So I'm rebuilding the site...

[bernieh]

I've been sitting on this announcement for a few months now, but I'm finally able to share it with you.

In a nutshell, [b:d8344b8481]I'm rebuilding the Strat-O-Matic Online site from scratch[/b:d8344b8481], and in the process, [b:d8344b8481]making it better[/b:d8344b8481], and opening up the possibilities for it to get a LOT better. [b:d8344b8481]We're making a deep investment in the future of this game, and giving it a much greater chance to get to the next level.[/b:d8344b8481]

The technology platform that the current site is built on - specifically the "language" it's written in - is crap. Just crap. I mean, to take nothing away from the fine engineers who pioneered it back in the early 2000s - it was revolutionary for its time, and it still does some things very well - the fact of the matter is it's now ancient, limited, and obscure. It's severely hamstrung our ability to make seemingly simple advancements to the game over the years. I'm not using that as an excuse - as proud as I am of what I've accomplished, the current ceiling is far from being reached - but it's very much the case. And talk about "obscure": our technology is so proprietary that [i:d8344b8481]I'm now literally the only developer in the world[/i:d8344b8481] who works with it. It has been more or less logistically impossible to hire someone else to help run this game.

Well, all of that's in the process of changing. For the past few months, I've been working on rewriting the entire site in PHP - a language that [i:d8344b8481]everyone[/i:d8344b8481] uses! - and migrating the backend database from Oracle to MySQL, which will make things easier and save a [i:d8344b8481]ton[/i:d8344b8481] of money. And what happens when you rewrite something; of course, you seize the opportunity to make it better, at the ground level.

The project is gigantic and still another few months from completion, but here's where I tell you what it will get us. [b:d8344b8481]Note[/b:d8344b8481] that our #1 short-term priority is to simply get the site working with its existing functionality with minimal disruption to you at the switchover time, so I'm [b:d8344b8481]not[/b:d8344b8481] saying that these advantages will be immediately realized in the next few months. Some will be, though, and thus I'm categorizing these by scope so you have an idea of what to expect. I have to admit that on a personal level, I'm probably overzealous about all the possibilities that the new platform opens up for us - you know me, my eyes are often bigger than my stomach. So I'll understand if you'll be skeptical about any and all of this, and I'm going to resist making [i:d8344b8481]promises[/i:d8344b8481] per se. No matter what, though, the new [i:d8344b8481]potential[/i:d8344b8481] is clear and inarguable, and I think we can agree that that's a good thing.

[b:d8344b8481]Newly possible, and even likely to happen[/b:d8344b8481]

- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Hiring more manpower.[/color:d8344b8481] Being realistic, we're probably not hiring another full-timer to work alongside me, but contracting consultant work gets incredibly easy when we're on PHP. And yes, we're already doing that!
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]New, more flexible live draft, with salary cap support.[/color:d8344b8481] Our live draft as it stands was a shoehorn job that's on old tech and whose authors left the company years ago. It hasn't been possible to upgrade it. I'd like to re-do the whole thing and tailor it for SOM Online.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Improved trading system.[/color:d8344b8481] Trade cash, get clearer feedback on trade offers, maybe even moderate trades. Maybe.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Custom player sets.[/color:d8344b8481] I don't think this is a huge priority, but in theory, with my improved structuring of the database, we'll be able to support leagues having their own unique pool of cards. Maybe.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Improved lineup control.[/color:d8344b8481] The re-architecting of our database would make [url=http://forums.sportingnews.com/viewtopic.php?t=621056]this[/url] much more possible.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Email game notifications.[/color:d8344b8481] We've been technically able to improve our email notifications for things like trade and injury alerts, and game digests, but it's been too tricky. PHP will make it so much easier.

[b:d8344b8481]Likely to happen at switchover![/b:d8344b8481]

- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Merging and updating older games like '70s, '80s and 1969.[/color:d8344b8481] FINALLY. This WILL happen, because given that we're migrating the entire database, we have no choice. Unless we want to explicitly preserve the current bad situation, which would be stupid. Those games will enjoy all the advancements the player sets under the central site have enjoyed, and have their player prices updated as well. Definitely. Yes. Please.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]New forums.[/color:d8344b8481] FINALLY. We'll probably be sticking with PHPBB, but if we do, it'd be a clean installation that can stay current with its new releases and features. And yeah, search functionality will be restored.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Proper development ("test") and production ("live") environments.[/color:d8344b8481] Have you noticed that sometimes you can tell that I'm working on something new when you experience a mysterious glitch on the site? Yeah. This would hopefully cut down on that.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Improved registration and login flow.[/color:d8344b8481] Our current system sucks, new users can't find the game; heck, even you guys can't find the game sometimes. It sucks, I hate it.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Improved in-game email.[/color:d8344b8481] Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: our current system sucks.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Easier sharing of team and league links.[/color:d8344b8481] Here I'm not talking Facebook/Twitter sharing (although that'd be a nice perk); I'm talking just posting your own team and leagues here on the forums for advice and discussion. I know that's an understated but important part of your experience and I'll be improving that.
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Bug fixes, bug fixes, bug fixes.[/color:d8344b8481] I won't be a slave to the sales pitch and ignore the likelihood that I'm going to create new bugs - again, [i:d8344b8481]I'm re-writing the entire site[/i:d8344b8481] - but I'm going to at least fix the existing bugs that I've literally been prevented from fixing for years due to our old tech.

[b:d8344b8481]Bonus[/b:d8344b8481]

Here's a peek at a few small things I've already accomplished in my new development environment. I've noticed that improved player search functionality has been among the more recent popular requests from the community, and I do understand how important it is to optimize your drafting and roster management experience. Some of the easier parts I can and may do with the current site in the short term, but here's just 2 of the more visual perks that the new platform is making possible that you'll see when it's done.

- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]Player auto-suggest[/color:d8344b8481]. If we know the player's name, let's not go to an intermediary search page to see results we don't care about.

[img:d8344b8481]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/images/stratomatic/marketing/screenshot_autosuggest.gif[/img:d8344b8481]
- [color=indigo:d8344b8481]One-click draft list adds[/color:d8344b8481]. When we click to add a player to our draft list, let's not leave the search page we're on to go back to our draft list.

[img:d8344b8481]http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/images/stratomatic/marketing/screenshot_draftdialog.gif[/img:d8344b8481]

Just the tip of the iceberg.

All this said, I'll understand if you'll "believe it when you see it". That's cool; of course you will. Let's just all hope for the best!

[b:d8344b8481]What's going on now[/b:d8344b8481]

So this migration is what I'm neck-deep in for the next few months. Along the way, I may be posting more "teasers" of stuff I'm working on, and may even retrofit the existing site with it if it's easy enough and doesn't distract me too much from my main goal. I'll also be continuing to post the monthly batches of new cards to All-Time Greats, interacting with you about some of the hot discussion topics of the day, and working on the player salary updates to the older games in preparation for the switchover.

Busy and exciting times!

[the splinter]

loving it Bernie...it was time to give the old girl a new paint job....can't wait!

[Guynick]

Awesome!

[Mr Baseball World]

Awesome!!!!!!

[Mr Baseball World]

I may have been slow but I do have more exclamation points. :P

[Sheikyerboudi]

AND you have time to play in leagues.........impressive young Jedi!!!!!!

-FZL

[visick]

EXCELLENT Bernie...

IMHO, had we known a long time ago that the site was powered by a couple of rats running on a wheel, we would have been more patient.

visick

[Simon31]

I can only hope all these amazing improvements will be enough to entice some great managers out of retirement! Excellent job Bernie!

[quote:e20ccc4c58]I'm now literally the only developer in the world who works with it. It has been more or less logistically impossible to hire someone else to help run this game.
[/quote:e20ccc4c58]

Genius! Job security at it's finest! :lol:

[george barnard]

[img:e8a004d90c]http://www.creatingacomic.com/images/victorian-fainting.jpg[/img:e8a004d90c]

Obediah, get out the smelling salts. I'm feeling one of my spells comin' on!

A wow moment if ever there was one.

[BobBoone]

"Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: our current system sucks."

Hehe, Love this!

Love the one click draft list adds!

I am so pumped that I am now going to go buy a discounted five pack!

Thx!