Employer: Privateer Press, Inc.
Timeline: June 2019 (2-3 day sprint)
Live Project: https://monsterpocalypse.com
The Problem
In June 2018, Privateer Press was relaunching Monsterpocalypse, but the Drupal-based infrastructure was collapsing: data corruption, traffic spikes, and a zero budget for external support. I was the sole technical resource, facing a hard constraint: build a robust catalog system for hundreds of game units with complex stats in 2-3 days, with no fallback if it failed.
The Solution
I bypassed the failing CMS entirely. Used WordPress not as a site builder but as a lightweight database wrapper, bundling all critical functionality directly into a custom theme (inc/ directory includes ACF Pro, Bootstrap 4 nav walker, modular components). Enforced strict data schema in PHP: non-technical staff could update content, but physically couldn't break data relationships. Built custom migration scripts to rescue corrupted assets from the old system.
Results
- 6+ years of continuous uptime, still running with zero maintenance or code changes
- 100% data integrity and consistency across the entire catalog
- Zero downtime during 100,000+ monthly visitors and product launch spikes
Why It Worked
At the time, this felt necessary due to constraints. In hindsight, simplicity was the engineering feature, not a limitation. By prioritizing "boring," stable technology over complex frameworks and designing as if no one would ever maintain it again, I built the most reliable system in the company's history.