Hi Everyone!

I've started working on the site again tonight. I wish I had more for everyone to look at, but I'm working now all on behind the scenes design of the site (which includes working on some administrative options to the site, as well as re-entering data for the site functionality).

I'm making some progress, and the results should be worth the wait! (I know it's been a while since this site had anything usefull at all!!)...

Here is a sneak peak at what I am working on. I won't put any expected dates, as my time is a bit limited, but heading into winter I have the feeling I'll be having a bit more time to work on the site on the weekends now. I spent probably 3-4 hours today... unfortunately for the end results I want that is only a fraction of the time I'll be having to dedicate!

Planned improvements:

• Better event listing that is more up to date, and laid out in a nice calendar format for easy navigation and easy printing
• Improved ability for me to accept visitor input and update teams / fields much better accordingly
• Improved security for me to allow moderators to submit news for their local fields
• Improved and simplified forum to allow for less hacking, easier moderation, and better organization
• team and field pages so when a team or field is selected from a list, there is a related page. This will include a summary of the fields much improved over the current listings, and also better team information. Fields will have a list of events for fields that participate, and also pictures if I am able to obtain them from the field owners, my own field visits, or site member visits. Team captains will be able to administer a small page that will look a bit like a stand alone website, except it will not have a custom URL (probably something like www.wipbt.com/teams.php?yourteamname)
• improved use of images and site visitor images
• member logins to allow for updates to teams, updates to equipment profile/marker registrations
• A better contact page for site visitors to contact me with, and for me to respond with.
• better layout for teams and field listings, to allow for easier access to information contained in the site
• improved links page to list other paintball related websites, and to take link suggestions from visitors.
• Possibly some VERY limited paintball advertising (one small linking GIF graphic), but hopefully the ability to accept donations, and also hopefully the ability to have some field tools, like access to field specific calendars, and automated event registraion to help make registering for events for multiple fields easy if accepted by field owners.
• local used equipment forum.
• better information on safety and local services (such as tank hydrotesting sites, etc)
• polls
• much more database driven site that will be easier to make improvements to and get data from.
• A link to help generate sponsorship for any teams that would like a custom website. It will have links to a hosting package (which usually will generate a "kickback" to me for the referral) and I will have a few templates to work with the paintball website, as well as the ability to have WIPBT updated with your team info as you update your team info
• Possibly a templated field website design to allow fields to run a templated field website for a fee.

Thinks I probably won't be offering on this site

• any type of video services
• any custom website design or graphic design for teams (that just took too much time before, sorry! You will be able to upload your own custom images more easily to a team template though that will auto generate when your team is approved on the site).
• Much in the way of forum participation. I will try to be a bit more active again, but my time has decreased greatly, so I will instead try to set up a forum that is more easily moderated!

I'd like to thank anyone still visiting the site to check for updates. I again apologize for the long down time. If you would like to shoot me an email with any suggestions (since now is a pretty good time while I am redesigning), or if you'd just like to say hi, please feel free to email me at rich@wipbt.com !!

Sincerely,

~~ Rich