It saddens me to see this place inactive :(

[Limne]

Personally, I think the site itself could use some work. It's getting to be a bit dated and there are definitely features it lacks. Just looking at the Soul Blazer page, for instance:

- No section for box art and packaging
- No section for manuals (English or Japanese), nor translations
- No text dump
- No SPC or RSN music
- You have to go to Extras > Emulation to find the Roms

Nor is the site itself necessarily ideal for browsing. Considering it's mostly a repository for information pertaining to games a wiki-platform might work better. This would also encourage greater community input and participation.

I would likewise prefer to see the two Actraisers included on the site. I think it's fair to say that Soul Blazer has more in common with Actraiser in terms of story and theme than it does Illusion of Gaia or Terranigma. The Quintet Oeuvre is best appreciated, in my opinion, as a whole.

Anyway, with all due respect, I think the community could use a bit of a shake-up.

[Raylazor]

Limne wrote:

Personally, I think the site itself could use some work. It's getting to be a bit dated and there are definitely features it lacks. Just looking at the Soul Blazer page, for instance: - No section for box art and packaging - No section for manuals (English or Japanese), nor translations - No text dump - No SPC or RSN music - You have to go to Extras > Emulation to find the Roms Nor is the site itself necessarily ideal for browsing. Considering it's mostly a repository for information pertaining to games a wiki-platform might work better. This would also encourage greater community input and participation. I would likewise prefer to see the two Actraisers included on the site. I think it's fair to say that Soul Blazer has more in common with Actraiser in terms of story and theme than it does Illusion of Gaia or Terranigma. The Quintet Oeuvre is best appreciated, in my opinion, as a whole. Anyway, with all due respect, I think the community could use a bit of a shake-up.

I can agree with what you've said, but in the end: Is it worth the effort to put the time into updating? These games are old, and relatively unknown. It's not very likely that a full site update will generate enough traffic to make it worth it.
The whole would have to be done as a labour of love.

[tay120n64]

Raylazor wrote:

Limne wrote: Personally, I think the site itself could use some work. It's getting to be a bit dated and there are definitely features it lacks. Just looking at the Soul Blazer page, for instance: - No section for box art and packaging - No section for manuals (English or Japanese), nor translations - No text dump - No SPC or RSN music - You have to go to Extras > Emulation to find the Roms Nor is the site itself necessarily ideal for browsing. Considering it's mostly a repository for information pertaining to games a wiki-platform might work better. This would also encourage greater community input and participation. I would likewise prefer to see the two Actraisers included on the site. I think it's fair to say that Soul Blazer has more in common with Actraiser in terms of story and theme than it does Illusion of Gaia or Terranigma. The Quintet Oeuvre is best appreciated, in my opinion, as a whole. Anyway, with all due respect, I think the community could use a bit of a shake-up. I can agree with what you've said, but in the end: Is it worth the effort to put the time into updating? These games are old, and relatively unknown. It's not very likely that a full site update will generate enough traffic to make it worth it. The whole would have to be done as a labour of love.

That's basically what we did back in 2009/10 when we overhauled the main site. Jason Tandro and myself updated the information as best we could in our spare time to make it what it is now. True, it could benefit from a lot more information, but I doubt Jason or I would be able to find the time anymore. Someone else would have to take up the mantle.

I wouldn't be opposed to it, honestly. The site update in 2010 was actually the last time this forum was truly active.

[Fazermint]

tay120n64 wrote:

That's basically what we did back in 2009/10 when we overhauled the main site. Jason Tandro and myself updated the information as best we could in our spare time to make it what it is now. True, it could benefit from a lot more information, but I doubt Jason or I would be able to find the time anymore. Someone else would have to take up the mantle. I wouldn't be opposed to it, honestly. The site update in 2010 was actually the last time this forum was truly active.

As I see it, there are two barriers to attracting more people. One is the general lack of content on the main site. Okay, there are equipment lists and some other stuff, but I think people are looking for more than that, in particular for on-website walkthroughs that aren't purely walls of text. The second is that the scope of the website is pretty narrow: 3 old games. They are great games, but how long can you talk about these 3 games? Most of the forum activity is based around all the other games we are playing. It might work if the site to include more non-standard RPGs (i.e. action RPGs, or even action adventure games and traditional RPGs with non-standard battle systems (like Chrono Trigger).

Of course, this all requires a ton of work, and whether or not it's worth the effort is a legitimate question. IF something is to be done, I'd say the priority should be to get up walkthroughs for the whole trilogy with pictures, preferably bulletpoint-based, concise instructions rather than walls of text. I'd be willing to write such a walkthrough for one of the games, but only if others jump on the boat and do the other two games.

If in a year we have done that and we are feeling even more ambitious, we could look into adding pages for other games. They don't need to have walkthroughs, I think that's mainly important for the SB trilogy. But perhaps the pages could contain a description of the game, some videos, and maybe the opportunity for forum members to post their reviews of these games.

I'm just pouring ideas out of the top of my head, though.

[inferiare]

Most of those decisions would be up to boxxle, seeing as how he's the Big Man In Charge. He could delegate it to the members who are interested in doing that for him, but he's ultimately the one to create the pages. He has expressed interest in doing that though, but we'd have to get him to stop lurking

[Miss Prime Blue]

I like the look of terraearth. It has a very 90s retro feel.

[Limne]

How is the site powered anyway? It makes quite a difference being able to edit something with a decent back-end.

One of the reasons I'd suggest a wiki-like platfom is so we don't have to go through any hierarchy of recruitment and implementation to keep the site updating - perhaps we can limit update rights to forum contributors as I believe TASvideos does. Speaking just for myself, if I found something cool (I have or can get all the resources I listed in my previous post) I'd probably upload it if there was a way to do so and it wasn't a huge hassle.

I don't think it's unreasonable that a site dedicated to these old Quintet games could receive a respectable stream of interest. The Chrono Compendium and Starmen.net each have a much narrower mandate and both have very vibrant communities.

Besides, we're living in an age where institutions like Archive.org and Google mass-scan and upload entire libraries of hundred year old books of far more marginal interest than a series of games from the 90's. If we build a definitive resource that is reasonably complete, accurate, and user friendly it will be remain useful indefinitely.

[Blade]

True, Limne,but someone would have to gather all these informations and out them together, along with a modern, userfriendly look, but fact is that the people in charge (boxxle & eFlare) and the people most active and dedicated (raini & Jason) are busy with everyday life, kids, work and other projects.

The sitecontent though has never been the main motor behind the forum though, the forum is home to this very group of internetfriends. ...darn facebook however connected us on a daily basis, so we dont feel the urge to come here every day <.<

Whenever I want to talk about sth. Viddya related, f.ex. new releases, I post it on facebook, so not only the terraearthians, but also my rl-friends can see it.

Alas, somebody would have tomake the site the informationmekka it's supposed to be, and link it to facebook & youtube to attract the most people possible. Maybe a podcast-talk. Then it might go viral to all the Snesheads out there.

[gw8t3st]

boxxleman wrote:

Coz wrote: Hey, I'm even surprised that this place is still standing, we should thank Boxxleman for that You are quite welcome.

Whoa, it's Box.

[Flamez]

gw8t3st wrote:

boxxleman wrote: Coz wrote: Hey, I'm even surprised that this place is still standing, we should thank Boxxleman for that You are quite welcome. Whoa, it's Box.

Whoa, it's gw8t3st.

You are just the Greatest buddy. The Greatest.

Apparently I missed Hero posting 11 months ago as well... dang it. Hope you are doing well mate!

Lets name drop someone else and see if they show up in this topic. Ummm...

Kale!

KaleFlame you out there buddy?

[inferiare]

I've seen him show up a couple times in the last... couple years... I'm sure he will eventually. Maybe. Somehow...

[Jason Tandro]

I miss jamesvenz.

[Flamez]

Jason Tandro wrote:

I miss jamesvenz.

I would actually like to see our trolls who where obviously kids way back then. Always fun to see how people have changed.

Rereading a lot of my old stuff is cringe worthy.

"I am God Remeber that" - My classic signature, looked amazing, with a huge spelling mistake I didn't notice for 3 years.

[inferiare]

that's why you don't reread some stuff from the past.

[Flamez]

inferiare wrote:

that's why you don't reread some stuff from the past.

Even if I dont, Jason will! He will then compile it into a 100+ page volume and share it for all of TE to see!