Blog Update Notes

I've been working on a site update for quite some time. Ever since I made some changes to image formatting, I've had some issues to fix. This new design not only provides a fresh look for Swordroll's Blog, it also addresses those issues and increases the site's compatibility. Take a look at what's new!

There are some new pages and every existing page has been completely re-worked. One of the biggest and toughest parts of this update was ensuring everything worked across different devices. No more default templates for mobile or tablets. Now you'll get the full experience across any device.

This update paves the way for additional new content in the works, including more interactive and sortable content. While I've been through as much content as possible, it's been impossible to get to everything. If you encounter any issues, or have any other feedback, let me know!

Here's a list of what's new:

Design

• A new design has been applied to the site! A combination of custom coding and a back-end template make for a more unique and pleasant experience.
• All pages have had their individual designs updated and are now available at a wider site width.
• Ravenwood News and the Tradewinds Tribune are now featured on the sidebar. 
• Category sorting is now available.
• Much of the expandable page content across the site will now animate open and closed.
• The site is now MUCH more compatible across browsers and mobile devices. The unique design should now be more closely reflected on mobile devices and most all pages and content have had custom coding added for responsiveness.

Navigation

• Navigation has been updated (and pages sorted differently) with custom icons.
• A new search function can find posts by label or query relevance.
• New social media icons connect the site to its social media channels.
• Additional navigation panels are integrated throughout the site, and may change depending on the pages you visit!
• Pages within individual sections are inter-linked with custom buttons.
• Page breadcrumbs are now included to make navigation clearer.

Blog

• To the best of my ability, I have updated as many relevant blog posts as possible (several hundred) to look better with the new design. If you see any oddities, let me know.
• Labels have been cleaned up to be more relevant. 
• New labels have been added to many posts, and outdated or unusual labels have been removed.
• The formatting for things like block quotes and ordered and unordered lists has been updated.
• Related Posts have returned along with share buttons and next/previous post links.

Guides

• The older "All Packs" and "All Bundles" articles are now more prominently featured as their own pages. Each one now contains links to the most recent pack or bundle reviews.
• A new page with all of the skeleton key bosses has been added, including links to relevant articles.
• The pages for packs, bundles, and skeleton key bosses include a new sorting functionality.
• The packs and bundles guide pages have been updated to include new items and better reflect current availability.
• The "Guides Home" page now includes recent guides in articles and sub-headings to better sort guides by topic/section.

Interactive

• The Entertainment page now includes links to recent posts with videos.
• Community Links has been updated to include as extensive a list as possible of community sites, including requests made for inclusion via submissions. Is your site missing? Send me your link! 
• Direct download links for the Wizard101 and Pirate101 fansite kits have been updated.
• A new Interactive Home page displays relevant posts and links from around the Spiral and includes a live-updating community content feed.

Features

• A new Fishing Hub page will allow wizards to more easily navigate between fishing guides on the site. 
• A sortable fishing spreadsheet is now available for download at the request of a reader.
• The Battleboard Builder has has a formatting update that includes some bug fixes (particularly for compatibility in Internet Explorer).
• The Battleboard Builder is no longer available on mobile devices. 
• The Pirate101 hybrid guide has undergone major updates for better functionality and overall appearance.
• A new Features Home acts as an index for the pages in this section and links to featured posts.

Doubloon Database

• The Doubloon Database has a fresh look to compliment the new site design.
• All of the doubloon pages have had their format individually updated (yes, I went through ALL of them one by one).
• The database should match the increased responsiveness of the main site and work nicely on mobile devices.
• Doubloon Help Pages have had been recreated and reformatted.

Other

• A new interactive, HTML-based Sitemap page provides one more way for users to navigate to posts under different categories.
• The site now has HTTPS functionality and can be viewed over a secure connection.

I have to say a special thank you to Legends for assistance with some bugs. Thanks for your help!

What do you think of the new update?

Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral!