OrbiterLinks.com

StableIT

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Hey all,

I made a small website called OrbiterLinks.com and while its not really finished yet I thought I would put the name out there for feedback and ideas.

The focus of the site is to help those newer to Orbiter find their way around information. Why is this useful? It speeds up the process of finding the many types of content (add ons, scenarios, tutorials, ect) to someone who doesn't know where to go. This is due to there being many places on the internet where these resources are available.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Otherwise?

:banana: - Eric
 

supersonic

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That is a really good idea.
Something like that would have been really helpful when I first started messing with Orbiter.
 

statickid

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don't forget altea space!

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:55 PM ----------

ok, peeked at the site, looks great so far!

I was thinking the first page should have an overview about what orbiter is

that way, if someone stumbles upon YOUR site, they can read it and then hopefully be tempted to browse your links and will download orbiter.

---------- Post added at 05:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 PM ----------

also instead of having a page like dansteph mixed with all the "big search" add-on archives, maybe you could have a broad search section for places like orbit-hangar and avsim, but then have a section with popular projects/big contributor add-on developers like dan steph.

that way people could see that there is a difference between the legion of stand alone meshes and the huge projects like AMSO or historic collections of rockets, or even the extended family of dg-inspired crafts.

---------- Post added at 05:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:05 PM ----------

and i just mean groups of links, of course. like this:

ARCHIVES:

AVSIM.COM
ORBITHANGAR.COM
ETC

EXTENDED PROJECTS:
AMSO.COM
DANSTEPH.COM
ALTEAAEROSPACE.COM
ETC...

p.s. I know those example links are bogus but the idea is there :lol:
 

StableIT

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don't forget altea space!

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:55 PM ----------

ok, peeked at the site, looks great so far!

I was thinking the first page should have an overview about what orbiter is

that way, if someone stumbles upon YOUR site, they can read it and then hopefully be tempted to browse your links and will download orbiter.

---------- Post added at 05:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 PM ----------

also instead of having a page like dansteph mixed with all the "big search" add-on archives, maybe you could have a broad search section for places like orbit-hangar and avsim, but then have a section with popular projects/big contributor add-on developers like dan steph.

that way people could see that there is a difference between the legion of stand alone meshes and the huge projects like AMSO or historic collections of rockets, or even the extended family of dg-inspired crafts.

---------- Post added at 05:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:05 PM ----------

and i just mean groups of links, of course. like this:

ARCHIVES:

AVSIM.COM
ORBITHANGAR.COM
ETC

EXTENDED PROJECTS:
AMSO.COM
DANSTEPH.COM
ALTEAAEROSPACE.COM
ETC...

p.s. I know those example links are bogus but the idea is there :lol:

Wouldn't forget Altea :)

Updated the front page, thanks for that tip!

Separating the resources is certianly a good point, I will put that into effect and sort the current content into it :thumbup:
 

StableIT

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too late... :shifty:

The forums were already up, their hosted from downloadorbiter.com and share support for both sites as well as downloadorbitersim.com - or at least that's where it was headed :lol:

No offense intended, do want to know - is the forum a bad move?
 

bpops

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The forums were already up, their hosted from downloadorbiter.com and share support for both sites as well as downloadorbitersim.com - or at least that's where it was headed :lol:

No offense intended, do want to know - is the forum a bad move?

I'd leave the forum links up, but just shoot them over here :)
 

Tex

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Nice catchy domain Eric and I think the idea is sound. I would suggest a much simpler design though. Perhaps just one page with all the link categories at a glance. With the current menus it takes some time to find the links and it might be confusing at first. At any rate, just my 2 cents. :)

Concerning the forum, I think its simply a support forum for the site itself. Perhaps it would be used to post suggestions for new additions, though I don't see a demand for it since there is already a nice suggestions page. :tiphat:
 

StableIT

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Thanks for the tips!

I will think more on the design / layout. There is a good deal of content planned and being adjusted, I will look into consolidation :)

The forums are there for more than just Orbiter Links, they are also there to serve as communication for the Archive Project so that those of us testing and confirming files for .torrent are able to communicate. It would be hard, probably not even possible, to do that and offer support without forums.
 

Moach

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very cool site! - this could attract a number of new pilots!


now, if you wouldn't mind a few ideas, here goes:

- have the downloads put up in order of relevance - main packs should be highlighted

- raise attention to the fact that orbiter has no sound until OrbiterSound is installed (lots of newbies miss out on that)

- possibly, do before-and-after pics of the most common texture addons

- add a short, yet concise explanation of what each addon is and why one would need it

- possibly, merge the "about" section with the overview, it's ok to have a little more text on each page

- to avoid splitting the public, i'd advise your forum links redirect to here... you wouldn't want your visitors to miss out on our lovely company, right? :lol:

- have it noted right up front that orbiter is freeware and constantly in development, by Martin and by us addon-monkeys as well

- have a page explaining the basics of orbiter (interface, ships, MFDs), and linking to the best tutorials too

- put up a FAQ page - people love FAQ's, and those are often very helpful

- hail the :probe: somewhere :thumbup:



this is just my what-i-would-do's.... great work so far, anyways :cheers:
 

StableIT

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I'll make a quick note on some changes and alike that are planned based on discussions. If your suggestion is not noted here, it does not mean its bunked just attacking the list in pieces ;)

RE: FAQ: Today I worked out the details for an FAQ, its preview is here. There is a little minor debugging to do, but so far it appears it will do the job.

RE: Link content layout: I started working with a half-baked tool that potentially will let folks submit links directly to the website. Right now the form shoots to an email account and its a bit ineffective as this site is intended to be a group project, like the other two sites. IF this works, it would make it so that there is one page with link categories, then within each of these categories are the links themselves with descriptions. Thoughts?

RE: Layout / Design: I also updated the layout to give more space to the content. I deducted from the sidebar navigation menu to accomplish this, which also cleaned up that menu.

Thank you!
Eric
 

StableIT

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so how do i join?

Registration for the forums can be done at both downloadorbiter.com and downloadorbiter.com/forum/ - it does require an email account you can access :)

---------- Post added at 10:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:57 PM ----------

Concerning the forum, I think its simply a support forum for the site itself. Perhaps it would be used to post suggestions for new additions, though I don't see a demand for it since there is already a nice suggestions page. :tiphat:
I mis-read this before and just now saw my error, sorry bout that!

The forms on the page were an idea that is failing to pan out due to logistics. I love how they look and function on the visitor side however this leaves me doing all of the support over e-mail which is not very feasible.

I'd leave the forum links up, but just shoot them over here :)
Its difficult to form a response as the idea of having Editors (like Moderators) helping with the sites it is still a very new idea for a project. As for the Torrent Archive, it certianly needs to have specific forums where communication is threaded and sorted.

very cool site! - this could attract a number of new pilots!


now, if you wouldn't mind a few ideas, here goes:

- have the downloads put up in order of relevance - main packs should be highlighted

- raise attention to the fact that orbiter has no sound until OrbiterSound is installed (lots of newbies miss out on that)

- possibly, do before-and-after pics of the most common texture addons

- add a short, yet concise explanation of what each addon is and why one would need it

- possibly, merge the "about" section with the overview, it's ok to have a little more text on each page

- to avoid splitting the public, i'd advise your forum links redirect to here... you wouldn't want your visitors to miss out on our lovely company, right? :lol:

- have it noted right up front that orbiter is freeware and constantly in development, by Martin and by us addon-monkeys as well

- have a page explaining the basics of orbiter (interface, ships, MFDs), and linking to the best tutorials too

- put up a FAQ page - people love FAQ's, and those are often very helpful

- hail the :probe: somewhere :thumbup:
this is just my what-i-would-do's.... great work so far, anyways :cheers:

- Re: A simpler sorting of the content -good suggestion, well taken and I'll keep at it.
- Re: The Orbiter sound - will probably best go in the FAQ I'm working up :)
- Re: Picture content - As I'm only linking to the general links and not a file-by-file rate, this might not work out, thank you tho!
- Re: I killed the About page, agreed that it was needless fat.
- Re: Addon Desc's - At least right now, there is no intention to make it file-by-file, however this will be kept in mind if the site gets there.
- Re: Folks missing out on O-F pffft, hardly I love you guys :) The forum thing was discussed farther up in this same post, please note that :)
- - Re: Splitting the Public - sigh, this HAS hit a while back me as it also limits my growth. I can't say much at the moment however.
- Re: Note that Orbiter is freeware and Martin & the Dev's are great folks - yup, I'll note that in the FAQ for sure!
- Re: Page about Orbiter - do able, worth keeping in mind while working out the content structure! The Tutorials that I'd planned to link are really the very basic ones. Just to keep visitors from being overwhelmed.
- Re: Probe - Damnit, why didn't i catch that.. LOL I'll make space once the dust around the layout settles :) (and I'll add it to the others).
 
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