Lurk has landed!

[Lurk]

I'm baaaaack.

LAYOUT & AESTHETICS

The first thing you will notice when on the updated site will be the new layout. Right now, everything's being redone and updated, this may or may not change depending on how the update will progress. This site was in need of a layout change because the old one was starting to feel outdated. This update isn't final - things will change and things will be updated for the better. I will need some massive feedback on the update and I'll try my best to keep things running at its best.

There something you don't like? Anything not working like it should? Want something changed? All feedback is welcome.



XOMEDY ARCADE

The arade hasn't received an update in ages. It's about time. There's a handful of new games and I plan to add at least one to two games weekly. I'm still thinking about wiping all of the arcade high scores. The reasoning behind this is the current massive high score lead allowing no competition. This might happen at a later date and an announcement will be made prior to purge.



USER STATUS

One of the new goodies added is a facebook/myspace style user status. You'll see the text right under your name and is currently editable with the "Edit" button right next to it. I will make this much easier and much more accessible with a future update.



STATISTICS & RECENT POSTS

Right under the shoutbox and right above the forums is the new statistics box. You'll see the most recent posts on the right side and top statistics on the left. This one's self expanatory. It will be tweaked in the future. Feedback on positioning?



EXPERIENCE & LEVELS

If you view any thread or profile, you'll notice experience bars. Based on activity here you will have an experience bar and a level bar. You gain experience and level up when you post threads and reply to threads. Later on this week, I'll bring the shop online which will enable you to use your points on neat things like a bold, italic, or colored name, stickied thread, etc.

There will be an in-depth announcement when this feature has been further implemented.



FORUM STRUCTURE

The forum structure has been completely reworked. There are a little more categories so everything isn't overly simplified. This will be tweaked and there may be minor changes here and there to the forums and categorization. Some may be consolidated, some may be split, and some may even be completely done away with. If we decide to remove a forum, we will sort the current threads into the other categories so no posts are lost.



XOMEDY GALLERY

There have been a few major changes to our photo gallery. The categories have been consolidated and more generalized. Guests may now upload any time! (Kind of like imageshack!)



XOMEDY TEAM

I have returned for another round of activity. There are only two founders and primary administrators - Lurk, Rawrboom. We also have one additional member on the Xomedy Team, Soloh. All additional members have been removed - Speedy, Xephian. Darkfire is on a temporary MIA leave. He may be reinstated as Xomedy Team status if he can maintain some activity here.

There are no plans for any additional members on the Xomedy Team at this time. We will announce when any spots on the team are open; until then, any requests to join will be denied.



DONATIONS AND MIRRORS

This web site is operating at a loss as we provide you entertainment for free. The domains and the web space costs us approximately $250/year USD. We will never stop providing free and top quality entertainment.

Any donations are greatly appreciated and would but used to benefit this web site - Xomedy. For every $35 we receive in donations, we will put up a mirror site for a month. After that month, the domain will point to a mirror list showing the current mirror(s). We plan on keeping mirror names for a maximum of two months. After a mirror has been online for two months, we will take it down and put up another mirror under a different name. This is to prevent filtration and blocks.



MISCELLANEOUS & UNDER THE HOOD CHANGES

These are functionality and technical changes to the site. You will not notice these more as there are little or no changes aesthetically.

Threads are now automatically tagged. Thread tagging will improve searching the site and will make it easier for search engines to spider this site.
The "portal" aka front page has been temporarily taken offline. I will put up the one in the works when it is finished. This is a big forum update, not a main site update. The main page will introduce more functionality and goodies I hope you'll like.
The software has been updated. More secure, more reliable, bug fixes. 'nuff said.



MINOR CHANGES OF NOTE

Speedy has been removed from the Xomedy Team.
Spam has been cleaned out.
Spam bots will be deleted on sight.
Human verification on registration changed.

[Lurk]

MIRRORS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

I plan on bringing one or more Xomedy mirrors close to this holiday season with my own personal funding. The amount of mirrors will depend on budget. We will rise again!

The mirrors will be handled a little differently to circumvent stronger filtration software seen in corporations and schools. The mirrors will hold a different name from the main site to avoid name/phrase based banning. More exact details will not be released at this time.

UNVERIFIED ACCOUNTS

An email verification step was added a while back to prevent spam and duplicate account abuse. An email announcement will be made to current unverified members to verify their email. Unverified accounts are pending purge a week after email announcement.

[Darkfire]

Sorry about the inactivity Lurk. I will be having a little more inactivity. I am in the middle of another life change, and I am sorry... I wish my life was better... and I could be here for you.... I miss being the Team member here.. and you are a good leader, and i miss being your little know nothing protoje!

[Keith]

don't worry I is here. I like some of the changes. The shop will be cool, and I like the ideas with the levels and such. very cool. 2 complaints: too much grey, and the points/level/activity bars are way too big and distracting. I hope you can make them smaller?

If you're gonna wipe the arcade scores, you should give it a month or two before you do it, and make a contest ot of it. Whoever gets the number 1 spot before the wipe date gets 1st prize... which is a permenant place in the Xomedy hall of Fame as the 2008 Xomedy Arcade King, and maybe some kind of physical prize, like a music CD, or just a framed certificate for winning. Then start the contest over for the year of 2009 and do it over again every year. This should boost your activity in the arcada at the beginning of every year

[Darkfire]

I am back, for at least a little short while. I will not be on from the 28th-3rd of January. I will be located back into Alberta. I have found a good place to stay right now. I am working on getting my own laptop again, the one I had kinda... Broke... So letting you all know now, that my little tour of inactivity is almost at it's end! hope to see this place back in working order, even if I have to force it!

Zieg Heil!

[Keith]

plz do

[Darkfire]

Working on it Keith. Dont you worry.