Trying to clear a backlog of updates now, so here goes!

• Added Shining Wisdom OST cover scans
  
• Added Shining Soul European cover scans
  
• Old News archived
  
• Shining Soul Release Information updated
  
• Shining Soul II Release Information updated
  
• My Collection & ‘Want List’ updated
  
• Collectables updated
  
• Shining Soul European script added
  

Things coming soon:

• Review of USA Shining Soul release
  
• Review of Japanese Shining Soul II release
  
• Shining Soul II production credits
  
• More Scenario 2 (and possibly, Scenario 3) script translations
  
• New & updated links
  
• New contest/previous winner announced
  
• ‘Where to Buy…’ page update
  
• More fan art
  
• Emulation Information update
  
• More official artwork
  
• Updated Shining Chronology
  
• Some of the Shining Wisdom script (USA version), thanks to SilverShadow!
  
• More magazine article scans!
  

You may not remember, but a few months ago I posted news that a kind fan (and former member of the Aspinia Team, if my memory serves me correctly) had offered to translate some of the ‘missing’ sections of the Scenario 2 Script… well, lo and behold, they’re here!

Many, many thanks to Beyd for his hard work on Section 1-9 and 5-2 – they’re very nicely translated. He also says there are more to come, so keep your eyes peeled, people, I’ll be adding them as I receive them!

I also intend to do more updates tomorrow, as I’ve had the Shining Soul script sitting around for almost half a year now 😉 I think the game’s been out long enough for me to put the European release’s script up now.

A few other areas I plan to update tomorrow too, but we’ll see how it goes 😉

Still quite busy, working on a battle system for the SFC forums, so I’ll have to keep this update brief too (and a day late again, sorry… I’ll try to get back on track when my various projects are out of the way!)

As usual there’s a new MP3, new poll (still has some kind of error I think, yet to solve it!) and a new comic strip courtesy of Cull 🙂 I still need to get around to archiving the news etc. Will try to soon! Also, found some new Shining items to add to the Collectables section. Again, will do this ASAP!

Only a couple of weeks left to get in your entries for this month’s contest – the response has been great so far, though it seems the questions may be causing problems for some of you! I’ve also received a couple of rather nice donations recently in the form of contest prizes, and intend to have another big Christmas contest this year 🙂

In Shining news, various Japanese magazines have reviewed Shining Soul II (seems Sega were unwilling to let me review it early 🙁 ) and given it quite reasonable scores, around 8/10 on average. Here’s hoping it’s as good as they say it is! I’ll give you the full lowdown when I receive my copy in a few weeks time 🙂

No news from Atlus of late concerning Shining Soul’s USA release date, but it’s still scheduled for September and I’m trying to get more information for you all!

In Fanwork news, the Tatakai website has been updated and the project is progressing well. Tester requests are still welcome, but I cannot emphasize enough that anyone wanting to help test the project should read the website in full before applying!

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these, after all the downtime 😉 And I’m sorry to say that it’s not really a complete update, I’ve just been too busy 🙁 But things’ll be back on track soon, fear not!

So for this fortnight, we have a new MP3, new poll (it seems there may be a slight error when you vote at the moment, I’m looking into it… your vote should still get through though) and (finally!) a new contest, as well as the winner of the April-July contest being announced. No new comic strip today folks, sorry 🙁

I’ve got lots of stuff to update here, and rest assured it will be done before long: adding new collectables to the list; updating my collection; updating release info (US Shining Soul cover art, Japanese Shining Soul II cover art); updating the links database etc. I’m sorry I’ve not had time to do those just yet. Oh, and I also need to archive some of the old news!

Gotta go for now, but I hope you like the new contest – I’ve been preparing the prizes for this for months now!

Due to unforseen circumstances, today’s SFC update will be postponed until tomorrow – sorry! Yes, I did get the Yog plushies finished off for the contest ;P See the SFC Fanwork Forum for pics 🙂

Just letting you know, I’m aware that the forums are currently down – there’s something up with the database (worry not, I have some very recent backups if it comes to that), I think it either got too big or someone tried to hack it. Can’t be sure which, but I’ve asked Smoove to look at it and let me know if it can be fixed somehow.I’m out for most of today, so here’s hoping it’s okay when I get back. If not, I guess it’ll be restore-from-backup time… and time to make sure the forums prune more often to prevent the DB getting too big!

UPDATE:
It seems the server log files have filled up all my remaining webspace – perhaps this has something to do with it (I had to delete some files just to upload this page again!). To keep you updated while I’m out for the day, you can keep an eye on my support topic at Smoove’s Forums, here.

UPDATE 2:
Forums back up now, don’t worry, doesn’t seem to have been a hack attempt – clearing some logfiles seems to have made it possible to fix the database 😀 It might happen again if the logs build up before the log rotation system kicks in though. Gotta go for now, see y’all later!

Well, it’s been a few days since SFC came back online, and I’m now almost done getting everything back up and running. The forums are as they should be, the subsites are all up and running – including downloads (find any problems, please let me know!), and most of SFC itself is back up… if not updated much of late. Just a few more cover scans to upload and we’re back how we were!

Now, here’s what you can expect over the next week or so:

• New comic strip (finally!)
  
• New contest
  
• Update to collectables section
  
• Update to my collection
  
• Update to release info
  
• More site links
  
• …and more!

I’m also planning on redesigning and updating my Shining Force site, though I do have other projects going on – such as working on my fanmade Yog plushies!

Also, keep an eye out for news about Tatakai – for some time now, my dearly beloved has been working on a game engine in which people will be able to make their own Shining Force style games, relatively easily too I might add! I’m very excited about this project, and have been encouraging him throughout. He’s getting a site ready to explain more about it and has provided a demo to a select few. It’s not yet finished, but it’s not going to be another abandoned project, and I hope will prove to be a popular game development tool.

Nothing else to report at this time, but I will – as always – keep you posted on any Shining developments!

Many thanks to SmooveNET for getting the new server up and running and for all their support in getting SFC back online!

As you may notice while browsing around the site, there are some errors here and there, as are to be expected after a server move 😉 I’m going through the site right now trying to get everything fixed up and working, but please bear with me if it takes a little while longer than expected.

Meanwhile, the bulk of SFC, the subsites & the forums are up and running, so have fun browsing around again 🙂 Oh, and I’ll update the contest page soon… still another 2 weeks left on that really, because of the downtime, so feel free to enter if you haven’t already!

SmooveNET have re-enabled my account so that I can, for the time being, at least give you news updates here. The other areas of the site will be deleted shortly, when they have finished backing them up for moving to the new server.

The Forums on this domain have been de-activated, as it seems a few people went ahead and started posting there earlier when the domain came back up.
Please do not try to use these forums, use the version here until the new server is ready. Rest assured I am regularly backing up the details at the ‘temp’ forums, and they will be ported over to this site as soon as Smoove move me to the new server.

That’s all for now – gotta go finish the housework 😉

Thanks to Volcanon, we’ve got hosting for the ol’ SFC Forums on his server for the next couple of weeks until SmooveNET have their new server ready 🙂
I’ve been able to port over the forum database from my SmooveNET account, meaning that anything that happened when the forums came back up last week is still there 🙂

Better yet, when the new account at Smoove is ready, I can port this database back to them, so anything that happens in the next couple of weeks’ll still be there too 😀

Here’s the URL:
www.hiddengalaxy.net/forums

Not much else to report right now, but come back tomorrow because there’s gonna be a lil’ bit of interesting news 🙂

SmooveNET are in the process of getting a new server ready for SFC! 😀

Our next Ikaika-like server will be online soon… we are currently in the planning stages and will be purchasing it within the next two weeks.

Those who are interested in getting an account on this new server, please notify us so that we may gauge the demand for it. Several sites have already contacted us and secured their spot on this server. If you’re interested, please let us know. Thanks!

Might even be sooner – sweet!!

SmooveNET are currently re-enabling SFC so I can put this page up there – but not the rest of the site at this time. Meanwhile, I’ve just had this email from them:

Hi Moogie,

Seeing that you’ll be paying in advance, we may be expediting the creation of the new server. Every bit of referral helps, especially new Premium members. Plus you get free domain renewals for each referral that you make. Nevertheless, we will try to get the new server up and running for you as soon as possible. Thanks! 🙂 –CE

Since I’ll be paying a year in advance, that’ll help speed up getting the new server 🙂

Also, as was pointed out in the email, if more people want to sign up with them, that would also help get funds for the new server, and make it more economically viable 😉

So, if you need site hosting or are thinking of changing hosts, I urge you to consider SmooveNET. While you may not like that they had to disable SFC, it does go to show that they really won’t allow anything to compromise the stability of their servers (remember, it was a favour to me to try to get the site running on their existing server – they weren’t absolutely certain it could handle it and I was aware of this at the time). Their packages are certainly better value than elsewhere, and many of their hostees post at their forums, so you can enquire more about their services and get opinions from those who use them!

Their standard package is just US$5.75 per month, and includes a whopping 20GB of bandwidth! Most hosts charge at least double that, and won’t offer such feature-rich hosting, flexibility and dedicated support for fansites on a budget. Their premium package is US$25.00 per month and allows even more space and bandwidth for your site – for less than I was paying with my old host, I get three times the bandwidth – 150GB!! Well worth it 🙂

Not only will you be getting a great deal for your site, and saving money, you’ll be helping SFC get back up and running 🙂 For more info, visit their site and feel free to ask questions at their forums – they’re quick to reply, friendly, knowledgable and helpful!

If you choose to sign up, feel free (but not obligated) to mention you were referred by Shining Force Central – it’l lhelp keep the SFC domain registered too 🙂