Fansite

[EmperorJay]

When I first heard about CotN, I decided I was going to create scenarios. I also thought I could try to gather some data and present the players with strategies or walktroughs when the game was released. So a few weeks ago I launched Frontpage and started working. I enjoyed it and thought that maybe I could try to release the site as soon as it was ready. But what would be on it!?

I decided to try and create an information site; a lot of official statements are released, but they're scattered around over so many places that it might be nice to collect them. Someone already had done this for Emperor and I messaged Pecunia asking if she would be doing it again for CotN. I did not want to do it if she would be creating such a site because I would never be able to do it better. She said that she was too busy and I should go ahead.

When I finished the page I asked her if she could check it for any mistakes and she said ok, however, the site itself was a complete mess due to Frontpage and she adviced me to do it with just plain HTML and CSS. That was a whole lot harder than I thought it would be, but in the end I managed to do it with Pecunias help. So here it is: http://home.tiscali.nl/ancientcitybuilding/ for now, just a collection on information and some downloads but when the game is released, I hope it will be a place where players can find fun scenarios, interesting saves and helpful strategies.

My first attempt at a serious website, I'll hope you'll enjoy it.

[G-Force]

Just a constructive comment: as resolutions vary you should only use the <br> tag for creating blank lines, not to go to a new line in your encoding.

Example: on your disclaimer page I get the following:
... Zeus
Official
Expansion ...

If you removed the tag after official it would become
... Zeus
Official Expansion ...

Nice site, I'm sure it'll be great!

G-Force

[EmperorJay]

Like I said, I didn't master HTML fully yet ;) . Thanks for the comment, I'll see if I can change it soon.

[Keith]

Nice job.:)

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Keith Heitmann
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[G-Force]

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me :)

G-Force

[vovan]

Good job there, Jay. :)

The only thing I have a slight problem with is the coloring of the text and background. I don't know if it is a problem for others, but it strains my eyes to read maroon text on orangey background. If you could make the text a little darker, that would be great though I think, like in the screenie attached for example.

Also, what slightly bothers me, is that it is a little hard to get to some information. For instance, to get to the page shown on the attached screenshot, you have to dig pretty deep into the site - you have to go to Information -> Official -> Gameplay. While that is fine in and of itself, what I don't like is that you have no way of knowing that information is there when you are at the top level - the main page; and also that once you dig so deep, you don't really know how deep you've dug - there is no indication that Gameplay is below Official, for instance.

As a result, when you are on the main page, you have a feeling that there isn't much to the site, whereas there really is quite a bit of information. Also, if you get to a certain page through a search engine, you have no idea where in the hierarchy of pages you are, and you can easily get lost, or go to the main page and have a hard time navigating back to where you were before.

So, maybe you could revise the menu on the left a little bit to have a certain hierarchical tree-like structure, like this:

Navigation:
[News]
[Information]
----Official
--------General
--------Gameplay
--------Music and Videos
----Screenshots
----Interviews
[Strategy]
[Downloads]
[Links]
[Disclaimer]

[Ineti]

The site has potential. I agree with the hard-to-read text color, though. Could you make it contrast with the background a bit more?

[EmperorJay]

The text should be better readable now :) .

I'll also change the navigation to make it more clear what can be found where. Expect that to be ready tomorrow :)

Thank you all for your commens and kind words.

Edit: I redid the navigation. Too small or better?

[vovan]

Looks much better. As far as the size goes, it looks fine to me. :)

Also, I put the dashes in front of nested sections in my navigation example above just to show formatting. It doesn't really look that hot. What you could use instead is some nested lists like this:


[News]
<UL>
<LI>Archive</LI>
</UL>
[Information]
<UL>
<LI>Official</LI>

<UL><LI>General</LI>
<LI>Gameplay</LI>
<LI>Music & Visuals</LI>
</UL>

<LI>Screenshots</LI>
<LI>Interviews</LI>
</UL>


Which would look something like this:

[News]

Archive

[Information]

Official

General
Gameplay
Music & Visuals

Screenshots
Interviews


Notice how there is a gap between the top-level section, like [News] and its subsections. You can handle that a couple ways. For one thing, you could define a separate CSS class for navigation lists, and define the top and bottom margins to be zero pixels. Alternatively, you could wrap the whole thing into a definitions list, where the top-level names are your terms and the subsections are your definitions, like this:


<DL>
<DT>[News]</DT>
<DD>
<UL>
<LI>Archive</LI>
</UL>
</DD>
<DT>[Information]</DT>
<DD>
<UL>
<LI>Official</LI>

<UL><LI>General</LI>
<LI>Gameplay</LI>
<LI>Music & Visuals</LI>
</UL>

<LI>Screenshots</LI>
<LI>Interviews</LI>
</UL>
</DD>
</DL>


That way, you have a nicer hierarchy support through the HTML tags. :) You will probably still want to create a separate CSS class for the lists though, as the subsections will now be too far to the right, because the indent then doubles - single indent for the unordered list, and single indent for the definition list definition.

But do play around with it, and it will be cool. :)

Also thought you might like to know: I bookmarked your site. Now you better update it frequently, or I'll come in whining about it. ;)

[EmperorJay]

Thanks again vovan! I'll be away to Berlin from Monday to Friday , so don't expect many updates then ;)

Since I'll be packaging for that trip, I think that it'll have to wait until I get back :)

[JuntaJoe]

Hi everyone.

Figured it was about time I registered and said something.

I'm really enthused about this impending game.

I'm so enthused that I modified my forum and joined as a fan forum here! :D

My site was just listed on the COTN link page and here's the link: Los Soldatos (http://jorgepina.proboards13.com/index.cgi)

I figured this would be a good thread to introduce my site and hope everyone drops by.

There's other fun stuff to do there along with a couple dozen other eager fans awaiting this game.

I'll make a point to visit all the other fan sites and fan forums and introduce myself.

I sincerely hope all the sites can band together into a great community to support this game.

I'm also wondering if any of the other forum owners would think a webring would be a great idea that way we can share member traffic and grow all of our sites?

Just drop me a note to my inbox here if that interests you.

And to the developers, I want to say keep coding like crazy because I'm ready to play!

[Keith]

I opened a section on my own messageboard (http://panzerblitz.proboards9.com) last week for CotN.
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Keith Heitmann
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[Eddy]

Welcome Joe! Nice to see you here.

I'm the one who introduced Los Soldatos to Children of the Nile because they were looking for a good solid strategy game to enhance their community. As soon as I saw CotN, I knew that this was the game. It has a bit of everything. A grand sweeping saga of history. An empire that stood the test of time. Building grand cities filled with people who live in the shadow of temples and monuments. War and the defense of all you have built.

I, and the rest of Los Solatos, welcome this game.

[JDF]

:)

I started my own thread, which seems to be buried on page 2 now.

Website is nearing completion. I will update that thread when it is done.

[Keith]

I opened a section on my own messageboard (http://panzerblitz.proboards9.com/) last week for CotN.

Try my new quiz on Egyptian facts, myths, and religion. Click the link in the quote then open the quiz in the CotN section. Enjoy! :D

[EmperorJay]

Nice quiz, thanks Keith! Too bad my score wasn't that good...

[Keith]

Nice quiz, thanks Keith! Too bad my score wasn't that good...
Threre's 70 question in all in the database. The one's presented are picked at random by the program so keep trying. If I can think of more to add to the database I'll update it.
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Pharaoh Music Jukebox (http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/java/pharaoh.htm)

[JuntaJoe]

So does the webring sound interesting?

[Kiya]

Thank you, Keith, the quiz is definitely interesting. :) This time a High Priestess, but want to try it again!
Only the allowed time was a bit short for me, I'm somewhat slow, English being not my first nor second language :(

[Keith]

Not bad! ;) Unfortunately, the response time is hard-coded and can't be changed to allow more time.

Edit: I added 30 more new questions to the database today.

[JDF]

So does the webring sound interesting?

A Children of the Nile webring is a great idea I think.

I would join it in a heartbeat. I think other fansites should consider the idea too.

[EmperorJay]

Not shameless selfpromotion *cough*, but I'd like some feedback again :) .

I've changed the way the quotes look. It should now be more obvious what's from me and what is quoted. Any comments?

http://home.tiscali.nl/ancientcitybuilding

[Bugsy]

Not shameless selfpromotion *cough*, but I'd like some feedback again :) .

I've changed the way the quotes look. It should now be more obvious what's from me and what is quoted. Any comments?

http://home.tiscali.nl/ancientcitybuilding
The site appears to be well thought out and set up, all ready to go, if we could just get our hands on the game! ;)

I do like the way the quotes are shown in blue, it definitely distinguishes it from the regular text of what you have said. The site is really looking great!

[vovan]

Yeah, I like the quotes thing. :) Good work, Jay.

[NeilV]

Is a very nice site one suggestion how about giving the previews their own navigation button instead of in the links section as I only found the when looking at the links.

[EmperorJay]

Hmm.. Good idea :) . I think I'll do that :) .

EDIT: Added a link to the previews. :)

[G-Force]

The site is becoming real nice Jay! Keep it up!

G-Force

[NeilV]

EDIT: Added a link to the previews. :)

Noticed that looking good :D