[quote=@Mahz]
I implemented Visitor Messages today.

Not a high priority feature, but I wanted to see if my notification system was general enough for it, and it forced me to make some improvements to my notification system implementation.

I followed the vBulletin/Xenforo visitor-message implementation where visitor messages have one level of nested comments.

[img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/spa/quq37nq1583x0lf/ss97gto9.png[/img]

You always get a notification when someone creates a visitor message on your wall, but any nested comments on a visitor message collapse into a single notification instead of spamming you. It's like the convo/PM system in that way.

I also decided to *not* send notifications to you when someone replies to your VMs on other people's walls. Instead, I'd rather lean on the @mention system for that. (Of course, @mentions don't actually create notifications yet) 

Finally, each notification is cleared when you click its go-to link. With convos/PMs, I can clear the notification any time you view the convo. But I decided not to assume you've noticed new VMs or VM replies just because you've visited that page of your user profile.

I'll finish the UI and roll it out when I wake up sometime.
[/quote]

I think notifications for replies to my VM on other people's wall would be useful. Most of the people replying would be the owner of the wall, and I'd like to know when the owner replies. What about implementing a sub/unsub system for VMs, and auto-sub everyone to their own VMs upon posting? They can then remove the notifications subscription if its bothering them. 

Also, with a notifications system, is it worth it to have a separate topics subscription feature? It might be more useful for the current topic subscriptions to act the same as other notifiable events in that it generates a new notification. The current subs page might be better served as a bookmarks area for keeping track of important topics, but not necessarily all the topics one is subscribed to. I know the current implementation is how the vBulletin system works, but considering how many topics some people create and/or post in, and want to get notified of replies in, the subs page can quickly expand and fill to its maximum. Splitting subscription topics between notifications and bookmarks might be a better implementation, and because one can actually review their past posts now via their profile, you can theoretically go back to any of your old topics already.