Gorgon Explorer v3 - Major Update
Hi all,
I'm really excited to release the latest update to Gorgon Explorer! This update has a lot to it and warrants a major version release, so please bear with me for this long post. I also want to give a huge "thank you" to all who have given feedback and support, and extra special thanks to Cyder for helping me test the latest version!
The new site can be found at the same url you are used to: www.gorgonexplorer.com
Changelog
Migration to SQL Database
(This is a boring techy thing, skip to the next one if you don't like this stuff)
Previously, Gorgon Explorer was using flat file JSON storage on AWS for storing data that had to persist - mostly builds. Data was shuffled back and forth using a quick Node.js backend. This led to the slightly awkward (both to use and maintain) system of saving builds, getting a build id, and then entering that build id to retrieve the data again. I'm very pleased to say that the entire backend has been rewritten in C# and the data saving/storage migrated to a SQL database. This is a much stronger framework for Gorgon Explorer data to stand on, and has paved the way for the updates in this patch and for the future.
Layout Changes
The first thing you'll actually SEE is that the layout has been changed. The UI was overhauled for a few reasons: partly to support this new round of updates, partly to better support future updates, and partly because I just thought it could look nicer and more usable. All major functionality is still there, it's just been moved to a collapsible sidebar. The top nav is now for logging in, registering, or going to your profile. I also committed to a full dark theme instead of the weird half dark/half light thing it was doing before.
User Profiles
What? Your profile? Yes, that's a thing now. There are now user accounts and profiles! All you need to register is a unique username and a password. Your username will be displayed to other players on your public builds. Please choose one that is recognizable as you and relatively inoffensive. You do NOT need to provide an email, but if you ever forget your password, your email is the best way for me to confirm your identity to reset it for you, so there is the option to provide one. Furthermore, you will not NEED an account to use Gorgon Explorer, the option is just there for people who want to take advantage of a number of features that require users having a unique and persistent identity.
Sidenote: Security
Since I was implementing a system of registering/logging in/etc, I had to beef up the security a bit. So, the site is now SSL-enabled and served over HTTPS, which encrypts the traffic between you and the web server. This means a malicious person can't just freely look at whatever you're sending over the network (for example, your password when you log in).
Passwords are NEVER stored in plaintext at any time. A unique cryptographic salt is generated for each user, and passwords hashed using Microsoft's implementation of Pbkdf2. Neither I nor anybody else will EVER see them.
Finally, the database and web server are hosted behind a firewall with rules in place to prevent access from unauthorized IP addresses.
If you elect to provide your email it will never be accessible to any third parties. It will only be used to contact you about the status of your account in the event that you lose your password or something like that.
Fairy Magic and Shamanic Infusion
Fairy magic has finally been added to the build planner. You will also see mentalism mods and abilities if you select fairy magic. Shamanic Infusion has also been added, in a similar fashion to Generic and Endurance mods.
Build Planner
The build planner, everybody's favorite part of Gorgon Explorer, right? The UI has been significantly overhauled here. For one, you'll see that the main screen is now split into two tabs - "Choose Mods" and "Manage Build". The skills/ability hotbars have been moved up top so they are visible regardless of which tab you're in, and "Choose Mods" pretty much retains all the same functionality as before.
Manage Build is where you will now go to save, load, and otherwise manage your build. You can also view it here in a more compact format, and mark certain mods as "complete", "reroll", or "augment", to indicate that a mod is already present on your armor, that you intend to reroll it in the future, or that you intend to augment that mod. You can also print your build from here.
Saving Builds
Saving builds now saves to one persistent build and does not generate new builds every time you save. A "Save as Copy" option has been added in case you actually do want to copy your current build to a new one (like a "Save as..."). When saving, you will be able to name your build and add a description. If you are logged in, you can also mark builds as "Private" (only you can view it) or "Public" (other users can view it). Don't worry, other users won't be able to CHANGE it - only view it. Only you can overwrite your build by saving - all other users can only make copies. Anonymous users can only create public builds and make copies. If you are logged in, you can go to your profile to see all the builds you've saved, with their names and descriptions, to easily navigate back to them. If you are not logged in, you can still use a link to get back to it or share with others.
Loading Builds
"Loading builds" as it was isn't a thing anymore. Now, your build is located at a particular url based on the id - for example gorgonexplorer.com/build-planner/1 will go to the build with the id "1". As long as your build is public, you will be able to share your build by simply sharing the same url you use to view/modify it. Don't worry, everything is locked down so only you can edit your builds, and only public ones are visible to others.
Importing Legacy Builds
This new system means all the old build data lives in one place, and all the new build data will live in another. I figured people wouldn't want to lose their builds, so I've added a legacy import function - simply click the "Import Legacy Build" button and enter your old build id to repopulate the mods and abilities like usual. You will then be given the opportunity to add a name, description, and make it private or public. Then, click "Save Build" to save it in the new format. Once this is done, you can follow the process above to see or edit it again.
THIS LEGACY IMPORT FEATURE WILL NOT STICK AROUND FOREVER. I would really like to retire the old system entirely, and will likely remove this feature in a future update.
Bugfixes
On top of all the new stuff, old stuff has been fixed.
- Fixed issue where mods with similar names would get mixed up - for example, mods for the Unarmed skill "Claw Barrage" would appear on the Lycan "Claw" ability
- Mods with more than 10 tiers were becoming ordered incorrectly in the Mods view. This has been fixed.
- Other stuff I honestly don't remember anymore! Please send a contact form through the site or an email to admin@gorgonexplorer.com to report any new or old bugs you find!
