TON 2.0 Feature Overview

What is TON 2.0? - It is the re-write and re-launch of the Total Outdoor Network including FishingBuddy.com and the entire group of current TON Sites.  TON 2.0 is a complete redesign, not only of how things will look and operate, but a re-design from the ground up creating a one-of-a-kind software package for Outdoor Web Sites.


The planned features in TON 2.0 currently fill a 47 page document (our Project Spec).  This project spec is our current working project plan and includes feedback from current users, feedback from our core team and design ideas that take off popular features of some of the biggest web sites on the internet.

Some of the key features are broken out below:

Sites
The TON 2.0 system is built to support an unlimited Number and Variety of network websites.  These websites include the current ones in the system, plus the capability to add more.  Our sites will generally fall into the following categories:

• Channel Sites
  
  • Channel Sites are a small set of sites focused nationwide on Fishing, Hunting, and Outdoor Sports
• Regional Sites
  
  • Regional Sites focus on specific states, provinces or other geographic areas - SouthDakota-Outdoors.com is an example of a regional site
• Vertical (topical) sites
  
  • Vertical sites focus on specific topics such as Deer Hunting, Walleye Fishing, Bowhunting, etc.  WalleyeAngler.net is an example of a Vertical site
• Club Sites
  
  • Club Sites are built by members with similar interests.  For example, a group of Fargo Area bowhunting enthusiasts might start up a "Fargo Bowhunters" club site
• Member Sites
  
  • Every TON Member (User) has the ability to quickly create their own Member Site.  A Member Site allows you to organize all of your photos, videos, content, blogs, etc. into your own member profile site that you can customize yourself!

User Accounts
TON 2.0 User Accounts will migrate from the old system to the new system with a few changes and a number of new features.

• Your Login Name will be your email address
  
• Your Screen Name will be the name that appears to other users
• You will be able to upload avatars for your talk forum profile
• You will be able to create an Auto Signature and About Me section
• You will be able to create a custom "Member Site" from within your account

Articles and Pages
Articles and Pages in TON 2.0 get a complete makeover.  All existing articles will migrate into the new system with some great new features

• Comment on any article (if enabled)
• Rate articles (on a scale of 1 to 5)
• Discussions - Start talk-forum discussions linked back to an article
• Sharing - easily share with friends and other websites
• Flagging and Tagging - Tag articles with relevant keywords, and flag user submitted content that is not appropriate
• Linked Photo Albums - For example, an article on a Badlands Hunt may contain a photo album with pictures from the hunt, and links to a video from the hunt
• Categorization - All TON Content is "Categorized" - Meaning that all content relating to specific topics will appear together - E.g. All Walleye Fishing Articles are in the same place, all Whitetail Deer Hunting articles are in the same place, etc.
• "Geo Tagging" - All TON Content may be "Geo Tagged" meaning that content that is specific to a region or area or point, may be tagged as such in order to group content together by geography (e.g.  You will be able to find all articles, videos, and photos that are geo tagged to Devils Lake)

Photos
Some of the new features include:

• Easier Uploading - And, Upload multiple photos at the Same Time!
  
• Group your photos into Photo Galleries and Albums
• Online editing tools allow basic cropping and resizing features
• Sharing, Comments, Flagging and Tagging! (see above)
• Geo Tagging - Point and Click on a Map where you took the photo!
• Categorization System follows the same format as articles and other content

Videos
Not only will TON 2.0 natively support users uploading videos, we have also built in support for you to share videos you have uploaded on other web sites such as YouTube or Yahoo Video.

Videos share the same content features as articles, etc. meaning videos can have comments, geo tagging, categorization, sharing, flagging, etc.!


Maps
With an integrated mapping system sourcing from Google Maps and Google Earth, TON 2.0 and it's Geo Tagging system allows us to get map views of action.  Not only content, but things like fishing and hunting reports.

The TON 2.0 Mapping System supports GIS Information from a variety of sources, plus can contain special maps such as terrain maps, lake contour maps, hunting unit maps and more!

Talk Forums
The talk forum system will be totally revamped including:

• Displaying member avatars and "About me" links
• Direct links to member profile pages and member sites
• Rich Text editing to customize how your posts look
• Flagging features for members to flag offensive or in-appropriate comments
• An optional Paged Layout for long posts (e.g. Jump to Last Page)
• Cross linking of other content such as photos, videos, articles, etc.
• Post Editing (oops, I made a mistake) (time-limited)
• Sticky Posts
• Posts since Last Visit
• Email Notifications
• Forum Locking
• And More!!!

Fishing and Hunting Reports
A total makeover of the Fishing and Hunting reports creates a comprehensive system for entering and gathering information on reports submitted by users.

• Simplicity - Reports can be submitted without all of the new options if you are entering one quick
• More Information:
• Track locations on a map
• Automatically bring in weather data
• Track species and equipment used
• Special report types for Fishing, Hunting, Bird Watching and more!
• With TONMobile, submit fishing reports directly from your cell-phone while you're out on the water!

Classifieds
The classifieds system will get a big makeover, seamlessly integrating into the site and utilizing your TON User Account for access.  Plus classifieds will cross link across sites.



Miscellaneous

• Outdoor Calendar
• Advanced Fishing and Hunting Reports
• Member "Blogs"
• Outfitter and Guide Directories
• Member Account Linking to MySpace, FaceBook, etc.
• Weather Data - including Weather Data Dumps for Fishing and Hunting Reports
• Sunset/Sunrise Times, Moon Phases
• Special Pro Staff and Field Staff features and logos
• Recipes for Outdoor Cooking
• Updated user polls
• TON Mobile (mobile web service for Cell Phones and PDA's)
• TON Developers API - External, Third-Parties can develop customized tools and resources based on TON 2.0

Site Manager Program

With the huge capabilities of expansion of TON Sites, we are implementing a Site Manager program for our Vertical and Regional sites.

The Site Manager program allows us to set a site up and assign it to a manager who will handle all day-to-day operations of the site.  This program will function on a revenue model that allows Site Managers to generate income as the traffic and users on their site grows.

More information on our Site Manager program will be available as we get closer to launch.



As we have more - We'll post! -

Also, we "eat our own dog food" meaning, that the current site you are looking on was generated and is running on an early (Beta) version of the TON 2.0 Code.!

New! - Check out the NorthStar Outdoors Development Site (Minnesota Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Sports)