I have had a hobby website (3pmoot.com) that has been published since 10/10/2020, and that I've been working on since around that same time in 2018. The main thing that I've focused on for that site was the section called "Every Game Played," where I ranked games as I played them. I've struggled to find a way to reduce the load times on that page, and also to find an easy way for people to find a game that they're looking for without having to scroll through hundreds of games to get there. So, I felt like it was as good of a time as ever to re-design the website as a whole...and hopefully make some template pages for the non-gaming areas that I've mostly ignored since launching the website, so that I (hopefully) stop ignoring them.

This has been a struggle for me. My only web design training was a basic html class in college over 20 years ago. Needless to say, web design has changed significantly since then. So, I've started teaching myself CSS and Tailwind CSS the only way I know how....by playing around with it until I can figure out how to do something....even if I only find it out by accident. I also found a piece of software, Pinegrow, which has a bit of a learning curve to it, but ultimately, it allows me edit code while getting a live view of my changes...I feel like it has sped up my learning process, while also speeding up the actual process of writing up the code. Mr. moho on here was kind enough to offer some advice to help get me going in the correct direction as well. If you're reading this, sir, thank you again for your advice.

So far, I'm liking the end results. The site, as it sits right now, over at 3pmoot.com, is intentionally sloppy-looking. I wanted it to reflect my mind - potentially quality content, but logos and such that were a bit rough around the edges. The new site is inspired by magazines, to a degree. I'm trying to use a variety of colors to keep everything looking interesting, various font sizes, and trying my best to make good use of the new programming languages I'm learning, with the limited knowledge that I have. I'm sure I can make everything look much, much better as I learn more...but I'm happy so far.

As of right now, I have only created the 3DO and Atari 2600 sections (and maybe half of the Dreamcast section) and I've experimented with some other page layouts, including a very simplified, new version of the giant, forever-loading list that should make the page load faster...but I feel like I'm off to a good start. Plus, unlike any website that I've ever made, I'm actually trying to make this updated one mobile friendly...which has been a whole new set of headaches....kids these days and their newfangled phones. Back in my day, I had to venture into the nearby forest and climb a tree to see a spider spin its web. THAT was a web sight when I was a lad...times were more simple back then.

Also, as a homage to my old website avideogamewebsite.com (someone named Elmer Griffin owns the domain now...so I take comfort that someone named Elmer Griffin has taken over the avideogamewebsite.com name) I'm bringing back my "awards." Basically, the worst games (3 out of 10 and lower) will get a brown blooper award. Scores of 9, 9.5, and 10 out of 10 will get the bronze, silver, or gold goomba awards to show my approval. We'll see if Nintendo makes me change it down the road, but for now, that's what they are. The current plan is to list the "recommended" games and the games to "stay away from" on the main page for each platform...once I figure out how to design that in a way that looks nice. More details on the platform pages further down.

The "Every Game Played" section is expanding. It has always been just one, large list ranking...well, every game that I've played over the last few years. As of right now, it sits at 1999 games....and a lady could sleep with a fellow and pop the baby out all before the page finishes loading on some connections. So, I'm keeping the list, but simplifying it, like I mentioned earlier...or at the very least, I'll be simplifying the majority of it. The plan is to make the top 500 games a little fanicer...another ode to my old website where I briefly did an annual "Top 500 Games of All-Time" list, using different criteria each year.

As a side note, I mentioned that the list is at 1999 games. That number should increase significantly by the time the update gets published. I'm popping in random reviews as I go. As of right now, I've added 7 more games...but the plan is to add a few dozen more by the time I'm done, including adding a bunch of Commodore 64 stuff, which I've wanted to add to the list for a while now. So, who knows what the list total will be when the new site goes live...

All of the details, screenshots, boxart, etc. removed from "the list" and lost to this new format will pop up in separate pages. Now I'll post my reviews in various pages, separated by platform and letters of the English alphabet. The reviews will link to their place on the ranking list and the list will link to these reviews. This format will also allow me to add games that I previously decided not to add - primarily remakes that made little change to the game aside from updated graphics, as well as giving me a reason to review certain compilations. It also gives me an excuse to revist favorites of mine so I can review them on another platform. Doing this also allows me to re-read my reviews...some of which, when I look at the grammar and auto-corrected (but wrong) words, I think I may have had a stroke while writing....that's what I get for skipping the proof-reading. Hopefully, everything will be a bit nicer when the new website is published.

Aside from that, I'm aiming for an early July launch of the new site...though, admittedly, I may be setting that goal a little higher than I can reach. Hopefully I can find a step stool or something to get me there.

Below is a preview of some pages....I'm open to some constructive criticism, as long as you aren't offended if I either decide to not do your suggestion and/or if I simply lack the knowledge to make your suggestion a possibility at this time. I suppose I should ask you to not be offended if I go with your suggestion too, but you'd have to be a real odd duck to get mad at me for doing what you suggest. I should also mention that I tend to have a dozen ideas floating in my head most of the time, so the designs here may change prior to being published on the website.

Review on minimized browser/some phones:

Review on normal (pc/laptop) screens:

"The List" on normal screens:

Well, I suppose that's all I've got. Future diaries will (ideally) have game-related updates in them and potentially other screenshots and previews of what I'm adding (essentially what games I've recently played)...probably not any more frequently than once a month at most. I might also talk about typical diary stuff, like how I, like, totally saw the cutest pair of shoes at the mall the other day and how they'll help get Reginald Yarnbailer's attention...he's the captain of the football team and oh, how I wish he'd ask me to prom.......okay, reading the room, I guess there will be no more mentions of Reginald Yarnbailer after this entry. Sorry, Reggie. You'll have to bail your yarn elsewhere.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Thanks for any support you give. Thanks for any feedback you give. Thanks for letting me thank you. Thank you.

As the kids say, "Toodles."
-ape