News update. New website design.

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

I'm working on a proper website design for Phoenix that you can checkout here:

http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/test/

EDIT- This one is better I think.

http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/test2/

 

I just have the main page up right now but you can see what I have in mind.

 

 

On the development front I have most of the GUI elements (list box, slider, text field, etc) finished which will work for the client as well as the client launch application (CLA). The CLA is coming along and I should have a test version of it up soon for Windows and possibly Linux. The client and server will also be available to test in a month or so and will be the last alpha test before beta.

 

I have also decided to make this a donation project. After considering revenue for a bit I decided that the donation path fits the best. This means that the server, client and editor will be available for free and those that donate will bypass a nag screen for donation. I think that should fit well with the community we have now. If this game ever gets really successful I can always revisit the revenue issue as the game system supports ads and other revenue paths. But again for now it's all free and will always be free to play. I will also try to work as closely as I can with the subspace.co community and maintain a presence here ( as long as they let me ).

 

So next month should be busy with a CLA to test and the last alpha test of the server and client.

 

- Rich -

[Lone Outlaw]

it's good make it an inch wider on both sides, and get rid of the planet, try feature the ships, combat, and a title in the banner instead. ( for example the bottom banner is nice ) But i guess you'll need a graphic designer..

 

And i'll donate. Probably 5$. Alot of good games on Steam go for 4.99$ so i suppose anywhere from 5-10$ is fair.

Edited January 11, 2013 by Lone Outlaw

[Cheese]

just keep in mind that for some people nag screens make them angry and less likely to even consider paying you for annoying them

also the site design is very retro, like from the early days of the internet or something

[Guest petalbreeze]

I haven't really seen pheonix since the early days.  I was never impressed with something being built on a game-building platform.... it just doesn't seem like real subspace..... I could be totally wrong here.... I'm sure if I am someone will speak up....

 

Plus I find it shameful that you're building on an entire communities work and plastering your own name/copyright on all over it...... I could be wrong here too, but what ever happened to paying it forward?

 

I feel like you may just be in for a lot of hurt and disappointment.  As with all other "improvements" to subspace, your just exposing your own project to cannibalism by the original designers who are smarter than you (yes I went there).

 

For a long time people would build their subspace clones and advertise them here..... at which point they would be trolled away.

 

I have a feeling that cheese and lone star are giving you constructive criticism only to amplify the situation and they are not really genuinely concerned with your project or with your heart as a developer who has put so much time and effort in.....

 

But then again.... perhaps your decision to program this solo has triggered something in them..... 

I feel you are being eaten alive....

 

Edit: realized I made a mental error with a name, decided no edit was needed.

Edited January 12, 2013 by petalbreeze

[Vidiot_X]

@Cheese

I may instead display an image/link in the CLA news feed to remind users to donate. It's less invasive and gets the job done.  If you have a link to XHTML/CSS template that you like let me know.

 

Edit - This one looks cool - http://www.openwebdesign.org/viewdesign.phtml?id=6369&referer=%2Fmost_popular.phtml This site has lots of free templates.

 

- Rich -

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

I worked out a new design complete with slide show. It looks much better I think.

 

http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/test2/

 

- Rich -

[Lone Outlaw]

Yes much better Richard.

 

Also, glad you realized planet earth is the prettiest planet in our solar system (lol) =P. About time you got rid of saturn/uranus.. whatever it was

 

Richard try white instead of grey in the middle. I think white will look better, and will contrast the planet and space more. White is just way better for websites. Don't know why everyone does dark websites.

 

Also i prefer brave star, but you can be my horse if you want

 

 

In a distant time
And far away place
The planet New Texas floats deep in space.
Sky of three suns
Land of precious ore
The Kerium brought outlaws by the score.

Bravestarr
Bravestarr

Then one day, a lawman appeared!
With powers of hawk, wolf, puma and bear
Protecter of peace, mystic man from afar
Champion of justice, Marshall Bravestarr!

Bravestarr
BRAVESTARR!
Eyes of the hawk, ears of the wolf

Bravestarr
BRAVESTARR!
Strength of the bear, speed of the puma

Bravestarr
BRAVESTARR

Edited January 12, 2013 by Lone Outlaw

[Cheese]

Hi,

 

I worked out a new design complete with slide show. It looks much better I think.

 

http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/test2/

 

- Rich -

 

considerable improvement

[Vidiot_X]

Thanks.

 

More to follow.

[Guest petalbreeze]

I still think it needs to be about 20% Cooler....

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

I have setup an RSS Feed, Twitter, Facebook, G+ and a blog and all are linked at the bottom of the page ( http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/test2/ ). So while maintaining all that is a bitch it's the way things work now a days and should help to promote Phoenix USC. Also changed the server and editor images. 

 

Next up, the Phoenix USC and Gallery pages.

 

- Rich -

[Lone Outlaw]

Dude change the grey to white. Just for me? To see if it looks better?

 

i am the best designer in the world, trust me it will look better. ty

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

Working with Blender.

 

http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/test2/images/slipstream.png

 

Once I figure out how everything works in Blender I will add some cool images of the actual ships in the game to the webpages. I will also update the ship images in the game so that they more detailed and awesome. The same technique can be used for the walls and other the elements in the game.

 

@Lone Outlaw

I think I like the way it is for now.

 

- Rich -

[Cheese]

i suggest you pm jab ingame

 

:jabjabjab:teach me how to blender

i strongly suggest*

[Vidiot_X]

Phoenix USC has a domain and host!

I have a domain setup at www.phoenixusc.com that should be up and running in 24-48 hours, yea!

 

Edit - Already up. wow

 

@Cheese

I'll hit him up what zone does he hang in?

[Cheese]

tw just granted him mod because of how much dev work he did

[Lone Outlaw]

Richard it's not about what you like. Even if it's your project, most games are failures because people only do what they like. Don't make that mistake. Listen to advice, feedback, the best designs come about when people get input from thousands of other people, allowing for new perspectives and not just your own. After all everything in the world is from somewhere else, everything is a remix, we stand on the shoulders of giants before us. Don't assume what you like even matters, unless you let pride over take the idea. The idea should be above everything else, including you. All that matters is what is best. You won't know if you don't test it. Put white and lets see if it looks better. IF you did put white and you still prefer GRAY, then that's a whole different story. Unless your busy, or its unimportant, but you could just say that. It's not about orders, i'd put white myself if i had access to the tools/website. I'd pay you to put white, but then you might take it like you work for me, which is not the case, i just want to see if it looks better with white, perhaps because i actually strive for the best in everything, and don't settle for less..

 

Also cool ship.

Edited January 14, 2013 by Lone Outlaw

[Dr Brain]

Falconeer/Lone Outlaw is wrong. Nothing anyone here says matters, unless YOU agree with it. Nothing good was ever designed by a committee.

[Lone Outlaw]

Most of the best business' in the world were not started alone. Everyone had a partner. And most great things are created by a team, every team has a leader. This comes down to being a good leader, or a bad one. Unless you are Van Goh, and making a painting, there is no reason to use your own input, especially when you may not be as gifted a painter. Also there is no democracy here, richard is the final decider, but he can have input from like 100 or 1000 different people, and decide what is best from there. That's called having an open mind. An open mind is infinitely more powerful than a closed fist.

Edited January 15, 2013 by Lone Outlaw

[Lone Outlaw]

Now it's all irrelevant, because he put a WHITE ship in the background. So replacing the gray with white, will no longer look as good. Unless that ship becomes red, or black.

 

If it's green or white, it won't go well with a white background, and If it's blue that's IFFY.

 

Also keep in mind i never trashed his designs anywhere, like other have, saying it's retro, it's from the 1990's of the internet, etc. All i said was saturn is retro in science fiction, i basically disagreed with the planet saturn, which has showed up in science fiction since the 1920's or earlier. Likewise, i love the ship designs, doubt anyone else could have done a better job on them. All the ships are something i'd like to play. And i pretty much gave only good mention to his websites, and all other designs, love the in game planets, and atmosphere, space, stars, nebula etc, i just wanted to see if the gray would look better in white. That's all. And i am sure Richard can recognize the sensibility in saying that the Idea is more important than personal opinion, or anything else. This isn't just Richard Betson, this is an idea, ideas take on a life of their own and eventually get shaped by whole communities. You need a balance, though, someone to draw a line, and stick to it, so you maintain some sort of identity. But still if other people become passionate about your idea. That's basically what the hell you are striving for, so take no offense.

Edited January 15, 2013 by Lone Outlaw

[spidernl]

Look at most of the main game developers. Many just ignore their communities. Others take minor bits and pieces of feedback here and there from their communities. They still sell their games.

 

Now look at indie developers, which have a tendency to take a -lot- of feedback from their communities. They are, however, still indie. For a reason. If they were truly successful, they would either no longer be worth calling indie, or would have been bought up by some publisher.

 

There are exceptions, of course. No need to point that out.

[Lone Outlaw]

Well, how many of us wish Interplay and other old developers were still around? Instead we have Big ones like nintendo which gobbled them all up. i can find fault with almost every game today, things they could have done better etc. Especially with Oblivion, and later on Skyrim, although thank god Skyrim was an improvement. A lot of movies make sales too, it doesn't mean they are any good. LOTR was crap, compared to The Hobbit. Funny thing is everyone thinks the reverse.

[Vidiot_X]

Hi,

 

Update site background with two ships from the game, one with laser fire and both with plasma thrust.  Check it out. - http://www.phoenixusc.com/

 

- Rich -

[Vidiot_X]

Re-rendered the left side ship. I think that  is close to getting done.

 

A note on feedback and recommendations.

 

I read everything that gets posted here and for the most part and take it all in. But as busy as I am there is just no time to really get into the details of a particular suggestion and or recommendation. This thread is a good example of feedback and results. The Phoenix USC website started off like this " http://www.phoenix.subspace.co/test/ " but has ended up to be currently this " http://www.phoenixusc.com/ " ; the result in-part of feedback. So you only have to look at the before and after example here to see that I've been listening. I really do like feedback and when good spirited it can get great results.

 

- Rich -

[Vidiot_X]

I have a bulletin board system up and going using MyBB. It's not bad and I think I have a cool theme going.

 

http://www.phoenixusc.com/board/index.php

 

Edit - I  also have the menu links refer to this page for now.

 

- Rich -