Dinosaur Toy Blog changes

[DinoToyForum]

I'm experimenting with the idea of an image grid of "quick links" on the blog's Brand pages to provide an overview of the figures in the category and to ease navigation. I've set this up on the Battat page, see: https://dinotoyblog.com/category/battat/

I'd welcome feedback. Is this something readers would like to see rolled out across the site? If so, is this the best way to do it?

(Ignore the star rating above the grid, I need to work out how to stop that appearing)

Credit to @Ikessauro whose checklist posters inspired this idea.

[Gwangi]

I've always liked the grid pattern better than the list. It makes it easier to glance at everything within a category rather than click through pages. This would be particularly useful for large categories, like Cretaceous period or T. rex.

[DinoToyForum]

I've always liked the grid pattern better than the list. It makes it easier to glance at everything within a category rather than click through pages. This would be particularly useful for large categories, like Cretaceous period or T. rex.

I was only thinking if using it for brand pages, but since you mention it, the grid works for other categories in principle. This is what the Tyrannosaurus category looks like, with 200+ little icons: https://dinotoyblog.com/tag/tyrannosaurus/

I'm not sure if I love it or hate it!

[Gwangi]

I've always liked the grid pattern better than the list. It makes it easier to glance at everything within a category rather than click through pages. This would be particularly useful for large categories, like Cretaceous period or T. rex.

I was only thinking if using it for brand pages, but since you mention it, the grid works for other categories in principle. This is what the Tyrannosaurus category looks like, with 200+ little icons: https://dinotoyblog.com/tag/tyrannosaurus/

I'm not sure if I love it or hate it!

I don't particularly like that. I preferred the square icons that also had the review titles. I guess that means they're not quick links but this format looks chaotic and difficult to navigate.

[Faelrin]

I agree with @Gwangi. This is a bit overbearing on my eyes as it is right now. The circles also cut off quite a bit of the images (such as parts of the figures heads, etc), as they weren't intended for this kind of format, which can make it harder for folks to identify and search for what one is looking for. The small size and overall closeness could have issues for folks with vision problems as well, like myself. I have one good eye, and one eye with an astigmatism that my good eye overburdens for, and as it is right now I have to strain my eyes to get a better look at things (or increase with my browser's zoom, which thankfully is an option, but perhaps not ideal).

[DinoToyForum]

I agree with @Gwangi. This is a bit overbearing on my eyes as it is right now. The circles also cut off quite a bit of the images (such as parts of the figures heads, etc), as they weren't intended for this kind of format, which can make it harder for folks to identify and search for what one is looking for. The small size and overall closeness could have issues for folks with vision problems as well, like myself. I have one good eye, and one eye with an astigmatism that my good eye overburdens for, and as it is right now I have to strain my eyes to get a better look at things (or increase with my browser's zoom, which thankfully is an option, but perhaps not ideal).

Thanks for the feedback. It's a simple matter to change the shape and size of the thumbnails in the grid. I've just increased the size and changed them to squares. But if they get much bigger they'll be less useful as an overview and may just end up duplicating the images listed on the more accessible archive pages already. So maybe these grids aren't useful after all.

I don't particularly like that. I preferred the square icons that also had the review titles. I guess that means they're not quick links but this format looks chaotic and difficult to navigate.

I know what you mean, those lists that used to be under the reviewer pages. This approach is simpler because it's meant to supplement the existing archives but not replace or duplicate them. I think Tyrannosaurus isn't a typical example because there are so many of them, it is chaotic. Ideally, I'd like all reviews to be visible on screen at once (on desktop at least).

[Gwangi]

Well, the squares are definitely better than the circles.

[Faelrin]

I think this is an improvement. Easier for me to find something, and easier on my eyes now. Thanks.

[suspsy]

I like the grid.

[DinoToyForum]

I think I'll adopt the grid then. At least for Brands at first.

The grid uses the 'featured' images for the reviews, which the reviewers pick, or if they didn't pick one, then the first image in the review automatically becomes 'featured'. With this in mind, I'll request that reviewers try to make sure the 'featured' images in their reviews are full body shots, ideally in side view, rather than, say, a close up of the head. Then each grid will show a nice suite of identifiable figures.

[Gwangi]

I think I'll adopt the grid then. At least for Brands at first.

The grid uses the 'featured' images for the reviews, which the reviewers pick, or if they didn't pick one, then the first image in the review automatically becomes 'featured'. With this in mind, I'll request that reviewers try to make sure the 'featured' images in their reviews are full body shots, ideally in side view, rather than, say, a close up of the head. Then each grid will show a nice suite of identifiable figures.

Thankfully I've always preferred full body side profile shots. I don't think I have many reviews that stray from that.

[DinoToyForum]

I've set up an author section to separate Faelrin's reviews from the other guest reviews: https://dinotoyblog.com/author/faelrin/

With a prolific 36 reviews under their name (if I found them all) I think this is justified! @Faelrin this also means you will be able to upload content directly to the blog if you like - I'll be in touch with you about that soon.

[Faelrin]

@DinoToyForum I doubled check through my email history, and it seems you got them all. Also lol, man I am way overdue for updating my pic. Goodness that was from like 2012 or so from one of my earliest modded Skyrim playthroughs.

[DinoToyForum]

@DinoToyForum I doubled check through my email history, and it seems you got them all. Also lol, man I am way overdue for updating my pic. Goodness that was from like 2012 or so from one of my earliest modded Skyrim playthroughs.

I'm not sure where the pic came from, it appeared automatically. It must be connected to the email address I used to set up your account? Anyway, it will be easy for you to change your profile image in the blog settings.

[Faelrin]

@DinoToyForum I think I originally used it on the nexusmods forums way back in the day. I use the same emails for both, and if I remember right, it was set up through Gravatar. If that's what you use, that could be why.

[DinoToyForum]

@DinoToyForum I think I originally used it on the nexusmods forums way back in the day. I use the same emails for both, and if I remember right, it was set up through Gravatar. If that's what you use, that could be why.

Yes, the blog uses Gravatar, so that makes sense.

[Gwangi]

I noticed that there are still some recently extinct animal reviews on the DTB. I thought they were all being moved to the ATB?

[DinoToyForum]

I noticed that there are still some recently extinct animal reviews on the DTB. I thought they were all being moved to the ATB?

Yeah, they've all been moved, but there are some duplicates on the Dinosaur Toy Blog that all belong to @indohyus. He was upset because he wrote them specifically for the DTB, so some of them contain DTB-related references (such as milestone posts). See the discussion here and elsewhere in the thread: https://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=270.msg327508#msg327508

@indohyus, now that the Animal Toy Blog has become well established and you've had time to come to terms with my reasoning, would you permit me to delete your duplicate reviews from the DTB now?

[Gwangi]

I noticed that there are still some recently extinct animal reviews on the DTB. I thought they were all being moved to the ATB?

Yeah, they've all been moved, but there are some duplicates on the Dinosaur Toy Blog that all belong to @indohyus. He was upset because he wrote them specifically for the DTB, so some of them contain DTB-related references (such as milestone posts). See the discussion here and elsewhere in the thread: https://dinotoyblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=270.msg327508#msg327508

@indohyus, now that the Animal Toy Blog has become well established and you've had time to come to terms with my reasoning, would you permit me to delete your duplicate reviews from the DTB now?

Ok, yeah, I vaguely remember that. That was awhile ago. I don't think he's even active anymore, haven't seen a review or post from him in a long time. 

[DinoToyForum]

I'm experimenting with a Quick Links section, which I'm considering adding to the top of each category page. The idea is that it will provide a simple overview of all the reviews in that category with a small thumbnail for each. I could add the review title as well but it starts to get messy and takes up a lot of space doing that. Here's what it would look like for the AAA Brand category:
https://dinotoyblog.com/category/aaa/

What do you think, would this be useful if I rolled it out across the blog, or is it a waste of time?