OK, first of all… APRIL FOOL!
Second of all, some clarification. THE WHOLE LAUNCH OF SONIC SMASH CARDS TODAY WAS A HOAX. THE SMASH CARDS THEMSELVES ARE STILL GOING TO BE MADE. The page is a PHP page, sure, but the design is mostly static. The header “User Bar” (Blue bar saying ‘Sonic Smash Cards’, ‘Forums’, etc) is static, you should try going there when NOT logged in ;). The cards are hoaxes, in fact I left the tiniest clue – check the Card Numbers on each of the five cards (in the top right corner of each card).
Third of all, a Disclaimer. The ways of the Internet means that the 12noon rule so implied with normal April Fools has been null and void online. However, a good concept of _international_ time is always good. For example, right now would not be a good time to try and April Fool someone. However, the time we began ours (3pm GMT) is not so bad. So you can let us off for that one, Prometheus.
Also, those of you who think this is super-cruel, go climb a tree. This is APRIL FOOLS DAY. Especially after I made a Sonic News story last night warning you all about this kinda stuff, you still get mad (actually only a small margin of you have, but this is merely addressing them). We could never have made an effective system in a day anyway, let’s be honest 😛 Besides, if you get pissed off because you’re the victim of an April Fools joke, YOU get bad luck. So boo. ;P
Fourth of all, an explanation, and some history:
I’m really surprised you lot have reacted to this as good sports. I understand how many of you want the Sonic Smash Cards SO damn much. And to be completely and utterly honest with you, SO DO I. I want to provide the SSC and the full effects of the TSS Account to you all and be happy that you’re enjoying the 1337 stuff we’re churning out.
However, things take time. Rewind back to October 24th 2003; TSS’ third birthday, announcement of Sonic Smash Cards. At the time the engine was 80% complete, and I revealed all knowing that we were able to give you all this service in mere months from that announcement date.
There was a different coder working on that project then. Fuzzbuzz, you may remember. He was an awesome coder, and we almost had things ready – the only thing I was waiting on was original artwork (I wanted and still want my Sonic Smash Cards to include original fanart within them, rather than sloppily bashed together official artwork, see). But then something went awry, you all know about it (or should). It was January 2004, and we were thrown off the old server.
It took us three months to regain proper hosting, and when I approached Fuzzbuzz with material, he had none. It was all gone with the old material. Add to the fact that only a base for the cards were ready, and no art, this put a huge bus-shaped spanner in the works.