Development Blog

The start of the authentication process has been started. I now have a username/password/adminBoolean setup for the users. When the user is created, the username and password will be set, but the adminBoolean will not be automatically set. This will currently have to be done within the database. This will be changed before we go live, but hey, no problems now.

I have been working on both a simple interface as well as the database itself. Now I am able to add/remove/update users and roles. I am able to assign/remove roles to these users. All screens flow well between eachother. There is near no error checking in this process, so it is not fool-proof yet. I have some protections verses injection exploits, but this is just a minor implementation. I will have to research a bit after completion of the database and site formation to secure the site even more.

Next up, security. Only users who have rights to the database will have access to the database. This should be easy to implement fully. Once this is completed, I will work on getting the blog into the database. This blog will be the first blog to be placed into the database. This will include the capabilities to add new blogs. Upon completion, this database version of the testing site will go live on the testing domain! I will then show off the work I have done and gain input from the rest of the group.

After that, then making everything look pretty! Then tightening security and after final approvals, we go live!!!

Okay, yea, I said there will not be any updates here, but I just can't help myself. I love all you readers so very much and cannot be away for too long!!! Besides, the live site right now has no updates due to the constraints of others within the group to create content. So I have decided to continue with development of the database.

I have been working on creating this Database within my home development environment. This has been a slow but steady process. Security is non-existant at the moment, thus only being on the isolated system. I have created a few tables, created forms to insert the data into these tables, and have made good progress with this. I have decided to make the database ready for both developers and non-developer members. The administrative aspects of the database will be hidden behind a security system that requires proper login. Now to keep it fully secure will require a bit of research, but right now it is of no concern. First is to get the darn thing working in the first place!. I dont like this approach, but it is a learning approach. I am not fully a web developer, and have no prior experience with PHP, but I am a quick learn!

Where I am at now is a simple table consisting of user with name and description fields. A second table with developer roles and the description of those roles. I have forms to fill in the user data, retrieve the user data, and to edit the user data. I also have forms that create developer roles and edited the display of users display roles the users have assigned to them. A setup for the form to add the roles to the users is in the works, but alas I must sleep so this is where I shall stop!

Treck on everyone, and enjoy!!!

Here we are now, after some time working with learning PHP, I have started to implement the start of my PHP learning. You will not be able to tell right away what I have done here, due to how seamless this may become, except for within the address bar. Pages will be formated more with a ?page=[name], where [name] will be replaced with the name of the page that you are visiting. You can see within this small moc menu list (getting ready for the menu within code already).

On my 'home' development PC I have setup a Database and PHP server that I will be testing the new implementation of blog posting and site updating. It will be simple at first, prone to bugs I would assume, but upon completion it should be very cool for us to use and update on the fly! I am pretty excited to implement many of the new things I have learned.

Till I have a database setup and such, this site is not going to see much change after this post. Keep an eye on the main home site, and once ready, come back here! CSS will be implemented at the same time the database is implemented, or shortly there afterwards!

The FAQ link does work! Well, work-ish. The FAQ located there is the same FAQ that is located on the main site. This will also be placed within the Database, which will be able to be updated when we need it to be. Oh boy, this is feeling a little exciting to me! Simple but powerful is what I am aiming for.

Well, a development with the live site has just occurred. Basically, before I came to become the WebMaster, the site had stylization that worked well for a desktop. With all of my illustrious knowledge and wisdom, I decided to change something good and make it bad. Basically. That has been reversed and the old is back, abit with a different code feel in the background. It really doesn't make a difference how the site is coded, as long as it works well, right? Yea, lets go with that for now.

This site, however, was neglected for now. So to ease the pain, I posted this post!

The first step is to develop the home site. As of right now, the live site has the blog as the home page. This should be changed into a static page that will give a quick blurb for the project at hand, and show off what funding campaign we will be utilizing. This should not be too hard to develop (crossed fingers), so just start with this first page.

Already adding stuff beyond these blurbs, so all additions will be placed in a list at the end of the postings. This will be used to create a change-log in the future (at least current plans).

The tool that I am using is Microsoft's new tool, Visual Studio Code. It is currently considered in development, but I read somewhere that it can be considered RTM for those who wish to use it in production environments and such things matter to the corporate heads. I have been using it for a while now for simple website development and have been pleased with it's simplicity and features.

I have added the semantic HTML5 elements to the document to seperate each part of the page. This will allow for future editing and styling easily based off of what is within the page. I have to note the figure element. Once images are added here I will use it. Overall, these new elements will allow for easier development, from how I understand it.

Due to the use of HTML5 elements, I have already implemented a level of CSS into the project. This CSS is to 'teach' older browsers what to do when it encounters the new, 'unknown' HTML elements. This will be in the main css file.

Additions

• This post
• Subtitle to site
• Constant use of W3C Markup Validation Service
• SiteMap:Internal nav
• Use of HTML5 Elements, like header, footer, nav, main, etc

This is the first development of a fully interactive site for Fall of Atom. The current home page will contain the content that describes the creation of the site, which the information will be moved to another page once the site is ready to have real content. I will use this like a blog to have content for the testing of the site. Keep an eye here to see the development thought process and to give suggestions (once that functionality is ready).

The current planned steps.

1. A plane text-based site that would work on anything. A bases for an OCR version of the site.
2. Add a little CSS markup to make it look nice for simple screen devices or possibility a print-friendly site.
3. Add a bit more CSS markup that will be used for simple mobile devices.
4. Add more CSS and a bit of jQuery / JavaScript to create a site that represents a mobile friendly site for a touch-screen mobile device.
5. Add more CSS and jQuery / JavaScript to create a dynamic site for larger screen mobile devices and desktop devices with touch capabilities.
6. Add complex scripting to flush out an epic desktop experience!
7. Implement PHP server-side scripting to take care of many of the client-side scripting techniques. This will allow a more dynamic site for those who choose to disable JavaScript without reverting completely back to the CSS version and not needing to use complex CSS tricks to fulfill the experience we are looking for.
8. Create a WordPress template based off the above techniques and methods to allow future updates to the site to be made by anyone in the company, not just the programmers.
9. Add any new tricks and tips learned through the process of creation of this site to the previous steps, to take advantage of new skills developed and to create an awesome site to reflect the awesome work of Fall of Atom!

The main concern of this WebMaster is that too much time will be taken with web development and skills with the game will not be utilized till late in the project. This may work well, though, due to my desire in working on creating an epic AI for the game. Who knows, I might end up utilizing some of the AI skills into this site? Imagine that, an intelligent web site!!! Totally epic?

Please note: This testing site is not completely monitored by Digital Morphine Games, LLC. I, the WebMaster, do not receive prior permission to create content here. If there is something that must be removed, including this notice, upon the request of the company it would be removed. So those who have entered this site will get more of a raw mind of said WebMaster. Thus said, what opinions and ideas represented here does not necessarily reflect upon DMG or FoA team. Think of it more of a Rogue aspect of the company that needs to be whipped into shape from time to time.

That said, let the development and learning begin!!!