I’ve been lurking in the Armor Games Community forums a lot more than usual over the past few weeks, and have been seeing a lot of users posting rumors and questions about the next version of the Armor Games web site (our third overhaul of the site, known internally as “AG3″), asking whether it was actually real. One user even called it a myth, so as an avid MythBusters fan, I just had to pose the team for a photo and ”confirm” the myth that AG3 is absolutely underway.
The web development team, or “webdevs” (or “web n00bz” as John would call us ’cause he’s jealous of our secret club), is made up of three people, led by Larry “Why isn’t the Titanium in my leg magnetic?” Root, with myself, Ian “Cormyn” Douglas, and our newest team member, James “Mr Tea” Lee. Larry’s the guy on the left in the photo wearing James’ glasses to look more like Adam Savage, James is in the middle, and that’s me trying hard to keep a straight face while wearing a beret. James and I worked together at a previous job, and the whole AG family is excited to have him on board!
Back to AG3, yeah?
I’ve seen a lot of questions like “will AG3 do ____?” or “can you add this feature?” or “why can’t we do ____?” I obviously can’t cover every question here in a blog post, but you will hear more from me as we work on AG3, shape it to our vision, and incorporate ideas from our users. I would, however, like to give you a brief idea of what’s in store.
If Dan had to sum up AG3 in one word, it would be “Attainment.” We want our users to experience as much fun as possible interacting with the games, each other, earning achievements, and to share those activities and what they’ve attained with each other. We’ve been allowing users to unlock items inside games for the last 6-years, whether it was through hidden characters, in game emblems or other methods of attaining notoriety. In the future, attaining accomplishments in game or on the site will know be tied to your Profile so the whole world can see how great a gamer and AG member you really are.
So, one of the biggest things we’re building is a new comment/feedback system, where you can share which games you’re currently playing, whether you’ve achieved a high score, and your achievements of course. Your friends can comment on those news bits, “like” them, and more. We’ll also have news feeds for each game so you can see who’s playing or leaving feedback, and so on. We’ll be building several layers of user connections, beyond just the “followers” system we currently use. More on that another time.
The biggest question I see in our forums, and on our feedback site, is what will happen to Armor Points. I can’t go into too much detail here because some of it hasn’t been completely discussed or worked out, but do know that it’s important to us that users don’t feel disappointed with our decisions. As we have more finalized details to share, you’ll hear from me.
Another feature that several users are asking for is a better search system, especially for usernames, which is definitely something we’re building. Some users have asked about forums, which we may exclude from the site during beta, but we’re still working out some of those ideas, too.
A lot of users ask about changing their usernames, which is being considered for AG3 but impossible for AG2, and we may allow users to upload custom armatar images to share with friends.
A user posted on my AG profile wall this afternoon asking when AG3 will be finished. Unfortunately, in the Internet world, if you give users a deadline, they hold you to it. 
) Our current plan is to start inviting a limited number of users to use the beta site before the end of the year, and to launch the full site in 2011. As the beta progresses, we’ll send out more invitations. In the mean time, all user data and game data is already being migrated from our current site to the new site, so beta users will see current data right away.
On behalf of the webdev team, thanks for your patience. We’ve been working hard on AG3 to give you the best casual gaming experience, and look forward to sharing more details with you soon!
See you in the game,
Cormyn
Thanks for the update Ian.. It’s great to be posted. I love Mythbusters too.
to be honest I wasn’t expecting to see some of these features on AG….ever, but I suppose they will only help to enhance the site as a whole. I’m glad to see the update, and also what you guys have to say on Armor Points once you have come to an actual decision on that.
lol, ok, i guess it can’t be a myth anymore… but for a while there I was sure it was just fake
I really want to change my name to 1337
The “Player” part of my username is really unnecessary for me.
As for AG3 I think it will be a big improvement over AG2. Maybe I could be a beta tester?
Mythbusters FTW.
PS: you could’ve said James was Grant
Sounds great guys, can’t wait to see it! Sounds like AG3 will feature a lot of socially focused features.
Thanks for the update! It’s great that you guys are keeping us up on the developments. My only hope is the focus doesn’t become to social, and still remains concentrated on the fact that above all it is a gaming website.
Thanks Ian, (& Larry and Mr Tea) for this updated blog. Great photo likeness of Myth Busters, too all except the mustaches. It’s time to get excited and I look forward to the much awaited AG3.
HELL, its about time
As a website maker, I know how hard it is to make simple things in a website, and how long it takes. And the fact that you guys are going to add so many new options, makes it unbelievably better. I hope to be one of the beta testers. How will you be sending the invitations? By email?
Mythbusters FTW.
As an estimate do you think there will be 100 testers or a small group of testers (3-10) that will end up as 80 or something.
Still…it is confirmed. But there will always be a revisit.
I can’t wait to see some more posts on AG3. This will be very interesting to see, I’m 100% positive. Can’t wait until it goes live. Until then, dreams are good.
Sign me up for a beta… I got most web browsers and Windows XP with Ubuntu 10.04.
Also beta.armorgames.com is kinda a misnomer… if that were a beta that would be the website with a few bugs but no new features. it should be alpha.armorgames.com
Heh, I hope we all get to see each other in testing. It’ll be great!
Sounds good hopefully you will succeed in your endeavours of create a stable system for us to enjoy in the near future.
Would be honoured if I was one of the first to see the website since I like being there from the begging but I will be equally happy if the first to tackle the website will be a constructive group and help improve the site.
Hey Cormyn! (I’m still not at ease enough to use Ian to adress you… heheh)
Looking good! I checked the armorblog 6 hours ago and somehow missed this entry… (0_o)
I guess the coffee hadn’t kicked in just yet! *facepalms*
Anyway… I’m really looking forward to what you guys have created for us users to enjoy, but I know it will be great! 100% positively YES!
Thanx for the feedback on all of the questions asked by me and my friends! That’s much appreciated! =)
Keep up the good work!
Yes! The blog post has finally been posted! I guess we can say for sure (with the hinted image of AG3 in the background) that 3.0 is finally underway?
Knight_34: “DAH DO YA TINK SO?”
Yes. I think so. Whether or not any of us have a profound effect on how Armor Games3 will be turning out, I do not exaggerate when I say I’m so excited I can barely contain myself!
I’m sure that this will be the best thing that Armorgames have experienced. With all of these new features and what-not, it’s going to be EPIC! Forever may you play! At Armorgames!
It’d be exciting to be able to beta-test it, I must say! Wouldn’t bad at all!
Have a good day, good luck, and good bye.
And with that, *POW*, I’m gone!
Great to see the blog has woke up now with an AG3 post.
Wow, sweet news.
Makes me think back on the transformation from GamesOfGondor to AG…
Good luck, I’m really looking forward to the result.
Don’t overrush the alpha/beta phase though: it’s better to wait a little longer than to release unpatched versions prone to exploits
Gooooood
Thank you for this blog, its nice that AG3 will be given to us soon. I hope to be a beta tester as well, but will enjoy listening to infomation about it.
@Frankie_Munez
What the hell is wrong with your Freakenstein? I don’t speak like that at all.
Looks good!
But why are there plans for the Starship Enterprise in the background?
@Knight: Of course you don’t that’s why it was a joke
It’s the adrenaline and the medicine kicking in, I suppose.
Glad to see some of the ideas taking shape! We have many ideas in the works and we all hope that the team will take them into consideration. I would like it if the forums were as great as possible, but I don’t wanna drown the team in work
Excellent news, and I’m definitely liking what I see in the background of that picture in the start of the blog post.
Can’t wait to hear more about Beta as the time draws near.
@Frankie_Munez
You are overexcited. Calm down now Freakenstein.
I’ll be lurking. You won’t know it, but I’ll be intently watching.
y’all are awesome for putting this together
Oh mAh GaWHd!!
Who are you gonna call?
MYTHBUSTERS!
But seriously, hope you guys make an achievement system cause i’m not the guy posting comments on all games i play, and i can’t figure out what to write in the forums either…
Yay AG#! (#=3 Hold shift and press 3)
*Hoping i’ll be in the beta*
*Still hoping*
*Still going to hope, just somewhere else xD*
the roadtrip walkthrought (new):
1. buckel up seet belt.
2. take the map and the benoculars.
3. click on the sun, and that will make the car go faster.
4. click on the sign.
5. use your mouse to control the jeep so you can’t run over the glasses on the road.
6. distract the driver so he won’t crash while looking at the hot, unsencored girl half naked.
7. do not turn in to mr.writes drive way.
8. what grass color do you see? blue? enter: ‘no’.
9. when you are heading for the bridge,
make sure you go fast enough to brake the
pass line.
10. make sure you make it in time. before the
traffic light turns red. (4 )
I love how some people commented on the news instead of the actual blog. You guys are so silly!
It’s gonna be nice to be the starting users of a new website instead of being the slow, 2-years-behind-schedule guys. I’m gonna go quote Kyouzou and say:
“I think…we all now have the right to be known as legends on AG” –Kyouzou
I didn’t really expect any real peaks of AG3, but now that I’m seeing this with my eyes, i can’t actually believe it.
I’m so excited for AG3, too bad we’re all 2 years away from its arrival, and we might never actually get it(end of the world?
)
Not really. The older vets from early AG2 will still be the oldest of them all…
YEEAAAHHHH NEW ARMORGAMES! Cool, I can’t wait for it. I’ve been in armorgames for a while, and I can say that I cannot wait to see the new achievement feature ! Another thought that crossed my mind immediately was : what about a multiplayer feature ? It would be cool, with the possibility to do multiplayer games and having a lobby. Anyway, good job, web team ^^ ! Keep up the good work.
PS : Where should we send request for beta-testing ? Oh wait, lemme guess, you don’t take requests yet
Awesome!
Hey this all sounds great i look forward to the more connected part of the site. Good luck!
myht busters knock off when wiil it come out
For some time so I was ready for useful facts. I’m thankful I last but not least got the following and I ran across them. Many thanks in this entry.