Announcements Xenforo 2: Major Forum Software Update!

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We can now officially announce that Final Fantasy Forums will be transferring to a new forum software, XenForo 2! Farewell, vBulletin.

(The following information is adapated from the upcoming magazine article and people are getting the news early.)

Ever since FFF was created in 2006 the forum has been hosted on vBulletin. With the ambitious leap of a dragoon we are now committing to a newer software which is still supporting updates. While not an easy decision to make, we are confident that we can hit the mark and land with our feet securely on the ground.

As some of you know by now, back in February we hinted at a big update coming to FFF soon. Initially, we made plans to reveal this announcement in our FFF Magazine (soon-to-be launched) but due to some instability with vBulletin that has been causing grief and affecting user experience these days, it is necessary to make that big leap sooner than expected.

At some point this week, @Belazor et Britannia will proceed with the upgrade. Most likely this weekend as I have some preparations to do. Since this was decided earlier today and there are still some business to handle with Lord Golbez, we will be running the site with no shoutbox (no mods/features or skin either) for a few days. But don't fret! We have FFF Discord available for your chatting needs!

Belazor will be leading us through this change. DragonByte Technologies has been actively developing mods for XenForo, and since they have provided us with not only their products but also Belazor’s valuable time and support on the forum, it only makes sense for FFF to go with XenForo from now on. DragonByte Technologies has already made their own move to XenForo, so Belazor will act as an experienced navigator of these new seas.

@Lord Golbez has agreed to the change and will be providing financial support for the mods and features.


What is XenForo 2?

“XenForo 2 is one of the most advanced forum software out there, and is truly "next-gen" in terms of speed and functionality. It's designed from the ground up to be mobile friendly, which is very important in today's space. On the flipside, it's very difficult to make vBulletin mobile friendly, as I'm sure you've experienced across the site as it is. Along with a refreshed mobile experience, the Articles section will be refreshed with a new look, the Shoutbox will be upgraded with additional functionality, and there will be options for connecting your FFF profile to your Discord profile. Last, but by no means least, Private Messaging will receive a major overhaul by being able to support multiple participants in a single Conversation - sort of like a "private thread" separate from the rest of the forum.” (Fil / Belazor, Technical Admin of FFF and Programming Director Of DragonByte Technologies)

It is only natural to find change scary. Moving to XenForo 2 is more than just an upgrade. We’ll be saying goodbye to the platform that we’ve been used to since the forum’s inception (vBulletin) and so it is not hyperbolic to say that it will be a radical change for everybody involved. The Admin team will be learning to deal with the alien environment of a new Admin Control Panel completely unlike the one we have spent years getting accustomed to for vBulletin. It’ll take some getting used to for all staff members and users of FFF alike.

A lot of people will inevitably be nervous about this move in case there are unforeseen complications down the line, but don't panic. Together we can tackle this!

Likewise, forum staff will be embarking on a more thorough test demo soon to learn the ropes of the new system. It is the staff’s responsibility to ensure that we all adapt nicely, that we are around to answer queries regarding the change and how things work, and also making sure that everybody is kept informed about the situation.

In the long run, the move should provide enhanced stability. We feel that a strong and stable forum should more than compensate for any mishaps that we might encounter along the way.


What is next?

I will be preparing for the upgrade by removing unnecessary usergroups in the meantime, since usergroup and forum permissions will need to be re-checked for every single forum after the import. That means there will be a ton of work ahead when we move to Xenforo 2. Notes and information will be taken beforehand to ensure we are properly secured in the permissions department.

New skin. Take lots of screenshots because we will be departing Seamus skin and applying a new, more modern theme for the site. We are very excited for this and have started browsing around for themes. More information on this later.

With XenForo 2 in place, this will be a great opportunity for Final Fantasy Forums to look updated and modern, and in the future we hope it will open doors for new features and possibilities.
 
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And we are back online! Hello Xenforo 2! Huge thanks to @Belazor et Britannia for his work today. Seriously, give yourself a pat in the back. Hope you get plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow is another day.

As for the update, what do you guys think so far?! Any basic features that stand out? Wait until we get additional features/mods and skin in place. =] That'll be fun. If you guys have any requests or want to bring a few things to our attention, you may use this thread.
 
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Things that stand out so far to me are definitely the Search option on Xenforo. Goodbye useless search on vB.

I also really like the "highlight user text" and having the option to quote a certain line instead of the full post. Quoting multiple without a mess.

Conversations are great too, much more interactive than the PM system was.

Bring on the updates!
 


In particular, attachments and image uploads seems better to me, the mobile design is sensational in comparison to what was there before, it looks fresher and cleaner.


Quoting is easier and more intuitive- highlighting what you want to reply to makes so much more sense.

Overall, a wonderful upgrade!


Also: The tool text popping up when you hold the cursor over a subforum is a nice touch indeed.
 
I'm loving the overall look of the place more now :). The black and orange mix is something I've always looooved (even if there isn't too much orange).

When posting videos, I like how the link automatically places the video rather than having to use the youtube tags.

I love that highlighting text lights it up green.

As mentioned, the quoting is easier and improved.

That's everything I've noticed so far.

Not a complaint as it could be coming with time, but any news on a shoutbox?
 
I think the new update is beautiful, I love it! Everything just seems much more organized and easier. Not to mention the site seems like it runs way faster. I much prefer this layout vs the previous layout we had with vBulletin.
 
Given that i'm a member on ResetEra, I love that FFF has similar features now. I'm getting more used to the place but it still feels a little lonely without the shoutbox but hey I've been looking around the forum more without one. Maybe I'll even post more. Favourite features so far are definitely conversations and watching threads which give notifications.
 
Loving the changes but I just wanted to let you all know that the forum is kinda acting wonky with signatures. They're hoping all over the place. One minute they're fine, then they're suddenly in random parts of different posts, sometimes it's an icon. It's strange. But just in case you weren't aware I wanted to let you all know.
 
Loving the changes but I just wanted to let you all know that the forum is kinda acting wonky with signatures. They're hoping all over the place. One minute they're fine, then they're suddenly in random parts of different posts, sometimes it's an icon. It's strange. But just in case you weren't aware I wanted to let you all know.

I have noticed this too. I noticed that Kira had a Jon Snow moving avatar and was confused. I also noticed that Adam had an avatar of my Mythology Manual banner which Kira made, and was extremely confused and honoured. And I've also seen other people's sigs within the text of a thread.

Some teething problems like this may be expected.
 
I’m sure these bugs will be fixed soon. :) If you guys can provide screenshots for us that would be helpful. @Belazor et Britannia

Also, yesterday the request for a new shoutbox was sent so once LG gets around to it, you’ll see a different SB soon.
 
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