As an update on this: it will continue only for logged out users during February. I am aiming for March for all non-Patreon supporters. As I want a full month of seeing how the current positioning of the ad units does as they were tweaked so often during this month it’s difficult to gauge how they will do - so another month extra to keep an eye on it before the full rollout.

I visited the web today from a work computer (macOS and Chrome browser), not being logged in and without any adblockers, etc and in the places where the adverts would be, only one would show, and in the other spaces only a blank space leaving a weird spacing between the articles.

Not sure if a bug, but wanted to flag :)

Googling around, leaving a blank space seems like a common problem when you don't accept the cookies or there's no advert available to show. Google are supposed to collapse the space, but it seems it doesn't always happen. Annoying eh. Haven't found a solution yet, and lots of people asking the same have no solution either.

You might bruteforce your way into them, but then how do you get back out?

Brute force. You don't have to get out of it, you just have to get it off.

PS: I'm totally sticking a "kick me sign" on your back, between your shoulders when you nerds become Mr. Muscles, you won't be able to reach it to get it off

NOOOOOO
Then I will have to douche or even worse ask for help. shudder

Brute force. You don't have to get out of it, you just have to get it off.

Ain't that the truth.

NOOOOOO
Then I will have to douche or even worse ask for help. shudder

Mr. Muscles walks up to a scrawny guy, towering over him dwarfing the small mans presence, and says "Hey, little man. Look I got this stupid sign stuck on my back. Can you help me?" the little man lets out a roaring laugh and responds, "Yeah, not so tough now, are ya?!" and continues to laugh.

Last edited by BlackBloodRum on 9 Feb 2024 at 7:00 pm UTC

These full page mobile ads are awesome

These full page mobile ads are awesome

There should never be any full-page adverts, they were entirely turned off. Just complaining without actually showing anything is incredibly unhelpful.

These full page mobile ads are awesome

There should never be any full-page adverts, they were entirely turned off. Just complaining without actually showing anything is incredibly unhelpful.

When did you turn them off, I've seen them repeatedly in the last week? I've got a screenshot, give me a minute to find it and post it.

They've been turned off since Day 1. There shouldn't be any, unless you mean you're on a tiny mobile screen and it takes up a lot of room - nothing to be done about that.

!https://i.postimg.cc/Ss37sjsJ/Screenshot-20240131-172830.png

The content blocks take up about half the page and I've been getting periodic ad blocks double the size of the content blocks and they fill the whole screen minus the GOL search bar that sticks to the top.

Is it specifically always the one at the very top of the website that does it?

No, I've scrolled through and gotten a couple of them on the same page in the same refresh cycle.

Right, I see. That's not a full page advert, which the feature is turned off, it's just one that's too big. Full page adverts literally are pop-overs that cover everything.

Will need some more research to find out how to properly limit their sizing.

Right, I see. That's not a full page advert, which the feature is turned off, it's just one that's too big. Full page adverts literally are pop-overs that cover everything.

Will need some more research to find out how to properly limit their sizing.

I don't know ad lingo and whatnot. By full page I just meant they fill the entire content (non header/footer) portion of the page. I would call something that covers everything including the header/footer an overlay as it overlays the whole page and you have to dismiss it.

Last edited by m2mg2 on 11 Feb 2024 at 5:21 pm UTC

I've done an edit that may (or may not) prevent the one at the top of the website from going over a certain size.

Let me know how it goes, and if so I can edit others.

Edit: and another tweak, that should prevent the main ad at the top doing that. As it's now set specifically to only rectangle or horizontal. I believe what you got was a vertical ad, so that *should* entirely prevent it there. Again, let me know.

And again - for feedback, I need the actual location of the ad and a screenshot at a minimum for any issues.

Last edited by Liam Dawe on 11 Feb 2024 at 5:42 pm UTC

Still happens, this was not the first ad on the page.

!https://i.ibb.co/NmTdvkZ/Screenshot-20240212-205007.png

Last edited by m2mg2 on 13 Feb 2024 at 3:50 am UTC

Still happens, this was not the first ad on the page.

As I said, i only tweaked the one at the very top to test.

So was this one between articles?

Have now done the same tweak for the one between articles. Should solve it.

Still happens, this was not the first ad on the page.

As I said, i only tweaked the one at the very top to test.

So was this one between articles?

Yes, the ads have been between articles

Shouldn’t happen now, let me know if it does. Forced the same horizontal/square only for them. Was never meant to be any vertical ads there 👍

This is one of my favorite websites I visit daily, so I sincerely hope you can settle into a comfortable position and keep going ... forever! The content is awesome, the site itself with the comments and forums is really great (so much better than so many other gaming blogs I visit), the community is top notch, and more and more.

I didn't even realize my patreon had lapsed, so I just fixed that. I know it's just $4 a month, but hope that helps. I'll make sure to keep that turned on.

Just curious: as of mid Feb, are you closer to your goal of sustainability?