Group for www.thecaverns.net

I am a sole individual that is a big fan of the past works of Richard Garriott. I have been waiting, watching, and observing Portalarium since Garriott started it in the hopes he had plans for a game like this.

I have taken on two projects. One is that I plan to run a guild in the game. The others is that I wan’t to be a information hub for the game. News, Videos, stories, game guides, links, Video’s, pictures, and anything else related.

These projects are completely separate of each other! They are two separate hobbies I am engaging in. However since they are related in that they are both for the same game, I wished for them to share a theme, name, and a domain. Hence why you will find that the website is separated into that which is related to information and that which is related to the guild. Typically I preface my references to the information aspect of the site with “the”, where as the guild I do not. Subtle but then, everything is in the details!

In my work I am trying to follow the same principles that are being followed in the game. We do not want them to build a cookie cutter MMO, so I did not want to build a cookie cutter website. I choose instead to spend hundreds of hours creating my own site rather then use an out of the box package such as Guild Portal, Enjin, or WordPress on it’s own.

They are using old school idea’s and new technology combined with new innovation. This is the approach I am trying to take in that I decided to do the site using frames for that old style feel. At the same time I am using all of the latest tools on the internet such as WordPress, a Phpbb forum modified with over 40 modifications, and other modern tools.

The innovation I am striving for is in that everything on the website (when possible) has meaning, symbolism, and structure relating to that of the game or guild in some way. As an example the website has a consistent background of that of a map. The left frame buttons are map flags pinned with ankh’s (a symbol in the game). At the point of navigation you are in the “over world map”. Choosing those locations lets you travel to the areas you wish to explore becoming the “zoomed in map”. This is how I decided to honor the duel map concept being used in the game. Every color and graphic on the web site has some meaning and relationship to the game (or guild..which will be in the game), in some way. Some of these are obvious and some may require a little thought to really grasp. Yes, even the flying pigeon has a relationship although it is VERY subtle.

Even my alias and personal avatar (or coat of arms) has personal meaning and symbolism combined with things that relate to what will have meaning in the game for myself.

I hope you find my work of use and will keep coming back!

The Caverns, Dungeons, and Beyond[www.thecaverns.net]