[WEB][Pre Alpha] MineCMS - Server integrated forums and social network.

MineCMS Update - February 2012
MineCMS is about half way to beta now. We have 4 active developers (Hopefully 5 soon).
If anyone is interested in applying for a closed beta then leave a comment.

Check out our new homepage (Which is almost finished) http://www.minecms.org

Here's a brainstorm of forum functionality: http://i.imgur.com/QQNs7.jpg

EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.

 

I think this is a good idea, and we both could profit if we work together. Using the SpaceBukkit this could be very well possible and awesome.
What do you think? Would you like the idea to develop this CMS together with our technologies?

 

@Antariano Just checking out your demo now. Looks pretty cool. Is it written in php?
I think I might go ahead with designing on my own, but maybe look at merging when we both have stable releases? or when I at least have some basic code written I've barely started planning yet, and I'm just trying to gather some interest haha.
You can always lend a hand with coding if you want. That might make it easier if we do merge them?

@Antariano Oh you're using CakePHP

EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.

 

@ttocskcaj

Yes, cake is our framework. But SpaceBukkit is not just the panel, it's a complete server wrapper/API that gives you access to tons of informations (more then JSONAPI).

So what I'm suggesting is that you could use our wrapper. The Panel and your CMS in my opinion should be separate so people can chose what exactly they want. Let's say we make integration "optional".

For coding: I have to see how much time I can invest. I was definetly looking to hire some more people in my team, so maybe I have either the time or can see if I find coders to direct to your project.
If I work with you I'd be interested in GUI design mostly. I have enough of PHP for now, since SpaceBukkit butchered my social life.

 

@Antariano That's good, because GUI is where I'm lacking, and yours is pretty awesome haha. I'm good enough to do all the php myself, but it will still be a learning experience for me. I prefer to build everything from the ground up (maybe including a few libraries etc) than using a framework like cake.
Is your wrapper/API separated from your panel? And is there a list of functions somewhere?
Maybe we could make the two "sister projects"?

 

Yes, it's independent. And what you use to code is up to you.
If you can wait a couple of days, we'll publish our API officially at our wiki if that's ok with you

 

@Antariano A couple of days is fine. Got a lot of planning to do anyways haha

 

@ttocskcaj
One quick thought.
I think a forum is a bit of an overkill.
Maybe providing a bridge integration to all major forum softwares is a smarter solution.
Altough then it would be kinda difficult to make that whole ingame<->website thing.

Maybe we come up with a better solution, but understand:
as you said, there's tons of better software out there. So if people will use your's it's because of the minecraft integration thing.

So I would rather concentrate on that. Forums, in my opinion, are a bit too much. Maybe a "social network" of some kind, where every user has it's profile (maybe with some statistics from the server), private messaging, microblogging and all that stuff.

Think about it

 

Yea. I'm thinking a hybrid social network/lite forums.
Like I said, the reason I'm making forums is because the current forum software available are is all a bit bloated for using in small communities like minecraft. It would only be basic forum/topic/comment etc.
Like I've put in that brain storm in the first post, there'll be profile pages and stuff, like a social network.

 

I am so gonna use: this when it gets combined with spacebukkit!

Also, this would get really interesting if you put in an API to make things as: lets say, Widgets?

EDIT by Moderator: merged posts, please use the edit button instead of double posting.

 

Widget madness invades SpaceBukkit Zino, first we build the basic app, then we can think about dynamically extending it.

 

aha, I would really like to use the beta version :3

 

You want an API for community developed widgets etc?

 

Please god no. I thought Essentials was limited to Java, now it's coming for PHP... Why god why do this to me? Is nothing holy in this world?



(market is too small for this to ever be anywhere near as good as say a XenPorta, IP.Content or Joomla-PHPbb-Customskin set up)

 

This is an awesome idea, i'd be greatly interested in helping/testing if possible!

 

@jasvecht I'm not gonna force it on you But I fail to see how you're comparing it to Essentials?

 

Ill help, I know PHP and Java. Both i'm very good with.

 

It is trying to be everything for everyone and that's why it'l fail at everything for everyone


You'll find it's problematic to maintain and develop such a system properly and you'll likely end up with a bunch of incompetent systems which will be used purely because it's simple to set up. And truly, should people who value the set up time of a system over the long term scalability and features be the ones to create them to begin with?

 

It's not trying to be everything for everyone. Everything I've written above is just ideas.
Yes I sort of agree that maybe they're not the ones that should be setting up servers etc, and you could argue the same with admin websites. "People who can't figure out Linux and using bukkit through a console don't deserve to admin a server" and stuff like that. But in the end, there are people who will find it convenient, and easier to use a system like this. Just like people will use the web admin systems.
Even as I've started planning this, I've been leaning more towards just creating a forum that's purpose built for Bukkit, and not a full package. But we'll see how it turns out.
Like I said, no one's forcing you to use it, and in the end, I'm developing it mainly to use for our community. I figured some other server owners might find use in it.

 

Altough you must admit - a "social network" of some sorts with direct link to your server, in-game <-> out-game integration - sounds cool

 

I agree, but the same can be achieved by outputting java results to XML then making mods hooking into notifications and social features of IPB and XF (No, not the other ones. These are the only two forums for which it'd be efficient and powerful)

 

I do see your point. But this forum/social network will be more geared towards Minecraft without the need to do a lot of set ups etc. Not every server admin knows how to make forum mod and stuff like that.
Also, IPB isn't free or open source, so probably doesn't suit a lot of minecraft communities. As cool as it looks. I'm not willing to pay for it just to make a mod that would be free for anyone to use.
Personally, I find it easier to code a site from scratch rather than trying to learn a forums mod API, and I'm doing this as a learning experience as well.
If no one needs/uses it then oh well. We'll still use it for our server. And I would of learnt something.
But going by the poll, I already have 9 people who will use it, or at least try it out.
If the project fails (which I doubt), feel free to say I told you so.

 

I think you should do it. If you believe in something you will succeed in doing it!
This could be very awesome especially for small communities.
And regarding forums: well, since I guess forums will be opt-in, and not opt-out, nobody will hinder you to use your forum software of choice!

However, an advice: start small. Don't pretend everything right from the start. Start with 1.0, then add features.

This said, don't forget to be awesome!

 

MineCMS - Minecraft communities the awesome way. lol

 

We are working on it https://github.com/TheSocialNetwork

 

Aw I thought I was original haha. You might have some trademark issues with that name

 

totally xD
It's just a project name

 

I don't suppose you mind some friendly competition?

 

I'll help out on the Bukkit side if you want.

 

Question about forum permissions.
Do you guys prefer to have total control over what each user can see/do. (phpBB's permissions, for example)
Or would you prefer simplified permissions. (Group based - Letting a group either see, or not see a forum etc.)