Possibility to return custom user name feature?

Well, we've talked about it before and basically we decided that we'd probably only turn it on for theme weeks. If we were to have it back then we'd have the feature off by default for everyone. That way you choose to view custom usernames.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Guys, just gonna say this. I made this huge ol' argument back when the feature was turned off by default for everyone that it should be on by default and allow people to turn it off if they don't like it. I lost that argument and by and large I came up with the concept for how custom usernames would work with the whole clicking the custom username to reveal the real username thing. Even though custom usernames only effect the usernames on the forums it was pretty much decided that if we were to use custom usernames all year that the feature would be off by default until you used a custom username yourself or turned custom usernames on.

However, I could see it being argued that they should be turned on by default during theme weeks. We don't have a whole lot of proper theme weeks these days. More or less we have lots of ava/sig chains and when those develop bigger to where possibly we could consider it a theme week it's too late to really implement custom usernames or it might not have even called for name changes at all so no matter.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Qwarky

Acer's rationale that it should be on by default was another one of his brainstorms I can't agree with.

Yeah, and I realized after arguing it that it was a battle I wouldn't win and after seeing all the points against having it on by default I also realized it wasn't a great idea after all. However, I do see having it turned on by default for when we have those large theme weeks that involve name changes as a good thing.

As Shin said earlier a theme week that involves name changes as one of its focal points wouldn't be as good if everyone couldn't see the new names for the week. If people decide that they hate that particular theme week and its name changes then they can turn custom usernames off.

I do agree that custom usernames should be off by default if the feature was to be available year-round and it should be up to users to turn it on if they want to see or use it. I do believe that you should turn it on for all users during theme weeks and turn it back to their last setting once the theme week is over. That or have an extra setting for custom usernames that asks if you'd like to see custom usernames during theme weeks and that particular setting would be on by default. It would do the same thing but it would make the switch much smoother and users could decide at any time if they want custom usernames to display during theme weeks. Actually I think I prefer this new option idea better. I don't see anything wrong with that and I'd hope you would agree with me. Seems like a viable solution.

We may just need to add other details like that when you set it into theme week mode all custom usernames are clear so that those with custom usernames that don't relate to the theme week don't confuse those who have had custom usernames off for normal times only. Basically when we go into theme week you'd have to type in a new custom username. That or their would be two custom usernames so that the field for custom username would return back to the older custom username once the theme week was over. Hmmm... this is starting to get confusing.

Okay, let's say I have my custom username as "that kirby guy" normally and then we go into theme week mode for uh let's say Frogs because I dunno we suddenly really like frogs so my name goes back to normal and then I change it to "Keroro". A week goes by and we decide the frog theme week is over so the theme week status for the forums is turned off and my custom username goes back to "that kirby guy". How does that sound to you all?

Or perhaps you can always keep your custom username but then you have to go into a thread that belongs to that particular theme week and agree to joining it with a custom username and then it will take you to a screen asking you to input your theme week username. Then! Then and only then would users that have "View theme week usernames" checked will they see a them week username. Anyone else who isn't participating in the theme week can still use their custom username. Yeah! That's perfect. Also, that allows for the option of people who hate theme weeks but love custom usernames to not see theme week names but still see everyone's custom username they had before joining a theme week. Yeah! Loads of options that work for everyone. Brainstorming is fun. =)

So let's see in the user's profile:
Custom Username input field
View Custom Usernames check field
View Theme Week Usernames check field

And have the user input a Theme Week Username when pressing the Join Theme Week button in Theme Week thread. Theme Weeks time limits can be specified in the opening post by the thread creator and by staff (and possibly an activity staff). The time limit will be public to people so they know when a theme week will start and when it will end. They can join at any time but the theme week username will expire once the theme week is over or they decide to click the Leave Theme Week button. You could possibly not use a theme week username when you decide to join a theme week if you don't want to. There would be a check mark for that "No Theme Week Please" check field or something. That way people could still join in on theme weeks and the thread could keep stats of how many people join the theme week, when the join, when they leave, peak numbers, and any other misc. information. How does that sound?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

tl;dr? =/

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Dayvon what you saw (Internet Robin) was not a custom username. That was a name change. A name change is the equivalent of custom usernames that are on by default with no feature to ever turn them off. Custom usernames thankfully won't work that way.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Oh good fucking god, Monkey. The feature will be off by default. You can't be affected by it in any way possible. When quoting a person it will show their real username. It only effects people who decide to turn the feature on.


Devo, in my brainstorm I described a way theme weeks could work. Theme weeks have a central thread. This thread is created as a theme week thread and has a starting and ending point that is set by the thread creator or by staff if need be. It can be edited if it needs to be rescheduled.

There will be a join button that allows you to join the theme week. It will ask you if you'd like to create a theme week username. You can opt not to make one if you don't want to. You can also go back to the thread and click edit theme week username or leave the theme week entirely by clicking the leave theme week button.

All theme week threads will show the starting and ending time of the theme week. You can join or leave at anytime during the theme week. Once it is over or you decide to leave your theme week username will expire and go back to displaying your custom username or regular username depending on settings in your profile. The theme week thread will automatically keep track of various statistics including who joined, how long they participated, peak membership, total membership, member names and their theme week names, etc.

Theme week threads do not need to be staff approved to be started but can be closed by staff just like any other thread if need be in which case the theme week will also be cut short. You can have multiple theme weeks going on. You however can only join one at a time. I don't recommend multiple theme weeks though. I'd rather not have a repeat of facebook/xenogears or whatever the hell it was but the option is there.

Remember you have an option in your profile for viewing theme week names. Since theme weeks are temporary and community based I'd much rather have this on by default. The nay-sayers will turn this off on their own since they are given an option to do so unlike past theme week events involving name changes where they had no choice in the matter.

Besides the actual need to have this coded up which if by Tombstone Pizza Island being any indication I have no doubt Blah could whip up perfectly while adding all sorts of wonderful additions and refinements as always himself. He's really too good to us.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Yeah, I'm just keeping that up in the air at this point. If we decide we can only have one theme week at a time which honestly does make the most sense then I'm not going to object at all. I'd really like to see theme week thread dates automatically update in the calendar system when dates are made or are adjusted or are abruptly halted.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Shin

I'll go and delete my thread where I suggest that over-administration and heavy scheduling sucks all the fun out of theme weeks then.

No please don't. You had some really good points in that thread. The problem with any scheduling around here is that we've never really done it all that much. With actual tools to do it that make theme week more streamlined in the calendar perhaps scheduling wouldn't be a bad thing after-all. As you said, heavy scheduling could be bad if we're strict on only one theme week at a time. It's not as though we have these things all the time and the past double dosage wasn't exactly the shining example of the community handling two at once. I'd let the community decide what it wants to do regarding multiple theme weeks. Simultaneous ava/sig chains is one thing and is handled easily for the most part but it's still up in the air for simultaneous theme weeks.


Also, I've gotten another idea to add to theme week threads. You know how with theme week threads you generally have ava/sigs right? I'm sure you've all revisited a few of our older theme weeks and wished that you could still see everyone in the thread with their ava/sigs and perhaps even usernames as they were. A nice additional set of options to upload an avatar and sig for that theme week would be nice.

So basically you'd have a mini panel for the theme week where you could change your theme week username, avatar, sig, and custom title. It would save these permanently to the thread once the theme week was over or you decided to leave the theme week. You'd first see this theme week panel once you click the join theme week button. After that you'd have a button for theme week panel and a button to leave the theme week.

And in the area you'd normally have a poll is where a few stats for the theme week like start and end time, number that have joined, and maybe latest to join or latest news or something (who knows). There's be a button to see extensive stats and info that would bring you to such a page as not to clutter the thread.

How ya doing, buddy?