Site Update » Group Updates · 9:40am May 17th, 2015
Most of you are probably already aware of this thanks to our messages at the top of pages but I wanted to do a blog post about some of the updates we've done recently.
We now have support for private groups. This means you can make groups for discussing things you don't want other people to see. This does not make them exempt from site rules, and moderators can still see your group (for obvious reasons). To go with this, I've also added group invitations. This will let you invite people to join closed groups. Spamming invites will definitely not end well for you so, don't do that. You can accept/reject/block invitations from the new manage invitations page.
The pages for editing groups have also been remade and work a lot better (like not crashing when you make a folder...)
We've also started a massive shift in how we process images on the site which has been going on for about a week now. We have a brand new system that handles scaling images on demand. We have a lot of much smaller images now than we used to which is nice for mobile and...well anyone actually.
Avatars and group icons both support up to 512 x 512 images now. Neither make use of that size yet but it's for potential future use.
Could there be a thing where it shows you who has blocked you from their page and another thing where it lists the people that you've blocked? Just a thought...
3075316 Yes I actually thought of this while making that page
Please don't scale up the group icons again. I'm remaking enough group banners as it is with the switch from 100x100 to 256x256. (And replacing low-res icons.)
Hey I use my phone and I can't find where to make a group?
3075340 ignore that I worked it out
SECRET GROUPS!
[PLOTTING INTENSIFIES]
Seriously, seems like a neat idea, but it could also create large, secret groups that don't interact with others. Like fractures, so to speak, where large chunks of user base just hide out. I guess that's okay. More or less. Or I'm just tired and not thinking this through.
That was an awesome update. Thank you!
Cool, new features!
I absolutely love this idea, but I did come across one problem. It's one that's been present to me since I created an account. Since I'm stranded on mobile, I find it difficult to upload the group icons. Before these new features, it simply didn't upload. However, when creating a group with these new features, I found that to be exactly the case, except now, the banner wouldn't upload as well. This might have been a problem with my device refusing to upload directly, but after five minutes, I came back to my groups to find an entirely new one had appeared, with both the banner and icon. I was certain the two hadn't been created simultaneously. I then deleted the first group.
This may just be a problem with mobile or my device itself, but I'd be interested to hear if it's site-related, if you have the time.
Thanks knighty!
I wonder what editon/version of FIMFiction this is...
Beta? [strike]Alpha[/strike] nah, not alpha. Version 1.45.2? Or Version 1.2.7?
I really wonder how many changes FIMFiction has made ever since its first recorded in the Wayback Machine in 2011. (AKA. The Internet Archive)
But from what it said here...
FiMFicton appeared to have been started before MLP:FiM even started, I know it is just a mistake...
But still, how did the idea got started and when was the idea "FIMFiction" thought up? Just curious to know ^^
3075389
This is the solution for when the site goes non-pony as there won't be a large community anymore but this would help prevent different fandoms from clashing as much. At least that is my guess.
I wonder, who will report the invisible roleplay-focused closed groups?
3075844 Some guy actually recently tried to start an RP thread in a group I run. Luckily, everyone ignored his retarded idea.
3075901 Luckily indeed. But what to do with groups focused entirely on roleplay? What if all the invited members enjoy the activity? Being the group a 'private group', all the threads will become invisible to the general public. Who will report them?
Any chance we can get a photo album module for groups like we have for user pages?
This is an excellent and welcome addition to the site! I've already found it very useful in order to make a group for story development, when that group would be filled with spoilers that I'd rather the public not see.
Something I've noticed though, is a bug where new groups don't have their group icon showing up in the notification feed area. Also, old groups that have had updated group icons will show the old icon in the feed.
3075906
No one. The mods will eventually see them.
Love ya babe
I'll suck you off (no homo)
Knighty could you put in the next update a Luna emogi
There's 1 for everypony even Photo Finish but not Luna
What do you think
Will you create a Luna emogi
Well now I'm regretting making my avatar 256x256 instead of doing something crazy like 4k and scaling down as needed. Welp, back to the drawing board I guess. Maybe I'll just make it a vector instead, to really future proof it.
Higher resolution icons get me hard.
Thank you Knighty.
The larger size for the avatars is a welcome change. I'll make use of it when the time comes.
And all the rest of that looks great, too. Thank you, Knighty.
>higher res avatars
>dynamically scaled
Ooh. I like this...
derpicdn.net/img/2015/4/25/882595/full.gif
--Sollace
That's great and all, but when will authors be allowed to remove their stories from groups they don't want their stories in?
3076284 That feature already exists. If you go to the group and find your story; there should be a little trash can icon next to the title to remove it.
KNIGHTY PLEASE LET ME STAIN YOUR MOUNTAINTOPS
Horray! Now groups of assholes can get together and target stories that don't fit their personal tastes with complete impunity.
3076284
You can remove it from being listed as a featured group on your story, but groups are not yours, think of them like someone else's page with a list of links: it's their page, they get to control what they write on it. You can prevent your story from linking to the group, but you can't prevent the group from linking to your story.
If the group itself is breaking site rules and putting your story in something like a "Terrible stories to avoid" folder or similar, please report it, as that sort of use isn't allowed, group folders are for organization, not hate-bandwagoning or harassment.
I know this is probably gonna get rejected or deleted, but while we're on the subject of group updates, is there a possibility of a future update where one can be notified of story updates through the Settings option? There are some stories that I like, but I don't want clutter up my Favorites, and it gets just a tad annoying checking over and over again.
*considering whether or not to start an Esperantist group*
3075906 I believe the admins would know
3075844 The guys who made this site know our emails....
oooo im interested in seeing the new image processing system.....
Hey Knighty, can we get tags for these ponies, and other new characters, if its not too much trouble?
encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSdW0athwLa_aegE6WkCeGNtrmhhem_jurbGk2BWNlTGtAoMbEb
Private groups should not show up on trending list. Probably should not show up on members' userpages either.
3076763
I have six or seven hate groups that are doing that to my fic. What is the procedure I follow to get my story removed from them?
3076763
Here are the name of all the hate groups.
Temple of Oguando
The idea machine.
no
No Originality Brigade.
Thebadfic bin.
Why?
Plan 9 From Equestria.
Rage Reviews!
Absolutely disgusting.
All of these groups seem to target HiE and other stories with rather insulting summaries towards the writers. In otherwise just plain old hate groups.