Nexia's "Newscast" (existing vB3 add-on)

[Hyperion]

Here is the modification I have in mind:

http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=230470&highlight=newscast

Here is a screen shot of its use at my forum:




That sits above the forum listing on the index page (forumhome). I have renamed the title on the header to "Sample Topics." Also, I have chosen to display two topics, 400 characters each. Here is a screen shot of the settings in the AdminCP:



I would like something like this for xenForo, if anyone is interested. I think it better than merely displaying the titles of latest topics because you actually get to see some of the content of selected topics. I especially like this for first-time visitors to see.

On an unrelated note, this is my first time using the attachment feature as it is implemented in xenForo, and I love it.

 

[Hyperion]

I wonder if there is a way to pull content like this for display above the forum listing (as show in the screen shot above) without requiring a portal page.

 

[Hyperion]

The only add-on I found so far that is similar is this: http://xenforo.com/community/thread...-posts-sidebar-block.15439/page-7#post-301632 I replied to the author of that add-on (click link for details), but I wonder if anyone here might be interested in such an add-on for xenForo, knows of a more similar one in existence for xenForo, or would be interested in making one?

Such an add-on would be much valued since it would allow guests to see some of the latest content the forum has to offer before having to browse first. As you know, many guests may not even be bothered to browse before leaving due to short time to entice them, but having a sample of the commentary from the opening posts of the latest topics may hook them before they see anything else, especially if it is displayed above the forum listing.

Such an add-on would allow you to choose the amount of characters from the opening post of the new topic to display, how many new topics to display, whether or not to include formatting from the post, and to exclude certain forums by Id number.

If you know how to make add-ons but know this one would be difficult and do not want to do it for free, how much do you think it would be worth in money?