Greetings all!
Welcome to the new, improved SFC – it’s been a long while in the making (and it’s not done yet ;)) but I hope you’ll think it has been worth the wait.
I’d like to apologise once again for the delay in getting this done and also for my lack of updates of the old site over the last few months. 2004 has been far from a good year for me in real life, but at least it’s been a good year for Shining fans!
Normally I’d not launch a redesign until it is complete – on this occasion however, I have good reason to bring the site online early. A few weeks ago I was contacted by a company interested in sponsoring the site! You may be familiar with them, as they are one of the biggest and best known gaming import shops on the web: Lik-Sang.com.
Not only will they be providing prizes for the forthcoming SFC contest, but they’re also being very generous for SFC visitors in general. Now that SFC is proudly sponsored by Lik-Sang.com and the redesign is live, I am able to give you the following discount code for shopping on their site:
Enter the following discount code at checkout: LS-62EBDD1FEB357907.
Now, on to stuff about the site (and shortly, I’ll have to get all the latest Shining news typed up too, it’s been a while and a lot has happened!).
Let’s start with the good things – new and exciting features at SFC!
New Stuff:
- The entire site is now database driven, meaning it’s easier for me to update and allows extra options for users.
- New forums, and the site is integrated with the forum logins to provide special features to members.
- New areas: Screenshots, Video Clips (only one at present X(), Text FAQs, Mailbag.
- Fanart section vastly improved, and you can now post comments about the artwork.
- More Artwork & Cover Scans added.
- E-Greeting Card system rewritten & new cards added.
- Links, files etc can be submitted to me via forms on the site.
- More sections of scripts added, and multiple viewing options available.
- “Where to Buy…” page updated (want an Official Yog Plushie?!).
- New Shining Midis added.
- New Desktop Downloads added.
- More Collectables added, along with more information & cross-linking to Collection, Artwork & Soundtrack data.
- Shining Electronic Encyclopedia project started!
- Better organised archives.
- …and more besides!
However, as I mentioned, the new site is not yet complete, so I’ll also warn you of a few things not to contact me (“It’s not finished!!”) about 😉 I’ll be trying to get these finished, or at least further underway over the next week or so.
Things to do:
- Add more graphics throughout the site (header graphic to change by location).
- Add more screenshots, including within reviews.
- Add more new sites to the directory.
- Import old contests into the archive (so far, only a couple of very old ones are here).
- Get the new Lik-Sang.com contest online.
- Add missing reviews.
- Finish integrating S.E.E. with Shining Studies, and update Chronology.
- Add new collectables, and more information & scans of existing collectables.
- Update developer information.
- Gather more video clips, downloads etc.
- Site management system not yet finished for easy updates >.<;;
Also, I’d like to make a little mention of the Shining Force Webring – I started this webring back in June of 1997, but last year another user was assigned as it’s owner, due to my inactivity (real life can get kinda busy, and the webring wasn’t exactly bustling with new entries 😆 ). He has kindly agreed to give me the chance to earn my webring back, so please do sign up if you have a Shining site – if I can prove to him I’ll manage it, it’s mine again 🙂 Unfortunately, though he allowed me to make a new navbar, he resized it and changed it a little, as you can see on the front page of the site. I’ve used my modified version on the main navigation, but have to use his version on the front page. I’ll change it when I get the ring back, meanwhile sorry for the nasty look of it!
Well, I’d best get this posted, as well as my official Lik-Sang sponsorship announcement 😉
I hope you enjoy the new site and will remain (or become!) part of the community.