on the mobile version you have to click something to see comments and on the pc version you see them while you read opening the door for spoilers. I propose that in both case the comment section on chapter be moved at the bottom of the chapter. you should have read the chapter before commenting anyway so it shouldn't cause issues. that way people will always see the comments or at least that there are some before moving to the next chapter. just another little proposal to even further improve this awesome website.
I'm on the PC always and have no issues with the set up as it stands. The comments or the lack of comments are not going to change my own comment on the chapter. It is the story. Also someone could just go through the chapter and get to the comment section anyways. For aesthetics it is fine where it is at.
My issue is not aesthetics: it's functionality. I write on my phone while taking the bus a lot. Its harder to switch between the two sub tabs when calculating the votes on a Quest story than it would be to just scroll up and down...
On pc the issue isn't aesthetic. Try to enjoy a chapter full of suspense with a comment in bold saying. ARE YOU CRAZY WHY DID YOU KILL THIS CHARACTER!!!!! Just on the side of the screen.
I can see the purpose on a phone, but I still prefer the PC to be on the side. Perhaps look for an option where members and authors are able to hide and show comments in stories. Then you can see your raving fans comments when you want to see them instead of always being around.
If I wanted to read a spoiler I would read the comments weather they are on the bottom or on the side. Would you like if readers can't see one another comments? That wouldn't be a bad idea for quest stories, but it would be bad idea for other stories.
The point from TheDespaxas is about those of us who don't want spoilers. When comments are on the side, you don't always get a choice in the matter. If someone makes an all-cap comment, it's a natural eye-catcher, very difficult for someone to not be drawn to it and garner bits and pieces of the comment, which may contain spoilers. The mobile layout conceals comments when we read the bodies, but the desktop does not. The desktop ensures everyone knows there are comments on this thread, while the mobile doesn't even put a number next to the comment button (and that's assuming people actually realize that's a button); this is compounded even further by the fact that CHYOA doesn't offer a switch between mobile and desktop views, likely because of how similar they are. It's not a bad idea. I don't see this being a high priority unless it's a super simple fix, and there might be some pushback on the mobile layout, but I'd back it.
I must be missing something because I am not sure how it can be counted as spoilers since you can't see the comments when reading a story because of the separated scroll bars. The farthest down it goes is to the story stats and that is only if their or not a ton of tags.
You touched on it yourself: conditionally unviewable. The comments become concealed by the About tab if the writer(s) employ a large enough wall of tags or a large enough summary to bump the comments down low enough and only if the About page is open. The comments become concealed by the Customize tab if the editor inserts an a large enough number of customizations to bump the comments down low enough and only if the Customize tab is open and assuming there is a Customize tab. The comments become concealed by the Score tab if the writer(s) have a large enough number of variables and conditions to bump the comments down low enough and only if the Score tab is open and assuming there is a Score tab. And all three apply if we don't mistakenly scroll through the side tab instead of the story page and if we don't scroll faster than the page loads; in the case of the latter, that will scroll us down both parts of the page, revealing comments. Too many conditions make this solution unreliable. Certainly, many stories clear the first three hurdles, but not all of them, and it's the remainder as well as the final two hurdles that make accidental spoiling a real possibility.
I still find this a non-issue after more comments. Your always going to get people who want to see spoilers either if it on the side or on the bottom. Those who don't want to see the spoilers will read the chapter first. Most stories that I've at least read don't even have a single comment. All I hear in the forums is people wish they would get more comments. Maybe we should force people to comment after reading a chapter that are registered on the site. This way everyone gets a comment from registered users and also block reading comments from non-users. And it prevents spoilers like several users above seem to want.
It depends on the size of the window. I usually use only the half of screen, so I assume it looks like mobile with a fold-out sidebar. Maybe there could be a user option to only have the sidebar button like it is on mobile due to the small width. That could be pretty useful to draw some attention to the comment section. Is there already a suggestion about this? I'm quite sure that CHYOA doesn't distinguish between mobile and desktop. It should be mainly the browser size which determines the look of the site. (responsive web design) To tell them "don't register"? Or to get a ton of annoyed and useless comments?
This whole "getting spoiled by comments"-thing is something that has not happened to me so far. Iff this is a real problem for some people, and if it could be solved by moving the comments section to the bottom of the page, then this sounds like a good thing. However: If we would move the comments section below the chapter, would this really be a solution to the problem? Couldn't you still get exposed to possible eye catching comments? What about the idea with the number next to the comments? Perhaps only expand the comment section, if you click on it?
i'm used to read stories with pretty long chapters (on my phone) and didn't consider the issue it would have with short chapters on pc.
Yes. Coincidentally, it was suggested in the previous incarnation of this thread, which was also created by TheDespaxas. That would certainly explain the differences being so minute. Either way, the point was we can't choose if we get the concealed tab or the side tab, which is what Nemo of Utopia found problematic. Only if I scrolled too far too fast. Even truncating the same thread as you did, I was able to conceal everything below "Add a new chapter" from view. Although I acknowledge my case may not be everyone's, it proves the bottom would be an improvement. I could get behind either one of these. We'd still have the problem of people usually ignoring that part of the page, but the number could change that all by itself.
I'm use to having my screen full and never figured that out. Well now that the issue has been resolved why do we need it on the bottom for when you can hide on PC or on mobile?
That only means we can choose to have a hidden tab when 100% would mean a side tab. It does not mean we can choose to have a side tab when 100% forces the hidden tab. Thus, I still consider it to be a no-choice situation.
This bickering is pointless. The decision to implement or not is in Friedman's hands now, we can only wait for an answer.
