The Legendary Fansite

Launched!

2009-07-20T10:05:00.001-07:00

This is my last blog post. The Legendary Fansite has launched~! Check it out!

Forums Open!

2009-05-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

We'll be launching the forums a bit early, so get in there and get registered!

Consider this a "beta testing" period, as there may yet be significant changes to the design or sections in the coming weeks. However, everyone who joins now will get a chance to pick a username for themselves and be among our first members. You'll also notice that our main page, LegendaryFansite.com, now has a different hub, which allows quick access to this blog and the forum.

If any problems arise, please send me an email or a PM over the forum system. Expect some other updates, on both the forum and the blog, in the coming week.

Forum Launch Coming in June

2009-04-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

I'll hammer out an exact day, but I've confirmed today that the forum will launch this June. Early June. That way, we can start establishing a good community, the very structure of any good website. Really, the forum is ready at this point minus a bit of tweaking here and there, so those will be completed over the next month.

This is your chance to influence the forum! Feel free to post a comment suggesting areas or sections that you'd like to see included. I'll be previewing some more of the site at that time, so look forward to it.

When that day comes, a new home page will be introduced, which will tease the final launch day of the website and include a redirect to either this blog or to the forum. Should be fun, see you there!

As the months fly by...

2009-04-07T05:15:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, there HAS been work done over the last couple months! It was really more of a situation where I find myself wondering if I'm talking to myself here, so I tend not to upate. However, Sage shamed me into keeping this thing going, so I suppose it's time to talk about what is done, what needs to be done, and the plan for the road ahead.

Just this last week, Sage has pumped out new code for a variety of pages on the site, leaving me with plenty of time to begin uploading more of my content. In addition, we've just finished work on a newer control panel that will overall prove to be much more versitile in the long run. It's certainly exciting, as I can see we're closing in the finished product!

July is still the release date, although starting in either May or June, we'll begin something of an advertising campaign. Keep your eyes open for contests, articles, and the grand opening of the forum sometime before the release of the site. The absolute final "due date" we have set is July 22, but I think we might have it open for your consumption on the 12th! Fingers crossed...

Despite hanging ads around, I've still yet to receive any offers for help. So I've continued doing things solo (with Sage's help, of course). Hoping to pick up extra staff after we open though, as my vision is quite clearly much bigger than my own individual ability (or it is in a reasonable time frame anyway).

Going to the San Diego Comic Con? Send me an email! You can get me at xen@legendaryfansite.com. I'd be happy to meet up with you, discuss the site, Hercules, or the weather.

Thanks for reading, look forward to seeing you all come together on The Legendary Fansite!

Forum Complete!

2009-01-29T06:49:00.000-08:00

I'm pleased to say that the forum is now functional and complete! You guys can't get there yet, as the forum operation is closely tied to the main site, but it's another big step. I've been working on developing the most appropriate theme I could, and I think we've got something that falls in with my mantra of "form and function."

As I'm sure you're aware, a solid forum is a pillar in any major website, so having ours done is a huge step in the right direction. After some finishing touches are done on the design, I'll be posting some screenshots for you to critique.

Right on schedule!

Also, just to update on that figure I was working on, take a look at the gauntlets I just finished up and let me know what you think! Some of the glue is still wet, so ignore that...

Once this guy is finished, I'll put a formula on how to make him up if anyone wants to try making one of their own.

The Light

2009-01-18T06:34:00.000-08:00

Alright, so I've committed to fly to San Diego myself this July, so I now have a significant interest in getting this done on time. This site will open in July, one way or another.

As part of final preparations, Sage has set up site specific emails for those of us on them team to check. I check this email multiple times a day, so feel free to send me one over. The emails are:

To contact me,
Xen@legendaryfansite.com

For Sage,
sage@darkclockworkstudios.com

For Jisuse,
jisuse@darkclockworkstudios.com

As before, we are still looking for more team members, so if you happen by this post and feel you could contribute, please send an email to either myself or Sage.

And now for something a bit more Hercules related, I figured I'd share with you a custom 12" figure I'm working on. It's not even close to done, still need to make the boots, pants, and gauntlets, as well as finish putting the designs on the vest, but I think it's coming along nicely. The finished product will be posted on the final website, along with a formula for making one of your own.

What do you think?

Thanks for sticking with us everyone, there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Releasing in...?

2009-01-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

Alright, I'll admit, this is dangerous territory, but I'm here to give you the release date that we're aiming for.

July 2009, in time for Comic Con San Diego. That'll give us a great outlet to advertise for the site, as Sage is hoping to be present for the convention. I'll be doing my part at this year's Dragon*Con, I've got some specific ideas for that one--ideas that we can share a little closer to that time.

So, how are we going to accomplish this? Well, first of all, Sage and I have been talking and working a lot on the project behind the scenes recently. We're both highly motivated to get this project where it needs to go, and we've made leaps and bounds of progress over the last week.

For starters, we've brought on a new team member. Joining the team is Jisuse, who will be providing graphics for the site. This allows me to focus more on the actual content and allow another talented individual to work on the graphic side. Splitting this load will save an enormous amount of time! Thanks Jisuse!

I've also constructed a flyer that is being posted both in colleges here in Georgia as well as California, so I'm hoping to get a few more team members by way of public advertisement.

As usual, I've got goodies I've been working on, and I'll be providing some cool pictures in the coming weeks of what's going on in the construction site. Thanks to all the faithful readers--we're almost there, just stick with me!

2008-12-25T19:40:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Have a wallpaper!

Wide:
1680x1050
1440x900
1280x800

Full:
1600x1200
1280x960
1024x768

Happy Holidays!

New features and developments

2008-12-17T17:23:00.000-08:00

Exciting times!

Once again I've managed to increase my stockpile of unique images and products that I had never previously had my hands on. I've recently gotten specs, details and images of various foreign releases of the series, which will add a significant amount of content that I havn't seen anywhere else on the web.

As for images, recognize the one above? If you own the original Topps card set, you'll remember it as part of a series of art cards at the end of the set. The painting, a collaborative effort between artist Mike Lemos and Earl Norem, is now a part of my collection! I received it directly from Mr. Lemos (who painted the background and Anteus) along with a higher resolution scan of the original. In talking with him, he has agreed to an interview! You can expect that interview to take place sometime over the next month or two, and be available as part of site content when it launches.

In celebration of this great new content, I'll be preparing a few wallpapers based on the art over the next day or two and have it up for public downloading.

Happy Holidays to everyone, and if it beats me to the next post, then Happy New Year too!

Extra Tidbit: I updated the splash page to a less distinct "2009" release date. Can't believe I overlooked updating that one...

A Star To Guide

2008-12-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe my last post was October 27! That was ages ago!

Regardless, there are many things to say so I'll go ahead and get started. Yes, it's been over a month of silence. Allow me to apologize for that, as it's inexcusable behavior to start a development blog for a website, and then leave it without an update for so long... I'm sorry!

As I'm sure everyone knows, the holidays make things...complicated, to say the least. I'm still bogged down with too much to do in real life, but that doesn't mean that this project has fallen off the radar. Honestly, I've been thinking about it more than ever, as I'm kind of distraught to be so far from completion on the month that I wanted to open up!

Sage and I have been hard at work, developing a structure that will allow the website to easily grow and update as it matures. Without help, I can still produce all the needed content, but it'll take much longer, and I can only ask for patience as we put these things together.

Over the last couple months, I've managed, by chance, to acquire quite a few Hercules collectibles, including extra copies of many of the seasons! These have all been added to a prize stash I've been building, so prepare for some great prizes in the Legendary Fansite competitions in the future, including a grand opening contest! This is all far down the road of course, so let's not get too excited, shall we?

I'll reiterate a something I've said before:

I have every intention of completing this site, no matter how long it takes. Should I ever decide that I don't want to continue, I'd still upload everything that has been completed and all my resources just to share with fans of the show!

So there you have it, still alive, slowly moving, but still moving. Here is the kicker though, I'm going to do something I may regret later. It's hard to get in touch with me, and in the format of this development blog, it's hard to really see where things are going. So here is a chance to decide if you want to follow my journey any longer:

678-994-5970

That is my phone number. It is my private cell phone number, you can call my anytime. Whoever is reading this, whoever is a Hercules fan following the site, feel free to give me a call and we can have a chat about the project, I'll answer any question you ask, and you'll get a chance to know the guy behind the screen. I'm in the United States, in Georgia so that places me in the Eastern Time Zone. Please don't call me at 2AM or something...

That'll do it for now. I'll make more updates in the future, but this'll cover it for now! Have a Happy Holidays~!

**Extra tidbit: The image pictured above is the front of a Christmas Card handed out in Renaissance Studios. It was never for retail sale.

Someone Find Me a Torch!

2008-10-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

I often call this website "The Hydra." No matter how close to done I think I am, as I work, I'm struck with a grand idea and am forced to pursue them! For every "head" I cut off, two come in it's place...

That's all part of the experience of course. Quite a bit has been done since the last update, the most significant of which is the episode guide. It's actually complete! Hurrah! I'd say it only contains about 1/4 the content the "final" version will have, but it's a pretty impressive guide as it is, and, if I may brag, I believe it's currently the most complete and comprehensive Hercules episode guide on the 'net even in this stage!**

The code on the website has also been rewritten, it's not much simpler to edit and use, which helps speed along development but will also make bug fixes quicker and should even make the site faster for you guys when you get to exploring. Thanks Sage!

A unique, custom designed gallery system is in the works at the moment, but is far from complete. I'll look forward to seeing it come together. See you around!

**In light of my enormous backlog, I'm now looking for episode reviewers. Whether you have a single review you'd like to contribute, or if you'd like to join the staff as an official reviewer, just leave me a comment below and we'll sort something out.

***Note: By submitting a review to The Legendary Fansite, you grant permission for site staff to edit your review in any way needed, and express that the review is original, unpublished content meant exclusively for the site. Proper credit will always be given.

An Unfortunate Update

2008-10-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I've tried hard to recruit help from various places to help me on this site, and while I've got some great allies, I simply don't have everything I need. My schedule does not allow me to finish this on schedule for December. The content is simply too great to tackle by that time, and stuggling to meet that release date is actually hindering my progress as a whole. So I'm adjusting the site's release date to "when it's done" for now. It shouldn't be a significant delay, but I can't in clear consience release a sub-par product just to get it out on time.

I'll continue to post updates, but I'm no longer going to release updates at set intervals. This is not the end of the site, this is ensuring it's long term success.

I'm sorry for the how poorly these updates have been handled in the last month, but I simply don't have the resources or manpower needed to take care of the site like I need to. I can still build the website on my own, but it'll just take longer. Thank you for your understanding.

Weekly Update: Issue #07 - The 6 Days Late Edition

2008-09-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

I desperately needed a break from working on the site, and ended up taking one. I think we can all relate--no matter how much you like something, if it's all you're working on day-in and day-out, you can get a bit bored. So I've rested up over the last couple weeks and am feeling refreshed and ready to pick it back up! That's not to say that I haven't done anything though, so let's take a look:

The episode guide is finished through season 3 now, which is a touch over halfway done. I was also lucky in that I met face-to-face with my coder over the weekend, giving us a chance to touch bases and get to know each other better. After all, what kind of progress can be made if I don't like who I'm working with?

There won't be an update tomorrow, but I should be able to pick up the weekly updates again starting on Friday, October 4.

Thanks for your patience, and sorry for disappearing without notice!

Weekly Update: Issue #06

2008-09-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

Surprise! Actually, my surprises aren't quick as creepy as Callisto's. I don't intend on poisoning your friends and family, and even if I did, I wouldn't do it on your birthday! How cruel!

Alright, I admit, I've been kind of bad about updating recently. However, I think you'll all forgive me when you remember that I spend so much time doing actual site work that this doesn't really matter much. Still, as my apology, I'm going to go ahead and show you what the newest layout looks like, and maybe talk a bit about it. Before I do, allow me to actually say what I'm supposed to, my actual progress. I made a complete pass through the functional episode guide over the week, and now every episode has a page with an air date, cast/crew information, a gallery, and the episode's disclaimer. I'll be making another pass through it this week to add the logline and summaries.

Alright, now that the boring part is over, take a look at the current layout:

(Click for full size)

This is a screenshot taken from Firefox of the site. As you can see, there are still blanks that need to be filled, but I figured you'd rather see the news skeleton than just a blank white space... Now, the left side navigation, if you look over it closely, differs from the section lists I've given out before. I've made some adjustments for best overall navigation at the moment. Some sections are being prepared, but won't be added until a little ways after I open the site.

The entire design is centered around the concept of beauty balancing functionality. Above all else, a website's goal is to inform. If you wanted art and design, you'd go to an art show or something--but ignoring the design element completely makes it hard to enjoy the information, so a balance is needed. I'd like to think I've accomplished something thats quick to load, easy to navigate and easy on the eyes. The best part though? I'll be offering a button to switch around web layouts if you don't like that one above*.

Really, while you can't see some of the coolest features in action yet, I've got to thank my new coder, Sage Volta, for his help. He's really taken the coding out of my hands and really just allowed me to produce content and make the best site I believe I have it in me to create. So Sage, this post is dedicated to you man, you rock.

I won't make a promise that I'll update between now and next Friday, but if I happen to think of something cool to show you, count on it! Till next time!

* Feature may not be implemented until after launch. After all, content before design, right?

**Feel free to ask any questions or comment on the design, functionality, or categories at this point!

Evolution of Design

2008-09-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

So I figured in a blog where I do so much talking about things working on a website, I should at least share some information about the said site. So let's take a look at the layout revisions it took to get me to one that I was happy with. However, before we begin, allow me stress something: I detest these designs. I think they are very poorly done! So if you look at them and laugh to yourself and think "Wow, these are horrible," just remind yourself that I agree with you and that I worked hard to get something visually appealing.

So, the first one! Click the thumbnail below to get a look at the full image.

This was just a first pass, I wasn't sure how big a site I wanted, nor was I even sure I wanted to tackle the project. This, I believe, was created on the first day I conceived the site. Just playing around with the design, but thrown out simply because, well, not only is it hideous, but I don't think it's very functional either.

I was a little happier with the second one:

Now, with this one, it was actually being built as the final design of the site. I wanted an overall green design since that was one of the predominant colors of the show. Looking at it now, the most significant problem with the layout is the logo! I can't believe I slapped that thing on the top of the page. The colors don't even match, which is shameful. Obviously, as you can see at the top of the blog page here, I've developed a much better rendition of the logo.

Taking a look at the menu on that design, you can see it's pretty sparse. A total of 12 possible selections, with possible submenus below those. The final design ended up using 23 selections and numerous submenus! The green was eventually scrapped too. The disclaimer at the top was envisioned to randomly display one of the disclaimers every time you come to the site. I'll admit that's cool, but I dropped it with the latest design.

Today, while I'm not willing to show you the final design just yet, I can say that it uses red, sepia, white and gold for the color scheme. Also, it's highly inspired by the look of a certain Hercules postcard I've always liked.

There are a few other things that have evolved over time, and I might post a few of those later this week. So laugh at these designs if you must, at least you're laughing!

Extra tidbit: I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I try to make most of my topical images relevant to the topic. For instance, the picture above is from the fashion show in "Greece is Burning."

Weekly Update: Issue #05

2008-09-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

I'm exhausted! Long day at work today. DIdn't quite make the Friday deadline for the update, but I'm sure you'll forgive me, right?

Every week is leaps and bounds at this point. The skeleton of the episode guide is now up and running, the website is actually functional as well. Forums are up, gallery is nearing completion... Things are looking great! As I said, every week from this point out will probably be "leaps and bounds" of progress.

I'll post a few goodies in the coming days, but at the moment, I'm much too tired to go into those details. See you tomorrow with something, promise!

Dragon*Con Report:

2008-08-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

By popular request: my experience at Dragon*Con! I only went for one day, I think I was able to cover the ground I wanted to. From a site perspective, I was able to pick up 15 brand new photos for scanning! I was pretty happy about the selection, so that's yet another boon to the gallery. Of course, nobody cares about those things right now--what about Kevin Sorbo?

Obviously there were hundreds of people there, but I still managed to be second in line. I brought my own item with me, the poster pictured above and below. Unfortunately, since it was a poster, it's much too big for me to scan and my digital camera is really poor, but I still took the best pictures I could manage.

Kevin immediately recognized the poster, he told me that it's a rare poster--the only one he has hanging in his house! I was pretty happy about that! He didn't send me right off though, instead he actually talked to me for a couple minutes, looked me in the eye and acknowledged me.

He commented on Roma Downey playing an Amazon just shortly before she got the part in Touched by an Angel, talked about Anthony Quinn, the original Hercules costume, and then he signed it. The signature reads:

"To Sting!
Be strong in a world that's weak!
- Kevin Sorbo"

My name is Sting, which, upon hearing it, he told me that he had a great Sting story but that it was too long to tell in the environment. I'm going to get in touch with him and find out about that one though! Pictures are below:

(Click for full size image)

(Click for full size image)

It was really fantastic meeting Kevin, I really look forward to seeing him again someday in the future. Awesome!

Site Construction!!

2008-08-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

Site development is moving into a new stage! As a result, the blog could disappear a bit in the next few days! Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Remember, no matter what happens, you can always access the blog through legendaryfansite.blogspot.com.

Regular updates will continue tomorrow (updates from Dragon*Con)! (Sunday)

Weekly Update: Issue #04

2008-08-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

What a great week! I can safely say that more was accomplished this week than any other week since I've started this project. I'll give a quick overview of what was accomplished, and then a look at where this stands as a whole.

I was lucky to get my hands on a stack of the Official Xena magazines recently, which, as you may recall, also covered Hercules (although much less so as the magazine went on...). From those, I was able to pull a nice selection of images for the gallery, and perhaps more importantly, also snagged a nice chunk of behind the scenes images for that collection. I love behind the scenes pictures!

I also put the needed work into the site layout this week, which I can now safely say is finished! Of course, that led me into coding the final design. Tricky, because I have to make sure it works for the plethora of content I have planned. Now, let me be the first to admit it: I'm not good with HTML. I wish I was, but I only know a thing here or there, and some of the things I had planned were well beyond my capabilities. Still, I plugged valiantly along. Finished it, tested it...

And failed miserably. Unfortunately, I was in a rut when attempting that, but I have a good friend who is something of an HTML whiz, and I got him to help me out. He surprised me by offering to join the team to get this thing to be everything I want it to be! I'll post more about him later, but for now just know that I have an experienced web coder on the staff now, which really increases the momentum!

Alright, so where does that place the site in the grand scheme of things? Well, concerning the gallery, I can say with absolute confidence that it's the largest one on the web. In addition to the countless amounts of images you may have seen around the web, there are numerous photos and pictures that are making their first ever appearance on the internet (or at the very least, a reappearance, as I have no idea what was on the Herc sites of yore)! I should also note that most of my images are of an acceptable resolution and clarity--you won't find tiny thumbnails from me!

The addition of a coder to the staff frees me creatively, allows me to focus solely on content and, ultimately, ensures that the site will be everything that it can be. For once, I can say that the site is on schedule, and even better than ever!

---

On a unrelated note, I'll be at Dragon*Con Atlanta tomorrow, I get to meet Kevin Sorbo! I've met a couple of the stars before, but never Kevin, so I'm pretty excited about that. I'm going to get him to sign one of my Hercules posters. It'll be framed an acting as the centerpiece to my room soon after!

I considered telling him about the site, or giving him my site business card (haven't told you about those yet, have I?), but I'm going to refrain for now. He's a busy guy, and a simple blog is not what I want his first impression of this site to be. Actually, he may already be aware of this project, but that's a story for another time! Have a great Labor Day weekend! (and if you're overseas, just have a great weekend!)

Feature Report: The Virtual Journeys

2008-08-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

I was hesitant to post this one, as I wanted it to be farther along before I mentioned it. I'm really excited about this one! Many of you are probably familiar with projects around the web to extend the life of Xena through fan written stories extending into full seasons. It's time Hercules was able to continue beyond the original journeys so many years ago!

The Virtual Journeys (working title) are intended to be a massive, proper treatment of the series. Much more than a simple collection of fan fiction! These episodes will be given their own subsite under The Legendary Fansite. From there, regular episodes will air, and it will be treated as a fully functional website for extending the life of this series.

How will it be handled though? I want to move beyond the typical fan fiction formats, and instead run TVJ (The Virtual Journeys) like an actual television show. This means producers, directors, and writers. I want staff writing jobs, I want freelance writers from around the 'net, and, like everything else, I want it big. By spreading out responsibility and power, by 'processing' every script that's done through these lines, I believe we can achieve a season worthy of its predecessors.

Originally, this was intended to start production in 2009, which would put the first episodes out rather late that year. With this posting, I am accelerating my time tables. I'm now seeking applicants for a variety of positions for TVJ. Anyone can apply, as the roles are varied. An outline of current positions are below:

Producers - Very familiar with the original continuity and characters. They work with the writer and director to get the show the "Hercules feel." they will also be responsible not only for ensuring continuity with previous seasons, but within the virtual episodes as well.

Writers - Writers can either join as a staff writer or a freelance writer. A freelance writer may only write one story, and then be on their way. A staff writer will contribute a more steady supply of stories, between 3 and 6 per season. They dream up the idea (with or without the help of other staff members) and craft the story.

Directors - Directors work with the writer to guide the writing process. While not actually writing the story, the director works alongside the writer, as a proofreader to fix any spelling/grammatical errors, offering suggestions, and creating story ideas.

As the project is still far out, there are many issues to be dealt with, but they will be dealt with alongside staff members. Questions that need to be answered include: Should the post-Hercules Xena continuity be followed? In what format should the episodes be written (like a novel, a script, a play)? Should length requirements be instituted? Most of all, where should the series go? Time will tell!

If you're interested in a staff position, would like to know more, or just wish to leave your thoughts, then leave a comment below! See you around!

Feature Report: Commentary

2008-08-23T18:34:00.000-07:00

*Note: This article discusses a feature that won't be available when the site opens.

Ah, it's good to be back! I've gotten some good work done, but that can wait for Friday... Let's talk about another feature on the site! Episode commentaries!

It struck me one day that this would be a good idea. I have available to me all the necessary equipment to record commentaries. I'm a broadcaster on the local radio station, which provides both the equipment and a "radio voice." Now, obviously, I wasn't involved in the production of the show, but I intend to approach it from a different angle. I can discuss general trivia pulled from other sources, the historical aspects of the show, where actors are today, importance of continuity... the list goes on. I firmly believe I can record an engaging commentary for various episodes, and I'd like to believe that people would like to listen to them as well.

I can't have these prepared for the site launch, as this requires quite a bit of planning and practice to make it stand out, but it'll be incorporated into the site fairly quickly. I think it will offer a nice excuse to revisit old episodes for fans, and I hope it will become a popular feature. Bad idea, good idea? Let me know!

Extra tidbit: (In case you haven't realized, "Love on the Rocks" is one of my favorite episodes.)

Weekly Update: Issue #03

2008-08-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry everyone, but I had to take a week off. It wasn't totally a 'holiday,' so to speak. I'm a full time college student with a part time job, and sometimes those really things really add up and I just didn't have the free time I wanted this week.

Still, I'm starting back my work on this thing today! I've been just too overwhelmed to work, but funny enough, I'm more inspired than ever to make some progress. I'm also putting together a few nice feature posts and maybe even a preview of the final site this week to make up for it.

Thanks for reading, thanks for understanding, hope to see you next week!

Movie Spotlight: Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior

2008-08-19T20:45:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy this week, I haven't touch anything on the site since last Friday. Shame me! I promise to get back to work very soon though, but I needed a bit of a break. I wanted, however, to do something a little different today. Being a fan of the original, I went out and bought the straight-to-DVD (and Blu Ray) sequel to The Scorpion King. I was actually quite pleased with the movie.

If you've seen the original movie, you may have noticed it's similar feel to Hercules, which is one of the reasons I like it. Ancient warriors, modern sensibilities, a touch of humor mixed in to lighten the mood, it really is reminiscent. These traits remain in the sequel, with a few extra similarities. This time, we get a Greek as an important character, and a trip to Greece that even involves a battle with a Minotaur and a trip to the Underworld!

Keep in mind, of course, that we're talking about low budget action adventure, but isn't that what Hercules is anyways? It's all about entertaining the audience with the resources you have available! Despite the flaws of this movie, I still feel that fellow Herc fans will enjoy the movie, and it gets a solid rental recommendation from me*.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming... I'll be doing some more work before the next Friday update, but I'm having a hectic week, so it'll probably involve a few new graphics and maybe a post on what I plan to work on in the near future. I'll make it up to you with another feature post, and maybe a new wallpaper soon!

(* if you didn't like the original Scorpion King, you need not apply for the sequel)

Weekly Update: Issue #02

2008-08-15T08:27:00.000-07:00

Good week! The main project, and you may laugh, was to write the teaser for each episode. At first I figured it would be pretty simple, but I found it difficult to summarize a plotline without spoiling anything in a single sentence! Of course, I could have just copied the descriptions from TVguide.com or something similar, but if I were to do that, then why would you visit my site? Content should be original, even simple sentences.

I also received a new set of images in the mail a couple days ago, so I've scanned in six new images. Of those, I've cleaned up and restored two of them. As a bonus, I included one of those below! I understand we have some Iolaus fans in the audience, so enjoy:

(Click for full resolution image)

That pretty much covers the week! I'm not really sure what this next week holds for me, but my schedule is going to afford me less time to work unfortunately. Still, the site is beginning to have something of a structure! See you next Friday!

...perhaps you've heard of me?

2008-08-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

Alright, so it's time to clear some things up...

I was talking with someone about this site, someone who quickly pointed out to me that it was rather presumptuous to have a "production blog" of a website that may very well be unpopular. Not to mention that it's simply a fansite, so it's not exactly like I'm chronicling the events leading up to the release of a new Hercules movie (though that'd be nice, huh?).

So why have this blog if not to advertise for some big attraction? Simple! It keeps me motivated. A couple days ago, I was feeling as though I hadn't accomplished much, but I took a look at this blog and was able to see a path of progress from quite a while ago until now, so from a personal standpoint, it really helps out.

By using this "chronicle", I can also be introduced to new friends, gather opinions on where I should take the site (three sections of the final product were additions made at someone's request!), and even gather additional resources from contributers. To be clear, I don't presume that I'm creating some revolutionary website, nor do I intend to challenge any other website out there. I'm just here, I'm giving it my all, and I'll let the visitors decide the value of the final product!

Weekly Update: Issue #01

2008-08-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

While I did say that updates would be Friday night, this one comes in Friday afternoon as I'll be at my job all night. This was a short week since I only finished my interview/commentary notes a few days ago. Still, the project of scanning and restoring images is something I've been hard at work with. Currently, 22 images have been prepared, and I have more in my collection to scan and 5 more in the mail. Should be quite the gallery!

Other than that, I've been going through my books and magazines collecting whatever is left of information for the 6 seasons, at the moment, only the first two episodes have really been worked on though.

In short, a big image gallery has been prepared! Will update you all again next Friday!

What is Hercules without Xena?

2008-08-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

It's an odd question, considering the actual history of the shows and their characters. However, I've had something of a downer day today as I contemplated the future of this site. Despite the fact that Xena is a character that spun out of the Hercules universe (and a show that's nearly joined at the hip with The Legendary Journeys for its first three seasons) it has come to pass that she has completely eclipsed our hero.

Of course, this site is as much a tribute to the lasting fans as it is a way to rejuvenate the old ones and perhaps even bring a few new fans into the fold. Even so, as I look around the web, I can't help but wonder if trying to built a Hercules-centric community is a wasted effort? Are there a reasonable sum of people looking for such a community? I can't help but feel that regardless of what I do, the work I put into this thing will just fall through the cracks unless I anchor it to Xena somehow (which I really don't want to do...).

So I pose this question: Aside from anyone who happens to read this, do you personally think that a Hercules site could have a future without The Warrior Princess? Should I reduce the scope of my site to better reflect the overall appeal of the show, or forge ahead and make my own destiny (that's probably what Herc would have me do!)?

How about Xena fans? Do you still appreciate Hercules, and would you appreciate a website like I'm trying to build? While initially Hercules may have been responsible for Xena's turn to the light, I think even the writers eventually phased that out. Instead, they placed a stronger emphasis on Xena's past before Hercules and her relationship with Gabrielle as the driving factors behind her redemption. It's all very interesting actually, but I wonder if, like the writers, the Xenites have phased out Hercules. Discuss!

Extra tidbit: At the moment, my plans haven't changed at all. I doubt they ever will. Even if one person appreciates the work I've done, if I can make one new friend out of this, then it'll all be worth it. Consider this a point of friendly discussion.

Feature Report: Scans

2008-08-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

If you've ever sat down and needed an image from Hercules, you may have found that they're pretty hard to come by. In fact, if you need something other than a screencap, you are pretty much out of luck! That's been my experience, so I knew something had to be done about that for my site. Scanning images from my personal collection seemed the obvious choice.

Now, allow me to digress for a moment. Scanning images isn't quite the perfect solution as, at least with my scanner, the results aren't exactly optimal. I wasn't really sure about where to take my predicament until I took a long look at what Anders has done over at Pixena. I owe Anders a lot for the proper inspiration of getting this right.

I will regularly be posting images scanned from Official Photos on the site, they will all be cleaned and adjusted properly from the original scan to best bring out the image as it was meant to be seen. I've been following in Anders example, so send him a nice letter of thanks on my behalf alright? I've posted one such image I've done below, and there are dozens more to come as the site begins to grow! (And dozens more after that, as I'm always adding new images to my collection!)

(Click the image for the full resolution version)

I feel that the key to the success of any website is not the volume of the content, but the value. With the gallery I'm putting together, I can personally guarantee that there will be images available there that cannot be found anywhere else on the web, and I think that deserves a visit!

Season 6~Complete!

2008-08-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

Alright, I love the commentaries, but I'm glad to have that out of the way. From this point on, I'll be working on various content and piecing the site together to get it prepared for release. There is still a lot of work to be done, but I'll be able to work in a different pace since the majority of it will be self guided.

The updates will now run weekly, I will post an update every Friday night to make known my progress on a week to week basis. That means if you see an update on any other day, it's a little something extra that I decided to write about. I'll have one such article up later in the day to discuss another feature I'll be introducing.

I may be introducing a few new regular features, and some style changes may be in order, but I'll go over those things later on, as I'll be sleeping on the possibilities for now. I'm really excited about this, and I think you'll find that my excitement is going to pay off!

Extra tidbit: From now on, I promise to spend a bit more effort on these logo images too.

Progress Report: Season 5

2008-08-04T20:52:00.000-07:00

I'll keep this one short and sweet. I'm on the home stretch on finishing these commentary and interview notes, as Season 6 is very short. Once completed, I'll be posting a nice article talking about where I'm really going from here on the site, as I'll no longer need the DVDs. Certainly, things on this blog as well as the actual site structure will change, but I'll get into that as soon as Season 6 finishes. Keep an eye out~!

(However, to keep tradition, I give the best overall feature away to Paul Robert Coyle's commentary on "Stranger and Stranger," as it was absolutely filled with interesting information and stories of what could have been. Highly recommended!)

Progress Report: Season 4

2008-08-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

Went through the last few interviews on Season 4 today, nearing the end of these! Now, I've listened to all these commentaries and interviews in the past, but it was done back when these DVD's first came out, in a casual manner. Having listened to so many of these in close proximity has made something quite obvious - the quality of the commentaries improved dramatically this season!

Many are worth repeat viewings just because of how fun the actors are to listen to. Michael Hurst was clearly the star this time, as he provided both valuable insight and entertainment very consistently. The best of the bunch, if you choose to listen to only one, was the commentary on "...And Fancy Free" with Kevin and Michael.

Once again I'm kind of let down by the overall lack of content, but there are many TV shows out there that don't get any special treatment, so I guess I should be thankful I get anything at all. Where is the commentary on Armageddon Now? Why the lack of info about Kevin's illness during the season (which most of us now know was an aneurysm in his shoulder)? I'm sure most of us would appreciate a full hour or more of info on Stranger in a Strange World too!

Again though, minor nitpicks in the grand scheme of things.

As I'm approaching the end of the information available on the DVDs, the progress reports will change. It's an obvious choice to just post an update with each season that I finish, but after that, the dividing lines will be less obvious. So after these DVDs are finished, the progress report will become a weekly update, where I just outline what I've accomplished during the week. Don't worry though, I'll be working out a schedule so that there are various updates in between the progress reports too!

See you all with Season 5!

Progress Report: Season 3

2008-07-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

Sweet! All commentaries and interviews from season 3 are now properly noted. The commentaries are improving as the seasons go on, but I do feel there are some missed opportunities. For instance, why is it that Kevin Sorbo doesn't have a commentary on the second and last episode he directed, "War Bride?" That puzzles me.

I'd also have liked a commentary on one of the Hind trilogy episodes with both Kevin and Sam, but I won't complain (especially since this is actually an old set...). As long as I'm at it though, the thoughts of Lucy and Renee on their crossover episode "Judgment Day" would have been nice...

Still though, overall they were very good features. Recommended watching this round goes to the interview on "Prince Hercules," where Kevin and Sam tell the story of how they met. Very nice!
See you all with season 4!

Improvising in the face of disaster!

2008-07-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

I've felt pretty guilty about not posting anything in the last few days, although I have been working on the site. So lets take a look at another area that'll be covered: the video games. Now let me tell you, these were hardly passable even when they first came out, and they've aged awfully. However, I feel obliged to cover them in detail...

There were Hercules games on the N64 and Gameboy Color, both of which will be featured. I'll be including an array of screenshots, as well as a complete game walkthrough for each. You can also look out for story summaries for those of you that want to know what they've done with our favorite characters without suffering through the gameplay.

And last, but not least, you can check out (fair) reviews for each game and a link out area to check out what the rest of the web has to say about these games. Even if you're not a gamer, this section is to be written in an entertaining and encompassing manner so that you can still find enjoyment in it, so don't dismiss it!

Editors note: The post you've just read was written by a half awake author. Forgive any lapses in grammar, spelling, or style. Thank you for your patience.

Preview Wallpaper 3!

2008-07-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

Didn't really feel up to taking commentary notes, so I worked on a wallpaper today. Here is the result! Honestly, I wasn't sure what the plan was until I really got going. Relationship wallpapers are especially tricky for me, since I really like a lot of the possible pairings in the show. My personal favorite is actually Hercules/Morrigan, but oh well, I still like this wallpaper! Hope you do too! Available in the usual resolutions:

16:10 Wide:

1680x1050

1440x900

1280x800

4:3 Full:

1600x1200

1280x960

1024x768

Xena Online Convention

2008-07-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hello my faithful readers (all 4 of you),

Wanted to give a heads up about the Xena Online Convention coming from The Xena Scrolls. Running November 7, 8 and 9, you'll get a chance to hang out with other Xenites while participating in contests and winning prizes! Seems like a good time, so I'm going to support the site by keeping a button along the right side of this blog. Head on over and join the fun!

I'll be participating myself, and really, I like the format a lot. I'm actually considering putting something like that together for Hercules once I get this site up. All in due time! I'm one man with a quite a long road ahead of me as it is, so I better not get too big too fast!

Banners for the convention are above, use them on your site and spread the word!

Progress Report: Season 2

2008-07-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

What a great season, I really like these episodes. Very good commentaries too, they come recommended! I've finished taking notes from the commentaries this season. While not always very informative, they are a blast to listen to. I especially enjoyed some of Kevin's offhand comments in "The Other Side."

Great fun, now on to Season 3!

They say music soothes the savage beast...

2008-07-19T20:37:00.000-07:00

Figured this would be a nice time to showcase another feature on the site! Hercules is a show that always benefited from a great soundtrack, one that easily rivals that of many films (much in thanks to having a man like Lo Duca who has scored many movies). I have all 4 released soundtracks, as well as the Young Hercules soundtrack. While I'd love to just post these in their complete form, I feel that would be a disservice to the hard work put into the music, when you could support it by buying it! Besides, the bandwidth that would require, as well as risk of losing my entire website for sharing music...

So, to compromise, there will be an MP3 rotation on the site. Once a week, a new track will be posted, along with information on the soundtrack you can find the song on, choice episodes in which the song was played, and any other relevant information. If it proves to be popular, then I may be able to get some unique songs as well, personally recorded from the DVDs!

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the music!

Progress Report: Season 1

2008-07-16T04:16:00.000-07:00

I've gone through all the commentaries and interviews of season 1 and taken notes on all of them. They are actually pretty good commentaries to listen to, Kevin and Michael are a lot of fun! Certainly worth a listen if you have the set.

Redesign

2008-07-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

It was definitely time for a change. While my efforts will always remain primarily on making the final site, this blog has always irked me. This new design is much more in line with the final color scheme of the site, features a clean, clear logo and is much more readable. The old one was thrown together in haste, but this one I believe is much more attractive and functional.

Just as a bit of a "where are you" update, I've been going through the commentary tracks and interviews of the first season, taking detailed notes of all relevant information. That information will then be included in the episode guide. I've also thrown together a few linking banners and buttons to be used to link back to the site.

As always, please comment with feedback or contributions, I'll respond to all messages within 24 hours!

...when the ancient gods were petty and cruel

2008-07-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

UPDATE 2: Man, that's the last time I make wallpapers late at night. Fixed a massive misquote on the wallpaper. Thumbnail still reflects the old one, but the files have been corrected.

UPDATE: How come nobody told me I posted broken links? Fixed.

I guess this is what most people wanted, right? I threw this one together this afternoon for you guys. Available in a multitude of resolutions like last time, so take whatever you need! Let me know what you think in the comments section.

16:10 Resolutions:

1680x1050

1440x900

1280x800

4:3 Resolutions:

1600x1200

1280x960

1024x768

Still looking for contributions, whether it's wallpapers or otherwise. Send them my way and get special credit on the site! Thanks!

Screencaps: 100%

2008-07-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

Ah, at long last. This takes a lot of patience! Hercules screencaps from every season and every episode are complete! I still plan to take caps from the Herc crossover episodes in Xena, and the movies have yet to be capped, but they'll be getting a special treatment. It comes in to a grand total of 4,415 images. It should be noted that not all of these images will make it into the episode guide, at least not at first. 10 images per episode should be plenty.

Need an image? Let me know, I probably have it now! I'll celebrate by treating you all with a new wallpaper in the coming days. See you then!

I've been grabbed more times than the Golden Fleece!

2008-07-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Finished up with screencapping Season 2 last night. It's interesting, actually, going through this show in reverse. Just rapidly viewing all these episodes really opens my eyes to some things I never noticed, whether it be repeated actors or reused stock footage. It's all great fun though. Season 1 is short, and the movies will receive special coverage outside of the normal episode guide.

I've been toying with opening a Xena sister site to this...but my hands are completely full with the Legendary Fansite at the moment. Still, I have time for layout design and I can pay for the webspace. If anyone is interested in being a head writer for a prospective Xena site, just let me know. I doubt I'll hand over the site completely, but I'd love some help with that project. If not, I'll just start on it once the work starts to whittle down on this site.

See you next update!

PS: The title just comes from a quote that made me chuckle in a Xena episode I was watching... [The King of Assassins - Season 3]

And then there were two!

2008-07-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

Ah, progress. This site is a beast! I finished making screencaps of Season 3 today. I've been working in reverse, so that leaves Seasons 1 and 2 to finish up. After that, I move on to the other areas of the Episode guide, which should give the site a very solid backbone.

As I go through the supplements on the DVDs to make notes, is there any interest in taking screencaps of the video commentaries? I can take them for the sake of completion if people are interested. Let me know!

Let the Games Begin!

2008-07-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

Next feature to look forward to... the contest! Yes, many sites have contests, and the winner of the month receives the respect and admiration of fellow competitors as well as the title of "winner" for a month. However, I'm prepared to take a step above that! The HTLF contests will be run at regular intervals and will offer actual, physical prizes.

I've been able to do this because, after collecting Hercules (and Xena) merchandise for so long, I have extras of plenty of items. From card sets to books and toys, there are quite a few great collectibles that I'd rather pass on to another fan rather than just throw away, put in a box or sell to someone. So what must you do to win these illustrious prizes?

Basics really. Wallpapers, cosplay, fanart, poems... Competitions will always have a different theme so that everyone has a chance to showcase their talents, and in many cases, there will be multiple categories with multiple prizes to be won! You won't have to pay a dime!

Sound fun? If anyone actually reads this blog... Then let me know if you'd be interested in a competition to be run on this site in the coming months before the website opens. I can easily run them concurrently with the site development, perhaps as a method of producing content to be featured on the site? Let me know!

Once more, with feeling!

2008-06-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

The most obvious feature in any television fansite is an episode guide. However, it's this simplicity that makes the feature uninteresting. Why come to The Legendary Fansite to read our episode guide when there are hundreds of other options around the web? Revamping the typical episode guide structure was the first order of business when preparing this site, and I think you'll be pleased with the final results. Let's take a look at the basic features of our guide:

Episode Overview: Given in just a few sentences, the overview will simply reveal the basic story of the episode without giving spoilers. This allows new fans to find out what happens next time, without ruining story events.

Character List: Looking for episodes with your favorite characters? A character list will be available on each episode, which will link out to complete episode lists that these characters have appeared in!

Synopsis: For the fan that's seen them all, the synopsis will detail the complete story of the episode, with spoilers. A great way to refresh your memory on what exactly happened in an episode.

Trivia: Everything from technical goofs to making note of the subtle references to other episodes, trivia will always be full of fun episode-specific facts.

Link Out: Xena and Hercules always ran simultaneously in the same universe. Quite often, there were storylines that began in one show and ended in another. In the link out section, background information will be covered that fills in the holes if you only watched one and not the other. Ever wonder how Callisto became a god? Where did Dahak originate? These types of questions will be answered in full.

Cast/Crew Opinions: Culled from interviews, episode commentaries, and The Official Companion to the Show, every episode will have sections for you to read the stars thoughts on its events!

Review: Each and every episode will be reviewed by HTLF staff and given a score with a list of highlights. [Scoring system is yet to be determined]

Picture Gallery: Finally, screenshots are being taken for each episode and will be included in the guide. What better way to refresh your memory?

Pretty packed huh? I want the guide to be an entertaining read even for the fan that's seen them all, not just a simple overview. Have an idea to expand this section? Let me know! Keep your eyes open for another feature report in the coming days!

Preview Wallpaper!

2008-06-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

I've cooked up a little something for you guys to place on your desktop. I've had this wallpaper out a few places before, but this is a newly tweaked version meant to look best no matter the resolution and is also graced with my newest rendition of the Hercules logo. The logo itself was crafted slowly over a few hours one afternoon, and this is a version with gold lettering I did for effect. Enjoy in any of six resolutions!

4:3 Resolutions:
1024x768
1280x960
1600x1200

16:10 Widescreen Resolutions:
1280x800
1440x900
1680x1050

Hope you enjoy!

Meet the Staff

2008-06-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

Clearly, to appreciate a piece of art, you must also appreciate (or at least know) the artist. While I'm certainly not pompous enough to suggest that this site or my work on it is art, the same concept applies. Let's take a look at the people who are working on the site, what they are doing within it, and also give thanks to those who have contributed thus far.

The Sovereign - Webmaster: Donning the title of Hercules's coolest villain (or one of them), I am the main force behind this project. Design, content, and planning fall under my responsibilities. I'm 19 years old and a long time Hercules fan. I started the site after realizing that there were no good places featuring Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. So...I've taken it upon myself to provide one. I still watch the series regularly, and look forward to seeing you all online.

Elesmira - Video Manager: I got into contact with Elesmira via Youtube, where I fell in love with some of the work she had done on Hercules/Xena music videos. She has agreed to supervise and provide video content on the site, which means we will see new music videos on a regular basis, as well as occasional video features. She is 18 years old and studies French, describing herself as an outgoing anime fan.

That's the team, for now! Think you have something to add? Feel free to leave me a comment or email with what you have to add, as a few more staff members would be more than welcome...

Of course, the site would not be as far along as it is without the help of others. So I'd like to give a thanks to the following people and places:

Xena Trade Center - I've been graciously allowed to use any images from the site I may need, and the great webmaster has provided me with some unique content and information in areas that I was uninformed. Thanks XTC!

Kevin Sorbo Australian Fan Club - Over at ozfans, I've been granted access to their Hercules photo gallery as I need it, and will even feature the site once it has been completed. Thanks guys!

spikebad666 of the HTLJ IMDB: Thanks for contributing a wallpaper to the site!

As you can see, there have already been great contributions thus far, and things are only just beginning! I'm still looking for contributions, so please send whatever you feel will be useful! Also, look out for an upcoming contribution related post... Thanks everyone!!

Status Report

2008-06-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

Alright, the site has been in production for a long time, so let's take a look at the current status:

Layout Design: 95%
Layout Coding: 0%
Character Pages: 50%
Episode Guide: 20%
Merchandise Section: 50%
Wallpapers: 16
Miscellaneous: 10%

These percentages may not seem very high, but once you realize the sheer magnitude of the content... After all, there are over 100 episodes! The site currently has a filesize on my harddrive of 3GB...

Will update regularly from here. Look out for an introduction of the staff, a look at some of the basic features of the site, and a promotional wallpaper!

Welcome!

2008-06-27T08:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by! LegendaryFansite.com is currently a chronicle, a record of the journey to the actual websites completion. The website itself is a one-stop shop for all things Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Detailed episode guides, character information, regular features, merchandise, wallpapers, music...you name it, it's here.

Something of this magnitude takes quite a bit of effort to complete, but I didn't want to wait until it was finished to get this webspace moving, so there is a blog here in it's place. I encourage you all to stay and check for my regular updates because you can shape what this site becomes! This is a website for the fans, by the fans. Have something you've always wanted to see? Just drop me an email (or leave a comment on any post in this blog) and more than likely it will be added to the final product!

All media is being produced completely for this new site, and all new content is being produced at the highest resolutions so that the site is truly worthy of its legendary name. I look forward to seeing you all this December when the site opens, and I hope to see many of you stopping by before then for regular blog updates. This blog will also be the only place to get preview content and wallpapers coming for the site! Thanks for coming, see you soon!