Want to find, or create, plugin for forum or Blog.

Discussion in 'Plugin Requests' started by hbaya, Aug 14, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Offline

    hbaya

    [ I posted a message about this Tuesday, August 11. Apparently the moderator did not post it. Could someone let me know if there is a reason why this should not be posted here ]

    I am looking for a plugin that would host something like a discussion forum, or a blog, invoked directly from within a Minecraft world. It would associate, and show, a Minecraft username with each post. They would not have to enter a username or password to use it. A two-way portal would be nice... go in...read and communicate... go back through the portal to return to the Minecraft world.

    Users would see past posts and could leave a message for others to see in the future.

    I want a way to communicate with users on my server, some of whom are too young for email or web surfing. I also want a way for them to communicate with each other.

    Suggestions and comments are welcome.

    Harry <redacted Email>

    [added Sunday, August 16 at 1:10 PM ]
    I have been instructed to NOT use the reply button to reply to messages. So I am going back to "edit" my original messages. I am having difficulty learning how to carry on a series of messages and replies in this forum. I gather using the "reply" button is not the correct way.

    I will write up my current best guess as to how the desired plugin will work. I won't post that anywhere until I get a better handle on how to exchange messages in this forum.

    I would like to put my thoughts in a web page and post the URL here... but I am concerned that doing so might break a rule. I have been given several warnings about my messages [I included my email address and it was redacted, and I used the "reply" button a number of times when, I infer, I should have edited this message, or the one that was being replied to ] and I am trying to learn the rules and conventions here. I cannot help but wonder whether anyone will see this message I am typing now since it is an edit of a message from several days ago.
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    [ Added Sunday, August 23, 2016]
    I am editing my original message to add the message below. Is this the correct way to do this? Should I have replied to that message?

    I have created a webpage containing text, no links, explaining my current view of this plugin request. The URL is : http://www.boppers.net/plugin/

    Though I will be offline for much of the next three weeks, I see this as a longer term project I would like to keep pursuing. Any comments or suggestions would be most welcome.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2015
  2. Offline

    teej107

    @hbaya Is this a plugin request?
     
  3. Offline

    hbaya

    Yes. The question is whether something like this already exists, or could one be developed. I am a programmer, but not strong in Java and would have a lot to learn if I were working alone on this.

    I read the rules. I see that I should not have entered my email address in the message. Should I repost the message without the email address? I did not see any other rules that I had broken. Right ?

    <Edit by mrCookieSlime: Merged posts. Please don't double post. There is an Edit Button right next to the Date.>
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 14, 2015
  4. Offline

    mrCookieSlime

    @hbaya
    Do not repost it.
    Your contact details were already been removed anyway and a Warning has been sent.

    Moved to Plugin Requests.
     
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2015
  5. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    @hbaya So you want to have a messages system in the world of minecraft where you walk around?
    You will need a huge world for that, will get annoying to find a certain post, and about posts: how would they be showed?
     
  6. I think I could think of something to do
     
  7. Offline

    hbaya

    @timtower
    Why a huge world? I don't anticipate thousands of messages. Maybe a few hundred per year. If message are few, a simple list of sequential messages would suffice - just scroll down to see prior ones. The alternative would be something like a threaded message forum where messages were stored in threads.

    Great. Tell me about it. I might be able to help. I want the kids to be able to see and post messages, with their Minecraft name tied to the message, without having to enter a username and password.

    EDIT by Timtower: merged posts
     
  8. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    @hbaya And how do you want to see everything? We are limited to what is capable in minecraft, so an in-game browser isn't possible.
     
  9. I was thinking of a book. I don't know what's the max number of pages but that will be a limitation.
     
  10. Offline

    hbaya

    The "signUrls" plugin permits links to a website. If the site linked could somehow know the minecraft name of the person who clicked the sign for the link... then a message forum could authenticate the user from its own whitelist and permit exchanging messages. Minecraft would still be running and the user could click the icon to return.
     
  11. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    @hbaya Then you could also get a plugin that shows an url when you perform /forum, same effect.
     
  12. Offline

    hbaya

    I two block high, nearly completely filled, scrolling list of text messages, would be adequate.. BUT...I think the best solution would be something like the links in SignUrls. The link would call a dedicated site with a built in forum or blog. The link would carry the Minecraft username, and perhaps the Minecraft server name, and would authenticate the user an put them into the forum or blog. SignUrl works now. After you visit the site you click back on the Minecraft icon in the task bar (in Windows) and go back into the game.
     
  13. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    @hbaya You will need to own a website with a forum though for this to work.
     
  14. Offline

    hbaya

    I looked at something like a book in Minecraft and it does not look appropriate for more than a very short message.. and has other limitations. I assume we can't just display a big scrollavle movie screen with text on it within the game, so I am leaning toward a link that goes out to a website on the same server as the Minecraft server and authenticates the Minecraft user that clicked the link. The Admin of the site would have to maintain the whitelist for the forum. The user would click the Minecraft icon to return to the game after they had read and posted messages.

    Yes, that would be a limitation. I do have access to the server that hosts my site. Longer term someone might set up a service that could be linked to and the link would provide information to allow the server to take that user to the appropriate forum for the world from which they linked.

    EDIT by Timtower: merged posts
     
  15. Oooo I've now understand it now. I think it's doable but it will cost me sometime because you have to make the web page.
     
  16. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    @elancha98 Not just the web page, an entire forum.
    @hbaya It is probably better to get a web host, get a forum on there, then just tell your users to visit that link for the forum. Hooks between the two can be implemented later.
     
  17. I think it's better to do first the implementation because the plugin depends on that. But if you prefer create a forum on some host like curse which probably would have a good api.
     
  18. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    @elancha98 And what would be the first implementation in your view?
    And I doubt that Curse would host this, but there are many web hosts out there, the API isn't depending on the host but on the forum itself.
     
  19. If it's a host that only host forums the development of the web page is null but we need the host to have a good api the other option is to program the forum (lots of work) but the api will be OK
     
  20. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    @elancha98 Hosts generally provide more than just forums, most of the time they give you the power to choose and install what you want.
    And you can also build an API around an existing forum, it is all database work in the end.
     
  21. Offline

    hbaya

    I can do the website... but it will take me some time too. I will be using PHP and probably MySql... maybe some JavaScript (which I am just learning after a 12 year lapse). The key thing will be that the website will need to know the Minecraft user name of the person that linked to it.

    I already have a Moodle site on the server. Moodle supports a fairly robust forum. However, the users would have to log into Moodle with a username and password and then drill down two levels (select course, select forum). I'm guessing that will discourage the kids. They are obviously technically capable of it.. they do far more complex things in Minecraft... but I want to make it really easy...one click, or two, and they are into the forum/blog.

    <Edited by bwfcwalshy: Merged posts, please use the edit button rather than double posting.>

    I have almost no experience with anything like building and API around an existing forum. It would be nice if I could modify an existing forum, hosted on my server, so that it could be entered directly (without having to log in with username and password) by clicking something (like signUrls) in Minecraft . If I create a forum the initial version will be very simple... possibly just scrolling sequential messages.. no threading. The key thing to me is that the user has to click only a few times, no typing, to get to where they can read and enter messages. Am I correct in assuming that the link could carry some information with it, like the Minecraft username of the player that clicked for the link?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 15, 2015
  22. Not really, the plugin will send post request with headers, it just have to handle it

    The plugin can set a password like "password" to everyone, that way you don't have to modify the entire forum to avoid login

    <Edited by bwfcwalshy: Merged posts, please use the edit button rather than double posting.>
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 15, 2015
  23. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    @hbaya @elancha98 To both: please use the edit button instead of double posting.
    @hbaya Try to think of how you want everything to work first which needs to work with minecraft in any way, then get back to us.
     
  24. Offline

    hbaya

    At one point someone, maybe you, suggested that I "PM" them (I assume that means "Personal Message"). How would I do that?
     
  25. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    I didn't suggest that. It is in my signature for when my plugins are broken.
     
  26. Offline

    pie_flavor

    Bruh. Security NIGHTMARE.
    What if their password is their UUID followed by their server entity ID?
     
  27. That's also a very good solution indeed
     
  28. Offline

    hbaya

    I am still pursuing a plugin that will allow players in a Minecraft world to click a sign and exit to a discussion forum in which they have been logged in with their Minecraft user name, see most recent messages, and be able to post replies before returning to the Minecraft world.

    I have created a webpage containing text, no links, explaining my current view of this plugin request. The URL is : http://www.boppers.net/plugin/

    Though I will be offline for much of the next three weeks, I see this as a longer term project I would like to keep pursuing. Any comments or suggestions would be most welcome.
     
  29. Offline

    timtower Administrator Administrator Moderator

    @hbaya Maybe a minimized forum hosted by the plugin itself would be the best idea.
    Then you can link it, login as the right player (as he is still in game and the communication between server and forum is instant)
    Logging in when they click a sign is difficult if not dangerous.
    Your forum needs protection of some sort, having players login when they click isn't very safe for attacks from the outside.
     
  30. That a very good idea (and do not have security issues) but it's a lot of memory and may cause lag issues so I think it's better to use an external forum.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page