Looking For Website Help (videogame related)

[TRM]

Attention everyone! Some of you may be familiar with a website I run, The Warp Zone.

http://www.planetnintendo.com/thewarpzone

When I first started the website, I was in 7th grade. A few years later, things really started to take off, and my website became very popular (or so it seems, from the amount of feedback/emails I receive). By now though, I am a Sophomore in college (university for those Europeans out there), and I honestly don't have much time to be managing a website.

I still love Nintendo and NES, I just don't have enough time to update the website. I have tons of cool things to add, but with my studying, social life, and other interests (non-American culture, coin collecting, learning languages...), I just do not have the time to run this website as well as I should. I've also been writing a lot of songs lately, in hopes to start a new band by summer.

I've been thinking about dropping my website for ages, but everytime I do, someone always talks me out of it.

However, I think that this is the time. My host (Planet Nintendo, part of Gamespy/IGN) sent me an email yesterday, telling me that today I had to switch servers on which my website is hosted. Fortunately, everything still appears to be free, and it looks like they will move my website to the new host, automatically...unfortunately, I have to manually update the banner code, for about 400+ webpages. This is time consuming, and dry. Due to this and my already - diminishing interest, I thought I might mention something on DP.

Is anyone interested in helping to run/maintain my website? I don't want to completely ditch the website, but would be very grateful if two/three people (which know about html, etc) might be interested in working on the website jointly with me? Please PM me or post a message if you are interested in helping out. Serious inquires only please....

Thanks.
Dave

[badinsults]

You should seriously consider switching over to php. I had the same problem with my site, as I wanted to change the layout, but it would be a pain to change 400+ html pages. With php, I have separated the content and the layout, so if I need to change the layout, as you have to, it is a simple change. It really isn't hard either, just have a layout page like this:


template.php:

template html code.......... where content is inserted:

<?php

echo $content;

?>

template html code......


Then in another file:

<?php

$content = 'whatever your content is';


include template.php

?>


And that is all you need to do.

[CYRiX]

if u need to change the layout you could just possible change the pictures but keep them the same name size, althougth that limits your possibilities.

[Yam]

How much traffic do you see monthly? If you want to avoid your host's advertising, or register your own domain I might be able to provide hosting for you.

[badinsults]

Another thought, have you ever considered finding a different host? I'm sure there are plenty of places that would consider hosting your site for free without needing banner ads. For instance, edgeemu has given me banner-free hosting for the past couple of years. Knowing IGN, they probably want to have those freaking huge flash ads all over the place.

Another consideration, if it is only a few lines of code that need to be changed, it is probably an easy matter to come up with a script to change the code in all the pages. I am not an expert scripter, but I can't imagine it would be too hard, as long as the code that needs to be changed is the same on each page.

[TRM]

Okay, so I found a person who is interested in modernizing the website, using php and so forth. He is prepared to do the coding...

However, we are still looking for a few other people to help out.

We are looking for someone who can come up with a nice design and for someone who is able to design graphics...if interested, please pm me or post here...

Thanks.
Dave

[Ed Oscuro]

Ugh...I'll have to ask Kurt Kalata if he's gotten any messages like this. Might be time to pack up part and parcel.

GameSpy was slipping for years with website support up until the IGN merger, and now IGN seems hellbent on destroying the community GameSpy people built up.

[TRM]

Ugh...I'll have to ask Kurt Kalata if he's gotten any messages like this. Might be time to pack up part and parcel.

GameSpy was slipping for years with website support up until the IGN merger, and now IGN seems hellbent on destroying the community GameSpy people built up.

So I get an email today after sending the following email.

I am able to access the account, and am transferring the files to the new location as we speak.

However, I did not have time to change the banner code yet...

I am having a few people work on a redesign for my website for me, and after it is complete, we will have the new banner code implemented...is this okay with you? I do not want to take the time and effort to change banner code on 700+ files, just to have to change 700+ files a second time. Do you see what I am saying?

Let me know if this works for you...

Thanks,
Dave

In response, I am told to please update the code ASAP anyway, though the server dude "understands" where I am coming from.

He also tells me to take a look at the new ad designs, because "These aren't banners any longer but larger format ads..."

I've been trying to see how bad these new ads are, but have yet to find them on the mess-of a tech website they have.

Maybe I should just pull the ax out and start swinging...

Anyone want to mirror my site or want to host it? I hate to see the site disappear (even if it doesnt get updated), but these ads sound really bad. And personally, at this moment, I have other things on my mind than a videogame website that I started in 7th grade....