There's no difference in maximum color depth for these formats as they are both lossless, but the difference between them is that png is compressed while bmp is not. Transparency is also supported by both formats, but png tends to handle it better since you can do gradient transparency with it if you want to get really fancy.

I've got to admit, the version 4 software layout does look pretty slick, but I'm wondering if the sluggish response from the version 5 software is due to the fact that the large graphics seem to reload on every new page. Just a thought.

Thanks for sharing those for comparison.

Even on the backend Admin Control Panel, which looks very similar to 4.X, it is very sluggish. There's just no real explanation for it other than some backend coding. We even tried moving to CloudFlare in-case it was our host.

+1 vouch for vB 4.

We use 4.2.2 on Era-GO and are very happy with it. The only problems we have ran into were scaling issues and high process usage, which were both problems of the host and of Apache, not vBulletin.

In case Stephane or anyone else is wondering about the backend to compare to his specs, we are only running on a small VPS with 1GB of RAM and 20GB of SSD space. We are using a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Python/Perl) stack to power everything, although I would like to eventually swap it to a LEMP (Linux, Nginx, MySQL, PHP/Python/Perl) stack.

We have 1,000 active members, have 75-100 members online at a time, and have had up to almost 370 members online at a time. vB4 has served us to be very robust and a reliable forums solution.

I agree, however, the problem with this is that every new user that signs up for a client account gets a Graal####### account name by default.

You can only change it (your community name) after subscribing for gold service...which would again, but a "gold only" restriction for initial access to the forums.

I personally believe it would behoove Graal Online as a business if they opened up forum registrations to everyone, since they are moving towards a different pricing model for things. When a video game goes Free to Play, you rely on microtransactions and the hope that your game is popular enough that 2-5 dollars is enough money when multiplied out by hundreds or thousands of customers.

If you put up barriers between your game and its online community, you risk crippling the potential for more customers and thus more money.

In that sense, I believe the Graalians forum to be doing Graal Online quite a service in supporting the community. It is integral to making money, oh... and making friends and such :)

Anywho, I hope our opinions help you in the upgrade process. I realize forum care-taking can be very stressful!

Option 2 is the best really. As Technology progresses so doesn't software. It might take a little bit of work but would also allow us to use and update these forums to the latest features.

Preferrably option 2.

I vote for vBulletin 5. Ipboard is a DRASTIC change which I predict some may not like, but then again change is definitely overdue. VBulletin 3.8 would still be a downgrade realistically, it's 2014. Just being honest.

Only addition I have is when you open up the client have there be a tab on the log in screen that you can click that will take you directly to the forums.
I like to check them often but I forget a lot and considering I log in daily on client I would remember to check them often.
:)

Also whenever you log in forums you receive a notification that someone has responded to a reply you made on a forum.
Like when you get a private message.

An upgrade is always good and well needed, but we should focus on features a tad bit more in my opinion, which is where addons come into play. We need new things overall, not just a new a look.

That's what I was stating a bit :p

The problem with this forum isn't the look, it's how it's run. This has always been an issue. I hope we get more relaxed rules.

What's wrong with the rules?:redface:

Option 2 is probably the best idea.
More work, but rip it off like a band aid- upgrade it to the latest version

Hmm I do agree, but I don't think the forum rules are crazy. If the majority of the community was not minors, I think rules wouldn't be such an annoyance.

The majority of these forums aren't minors.

I think most of the forum goers on here are in their 20's at least.

Pretty sure the age of posters on Graalians is lower, yet the rules are more relaxed allowing for a wide array of content to be posted. Anyone that denies the rules here are bad are out of their minds, you only have to look back at the last 12 years.

edit: whoever neg repped me, y u hide name?

Even if this were true, any age can read these forums. Unixmad wants these forums to be for the game. He wants people to be able to come here for game related things, without all the other nonsense. They should be able to come here without the fear of being attacked for whatever reason the attackers have. It's not going to happen, and if there are no rules, the reply is, "well, it's not in the rules....where does it say that?" Yea, I have gotten that a lot.... I have had many people tell me they wont post here because of some of the "oldbies of the forum" make fun of them, or are mean to them. The fact is, we have to have rules when it comes to minors, period, and the adults should be more understanding to the fact that this game DOES have children, lots of children, that play, and read these forums. I want them all to feel they can come here without issues, but with the understanding that they have to be respectful to others, when they post.

The Graalians forums seem to do just fine and is flourishing with less strict rules, and it consists of members of all ages, but mostly minors. I don't know if you've noticed, but this forum is like a desert.

I agree that there should be rules, but if they are too strict no one wants to post. Because the post will get deleted anyway for voicing their opinion. Just like this post most likely will be.

yea, I have read some things on that forum :rolleyes: I certainly don't want it linked here. Reading those forums only makes me glad that we have the rules that we do. There is no reason to allow people to attack others, period. I would rather have forums like a desert, and have the few that want to post appropriately, then have nonsense like that. It infuriates me.

and what about the posts/threads which are deleted/locked despite not being in any way victimizing towards members?

or is discussing an unresolved bug that affects a paid-for privilege somehow attacking/being mean to an administrator?

I am sure there was a reason for it. Posts/threads are not removed for no reason.

What are you even talking about? That forum is incredibly tame, especially when compared to forums for other multiplayer games. The part in bold confirms what I've been saying btw.


It's good that unixmad is updating this forum, I just wish we could get some real changes.

It's "tame" because it is moderated.

Yes, it has good rules and good moderation.

:confused:

edit: by Graalians I don't mean that UGCC one by the way...

If you are talking about those other forums.....don't even go there. I'm not even going to argue with you about that, because it is horrible.

I'm not arguing about that, UGCC was bad. Graalians is civil and tame, I can't understand why you claim unacceptable things get posted there.

No....just, no. I am done discussing this, there is NO point. I stand by what I say.

I'd like to apply for forum moderator.

Are you sure you're not thinking about UGCC?

Slow your roll Darlene.... I think what everyone was getting at was we actually need more rules and to make the current rules a bit stricter.

So its against the rules to post other fan sites? I can see posting about other games... But you said you don't want "that" forum posted here. Maybe I'm wrong correct me if so. But your the forums administrator not the forums dictator. I don't mean any type of disrespect but that's a little childish? Is it because YOU don't moderate those forums, or is it because more people reply on those forums then here? My opinion is non-biased because I don't like graalians much either, but its a little ridiculous to hate against fan based sites. There is millions of games out there that have thousands of fan sites. And out of those million games GraalOnline is the only forums (ONLY 1 in a million) that's against it. something isn't right here.

Everyone that supports Darlene raise your hand.

<_<
....
>_>
....

Think of all the active Graal players and developers who have criticized and left these forums due to its moderation. Now go look at Graalians.com and see them all posting actively and happily. That should tell you right there that whatever you think you're doing to "benefit" these forums is doing the polar opposite.

BTW in terms of Graalians.com being inappropriate, I seen creepy man woman porn on these forums, have yet to see it on Graalians!

Sheeeeet, this forum still exists? Old people will always be set in their ways, I guess.

We have such a unique community here, just saying. I love it lol.

this thread isn't about Darlene its regarding the suture of our forums, I was just replying to the rules she stated. Lets focus on the future of graal.

I'm not a very large part of this community but I do know this - no forum is without its problems. No moderator is going to be loved by everyone. Graalians has its own set of problems as well.

Isn't it a bit redundant to be debating the quality of a moderator on the forum that they moderate? You'd have more joy appealing to the individual who leads the moderation team.