Reaent Website...

[FredM 0]

Hey there,

 

For those who might not have glanced at it in a while, like to point you to the Reaent's website at www.ussreaent.com. :)

 

Recently added a few new features. This includes several new deck layouts in the graphics section and the addition of a new feature called "Episode Trailer." Basically it's a hint of coming attractions plot wise on the sim. At the moment, detailing a plot that will followup one which took place last year. Won't be our next mission, but will be the one after. :P

 

So, take a glance. Comments are always welcome, though I do reserve the right to scream bloody murder. :P

[LoAmi 0]

Visually nice site. There are some things that don't work... I'm not sure if it's because the site is new and in debugging stage, or because I'm using a non IE browser (Mozilla 1.6/Linux) and there's some nonstandard HTML or Javascript code in there. If you'd like more information, board-PM or email me. Also, there are no alternative methods of accessing the site when there's no Flash plugin or the plugin is nonfunctioning (I can demonstrate that with another browser I have installed that does not have the Flash plugin installed). A text mode browser is totally doomed.

[Dumbass 0]

I'm using the same version of Mozilla at work except on a Win2000 machine. The only thing I can't access from here is the "Episode Preview" section, but that's just because of our pop-up blocker which I haven't figured out how to disable yet.

 

A more important question from the intro slideshow: As you well remember I was on the Reaent for about 4-5 months and I don't think the ship fired it's phasers once. When did you get one of those high-powered phasers that can pierce through a Klingon ship? Even the Enterprise-D didn't get one of those until well after Riker became an Admiral! :)

[LoAmi 0]

I'm using the same version of Mozilla at work except on a Win2000 machine. The only thing I can't access from here is the "Episode Preview" section, but that's just because of our pop-up blocker which I haven't figured out how to disable yet.

To turn off popup blocking: Edit | Preferences, Privacy and Security tab, uncheck the "Block unrequested popup windows" box or add allowed sites as you find you need them (this is what I do). Even with popup windows unblocked for that site, the trailer didn't work. With all popup windows unblocked, it did. (This is either a bug in Mozilla or something funny about how the site is configured, I'm not sure which). With popups blocked, but the site allowed, the popup windows in the "images" section work, as expected.

 

The other things are:

1. If you go to the "history of the starship Reaent" page, none of the links work.

2. At 1024x768 screen resolution, the fonts on the navigation bar are too small, but the site's text is readable.

3. What happens in pathological cases (no Flash plugin installed, or a text-mode browser).

[Vex Xiang 0]

Very cool Fred. I love your intro movie btw :P

 

The preview movie was nice too...but no pictures! You should have had flashes of scary images with a sudden loud scream to scare people while they're watching it :)

Edited March 17, 2004 by Vex Xiang

[FredM 0]

Visually nice site. There are some things that don't work... I'm not sure if it's because the site is new and in debugging stage, or because I'm using a non IE browser (Mozilla 1.6/Linux) and there's some nonstandard HTML or Javascript code in there. If you'd like more information, board-PM or email me. Also, there are no alternative methods of accessing the site when there's no Flash plugin or the plugin is nonfunctioning (I can demonstrate that with another browser I have installed that does not have the Flash plugin installed). A text mode browser is totally doomed.

Hey there,

 

Regretfully, I had to pick the "lowest common denominator" and go with a site which will pretty much only operate under Internet Explorer or something similiar. I've simply had too many problems over the years trying to make duplicate sites and keep both current. In turn, I find 95% of folks are using IE and/or can view the site properly within their particular browser. :)

 

As for Macromedia, it will automatically launch the plugin installer when you go to the site. Your correct in the fact a text browser would be doomed, but in such a case a good portion of the site wouldn't be visible anyway due to other setups. :P

[FredM 0]

Very cool Fred. I love your intro movie btw :)

Hey there,

 

Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, the movie's quite good. Actually has a lot of the sim's history within it, even the initial proposal letter can be found within it. :P

 

Again, glad you enjoyed it. :P

[Merina 0]

I like it very, very, very much Fred. ::bows down to him::

[Seiben 0]

Wonderful site Fred Top notch job. Though I'm still wondering why you guys went from a Soverign to an Ambassador class? I liked the intro movie too. :)

[Holden 0]

bravo!

[Dumbass 0]

Regretfully, I had to pick the "lowest common denominator"

Well that explains Kroells at least. :)

[STSF Precip 0]

Awesome Fred. I applaud the intro, showing the interesting evolution of the Reant over the years. The credits are another bonus nice to see past GMs get the nod for their tour of duty.

 

Fascinating imagery involving the Ambassador Class Reant. Curious where those originated. (IE the Reant blasting away at a Klingon ship).

 

 

Precip

[Vex Xiang 0]

Yes I would be careful about the images...I've seen a lot of them on the Internet and the artists can be pretty uptight about it. People are so sue-happy these days :P

 

Might be a good idea to add appropriate credits to all the images.

[LoAmi 0]

In turn, I find 95% of folks are using IE and/or can view the site properly within their particular browser. :P

 

As for Macromedia, it will automatically launch the plugin installer when you go to the site. Your correct in the fact a text browser would be doomed, but in such a case a good portion of the site wouldn't be visible anyway due to other setups. :(

Apparently, we have very different visions of why there's a web in the first place. IMHO, It's not to make information accessible to people who use one operating system and one software package.

 

It doesn't launch the Macromedia installer on Konqueror (which accepts Netscape 4 plugins); it actually just shows a grey box that says you don't have a plugin. Not sure whether that's (1) a bug in Konq, (2) a bug in the site, or (3) an assumption not based on web standards. :-)

 

Making things work in a text browser doesn't necessarily mean making two separate sites ... simply putting ALT= tags in all your images will work most of the time (most HTML composers have commands that allow you to do that). Text browsers are not just for people who have unusual, low-tech Internet connections. They're also used by people with visual disabilities in association with screen readers. Of course, you lose visual information with a text browser... but, should you lose all the text information as well?

[Dumbass 0]

Yes I would be careful about the images...I've seen a lot of them on the Internet and the artists can be pretty uptight about it. People are so sue-happy these days :P

Well if you ask me someone who puts images on the Internet is pretty much asking for them to be used. I'm no lawyer but I don't think it quite reaches the legal status of copyrighted material.

[Vex Xiang 0]

Well...what if someone copied say, Fred's website (just using you as an example since its your thread), and changed the ship name. Does Fred deserve to have his hard work used without his permission...or have someone else take credit for it?

 

I dont know legally how effective copyrighting various materials on the net are...I'm sure its pretty good if you really want to take it as far as the court. But its also just good courtesy.

[LoAmi 0]

I'm no lawyer but I don't think it quite reaches the legal status of copyrighted material.

Nope, as soon as something is put into a tangible form (writing, electronic media), it is copyrighted by the original author unless it's explicitly specified otherwise, even if there is no copyright notice on it.

 

I'm pretty sure you need to register your copyright with the US (or other country's) Copyright Office if you want to litigate it.

Edited March 18, 2004 by LoAmi

[Dumbass 0]

Well then I'm going to copyright the "©" symbol. :P

Edited March 18, 2004 by Dumbass

[Vex Xiang 0]

I've been in copyright discussions before...and what I've been told is that registering your copyright only helps you to prove ownership and date in court, but if you have other methods of proving ownership, there's really no need. I think basically in civil court if the judge recognizes you own the material, your non-registered copyright is still legal.

 

The law is so confusing :P

[Dumbass 0]

I think basically in civil court if the judge recognizes you own the material, your non-registered copyright is still legal.

Then again how "civil" can a court be if two parties are against each other? :P

[LoAmi 0]

I've been in copyright discussions before...and what I've been told is that registering your copyright only helps you to prove ownership and date in court, but if you have other methods of proving ownership, there's really no need. I think basically in civil court if the judge recognizes you own the material, your non-registered copyright is still legal.

 

The non-legalese pamphlet from the copyright office (http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html) says that if the work is of US origin, it must be registered before being litigated. Non-registered copyrights are still legal copyrights.

 

As for copyrighting the copyright symbol... well, you can only copyright your own original work ; and lists, short phrases and symbols cannot be copyrighted. Short phrases and symbols can be trademarked, but that's a whole other animal.

Edited March 18, 2004 by LoAmi

[FredM 0]

Might be a good idea to add appropriate credits to all the images.

Hey there,

 

With few exceptions, 85% of the images seen within the movie are either:

1) Original content

2) So freely circulated no proper copyright can be held and/or determined.

 

For every image which was not original, I took whatever steps I could to attempt to locate the author. In many cases, this wasn't possible. Several of the images were graphics sitting within my database on this computer. This is a folder of items that's been growing for almost a decade. Somewhat difficult to locate the author of a site you may have visited seven years ago but can't find any record of today. :P

 

For those images I was able to determine the author for, they're cited towards the end of the movie. Regretfully, only two authors are listed as the rest I simply can't confirm the origin. Even with one of the cited creators, I'm not certain it's valid but just to cover all my bases I listed anyway. The remainder I either could no longer find online or could not find a confirmed origin. Best I can do to try to give credit where it is due. This was my policy for the Aegis introductory movie as well.

 

Since it was mentioned specifically, I don't know who created the last image of the Klingon attack. I have a memory of once seeing a site with a large group of similiar images, however when I went to visit the URL it was no longer valid and I couldn't find an updated address. Glancing around during my attempt to find the author, I saw it on several websites. Sadly, none seemed to have any citation. This seems to be a common item.

 

And just in case anyone's curious, that "music" as been the sim's quote unquote "theme song" since 1996. What your actually hearing is a modified version of the original .wav file sent out all those years ago. Citation to the original author of the unedited music is within the movie as well. :(

Edited March 18, 2004 by FredM

[Dumbass 0]

And just in case anyone's curious, that "music" as been the sim's quote unquote "theme song" since 1996. What your actually hearing is a modified version of the original .wav file sent out all those years ago. Citation to the original author of the unedited music is within the movie as well. :(

It's the theme to the movie "Crimson Tide", © Disney Studios, 1995, staring Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington, directed by Tony Scott, about a mutiny that takes place aboard a US nuclear submarine... and I think I just gave Ridire a good idea about that Cairo plot. :P

Edited March 18, 2004 by Dumbass

[Jenna James 0]

Great job Fred! :)

I found it to be truly like a real ST setting.

Loved the trailer!

The only thing I was looking for and didn't

find was a listing of the crew since the STSF

sim began. :P Otherwise, I say Kudos on a job well done :(

[Vex Xiang 0]

Yes I did notice that the authors were cited in your movie, Fred...though only for a split second I had to watch it three times to make them out :P

 

Crimson Tide!! Thank you! I couldn't for the life of me figure out where that theme came from and I KNEW it sounded familiar. I was about to watch all my home movies just to find out. You just saved me about 50 hours of my time. Hehe

 

Btw Fred are you planning on adding that encyclopedia type deal to the Reaent site like on WebExcalibur? (I havent gotten around to updating mine or splitting it like you suggested) With all the Reaent's history I'm pretty sure that would be an impressive section.

 

PS: If the music you have in the movie is in .wav format you could probably convert it to MP3 and play it that way to cut down on the loadtime.

 

PPS: Now me thinks I should make a movie for WebExcalibur to keep up with the jones'.

Edited March 18, 2004 by Vex Xiang