On the changes to Warchant and Rivals network (New Jan. 15 Update)

Dot Com · Jan 10, 2016

FRIDAY, JAN. 15 UPDATE

Thanks for some very good suggestions on how we can make the front page better and improve the new content pages. We plan to pass these ideas on to Rivals. I can't promise all suggestions will be implemented but it sounds like several will happen, especially things like the Twitter feed.

Yes, we are aware that several people don't like the new look of the front page. PLEASE keep in mind that this was only version 1.0. It WILL be updated and needed changes will happen.

I know people generally don't like change and Warchant's front page has essentially been the same for 15 years. Like anyone, I was very used to the same look and comfortable navigating around it easily. However, it isn't a matter of just using the old format since it simply was no longer workable, especially on mobile devices, and liable to crash. There was a real fear that the old setup would not have held up on Signing Day so the changes had to take place now.

But again, and sorry for repeating this, some seem convinced that what they are currently seeing on the front page is the final version but that simply not the case. Everyone knew going in that some major changes would need to be made but the positive aspect is that many of those changes will be based on suggestions from the publishers (which is based in large part on input from our users).

There are also some needed enhancements being made by our staff to improve things. For instance, there was a complaint about the initial look of the depth chart, which was a quick stopgap to have something up when the change kicked in. We've since modified it to have a better look. There have also been complaints about Yahoo's roster being used - that's another item that we will build internally since Yahoo thinks players like Kain Daub are still on the team or that Freddie Stevenson plays defensive back. The Yahoo roster is simply unacceptable and we won't subject our users to that garbage.

Please be patient. This is just step one of some much needed changes. Trust me, things will get better because we have a direct voice in pushing for the necessary upgrades.
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Wanted to give our users a heads-up about some changes scheduled to take place within the Rivals.com Network, which will include Warchant, this week. For now, the switch-over is scheduled for Tuesday.

When the change kicks in, the front page of Warchant.com and all content pages (stories and features) will be completely different. We've been using some of the new content pages already and you can see an example here: https://floridastate.n.rivals.com/n...kles-maguire-s-injury-ol-issues-lb-depth-more

Here's a quick FAQ re. the upcoming changes:

Why are the changes being made?

No. 1 - The Rivals network has essentially been unchanged for 15 years. Because the coding is so antiquated it's coming apart at the seems and was in desperate need of an update. As many probably remember, national signing day two years ago was an absolute disaster when the network crashed for several hours. That was a result of underlying problems with the network and having few people that could maintain antiquated code and software. The network has been held together by tape and string since then and it's a daily challenge to keep it up and running.

No. 2 - Mobile! When Rivals was launched around 15 years ago there was no such thing as reading online content on a smart phone or tablet. Now, over 50% of people that are online are doing so from a mobile device! The old configuration (content and front page) was never designed for mobile and doesn't play nicely with it. We tried a workaround by developing an app, which was OK for a while but essentially hasn't worked since last summer. The new network is 100% mobile responsive and optimized for all devices.

What will the changes mean for Warchant users?

For content pages, there will be a slightly different look but more importantly they will be optimized for mobile. Everything should be much easier to read on smart phones and tablets, and they should load faster. There will be no need to scroll from side to side or to increase the size of the page in order to read it. And because it's compatible with all devices and operating systems, every page should look fine whether you are using an iDevice, Android or Windows.

With the network now stabilized and with everything compatible with mobile, it means we are one step closer to getting a working app that should be dramatically more functional than the old one (even when it was working). Please be patient but I plan to make getting a new app out a priority going forward.

The front page of Warchant will look very different. Here's an example: Auburn's front page. Because there was a priority to make everything mobile friendly, we had to sacrifice some features that have been mainstays on the front page - Twitter feed, a video module, links to quick updates, and the look will be more streamlined (you will need to scroll down more to find recent features and stories).

What does this mean going forward?

When we finally got approval for funding to design and launch a new network, one of the best things that happened was getting Rivals away from the constraints of being on Yahoo's servers. For all intents and purposes, Rivals is now independent (from a technical standpoint) from Yahoo and will no longer be constrained by having to go through 20 layers of bureaucracy to get an upgrade or something needed done. As a result, a lot of cool features and needed changes will come quickly over the coming months.

The new leadership at Rivals is putting more of an emphasis on listening to the publishers which means we have more of say in the direction of the network. It also means we have a lot of input on needed changes. With a streamlined network away from Yahoo these changes can happen much faster.

Again, it means we can finally move forward with recreating the Warchant mobile App.

Yes, there will be some bugs. The new network been essentially running in the background for over a month to weed out as many bugs as possible. But with any major technological change/upgrade bugs, glitches and unforeseen setbacks are inevitable. We will work as quickly as possible to get through these problems so please be patient.

Questions, comments, suggestions and criticisms:

This thread will be left open for a while to get feedback on the changes. We'll do what we can to answer any questions you might have and to consider any suggestions. However, if your goal is to troll, stir the pot or just or just complain without offering anything constructive your post will be removed. You are always welcomed to email us at support@warchant.com.

I can't thank all of our loyal subscribers enough. We realize the technological side of Warchant has been substandard the past few years and realize it's been frustrating for many of you. It's also been frustrating on our end which is why l led the charge to get Yahoo to get off their butts and fund these much needed changes. We've always had the best staff when it comes to covering Florida State sports and in the very near future we'll have the best technology as well.

Gene Williams
Warchant.com Founder and Administrator

timenole · Jan 10, 2016