Unfortunately several of our guild members have said that they aren't fond of our forums, and I've been tasked with researching alternatives.

Not being a web/CSS type of person, I wonder if there's a way (point me to a resource or other help) where I can create a PhPBB and create these forums thru our exist dkpsystems guild site?

You would most assuredly have to have them hosted elsewhere as i have had to do. We have no real admin access to the server itself which you would need to do to set up any other forum software.

I myself use SMF (http://www.simplemachines.org/) and host them thru http://www.hostmonster.com/. This allowed me to retain our original www.taintedeq2.org web address with a redirect to the DKP site. The Forums link on the DKP site loads http://www.taintedeq2.org/forums/index.php into the iframe on the DKP site thus allowing me to run forum software that has a little more advanced functionality. It costs me more because I have to pay for 2 sites, but what can ya do.

Shianne is correct. This is something you'll have to host elsewhere.

Might I ask what your members find lacking in the system?

I think they like the cleaner look we're able to get with PhP better -- or perhaps just a matter of what they're used to seeing...

I've tried a couple of the different lay outs and none of them seem to hit the mark.

Could you describe what you mean by "cleaner"? I'm honestly just curious. Bear in mind that there are different layouts for each section as well (different Thread layouts, different main forum layouts, and different classic mode layouts), each selected from the appropriate page.

The "cleanest" thread layout (imo), for example, is likely "minimalist".

What would make this even more helpful, given the complete flexibility of the templating system for the forums, would be perhaps some screenshots notated with parts you don't like, or would like to see changed, and from there, that would give me an idea of what could be modified accordingly (if possible).

Well one example I can give is that Administrative functions on PHPbb, SMF etc are far more advanced in nature but muc easier to set up. If I want certain people to have access to one section but not another it is very easy to change the permissions. If I want a certain person to be a moderator of one area I simply give them moderator status for that area. If I want to add or delete a board it is a simple matter of goign to admin, boards, add, name it tell it where it falls in the tree, and click on a button to assign the same attributes for permissions as the parent.

Layout is more pleasing to the eye in PHPbb and SMF. There are seperated sections that are clearly defined. (Feel free to sign up on our forums at http://www.taintedeq2.dkpsystem.com and I will give you member access to check it out).

There is just a lot more that can be done with other forum software that can't be done with the DKPsystems version (at least not that I have found) witht he same ease of use.

One issue with DKPsystems forums.. If you have say.. an Application posted. And User X was part of the membergroup allowed to see and respond to this at the time it was posted, but then you change User X's rank, unless you go and physically delete him in the Member Selector, that user will still be able to read and respond. Existing threads do not auto-correct when there is a change is rank. This has already created a problem for us once when we removed a member, but allowed him to re-apply and his rank got changed from Member to Applicant later in the evening due to we were at a raid and I was unable to get to it. Unfotunately a few members posted comments and they weren't favorable, and that person was still able to read them because the thread didn't auto-correct the list of people allowed to view/comment.

Sorry for the wall o text!

Thank you.

One thing that is slated for development is the ability to assign arbitrary thread tag permissions to arbitrary ranks (via checkbox, rather than via drop down box as it is currently).

As for the separate sections, for those who really want to discriminate the sections out (something I think is unnecessary), that's what "Classic Mode" is for.

Perhaps I can get a "cleaner" layout done in system.


As for your Application issue, this is with the applications, not so much with the forum. The application is creating a private thread for multiple recipients and just because you might be changing the rank of someone doesn't mean you're removing them from the private thread.

You'll want to head to Admin > Forum > Thread Tags, and make an "Applications" thread tag, setting the rank to the minimum rank you want to see the apps.

Then head to Admin > Applications and Recruitment, and click [Settings]. There you'll set the Application thread tag.

The newly created App thread tag will supercede private thread security, and demoting accounts will fix the problem.

My 2 cents....

The biggest issue I have with the DKPSystem foreum setup is that sending/receiving private messages isn't intuitive.

On the sending side of it - posting a regular message, setting it as private mail, then selecting members from a scroll list leads to many private messages ending up being public by accident. It simply is NOT intuitive enough.

On the receiving end of it - once you receive and view a private message, it's on it's way to being lost in the masses of posts in the forums. We need a "Mailbox" of sorts where a member can easily save and view past received PMs. We used to use GuildPortal which was weak in comparison to DKPSystem, but in all honesty the one thing that they DO have over DKPSystem is a functional mailbox. I'm aware that you can "Show Only Private Threads", but again - that simply isn't very intuitive.