Have your say on the future of Competitions Time

MSE_Stephen

Hi Compers,

We know the Competitions Time section is a bit special!

Features like Checkmarks, Expiry Dates, and Closed Filters have made this space work really well for the way you use it. These tools are currently powered by a custom add-on built just for MSE.

Later this year, it's planned to integrate these features directly into the Forum. This means they won’t be ‘tacked on’ anymore, but built in from the ground up. It will also open the door to new layouts that will bring great features to the whole forum – some of which we hope will be especially helpful for Compers.

But we want to make sure we understand how Compers use the section – especially some of the non-standard ways that you find helpful.
For example, some members have mentioned in the past that they ‘Comp-liment’ individual posts just as a way to mark that they’ve seen them. Or it might be that you use the icons at the side as an indicator for threads you’ve posted.

So please let us know:

• What features or habits do you rely on most?
• Are there any little tricks or workarounds you use that help you stay organised?
• What would you miss if it changed?

We want to get a sense of what you find really useful – beyond the main standard features – so that if the format changes slightly in the update, we can try to take the way the boards are used into account.

UPDATE: We're asking for more feedback. Please see this post

libra10

When having opened a post and deciding whether to enter the competition, I like either the tick or cross showing on the main page.  It shows that I can now disregard that post.

It would be useful if when clicking a link, you were taken to another tab or window, rather than having to right-click the link.  Also, the ability to hover over a post rather than needing to open to read would be good.

The ability to choose competition types would also be useful.  For example, I don't enter raffle type competitions, tik-tok or several other types of competitions.  The possibility of hiding them would be great.

AC55

I use the checkboxes - tick if I've entered, cross if I've disregarded or I leave unchecked if I need to come back to it (e.g. if there isn't yet an answer, if a link isn't working or if the comp isn't live yet). The boldness of the title on the comp board and the post being 'bumped' when there's a new comment is useful in that respect as I know there has been an update to the thread. (I'd be frustrated if this went away)

I think the thing that will benefit the forum are metadata tags - e.g. being able to tag if something is daily, and/or the prize is clothing, beauty etc. I do think this could help with searching too.
I would also like if any checkboxes I've ticked would go into a separate list of comps I've entered, rather than relying on the search to locate the comp (which can sometimes be a little bit temperamental).

OrangeMoo

I always have it sort=new, I then go to the last page I was entering from. I start from the bottom and open in a new tab any comp I'm interested in. I use the bookmarks to keep track of where I'm upto, I tick the bookmark every other row to cut down on the number of boxes I tick. I don't track what I've entered, just where I'm upto in the list of competitions. 

purplevamp

libra10 said:

It would be useful if when clicking a link, you were taken to another tab or window, rather than having to right-click the link.  Also, the ability to hover over a post rather than needing to open to read would be good.

This!!  It used to open in a new tab but suddenly stopped.  Instead of right-clicking and "open link in new tab" I click the scroll wheel on my mouse and it automatically opens in a new tab.  Not ideal but less clicks.

Chocolabs

I like to mark if I've entered or not. Nearly always sort by closing date and go to end page to look for competitions I've not entered.

Would like to be able to set to skip Facebook, IG and Instagram competitions as I never enter this type.

Miss being able to click on a link to open a new page to view answers and entry form and swap between them, otherwise I need 2 devices!

I also miss being able to save the competitions forum page - at the moment l ha have to go through each section to get here.

Might be a good opportunity to revamp Christmas daily competition entries too.

eyeballpaul

As I don't  do Social Media or MD, I would like them to in their own separate sections please

eyeballpaul

I would like the green and red tick boxes.
I have to use bookmark box to know what I have looked at.
I am logged in.

libra10

@Chocolabs  I also miss being able to save the competitions forum page - at the moment l ha have to go through  each section to get here.

You can save the Competition section by clicking the little bell at the top of the section.  The section then shows in 'Followed content' at right hand side of the boards.  I save it as a separate bookmark.

HTH

MSE_Stephen

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far.

Please keep it coming!

I can already see some potential to use some upcoming Forum features to help organise things. 

One-Eye

What is displayed on the second line in Forum View

This applies when there is at least one reply in a thread.

On Competitions time we have:


On other forums eg. Site Feedback we have:


Please can we have "Started By" on Competitions Time ie. the same as on Site Feedback

Personally, I don't care about the number of views, but I believe others use it as a form of popularity for the thread - good prizes attract a larger number of views.

PS. With the recent addition of the "discussion options" icon on every thread (mentioned in the OP) and the consequent loss of being able to quickly see the threads one has posted, we can't even scan down the page or use CTRL+F because the OP's username is not even shown!