The Exiled Gamers Forum: New stuff on The Exiled Gamers - The Exiled Gamers Forum

I would like to write this new blog entry to share all the new things we have added to The Exiled Gamers over the past few weeks and what has yet to come http://www.theexiled...lt/thumbsup.gif The regulars on our forum have seen the changes as soon they are made but others may find this helpful to catch up quickly.

First I would like to start with the forums and blog system because when reading this blog entry it's the first thing you'll notice that you are facing a whole new template that doesn't look like the forums at all. What you are looking at now is a new skin called 'CleanCut' and is currently only available to hosted blog users (if you don't have one, you may create a hosted blog here). I have to admit that I still have some work to do on this one because due the current navigation menu the skin does not look very nice if your screen resolution is anything lower then a width of 1280px. More skins might be added but I do not tend to make those skins available for the entire forum and soon to be called; website as I think that it won't do any good to us. But for blog users it may be a welcomed feature to personalize your own blog and stand out from the rest.

We might call our part on the internet a real website soon because we have now to help us with the website development. I requested some help within the last meeting we had on the Vent server and he stood up and volunteered to help us out. And some extra .PHP, Java & XHTML 1.0 knowledge is very welcome since I suck big time when it comes to php and java scripting http://www.theexiled...lt/rolleyes.gif
, thank you for that and a http://www.theexiled...efault/beer.gif on me!

New stuff on our forums!

We did not stand still the past few weeks and several things have been added to bring the members we think they have been waiting for. You can now for example add your X-Box LIVE gamer tag at our forum so you can show off and compare statics, games, achievements and check out who is currently playing and what game they are playing. You can even make a few selections as to how your profile should look. A few theme's are available to choose from and few more may be added over some time.

We have also added a download manager to be able to host files made by our very own members (or any other file)! It is not exclusive for files created by our community members but it's mainly added for that purpose since we still have FileFront with a major files network. We just want people to be able to download custom files needed or used to play on our clan servers and members to show off there hard work. It is well integrated within our forums because each downloadable file added to the system will also create a support topic on the forums where the file can be discussed.
And just for the download manager we have added a new category within our gallery system so you can as well upload descriptive/supportive screenshots or other media files to include within your file description. I would also like to urge authors who upload there creation into our download manager and release a newer file to edit the current file instead of uploading it as a new file.
Because our D/L system is feature rich and has a version control system build in. If you release an update you would edit the current file within the system and upload the new file where you also have the ability to edit the descriptive text to include all your fixes. With that the system will also automatically update your forum post of that file. Then on the D/L page the download button will always choose to download the most recent version but older version will be available as well down the page.

Not such a big update but silently added on our forum is the ability to add your http://www.theexiled...logo-100x25.png channel by posting your channel name between the [livestream] tags (include the closing tag). So if you have set-up a channel you can now share it with us and give us the ability to tune in right away. An example can be found at Goody's blog entry here.

http://dev.live.com/...e/wlconnect.png

We had several login methods as well account creation methods (OpenID, Facebook Connect, Username/Password combination, E-Mail/Password combination) available to simplify the process it takes to login/register at our forum but just the past week we have added the ability to login/register at our forums using your Windows Live ID. If you use the new method you'll be redirected to Windows Live where you can login. Then if the login succeeded you'll be redirected back to our forums where you will be loged on automatically. If the email address is new to the system, it will create a new account and get you loged in. Using this method does not require to validate your email address because you have been loged in at Windows Live already.

Some time ago we had the idea to set-up a monthly news letter that would be mailed to all forum members who signed up for that with all news and stuff concerning The Exiled Gamers but it never really took off.
We'll now skip this idea and instead use this blog to bring you all the news. And with that we also won't try to bring you updates on a monthly base because why bothering if there is nothing to tell? With the new approuch you get the updates when we feel for it to share them and that can be sooner or later. If you wish you can choose to keep updated as soon a new post has been added by adding this link (Syndicate my Blog) into your favourite RSS reader. You could also choose to Track this Blog.
Note that we'll avoid blog entry's like the previous one to only include news about our small town on the net from now on.

Game Servers and Steam!

http://www.theexiledgamers.com/images/steamLogo.jpg

Our Steam Community Group is now join-able to everyone who wish to play with us. We have now set the group to public so non-members may join us to follow us into our game servers or get in touch with us. It was a discussion point at our recent meeting on the Vent server and the outcome was unanimous. We need more activity and we hope to get more activity this way on our game servers. After all that's what it is all about, to start gaming with each other.

With that and also discussed at our recent meeting is the set-up of game divisions. Each game we have a server for (or not yet), has now a team leader who will take care of spreading out the word to the crowd and organize game events at our servers or on other clan servers by challenging another clan to get a match going. Team leaders are definately not alone in this as we still think that we play as a group. And anyone in this group should step up to bring new idea's as those are very welcome. We just need some one to blame, kick, shout against if something doesn't work out well http://www.theexiled...lt/rolleyes.gif And those members are:

• Jase taking care of a Halo group
• Shadowfire67 taking care of Call of Duty 4 will assist him actively with server maintenance.
• ShootMe & Keirgo taking care of Left 4 Dead

Now we know that we don't have Halo servers but a lot of people wanted this group and as such it has been added and supported. You've likely noticed that Team Fortress 2 has not been listed ... and yes, I could just keep this one short. We'll most likely drop these servers from our clan since the servers are not much discussed about and above all, not being played at. Besides that, DS-Game Solutions (soon to be housed within DS-Hosting Solutions) has already mentioned to donate a Left 4 Dead 2 server as soon the game has been released if we would make room for it and drop another game. At the clan meeting we all thought that the new game would be lot more fun for us to play at. So that has been said now, The Exiled Gamers will drop TF2 to make room for a L4D 2 server which is expected to be released next month the 17^th