Updating the website

[Alzir]

Alright, I’m looking for ideas in this thread and inspiration. We desperately need to update the look of the site, which is currently functional, but looks like shit. I want some ideas, examples even, of what would be useful to feature, and how to do it. Any volunteers to help with graphics or coding also welcome.

[Alzir]

Actually may have found the solution for integrating phpbb with wordpress.

http://www.visionforum.co.uk/forum2/

Install wordpress and phpbb as normal.
Make sure you are logged out of wordpress (otherwise you will get a gap at the top of your phpbb header, where the wordpress admin bar would go).
Now go to your wordpress blog page, (when you are logged out of wordpress admin) and right click, go to view source.
Copy the source from the top of the page until you see a div like page content etc (will vary on your theme), remember we just want the header.
Now paste that right at the top of your your overall_header.php in your phpbb template.
Now go to your phpbb admin, and go to styles, then templates, click refresh on your current template, so that the overall_header.php will be re-cached with the changes we have made.
You can do the footer in the same way, copy the footer html from the wordpress page that you want to use, and add it to overall_footer.php.
You can ever get the same styles by linking your css file from your blog to phpbb.
You should now be able to link to your phpbb and it will have a wordpress header.

I have done this on my site here recently : http://www.visionforum.co.uk

[XDCMADMAX]

It would be good to somehow integrate the website design with the games we as a clan, actively play – just my 5p worth.

[Lammie]

I agree, the site needs an overhaul. As discussed in some detail in the other thread, front page needs complete overhaul some new graphics, and template. I agree there should be a news section, list of games we play across XDC be it PC or Console, not sure we need a TS Viewer but no harm in listing the details especially as we dont have PW on it that I remember.

I like the YouTube Channel Idea, not sure how well faceache or twatter will work but no harm in trying if it brings people onto the server and forums. I’m happy to help out where needed and I’m sure we are not usign phpbb to it’s full potential either. WordPress is a great idea and should open up lots more possibilites to revamp the site.

[xdc_queeker]

i think the shoutbox on this site is nice

http://thezeclan.com/

kinda poke fun at each other or just to touch base with what is up

or server is down

or maybe admin needed etc.

[XDCMADMAX]

Also can we get the word “Ave it” somewhere lol

[Alzir]

One thing we could do with btw is a new logo, because as much as we like bugs, we can’t really use it on youtube or facebook.

[xdcmaniac]

@Alzir wrote:

One thing we could do with btw is a new logo, because as much as we like bugs, we can’t really use it on youtube or facebook.

I’ll put a few things together. I take it we’re not wanting the typical shiny 2d metal kinda thing?

[Alzir]

If I make any suggestion regarding this you can safely assume it’s wrong 🙂

[xdcmaniac]

Had half an hour this morning. First of many ideas I have upstairs. Rough n’ quick like.

[XDCMADMAX]

Just needs a small “Ave it!” somewhere

[Alzir]

It’s strange looking at a logo that doesn’t have bugs, but that’s a good effort ben. I’m not sure if have it will fit in there, but one thing that should is jonny’s slogan for us back in the day “wasting time since ’99”. I think that would be better that online from 99, though well done on the ryhme.

[Lammie]

Matt, been doing a bit of digging around and came across this article that talks about using bbPress + WordPress together to built a community forum along with all the other considerations mentioned in this thread (youtube, Twitter, facebook,etc)

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/06/30/using-bbpress-forums-to-community-power-your-wordpress-blog/ Makes interesting reading and may help make the transistion and modernisation easier.

bbPress is essential written by WordPress and there are hundreds of plugins available to give addtiional functionality depending on our needs. I think the days of what the forums looked like or did are sadly gone, and if we want to attract new recruits, ands get the server populated on a regular basis we need to ‘Advertise’ ourselves more in the wider interwibble.

As I’ve said, I happy to assist where I can.

[Alzir]

Could you find a working example via that article? I can only get a 404 error via links to the lookbook.

[bmstalker]

@Alzir wrote:

Could you find a working example via that article? I can only get a 404 error via links to the lookbook.

BBPress was something I looked into when I was originally going to overhaul the site. The biggest problems is converting the existing forum database into something that is BBpress friendly. Something which I didn’t trust. Another hangup was the lack of readily available “matching” themes between BBPress and WordPress. That was over a year ago though and progress could have been made by now.

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