Vanta Interactive website
HTML, CSS, JS | Web 2019-Present
How did previous iterations of the website look like? What's the history behind them? How were they made?
History
Vanta Interactive began as a concept in April 2018, before adopting a name and committing to game development in the summer of 2019, initially under the name 2A Games. We then briefly rebranded to Evo-Catalyst Softworks (ECS) and have been operating as Vanta Interactive since late 2020 (We promise, no more rebrands!).
Site History
Regrettably, the website designs for 2A Games (v1) and ECS (v2) have been lost over time. However, we have some details about the third version, which first used the Vanta Interactive name.
Version 3
The blog was hosted on Google’s Blogger platform with a free theme from the now-defunct ThemesWear website. We also had a secondary website for one of our projects, GRAV0RTAL, also hosted on Blogger.
The blog utilized the free ‘Basil’ theme from SoraTemplates and included various CSS and JS libraries like FontAwesome, LinearIcons, Flickity, Animate CSS, jQuery, WowJS, SlickNav, and SmoothScroll.
Version 4
In late 2020, we switched to the ‘Slides’ theme from FreeHTML5 for the Vanta Interactive blog, as shown below:
At that time, most of the header buttons linked to sections of the home page. We had placeholder pages for /games and /software, which were never updated. The site contained numerous third-party CSS and JS codes, including Bootstrap, obfuscated JS, Waypoint JS, Easing JS, Stellar JS, and Magnific Popup JS.
During this period, I also initiated KX Design Lab, intended as a subdivision of VI for web and app design, as well as freelance services. This project, along with plans to offer other services like photography, remained in the conceptual stage.
Version 5
In February 2021, I established the Vanta-Interactive organization on GitHub and created the first GitHub Pages-hosted version of the site using the free bootstrap 4 theme, Mostudio, from ColorLib. This version included Magnific Popup, FlatIcons, FontAwesome, and various jQuery libraries. Ultimately, I transitioned to a minimalist site with a white background and picture links, moving away from complex templates.
While working on my personal website in October 2021, the Vanta Interactive website received minimal updates and was eventually deleted on December 20, 2022. The plan to quickly revamp the VI site never materialized as I was busy finishing high school.
Version 6 (Present)
As of April 2024, Vanta Interactive is six years old. It is remarkable how time has passed and how much the studio has evolved, even though we have not released any games besides a small project created in three days.
Sixth time’s the charm! After experiencing burnout in the summer of 2023, I resumed work in early 2024. I assembled the current website using Jekyll and Liquid, opting against building a custom CMS. All Vanta Interactive websites and the AlexTECPlayz website were rebuilt using Jekyll within a week.
Today, our site uses simple HTML, customized Obsidian CSS, and minimal JS. All resources are loaded from the repository, reflecting our commitment to privacy and security. We avoid cookies and unnecessary pop-ups, prioritizing user experience.
Future Plans: Further polish and potential additions to the home page as new projects are teased or released.