News - ModBlog

64 comments by INtense! on Nov 9th, 2007 digg this super bookmark

The following features are currently missing from the Mod DB v4 and will be implemented as soon as possible:

• Forums
• Private Messaging System
• Topsites
• Help Wanted
• Mod Watch list (click the updates button to view updates from the mods you watch)
• Video support (videos can be uploaded but are not playable just yet)
• Mod teams (your team list is gone, you will have to create a group and link that with your mod now)

The following are known bugs which will be addressed as soon as possible:

• All feature content is fugly (it needs to be updated to work with the v4 design)
• The WYSIWYG text editor does not format HTML in a good way
• Google search (top of screen) doesn't work well yet because google has not updated its index

20 comments by INtense! on Nov 5th, 2007 digg this super bookmark

IMPORTANT: v4 Is Coming!

It's started - we've begun rolling out the v4 code to our servers ready for the big switchover. This means we have now passed the point where we've had to copy the v3 database over, which means any changes made to Mod DB as of now will not be kept once we switch to v4. If you have huge updates to make, wait until v4 comes live. That way you can play with the new features as well.

Just a friendly reassurance - everything you've done to Mod DB before this news post will be moved over, including images, downloads, videos, profile changes and everything else. The notable exception (Which affects all mod teams) is that mod staff lists will not be copied, as that is now dealt with by v4's Groups system and we wanted to let you properly configure that instead of us having a guess at what permissions everybody should have.

Finally, there are a few features not in place yet, for reasons ranging from them not being coded yet to us not wanting to scare you with too many features. This includes topsites, private messages, help wanted and forums. However, you can keep using the v3 versions until we port them over.

V4 is a radical change, it looks and feels totally different but it is still the same old Mod DB and we hope you are as excited about the upgrade as we are.

40 comments by INtense! on Oct 19th, 2007 digg this super bookmark

In approximately 2 weeks time, v4 of the Mod DB shall be launched after 9 months of development. A lot of carefully planned effort has gone into making the next version of this site as good as it can be, so I'd like to introduce some of the changes now, and help you prepare for the transition.

• New design - Totally different design with new menus, logos and colors. The underlying structure remains the same with profiles playing a big role in v4. The design should feel familiar quick.
• Platform support - We want to support development from mods to full on games on all mediums, and with platforms like the XBOX360, PS3, PSP and Nintendo DS opening up to developers, we also aim to open up the Mod DB and allow these people to list their titles.
• Groups - Game / mod development is all about working with a team to create something great. Groups have been introduced to allow you to register teams, share content among the members and link together all your creations. Do you want to start a mapping group now you can. Has your group made various mods and addons for those mods? Now you can link these together and post news updates.
• Engines - A key part of game development is choosing the engine you want to use. I'm not aware of any site which lists all games engines available so we hope to change that. It'll be interesting to see just how many games have been built on top of the popular Quake engines - soon you will be able to!
• Standalone games as games - At the moment standalone games are listed in the mod section of the Mod DB. This does not make a lot of sense so they will be merged into the game listing alongside the commercial titles where they rightfully belong.
• Addon DB merged - Addons such as maps, models, skins, textures and more will now be showcased and browsable on the Mod DB.
• Community controlled content - The site is opening up totally. As a member of the community you will be able to post features, articles, add games, engines, groups and more - the way it should be.
• Blogs & Friends - We also have all that hyped up (but largely disappointing) social network stuff everyone talks about like friends and blog support. So if you think you have something important to say, soon you will be able to say it.
• Video support - For the first time ever videos can be uploaded to profiles. They don't work just yet - but will very soon which for the multimedia lovers will be a big +

So as you can see there is a lot of change in store. So please bear with us over the next few weeks as we roll it out, because it's not going to be easy! - Mod DB Team

Also a full time job for an Editor in Chief has opened up at the Mod DB. If you love game development and have a passion for writing and big communities, please head here for the details and apply.

161 comments by INtense! on Aug 22nd, 2007 digg this super bookmark

In a few months time, the current Mod DB v3 site will be two years old, and though it has served its purpose well (it brought in tabbed profiles, added a bit of color to an otherwise gray site) – it is time to bring on the future in the form of Mod DB v4 codename CORE.

For the past 6 months the underlying infrastructure powering the current site has been re-jigged, re-thought and re-energized to create a site which we believe is as cutting-edge as some of the indie development projects listed here. Many radical new features and ideas have been implemented, while existing ones were improved. Allow me to explain some of the changes you can expect to see in the coming months:

• WEB2.0 - Though the web2.0 hype (AJAX, Blogs, Groups, Friends etc ) may sometimes feel like a load of nonsense, as a development based site we believe that collaboration and communication is a pivotal part of the design and build process. Therefore v4 has new tools in place which allow you to create groups, and privately (or publically) share news, updates, files, media etc. You will also be able to run a development blog, add friends – anything that helps you feel important.
• Better categorization – Standalone game developers rejoice, your creations will no longer reside in the mod list, instead they will be listed alongside the commercial games (HL, UT etc) where they deserve to be. This means that you can build a community around your game, accepting mods, addons, files etc.
• Greater depth of information – Ever wanted to know what games were created on what engine? V4 now supports game engine listings so you can see all the games made on Source, Crytek, UT3, etc. The addition of groups will mean that you can see all games, mods and maps made by mod teams, Valve etc. Best of all everything is smartly interlinked, so addons can be added to mods, mods can be added to games, games can be added to groups / engines and lastly these can be added to a game console!
• Console support – For a long time now we have wanted to support ALL development projects, from the PC to the PSP to the XBOX360. With companies like Epic announcing that mods made on UT3 will work on the PC and PS3 – a lot of exciting action is certain to happen in this space soon. Therefore we want to help these projects get the recognition they deserve, and have created a new interface which will facilitate this.
• Video support – It seems every site has a video player now and soon we shall too.
• Profile customization – Mod making is all about tweaking, changing and customizing a game, so we figured you should be able to customize your profile also, to fit the theme of your creation. After all you are the experts at design – so we cannot wait to see what you come up with.
• Feature focus – Post v4 launch, we plan on churning out interesting editorials covering the mod and game development scene. We will round up the hot news for you, and post some of our own – and give you something good to read at night!

These are just a handful of the changes we have made: in-place editing / browsing is another big feature in v4 which should make it easier to navigate and use the site; search will be sped-up; information will be laid out in an exciting new visual manner; you can watch members, mods, games, groups -- the list goes on. The problem with major change is that there still are many features listed here that have not been fully implemented (or working properly), which we want to trial out before they go live. This site is built for you, the developers and gamers, and we want to keep it that way – so if you are interested in viewing the closed beta and providing us with your feedback (we want to hear what you LOVE / HATE), please respond to this news post and you shall be notified in a few weeks – once the closed beta is ready.

The changes are radical, it will be a shock at first, but we believe you will love our ideas and hope that with your help we can take indie game development to the next level. Oh and finally - one of the things we are trying to do in v4 is show less ads (just better ones!) so if you have the time, give this survey a crack as the feedback will help us achieve this.

35 comments by INtense! on Jan 25th, 2007 digg this super bookmark

For a long time now Mod DB has operated without an online store of any form, now after a few months of development we'd like to unveil our brand spanking new digital shopfront! Our aim with the store is to bring you your favorite games, using the latest digital distribution methods so you can get playing in a matter of minutes. So check it out as we build up our catalog and integrate it with the site.

We have massive ambitious plans in the pipeline for all gamers / modders - as we work hard to take the indie development scene as far as we possibly can. So if you want to support us on this journey, use our store to get your games (much better than giving a donation right!?). And remember to keep on modding!