Roadmap Dashboards
From Facebook Developer Wiki
Contents |
Description
Due to the popularity of game applications on Facebook, we are creating a dashboard for games, with specific features for game players and developers. In addition we will create a separate Application Dashboard for all other applications.
Estimated Timing
Available now for testing. Will launch to users in February 2010.
Note: The Facebook Dashboard API is now available, as are sandboxes for the Applications and Games Dashboards. See our blog post with details about the new APIs.
Details
Games Dashboard
The goal of the Games Dashboard is to make it easier for users to find games on Facebook, including games played recently and the discovery of new games through friends. There are several new features we will be introducing in both the Games and the Application Dashboards:
- Recently used applications and games: The top section of the dashboards will prominently display applications that a user has recently interacted with, making it easy to reengage with the applications they use most often. This section will also include a link to a page where users can see all of the applications they have interacted with, whether or not they have been bookmarked.
- News items: Applications will have the ability to display news stories, giving you the ability to communicate with your users and alert them to news related to your application, such as, "It's your turn in a game against Jared" or "The leaderboard was reset 6 hours ago, come play!" You'll have the option to set global news items, which will be visible to all users, or personal news items, which target a specific user. The news component will appear as a text field next to each application in the dashboard.
- Mentioning Users: Using simple syntax, you can render users' names and links to their profiles in news and activities.
- Your Friends' Recent Activity: The dashboards will display some of the applications that a user's friends are using along with information about relevant activities within the application. You'll set these activity stories via the Dashboard API.
- Your Friends Play: Another way we'll help users discover new applications is by showing them a number of their friends who frequently use applications, and the applications those friends use.
- Directory: The Directory section of the dashboard will show the applications that currently appear in the "Applications You May Like" section of the Application Directory. We will also link to the Application Directory in this section.
- Suggestions/Sponsored: On the right hand side we'll have an area where Facebook will highlight applications we think users might like, based on the applications they and their friends are using.
- Counters and home page placement: "Games" and "Applications" links will appear on users' home pages and will link to the dashboards, once the new home page launches to users in the coming weeks. Bookmarked applications will also have prominence on the home page, and can be accompanied by Counters that you can set to let users know there are actions for them to take within your applications.
The Games Dashboard (image below) will include any application categorized as a game (if you submitted it to the Application Directory as a game), while non-game applications will appear in the Applications Dashboard. Additionally, all application links in the dashboards will direct to the application's canvas page or info page (depending on whether a user has used the application before).
Applications Dashboard
The Application Dashboard will serve a similar purpose to the Games Dashboard, helping users discover and engage with non-game applications.
FAQs
How will you decide what is a game versus a non-game application?
Applications that are listed as Games in the Application Directory will be shown in the Games Dashboard (and not in the Application Dashboard.) We will proactively review applications classified as games to ensure they are accurately categorized.
Can an application show up in both the Games Dashboard and the Application Dashboard?
No - our intention is to create a special location for games in the Games Dashboard. If a user searches for an application in the Search box, it will show up in search results whether it is a game or non-game application. All non-game applications will have similar functionality (your recent applications, application news messages, and applications your friends are using) in the Application Dashboard.
