Welcome to the new MapCore

Almost exactly nine years after the MapCore forums opened on October 6th, 2003, they've been completely renovated for the first time. With new software and a focus on producing original content, an already wonderful community is going to become even better.

The most striking thing you'll notice is that MapCore is now using completely different forum software. Not only does it come with lots of useful features including some ideas borrowed from social networking sites such as the ability to 'like' posts and an in-depth notification system, but it also makes it a lot easier for us staff to extend the features of the site and make it more than just a forum.

With this in mind, a key focus going forward is going to be original content. With such a diverse and skilled range of members and staff, there's a huge amount of untapped potential for writing articles, interviews, reviews, and tutorials — and so all of those things can be expected over the coming months and beyond. There's not a lot to read right now, but work is currently underway to build a team of writers and also invite guests to contribute whatever they wish, and if it's suitable we'll be happy to feature it under your name.

Over the coming days and weeks the forums will continue to be refined as inevitable bugs and oversights crop up. Also, some new features will be added such as the promised community feed (have your blog's RSS feed appear in the MapCore sidebar), more in the way of challenges and spotlighted work, and more. With such easy-to-extend software, features we've wanted to introduce for years can now be implemented.

Be sure to leave a comment if you spot any bugs or quirks!