Posted by Kim on September 23, 2016, 12:45pm
One of the most popular requests of all time is an "app version" of the RPR. I wanted to use today's news post to talk about this idea, and what you can do to make using RPR on a smart phone a better experience.The bad news first: we're not going to make the site into an app. Probably not ever. As you may know, the RPR doesn't have a staff. It's just me (Kim) who creates and maintains all of the site features out of love, and our team of volunteer moderators.
It's hard enough for one person to create and maintain a site of this size when there's just one version, but to create and maintain 2-3 different app versions (Android, Apple, Windows Metro, etc.) would cripple the site. Every feature would take four times the work to produce, and every time there was an update to one of these platforms, we run the risk of something breaking and my needing to drop everything to fix an old feature that used to work. We already run into this with different browsers updating, and adding phone operating systems to the mix would be pandemonium. Adding apps would mean less good stuff for all of us.
Now, the good news: We have added many app-inspired features to the site in response to people's smart phone needs, and continue to do so! So, intead of asking for "an app", ask for the specific feature that you hope that a mobile app would bring to the RPR. It may just be added to the site, for the benefit of all. The history of this is pretty good, and continues to get better.
RPR home screen icon
People wanted to be able to access the RPR through an easy to use icon on their phone desktop. I made sure that the site had good icons in place so that this could be done, and done snazzily. Here's how to create an RPR home screen icon.Pages that fit
People wanted to be able to read the site without scrolling back and forth. I've slowly transformed almost every page in the RPR to be screen-size responsive, meaning the layout changes to fit onto almost any size of screen. Group editing and some epic features are still being slowly worked on, but even these are coming.A brief history of RPR being made mobile responsive:
Group profiles made screen size responsive
The main RPR site is made screen size responsive
All 167 official character templates rebuilt to be screen size responsive
Alternate control schemes
At first, widgets could only be added to character/group profiles by dragging them from the widget menu onto the page. Smart phone users lamented that they could not add new widgets to pages because their phones did not support dragging; therefore, I added support for double-clicking or double-tapping a widget from the widget menu in order to have it added to a page.Then, people wanted to be able to re-arrange the widgets on their character and group profiles even if their phone didn't support "dragging." I recently added up/down buttons to widgets to make this possible.
There's dozens of other examples all over the site, and I look forward to adding more! Please do suggest ways to improve our smartphone user experience.
Push notifications
People wanted to be able to receive push notifications about activity on the RPR. We've made this possible for Android devices, and are still working to perfect the system. When Apple adds support for WC3-standardized web push notifications, we'll expand into iPhones/iPads as well. Here's how to set that up if you are on a desktop using Chrome or Firefox, or have an Android device.Think the RPR can be made better for your phone?
You're probably right, and I want to hear about it! But as in so many things, when making suggestions, specific is terrific. Please, don't suggest vaguely that you'd like to see "an app" with no other details. The answer will simply be no, and you'll continue to be frustrated by whatever was bothering you.Instead, let me know what your specific frustration is when using the site from your phone, and if you have one, a suggestion for how you think that problem could be solved. It's exceedingly rare that an app version is actually required to make something happen. Often, it can be done directly to the site, for the convenience of all users. Hooray!
Friday RP prompt!
It's Friday, and that means that it's time for another RP prompt to spice up your RP life! This week, I have yet another genre agnostic Star Trek inspired prompt:A long time enemy suffers a natural disaster. Struggling with the aftermath, they call for an end to your decades-long conflict. Do you work to find a peaceful solution, or do you exploit the situation to defeat them once and for all? -This RP idea was suggested by Darth_Angelus
Do you have a suggestion for a RP prompt or plot bunny you'd like to see featured in the news? Send it to Kim -- if it's picked, you'll receive credit for the idea.
Post tags: RP Prompt Feature Explanations
Comments
@CelestinaGrey - Sounds like your browser app is hanging when it tries to open the site. My first advice would be to delete the icon and try re-adding it to see if perhaps the link that was bookmarked is defunct. If that doesn't work, shoot me a PM and we'll try to work through it together. 
To check your push notifications, go to Dashboard > Your Settings http://www.rprepository.com/help/push-notifications#387
To check your push notifications, go to Dashboard > Your Settings http://www.rprepository.com/help/push-notifications#387
The home screen icon for this...isn't it supposed to bring up the rpr homepage in my browser when i tap it? All it does is bring up a screen with the logo and the name.
Also, I need to check my settings. My push notifications have been gone for a while. Where would I check out the settings for that?
Also, I need to check my settings. My push notifications have been gone for a while. Where would I check out the settings for that?
Since custom templates are user-created, it's up to those users to make them properly support mobile. However, some example CSS to get that process started for anyone who wants to improve their mobile support is available: http://www.rprepository.com/help/custom-templates#384
If you have a custom template built using the current default CSS as the basis, the example responsive CSS sometimes even works without the need for any modifications.
If you need more help, definitely ask on the Art & Creativity board, there's lots of people (myself included) who will happily offer suggestions for how to improve your CSS to make it work on mobile.
If you have a custom template built using the current default CSS as the basis, the example responsive CSS sometimes even works without the need for any modifications.
If you need more help, definitely ask on the Art & Creativity board, there's lots of people (myself included) who will happily offer suggestions for how to improve your CSS to make it work on mobile.
RPR character pages at times, along with buttons...don't seem to work right on these smart phones at times. Mostly with the created sites with people who create their own skin to use. Perhaps sharing the code so that multi pages can be used would be good for the rest of us with our own unique skins? So we can enjoy our own pages on our phones? Please! thank you 
Mnolan
October 11, 2017
11:42am
(I'm a little slow to connect with people, trust issues...sigh)