Post Requirements for "Build" forums

[bfrd]

I have proposed a change to our forum that would primarily affect those forums that directly deal with specific build. So the Member Galleries (excluding Portfolios), Works in Progress forums, and SiG/GB forums. The change would be to add some requirements when creating a post. Initially, I am thinking kit manufacturer and kit scale. The vast majority of the posts here would have only a single manufacturer for the kit and a single scale. That would allow us to give more information about the post in the listing. An example of what I mean is below (please excuse the miss-aligned logo).



The new post editor would be pre-loaded with the common scales and an "other". We would also have a list of manufacturers to choose from. So there would only be two additional items to be selected. It would be relatively easy for me to backfill data for posts already created. I think this would allow a little more variety and "interest" to an otherwise dull listing of posts.

Paul suggested that I post a thread about it and ask the community. I know that adding requirements isn't usually well received, but this could also potentially be tied into filtering options.

[Paul]

Sounds like a good idea to me mate. You should work for facebook and get them to add that to posts on there lol

[sheppsea]

I really like the idea but I think the logo makes it look a bit busy to be honest (particularly the larger one), maybe keep the scale where it is now, but put the logo at the top of actual thread?

Also - would the companies have any objections to their logo being used? I have no idea, just playing devil advocate

[alextheblue]

Probably just acting as devil's advocate here, but what about dioramas and especially forced perspective ones, (ie., kits of different scale to emphasise distance etc.). There's not much of it going on at present, but some of the armour guys used to build dios with multiple vehicles, sometimes all from different manufacturers.

I know, there's always one awkward sod!

[Twokidsnosleep]

I think we need a gatekeeper whom must be passed before posting.....



....what build is it?
....who makes the kit?
.....what scale is it?
Bonus question; what is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

This is soo hard for FB'ers to figure out

[barrythornton]

How `required` would the requirement be ?
I like the look of it, but is there a penalty for not detailing a post properly, I know Graham tells you off if you do it on Facebook
Diorama is the obvious, so I dont think I would attach it to that. But if its not mandatory, then some would add a Tamiya logo if its `based` around a certain kit.

[kiwigav]

Sounds like a grand plan . Could be indicating the primary Kit manufacturer and the postee could then indicate additional kits used in their post. Might need to be a option for scratch build??

[alextheblue]

Also, is the intention to use actual manufacturers logos etc., as this might breach copyright and infringe trademark laws.

[Lee]

Great idea Matt! I like it it...

Try not to read too much into it guys, It's another addition that's going to enhance the forums and make them look more 'sparkly'....lol

[mention]alextheblue[/mention] As for manufacturers logos, I use them all the time and so does any other forum/business/company etc. Why wouldn't they mind? It's free advertising!

[alextheblue]

Great idea Matt! I like it it...

Try not to read too much into it guys, It's another addition that's going to enhance the forums and make them look more 'sparkly'....lol

@alextheblue As for manufacturers logos, I use them all the time and so does any other forum/business/company etc. Why wouldn't they mind? It's free advertising!

It's not that they'll mind that concerns me, it's just when you guys get landed with an invoice for royalties that worries me. A few years ago I fell foul of a smal company that you may of heard of - IBM. I was selling their products and services at the time, but they still took offence to me using their logo on my website.

I wish that I could say that like David, I overcame the might of Goliath, but alas, I got probably squished.

[bfrd]

I have to agree with Lee that the manner in which we are using the logos should not matter. *If* a manufacturer complained we would just remove the logo.

I think there is enough interest to move forward. I will include a UCP option to hide logo images for those users that feel it clutters the site. One of my goals here at ISM is to make our forum as unique and interesting as possible.

I think the "requirement" for these items will be pretty easy to swallow with default values for all new posts.

The caveat of this endeavor is including all of the manufacturers that we want to use. I will start off with the major ones and will take user submitted logo files (in SVG format) for any excluded companies. I will also come up with "logos" for scratch and diorama. I will also build a new bbcode for kit manufacturer that can be used in posts.

Here is a list of the initial values. These are subject to change, but I won't be taking requests on the initial set.

Academy
Airfix
Aoshima
BBR
Beemax
Bronco
Dragon
Eduard
Fujimi
Hasegawa
Heller
Hobby Boss
Italeri
Meng
Minicraft
Model Factory Hiro
Moebius Models
Pocher
Revell
Takom
Tamiya
Trumpeter
Zoukei-Mura
Zvezda

Scales
1:1
1:9
1:20
1:24
1:25
1:32
1:35
1:43
1:48
1:72
1:76
1:144
1:700
1:Egg

[barrythornton]

Looking good.
Just to clarify...if this is in place... when typing a new post/thread, scale and manufacturer would need to be clicked on before that post will `submit` ?
or will it still submit if you dont choose to do so?
Personally wouldnt have any problem with it.

[bfrd]

Looking good.
Just to clarify...if this is in place... when typing a new post/thread, scale and manufacturer would need to be clicked on before that post will `submit` ?
or will it still submit if you dont choose to do so?
Personally wouldnt have any problem with it.

I think the best way to handle this is to have a default value set for both options that will be used unless the member posting decides to change them.

[Quax]

I appreciate you're not taking requests but missing Takom off might be an error in the first phase.

Paul

[bfrd]

I appreciate you're not taking requests but missing Takom off might be an error in the first phase.

Paul

It was, it is on the initial list.

[Quax]

I'm obviously having a bad day.....

Paul

[bfrd]

I'm obviously having a bad day.....

Paul

No you aren't; I added it to the list above when I saw your message. It should have been there but wasn't. My internal list had it, but the one on this post didn't.

[Quax]

ok thanks Matthew, I thought I was descending further into madness!

Paul

[Lee]

Great idea Matt! I like it it...

Try not to read too much into it guys, It's another addition that's going to enhance the forums and make them look more 'sparkly'....lol

@alextheblue As for manufacturers logos, I use them all the time and so does any other forum/business/company etc. Why wouldn't they mind? It's free advertising!

It's not that they'll mind that concerns me, it's just when you guys get landed with an invoice for royalties that worries me. A few years ago I fell foul of a smal company that you may of heard of - IBM. I was selling their products and services at the time, but they still took offence to me using their logo on my website.

I wish that I could say that like David, I overcame the might of Goliath, but alas, I got probably squished.

I used to work for IBM - Bunch of birth canons!

I think we'll be alright (famous last words)

[bfrd]

In the spirit of covering bases I have been reaching out to kit manufacturers and letting them know I plan to use their logos. I have included the sample image I created as an example. It is still early, but all that have replied have had no issues. I even got a couple of logo files to which I didn't previously have access. I worded the email in such a way that says (paraphrased) "this is what I am doing, let me know if you would rather me not do that". That way I can use the logo in good conscious even for those companies that may be a little too busy to reply!

[alextheblue]

Great idea Matt! I like it it...

Try not to read too much into it guys, It's another addition that's going to enhance the forums and make them look more 'sparkly'....lol

@alextheblue As for manufacturers logos, I use them all the time and so does any other forum/business/company etc. Why wouldn't they mind? It's free advertising!

It's not that they'll mind that concerns me, it's just when you guys get landed with an invoice for royalties that worries me. A few years ago I fell foul of a smal company that you may of heard of - IBM. I was selling their products and services at the time, but they still took offence to me using their logo on my website.

I wish that I could say that like David, I overcame the might of Goliath, but alas, I got probably squished.

I used to work for IBM - Bunch of birth canons!

I think we'll be alright (famous last words)

Yeah, they're a strange company all right. They tried to get me to work for them, but I didn't want to sacrifice my first born!

I used to visit their office at Bedfont Lakes in Middlesex a lot and I always felt "odd" when entering the building. I was always reminded of the scene from Invasion of the Bodysnatchers, when the aliens all realise that Donald Sutherland isn't one of them and they all turn and point at him as they let out a high pitched scream. Never felt that I quite fitted in.

[alextheblue]

In the spirit of covering bases I have been reaching out to kit manufacturers and letting them know I plan to use their logos. I have included the sample image I created as an example. It is still early, but all that have replied have had no issues. I even got a couple of logo files to which I didn't previously have access. I worded the email in such a way that says (paraphrased) "this is what I am doing, let me know if you would rather me not do that". That way I can use the logo in good conscious even for those companies that may be a little too busy to reply!

That's great news, once you get the green light you know there's no nasty surprises lurking around the corner. Plus, once the first few say yes, the others are likely to follow suit. Why would you be the only manufacturer to say no, when all the others have agreed.

[bfrd]

Company Name	Status	Image Type
Academy	READY	SVG
Airfix	READY	SVG
Aoshima	READY	SVG
Bandai	READY	SVG
BBR	READY	SVG
Beemax	READY	SVG
Bronco		PNG
Dragon	READY	SVG
Eduard	READY	SVG
Fine Molds		PNG
Fujimi	READY	SVG
Hasegawa	READY	SVG
Heller	READY	SVG
Hobby Boss	READY	SVG
Industria Mechanica	READY	SVG
Italeri	READY	SVG
Kinetic		PNG
Meng	READY	SVG
Minicraft	READY	SVG
Model Factory Hiro		PNG
Moebius Models	READY	SVG
Monogram	READY	SVG
Pocher	READY	SVG
Revell	READY	SVG
Takom	READY	SVG
Tamiya	READY	SVG
Trumpeter	READY	SVG
Zoukei-Mura	READY	SVG
Zvezda	READY	SVG

Here is the current list of initial kit companies. In order to use the logos I need vector graphics. When I get all of them as SVG (or similar) I can move forward.

[bfrd]

I activated the logos for Scott's Bomber Build forum. I needed a test forum so I picked his. There is a drop-down option for selecting the kit manufacturer. If it isn't listed, select "Other" from the list and just type in a name. I still have some sizing and layering details to hammer out, but overall it doesn't look too bad.

[Twokidsnosleep]

I activated the logos for Scott's Bomber Build forum. I needed a test forum so I picked his. There is a drop-down option for selecting the kit manufacturer. If it isn't listed, select "Other" from the list and just type in a name. I still have some sizing and layering details to hammer out, but overall it doesn't look too bad.