Post title changed to reflect the addition of an alternative suggestion (see below the . . . . string).

I just got blasted with an Endless Wall of Images and GIFs when visiting a den page. Again. I'm on the verge of locking out everything indiscriminately that isn't essential for site function, for good. Inspired by this, here's a thought:

This site could really use a separate gallery page for people's dens, so they don't feel they have to put every single .GIF or art piece that catches their fancy on, and usually at the top of, their den's main page.

[Added later: OR a 3-way switch, see below the . . . down below in this post]

I'm risking being caught in a barrage of graphics-based friendly fire if I dare to browse den pages I'm not already familiar with, and it drives me crazy to load a page... and load a page... and load a page... watching graphic after graphic after graphic rapidly shove what I'm actually there to look at about a mile down the page. Unfortunately, it's not exactly optional to at least sometimes go to other people's den pages, including unknown ones, unless I want to severely curtail my own experience of Lioden to avoid this.

I realize that even if this is added, there's no forcing everybody to use it. And that some people will never really understand why it ruins any appreciation of the decorations and art I might have otherwise had, to have it crammed down my throat by the bucketful just to view their den page. (Looking at the support for the "disable den page HTML"-based thread, I'm not alone in feeling this way.) And as far a I can tell, some think the entire user base REALLY NEEDS to see a GIF of a cat licking peanut butter off its nose., and another of Bart Simpson mooning somebody, and another of a dog running on ice**... I understand the desire to share, but I'm getting really tired of being "shared with" when it's the last thing I want.

**I'm making these up as examples rather than target anyone specifically by describing existing ones, but they're a fair equivalent to some of what I have been running into.

But at least some people might have the courtesy to use this if it was added, which would help. And if this was implemented along with a limit to how much customization can be applied to the main page, [EDIT: Or, as has been asked for in another thread, a way for us to turn customization on other users' den pages on and off at our end] it'd be an even bigger help.

Well, it's a thought...

[Edited to add what's below...]


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Edit #2:

I'm leaning toward a three-way switch option if the Gallery idea doesn't pan out: a "View All Customizations" view, a "Lite" view, and a "Basic View" or "Customizations Off" option.

It'd mean more work for the Lioden staff -and- for people customizing their pages, though. Staff coders would have to build in a way to create two different custom versions of an individual den page, the "full" and the "lite", and users would need to make two versions of a page if you want to have something besides Vanilla Default Den Page show up to viewers using the "Lite" option (This version would require some sort of hard cap on total file size perhaps, plus disabling options to add anything that functions as a link, alters the cursor, or what have you).

By the way, I'm using the "Lite" spelling to distinguish between "less graphic-heavy", and a darker site theme, which is a whole different thread.

It'd increase the required storage-space-per-user on the server. But it's an option, if the Gallery + On/Off or simple On-Off (not my favorite idea, but it's the simplest to code in, I suppose) ideas doesn't click.

If you Support, specify "Gallery" or "Three-way switch" -- Like the light bulb, people, minds outta the gutter! *grin*. As far as I'm concerned, ultimately, this one's up to what the Lioden staff feel like they want to implement, I'll take any of the above to get some kind of a vanilla or vanilla-ish view option here. :)