[DISCUSSION] Navigation - Tales by Series Update 2023/7/24

[DISCUSSION] Navigation - Tales by Series Update 2023/7/24

EstrellaYoshte 24 Jul 2023 16:14

This is an update proposal for the (as of writing, 7) Tales by Series pages.

Mockup of Series 3 Tales: https://scp-sandbox-3.wikidot.com/scp-series-3-tales-edition
Associated fragment: https://scp-sandbox-3.wikidot.com/fragment:scp-series-tales-links

Proposed changes:

• Converted the top info part into a generic fragment for ease-of-editing, to be included on the pages
• Match aesthetics closer to the Series pages
• Bolded SCP links
• Removed all SCP links that does not already have an associated tale

Notes

I believe the setup of having all thousand SCPs mirrored from the main list is a holdover from when there was only that many set in stone. This currently leaves large swaths of SCPs without tales navigationally null (there's an argument that they encourage users to fill in with their own tales, but I'm pensive on that).

Pros: easier to navigate and parse, reduce occurrences of changes to SCP list not reflected in the Tales page
Con: additional burden onto users to add the SCP themselves if not already present

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The discussion will last for 7 days, after which the described items will be implemented unless serious concerns are raised. In the event of negative or split opinions on a proposed items, it will not be implemented.

O5 Mirror: http://05command.wikidot.com/forum/t-16187961/discussion-navigation-tales-by-series-update-2023-7-24

Last edited on 25 Jul 2023 03:20 by EstrellaYoshte Show more

Re: [DISCUSSION] Navigation - Tales by Series Update 2023/7/24

Boogey_Man23 27 Jul 2023 15:36

I am moved to chime in on this, mainly echoing the post from S D Locke on the O5 mirror. I think aesthetic changes are fine, but removing information and eliminating a potential for functional use is a bad idea.

I want to point out this Writing Challenge here. The functionality being described isn't entirely novel or hypothetical, the potential to use the TBSCP List that way was recognized years ago.

What would be the proposed solution for anyone who wanted to use the page that way, supposing these changes?

I understand that the list becoming out of date and not accurately reflecting the actual mainlist is a potential concern, but I don't think it's anything major. Series prior to the current one are pretty much all filled up and locked in anyway; and if a user is specifically seeking the most current list of SCPs, they will go to the actual SCP Series page.

I don't think there are any solid benefits to eliminating information from the page. I do think a large Con is being understated or overlooked in this.

Last edited on 27 Jul 2023 15:37 by Boogey_Man23 Show more

Re: [DISCUSSION] Navigation - Tales by Series Update 2023/7/24

EstrellaYoshte 28 Jul 2023 05:49

Potential for functional use ≠ functional use. To my knowledge, no conscious efforts have actually been made to complete the challenge.

What would be the proposed solution for anyone who wanted to use the page that way, supposing these changes?

Identically? Instead of looking at a latent copy of the Series, they can look at the gap in numbers between SCPs to do the same thing - you said it yourself, they can go to the actual SCP Series page to find out what's the titles for those numbers.

Series prior to the current one are pretty much all filled up and locked in anyway;

Series 1 is being filled in as recently as a week ago, and as of writing, the change was not reflected in the Tales By page; Series 2 as recently as 2021.

I don't think there are any solid benefits to eliminating information from the page.

Economy of information and interaction cost - there is a non-negligible amount of extraneous entries that sits inbetween those with tales, hampering the browsing experience and supposed core function of the page.

Last edited on 28 Jul 2023 12:54 by EstrellaYoshte Show more

Re: [DISCUSSION] Navigation - Tales by Series Update 2023/7/24

Boogey_Man23 29 Jul 2023 03:49

Economy of information and interaction cost

hampering the browsing experience and supposed core function of the page.

Can you elaborate on what this means, or how it may apply in the context?

Re: [DISCUSSION] Navigation - Tales by Series Update 2023/7/24

EstrellaYoshte 29 Jul 2023 13:50

The core feature of the Tales by SCP pages should, ideally, be listing tales associated with SCP entries, and in an accessible, straightforward manner.

The current setup list all the SCPs, including the vast majority of those that do not have tales - a very uneconomical use of cognitive bandwidth as well being antithetical to the effective function of the page.

This raises both mental and physical cost of interaction (in both actually parsing the sea of links for relevant entries, and physically scrolling to whichever destination), not-insignificantly impacting user experience.

Consider the three potential demographics of users of TBSCP, being casual browsers, readers looking for tales under specific SCPs, and authors looking to write for obscure entries, we're more or less raising the cost of interactions to serve a very specific subset of users who already have the highest bandwidth for these things, while the rest would still be sufficiently served by the absence of SCP links just as much as the presence thereof.

Re: [DISCUSSION] Navigation - Tales by Series Update 2023/7/24

Boogey_Man23 31 Jul 2023 07:46

In this user's opinion - you are vastly exaggerating the intangible strains associated with perusing the list as it is, while ignoring an appreciable ("potential") function which will be eliminated.

But I see no benefit in pressing this any further, so that's all.

Re: [DISCUSSION] Navigation - Tales by Series Update 2023/7/24

LORDXVNV 31 Jul 2023 12:56

I raised this question on the 05 thread, but to your knowledge, has anyone actually used the pages for the purposes of the challenge you linked or other such tale inspiration?