Frequently Asked Questions

Introduction

Below you will find frequently asked questions. If your question is not answered to your satisfaction or if your question is not listed please contact me or leave a comment on this page.

Last Updated

This page was last updated on Tuesday 08 April 2008.

Membership Related Questions
Site Manangement Related Questions
Comment Related Questions
File Related Questions
Content Related Questions
Design Related Questions
PlanetPhillip Network Related Questions
Feedback Related Questions
Miscellaneous Questions
Membership Related Questions


What is the benefit of becoming a registered Member?
The only real benefit should be not having to enter you details every time you make a comment, but I have to be honest and say that even members sometimes have problems. Generally I don’t believe that websites should limit access or features to its users.

I personally dislike having to register just to make a comment or reply to something. If this is the case I just don’t bother, which means that the site has lost my input. I don’t want that to happen at PlanetPhillip.com.
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Team Related Questions


Who Runs PlanetPhillip.com?
Originally it was just me - Phillip Marlowe, but around April 2007 the site reached the point where I decided that I wanted help to improve it and add new features. I hope to add a special page listing brief bios of the people who kindly help run the site.
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Can I help run the site?
Yes and No. You can’t help run the site but you can contribute content. The first thing to do is visit the Contributing Content Guide and read how you can help.
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Comment Related Questions


Why didn’t my comments appear immediately?
If your comment didn’t appear immediately then it has probably been automatically added to the moderation queue. All comments in the moderation queue require manual approval. The reason for this could simply be the number of links in the comment or perhaps the addition of keywords designed to filter out spam. I check the moderation at least twice a day, so please be patient.

There is no need to submit another comment. The chances are that even your heavily modified comment will also be moved to the moderation queue because until I specifically allow a comment the system will assume all your comments need to be moderated.

If you are concerned that your comments are taking too long to appear then please contact me and I will investigate.

The system is quite smart and normally once I have allowed a comment to appear ALL comments from that source are allowed. However, the system is not perfect and mistakes can sometimes happen.

If you are curious as to what spam filter system I use it is called Akismet plus I also use a simple keyword list.
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Why did you edit my comment?
I expect ALL commenters to remain polite at ALL times. Any deviation from this and I will not hesitate to edit or even delete comments. I occasionally edit comments for clarity or meaning. Often how something sounds when you type it can be very different from how it reads when you post it. Often something sounds rude but that wasn’t the intention of the commenter. I sometimes edit these types of comments. I also edit comments for grammar and spelling but not always.

If you feel your comment has been unfairly edited then please contact me and we can discuss it.
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Why did you delete my comment?
I delete comments that I feel are obviously insulting, rude or a waste of readers’ time. Please don’t start talking about Free Speech because this is a private website and I reserve the right to edit ALL the comments.

Think of it this way; the website is an extension of my home. I extend an open invitation to everybody to visit my home. However, that doesn’t mean you can insult me or my other guests (readers) once you are here.

Here are some real examples:
If you comment This map sucks! you are not adding anything intelligent or valuable to the site. By all means explain why you thought the map sucked, in polite, clear language and everybody will listen. If you can’t articulate your thoughts don’t bother wasting mine or my readers’ time.

By typing dfdfdfefdd you might be testing the system or are simply too drunk to know what you are doing, either way you are wasting our time again.

Saying Help, I’m Stuck! is very lazy and disrespectful. Explain exactly where you are stuck and somebody will probably help you.

Expecting people to email you the answer is also rude. If you can’t be bothered to visit the site then why should somebody email you?

If you feel your comment has been unfairly deleted then please contact me and we can discuss it.
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How do I quote something from another comment?
Select the text you want to quote and then scroll to below the comment text area. You will find a link that says Quote selected text. Click this link and the text you selected will be added to the comment text area. When you post you comment it will be formatted differently to signify that it is quoted. This process can be done as many times as you require within one or more comment.
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File Related Questions and Answers


Why are there so many link errors for the maps?
There are some errors because the original database was converted quite a few times and I obviously didn’t do it properly. The errors are being corrected by the PlanetPhillip Team as quickly as possible. I am fully aware that it is very frustrating to encounter these errors and I apologize for the inconvenience caused. If you want to you can make a comment of the relevant map and a team member will correct the link as soon as possible. If you require the file immediately then I highly recommend reading How to Search the Filecloud Server.
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How can I open .rar files?
Unlike zip files, you need a special application to open and extract .rar files. Many are excellent and free. The original format was created by rarlab using an application called Winrar. Winrar is an excellent application but it is Shareware, which means it needs to be paid for if you continue to use it after 30 days. I personally use 7 Zip for working with .rar files. You should also visit Snap Files for more freeware compression tools.
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Why do you use the .rar file format?
I use the .rar format because the compression ratio is much better than a standard Window zip file. I have over 30 Gigabytes of files and compressing them to the smallest possible safe size makes all the difference. I also believe that a .rar file format is better because it is sometime possible to recover from small errors.
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Why do you use Filecloud instead of hosting the files yourself?
I originally hosted all the files myself but I needed to move hosts because of the amount of disk space required. Once I did that the new hosts suspended the site because of too many concurrent users downloading files. I considered a number of options, including limiting the number of users who could download at any one time and moving to a public-type file server. I decided to use the public-type file server and researched the options available. FileFront was originally my first choice because of the amount of servers they had but unfortunately their web-based interface and lack of real support quickly showed me that I needed a more personal touch. Once I discovered Filecloud and realized how helpful and co-operative they were I knew I had found the best place to host the files. I know they are not the biggest and sometimes the short waits are frustrating but by using them I have ensured that the files will be available forever, no matter what happens to PlanetPhillip.com!
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Why are the file sizes on PlanetPhillip different from the other sites for exactly the same files?
The file sizes are different because I always compress to the maximum available. On smaller files this doesn’t make much difference but on the bigger files of 50 megabytes and up it can account for nearly 10% saving!
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Do you add anything from the files hosted by PlanetPhillip.com?
Yes, I always add a simple text file saying that the file has been downloaded from PlanetPhillip.com
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What is the MD5 thingy?
Originally the MD5 was an encryption technology but as with all encryption techniques it was eventually cracked. It is now mainly used to ensure that the file you download is exactly the same as on the server. This is only really useful for the larger files because often it is easier to simply download the smaller files again.
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I believe one of your hosted files is corrupt, what should I do?
The first thing to do is download it again. If the file is very large then I suggest you check its MD5 Hash Sum. This is a simple operation and checks if the file you have on your computer is exactly the same as the one on the server. To do this you need a small application. I use a freeware application called Hash Calc. It can check a variety of different types of hashes. The MD5 can be found on the respective Filecloud download page. If after checking the MD5 it is the same and you still have an error then please contact me.
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Content Related Questions and Answers


Why are there only Sci- Fi SP FPS games listed?
Currently the site only lists Sci- Fi games and mods because these are the types of games I am interested in. If the Team can provide enough support regarding content correction, updating and addition, then I would definitely add all other SP FPS games. However, I will not commit to that until I am completely sure the new content can be effectively added and updated.
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What is the difference between the main site and the database?
The entries in the main site allow for images and user comments. They are also more user-friendly for reading etc. Another difference is that the database only contains maps and mods, whereas the main site has many different types of content. The database entries can be edited by everyone, but the main site is restricted.
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Why don’t you add non-Sci- Fi games and mods?
As mentioned in a previous answer, there is a possibility of adding non-Sci- Fi games, maps and mods but this depends on the success of the PlanetPhillip Team.
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Why don’t you list maps and mods that are in development?
I used to but other sites, most notably ModDB.com, do a much better job of it. I try to list the latest news regarding in-development mods but have to admit I am not always up-to-date with the news headlines.
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What happened to X feature?
Either an upgrade of the software used made it difficult to use or it wasn’t used enough to warrant keeping it. If you really want a feature that has gone contact me and I will see what I can do.
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Why don’t you add more weapon or gameplay mods?
I did start to add weapon mods for Half-Life 1 and 2 but due to my workload they got forgotten. Personally I would prefer to collect the best releases and repack them into a PlanetPhillip Special and release it through the site. That way PP readers can get to use the best releases without having to search every site. Another reason I stopped was because there are other websites that are dedicated to this type of release and as with the in-development mods I believe it’s better to leave it to the sites that do a better job of it. As with the non-Sci- Fi games, if the PP Team proves successful then perhaps I would reconsider it. Ultimately I want PlanetPhillip to cover everything related to SP FPS gaming, but that may be over-ambitious!
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Why don’t you make the site more community based and allow people to add maps and stuff themselves?
The very original Levelpedia (The original name of the SP map and mods database) allowed users to add, edit and delete maps. The problem is that the amount of time spent controlling the content is more than adding it myself. People add all sorts of rubbish and that takes time to control. Much more importantly visitors would lose respect for the site because of that. Hopefully current and potential readers know that the content on the site is completely appropriate.
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Design Related Questions and Answers


Why are you using blog software to run the site?
By using blog software I can easily administer the site, make sure it is search engine friendly and almost forget about coding. I chose blog software over conventional CMS because I found most CMS packages over-featured. Features that I didn’t want or felt were more complicated than I needed. The blog software I use is easy to add new features to, secure and free. I have little doubt that current CMS release would suit my needs by I don’t know of any good reason to switch software now.
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Why do you have such a HUGE footer?
I have used many design templates and each time I felt that the look of the site was cluttered and have always preferred a simple, minimalist design. By adding all the various sections to the footer it allows the reader to view a page that is simple and easy on the eye but still allows easy and fast access to other features and information. The extra load time is minimal and is available on almost every page. I now use the sidebar for the very few items I feel are definitely required to be seen immediately by the reader.
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PlanetPhillip Network Related Questions


What exactly is the PlanetPhillip Network?
The PlanetPhillip Network is the collection of various sections of the site that offer different features. Not all types of content is suited to blog software and this type of content is best presented in a different way. I also have some projects that deserve a separate site, with perhaps a completely different design. By having the content separate from the main site allows me more options.
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What is the difference between the main site and the database?
The entries in the main site allow for images and user comments. They are also more user-friendly for reading etc. Another difference is that the database only contains maps and mods, whereas the main site has many different types of content. The database entries can be edited by everyone, but the main site is restricted.
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What plans do you have for the development of the site and its content?
I have many, many ideas to make the site better and more useful. However, besides a few minor new projects or features the main focus should be on content updating and addition. As many of you may know there are way to many maps and mods listed that don’t have screenshots, working links etc. These things need attention more than new features. That doesn’t mean I don’t have plans, it’s just I need to prioritize my objectives. I don’t normally publicize new feature plans because I am concerned another site will copy or steal them. Now, this doesn’t bother me too much because I copy and steal other people’s ideas all the time, it’s the way the world and the Internet work. I just want to be the first site that does it and for others to copy me after the feature has been implemented. I can tell you that I plan to learn to map and write tutorials from a beginners perspective. I am waiting for RtCW 2 because I can only really focus on one game engine and I feel that I might enjoy making mods for this game. However, there is a good chance I will use the Source engine. Another plan is to create the PP Mod Development Team that mostly consists of readers from the site that learned to map via the tutorials.
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Why is there no advertising on the site?
There was a time when I tried using Google’s Adsense programme but felt the ads shown were inappropriate. Google support was most unhelpful, as they have been the two other serious problems I have needed to contact them about, so I decided to drop it. I would like to find some preferred partners to work with, perhaps a PC manufacturer, Retail Outlet etc but finding those types of contacts takes time and the site probably needs to become more popular first. If anybody can help with this idea please contact me.
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Why are the News Headlines and Links hosted on Del.icio.us?
I have tried a few other systems and most them required much more effort to use than Del.icio.us. I want to simply post the new headlines, not have to write a short story for it. By using Del.icio.us I can add headlines from anywhere, easily. The categories make life simple for users to find what they want and embedding the RSS feed into any page or site is another advantage. I would like to import the headlines and links into a PlanetPhillip-style page because that is what users expect but currently the scripts are not available. By the way I am ALWAYS looking for News Headlines posters!

The links are similar to the News Headlines in regards ease of use. I have tried many link managers but none that are as flexible as Del.icio.us. I feel that both the Links and News Headline sections are ignored by most readers and the cause of that is probably due to using Del.icio.us but ultimately I am sure I will be able to import the links and headlines and then I will have the best of both worlds!
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Why is the image gallery hosted on Flickr?
I have tried many image galleries, some very, very good but nothing as useful as Flickr. I made the unusual move of paying to become a pro member, which allows me plenty of space and bandwidth a month. As the images file sizes increase I didn’t want to worry about bandwidth on the main site, slowly things down. By having the gallery separate I can forget those types of worries. As with the News Headlines and Links I am sure that one day I will be able to import the images and functions into a PlanetPhillip-style page, making the gallery feel part of the site.
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Why is the Forum so quiet?
Dammed if I know! The other SP FPS forums are quite quiet also, perhaps PC gamers don’t like to chat much? A while ago I had the idea of an SP Network. The idea was for all the independent SP FPS websites to create a kind of ring each helping promote and encourage other sites within the ring. I also suggested that a separate forum site be created that contained sub-forums for each site. Each site owner/webmaster/administrator had control over their sub-forums. I felt that we need to bring everybody together because at the moment we are too fractured. If all SP FPS games visited one forum then I am sure the chat would increase. Unfortunately the world doesn’t work that way and as such each site sets-up their own forum and adds to the problem. Perhaps I should set-up SP- FPS- Forums.com and try and convince other sites to join me? Importing the old forums would be a difficult job. Sorry for the long rambling answer!
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Feedback Related Questions and Answers


There are some factual errors or omissions, how can I correct them?
Please email me the details and I will correct them as soon as possible.
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I have an idea about the site, how should I communicate it?
You have a choice of contacting me directly or using the Forum.
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I sent you an email, why haven’t you replied yet?
Firstly, allow me to apologize. If you feel I am taking to long to reply please send a reminder and a strong admonishment for being unprofessional and rude and I promise to reply the same day. Like many people, my workload is higher than I would like and the number of hours in a day too short!
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I would like to donate some money, how do I do that?
Please use the Chip-In feature that can be found in the footer. This feature allows you to donate via credit card or PayPal. If you prefer you can contact me directly to arrange an alternative method. The Chip-In page leads to another page which is in Spanish, but don’t worry, it is very clear and easy to use. It is in Spanish because the money will be transferred to a Spanish bank account. (I currently live in Spain, although I am English).
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What other ways can I contribute to the site beside donating money?
There are a number of job opportunities available, tell me what you would like to do!
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Miscellaneous Related Questions and Answers


I noticed that you have done some voice acting and would like to use you, what should I do?
Just contact me with the details and we can discuss the details. In August, after I receive my new condenser microphone (Hopefully!!) I will create a demo and make it available to download.
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I would like to use one of your mod stories, what should I do?
Firstly, you don’t need my permission to use them. All the stories are published under Creative Commons License 3.0 and as such you can use them as long as you credit me. I would very much like the opportunity to contribute in some way to the project and perhaps even have your mod as a Featured Mods but neither is required.
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I need help with a particular map or mod, can you help?
Without wanting to sound too rude, NO! I simply don’t have enough time to answer individual questions relating to maps and mods. Besides, you are more likely to find your answer by commenting on the respective map or mod.
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I am making a mod and would like to join the Featured Mods programme, what should I do?
Please contact me with the details and we can discuss the idea.
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About this entry

Published:
16th June 2007 at 4:58 pm
Category:
Site Help
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