Okay, I’ve been rather out of the loop this last year so I have to say a massive thanks to everyone who’s contacted me about this – it really has got me rather excited!

It looks as though it’s time for me to buy a DS because Sega Japan have recently announced a new addition to the Shining Series, “Shining Force Feather”. What’s even better is that it’s not a Neo/Exa clone. Huzzah!

Now, I could pretend to be well informed and tell you all about it here, but truth be told you’re just as well to check out the news on the sites linked below!

I like the look of this, although it’s not quite the traditional Force style game as movement doesn’t seem to be grid based but instead seems distance/area based (a bit like Warhammer?) and following the selection of an enemy the side-view isn’t just to observe the attack you selected as it was in our old favourites, but instead more like a beat-em-up where you perform attacks on the opponent. Should prove interesting.

This is one I shan’t be dismissing from the onset!

What makes me even happier is that this has come at a time when I have started to feel the need to be here at SFC more often and be more involved again. The last few weeks I have been working on a brand new CMS for the site so that I can completely rebuid & redesign it, allowing for staff members to perform updates etc. Progress is going well (it’s already a damn sight better than the crummy CMS panel I made to add news, which I’m using now!) and I anticipate having it ready in time for the release of Feathers in early 2009! I should also be able to duplicate the CMS to redo my old sites too, but that’s down the line. One thing at a time, Moog 😉

I also started work on re-coding the old Forum RPG system a few months back, and although it’s on the backboiler while I develop the new CMS, the new game is still on the cards and I’m sure you’re going to love it!

Well, it’s time to continue with the new CMS development now.

Keep on Shining – there may be light at the end of the tunnel yet!