The problem was architecture, not decoration
The homepage already had a distinctive visual language and a playable side quest. What it lacked was a durable way to represent the growing project ecosystem. Project details were repeated in markup, public and private surfaces were easy to confuse, and build notes had no independent route.
- One public registry for approved projects
- A filterable Lab that keeps useful HTML before JavaScript runs
- Permanent project-story and article routes
- A contact workflow that stores submissions outside the public document root
Keep the playful part, change its job
Pizza Ninja remains part of the site because it communicates something true about SideQuest Studio: interaction and play are part of the work. The game now loads only when a visitor asks for it, while the initial page explains the studio, shows work, and offers a contact path.
- Lazy-load the game code
- Keep keyboard, touch, and pointer controls
- Restore focus when the game dialog closes
- Do not invent scores or activity metrics for decoration
Make the public data boundary explicit
The project registry contains only information approved for public use. It does not include repository paths, admin routes, authentication details, webhook URLs, credentials, or unpublished work. That boundary lets the same records drive project cards, case studies, related content, metadata, and the sitemap.
What changed for visitors
Visitors can now move from a broad studio overview into a project directory, a specific project story, a related build note, a service page, or a working demonstration. The homepage still feels like SideQuest Studio, but it is no longer the only meaningful search entry point.