Development Log
System Updates and Patch Notes
System Update
- Dark Nights Wallet & Tipping: You asked, we listened! A highly requested feature from our latest community survey is finally here. We've rolled out a fully integrated in-app Wallet system. You can now securely load Lindens via our in-world terminals and tip your favorite escorts directly from their profiles. Escorts can easily cash out their earnings at those same terminals!
- Pride Badges: Happy Pride Month! 🏳️🌈 For the month of June, you can now add Pride badges to your profile. Just select your flag from the Search screen, and it will proudly display on both your search cards and your main profile.
- Speed & Performance: We've moved even more pages over to our modern, reactive CSS framework. This means snappier load times, smoother scrolling, and a much faster, less laggy browsing experience across the app.
Major
System Update
- Messaging Upgrades: Re-engineered the chat system for smoother handling, quicker loading times, and instant visual updates.. no more reopening conversations to see incoming messages. We've also introduced font scaling buttons and emoji reactions for those moments when you just don't know what to say.
- Streak Freezes: Updated the Rewards page with a new way to safeguard your progress! You can now purchase Streak Freezes to pause your daily streak, allowing you to stay secure and rest easy knowing your milestones are safe even if you miss a day.
- Expanded Platinum Galleries: Increased the maximum profile photo capacity for Platinum Members, allowing you to showcase up to 5 images instead of 3.
- Seamless Image Browsing: Added the highly requested ability to fluidly scroll through profile photos without having to open and close each image individually.
Major
System Update
- Refer-a-Friend System: Launched a new referral program! Veteran users can now earn rewards for bringing new friends into the community.
- In-World Memory Match Game: We've added a new Memory Match game to the main Dark Nights store on the X-Sisters sim! Beat the game once a month to earn a free bonus week of Platinum. Visit the Platinum page to grab the direct SLURL to our HQ.
- Brand Refresh: Updated the home page to proudly feature our sleek new brand logo.
- Colour Scheme Overhaul: Redesigned approximately 80% of the app's interface to align beautifully with our updated brand aesthetics.
- UI Polish: Introduced a custom Dark Coin symbol to the Rewards page for a more immersive and cohesive experience.
- Policy Updates: Revised the Terms of Service and Disclaimers to accurately reflect the app's current features and guidelines.
- Expanded Profiles: Increased the character limits for both the "About Me" and "Rates" sections, giving you more space to express yourself and detail your services.
- Ad Pricing & Exposure: Restructured our ad pricing to offer multi-month discounts. Plus, all ads now benefit from shared, simultaneous exposure across both the Dark Nights app and the secondlifeescorts.com directory.
- Chat UI Clean-up: Relocated the auto-response button from individual message windows to the main conversations hub for a cleaner, less cluttered chatting experience.
Major
System Update
- Support Ticket System: Replaced the old bug report and feature request forms with a new direct communication support ticket system between users and the admin team.
- Reporting Overhaul: Updated the report options for profiles and messages. These actions now automatically open a new support ticket.
- Account Type Changes: Added a "Change Account Type" option to the support tickets, allowing any admin to quickly process these requests.
- UI Fixes: Resolved layout issues on specific pages where containers were overlapping and hiding the header menu dropdowns.
- Performance Optimization: Updated the app activity tracker for the search algorithm to reduce polling frequency, noticeably speeding up overall app performance.
- Admin Tools: Implemented new backend capabilities for admins to expedite the handling of common user queries.
- Browser Version Prep: Launched phase one of crucial backend updates in preparation for the upcoming browser version.
Major
System Update
- Responsive Header: Introduced a new, intuitive header design that improves responsiveness and resolves minor sizing inconsistencies across pages.
- Profile Editor UI: Condensed the header menu on the Edit Profile page to maximize screen real estate and provide a better visual experience while making changes.
- Events Update: Refreshed the Events page.
- Daily Rewards: Replaced the old random number generator with a new "Battle Pass" style system that improves the speed and ease to collect Dark Coins.
- Profile Blurbs: Added a dedicated blurb field so you can control exactly what text appears on your profile preview in search results.
- Search Filters & Sorting: Clients can now sort search results by top reviewed escorts. Escorts also have a new filter to exclude users flagged as timewasters from their searches.
- Database Optimization: Implemented comprehensive database indexing, drastically reducing server query times and resulting in much faster page load speeds app-wide.
Major
System Update
- Activity Labels: Added activity labels to client profiles to indicate recent user activity.
- Average Response Time: Introduced a response time metric to escort search results to highlight highly responsive profiles.
- Search Algorithm: Refined the search algorithm to provide a more intuitive user experience.
Feature
System Update
- Status Updates: Added the ability to set a visible status directly on the search page.
- Profile UI Overhaul: Updated the profile and edit profile pages to be more visually appealing and easier to navigate.
- Account Type Confirmation: Added a warning and confirmation prompt for new accounts to ensure the correct account type is selected.
- Admin Badges: Added an Admin badge to search page results, allowing users easier access to the admin team.
- Profile Tips: Updated the Profile Tips page for escorts to make the information easier to digest.
- Search Layout: Rearranged the search page to look cleaner and less cluttered.
- Featured Escorts Page: Redesigned with a new style; it now exclusively shows escorts who are online and hold a Platinum membership.
- Featured Alert Bar: Refined the app-wide "Featured" banner so it no longer looks blocky or pushes page content down.
Improvement
System Update
- Second Life Escorts Integration: Added a directory integration with the Second Life Escorts website to provide more exposure for escorts and venues.
- Daily Bonus UI Fix: Removed the annoying "Claim daily bonus" pop-up. It will now smartly display only if you haven't claimed your bonus for the day.
- Client Message Cap: Increased the client message cap to 30 per week rather than a smaller daily number.
- Backend Optimizations: Implemented small backend tweaks to improve speed and overall usability.
Improvement
System Update
- Client Reputation System: Escorts can now mark clients as "Verified" or "Timewasters". Badges are dynamically assigned based on net community votes, this will help escorts filter out fakes while rewarding actual clients.
- X-Girl Integration: Added an exclusive badge to mark official employees of the X-Sisters brand (owners of Dark Nights).
- Performance Optimization: Made several under-the-hood optimization edits to significantly improve page load speeds and overall app performance.
Feature
System Update
- "Available Now" Feature: Platinum Escorts can now use the "Go Live" button on the Search page to jump to the top of search results for 2 hours.
- Profile Colour Customization: Platinum users can now fully personalize their profile background, text, and accent colours via the Edit Profile page.
- Auto-Responder: Platinum Escorts can now set a custom automatic message to greet clients instantly when a new conversation starts.
- Message Images: All users can now upload and send images in messages. Maybe someone just needs that extra little visual tease.
- Membership Grace Period: Introduced a 14-day protection window for expired Platinum memberships. Users will receive a warning banner, and extra images will only be removed after the 14-day period ends.
- Dynamic Home Page: Added a rotating benefit banner to the Home screen to showcase various Platinum perks.
- UI Optimization: Resolved a minor layout bug on the Home page that was causing an unnecessary 1-pixel scrollbar.
Feature
System Update
- Added pop up notifications for new messages. HUD must be attached for this to work, otherwise standard local chat message still applies.
Improvement
System Update
- Fixed the error with the Ad Request form.
Fixes
System Update
- Added alert icon to "Profile" and "Messages" when there's an unread message.
Improvement
System Update
- Enhanced profile views page with clearer ordering and added action buttons.
- Reduced clutter in header menu.
- Moved released notes to their own page.
- Activated profile likes page.
- Added weekly rewards to the bonus page.
Refinement
System Update
- Added one-time rules agreement on launch.
- Introduced daily login bonuses.
- Optimized minor profile features for speed.
- Improved profile views page.
- Speeded up search page.
Improvement
System Update
- Added GIF support in messages.
- Enabled deleting conversations from personal view (reappears on new message).
- Added ability to pin conversations.
- Revamped Search page for better usability.
- Updated Messages page to show previews.
Features
System Update
- Added daily unread message reminders.
- Introduced read receipts for Platinum members.
- Started implementation of 'Profile Like' feature for engagement.
Engagement
System Update
- Added "Profile Views."
- Added "Profile Tips" based on profile vs hire rate analysis.
- Streamlined menu for less clunkiness.
- Updated Search Page and multiple pages' CSS styling.
- Initiated overhaul of profile styling.
UI / UX
System Update
- Started converting queries to AJAX for faster load times.
- Added "Events" page.
Performance
System Update
- Resolved issue with Escort messaging limits.
- Fixed message report feature logging inconsistencies.
Fix
System Update
- Added "Random Escort" option for clients to discover profiles with one click.
- Updated algorithm for "Featured Escort" page.
Feature
System Update
- Added "Reviews" to escort profiles; clients must be confirmed to post. Escorts can enable reviews via client profile.
Enhancement
System Update
- Added a "Featured Escorts" page based on app usage activity level.
- Added a back button to the header bar.
- Fixed new messages not appearing without reopening; now show instantly.
- Fixed profile image not showing in messages for some users.
- Consolidated TOS, Disclaimers, and Release Notes into one "About" page (prior layout).
Feature
Beta Launch
- Added Platinum expiration dates for profiles with active subscriptions.
- Added progress bar to image uploads.
- Added a default image on search and profile pages for users without a profile image.
- Enhanced UUID privacy.
- Implemented new caching functionality to improve speed.
- Improved token validation.
- Modified the method by which the search page displays last online status.
Major