The Temple Ruins Version 2.3.1

The Return of ZeldaBlog
- May 6, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  My lack of Internet has made me a few days late for what is a very important announcement. In April, various webmasters across the Zelda community began discussing the idea of reviving ZeldaBlog. Now I’m happy to be able to tell you that it has indeed been revived! Better yet, The Temple Ruins is a part of it.
  
  As before, Zelda Blog is located at ZeldaBlog.com and will feature articles written by various community webmasters. I encourage all of you to take part in leaving your comments. A handful of new articles have already been posted and my first article is in the making.
  
  Expect to see semi-regular updates about Zelda Blog in the future.
Less Updates Coming
- May 2, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  I’ve been terrible and not updated since our server issues. I’ve been busy with exams and end of semester projects…and Mario Kart. Exams are over and I’ll be heading home, but that means that I will once again have limited Internet access for a while.
  
  I plan to continue updating the best I can, but updates will be few. No more than once a week, probably less. I will still be working on information offline as best as I can. If E3 brings any new Zelda information to the forefront you can be sure that I’ll report on it.
We’re Back Online
- April 19, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  So, anyone who tried to visit yesterday and most of today probably noticed that there was no website. Apparently, sometime yesterday there was a PHP error of sorts and the entire Zelda Oracles network went down. During this time, you would have been greeted with an error page. The issue wasn’t resolved until a few hours ago and even then there were still problems to be worked out. Every file for our content management system had a piece of code added to it and it had to be removed. Rather than change a hundred files, Henhouse and I wiped everything and started fresh. Even then we ran into some problems and so for at least an hour or so The Temple Ruins was a white page with nothing on it.
  
  I’m happy to say that we finally got it all fixed up and working again. The database was not hurt during this, so no content was lost. If you do notice something wrong please contact me right away so that I can get it fixed the way it should be.
Making Some Progress
- April 18, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  Ok, so I haven’t updated in a few days but some stuff still got done. That said, the updates have been slower the past few days. I’ve updated some items and bosses, but the images are not ready yet. The images are going to come slower for some sections from now on. I’d like to get them all ready, but I’d rather have the writing completed first.
  
  New sections for this update are under the “Other Resources” area. I’ve completed guides for the Dark World Portal locations and the Zora’s Waterways warp points. I’ve also taken some time to write out an exact “master plan” of all the content I hope to cover for A Link to the Past. I’d like to confirm that I haven’t put a dent in it yet. However, this plan will help ensure that I stay on track.
  
  The weekend is coming and while I have other things to work on you can expect at least one update over the weekend.
The Light World Nearing Completion
- April 14, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  Well, it’s Monday and I had said that it was my goal to have all the Light World related content completed today. So, has it happened? Not exactly. It is almost there? Oh yeah.
  
  This weekend, I completed the first five dungeon pages: Hyrule Castle Dungeon, Eastern Palace, Desert Palace, Tower of Hera, and Upper Hyrule Castle. These pages can guide you to the more detailed dungeon item and boss information as well as tell you how to find the map, compass, and big key in each dungeon. For now, including that information is the goal of these pages. In the future, I hope to include walkthroughs and other secrets that can be found inside each dungeon.
  
  In addition, detailed boss strategies for the bosses of the previously mentioned dungeons is also complete: Ball & Chain Trooper, Armos Knights, Lanmolas, Moldorm, and Agahnim (First Time).
  
  Most of the major item pages are completed but some of the optional items are not. I’ll be working on these next and that will “complete” the Light World information. There will of course be more secrets and other smaller pieces of information to add, but the major pieces will be finished. The Dark World will come next, but at a much slower pace while I work on revamping other sections and creating new ones.
Formatting Errors and Solutions
- April 12, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  Ok, I haven’t updated since my early morning update yesterday, but I did get some work done. Two of the dungeon pages are now working, but not as well as I would like. The problem? Internet Explorer. Personally, because I’m a web designer, I am not fond of IE because I have to fix everything to work in IE. However, I am committed to being compatible with IE because I know that that majority of people use it. As of right now, nothing is bad enough that it really affects your viewing. The two pages for dungeons work fine except for a misplaced image at the bottom of the screen. I wish it would position correctly, but that’s not my biggest concern right now.
  
  I’m more concerned with how to format the pages to make them easy to read. At the same time, I want to use the images to make it a bit more exciting than the text-only content we’ve always had. However, right now, I feel that the pages are a big “image heavy” and the current formatting leaves a ton of empty space. Now, having some empty space is good, but empty space large enough for more than a paragraph is usually not good. So, I’m exploring what I can do to clean those sections up a bit. In the mean time, I am still creating more of them.
  
  I also noticed yesterday that if you are using Internet Explorer 6 then the “dungeon nav” is somewhat glitchy. I’m not sure why it is working the way it is, but if you roll over them they should light up. In IE6, the images still light up, but not until after they completely disappear for a second. This should not be happening and I don’t know what I can do to fix it, but that’s another thing I’m looking at.
  
  Now, on a more positive note, we have some other new content available. I’ve opened up a “Tricks” section for all those little fun things you can do. I’ve put two pages up for now, but I’m working on more. In addition, the Agahnim (First Time) boss page is complete as well as the Boomerang page.
  
  Look for more updates throughout the weekend.
Search Is Functional
- April 11, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  Just a quick update to announce that I’ve finally got the search working appropriately. If you notice your search results either a.) showing full page content instead of small excerpts or b.) showing text going off the screen just know that I am aware of these issues and I’m working to fix them.
  
  The text off the screen is still a remnant of my original Wordpress problem. I have a solution, but I have not yet edited every page that was complete before I had fixed it. So, some pages still misbehave. The other issue, showing full page content in the search result, is likely related to that same Wordpress problem.
  
  I was unable to complete the dungeon page this evening/morning but they are a project for the upcoming weekend. Ideally, I want to have all items, bosses, and dungeon pages (perhaps walkthroughs) up to the first fight with Agahnim complete by Monday. I have other projects to work on as well, so I may not be able to complete all of that, but it is my goal.
  
  I hope you enjoy the new search bar. This is the first time I’ve had a working search bar on the site (took me almost six years). Personally, I’m thrilled to have it. I hope it makes navigating easier for you.
Featured Website: Kafei A’la Mode
- April 10, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  When I was picking out the first featured website for the new design, there were a few websites I considered but I quickly picked out the Kafei fansite - Kafei A’la Mode. The site isn’t a large scale Zelda site. You won’t find game help on this website. The entire site is a shrine to Kafei, a character from Majora’s Mask.
  
  What the website does offer is general information on Majora’s Mask and Kafei’s role in the game. You can learn about his friends and his enemies. Basically, if it’s about Kafei or related to Kafei, then it’s on this website.
  
  In addition to the general information about the character, you can find the best Kafei related media I’ve found on the Internet. Inkiw, the webmistress, has taken some of the best screenshots from the Kafei & Anju sidequest and put them online for you to see. She also has fanart, videos, and other media.
  
  Kafei A’la Mode is a very small website and even with tons of screenshots and videos you’ll be able to go through the entire website in a short amount of time. Kafei A’la Mode serves a very select group of Zelda fans - the Kafei fans - but does it extremely well. Take a minute and give them a visit. You may learn something about the Majora’s Mask sidequest you didn’t know.
Layout Revisions
- April 10, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  I’ve begun rolling out the changes. The layout as you see it is more or less how it will remain for a good while. Small revisions will still come (particularly for Internet Explorer users), but the general idea will remain the same.
  
  I have started the new dungeon pages, but they aren’t ready to be online just yet. I plan to have the first one, Hyrule Castle Dungeon, completed this evening. However, I have a three hour class coming up soon so it will be later tonight before I can complete it.
  
  Sadly, the main feature that sparked the entire revision, the search bar, is not currently operating as it should. I’ll be looking into it’s misbehaving this evening as well. So, I don’t have a whole lot of new content to show you right now, but if you happen to see screwy things happening then just know I’m playing with stuff. If something was working and then breaks, I probably broke it and will correct my mistake a few minutes later.
  
  There is one new major feature I want to talk about, the featured website. As the name implies, I’m featuring another website from the Zelda community on the front page. I’m not taking submissions or anything, and it’s not limited to affiliates (although the first one is one). I’m just going to occasionally go out and find a site I want to feature. That website will then receive an image link (like the one on the left) and I will write an update about the site (like the update I’m about to write for Kafei A’la Mode).
  
  There will be more updates throughout this evening and tomorrow on the new revisions and content sections.
The Future
- April 9, 2008 ~ Sheik-Yumil1988
  
  I realize that I never quite made that update last time and I apologize. I got very busy and simply didn’t update. No update on the front page doesn’t mean there wasn’t something going on behind the scenes though.
  
  Beginning tomorrow I plan on rolling out a huge update. I have talked with some other webmasters in the community and made some changes based on their advice. What’s this mean for you? Well, first it means that we’ll be getting an updated look. The layout isn’t going to change drastically. You’ll see the same colors, the same content organization, and even the same artwork on the banner.
  
  I still consider the changes small, but the site will look very different when you see it. I’m including a search bar (the update I intended to have ready for you a couple nights ago) and new pages for each dungeon in the game. These pages will be made available to you via small image links similar to the “game navigations” you see on other Zelda sites that cover the entire series.
  
  So, this means you can expect at least thirteen new pages of content when I roll out the layout changes. These pages will basically act as “content hubs”. For example, when viewing the page for the Eastern Palace you will see its location, how to reach it, and why you’re going there. In addition, I’ll provide links to other relevant pages for the dungeon item and boss. These pages will be in depth and so the originals will certainly be updated as I continue completing the boss strategies and inventory pages.
  
  Last, I intend to launch the beginnings of dungeon walkthroughs. I currently haven’t even started this, but the first sections will not take long to complete. This may not be ready when everything else is, but will appear in the near future.
  
  So, what do I have to show you tonight? Nothing actually. None of these new features are implemented yet, but they will be beginning tomorrow. There is a small bit of news though: we have two more new affiliates. My old friend Ezlo at Zelda101 has agreed to affiliate with us once more. I’m happy to have a connection with him once more. And a newer Zelda site named Zelda Capital has also affiliated with us. Take some time and look around their sites. They each have something special to offer.
  
  That’s all for tonight. I’ve got plenty of work to do still.