What Would You Improve About rcdb.com? [Please Reply]

[bezzzzzer]

This is for a project I am conducting to finish off my final year of my degree. Myself and my group have to create or modify a web site and then present why we have done what we've done.

We have decided to take rcdb.com and create a 'mock-up' of a modifed version of the site. However, it has to fit the users i.e. YOUR needs. Therefore, I would really appreciate you letting me know what can be improved about rcdb.com.

I have loads of ideas, but they need to come from you. I'm thinking Web 2.0 features.

So please leave your comments on your ideal improvements to this site which we all use so frequently so we can present our ideas in our presentation and say "we have done this because this is what the users want".

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it.

 

[Anonymous]

One feature I have been thinking about, would be a colour search. That would be a great way to figure out coasters from pictures.

 

[bezzzzzer]

Thanks mate, I really appreciate it. Wouldn't be hard to include that feature within the query, from this perspective anyway.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Jools]

All rides should show capacity per hour! Even if that involves some calculation and estimations.

 

[Ploddish]

More data upfront, so that you can access it to do your own queries (capacity vs type or height vs Gs or whatever), or so you can use it as a centralized database for something you make, like an app for coaster counting, for example, or something that websites like CF could use as a basis for information, so if RCDB changed it, it would be updated here. It's by far the most trusted source of information, as far as I can see anyway.

Could also be used for interconnectivity between media, like being able to comment on the rides/parks, or something like a location so you can generate maps, and see which are the most popular according to the number of people who tweet/facebook/comment/4square about it.

 

[rollermonkey]

Type in a postcode too see what are the closest parks.

This is suppsed to already be supported, but it is a bit dodgy, especially outside the US.

 

[Jake]

Search suggestions, like on Google etc, incase you don't know the exact spelling of a ride or park. Paticularly in foreign parks.

 

[Ben]

^I was gonna say that, but, I SWEAR I went on the other day, typed something wrong, and it corrected it for me. But, I just did a test, and nothing happened, so I must 'ave been trippin'.

 

[ciallkennett]

When you go through the images, instead of having to scroll back up to click next, just have it so you can click anywhere on the image to skip forward.

 

[rollermonkey]

^I was gonna say that, but, I SWEAR I went on the other day, typed something wrong, and it corrected it for me. But, I just did a test, and nothing happened, so I must 'ave been trippin'.

Duane has automated tracking on failed searches. One example is after enough people spelled Millennium Force (a common mistake) wrongly, he put in auto-corrections for it.

I'm guessing that you misspelled something in a way that many others had, and you did get shunted to the right result, but when you tried to replicate the result, you didn't misspell the word the "right" wrong way.

(OK, I just confused myself.)

 

[wabbit42]

Better design, sleeker

 

[andrus]

Ok I'm not sure this is the answere you were looking for.. But it would be nice to se the price tag on all coasters Just so you know how much the park has put in to the coaster! That information is limitted to only a few coasters today. But I guess that's classified information in many cases so I'm not sure it's even possible to get this information from all parks..

 

[Pokemaniac]

What about:

- Search allowing to order parks by number of coasters, or the coasters' average top speed/height/inversions/etc

- More comprehensive element list, with illustrative pictures

 

[SaiyanHajime]

A spell corrector on the search. Ya know, a "Did you mean?" with a list of possible options.

A colour search, as already stated, would be quite incredible.

A location searcher. Currently, if you search a location with no parks it won't tell you what is nearby. (Because it's not in the database I assume.) Whilst it's probably a HUGE effort to have such a database on there, it would be fantastic to be able to see what's nearby a destination you're headed.

It would be nice if at least one picture of the ride was on the facts page, for quick identification purposes.

When rides are in list form, it would be nice to know if they are kiddy, inverting or... I dunno, standard? Along with the existing categories for type, design, opened and status. In fact, would be fantastic if it just told me it was a B&M invert coaster or a ...whatever else so that at quick glance you get an idea of what a park has.

Also, credits that adults are not usually allowed to ride should be noted on that list format too.

 

[Nick]

This has already been said, but I think the idea of introducing a coaster count section is a really good idea.

It should be as simple as clicking on a 'add to coaster count' button, and then a profile page in which you can organise and run queries on just the coasters within your count. For example you could easily find out the tallest, fastest etc of the coaster that you have ridden.

Also, how about an 'upload picture' function, where if a coaster doesn't have a picture, or has very few, users can upload their own pics. The pictures would then probably need to be verified by admin. A similar idea could be put in place for stats, and users send in stats (with evidence) so that these can be verified and help expand the database, like a wikipedia of coasters.

Hope these ideas help!