UPDATE (Oct 25, 2018): The official launch date will be Nov 5th. This had to be pushed back from Oct 29th due to a scheduling conflict that could not be avoided. The site will go down on Nov 5th in the morning and we expect to be back up by Nov 6 or 7th, so at the minimum we'll be down for 2 days. Trade Guardian will be disabled on Nov 3rd.
UPDATE (Oct 22, 2018): We're coming to the end of the data import test. We still have some testing/fixes to do over the next 2-3 days, but the main part is done. We will start the process of setting up the new site today. We'll be doing a fresh install and then we'll spend some time configuring the site. Everything should be completed by this week, then on Monday, Oct 29th, baring any catastrophe, the site will go down for the final data import. This process is slow and a few systems are also completely different from each other, so some things need to be manually done. We expect downtime to be 2-3 days once the site goes down. We'll be turning off Trade Guardian on Friday once we're 100% positive of the launch date.
UPDATE (Oct 17, 2018): The database import is taking longer than expected. Some of the custom systems on the new platform are not setup exactly in the same way as the current site, so the data import process is taking a lot longer than originally thought, not to mention that the database is huge. I do not want to give another ETA since it keeps getting pushed back. Maybe we'll make Oct 29th, maybe not, but I'm not going to post a date unless I'm 100% positive we can make it.
One thing I can say is that when we do switch over, the site will be down for 2 full days. One day to import the most up-to-date database and another day to make sure everything is setup correctly.
UPDATE (Oct 9, 2018): We're currently working on the data import and expect to be completed within the next day. It's taking a little longer than expected. Hopefully we'll be able to start re-testing everything tomorrow. Due to this delay the relaunch windows are being pushed back to Oct 22 or Oct 29th. I expect we'll be ready by Oct 22nd, but you never know.
UPDATE (Sept 20, 2018): We're nearing the end of the coding phase. By the end of next week we hope to have both the coding phase complete and to have all data imported. In October we will retest everything and if things go smoothly we will announced the relaunch date, which we hope to be either Oct 8th or Oct 15th. We'll relaunch on a Monday so we have a full work week to address any bugs reported by members. We'll know the exact date by early Oct.
UPDATE (Aug 25, 2018): We are nearing completion of the coding process. Trade Guardian has taken considerably longer than expected, but I think a September launch is still very possible. We're working on a few other features that we originally planned to add after the relaunch, but since TG is taking so long, we can add those now. Once TG is ready, the next phase will be to import the database and retest everything. This phase will decide if we relaunch in Sept or October.
UPDATE (July 16, 2018): Unfortunately we have been running into some issues and bugs on the new site and being the summer, some of our developers are also taking time off. This is pushing us back and August is no longer on the table for relaunch. We'll be delaying to September for certain and possibly October depending how long it takes to get back on track.
UPDATE (June 13, 2018): We've been making good progress over the last month. We have one major system left to recreate and about a half dozen minor ones. Our team is working hard to finish these off and hopefully this phase will be complete by the end of June or early July.
In phase two we'll import the current database into the new test site and spend a few weeks retesting everything. If things go smoothly, we can complete phase two in a week, if not, it might take a few weeks depending on the problems that arise. During phase two, we might invite some members to help us beta test the site. More info about this will be posted in the future.
The final phase will involve the temporary closure of Epicnpc. We will have to re-import the most up-to-date database into the new site, then reopen. This final phase will most likely take place sometime in August.
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Today I'm happy to announced that Epicnpc is currently in the process of a complete site redevelopment. We actually started 2 months ago and are about 40% done if you're being generous.
We're moving away from Vbulletin, as it's become very outdated, and migrating to Xenforo2, which was recently released a few months ago.
Xenforo2 is a huge step above to what we're currently using, not only in terms of features, but it's also much faster and completely mobile ready. This means we'll no longer have 2 versions of the site, a desktop and mobile version. This should make all mobile users very happy as they'll have access to all the same features as the desktop site has, as compared to now where our mobile site is very limited.
In order to accomplish this, we have to rebuild all features and systems from scratch, which is going to take a long time. We then have to migrate all data into these new systems, then basically retest everything again.
The new site will be completely redesigned and we'll have a new logo. I actually posted the logo last week to our new Facebook page. (old page was permanently locked by FB without explication)
https://www.facebook.com/epicnpcfor...6092771214430/968544253302615/?type=3&theater
I hope that we'll be ready to relaunch in July or August, but we still have a lot of work and testing to do and we want to make sure that everything is transferred over successfully. So these dates can easily get pushed back to September, hopefully not October.
During this time development for Epicnpc is being halted, we're only fixing bugs or addressing security issues. No new features will be added. We hired additional developers during this time and have a team working on this, so we're trying to make the switch ASAP.
I'm announcing this now mainly so everyone knows why new features are not being added. It's not because we stopped working on the site, but we're preparing for a relaunch
UPDATE (Oct 22, 2018): We're coming to the end of the data import test. We still have some testing/fixes to do over the next 2-3 days, but the main part is done. We will start the process of setting up the new site today. We'll be doing a fresh install and then we'll spend some time configuring the site. Everything should be completed by this week, then on Monday, Oct 29th, baring any catastrophe, the site will go down for the final data import. This process is slow and a few systems are also completely different from each other, so some things need to be manually done. We expect downtime to be 2-3 days once the site goes down. We'll be turning off Trade Guardian on Friday once we're 100% positive of the launch date.
UPDATE (Oct 17, 2018): The database import is taking longer than expected. Some of the custom systems on the new platform are not setup exactly in the same way as the current site, so the data import process is taking a lot longer than originally thought, not to mention that the database is huge. I do not want to give another ETA since it keeps getting pushed back. Maybe we'll make Oct 29th, maybe not, but I'm not going to post a date unless I'm 100% positive we can make it.
One thing I can say is that when we do switch over, the site will be down for 2 full days. One day to import the most up-to-date database and another day to make sure everything is setup correctly.
UPDATE (Oct 9, 2018): We're currently working on the data import and expect to be completed within the next day. It's taking a little longer than expected. Hopefully we'll be able to start re-testing everything tomorrow. Due to this delay the relaunch windows are being pushed back to Oct 22 or Oct 29th. I expect we'll be ready by Oct 22nd, but you never know.
UPDATE (Sept 20, 2018): We're nearing the end of the coding phase. By the end of next week we hope to have both the coding phase complete and to have all data imported. In October we will retest everything and if things go smoothly we will announced the relaunch date, which we hope to be either Oct 8th or Oct 15th. We'll relaunch on a Monday so we have a full work week to address any bugs reported by members. We'll know the exact date by early Oct.
UPDATE (Aug 25, 2018): We are nearing completion of the coding process. Trade Guardian has taken considerably longer than expected, but I think a September launch is still very possible. We're working on a few other features that we originally planned to add after the relaunch, but since TG is taking so long, we can add those now. Once TG is ready, the next phase will be to import the database and retest everything. This phase will decide if we relaunch in Sept or October.
UPDATE (July 16, 2018): Unfortunately we have been running into some issues and bugs on the new site and being the summer, some of our developers are also taking time off. This is pushing us back and August is no longer on the table for relaunch. We'll be delaying to September for certain and possibly October depending how long it takes to get back on track.
UPDATE (June 13, 2018): We've been making good progress over the last month. We have one major system left to recreate and about a half dozen minor ones. Our team is working hard to finish these off and hopefully this phase will be complete by the end of June or early July.
In phase two we'll import the current database into the new test site and spend a few weeks retesting everything. If things go smoothly, we can complete phase two in a week, if not, it might take a few weeks depending on the problems that arise. During phase two, we might invite some members to help us beta test the site. More info about this will be posted in the future.
The final phase will involve the temporary closure of Epicnpc. We will have to re-import the most up-to-date database into the new site, then reopen. This final phase will most likely take place sometime in August.
---------------------
Today I'm happy to announced that Epicnpc is currently in the process of a complete site redevelopment. We actually started 2 months ago and are about 40% done if you're being generous.
We're moving away from Vbulletin, as it's become very outdated, and migrating to Xenforo2, which was recently released a few months ago.
Xenforo2 is a huge step above to what we're currently using, not only in terms of features, but it's also much faster and completely mobile ready. This means we'll no longer have 2 versions of the site, a desktop and mobile version. This should make all mobile users very happy as they'll have access to all the same features as the desktop site has, as compared to now where our mobile site is very limited.
In order to accomplish this, we have to rebuild all features and systems from scratch, which is going to take a long time. We then have to migrate all data into these new systems, then basically retest everything again.
The new site will be completely redesigned and we'll have a new logo. I actually posted the logo last week to our new Facebook page. (old page was permanently locked by FB without explication)
https://www.facebook.com/epicnpcfor...6092771214430/968544253302615/?type=3&theater
I hope that we'll be ready to relaunch in July or August, but we still have a lot of work and testing to do and we want to make sure that everything is transferred over successfully. So these dates can easily get pushed back to September, hopefully not October.
During this time development for Epicnpc is being halted, we're only fixing bugs or addressing security issues. No new features will be added. We hired additional developers during this time and have a team working on this, so we're trying to make the switch ASAP.
I'm announcing this now mainly so everyone knows why new features are not being added. It's not because we stopped working on the site, but we're preparing for a relaunch
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