Can you elaborate on what about UI.X 2 and its specific theme (what ever that is) offer higher registration rates, higher posting rates, in general more engagement from the community, higher returns in advertising revenue, etc. so why ever go with a theme that is not optimized for all these factors. I'm not understanding how this is possible or done with your specific theme apposed to others.
Sure no problem. Speaking specifically on themes, here is what I would say:
UI.X 2: A core framework built for ease in customization, based on Material, all XenForo placements of components kept
UI.X 2 Pro: Same as UI.X 2 (a child theme) strict Material with other specific opinions on ideal UI - mostly just style property changes on the framework.
The reason we didn't want to do these specific changes to UI.X 2 is because some people may just want the framework without the strict Material guideline. For example, in UI.X 2 we won't have a sidebar navigation; in UI.X 2 Pro, however, we will, as that is what Google states is the ideal navigation experience for threaded conversations. And there are many other examples of this.
UI.X 2 will also include setup, customization of an hour at least, and a lot of key add-ons that we feel every forum should have to get the best experience. Let me know if this clears that question up.
Thank you @Mike Creuzer for cleaning up and clarifying this for all of us, so if I'm getting this straight, UI.X 2 Pro will practically be UI.X 2 with the extra addons that are usually paid?
Pro is far more opinionated, where as the core UI.X is more of a framework. Worth restating that the core UI.X along with the Pro child .xml file and resources will be in the main UI.X release as well. But in regards to extra functionality, yes, you would have to purchase add-ons separately. UI.X 2 Pro is an opinionated theme, with setup, consultation, customization, and the most necessary add-ons.
So if we wanted to get the "Pro" experience but didn't want every feature, we could just buy the addons seperate and keep with UI.X 2 for the same feel? The "Pro" being the extra support and guidance along the way.
More or less, this would work. Here are the add-ons for example I'm pretty sure we're going to include (normal price at the end):
- [TH] Trending Pro (requires a cron at server level to be more performant, so requires setup which we will include) - We currently charge $400 for select big boards and is not current in resource manager here at XF.com, but we plan to include this add-on in UI.X Pro
- [TH] Reactions (similar to Post Ratings, feature parity but with some huge performance improvements and new features, such as multiple ratings per post per user as an option) - $40+ normally
- [TH] Nodes - Node grid, customize node icons per node, style inheritance from parent node into thread, and more - $20+
- [TH] Threads and Posts - Abridged signatures so users can toggle displaying signatures, original poster graphic, and more tbd - $20+
- [TH] Bookmarks - Bookmark nodes, threads, and posts, widgets to display them - $20+
- [TH] Covers - Add banners to profiles, threads, resources, and more with resize option, performance options, colors and profile customization options, and more - $20+
- [TH] Image Optimizer - Optimize uploads through Kraken.io - $20+
- [TH] Topics - Choose multiple 'topics' or 'tags' for your thread to allow for a better UI. Similar to Flarum UI, except we'll support multiple. - $40
- Expect more, but at this time this is all we have finished.
Items in
blue we plan to have free in UI.X anyways.
So this is roughly $180+ (prices aren't for sure in stone yet) in add-ons alone, plus UI.X which will be $35, and setup and customization with 1 hour included (we normally charge $159/hr). The idea is that it should be a good idea, or good cost benefit, though it is obviously a bit more than what one might expect to spend in one go, the goal is that it'll pay itself off in the good it brings your community as a package. Something buying a single theme or add-on cannot do on its own, let alone without having an expert development team to back you up on install/setup.
@Mike Creuzer I'm very interested in UI.X 2 Pro, very very interested. Just to understand, Androidforums is done with that technology or is a completely custom project? Love the way it's done...
We first did a Material theme for
@Ernest L. Defoe for his football forum. We then rebuilt it to be a bit more Material-strict in our
Material product. AndroidForums was somewhat of a fork of that theme, still based on UI.X. They had a lot of specific requests, but have taken over new tasks with their own development team internally for the last 6 months.
UI.X 2 Pro will be more opinionated, more Material-strict, and we'll be making sure its as clean as possible, something you dont always have the luxury of doing when working with clients, too many cooks in the kitchen sometimes.
Which features are specific to the pro version?
Mostly just the add-ons as listen above, but specific instants. For example, we'll have bookmarked nodes and threads in the sticky sidebar with widgets, something that will require setup. We'll have node grids setup in a way where people can easily find your content, Trending setup and configured with the data and preferences setup based on the size of your board. Nothing is ever perfectly cookie cutter, which is why we're making this a package and a service.