QT Games Site Updates

[Bob Whitely]

Sorry for bashing IE then, Allen. I suppose it goes back to the war that Apple and Microsoft have always had. No, it goes deeper than that. Generally speaking, the websites I've designed over the years and the other web designers I've talked to, have always despised IE because it handles websites so differently than other browsers, which means that we have to cater to IE or our sites won't look as good on it. If you see anything that looks odd in IE, chances are it looks great in both Firefox and Chrome and more than likely Safari too, which is why I haven't caught it.

I used to check Netscape too, but I haven't met anyone in years that still uses Netscape and usually my sites looked good there too - just IE that has been the thorn. But also because when Apple came out with Safari (and that was a long time ago), Microsoft paid revenge on Apple by dumping IE for mac.

IE hasn't been updated on Macs since around the time Safari appeared, so it doesn't really work at all on a mac last I checked. Anyway, glad IE is working for you, and glad the page isn't messed up (of course if you don't use Firefox or the others, it's a little hard to say without checking them too for comparison. I noticed that sometimes the site looks different also depending on which browser on which computer platform you use, and of course which version of which browser.

Frankly the nightmare of browser incompatibility is why I got out of doing web design for a living (well, it was always a freelancing thing, but lately I haven't kept up anyway, so no big). Anyway, thanks a bunch for checking IE!

[Flowswithdrek]

You could well have a point, Bob. The static Image is blank/black on IE and only appears when you select play. I loaded FireFox and its all grainy and tells me I have to download further addons to play it, 6 of one half a dozen of the other lol...

[Bob Whitely]

Drat, you are saying there's a blank on the page? The end of the video has the exact same picture as the cell on the page where the video sits, so there should always be a pic, regardless. Sheesh! Thanks for letting me know. Next chance I get, I'll research and see if there's a work around for IE regarding the cell background image. See, the video is blank on my browsers too, but that's why I put in a cell background image, so it looks great on all my browsers. So many people use IE that I have to find a way to make it look good there too. Tell me this, after you play the video, it does keep showing the last frame of the vid till you refresh, right?

[Flowswithdrek]

Ok when I first open the home page, I get a quick flicker of the image, and then it goes blank. Its so quick you can't even make out any real detail. The video plays fine and when its finished it reverts to the blank screen again. Maybe if it was up loaded to YouTube and embedded in the same way it is in the forums? IE works fine with those and always shows the static image fine.

[Bob Whitely]

Thanks for the feedback, Allen. Man I wish there was only 1 browser we had to design stuff for. It's such a pain. No wonder I got out of web design. Ah well, I'll find time at some point to fix it. Hopefully soon!

[Bob Whitely]

Hi all,

I updated the home page and created a separate page for News and a link to our first anthology. The link will include all the basics about Arcane Synthesis! For more intimate updates (and just flat out more intel you won't get elsewhere), become a Cosmothea Insider (if you aren't already one as part of our recent Kickstarter). PM me for details on how you can join this cool community, which will include even deeper transparency - behind the scenes goodies at QT Games, and special opportunities, including contests and events!)

More updates will follow on the site over the next week or so as I bend the time continuum!

[Bob Whitely]

I snuck into the time machine to make a few changes to our public pages over the last couple days. Check it out when you get a chance!

We've been getting quite a few visitors every day, but few are translating into forum members. What's keeping you from diving into the fray and having a good time with us? I know we are not a site you are used to posting at, and that alone is a hurdle for some - joining any new forum, but I encourage you to get involved. If you invest your time here, you will not regret it — good things are afoot! Thanks for visiting!!!

Bob
P.s. We are constantly looking to improve the site and forums as we find time, but if you spot a mistake or something that doesn't seem to be working right (like a link), let me know. Thanks! For example, when I visit sites and want to head for the home page, if I don't see one, I always click on the logo, and it almost always takes me to a home page. That's how our site works too. But maybe that's not obvious, maybe it's just something I stumbled onto. Is that how you navigate our site? Looking for a home button or just automatically clicking on the logo? Let us know how we can improve and we'll do our best. Thanks!

[Bob Whitely]

Hi all,

Sorry about the long down-time today. The forums were down today for far longer than I expected, and sadly everything I tried to do failed. I was trying to upgrade the forums to the next version to take advantage of the latest security enhancements since we've been getting a lot of spammers lately. But the upgrade returned an error.I tried all day long and it kept returning an error even though I was following the instructions to the letter. The forums are up, but as I said, nothing I tried worked. I will contact the makers of the software and see if they can help sort out why I keep getting errors.

Oddly, their site tells me I'm using a different version of the software than the forum tells me it's using, and so I tried both updating from the version they claim I have and also from the one the forum tells me it is using, and neither upgrades result in anything but errors. Thankfully, the forum seems to be working fine (at least as fine as it has been for years, but I was hoping for enhanced security). So, it was an unproductive day, sadly. Anyway, thanks for your patience if you were trying to visit and it was down!

[Bob Whitely]

Hi all,

The time has come! I have been meaning to set up a newsletter for awhile now. The other day, someone contacted me and complained there wasn't a newsletter for them to join to stay up to date on our product release schedule and such. Bottom line, I will set one up shortly. If you want to make sure you don't miss anything important, please be sure to subscribe!

Although I'm still setting it up, I'd love to start jotting down who wants to subscribe so I can get things ready. That said, please PM me or email me (bob @ qtgames.com minus the spaces) your contact info so you don't miss out! Eventually, I'll put a link to subscribe on the home page.

It's free, of course, and I just might give you some fun insider information and other goodies when the newsletter is sent out! Don't worry, I'm busy, so you won't be inundated with newsletters, but we are moving forward and these are exciting times, so if you think you might be interested, please do subscribe.

Thanks!!
Bob

P.s. I have decided to open the doors for the Cosmothea Insiders section to the general public. It was previously for Kickstarter backers only.

Now to be an Insider, all you have to do is visit there so you can get insider information. Easy, huh?

Frankly, it wasn't really getting a lot of visitors anyway, which is too bad because I was going to hold a contest there. I will if we get enough participation. I think we can still make good use of that section as we get more fans of Arcane Synthesis and all things Cosmoverse and Cosmothea!

If you ask questions there about our stories and upcoming projects, I'll be sure to respond back quickly! Chances are you just might get information not available anywhere else. Yep, exciting times indeed! Cheers!

[Bob Whitely]

Our brand, spanking new Comments section is up in our Books section (see Books link on QTGames.com). Okay, so we only have one book right now, but we have piles of projects in the works and so there's a comment/feedback forum at the bottom of the yet-to-be-expanded Books section for talking about Arcane Synthesis and other upcoming projects.

But you already have a forum! True, but I realize that some don't like to join forums. The Commenting forum on the Books page is fairly robust, though streamlined, and you don't have to have a QT Games account to access it.

You can log in via Facebook or Muut or Google+!

Don't forget about our Newsletter. We'll be sending out our first one before long. Just waiting to get a few more subscribers. The Newsletter will make sure you don't miss any important news, and have other benefits, so be sure to sign up. It's fast and easy!

I also included a great excerpt widget for Arcane Synthesis, with an excerpt for each story in Arcane Synthesis and more than a little art. Check it out!