How can we considerably improve profiles?

Similar to my post on improving the homepage (which was very helpful btw) I'd like to hear some ideas about how to improve profiles on our sites. What seems apparent to me after seeing a couple similar posts on this subject is that everyone wants something different. So whatever we end doing with them know that we'll allow you to move around and edit your presentation / modules.

I'd like the ability to update my status using the top browser bar or on the main page.  Beyond that, I think you've done a hell of a job keeping the pages relatively simple.

I do mostly forum activity, with blogging very rarely and a little wiki here and there. Mostly forums though.

I would love to see a Gamespot-esque collection feature, tracking prices and stats and the like. Also, more "About Me" stuff like the 1up.com's system would be sweet, with favorites on different music, movies, games, etc. 

That is what I have for you right now. I will post later for anything else. (And acheivement support would be awesome as you already listed).

A "see more" button for really lengthy blogs and multiple reviews.

Actually, Newten made a post a while ago of a profile page mock up that was pretty good.

"I'd like the ability to update my status using the top browser bar or on the main page.  Beyond that, I think you've done a hell of a job keeping the pages relatively simple."

(80% Forums, 15% Blogs(mainly others), 5% wiki)

How about a way for us to arrange how we see others profiles(as well as our own). For example, I could set things up so that as soon as I pulled up my friends profile I could see their wall at the top, even if they see it as it normally is.

"Similar to my post on improving the homepage (which was very helpful btw) I'd like to hear some ideas about how to improve profiles on our sites. What seems apparent to me after seeing a couple similar posts on this subject is that everyone wants something different. So whatever we end doing with them know that we'll allow you to move around and edit your presentation / modules.

With all suggestions please give me some context about what you regularly do on Giant Bomb (ex: 50% blog, 25% wiki, 25% forums/comments).

Before everyone lists it a million times, yes we're looking into X360/PS3 achievement support in your feed.

"

"A "see more" button for really lengthy blogs and multiple reviews.

Actually, Newten made a post a while ago of a profile page mock up that was pretty good."

A button that takes you to a list of that users Wiki edits

A button that takes you to their review lists

"As an aside, we're definitely looking to have statues auto-update through twitter."

"snide said:

"As an aside, we're definitely looking to have statues auto-update through twitter."

That would be awesome, there are quite a few bombers that use twitter frequently, including myself. :)"

"Before everyone lists it a million times, yes we're looking into X360/PS3 achievement support in your feed."

Can you make the activity feed smaller?  I don't like having to scroll down through that stuff just to see blogs or whatever.  Perhaps make it smaller and add a scroll bar to it so you can see all of it if you want.

I'd like the activity feed to be at the bottom rather than the top. Other than that, I can't really think of anything. I guess I'll ask for a user customizable profile, where you can put what you want where you want, like I did with the homepage, but I know that's incredibly unlikely to happen

A "Now Playing" feature that lets you display what games you are currently playing.

"OmegaPirate said:

A button that takes you to a list of that users Wiki edits

A button that takes you to their review lists

This already exists. Check the left menu within a profile."

I cant think of anything to make the profiles better.
Theyre simple, show everything and are great to look at it. Lets not fuck it up :)

Newten posted some ideas awhile back (picture included).  I like the idea of room for a banner if you want one as well as the setup section.

I also think there too much empty space on the left side of the profile page.  Perhaps instead of having lists, contributions, and reviews in the middle section with large pictures, you could list them on the left side and only have a thumbnail image for the top selection (or make the image appear on mouse over for all selections).  It would be neat if you could incorporate mouse over for your friends' status as well.

EDIT: lolz, brukaoru already linked to it

"

• smaller, compact sections - like you did with the lists. Reviews strech the pages, as do old blogs. Summaries would be all that is needed.
• custom profile image header (can be integrated into the top)
• steam achievements in feed!
• keep activity feed at top and same length, just make it smaller. make use of columns
• gamertags/friend codes/steam cards
• as GTA says above, 'now playing' which shows what you are playing and ability to add a little bit of text explaining where you are/how you're finding it/whatever

all I can think of at the moment."

Gamercard support, a Now Playing box, and COLLECTIONS PLEASE! Any of that would be welcome. Especially COLLECTIONS!

And just for reference, 50% forums, 25% for both blogs and wiki.

"A "see more" button for really lengthy blogs and multiple reviews.

Actually, Newten made a post a while ago of a profile page mock up that was pretty good."

This is just a small thing, but what about displaying the forum posts below the points?

"A "see more" button for really lengthy blogs and multiple reviews.

Actually, Newten made a post a while ago of a profile page mock up that was pretty good."

maybe just like a facebook type thing with customizable boxes and removable stuff ect. So you could do a box for wiki, forum posts, games, reviews ect. Also banners are a must

90% forums
5% wiki
5%blog

"maybe just like a facebook type thing with customizable boxes and removable stuff ect. So you could do a box for wiki, forum posts, games, reviews ect. Also banners are a must

90% forums
5% wiki
5%blog"

Drag and drop a la Facebook.

This is all.

On the homepage there is the menu feature where you can click one of the categories that information gets added under in the Wiki Database and it lists you the most visited, most needing help and top editors of the day. Well what I'd like to see is it changed so on a users profile page it shows that specific users top 10 favourite Concept, Characters, Franchises, Companies etc pages. Similar to what lists can provide but more aesthetically pleasing and it would look super cool to see that sort of menu feature on a users profile page listing a lot of information in a concise and organised layout. Something that doesn't require me to scroll till my finger aches down a users profile page.

All it needs is the column on the far left listing the 11 categories that information is listed under in the Wiki and when you scroll over and click one of them it changes the information in a column on the right listing that users top 10 pages for that category.

I'd also like to see the "About Me" section bumped to the very top of a users profile page as that is the sort of important aspect of any profile page, the bit where users share a little personal stuff about themselves to the rest of us. And some people have some awesome "About Me" sections, specifically a Mr Dave Snider comes to mind, which I think should be the first thing anyone sees when they enter your profile page.

Other things like Blogs and Reviews could do with being shortened or partially hidden with a "Reveal More or Read More" button to show the full blog. Again this is just because some people write long blogs or reviews that require lots of scrolling down someones page to bypass. And my finger hurts from all the scrolling I do....

Thats all I can think of for now, I'm not totally big on profile pages as I only tend to ever visit them when dealing out moderations a la banning someone lol. So I tend to pay little attention but I would really like to see a similar Menu feature thats on the homepage incorporated into users profile pages.

Also I tend to be 50% Forums / Comments, 50% Blogs and 50% Wiki......yeah I failed maths when I was in school :(

Oh also- I'd like to be able to see everybody's full post history. It'd make it much easier to find exact quotes and things.

Yeah.

Only show the titles of your blogs and make it expand when you click the title of one. I've got some pretty long blog/list that make my profile pretty bad to navigate in.

"Oh also- I'd like to be able to see everybody's full post history. It'd make it much easier to find exact quotes and things.

Yeah."

"I would love to see a Gamespot-esque collection feature, tracking prices and stats and the like. "

The design that Newten made is spot-on with my ideas.

A few suggestions.

• Replacing the profile picture with an image header would be nice.
• Trivia stats below the wiki points.
• Crush the reviews and blogs to just show the title or the first few lines.
• A list of games you're currently playing on or near the top.

Some sort of visual Trophy system. For example one for being here since the launch of the site, another for having a certain amount of friends, one for editing and receiving a certain amount of points and maybe another for a certain amount of posts to name a few possibles.

" another for having a certain amount of friends,."

"Jayge said:

"Oh also- I'd like to be able to see everybody's full post history. It'd make it much easier to find exact quotes and things.

Yeah."

I second."

I would like the ability to link Blogger posts to my Giant Bomb blog. I know I could just copy and paste, but I'd like the convenience. That, or the ability to post blogs from Microsoft Word.