Zuchan Forum Software

Zuchan is a web forum with a focus on threads and user-submitted images.
I made it partially in rememberance of a MapleStory forum, one which used to have a layout that I enjoyed using very much.
I used my fork of CodeIgniter, CuteIgniter, as the base for this.

Year: Jun 2019
Language: PHP 7.1
Libraries/Frameworks: CuteIgniter (based on CodeIgniter 3.1), Bootstrap 4.1, jQuery

Features:

• User authentication
• Avatar and user motto for forum posts
• Forum topics with threads
• Images submission section with approval process
• Post quotes have original message display on hover

Below is what the layout of zuchan is based on - it was an old layout for this forum:

This old layout was unique to the site, and was very easy to use.
It packed a lot of information even before the fold - a happy little banner image, the search/menus, multiple forum categories at once with over 30 threads visible, featured image submissions (image broken due to missing in archive),

• A happy little banner image
• Compact two-level menu and search
• Multiple forum categories at once with at 20 visible threads
• View ~6 featured image submissions
• New items, hot tags, item listings for sale, etc ...

Here's what it looks like now, after some redesigns:

It's unbelievable.
Actually unbelievable.
Absolutely empty, soulless, and you can barely make out 4 threads before the fold, and there's absolutely nothing else.
What's interesting is having the one-liner descriptor for your site be "no tolerance for hate and discrimination" gives this air of hostility and aggression to the website before you even start to try and figure out what this website is even for, as a new user.
At least your product will indeed be all-inclusive and safe if it doesn't actually express any humanity.

Tragic.

As for zuchan, it was a fun challenge. The 4-day limit made it tiring but it got the job done.
I'll never voluntarily put myself to that limit again but I'd recommend it at least once.