My Writings. My Thoughts.
BuddyPress 1.2
// February 27th, 2010 // No Comments » // Coding
Well, it’s been a week or two since BuddyPress 1.2 was released, and so I decided to take another look at the platform. The last time I used BuddyPress was a pre-release version running off trunk, and it was missing quite a few core features. It also required WordPress MU, which is a hassle to upgrade without having to worry about BuddyPress too…
This time round, BuddyPress doesn’t require MU, and you can install it as simple as searching for it in the plugin browser of WordPress. This also simplifies updates as it can be upgraded automatically through the Plugin Manager. bbPress Forums come packaged out of the box within BuddyPress for groups, and the BuddyPress developers have put together a tool for easily adding compatibility for BuddyPress to your existing theme.
Talking of themes, BuddyPress’ new theme is awesome. A lot easier to customize using child themes, and the theme itself has a lot more scope for customization with a large header background image (similar to the WordPress TwentyTen theme) and a slick transparent admin bar.
There’s still a few things I’d like to see put into it – one of the big features it’s currently missing is Photo Galleries – and I’m sure that on the backend, several settings pages could be moved over to templates rather than being hard-coded 
I strongly recommend you check it out, and I’m anticipating several big-name WordPress sites possibly integrating some of BuddyPress’ community elements into their themes soon.
P.S. If any BuddyPress developers happen to drop by, please could you get this filter added into the bp-groups package?
Announcing the Awesome Contact Form…
// January 26th, 2010 // No Comments » // Coding
For the last week or so, I’ve been buried away working on a secret project. Today, it’s been approved on the CodeCanyon Marketplace and I hope that the hard work has paid off…
Introducing the Awesome Contact Form – it’s a class-based, PHP contact form which is pipsqueak-easy to setup and comes with a ton of features – including sending an auto-response to the sender, two anti-bot measures (a CAPTCHA and a human-verification question), field filters and custom error messages. You can also set a success message or use your own. It’s built for customization and integration, and doesn’t force you to stick to the default fields or make you edit the core code to make it work how you’d like to.
And on top of all this, the script comes with an extensive user guide, covering the installation, every configurable option with examples, and tutorials on how to get the most out of your script.
So what are you waiting for? You can get a copy today, it’s only $8 from CodeCanyon 
Jordan
Modern Warfare 2
// January 9th, 2010 // No Comments » // Gaming
I’ve been playing quite a lot of Modern Warfare 2 a lot since Christmas. As has been reported in the media, the game has smashed sales records – in part, due to its addictive multiplayer mode. However, after giving the online a good playthrough and reaching the first prestige, there are some glaring problems with this sequel:
First of all, the matchmaking system is abysmal. It is downright awful. Whereas in Halo or Gears of War, you would get paired with other gamers also looking for a match, MW2’s matchmaking servers just drop you into an existing game where there’s a spare slot. So lo and behold, not only do you get put in a match halfway through, most of the time you’re on the losing team because people tend to leave when things aren’t going their way.
Also a major problem with the matchmaking is the game connection distance. If IW’s community manager is to be believed, then the game automatically picks a session with the most ‘optimal’ connection. How then, is it possible that the only games I end up in are distant matches with USA players, when I’m pretty damn sure that many gamers in the UK are also playing MW2’s multiplayer…
The second big issue I have with the multiplayer is the weapons imbalance. The secondary weapons are just too powerful at short range. What happened to the good ol’ days with a pistol, not over-powered Akimbo Model 1887 shotguns (or for any dual-wielded shotguns for that matter). The amount of people who take to camping at the top of stairs with those buggers is unbelievable.
As a gamer who paid for the game on release day (despite the high prices), I think Infinity Ward/Activision have a moral right to sort out the botch job of a matchmaking system already there. Either overhaul it completely or give us some options for it – possibly the “Local Search” option featured in Treyarch’s Call of Duty: World at War.
As far as the over-powered weapons go, I can live with that, but it’s irritating when you feel cheated out of a few kills because someone is just sitting in the corner tapping both triggers when you run through a door. Having said all this, I still think MW2 is a good game, with an enthralling (but short) single player campaign and some extra sprinklings of co-op alongside. The multiplayer just needs a bit of work so that it can live up to its predecessor
Merry Christmas!
// December 26th, 2009 // No Comments » // Myself
Yes, it’s another one of those posts…
Joking aside, have a good one and best wishes for 2010. You never know, I might post more frequently next year
Jordan
Facebook, privacy, and why they've got the wrong idea.
// December 10th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Myself, Technology
I’ve been a member on Facebook for a long while. I don’t use it addictively, but it’s been the private social networking place between me and my friends, where we can discuss things we wouldn’t be comfortable with doing if the rest of the world was watching. This is unlike Twitter, which has been my place to rant my thoughts to the rest of the world. It seems like this is about to change.
You’ve probably all been prompted by now to “review” your Facebook privacy settings in their latest update rolled out yesterday. In this dialog you’re nudged towards sharing select things with “Everyone”, but you can keep your current settings if you wish. Since I’d like to keep my private profile to stay how it was, I chose to stick to my existing settings and was on my way.
However, I’m the sort of person who (usually) knows what I’m doing with these sort of things. Already I’ve seen today people unaware they’ve accidentally published their entire profile, pictures and updates to the world, and in today’s all-encompassing digital age where nothing ever completely disappears from the internet, this is a very dangerous area. We’ve all heard of cases where people have posted insulting statuses about their boss, then realised they’re actually their friend. Now it doesn’t even take a friendship with the boss for him to see your incriminating statuses if you’re using Facebook’s “recommended” settings.
Even more infuriating is the now standard amounts of information which are shown on your profile to the public. I have no control over who sees my friends, my pages or even worse, the events I’m attending with the specific times and dates. Surely this stuff should be under the same controls as everything else?
It’s clear why Facebook are doing this – as already explained on various websites, they’ve struck a deal with Microsoft’s Bing search engine to provide public status updates to its searches. They are expected to do a similar deal with Google next year. To do this they’ve nudged their members to share all and covering it up by saying how much more streamlined it will be.
For me, Facebook was a private place I could chat with my friends, but if they can’t guarantee the privacy of my posts, events and profile, then I’ll think twice before posting that update or RSVPing to an event. I think they’ve got the complete wrong idea.
Jordan
Clans
// November 26th, 2009 // No Comments » // Gaming
I’ve been in a clan (off and on) for almost a year now. It’s been great fun playing games with them on the Xbox and I’ve met a load of great people who I’m good friends with now. However, it has been one heck of a rollercoaster ride.
First, let me tell you about the clan. It’s called The Yakuza and has been running for around a year and a few months. There are about 30 members in the clan. Since I joined, we’ve gone through about three different leaders and eventually back to the original one. Every time a new leader comes around we have a sort of probationary period where everyone gets along, and then it all slowly turns back into an argument.
However, we’ve had our good days too – we’ve done a lot of fun games and even made a movie and some other short videos together. We’ve played tons and tons of CoD5 and now MW2, as well as the long classic GTA.
It’s safe to say I’ve had some great times being in a clan, but after the experiences of being in a clan, I don’t think I’d join another one. :)
BarCamp Blackpool SVN Slides
// October 17th, 2009 // No Comments » // Events
My slides from my talk at BarCamp Blackpool about Getting Started with Subversion have been uploaded to SlideShare:
PHPNW 2009
// October 10th, 2009 // No Comments » // Events, Technology
PHPNW 2009 was AWESOME
This year it was held at the Manchester Conference Centre which seemed a much more suited venue than last year at the G-MEX, with two theatre-style rooms and a nice hall used for food and exhibitors.
Since I was helping out, I couldn’t see all the talks I was hoping to see, but they were all recorded and I think they will be online soon. However, the talks I did see were really interesting and I came away from the event with a load of things I’m meaning to follow up on!
Probably one of the best talks was ‘Tools and Talent’ by Plusnet developer Rowan Merewood. It was quite insightful into how to pester a development group into using a new tool and how to prepare for a large-scale migration between platforms. It was also rather humorous
It was quite good to see Microsoft doing a talk today. Despite the heckling, they showed off their new WebsiteSpark program and a new program called SketchFlow part of their Expression Studio series. They also had a prize draw, in which I won some Microsoft Points (and was also given some more by Phil – thanks!)
The day finished off with a meal and a free bar sponsored by Sun. There are further events on in the morning at the Museum of Science and Industry – I’ll try to get there but can’t guarantee anything.
On the whole, the event surpassed the expectations set by last year’s conference, and had a great line-up of talks and speakers as well as an equally-awesome group of attendees. See you all next year!
Jordan
Upcoming Games…
// September 15th, 2009 // No Comments » // Gaming
There’s a ton of games coming out soon in the pre-Christmas rush – quite a few I expect will be drivel as usual, but there are a few ones I plan to buy:-
FIFA 10:- First of all, my excuse for this game is that I’ve not bought a football game in a while… as much as I hate EA for their unfair DLC practices (and this one is no exception!), if the demo is anything to go by then they’ve hit the nail on the head with this one – i’ve never played a demo so much.
Alpha Protocol:- This for me will be the one to watch – it could so drastically go either way. The previews look promising, but I will probably wait for a review for this one to help me make up my mind on if it warrants a purchase or not. The concept itself looks really good though.
Modern Warfare 2:- Of course, I’ll be getting this This should be quite good but I’m disappointed that Activision have decided to try and milk it for £55 – a price i definitely won’t be paying for a game (I hardly ever pay £45 for a game on release!) Not to mention the countless map packs etc..
GTA: The Ballad of Gay Tony:- Albeit not a game, it’s gonna be a really good add-on to Grand Theft Auto with parachutes and countless more great things. I do think it’s quite a shame it’s 360 exclusive because it’s quite unfair on PS3 owners – but there again it all comes down to business in this day and age!
Assassins Creed 2:- If it’s as repetitive as the first game, I’ll give it a miss. If anything, I’ll wait for reviews, or just wait for it to come in stores pre-owned. Mind you, Jade Raymond aside, it could be quite a good game.
I know there are quite a few I’ve left off this list, but that’s mostly cause they are 360 exclusives and I don’t want the discussion to be too weighted. I could be radically off the mark with my opinions though, as I apparently was with my music post not so long ago, so feel free to correct me
Soo, 2 years eh?
// September 10th, 2009 // No Comments » // Myself
This blog has turned the grand old age of two. Well, two years is a long time I guess, but it’s flown by pretty quickly. Here’s to another good year of (occasional) ramblings about something not the least interesting, and goodness knows how many design changes