Temporary Forum Icon Changes

ZOS_Kevin · March 2022

Hi Everyone,

As you may have noticed, our ZOS "Z " icons have been temporarily replaced with the ouroboros logo. We are currently working on updating the forum icons and have these up as placeholder for the time being. Once we have new icons, we will update the community accordingly. Thanks for your patience.

Tommy_The_Gun · March 2022

I think it is great idea to change those for something else. Also, just a short feedback: would it be possible to have different icon for developer team & different for admin/mod ? Very often I see this icon and click on a forum thread hoping that it is a dev or community manager saying something interesting, only to realise it is forum moderation team. Would be nice to have different icons so people could know in advance what to expect.

WhiteCoatSyndrome · March 2022

Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »

Also, just a short feedback: would it be possible to have different icon for developer team & different for admin/mod ? Very often I see this icon and click on a forum thread hoping that it is a dev or community manager saying something interesting, only to realise it is forum moderation team. Would be nice to have different icons so people could know in advance what to expect.

Second this. I know we’ve got the Dev Tracker but separate icons would still be nice.

redspecter23 · March 2022

Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »

I think it is great idea to change those for something else. Also, just a short feedback: would it be possible to have different icon for developer team & different for admin/mod ? Very often I see this icon and click on a forum thread hoping that it is a dev or community manager saying something interesting, only to realise it is forum moderation team. Would be nice to have different icons so people could know in advance what to expect.

Third this. It would be an absolutely amazing quality of life change. Hopefully the new changes will include this as well.

Dark_Lord_Kuro · March 2022

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

As you may have noticed, our ZOS "Z " icons have been temporarily replaced with the ouroboros logo. We are currently working on updating the forum icons and have these up as placeholder for the time being. Once we have new icons, we will update the community accordingly. Thanks for your patience.

It would be a good oportunity to give a new icon for the forum moderation team toore easyy distinguish them from you, gina and other dev team member and comunity manager

LurgidBean · March 2022

I also find it odd that seeking out official information from ZOS on the forums, would regularly lead you to viewing disciplinary actions against other players' postings. Is it a good idea to visually label & bring extra attention to any thread that had a moderation comment?
"Hey! We know you're just trying to find some official info since you don't use Twitter, but why don't you take a scroll past these 15 ZOS comments in the past 72 hours that are only moderating individuals on our forum...What were you looking for again?"

ZOS_Kevin · March 2022

Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »

I think it is great idea to change those for something else. Also, just a short feedback: would it be possible to have different icon for developer team & different for admin/mod ? Very often I see this icon and click on a forum thread hoping that it is a dev or community manager saying something interesting, only to realise it is forum moderation team. Would be nice to have different icons so people could know in advance what to expect.

Thanks for the feedback on this, everyone. We are hoping to improve that process. It will take a little development work, but our hope is to get different icons for both dev/community and admin/mods. If it doesn't happen in this first round of changes, it will happen later this year. We'll keep everyone updated once we have more info on this. But wanted to highlight this is on our radar.

spartaxoxo · March 2022

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »

I think it is great idea to change those for something else. Also, just a short feedback: would it be possible to have different icon for developer team & different for admin/mod ? Very often I see this icon and click on a forum thread hoping that it is a dev or community manager saying something interesting, only to realise it is forum moderation team. Would be nice to have different icons so people could know in advance what to expect.

Thanks for the feedback on this, everyone. We are hoping to improve that process. It will take a little development work, but our hope is to get different icons for both dev/community and admin/mods. If it doesn't happen in this first round of changes, it will happen later this year. We'll keep everyone updated once we have more info on this. But wanted to highlight this is on our radar.

I recommend a town guard avatar for the mods. And that they sign off all their posts with how they used to be a admin such as yourself, but then they took an arrow to the knee.

Ariont · March 2022

spartaxoxo wrote: »

I recommend a town guard avatar for the mods. And that they sign off all their posts with how they used to be a admin such as yourself, but then they took an arrow to the knee.

Best idea of all time. Excellent!!! Agree 100%

ApoAlaia · March 2022

Given the similarities of the 'Z' icon with... other stuff, this is IMO a welcome move.

Pretty swift too all things considered.

Thank you.

JavaRen · March 2022

Is there still a loading screen tip in game that refers to the Z icon denoting Game Masters?

Sylvermynx · March 2022

JavaRen wrote: »

Is there still a loading screen tip in game that refers to the Z icon denoting Game Masters?

Yes.

chaz · March 2022

Thanks for the heads up

kind_hero · March 2022

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »

I think it is great idea to change those for something else. Also, just a short feedback: would it be possible to have different icon for developer team & different for admin/mod ? Very often I see this icon and click on a forum thread hoping that it is a dev or community manager saying something interesting, only to realise it is forum moderation team. Would be nice to have different icons so people could know in advance what to expect.

Thanks for the feedback on this, everyone. We are hoping to improve that process. It will take a little development work, but our hope is to get different icons for both dev/community and admin/mods. If it doesn't happen in this first round of changes, it will happen later this year. We'll keep everyone updated once we have more info on this. But wanted to highlight this is on our radar.

I am sorry if not understanding the issue here. But what development work is required to change a few forum avatars and create categories for different types of users?

Anyway, I hope you will improve this and find a way for us to differentiate dev posts from moderators or CMs.
Thanks.

Sylvermynx · March 2022

kind_hero wrote: »

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »

I think it is great idea to change those for something else. Also, just a short feedback: would it be possible to have different icon for developer team & different for admin/mod ? Very often I see this icon and click on a forum thread hoping that it is a dev or community manager saying something interesting, only to realise it is forum moderation team. Would be nice to have different icons so people could know in advance what to expect.

Thanks for the feedback on this, everyone. We are hoping to improve that process. It will take a little development work, but our hope is to get different icons for both dev/community and admin/mods. If it doesn't happen in this first round of changes, it will happen later this year. We'll keep everyone updated once we have more info on this. But wanted to highlight this is on our radar.

I am sorry if not understanding the issue here. But what development work is required to change a few forum avatars and create categories for different types of users?

Anyway, I hope you will improve this and find a way for us to differentiate dev posts from moderators or CMs.
Thanks.

Well, unless things have MATERIALLY changed with vanilla's forum software, it's not simple. In fact, even phpbb's setups for differing forum user-groups is pretty complex, and vanilla's software is nowhere NEAR as good as phpbb. Yes, I have developed for both, but only use phpbb now.

ZOS_Kevin · March 2022

@kind_hero Good question. The development time would be for the icons that appear next to forum threads. Currently, only one image can show up there. So that is why everyone isn't sure when ZOS team or mods comment in a thread. The development time is to allow multiple images show and what triggers them to show (staff vs. mod comments). Vanilla is great at a lot of things, but sometimes we need to do a little extra for extra integration. We also need to allow time for our teams to work on new icons. So that all takes some time.

Hope that answers your question!

NeeScrolls · March 2022

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

. The development time would be for the icons that appear next to forum threads. Currently, only one image can show up there. So that is why everyone isn't sure when ZOS team or mods comment in a thread. The development time is to allow multiple images show and what triggers them to show (staff vs. mod comments). Vanilla is great at a lot of things, but sometimes we need to do a little extra for extra integration. We also need to allow time for our teams to work on new icons. So that all takes some time.

Hope that answers your question!

hey @ZOS_Kevin , a quick follow-up question if i may ... Any chance for a PLAYER-made "contest" to see who could come up with like 2 or 3 potential ESO themed new icons for each Staff type?

It could save on some of that development time.... Although, i suppose it might also cancel itself out with having to sort thru all the numerous umm inappropriate versions certain people might try to submit as a "joke" .

-- So yeah nvm lol
.

ZOS_Kevin · March 2022

Hey @NeeScrolls. Good question! While not for the usage of staff icons specifically, we are working on a contest of sorts for player made icons. More news to come later but since you asked, it is on our radar for the forum. It's in an effort to give everyone some control of what things look like.

We are just working on the specifics to make sure guidelines and upload structure for submissions make sense.

NeeScrolls · March 2022

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Hey @NeeScrolls. Good question! While not for the usage of staff icons specifically, we are working on a contest of sorts for player made icons. More news to come later but since you asked, it is on our radar for the forum. It's in an effort to give everyone some control of what things look like.

We are just working on the specifics to make sure guidelines and upload structure for submissions make sense.

Awesome, can't wait! Thanks again for the replies.

Sylvermynx · March 2022

Wow, that's something to look forward to! Nice!

ValarMorghulis1896 · March 2022

ApoAlaia wrote: »

Given the similarities of the 'Z' icon with... other stuff, this is IMO a welcome move.

Pretty swift too all things considered.

Thank you.

The best move these days would be to exchange the "z" with a sunflower!

OutLaw_Nynx · March 2022

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »

I think it is great idea to change those for something else. Also, just a short feedback: would it be possible to have different icon for developer team & different for admin/mod ? Very often I see this icon and click on a forum thread hoping that it is a dev or community manager saying something interesting, only to realise it is forum moderation team. Would be nice to have different icons so people could know in advance what to expect.

Thanks for the feedback on this, everyone. We are hoping to improve that process. It will take a little development work, but our hope is to get different icons for both dev/community and admin/mods. If it doesn't happen in this first round of changes, it will happen later this year. We'll keep everyone updated once we have more info on this. But wanted to highlight this is on our radar.

Much needed change. No one cares about a mod telling us they removed a post.

whitecrow · March 2022

ApoAlaia wrote: »

Given the similarities of the 'Z' icon with... other stuff, this is IMO a welcome move.

Pretty swift too all things considered.

Thank you.

Oh good grief. A Z can't just be a Z now?

Sylvermynx · March 2022

Apparently not. Zeta is now.... something totally anathema.

WhiteCoatSyndrome · March 2022

whitecrow wrote: »

Oh good grief. A Z can't just be a Z now?

While I personally object to giving up 1/26th of the alphabet because of reasons, ZOS is a business and they have to be careful about that sort of thing.

If we finally get differentiated icons between the mods and the devs as a result I will count it a win.

Scaletho · March 2022

Is the upgrade 33 today? I understood up 33 was due by March, 14 on PC but I'm not seeing any news about it...

Wolf_Eye · March 2022

I actually kind of like the Ouroboros symbol. Will it HAVE to be eventually replaced, or can it stay the Ouroboros symbol? I've always thought the symbol was pretty cool in general.

ZOS_Kevin · March 2022

@Scaletho Yes, update 33 will be out later today. We are gearing up for launch over the next few hours. We'll announce across our channels that everything is good to go.

whitecrow · March 2022

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

whitecrow wrote: »

Oh good grief. A Z can't just be a Z now?

While I personally object to giving up 1/26th of the alphabet because of reasons, ZOS is a business and they have to be careful about that sort of thing.

Careful of what, exactly? What could possibly happen?

It's literally the first letter of their name and also the logo.

Will they change their name to Nenimax? (requires least amount of work, just tilt the logo)

NeeScrolls · March 2022

whitecrow wrote: »

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

whitecrow wrote: »

Oh good grief. A Z can't just be a Z now?

While I personally object to giving up 1/26th of the alphabet because of reasons, ZOS is a business and they have to be careful about that sort of thing.

Careful of what, exactly? What could possibly happen?

Hypotheticaly, the scary "Twitter mob" might could inflict it's public "shaming" wrath.

This is the society we live in now, thanks in part to Corporations and their fear.

Hopefully the pendulum will swing back from extreme-irrational to logical-reasonable someday soon.

In the meantime, i couldn't care less which letters the ESO company changes it's name to (since it is, after all, their business to do with as they see fit) . As long as their CODE works in-game, i'm good.
.

Destai · March 2022

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Tommy_The_Gun wrote: »

I think it is great idea to change those for something else. Also, just a short feedback: would it be possible to have different icon for developer team & different for admin/mod ? Very often I see this icon and click on a forum thread hoping that it is a dev or community manager saying something interesting, only to realise it is forum moderation team. Would be nice to have different icons so people could know in advance what to expect.

Thanks for the feedback on this, everyone. We are hoping to improve that process. It will take a little development work, but our hope is to get different icons for both dev/community and admin/mods. If it doesn't happen in this first round of changes, it will happen later this year. We'll keep everyone updated once we have more info on this. But wanted to highlight this is on our radar.

Thanks for the update Kevin. I hope if/when that's rolled out, that we only see Dev/CM icons. In the event both mods and CMs comment on a thread, I'd hope the icon is for the CM.