-- Nommad
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12/17/07:
One Hectic Year for Me: Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Yes sir, it's been one Hell of a year for me. I only made one dream this year but in some ways it may have helped me to hang on to my sanity... or perhaps it was the cause of my insanity. Either way I've gone through alot of drastic personal change and so has Furcadia with all the new DragonSpeak, PhoenixSpeak, the Wylde and all the new avatars. I haven't really had much time to do much since the Wolf Howl, but I did manage to make a new DS Systems Tutorial based on a New "Quick Stats" idea I've had for awhile, complete with a downloadable dream that can be used as a Template. If I ever get the chance to develop it, the first thing I'll give it is a Ranger Finder Module which is really seems to be what people are looking for in a PvP system.
This is probably my last entry until after the New Year... so, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
10/27/07:
Wolf Howl, Update, Phoenix Speak, OMG!
It's been awhile since I posted any news because my Life has gone through some drastic changes and I've been working hard to get Spiritscape in shape to submit to the Wolf Howl. I still need to put some more information on the Spiritscape about things that most won't ever even discover. Anyway the new update kind of caught me by surprise and the New Phoenix Speak pretty much replaces the need for DS database and my Lock and Load system. If it wasn't for this new Phoenix Speak I'd probably be taking a long break from coding since the Spiritscape project almost turned my DSing brain to mush. But I will be dabbling with PS so I have a decent understanding of how to use it and probably push it to it's limits too... (64k) is the amount of data you can store on the server. After some initial testings I might revive ArenaMaster and impliment some PS into it.
On a side note I've started turning my need to be creative in one way or another toward Graphics and have started making a few ports just to get the feel of being an artist again.
9/7/07:
Spiritscape Page:
I've been working on a more detailed plot and quest progression with Spiritscape and realize it is very confusing right now. I have added some more cohesive Primary Quest System that is scaleable with up to 24 primary quests as well as the events and tasks that constantly recycle. Though I had wanted to add 2 more creatures, the existing AI system has eaten up a huge amount of DS. Once I have all the Quests, Skills and Effects worked out I'll see if I can't trim down the DS enough to allow them. In the meantime I've started on a webpage that I plan on using as a comprehensive players manual.
8/18/07:
Upgrade Update:
I've got a new PC and have started playing Guild Wars again. I probably won't be in Furcadia near as much as I have been, but it's alot easier for me to put a dream up and leave it up now. I still have alot of things I want to add to Spiritscape, specifically more quests, a storyline, and more skills, but the basics are in there and it still needs alot of testing to check for bugs and balance.
I do plan on reworking the old PC and getting the bot and databases open again, and if Guild Wars doesn't bite me in the but, try and update the pre-entry code DS in my old dreams.
8/3/07:
Ramblings...
All the noise about databases in the forums lately has been depressing, but worse people are saying I am using QDS and don't even recognize all the work that I've put into database systems, much less give me credit for it... oh well... I know and that's all that really matters. I have added a "Nutshell" explination of how Entry Code DS works, though Spiritscape is built on the Barebones system with an Entry Code "safety net".
Anyway, I'm still working on Spiritscape and have hired an artist to do the Wizard and Warrior ports.
It won't be up for the public as much as it was, but I have been loading some of my old dreams in AI more or less cycling through them. I've had more qualified requests not to put them up for download, and begging me to give a copy is not a qualified request....so I might have to come up with some system to give a license to upload/use the dreams not available for download..
6/29/07:
Spiritscape: Wizards and Warriors
This dream is probably my most ambitious endeavor ever, and I've certainly worked on it longer than any other dream. I"ve taken everything I've ever learned before and stipped it down to the ideas I've alway found the most fun. With more focus on the NPC characters and monster "Intellegence" than ever before. I've spent alot of time converting Reiner's tile sets into patches to have a more universal look with the player avatars, npcs, animals and monsters... with a few of my favorites from old ID games.
I'm now entering the phase of adding a series of repeatable mini-quests, events, and activities to gain experience and items that can be used to interact with the environment, as well as the usual caves, dungeons and tombs with monsters to fight, gold and treasures. There is an all new fighting system in combination with the avatar and monster animations that give it a more realistic feel than any other dream I've done before.
6/3/07:
SpiritQuest: Evolution
Well, I suppose I haven't really been back online, but the few times I have been there have been many request to load SpiritQuest: Evolution into AI. So, when I can I will load it, but my life situation has changed and I don't have a PC I can devote to the bot anymore, so I will no longer be using the IDS system to save players stats and reload them with each new upload. That really isn't an issue as those that know the dream can complete all the quest fairly quickly anyway. It does seem to get a small group of players each time it is uploaded and I hope people are having fun with it when it is.
4/13/07:
Back Online
Some personal stuff has kept me pretty much off the net for almost a month, certainly off of Furcadia and working on dreams. ClanWars is loaded as an Exibition Dream in the Spring Festival and the bot is working again after the update. The database has been reset and I'll be leaving the ClanWars bot in there as much as possible. Have fun and stay tuned for an all new Dream Series I'll be working on using some of the amazing new DS that's come out with the new update.
3/16/07:
ClanWars: Revolution
I've started work on ClanWars again to get it ready for the Spring Dream Contest. Again it gets a name change, this time I'm sticking with it. Since it's is actually the 4th chapter in the SpiritQuest series "Revolution" seemed to fit nicely as a follow up to "Evolution". I've added several new things, mostly storyline and some more functionality and special effects to meet the "Color" theme of the contest. I've enhanced some of the class abilities as well as special weapons you can find in the Dungeon. One Beast is back in the dream too. You can Ride and Fight from the Giant Lizard in the Dungeon again. Just say BEAST when you're in the Dungeon Area and it will appear beneath you. I've also added a couple of creatures that use the new movement codes I've been developing in my Wizards and Warriors dream. The dream is basically done except for testing, tweaking and tuning. I do need to finish up the webpage for it as well as expand the actual story text and help text ingame.
3/4/07:
Scavenger Hunt Results
Some of the stats players have managed are really amazing... but on with the prizes first.
1st place ($15) for most hides went to Artic Bond with 289 Hides
1st place ($15) for most Fish went to Thrive with 3691 Fish!
1st place ($15) for most Runes went to Motocross with a whopping 11321 Runes!
A few others really worked hard to win so I added some additional prizes (and almost broke my bank in doing so)
$10 Gold Dragonscales to Baseball for catching 2894 Fish, $10 to Xillor's Reincarnation for basically reseting his inventory and almost making it back to the top spots in fish and runes to dispell any claims that he had been botting it.
And finally $15 Gold Dragonscales to moneyman who reached an all time high level of 86!
And lead the charge in taking the Gauntlet to level 78!
Congradulations All!
Here are the final dreamstats after the awards were presented
=== World Stats ===
[#] 297 wandering spirits this upload.
[#] 21 have joined Dragon: Hall Lvl 4
[#] 31 have joined Phoenix:Hall Lvl 5
[#] 26 have become SpiritLords
[#] The Sleeper has been Defeated 281 Times.
[#] Clans have taken the Gauntlet to Lvl 78
[#] 9 Lost boys have been found.
3/1/07: SpiritQuest Scavenger Hunt!
The IDS system is very stable with over 60 saved accounts and close to 20 SpiritLords that have been successfully restored multiple times.
The SpiritQuest IDS dream has been reloaded and restored in AI as SpiritQuest:Evolution.
All basic Inventory items for the Scavenger Hunt have been reset.
Let the Scavenger Hunt Begin!
On Sunday Afternoon around 7pm FST I will be awarding Gold DragonScales to the players with the most Fish $15, Hides $15, and Runes $15!
Any ID that is suspected of being a bot will be removed from the IDS system and be disqualified.
2/11/07:
IDS Exibition:
Thanks to the inspirational ideas of Carrie O'kaye and Dreamless Dancer's modifications of Furbot, I've put together a system that merges DS Stat Tracking, Lock and Load, and Furbot into an Integrated DreamStat System that not only tracks Furre ID and stats within the dream, but also stores them offline and can restore the last saved IDS stats when the dream is reloaded or updated. Once you've created an IDS account and copied your stats into the system, your ID and stats are automatically loaded when you enter the dream.
SpiritQuest:Evolution (from the Spring Festival) will be loaded and reloaded in AI as an Exibition and final "Open Beta" of how it works through the end of Febuary.
furc://spiritquest:evolution or `join SpiritQuest
After the final Beta, inventories will be cleared and there will be a Scavenger Hunt Event with Prizes.
2/10/07:
IDS system added to ClanWars
Though the ClanWars dream is still in development, I've added the IDS system.
Say LOCK to create an account in any IDS dream, then say SAVE to copy your Current DreamStats to your IDS Stats.
Update your IDS Stats often, DreamStats remain in the Dream until it is reloaded.
IDS Stats are restored with each new upload or update of the Dream.
2/1/07:
SpiritQuest gets Successful IDS upgrade!
I've adapted and added an IDS system to SpiritQuest and it doesn't have the cpu spikes like StarFighters and performs 100x better than StarFighters IDS.
Currently, when you first Lock your Dream ID it will create an IDS account and each time you say LOCK after that it will Save your current Stats into the IDS database.
It is already saving data and with the next dream update will restore your last Locked ID with the critical stats. Level, Class, Clan, Spells, Armor, Weapons, Gold and Quests completed.
I will be manually deleting inactive level 1 accounts with each new upload.
The DS is already maxed so I'll have to do a little DS trimming to make room for updating the DS to include the restore functions for the bot and an auto entry code so you won't have to remember your password. Hopefully what I have to trim out won't be noticable.
1/24/07:
IDS StarFighters Final Testing
I think I've finally made the break through I've been hoping for...
The testing of the IDS system with StarFighters has turned out very well.
The bot does lag a bit and becomes unresonsive at times but all in all it does what I intended it to do and allows me to restore Saved Player Stats whenever I reupload the dream.
If you have an IDS account the bot will autolog you into the dream.
If you don't have an account the bot will prompt you to Join, simply say JOIN to be added to the IDS system. Each time you say LOCK your current stats and password will be updated and saved into the IDS database.
With each new upload the bot can restore selected IDS ID data back into the dream.
Currently I am only restoring the last saved Level, Weapon, Gold and Password.
Teams, Ranks, Captured Planets, and Inventory is not restored.
Whisper "STATS" from anywhere to view your Saved IDS Stats.
Whisper "IDS" for a List of Bot Commands.
1/15/07
Integrated DreamStats System (IDS) in StarFighters
Now StarFighters is running the first prototype of my NEW Integrated DreamStats System (IDS) that combines DS Tracking, Lock and Load, and a FurBot Database! Players can now save and restore critcal stats even when the Dream is reloaded. Whisper StarFighters "Sign Up" to be added to the IDS Database then bump the Desk in the Acadamey to Clone your Stats and Restore your ID and Critical Stats from one upload to the next.
1/11/07
StarFighters Updated
I've finished and submitted my Master Mason Challenge so now I'll be doing some dream updating. SpiritQuest, ClanWars, and StarFighters went offline last night so all saved data has been reset. StarFighters is the only one that anyone sent Feedback and Suggestions for so it has gotten a minor update. Defense Grid Regeneration time has been doubled to give players and teams more time to destroy Maxed Defense Grids to Capture a Planet. Also, Space Rifts no longer give experience since there were some that were exploiting that bug.
Please use the Dream Forum to post any Questions, Comments and Suggestions for any of my Dreams as I will be paying attention to that to make any updates to Dreams.
I'm considering adding Staff from any applicants on the Forum as well as looking for Artist/Patchers to upgrade the looks of the Planets and Bases.
1/4/07
Happy New Year
I've started to try and focus on my Master Masson Challenge so any updates to SpiritQuest, ClanWars and StarFighters are on hold. But as long as there seems to people enjoying them I'll keep them up without reloading so you can really take advantage of the Lock and Load.
It would also be nice to get some feedback in the Dream Forums. There might also be some openings for Staff if there is enough traffic to warrent it.
I'm also starting work on a new sort of "Secret Project" ...
I'm not going to say much about it until I really start some serious work on it.