Can WP be used as CMS?
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- Jeremy Lewis
- Rocketeer
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I'm brand new to WP. I'm an experienced vBulletin owner/admin. That being said:
I'm looking to create a gaming community website. I already have the compatible forum (XenForo) with login integration between both platforms. But I'm wanting to use WP as a CMS, and I'm just not sure that it can be (or will at least, meet my expectations).
Specifically, I'm wanting to:
1) Have an image gallery (screenshots of in game)
2) Have a video gallery (probably hosted on YouTube, but embedded in the video section to be used with text explaining the videos).
3) Have different types of articles (eg strategy, unit information, board information, etc...) that can be written by different usergroups (contributors or authors) - they would be a part of the staff.
4) Have Tutorial section.
5) Interactive "fun things" (flash games for example).
6) Considering, but don't need to have: chat room/box, instant messaging (as I understand it, WP has this??), review system, potential other goodies, depends upon plugins available for a community based site.
I'm pretty sure that WP can meet most of these needs...but my real concern is the article system. I don't want it to be just a "blog". The articles will vary. They will be tutorials, FAQ's, strategies, etc... and they need to be in different areas of the site (link to Tuts, link to FAQ area, link to articles about strategy, etc...).
Now, normally I realize that Joomla is the way to go because it was designed for this type of thing. But I'm new to Joomla as well. I've been trying to decide between the two, I don't have any strong inclinations of one over the other. What I've read though is that WP may be able to do these things, and WP is definitely faster, cleaner and simpler to use. So if it can meet my needs, then I'd prefer WP over Joomla.
I just don't know if it can do all that. Anyone shed some light?
I'm looking at the Dominion or Zephyr themes to be used btw.
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- Ben Lee
- Elite Rocketeer
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Both systems can do just about everything you need and extensions can pick up the slack where each one leaves off. It's a matter of what you're comfortable with.
In general Joomla is more conducive to extensions and options being added, as you mentioned, it's built for this. It's much easier to place content where you want it and to customize different modules and there is a great deal available.
Wordpress can handle all this stuff as well if you find the right combination of extensions to add and they also have a CCK addition that might help you too: http://podscms.org/ .
With the megamenu, you'll have more than enough room to put direct links to articles using either system and you can also see from the demo that there are a lot of ways to display content. Some things Wordpress has already is "tags" and also "commenting". This is another item that pushes people towards Wordpress instead of Joomla.
One thing I'd consider if I were you is if you want to have a social application on your site. Joomla does have more offered when it comes to community things...facebook type things. One of these is styled in for Zephyr already, JomSocial.
See it in Zephyr here: http://demo.rockettheme.com/aug10/3rd-party/jomsocial
Read more about it here: http://www.jomsocial.com/
RocketTheme Jomsocial coupon here: http://www.rockettheme.com/promotions
* scroll down to JomSocial
I say click around on the demos and see if you're seeing articles in a layout that you like and try to pick apart what may or may not be there for each...like "tags" on Wordpress and not on Joomla.
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- Jeremy Lewis
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- Posts: 58
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- Is BuddyPress ( www.buddypress.com ) compatible with RT WordPress templates?
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- Ben Lee
- Elite Rocketeer
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The Affinity Theme has a BuddyPress 1.2 version that has styling for it, but that's the only one.
Affinity Wordpress Info Page
Affinity Wordpress Demo
There are several Joomla templates with JomSocial styling and Tachyon has styling for JomSocial, Anahita, and Community Builder...but these are all Joomla items.
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- Jeremy Lewis
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- Posts: 58
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Well, it's a relatively small fan site that I'd be starting up. I prefer not to spend a whole lot of money on it so going the way of JomSocial and others really isn't a viable option (I realize that Joomla has Community Builder ext that is free).
Also, integration with a solid forum is an issue. Right now, there's a hacked up version of JFusion (for Joomla) that works w/ my preferred forum software XenForo...but it's kinda sketchy. There's a solid mod however for XF and WP...which is one of the reasons kind of lean towards WP atm.
I suppose a matching Joomla and phpBB template would be best (since the themes are identical), but then I'm in for almost $100 for both the Joomla and phpBB club, just to get 1 style from each (since it is only 1 site I'm looking to build). That's a bit excessive IMO.
And since XF is the most cutting edge and fastest growing forum software on the market today (developed by the former lead from vBulletin) and the fact that it is just an uber cool app with a lot of goodies with a great community, I'd prefer to stick with it.
It may seem like my head is all over the place here...but I'm just trying to figure out what is best for this new community that I'd like to create. I've not invested in any templates or subscriptions yet from any company because I just don't know which direction to turn here. I've been with vBulletin for about 10 years or so, it's all I'm really used to. But I need to leave it behind due to IB destroying the product.
I guess I'm just trying to find a way to build around the forum (XenForo) that I like. Is that a wise way to start or am I backwards in my design thinking here?
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- Ben Lee
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- Posts: 4193
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That's not a bad way of thinking about things at all, you've gotta go with what you're comfortable with and what you'll be happy with. Forum sites tend to be in large part forum traffic. There are lots of forum sites where users just bookmark the forum and hardly check the main site.
I personally prefer Joomla, phpBB3, and RokBridge because the matching themes have saved me headaches and been easier to set up. I also have all my products coming from one place so when it's update time, I only have to go back to one place for info.
Check on the forum software though, you might be able to add a good bit of functionality to it and there may be ways to add various menu links and pages without needing a CMS. phpBB3 can do a good bit of this if you dig into it just a little bit and then you can run the themes here standalone with it.
Either way you're going to have to put time into it and you're going to have to learn your way around the configuration of each system. Pick the most important piece to the puzzle, then build onto it.
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- Jeremy Lewis
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- Posts: 58
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OK, I did some more research. I think I should try to go with the Joomla club. I can use the XF bridge just fine right now if I stick with 1.5. The hacked up version is for 1.6. Hopefully in a few months, both 1.6 and the bridge will be a bit more developed.
I did have questions about the theme that I would be using if I joined the club though (Zephyr) and created a thread in the General Forum for guidance.
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