Any news about Xenforo 3.0, can we expect modern forum?

qnkov

qnkov

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Hello. For half a year, I have been looking for a modern forum system to start an anime/manga site with various features. For example, a video system for watching movies/episodes, a way to add manga/anime as pages with information about them, topics with posters, etc. I saw that all of this is possible with Invision Community.

I waited to see version 5, but it turned out that the self-hosted platform is extremely expensive and has functionality limits. They also changed the way we acquire add-ons, significantly restricting options, and almost no themes exist for their latest version.

On the other hand, XenForo seems like a better alternative in terms of user base and price, but the forum and themes, in general, look like they’re from the early 2000s. I understand that some may find this nostalgic, but it looks incredibly outdated and is not visually appealing.

That’s why I’m wondering what exactly to expect with version 3.0. Can we anticipate a modern interface similar to Invision Community? I really don't want to go to invision as they may drop self-hosted in next version, as they aim for big comapanies, not common users now.
 
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Modern for me is not in the aesthetic but in the functionality. I'd like to see a streamlined feed that included all content from all official add-ons and profile posts (configurable), and I'd like to see some sort of algorithm for showing profile posts that have been replied to since they cannot be bumped and get lost easily when new ones are created. However allowing them to be bumped would also solve that. I'm hoping 3.0 has some sort of incorporated feed as part of the style for What's New as, the "looks" of XF are fine. However discovery is lacking due to disjointed add-ons and neglected features (profile posts).
 
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Wildcat Media said:
and every sentence with "lol"
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I feel attacked lol

Wildcat Media said:
I've been working in web forums since 1997
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~prob started my infopop forum in 2000? Had a geocities site in 1997/1998 though.

beerForo said:
I'd like to see a streamlined feed that included all content from all official add-ons and profile posts (configurable),
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Yes! This would be great. I have so much different types of content from Showcase, AMS, RMS, IMS, etc and it should all show up under one stream in the what's new without having to use tabs. (configurable of course)
 
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qnkov said:
When someone sees something more visually appealing and pleasant to the eye, they recognize it instantly. That’s what I saw in Invision Community the moment I looked at it and explored it, but the people there just don’t focus on the average user anymore, so for my hobby, it’s a completely unnecessary platform.
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I don't think any forum software is gonna give you what you want out of the box. Also, this general look and functionality is what forums are about and make them much more functional than the basic editing and structure that social media provide. It's been around since the early 2000s, but that doesn't mean it's obsolete, far from it.

Perhaps a solution is to contact a professional theme developer to create you a custom theme to your liking, for a fee. XF is enormously customisable and can look totally different to the default theme that you see here.

Tagging @Russ of PixelExit as he might be able to sort out something for you and has a great reputation. I suggest sending him a DM to discuss your requirements. Good luck and hope to see you join the XF community. :)

pixelexit.com

Premium XenForo styles and themes

Easy to use and super fast XenForo styles and themes with the best support on the market. Give your community a new look that it deserves.
pixelexit.com pixelexit.com
 
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It has been a while since my last XF addon, but I think if you really need the customization, give PayloadCMS a try. You do need to bring your own website design and resources but it seems like setting your own headless CMS up would be less trouble than modding XF to your needs.
 
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What i love about xenforo is the fact that this site alone has so many addons and resources.
It means that there are people who can help you with your site.
Even if you just want minimal addons they help make your site better.
The OP said that he is from a phpbb background.
He should import his phpbb site over here and look at the xf official addons.
Along with looking at the https://www.pixelexit.com site for styles.

Now is not the time to be talking about the old times.
You want new.
 
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Wildcat Media said:
So older users don't mean crap to the Internet anymore?

Nice. Really nice. 🙄 Good way to spew more hatred in these divisive times.

I've been working in web forums since 1997. Was with Compuserve several years prior, some of that time as a sysop. Don't tell me what works and what doesn't.

Got news for all of you. We still get younger users on our forums and you know what? They have no problems whatsoever figuring it out. None. There is nothing dated about the functionality. If it looks old, put a new frickin' skin on it and be done with it.

It's the clueless dolts from social media who can't use a forum. And no forum wants that level of stupidity visiting their community...the ones who can only write in acronyms and end every sentence with "lol" instead of punctuation they learned in effing grade school, and ask questions without doing the most rudimentary of searches. They are the ones who need the crutches of algorithms to push content around so they actually notice it, as they have the attention span of a flea with ADHD.

I'm done with this pointless conversation.
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Some observations, and not directed at anyone in particular:
1. Designing for forums vs designing for social media do have fundamental differences. One of the biggest is the social media platforms are usually designed as mobile apps, or for mobile. This means UIX focus on thumb reach, swipe features, and simplification because of smaller screen size are prioritized. Forums carry the legacy of 20+ years of desktop design, for better or for worse.

2. If your target audience are seniors or boomers, then maybe the traditional layout of forums are a strength! On the other hand, for the Gen Z or Millennial generation, the traditional layout and navigation probably aren't a strength.

3. There's a lot of vitriol directed at social media, so ignore the words "social media." Instead, ask yourself how excited you could be if you could obtain a platform that would:
-Simplify notifications and streamline activity from multiple apps
-Personalize content discovery
-Surface the most engaging content

Wouldn't you really want that platform? At its heart, social media is a discussion and content platform that has incorporated really advanced and powerful personalization features.
 
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qnkov said:
Back in the day, I used PhpBB—probably started around 2002-2003 with a forum. Just looking at the default XenForo interface takes me back. The options, the dropdown menus, the media, even the existing themes—they all seem quite basic. I'm not here to argue, just asking if there will be any changes to the overall visual interface of the forum to make it look more modern.

When someone sees something more visually appealing and pleasant to the eye, they recognize it instantly. That’s what I saw in Invision Community the moment I looked at it and explored it, but the people there just don’t focus on the average user anymore, so for my hobby, it’s a completely unnecessary platform.

I’m not trying to offend anyone, nor do I want to get into details or argue with anyone over that. Those who understand what I’m saying—understand. That's just question of mine, as i my goal are to reach the new generation, young people with modernization.
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To be honest the vast majority of folks you're trying to reach based on your thoughts won't go for a "forum" system no matter how modern-looking it is. They are stuck in Facebook groups etc. I have to use both .. facebook, x, etc combined with my xenforo forum to achieve what you want. Not because Xenforo is antiqued but because groups of people use many many platforms these days.
Now using a shoutbox add-on and a couple of other things has helped me limit that because my users can log on mobile and chat etc.... I guess all that to say 3.0 won't necessarily be what your looking for in my opinion.
 
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Would like a modern UI from 3 as well. Current design is from 2017 and it really feels that way. I ask my team what to choose IPS of XF, they don't know much about functionality, they see the difference visually and they pick IPS. Think about them like about a share of new clients for XF and what they choose and why. They maybe make a mistake, but they don't know it and they have the reason. Later when they realise they picked the wrong software, it maybe too late for easy migration. I believe XF should be released in a new modern style before anything else.
 
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Mark87 said:
To be honest the vast majority of folks you're trying to reach based on your thoughts won't go for a "forum" system no matter how modern-looking it is. They are stuck in Facebook groups etc. I have to use both .. facebook, x, etc combined with my xenforo forum to achieve what you want. Not because Xenforo is antiqued but because groups of people use many many platforms these days.
Now using a shoutbox add-on and a couple of other things has helped me limit that because my users can log on mobile and chat etc.... I guess all that to say 3.0 won't necessarily be what your looking for in my opinion.
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Anime/manga is still a pretty popular topic for forums, and depending how he does it will still generate a lot of user content (maybe not so much discussion).

I don't completely see his vision, as he is not doing something that is more common, but if he already has an audience 🤷‍♂️.
 
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