Make forum formats consistent

[Snark]

This is really a suggestion about the forum itself rather than the game, so this may not be the right place to post, but I couldn't find a "suggestions" forum specifically about the forum:

Disclaimer: In a possibly vain attempt to forestall a firestorm, let me add that this suggestion is not to complain about the move to the new forum itself.  I really strongly do not like the new software, but I expect we're stuck with it and will try to restrain complaints about it as being likely unproductive (at least until we see some sort of response from Squad about feedback on the new forum).  I hope people express their dissatisfaction about the new forum, in hopes that Squad will hear and do something about it, but this particular thread is not for that, please?

Rather, I have one very specific suggestion:  Can we please make the formats consistent on the listing pages of the various forums?

Look at this forum.  This is the format that most of the forums have.  Matters of visual presentation aside, it does provide much of the same vital informationt that the old forum did.  It includes how many views the thread has had, and when and by whom the last response was made.  That's vitally important information for me-- I really need that for browsing and deciding what to look at.  Most of the forums are in that format.

Now look at this forum.  Totally different format, and missing all that important information.  Unreadable and useless to me.  Not only is it missing the vital information, but it commits the cardinal sin of inconsistency.  It's not the same as the other forums.  That makes it much harder for me to train my eyeballs to be able to skim through it; it might as well be written in a different language.

So my suggestion is:  please make the latter forum (and any other forums that diverge from the "standard") conform to the same uniform visual style and presentation.

(I hasten to add:  I don't like the visual style and would like it to get an overhaul, but give me consistency first, please.)

[smjjames]

+1 to this, I find the tech support section to be clunky now and non-useful.

[EuSouONumero345]

If those were the only problems...That inconsistency is just to add some style to the forums. It's a q&a section, so they decided to do that. I think it's the only "inconsistency" as well, at least with forums and sub-forums. I say that while I furiously rant about the forums design and look everywhere I can.

At least it works.

Edited November 30, 2015 by EuSouONumero345

[Streetwind]

After toying around a bit with the format, I'm inclined to agree that it is less than optimal, as I've written here. The unfortunate reality is that this format is not suitable for questions that cannot be answered instantly with a direct solution. And because KSP is a complex game - and tech support is a complex topic, too - most questions and problem reports are not answerable like that. You need at least a brief discussion in almost all cases; and moreover, an extended answer discussion often teaches the asking party about additional useful things they never knew before. However, the forum is configured by default to pull posts out of chronological order as soon as votes are cast. I'm sure you can imagine what this means for a longer back-and-forth discussion...

Overall, I see the problem not in the inconsistency itself, but rather in the format being an active deterrent to ongoing discussion, and thus being largely unsuitable for the sections in question.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Streetwind

[Red Iron Crown]

Moving over to the Kerbal Network, the place for discussions about the forum itself.

Edit: The latter forum is providing different information, in the interest of making unanaswered questions easier to find and doing the same with good answers within a thread.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Red Iron Crown