Features Guide
This page lists and briefly explains the various features available on the site. Some features have their own page and this is linked to after the explanation.
Current features are always being improved and new ones introduced. If you have ideas or suggestions for new features please use the comment system at the bottom of this post.
- Search
- Advanced Search
- Categories
- Tags AKA Keywords
- Panoramic Movies
- Map and Mod Ratings
- Recommendation Images
- 5 Words Or Less
- Syndicated Reviews
- International Coverage
- Poll Questions
- Reader Reviews
- Modwalls
- Spreadsheet
- Free Game and Guest Pass Giveaway
- Hall Of Fame
This can be used to search for a particular title, author, in fact anything you want. The search bar is available on almost every page and is found right at the top of the page.
For more information please visit the Search Guide.
The advanced search allow you to define which categories to search, whether you want comments included in the search and some other features. This is only worth using if you can’t find what you need with the normal search.
For more information please visit the Advanced Search page.
Each post (the name of individual entries) are associated with the various categories. Categories are the main indexing system used on the site. They allow readers to select a category and see all the posts associated with that category. Posts can go in multiple categories.
For more information please visit the Content Guide.
Tags are similar to categories but offer some extra flexibility. For example, each map or mod is associated with the game it was made for (A category). A map made for Half-Life 2 is associated with the Half-Life 2 category. The Tags feature is used to add keywords that may help a reader locate a style of map. For example, if a reader is looking for maps or mods with the rocket launcher, they simply click that Rocket Launcher Tag (Listed in the footer) and a list of maps and mods will be displayed that contain the Rocket Launcher. This list is not limited to any particular game.
The Tags feature was introduced in December 2007 and consequently only the newer maps and mods currently have tags associated with them.
For more information please visit the Tag Guide.
These were introduced in January 2008 and allow the reader view a stationary scene in all directions. They are similar to a virtual tour except you can’t move around. Maps and mods with these movies will be tagged with Panoramic Movie.
Since November 2007 it has been possible to rate each map or mod listed on the site. A reader can choose from 1 to 5 “Stars”, in this case PlanetPhillip Logos. A list of highest rated maps and mods can be now viewed. However for the list to be truly useful hundreds of readers must rate as many maps and mods as possible.
For more information please visit the Highest Rated page.
This is a very important part of the site and I am hoping to employ a coder to make something to my exact specifications. I want to link this rating system with the recommendation Images system (See below).
I respectfully request that readers do not rate a map or mod until they have finished playing it.
I introduced this system for a number of reasons. Firstly because I feel that often we just need a clear visual guide regarding other readers’ opinions about a map or mod. Initially there were only 3 images and were similar to a traffic light system, RED - Avoid It!, AMBER - Consider It and GREEN - Play It Now! The system now consists of 5 images.
For more information please visit the Recommendation Images Guide.
Some maps and mods contain a review which is 5 word or less. This is a little idea to focus the mind of the reviewer and also to provide a succinct sentence for the reader. Please don’t take it too seriously, it’s just a little fun.
For more information please visit the 5 Words Or Less page.
Syndicated Reviews are reviews for single player maps and mods that originally appeared on other websites. They are republished on PlanetPhillip with express permission. Each review contains a link back to the original website and no changes are made to the review itself, but I may remove some offensive language.
Most reviews appear one month after they first appeared on the original website and provide extra content for PlanetPhillip.com and also extra (And possibly new) traffic to the original site.
If you are a website and post reviews and wish to join the Syndicated Reviews programme, please contact me to discuss the details.
A list of syndicated maps and mods can be found in the tag section of the footer. Clicking the website name will list maps and mods that contain syndicated reviews by that website.
This section, which is within the main post area of a map or mod, is for the benefit of non-native English speakers. It lists other sites that have posted details of the same map or mod in different languages.
Each week, normally Friday evening (GMT) I publish a serious poll question that is related to gaming, generally Half-Life gaming.
Readers can vote of the question and also leave comments and discuss the topic with other readers.
To see the complete collection of poll questions please visit the Poll Questions category.
One benefit of using a system that allows readers to comment is that it is very easy for readers to write and publish their own reviews. There’s no application process to go through, you just write and post your review as a comment on whichever map or mod you wrote it for.
Whilst I rarely edit the reviews I reserve the right to do so to ensure that the language and view points expressed are in keeping with the theme of the rest of the site. Insulting and offensive language is not tolerated.
For more information please visit the Readers’ Review Guide.
This is a project to present maps and mods in a different way from the usual text list. It consists of small thumbnail images that link to the respective map or mod. Hover over an image and the details will appear as a tool tip.
There will be a separate page for each year, although currently there is only 2008, which is updated as often as the main site. Eventually I may back date the maps and mods.
Please try it: Modwalls.
The spreadsheet allows PP readers the ability to order and filter all the maps and mods listed on the site (see below).
It contains the following columns:
Name, Filename, Size in Bytes (very accurate), Size in Megabytes (Useful for approximation), Release Date, Publication Date, Author (with a link to homepage if available), Game, PlanetPhillip Link, Download Link 1, Download Link 2 and Important Notes.
The spreadsheet is updated every week. Currently it only contains details of maps and mods published or updated on PlanetPhillip.com in 2008. Eventually it will be backdated to include every release. If you want to help, please contact me.
The PlanetPhillip, author and both download links are active hyperlinks, meaning that depending on how your system and spreadsheet application are set up, it should open a new browser window.
The spreadsheet was created with Microsoft Excel 2003 and saved as a standard workbook. It should be able to be viewed in any standard spreadsheet application. If you do not know what a spreadsheet is or do not have a spreadsheet application please refer to the Wikipedia.org article.
Open Office, a free office suite, is a very popular choice and contains an application called Calc, that will open the file. For users who only wish to view the file without installing a proper spreadsheet there is the Microsoft Excel 2003 Viewer, a free application that allows you to view Excel files, but not save them.
Download: PlanetPhillip Spreadsheet (Updated 27 September 2008)
This sub-forum is for PP readers to offer FREE games and passes to other PP readers. This is primarlily for Steam games that can be transfered online rather than games that have to be posted. If there is a physcial product, the person OFFERING the game must pay the postage. The recepient should then offer to reimburse the sender, although that’s not required. I know that seems unfair but I don’t want to be involved in people saying they have paid for postage and haven’t recieved the game etc.
If you are looking to trade games The Foxhole forum has a specific sub-forum dedicated to it, please use that
THE RULES:
1. This forum is ONLY for FREE games. Don’t offer anything for sale or swap.
2. No money, in any form must be exchanged for the games.
3. PlanetPhillip.com is not responsible for the consequences of any offer or gift made via this forum.
4. DO NOT post your Steam account details, or other private details on the forum.
HOW TO:
If you have a game or guest pass to offer then make a new thread for each game/pass. Please avoid giving it to the first person that replies to your thread because that’s not fair on the PP readers who are in different timezones.
Post your thread and allow PP readers to reply to your thread.
Allow around a week for PP readers to reply.
At the end of the time randomly choose a recepient.
Send the winner a PM and conduct the transfer that way.
NOTES:
If the pass is time limited then it seems fair to offer it to the first person who replies.
Visit the Free Game and Guest Pass Giveaway sub-forum.
Hall Of Fames are my selections of the best mods.
Currently only 2008 is available but I will be creating an All Time Hall Of Fame and even trying to back date the years.
The format is the same style as the Tours because I really like how it is presented.
Unfortunately the Tours and Hall Of Fame sections are not suitable for user with slow Internet connections and/or Opera browsers. Sorry. I don’t know why they don’t work in Opera, something to do with the javascript used to scroll the sections.
I will be finializing the Hall Of Fame 2008 in January 2009 but continually updating it until then.
I have decided to make it available before year end because many readers want to know what they should play and waiting a year to publish it seemed silly.
This page was last updated on Sunday 05 October 2008.
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