Ok, I've been trying to decide on a few things to do with the site for awhile now but i haven't been able to come to a clear decision. For the past year, I've done my best to keep the site up to date and in top shape, but I simply haven't had the time to keep up with every update, and I've been relying on you guys to post corrections and updates many thanks to the many people who have posted hundreds (if not THOUSANDS) of corrections. Seeing as summer vacation is just about here (for me, anyways ), I'm going to have extra time to do whatever I want. And although I also have a job and other real life stuff, I'm going to try and get as much of the site fixed up as best as I can in the next few months.

Before I go ahead and devote every waking hour ( ) to the site as I did in the past (anyone remember 2.5 years ago? ), I want everyone's opinion on a few things. Please read the rest of this post, it might determine the future of Sal's Realm!

Quality of Guides:

Sal's Realm has often been praised for the quality and accuracy of its' guides, not to mention the speed that they're added. That's one of the reason's we've continued to grow. Compared to what you expect in the guides that you use, what do you think of the guides on the site?

Site Redesign:

Probably the question that will make the most influence on the site... A lot of people have complimented the site on having a simple, clean, easy to use interface that's easy on the eyes. I find this very important, but there are a lot of things that I'd like to implement that are pretty much impossible at the moment (or at least extremely close to impossible). The site also seems to be showing its' age, and I would just like everyone's opinion on this. I would love to redesign the site, using my knowledge of PHP and Java to make it one kick... butt ( ) site, but if the majority of people feel that the current site's design is the best it can possibly be, I'll keep it.

Java Calcs:

Over the last year I've been learning both Java and PHP, and I think I'm experienced enough to put together a set of Java skill calculators. Currently, the ones on the site are made with JavaScript, whic his a lightweight scripting language that just about anyone can use. There's a lot more I can do with Java, and I would be happy to remake the calcs using it, as long as enough people would use them. 2 answers I can foresee people asking:

1. Yes, they will be able to obtain your hiscore data (experience and level)! No more trying to figure out your current xp!
2. Yes, there will be calcs for each skill. Not all at once, but eventually.

This is, of course, if enough people would use them.

What Would you Like...

Basically, we're working on the item database at this very moment, and we're planning to release the current database with whatever items we have in it, very soon. We'll continue working on it as items are sent in, but we would like to know what you most would like to have added to the site.

Anyways, please be sure to vote on this poll. It's important to the future of the site, and it only take a minute. Thanks!

Woot first post!

Time to vote

Site Redesign: The blue is just getting old. And it doesn't look very professional, either. Definitly re-do that this summer. Oh, and if you need help with this I would be glad to help. Only problem is Im going to be away the first half of the summer. While Im around I'll do all I can to help the site.
Java Calcs: Sure, why not? I wouldn't use them as I dont play RS anymore (I voted No, leave the current ones up because I wouldnt use them, but I still think you should change them.. Sorry if I voted wrong). But I think those that do play RS would find them very handy.
Guide Quality: I gave it Pretty Good. They are overall very good guides, user friendly, easy to read. But there are some things that you can probably do to make them better. I dunno
What I Want: Two Big Macs, a large fries, and a large soda, please. I mean.. Whatever you make the skin on the Site to be make sure to have the same skin on the forums (if you need help with making all the images and stuff I could help ). Oh, and update your page (the page about you). Its so old. Also maybe a way of rating guides? Guides that have low ratings would be worked on and fixed so that their rating will be higher.

Keep up the good work Sal! I think you should start out working on the calculators, then the site redesign. Let the forum members work on the guides for you. Maybe encourage people to post tiny errors they see in guides? Even just ONE typo should be reported. I know it sounds like not much, but if you have no typos or grammatical errors the overall feel of the site will be better.

Oh btw I got first votes in.

EDIT: Here are my thoughts on the Monster, Item, and Treasure Trail databases: Just put them up. I know they are incomplete, so put them up and make sure people know they are incomplete. I think one of the problems with these databases (Monster and Items ones at least) is people don't know what to add. They can't think of anything. So maybe make a form that you can type in a monster's name, item name, or treasure trail coordinate and that will be sent to Sal somehow who can post them on the forums. Then we will know what we are looking for, and what information we need. So if Im looking for info about a rune dagger and there is no information on it I can type in "rune dagger" so the info can be obtained and added to the site.

Also I think the street names should be included in the item DB. So like if I search for "rune 2h" I should find "rune two-handed sword." And also in the info page about the item I should see all known street names.

EDIT 2: Oh, and for your own sake, no more than 4 hours working on the site per day. That is, no more than 4 hours working on this stuff. You can be on the forums more, I dont care. Just don't kill yourself spending 10 hours working on the site. That won't be good for you.

EDIT 3: Im so awesome Im editing.. again. Just added another suggestion to What I Want. No, it isn't a McFlurry.

Like Steve, definitely redesign the site. A little more catchy. The guides are still pretty good, though.

yea a redesign would be sweet! GUides are awsome!!! i would never be how i am today with out them!!
EDIT-yea also a monster/item DB would be sweet on the website

I think the overall design should stay half the same, but you should change it a little. Don't make it look completely different, just change it a little, so that it looks a lot better. (Is that possible? )

I think the guides are pretty good, I like them more than RuneHQ. The image of the item you'll be using in that part of the quest before each paragraph(s) is very...*thinks*...pleasent.

Sure. The Java calcs would be fine, but I don't usually use calculators. I guess I'm for them.

I'd like.....*copies Steve's idea, just for the fun of being called an idiot and getting sued because that was copyrighted* Regular turkey on Rosmerry with onions, spices, lettuce and cheddar. You're out?! Well then, I guess I'll have better ways to find what I'm looking for. I was looking for the Seer's Party Room Guide (didn't need it, just wanted to see it for some reason ), and when I used the Google thing at the top, I had to look for a pretty long time.

I think the guides are great as they already are. RuneHQ's seem to take me a little longer to use. As for the site redesign, I'd say it's great the way it is, but if you want to add a few things, I doubt I'd mind. The skill calculators..I would definitely use them! And I'd also like the item and monster DBs on the site.

For the quality of guides, I voted pretty good. Some are a little hard to understand or may not be clear at times, but overall, they're quite good.

For the site redesign, I voted that it isn't absolutely necessary, but would be nice.

For the calculators, well, I don't play RuneScape... so I picked the maybe option.

And what I think we need is to get either the Item or Treasure Trail Database up. It'd put us in contention and more in competition with RHQ and Tip dot it as a popular and good fansite.

These are my votes.

Guide Quality- Pretty Good.

Site Redesign- It doesn't NEED one, but it might help.

Skill Calcs- Maybe... I don't really use skill calcs.

What I would like to see- Treasure Trail guide.


~=~ITM~=~

I really don't then we should have a site re-design, it's calm, rather then something like RuneHQ and runetips which is all black.

-B0B

Hmmm.. The guides are excellent, the layout is fine, but a change would do some good, we need some new calc's and the item database is a must.

Yea at the most we need more calculators like RuneScape tips has.

-B0B

Sal: I've been a big fan of your site since the day I found it. After using tipit for about a year and being suckered into using their crappy guides that cost me many a k, I went searching for a decent site... and I found yours. I've never been led wrong with your guides, and it's thanks to you that I've kept playing and become an avid wcer and fletcher... thanks you!

Now, onto the poll questins.

guides - i think they are some of the best around, if not *the* best. You beat tipit and rv hands down, I would never be caught using ANY of their guides. I think the only sites you might have competition with in that area is zybez or rhq... but many of the guides are much more detailed than theirs. I voted the second choice cuz some guides really do need work. You should give ppl access to the site (not just ANYONE, but trusted ppl) to edit pages and stuff. Do u have a admin panel on the site?

Site Layout - it's been a long time, seeing that blue stripe lets me know im on my favorite rs site ever. It's welcoming. But I do think it's kinda old and a new design might bring people back or new people in. But please keep it a light color, otherwise people might not like it. If the design is holding the site back, it might be better to redo it. im learning php so i could help.

btw, how is the site built now? Someone said u use php.

Calcs - YES!YES!YES! Weve needed a hiscore lookup calc for a long time! I like the callcs as they are, but if you can make new ones in java (mmm... coffee!), do it. People will love them. Would it be a program we download or like runescape or what? Do we need to install something extra to run them?

What I wanna see - I'm looking forward to the item database, im sure everyone is. If you get that up, plus a tt db and hiscore calcs, all the other sites will have a VERY difficult time competing with you. who can beat a site with everything, a nice forum, all run by a friendly santa fish?

Suggestion: you know the screenshot section of the site? it never gets updated. Why not turn it into a "screenshot of the month" page (or something where you take the BEST screenshot posted on the forum and add it to the section? OR have people send them in to you?

thanks for listening to us.

Quality of Guides:

Hmm.. Some of them help alot, and some of them don't.. To point out one, I would go with Shilo Village ( not trying to get people revved up. ) But I think each one could use a slight tune up.

Site Redesign:

Re-design!! It's been the same for like.. Years!

Java Calcs:

Of course! More calcs will deffinally help!

What Would you Like...

Item DB, and Treasure trail DB, all work should be focued on those! The big sites, Tip.it, RuneHQ, Zybez, they all have extended ones of those.. Something deffinally we need

Edit: WOOT!! 13th post!!

Quality of Guides:

They're pretty much pwnage all of them. I've retired from RS, but I still read every new guide, and the quality and effort spent in them are superb.

Site Redesign:
Definately. I don't like simple... (as Steve has complained about many times. ) so you could use a redesign. Maybe keep the old template for those who still wants to use it. If you ever need some help in the graphics, I'll be glad to help out if you give me a shout.

Java Calcs:
A must, would make it so much easier and with a lot more features.

What Would you Like...
The item/monster database would just make us pwn all the sites much more. That'd be great, but of course we need a lot more submitting. But when you get like 25 % finished with it or something, then maybe add it to the ste, with a notice that this is still in development. So people know it's coming. =)

So that's my thoughts about this.

Guides are pretty okay.
Site doesn't need a redesign but whatever makes you happy.
Skill calculators from Rsbands seem to be the most accurate to date. But sure if you want.
Want to see the Item/Monster database out the most. Also, improving the search would be great.

I tihnk we could redesign the site I think ti could look alot better nto saying its awsome as it is. and maybe re do the guides. with more stuff abotu locations and things.

Quality of guides:

As I see it, there are a lot of good guides which is brought out quickly, is detailed and very helpful and attracts quite a lot of new forumers here.
However, I hear quite often of people having trouble understanding guides, complain about them not being precise enough and generally created irritation where it wasn't needed.
Inspecting the guides would be a good thing to do to check if they are to be fixed or not.
So well, I believe there need some work to be done on those which aren't that great, and keep up the good work on guide writing as we currently see now.


Regarding Site Design:

It needs a new layout, I feel that the old and traditional layout is rather old-fashioned and "simple" and could need a change to something more.... intriguing and sexy.
You could also make it easier to guide your way through the site because I find it confusing to search for a guide on the main site at the moment because it seems... messy.


Java Calculators:

Oh yes, indeed!
I never use the calculators on the main site because I frankly like RS Bits and Bytes Calculators much better due to their usefulness.
So, if new calculators came on the main site which would be able to compete with other calculators, of course I would use them!


What would I see:

Well, I could agree on more guides if they are needed and useful, not minor and "peculiar" guides, so I am not as much interested about that.

Calculators could become a strong asset for the main site if we manage to get good calculators for our users to rely on, so I support this and would very much like to see those.

Item and monster databases is quite useful in certain moments, and seeing that work is underway already, I can't wait to see how the Item database turns out.

We definately need a good and detailed Treasure Trail guide to compete with other forums since most of us runs to other fansites to use their guides.


I've got much to say, but not enough time to write it, so I just made a bried summary.

Quality of Guides:

I voted for the wrong one for this but I feel that a large number of the guides on the site need looking over. Of course there are several that have huge amounts of detail in them and are of great quality, but there are also others that I feel are of a quality lower than should be accepted. I think I sent more of my opinion on this subject a while ago in a PM but I can't remember exactly what I said.

Site Redesign:

I really like the simple blue background and find it easy to read content from. Black (RHQ) is really hard to read text off and being able to chose your favourite background colour (tip.it) would make more people be able to have a background colour that they like. I used to like this homepage but can't find my way around it easily nowadays. I myself don't really want the site to be completly redesigned. It's simple, easy to use and the information is clear.

The one thing that really needs to added is a link back to the main page. It's a pain having to use the address bar or site map to get back to the main page.

Java Calcs:

I don't think I've ever used a calculator so if you manage to make them good enough for me to start using them then you will have done a very good job.

What Would you Like...

I'd like whatever is coming. If people are willing to put time and effort into writing a guide rather than spending 5 minutes and ignoring comments then more guides would be good. If people want to spend time submitting items and monsters to their respective databases then those would be good, however threads like this are just spam. Taking an image and guessing a price with no information at all isn't submitting valuable content and should be stopped.

What happened to the rest of the threads in Website Corrections and Updates? There were numerous threads in there with things that needed updating and nothing ever happened about them.

I think that's all I want to say at the moment.

Quality of Guides:
I would say the quality is really good, and it helps a lot. Since the time, I have found this site I have used its guides ( ). The quality is excellent with lots of pics and good text!

Site Redesign:
The site does need a redesign. I think it should have the same matching skins as forums do ( ). This way if your on site, you can get the idea on how forums will look like. Some people just assume that the forum skin will be dull, because they don’t like the site. Also, Blue is getting old.

Java Calcs:
Hell Yes I would use them! The runescape bits and bytes one is too slow, and takes long to load, so I would use it. Also, when I go to their site it lags on runescape like crazy, so ya I would definetly love to use them.


What Would you Like...
I would like the databases. Only runehq has them and if I wanted to look up an item it takes forever to load. So I havent bothered to look @ them in months. So, Yes I would love it.

I say put the item/monster database..

I find everything fine the way it is.
The guides are good, site is good, calculaators are ok, and i would probably want something like a......maybe a co-ordinates finder for the members?

~Dark

All you have to do is click the Sal's Realm logo. It's an image link to get back to the main site.

It really isn't clear that it's a link and an addition to the sidebar would make it a lot easier for newcomers to the site to navigate. I have been using the site for 15 months now and hadn't noticed it until now. I don't know if it is a more recent addition but it doesn't stand out as an obvious way to get back to the homepage.

I think this is the first time I have bothered looking at the site map (most sites make them really hard to find info on) and have noticed one thing that is a pain. With the City Guide section the cities are listed in area sections which I find annoying. If these were listed in alphabetical order on the Site Map then it would make it a lot easier to find the City Guide that you are looking for without using a find tool.

I don't use the Site Map much. And when I joined Sal's Realm around five to six months ago, one of the first things I noticed was the link embedded in the logo.

Quality- Good but there is always room for improvment i think though that they are defiantly getting better

Layout- Yes defiantly change this i think a new layout would be a great addition

Java Calcs- These could be usefull but time consuming if they do come out i will use them

See more- Guides just overall guides about differnt aspects 1 big guide isnt as good as 20 smalerl but still usefull guides.

Based on the comments people have been saying.. I think you should have multiple skins for the site. Keep the current one as one choice, and then make a new techy one which can be the default. Use cookies so that it will remember your skin choice.

I think a silver and navy skin would be pretty sexy.

Keep the website looking like a fun place,places like runehq are(in my opinion)strict,professional,and all uptight,I like the fun atmosphere and the fun looks.

This is what I think.

Overall Quality of guides: Pretty good. Nothing is perfect in life. We have been so busy working on guides to help out this forum that I can't say that people aren't lazy. Guides are well made, but we need more Item and Monster databases.

Site Redesign: We don't really need one but it would help to make a few touches on detail. That would make the forum a better place. We just probably don't want to move again to another forum because the one we have now, is wonderful. Thanks Sal for a wonderful forum like this and everyone who tried to make it a better place.

Java Skill Calculator: Absolutely. It would help us with our skills. It will be most needed by everyone to help get our goals up. It would make us proud and post up in the Goals & Achievements part of the Screenshot Section. It would also make me feel better making more calculators on the site then going to other sites for their calculator.

Most want to see on the forum: More of items and monster databases. It would help us more to know about the monsters before fighting one. Instead of using other places for our information, I would rather use this place since Slam's is a wonderful place.

That is what I think and I do think we need some improvement. Just not so much.

~Slayer

I think we should have like a school...For everything! Like different teachers and stuff...Anyone like the idea? Also... The monster database would be simply amazing!

I love this site but it kinda needs a new improved layout...

-Moosley

We do need a monster data base

Guides:
I think all the guides are looking good, they are looking acurate and help a lot of people. There may be a couple mistakes here and there, but were human.

Site Redesign:
I don't think were in an absolute need of a new design, but I think it might help attract some new members and appreciate the site more.

Java:
I think Java Calculators would attract more members, it'd help a lot and be convient. Also, if we get a current stats signature thing so people can have it in there sig's and it auto updates there skills as they level.

Most want to see:
I would like to see the Treasure Trail Database become bigger and better. It can get this if everyone posts there clues and such. You will all get credit. I think that would boost it up too.
Please post there to help the site.

nnice thinking Sal... Power to teh people pl0x. Anyhoo all my votes come out as the most popular.

Thanks for voting guys, but we still need more votes! Maybe I'll make an announcement about this...

Anyways, RuneScaper, I'll respond to your post first because you have some questions in there:


Yeah, a lot of work has obviosuly gone into just about every guide on the site, although some of them need to be proofread better and updated with new information. I've been meaning to go through every quest guide on the site and verify them with a new account, I just haven't been able to.

Currently, there isn't an admin panel for the site. All of the images and pages and stuff are on my laptop, so the only way to update the site would be to edit those files. To have some kind of admin section, the pages would need to be in a database so they could be updated by a select few people that I trust. I might do that, but I'm not sure yet.

Yeah, like a few people have said, the blue is getting a bit old. It's extremely simple compared to a lot of sites, which is something I wasn't concerned about when I redesigned the site 2 and a half years ago. Now, because of the huge number of guides on the site, it's making it very difficult to add new features.

And the site is just made with regular old HTML. I didn't know any other programming languages back in the day, so I just used what I knew.


It seems like everyone wants these! No, you won't have to download anything to use them, all you will need is the Java Virtual Machine (if you can play RuneScape, you can use these calcs).

That's something to think about.

Okies, and now I'll respond to some of the other comments:

@Steve: Ratings for guides are actually something I wanted to implement, but I never was able to. I'll definitely look into this.

And I won't overwork myself like I did before, I promise. I was kidding about the "every waking hour" thing. A guy has to sleep and eat, you know. *falls asleep*

@Fruityfed:

Could you explain a bit more? I don't know what the site's layout/design will look like (assuming that this actually happens), but I think that we need to let the current design go and get a fresh one.

There will also be a built-in search engine, so you'll be able to search through every guide on the site as soon as it's available, rather than waiting for Google to find the page and add it to the search results a week or 2 later.

@B0B:

The new site's design will be lighter, I don't like dark layouts either because they make my eyes tired. We *may* have a "skin changer" with an option of using a light or dark skin... I'm not sure yet.

Quality of Guides: These are probably the best guides for runescape. I've been to many runescape help sites, most guides are like point form, not many details, no pics.....I voted excellent, theres nothing more I would ask from these guides



Site Redesign: Yes, maybe if you could somehow have a choice to change the skin? That would be awesome. For instance

Skin:Blue skin, Purplish Pink.....so on

Buttons:Blue, Pink, Black

Then something like that...that would be awesome

Java Calcs: Yes, then you would be as famous as rsbandb for their calcs! I would totaly use them, I use rsbandb a lot, and knowing you, ours would be better. Go for it!




What Would you Like I voted for databases, they might really improve the site.


I think thats it, g'job Sal, I had something else for what I would like, maybe I'll post it later

Yay! Search engine!

What I mean is...*thinks* Maybe...Keep the same colors...And...Err...But...Change the design in *can't explain it* in small ways, but make it seem as though it changed a lot? I know, I'm not making much sense...What I mean: Change it a little, but try to make it do a lot.

Like Neo Avatars was saying, it's hard to get to the home if you don't know that the image is a link. It'd probably help if there was a link that was a little bit bigger than the other ones on the side panal(sp?), that says "Home."

(I was thinking about what Steve said, but couldn't remember what it was. I knew I wanted to reply to it, but couldn't remember what it was...Anybody care? No? Didn't think so. Well...I remembered. ) I think a skin-switcher thingy would help. Is it possible to change some of the forum skins around a bit and put them on the site?

I voted:
Excellent
No!
No, leave the current ones up
Other...


1) I 'benchmarked' several quest guides with my friend vs RuneHQ guides. Neither of us had lag, we were both on the same internet connection. I won using the Sal's guide.

2) No! The site looks fine as it is. Very welcoming. Not scary like RuneHQ

3) I think most people use the BRC/SS calcs anyway.

4) Other because I don't think anything needs to be changed. The site is as far as I can see, fantastic in almost ever aspect (aside from forum chaos, but you all know I wouldn't be here if there was a lack of that).

Actually the site layout/'skin' is ok as it is know and it really needs a skin changer if your gonna do that as for guides there not perfect but from experiance the Monkey Madness one atleast is better than even zybez's.

Some guides do need re-makes, however most of them are fine. However I wouldn't like the site's background to be changed, but having a choice of backgrounds for people to select would be better, I just don't want a dark black one like RuneHq. I like the one we have right now because dark colors make it hard to read the guide(for me). Even if guides need re-makes Sals guide owns all other fake fan sites.

EDIT: DON'T change the the pic of Sal and your friends! It's original and different from the rest of the otherfake fansites. It shows that Sal has been around longer than all those other fake fan sites.

Well, I think the site should get an offical Map Maker, grammar checker, and probably more mods on the forums. Maybe some new boards too.

Love the site as it is but we could do with more calcs Also, love the guides but would somebody PLEASE tell sal to actually reply to my messages? I asked for permission to write a guide but he hasn't replied

Quality of Guides: Excellent

The Sal's Realm of RuneScape guides have always been the best, every guide is perfect and has every bit of detail. No problems with the guides at all.
-
Site Redesign

I don't really think the website needs a new layout, I quite like the basic thing
-
Java skill calcs

No idea
-
What should be added:

We defaunatly need to sort out the tips and tricks section better, for starters it needs to be renamed 'Misc Guides', plus the extra guides for skills should be put WITH the skill guide on the same page.

Also I think skill databases would be a good idea

The quest guides are pretty redundant while the general guides are good. I had to go to runehq to look up the directions. There's not enough warning which can double the time of questing. The site design is excellent. I would like to see more improvements in the quest guides.

Guides

I voted for Pretty Good as I think most of the guides are pretty good But some of them are better but some are worse. Anyway I think the standard now is great

Site

I think the site is great now Maybe a different layout would be nice but I'm fine with the one we have now. I think it's simple and user friendly for new people and old people alike.

Java Calculators

Yes I would like to see these. Of course I've quit but other RS players would really appreciate it and would come and use this site for more things

Other

Not really anything I would like to see added. It's a pretty good site as it is. Maybe update your page like Steve said

Hmmm, maybe a Forum Happenings sections Like you could just say on the Forum we have new Mods promoted or something.

i keep saying this over and over...but once i start to learn more java i would LOVE to help with calcs...

i think that calcs are a big reason why runehq is soo popular...

the design of the forum is nice...it is very clean and shouldnt be drastically altered

the guides are always speed any could use SOME work but really shouldnt be fretted over

i am glad Sal is asking for feedback...alot of these posts are very helpful

i may not be on this forum much anymore or play runescape very much anymore...but i have the UTMOST respect for this forum and really owe ALOT to it in my life

keep up the good work!

Sal, if you re-design your site, could you try your best to not use flash effects and stuff? Because my computer is really bad and it would take forever to load. But I would love to see a new design. Mainly because I need change. =P

Java = lag.

In my opinion, Javascript or PHP-based calculators would be better, as I have a deep hate for Java

Absolutely. I hate Flash (unless used when it's needed, and properly) and I'll never make a site with it. Not to mention the fact that my skills with it are very basic, so no worries about that.


If I manage to make a new layout, I'll do my very best to keep it as user friendly as possible. Like a few people said, entire sections of the site need to be renamed/changed and practically revamped. The tips section needs some work too. So many people ask me the most basic questions like "how do i change my text color" or "how do i take screenshots" and I always have to refer them to the tips page. Obviously, it's confusing to find these things, and I know that if I ever visit a site and I can't find what I'm looking for within a few minutes of looking, I'll leave.

I might set up a suggestions board for the new design so people can suggest stuff and tell me what needs to be done to make it super easy to find stuff.

I voted.



That very vote could change the course of slam's history forever

I love everything about this site. All I'll say though is that I voted we need a monster/item database.