) Whereas it is not like that with vb. With vb, even if your license runs out, you can still get support on the forums.(Kinda Nice. Although its's based on tickets so who knows how long you'll wait?) The number one reason I would have even considered sticking with vBulletin is the vBSEO product. IPB does have SEO mods but they just don’t seem to match up to the power that vBSEO brings to the vBulletin platform. VB has a noticeably larger modding and skinning community, a core product that many people are familiar with, and a (paid and third-party) plugin known as vBSEO that single-highhandedly sells some people on it.

I personally find IPB's core product better-designed than vB's, which is why I'm on IP instead of there. The ACP in particular is light-years ahead, and the front-end feels much smoother and friendlier for users, in my opinion. IPB's skinning system also makes a lot more sense than vB4's.

I don't really know what else to say other than I'd go with what the staff feels really comfortable with, if you feel Ip is too much of a dive for modding ect... I guess I can see their worries, but in time they will learn. If you feel like vB might have too many bugs because of my post it's more than usable at least vb4 is. I haven't heard great things on five.(like at all) Another thing is maybe it won't be too stressful for you to move to vB, while both provide a excellent source of conversion I think if you want the boards to do it themselves for you it's a hefty amount of money.(At least for IP I think? Been a while.) Some of the things I've mentioned aren't currently up to date with changes on either of the sites so I don't really know how accurate all this info, or helpful it can be. I've done a little research and as far as I can tell IPB is still a winner, vB seems to have a loving modding site for skins ect...but no real integrated tight niche system that makes sense.

In conclusion I say either way, you'll get something out of it, won't know until you try. Thanks for reading, and I hope this was in some way helpful. Like I said some of these issues I've stated could be fixed by now. I figured I would toss you guys a bone and let you know how I felt about the boards provided as a choice.

Enjoy your day!

~Demitry~