Why do the 'search' features on stratics suck so much? In all my years of using stratics I have never found a 'site' search feature so frustrating as the one used here.
eg, type 'quest' or 'quests' into the 'Item Catalogue' search bar in the search feature (it isn't a creature or a map so this is the only category to use) with the HOPE of getting a list of quest items and/or reward items and you get:
Here are the results for your search of the UO Stratics - Item Catalogue:
0 results returned
I find this to be the case with 90% + of anything I am looking for. Unless you know the 'exact' name of a particular item, you may as well forget trying to use the 'seach' feature to find it. Search the item catalogue for 'veteran', 'veteran rewards', 'anniversary' 'anniversary rewards' etc and you get exactly the same result '0'. Pretend you are looking for a list of birthday bells, type in the word 'birthday' or even 'birthday bell' again you get '0'. Unless the 'item' you are searching for is actually entered into the catalogue as a totally separate page you won't find it, even if the item in question actually 'appears' on another stratics page. Eg type 'holiday bells' into the item catalogue you get '0', although if you go to the 'items' link, scroll down to 'holiday & special items' link and then scroll halfway down the page you will see a section on 'holiday bells'.
Most of the time people are searching for something they more than likely only know a little about it, hence the reason for the search, to find out MORE. Darned if I know why there isn't a general 'search' that does not have to be in a particular category of 'creature', 'item catalogue' or 'maps & locations'. If I type in 'birthday' or 'birthday bell' into the 'search' feature on UO Guide I get at least three hits, one of which is a list of the the 2006 gifts, naming all the birthday bells. If I type in 'veteran rewards' I get, guess what?, a whole page dealing with veteran rewards by year and item etc.
The creature search feature is just as bad.
Type 'mongbat', 'ettin', 'drake' or 'dragon' into the creature search and I guarantee you get NOTHING appear for any of these accept another 'search' box. Use this and you get a whole list of 'irrelevant' links that may or may not have anything to do with a particular 'creature'. Conversely if you type 'dragon' into the 'search' feature located ON the stratics hunters guide itself, you get a list of the different types of dragon, and may select whichever. This means you have to actually 'KNOW' of the existence of the Hunters Guide which you may or may not realise lurks under the 'monster link' in the side menu's.
Seems the 'maps & locations' is the only reasonably decent search feature box, most of the time you will get a map as long as you are not 'too' specific in your search.
I don't know, sometimes I have spent upwards of an HOUR or more searching for something on stratics which I KNOW is there, as I have seen or used it before, but trying to actually 'find' anything with the main 'search' bars is next to useless.
Is there any way a 'normal' search engine can be applied to stratics that lets you 'search' the whole 'site' for the actual 'words' you type in?