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Ling
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 09:03pm

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	Oh my... Once upon a time, when Gaia was a baby, each developer was responsible for the UI of their own features, so you would see certain button styles that were only for guilds or only for journals. This worked okay at the time, as the site was a wee little thing with only 3 or 4 features. But now that there's a lot more features on Gaia, that doesn't work so well anymore as some icons started getting re-used for multiple purposes. For example, the exclamation point is used on the "report this thread" button as well as to notify you when you have a rare event...and as well as to represent icon the Site Feedback forum. In the words of brunosmad, the site has been "Frankensteined" together. So, one of the bigger projects I've started is to document all the different icon styles we've been using on Gaia and try to unify the looks and meanings. As you can see by my gonk, this has been a very hairy task so far... and by no means are we going to finish it quickly. I'm chipping away at the granite with a spork, but slowly but surely you guys should start to see a more cohesive icon style on Gaia in the future.

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ENJOY MIKE MYERS!

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The Last Lord of Time
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Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 09:17pm


	A little chaos never hurt anybody wink Good luck with it all, by the gonkyness it looks like you'll need it biggrin

Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 09:21pm


	I'm the last person on earth who would like chaos. You should ask L0cke how neurotic I am to make sure everything's planned down to the last detail. smile

Ling
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Zen Gentleman Lifeguard
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Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 09:26pm


	Have you guys ever thought of documenting this before? Sometimes I wish Gaia would release its own anthology (i.e. a history of Gaia's development). I know it would be a ginormous undertaking (please don't kill me gonk ) but a lot of the user run "THE HISTORY OF GAIA" threads are incomplete or only cover one aspect. Having the archives forum is awesome. Still, I think some of the newer users might benefit (if they are interested) in how Gaia got its start. Think of it as a good PR opening. Thanks for all your hard work, Ling.

Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 09:35pm


	Yep, we have thought about it. I can't talk about that subject any more than that though, sorry. ninja

Ling
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Zen Gentleman Lifeguard
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Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 09:45pm


	It's cool. I can respect that. It sounds like you guys are running a pretty solid operation these days. It makes me happy/proud... as weird as that sounds... I'm very happy with how the site's developing - and growing. 3nodding

Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 09:45pm


	Poor Ling. D: So many icons... My advice would be to maximize all the larger parts of this job first, that way it won't seem like you have that much. Ignore finer details unless you absolutely have to pay attention to them. Then, once everything large has been tackled and done, take the smaller parts five at a time if you can. I've found that by seeing the big picture of a project and just taking out the most major parts on a paced (not necessarily planned but at least paced) tends to relieve a lot of stress and make it much easier to do. Refining and doing the smaller things in groups not only gets them done faster but enlarges the tasks in perspective, making it seem like there's not so many. That's what I've always done with large projects at school and it works for me.

Druki
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Ling
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Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 10:00pm


	Thanks for your two cents, Druki. I'm actually doing something like that; I'm grouping icons/buttons with similiar functions together and when I'm done I'm going to take a step back and see if there's anything that immediately jumps out at me as really confusing/needing-to-be-worked-on-ASAP-because-it's-probably-confusing-people. Kind of like triage.

Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 10:19pm


	You're very welcome. Sounds like a plan then. Just pace yourself and it'll be done before you know it. Doesn't seem like there would be too many confusing things with buttons/icons, though. It just seems like they need an update/revision.

Druki
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dBEf-GAEc-18E-BBAf
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Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 11:45pm


	Thanks for organizing our site bettar, Ling. To be honest, I actually like the design :P A lot of it's differently meshed together parts feel kind of like hmm, a mosaic perhaps? A lot of different pieces put together to make one really beautiful overall image. Of course, a little cleanup is due.

Commented on: Thu Apr 26, 2007 @ 11:52pm


	What an enormous undertaking xd I know I've recognized when buttons have changed to be more congruent and matching, it looks like you're doing an awesome job. Good luck! Zen's mention of a sort of development history is somewhat I wanted to make in video form, it's why I filmed at the Anime Expo panels and such, but I don't think I have good enough or enough footage period to make my own. If you're interested in making a documentary of some sort, keep me in mind, I'd love to help if I can. Even if you hire some sort of formal production company, I hope I can add something? blaugh I'm studying Film Production at my university currently, so this has always been an interest to me.

espy.ness
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Blaze-kun
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Commented on: Fri Apr 27, 2007 @ 12:38am


	It might help to print smaller versions of them out and lay them out all on the floor to better visualize and arrange them all, if monitor space becomes an issue. Good luck with your project Ling! biggrin

Commented on: Fri Apr 27, 2007 @ 01:22am


	I've already been noticing changes around the forums and the PM boxes. :3 Good work, keep it up, we love you! 4laugh

Cid High-Wind
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Calmer
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Commented on: Fri Apr 27, 2007 @ 01:23am


	Huh, it's actually really interesting seeing them all laid out like that. Comparing that to when it was closer to just editing the old phpbb blobs to say Trade and things like that, it's a massive leap. (I'm intrigued by that -> START HERE <- sidebar; don't think I've ever seen that... or was it in Channels, maybe?) Is there going to be an element of having the Flash game design teams also cohering to a single standard of buttons and the like for future games as well?

Commented on: Fri Apr 27, 2007 @ 02:21am


	I've started noticing these new buttons/small graphics. I think it happened right before my eyes in my inbox yesterday. Now I know who to thank for them. 4laugh They're looking good, what's been added so far.

Shiarka Jonless
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Tsukabu Nosoratori
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Commented on: Fri Apr 27, 2007 @ 03:15am


	It's cool that there's going to be a more 'cohesive' icon style as you put it 3nodding I joined back in 2004 and I remember the rock puppy with the waggling head every few seconds. Is it going to be brought back? Or is it a thing of the past now?

Commented on: Fri Apr 27, 2007 @ 11:55am


	Yeah, the start here image comes from channels. I thought the site was being taken over by those ugly bevelled buttons... whee Maybe new button styles that you're working on could be released with any new site design ninja

MrMadman
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sdeleven
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Commented on: Fri Apr 27, 2007 @ 04:11pm


	Go Ling! 4laugh

Commented on: Fri Apr 27, 2007 @ 06:06pm


	Ling: your doing a great job keep up all the hard work on gaiaonline also have fun with what you do.

timjew
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l Syntax ERROR l
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Commented on: Sat Apr 28, 2007 @ 01:49am


	So much icons gonk . Wished there was a zoom in button to this picture... And why is the images link to photobucket??

Commented on: Mon Apr 30, 2007 @ 04:48am


	Hope time passes by quickly. ^^ I love seeing all new icons and developments at Gaia, it makes me feel spazzy and fuzzy inside. 3nodding I think a lot of them are already pretty unified together, good job and keep it up. ^^

SOawesomeness
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XDmaster4
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Commented on: Mon Apr 30, 2007 @ 07:29am


	i would just write down a list off all the items that are on gaia.check thatmlist twice if you didnt forget any. tghen just make an button for all like one reply button for guilds forum and pm that dont seems to be an hard way (yes there are an lot buttons )

Commented on: Mon Apr 30, 2007 @ 09:39pm


	Good luck, Ling. ^_^

Tutsumi Hybrin
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heck_yes_cheerios
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Commented on: Sat May 05, 2007 @ 12:01am


	I love the improvements on Gaia already! >w< Sorry i'm late AGAIN. I would have totally commented this morning but when I was reading your journal I had this feeling the bus was coming and I looked out the window and it drives by. "HOLD THE BUS HOLD THE BUS!" I could hear everyone Sighing from back at my house. >____>; My classmates are wonderful, aren't they? Lets see what been going on in my head today... Well I totally had this dream where I was my Gaia avatar and I was playing Mario Kart and I remember like jumping out of my car and like getting my water meat and hitting Yoshi! Poor yoshi... I know that wasn't AS random as before but eh, I tried to pay attention in schol this week. D: THEY ACCTUALLY THREATENED TO SUSPEND ME BECAUSE I DOODLED ON MY PAPER. XDDD Well I doodle on so much of my homework so it makes me look like I did the whole assignment. Normally my teachers are like "Well atleast she turned in a paper this week... 20/20!" lulz.. Anyways, don't worry, i'll be running up to you going "OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!LINGYOUREMEMBERI'MTHECOMMENTERINYOURJOURNAL!" So yeah.. Watch out <3 3nodding

Commented on: Tue May 08, 2007 @ 04:42am


	Aw, Ling, don't hurt yourself. ): I'd help if I could, but I really can't, can I? >.< Heh heh. Good luck with that, I'm sure the site will be a lot more organized looking once you're all done with this. Btw. Are there sneak peeks up there for stuff we may be seeing soon? ninja

Arancia
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HAIRCLIP
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Commented on: Fri May 11, 2007 @ 09:23pm


	I can see what you mean, graphically it's not uniform. But honestly, I see these images so much I don't even notice.

Commented on: Sat May 12, 2007 @ 12:04am


	You and I may not notice because we've become accustomed to it, but that doesn't mean it's not confusing to less experienced Gaians.

Ling
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Manchester I Darkfield
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Commented on: Sat May 12, 2007 @ 09:26am


	I'm glad that you admins still care for us ^^ please keep up the good work! 3nodding

Commented on: Sat May 12, 2007 @ 11:45pm


	Nice pic.

K COL
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res novae
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Commented on: Mon May 14, 2007 @ 02:42am


	I can understand why you said, "Oh my..." xd I've noticed a few of the button changes. It's very nice of you to make them. ^_^

Commented on: Sun May 20, 2007 @ 12:56am


	Oh. That's going to be so awesome.<333 You should use the emo emote for the reporting button. Just a thought.<333 Best of luck on it and I look forward to future innovations.^^

~Le~Squiggle~
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Telstel
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Commented on: Mon May 21, 2007 @ 11:45am


	Tre Cool oh and your house is really cool Telstel Gogetta

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