The Shining Source

Update – Anything you can do… – 21/08/2002 Yup, Shining Online now has a downloadable logo for all Nokia phones! Is this a sign of things to come? We shall see…

Yup, today Shining Online demo 3 hit the big 1000 downloads! I’m not usually one to get excited about things like this, but Newts isn’t here so I’m having to be the happy one :P

Thank-you everyone, we won’t let you down! :D

No other important updates really, and there won’t be any for at least the next month, as I’m away on holiday. Hopefully something shall emerge after that time, though you’ll all have to be patient :P

Cheers!

Update – Shining Online Mailing List – 03/07/2002 Right, as you should be aware I’ve started sending out a regular Shining Online newsletter with exclusive news, articles and screenshots about the project to the inboxes of those lucky enough to have subscribed.

If you haven’t subscribed then I’m afraid you’ve already missed out on the first mind-numbingly brilliant issue which I sent on Monday! However, all is not lost young ones – if you wish to subscribe, send an email to newts@shining-online.co.uk with the subject “Subscribe newsletter”. I’ll then add you to the newsletter and send you the first issue, absolutely free :D Ok ok, so they’re all free, but you get what I mean! Remember – exclusive brand-new screenshots and inside information only with the SOnline newsletter! Huzzah!

Yup, the Shining Online website has been updated! Not much has been added, but you might want to check out the character and gallery sections (and maybe even the development diary)

Now, while you’re all busy looking at the new stuff, I shall now tell you the bad news…

As you know, Demo 4 is scheduled for release on July 1st, to coincide with the release of the new Shiny Sword demo and the re-release of Shining Force World. However, we’re quite far behind development wise, and (to be quite honest), it looks unlikely that we will make the deadline.

This is as disappointing for us as it is for you, but we want this demo to be the best. Demo 3 was not particularly stunning, and it was rushed to make the deadline. As such, it contained bugs and was too small. We won’t make the same mistake again. Demo 4 will not be released until it is perfect (or as close as we can get it). Hopefully you’ll appreciate the extra effort that is going into this demo.

Well, enough jabbering, I have some programming to do!

I suppose I should make it look like I’m hard at work :)

Demo 4 is coming along quite nicely, and a lot more effort is going into this one. It should be as “Shining Style” as we can manage, though there’s still much to be done.

So far the maps are ready, and the enemies are being drawn. This demo will feature so much more than the last one, and should actually showcase what we’ve achieved. Aside from that, it should also fix most of the bugs from the last demo.

Online wise, I haven’t really coded much, as I really want to get the offline engine working perfectly before I start the more complicated (but more fun) side of the coding.

Also, I’d like to say a very, VERY big Thank-you to all of the people who have supported Shining Online all this time. We’ve now had nearly 1200 downloads (740 being for demo 3 alone!), and interest seems to be growing every month. Thanks for your support! (especially everyone at TSS ;) )

Well, enough rambling from me. You can expect some more updates now I’ve started work again. Yes, I shall be working on through the World Cup AND the hot sunny British weather :P