For some time now, am trying to get a new site for modplug up and running, but as you may have noticed, I kinda failed. I simply don't have the time and motivation to work on this, let alone by myself.
So I thought to switch to a SMF forum, skin it, and use plugins and the API to get something to work like that. Unfortunately I didn't got enough progress with that either. I have wild ideas about what I want, but I lack the time and motivation to actually get it done.
So I'm looking for people who can develop in PHP, can design HTML/php/CSS and possibly know a system that will make things easy to go from.
At this point, I don't really mind what system we'll use, as long as it can be extended to have song uploading capabilities, and a proper bugtracker.
If you have questions feel free to ask them here.
Who is interested?
Oh, and I am looking for people who have the time and motivation and skills. If you are unsure if you can do it, I might be able to include you in a team, but I need someone with the time and skills to be able to give it shape. I can lead the project if desired, but I don't mind giving that out of hands too.
I want to add that we already had some plans about the bug tracker... It would be super cool to have a Mantis (http://www.mantisbt.org/) bug tracker (PHP) coupled with a SMF (http://www.simplemachines.org/) forum, i.e. having a shared user database would be really great. I'm not aware of any pre-made bridges, so if you like experimenting, you would already do us a big favour if you can connect Mantis with SMF!
Apart from that, I guess that the site does not really have to be anything special (software-wise), we could possibly use existing systems for every part of the site, apart from the download section, maybe (which should also make use of the forum user database). A possible combination:
- Drupal or a similar simple CMS for frontend (not much content, maybe a welcome site and a few sites about the modplug products)
- A MediaWiki for the wiki part (I guess this does not need to be integrated with the forum user database - cubaxd and me have a bit of experience with MediaWiki, so we could possibly help out with setting up stuff)
- A SMF forum
- A Mantis bugtracker
- Download section (possibly self-written).
Sounds much, but the biggest parts are really only making a proper new design (valid (X)HTML please :P) for the site and coupling all the components. That can be done by a few people.
Every little bit you can do helps. That's why we would like to have answers from anyone who can do at least one of the mentioned things.
If we're going to put things into a system, like a CMS there are a few things I looked out that I want to share.
Some CMS systems, like drupal come with an integrated forumsystem like phpBB. If we don't need/want to mod the forum much, it would be an idea to go for such system.
If we do want to alter the forumsystem in some ways, then SMF is superior.
SMF has a lot of plugins by itself that can probably do most of what we're looking.
There are even packages available to turn SMF into a CMS, Wiki and even download section.
I even thought about creating a style where I can program into it: if a forum has a certain name, the forum is not shown in the index. That way you can actually create a system to make a post in a forum using a template which can have upload capabilities.
Many functions like CustomBBCode can give you support to add advanced looking posts with ease.
So I too think SMF is the way to go, but most likely it will be best as foundation.
If you have good ideas of combinations of systems, please post them here :) The more the merrier I think, so we can balance out all issues.
OT: Is the new site planned to be located in modplug.com?
I'd personally go for openmpt.com (and ditch that ugly wiki there, as discussed before) - modplug.com can still redirect to openmpt.com then.
I have HTML/CSS down, PHP I can code (but mind you Im no LPChip like Guru) and if you guys are willing to help with a little hand holding, Im more than willing to help.
I also have found that I start from backends outwards...so translated that would be "from ugly to pretty" (skins and such on the backburner) but then again this is upto however you guys want it.
I'll level with you, right now I have Time and motivation (yeah so "About the skill...") if you're okay with that then Where do I sign up?
The idea is, that we can get the site made as we want to REPLACE the current modplug.com. MisterX told me he really don't have any time to maintain a site like that any more, and the only thing he request is a small text somewhere on the bottom in the form of ads.
I will host it on my server so I can actually do something when a malfunction occurs.
2machinesmith: I don't know if you're good enough, but I guess there's one question that could answer it:
If I tell you this: build a webpage that uses the SMF API (see smf site for how it works) to get some info like: who is logged in etc...
If you can do that, I think the biggest skills are there. I don't mind answer questions like: I don't know how I should do this, and that I help you getting into the right direction.
Also, what timezone are you on machinesmith? It wouldn't really work if we're not in the same timezone and thus can't communicate much.
He's in a completely different time zone, but I think he can confirm you that he's chatted with me often enough to tell that time zones are really not a problem. :P Even US and Australia based people should be able to work on this if realtime communication is really so important.
Well, I'm only online in the evening, which is morning/day time for US citizens.
for what it is worth..
if you screen the people who are allowed to upload - instead of each song - you could probably get by with having uploads direct into the forum.
I am sure someone will blow the whistle if something bad is uploaded.
I guess that might be possible. Actually, is there a reason why download section and the forum's music corner are separated? It could indeed be merged.
I think having them seperated looks more professional. But other than that.. not really. This forum has it integrated even. But I do like to have a seperated song submission system, simply so there can be various checks and fields to be entered before the submission is sent in. I still see with the bug support forums here that people sometimes not fill in all fields, which requires me to edit the posts and fill in the info, or ask about them even...
A form that takes care of the submissions can easily inform the user for missing fields and supply info with what they could enter. Next to that, we could create a database with these songs and their topic id's, so we can easily filter/search on the entries.
2 uncloned: I do like the idea, and I've thought of that too.
Basically what I have in mind is this: if we do an approval system, when a person makes 5 submissions that don't need things to be changed, they gain the right to bypass the check system. Of course, this means that if an entry gets submitted that doesn't have the fields filled in correctly, and they get changed by a moderator later, he/she loses the right and has to get 5 submissions right again.
Im reading up on the API and SMF itself, as it stands I understand what you want and I see how it can been done...but seeing, knowing and doing are all separate things! What deadlines are there?
Given that we're without a modplug central since more than 4 years now, I wouldn't mind if it was another decade until the new site is up and running.
Nah, kidding. I personally am against tight deadlines, but it would be really nice to have the new site up this year.
I think its possible to create a first draft (workable forum) and build on from there.
That's what I was trying to do, but time and motivation didn't let me do it properly :(
So I guess having a forum online and moving to that would be the first step. Building on it from there probably is possible, and I can create an acceptation environment if necessary. (a second forum that you can build on, and once accepted, being merged with the public one)
I've been tinkering with PHP and stuff to see if I can produce that simple page you asked for, and its pretty clear that I have LONG way to go :(
So if you have some PHP black belt in line now would be the time to bring him/(her?) to the forefront. However I'm still ready and willing, just have to play catch up...A LOT!
Having a look at the php manual from php.net, if you know other programming languages, this should help a lot for getting into php.
Yep thats Exactly what im using! however I'm chugging along at best here (unless you want to see like 3 pages that can print 1 to 10 using For..Next loops) so Im assuming a month or 2 before before my PHP actually starts being helpful
Out of curiousity have you guys started coding site stuff too? I ask because while its cool to surprise the good folk on here I'd like to know beforehand rather than find out a finalised site 2 months later (ie Im ok with down right rejection, just not at the last moment is all)
BTW Jojo, I'm loving the TranceTron9000 name thingy!
Haven't done anything that could be used for the site yet, apart from the TranceTron9000. :P
Oh look what we got here, this should also not be lost (maybe it could be incorporated into the wiki?):
http://www.modplug.com/index.php/page/showresource/
There are some really good magazines in there (like traxweekly) which should definitely not be lost when building the new site.
Omg, this is something for the history books. Even some guides for assembly and everything. It's pure gold.
even my old ITMA movement is in there - inspired by Kim of course.
ITMA = it's the music association.
it was fairly big on usenet back in the day.
I've sent MisterX a PM asking if he can send these to my email.
EDIT: I've got a reply that he is okay with it. :)
Step 1: http://openmpt.com/
Does anybody have any more ideas for this list (http://openmpt.com/features.htm)? OpenMPT is such a big project and I don't really know what people might find interesting or what the real key features are.
Hey that's great ! I have a few ideas :
In Editor features :
* Customize your own keyboard layout and shortcuts.
* Plug a MIDI keyboard to play and record live over your song.
A versatile treeview :
* file browser to drag and drop samples and instruments in your song.
* fast access to various elements of your song (patterns, samples, instruments)
(instead of "Fast access to various places through the treeview")
... maybe a word about multiple sequences and tuning.
In Supported file formats, I would separate saving and rendering :
Saving
* MPTM : OpenMPT (based on IT with support for multiple sequences).
* IT : Impulse Tracker.
* ITP : Impulse Tracker Project (instruments are not saved in the file).
* S3M : ScreamTracker 3.
* XM : FastTracker.
* MOD : ProTracker 4 - 32 channels, 31 samples.
* MID : MIDI.
Rendering a song to an audio file :
* WAV : PCM Audio up to 192 KHz, 32-bit, quad surround.
* MP3 : MPEG-1 Audio Layer III with ID3v2 tags.
Thanks, I've added those. Sometimes, so many features come to my mind that I even forget the most important features like the fully customizable keyboard layout. :D
A little typo : "Autotame VST plugins" :D
In the sample editor features I would add sample drawing (this one is great).
I've seen "Edit one module in multiple windows". I've never done that, is it safe ? I mean does the other window update at the same time ?
I personally have not used more than one window ever (if anything, I use my second monitor for VST plugins, when it's connected), but from what I've heard from Harbinger, it appears to work, but if you f.e. open the sample editor twice, the second window won't get updated.
Nice work , this site, Jojo !
One feature that comes to my mind is the ability to use OMPT for realtime performances (the transition jumps)
2 Paul : already there : "You can even draw your own samples!"
Quote from: "Sam_Zen"2 Paul : already there : "You can even draw your own samples!"
Yeah, I added that
after he posted here. :)
Looked at the code, just simple code and no use of cms. Am I right?
Yeah, as it's just a temporary page. As the new page will be slightly bigger than two pages and I will (hopefully) not be the only one maintaining it, I will stick to Drupal. But no worries, the markup of the site theme I chose validates in the W3C validator and is also very simple and elegant (the CSS does most of the work). :)
Not as simple and elegant as my handmade code maybe, but still clean enough. :)
This is very exciting stuff. I know that it has been ages since modplug.com was anything worthy of a destination. Since that time, the content has grown stale, the site has been slapped by Google (try searching for modplug and see if it comes up before page 6 - bastards), and interest in it has been maintained solely by the members of this forum, it seems.
Realities of life have caused me to not have the time to work on the site that I used to. Hopefully there is someone or a group of someone's who are in the position that I used to be in that can pick up the baton, so to speak. I would love nothing more than to see a revival of the web site. Although I wish to retain the domain for nostalgic reasons, I will gladly offer it to any project that promises to revitalize the site and keep it going. The suggestions in this thread and others are very exciting. Please keep it alive!
Even more invaluable information that should not be lost.
http://www.modplug.com/modfaq/
I guess I'll unsticky this topic now since most of the work requested in the first post has been done by a single person in little time now. Weird, why did it take so long - more than five years? I thought there were so many people eager to work on the new site since the crash! Did we ever see a single line of code as a result of this work?
You are great, and we are thankful.
Quote from: Jojo on November 16, 2010, 18:29:13
Weird, why did it take so long - more than five years?
There's no need to insult me like that. The first post states the problem. I made it a too big project for me to handle with the limited time I have. With the help I've got things just didn't get done, which is the reason I started this topic in the first place.
You were certainly not the only person involved in this (though probably the most prominent one). Still, I think it was already clear in 2008 (if not earlier) that noone in the "site-builder" crew was really bothering to put something up. Why did noone realize that it simply didn't work out? This was no picnic for me, either, and I don't want praise for what I've done, but I just wonder why it had to be me who did all this, since there was a group of maybe five people "eagerly" working on the new system.
@JOJO: HEY! I have had a lot of shit happen in my life over the past couple years. I had more ups and downs than I thought possible (multiple terms of unemployment, car accident, etc.).
LP and I were looking throughout the Internet for the right solution to what he and the others envisioned a good while back. While I may have found it a few months ago, I am so out of practice it would take a few more to get proficient again.
The other 'issue' is that it's in beta, which I'm sure many would not accept readily. It's by no means a problem as my friend has already done some kickass things with his system.
When my friend gets back from honeymoon I'll see what the latest developments are.
I did speak to LPChip a while ago saying that in my opinion it is better to put up at least something up than develop a miracle, but this is just one of the ways to do it. Depends on the situation. One thing I would say - new site does not seem to be a necessity. Tracker software is needed, but by a very small audience and this forum seems to be enough for everyone involved.
In fact, once the new site is up, I personally am not sure it would be any different than this forum in terms of activity. I might be wrong, though, but TiS 2 sort of shows that even a very robust site can go dead pretty quickly.
That was my suggestion as well LV.
Resulting activity is a result of your cultivation.