Poverty, Coding, and Politics

Bad News: I haven't done a lot of coding lately, other than a bit more on Wargames, pending release before March.
Good News: I might be able to start hosting in the next month or two.

And now your up to date.

:p

I've updated the table for January 2010. While there have been a few new editions, only one user: Kisioj has changed the top 6 users by totally obliterating everyone else.

If you goto AceMedalTable's page:

http://www.byond.com/games/Acebloke/AceMedalTable

You'll also notice I've added Medals. This is for all of the users in 2009 who had at least 1 medal. I've also given Gold Silver and Bronze to Ganing, Kozuma3 and Mastermatthew for being the top 3 at the end of 2009.

1) Kisioj: 78 points from 32 medals
2) Ganing: 63 points from 27 medals
3) Kozuma3: 56 points from 26 medals
4) Mastermatthew: 54 points from 26 medals
5) Tetsuya: 46 points from 26 medals
6) Nadrew: 35 points from 19 medals

I hope that this month should see a new version of AceMedalTable, with new medals to go with it, and also for Wargames to be updated (currently with 3 new medals included and hopefully at least another 3 when released).

Play here: http://www.byond.com/games/Acebloke/Exploder

Exploder has been updated. It is not a lot different, other than the fact that it has a much better interface than before. Its still not perfect, but that is for 10.0, which I intend to rename v1.0. I've wanted to update this, largely to fulfil concerns about my last update, and more importantly to get the automatic Elo rating out. I've tested it, and it seems to work ok, although we'll need to get some players into the game in order to make sure it works as intended. You can also change your "nationality" ingame as I think I mentioned before in a previous post about this release, via the "file" menu. I think I've included them all, plus one or two extras, if you think your nationality (particularly if you live or consider yourself a national of a contested area :p) isn't there, I'm willing to add it in a future release.

Other than that, there isn't much to it. I would like my next update with this game to be something like a final update. By this, I probably don't really mean final, but definitely to polish the game and add in any extra game types or features that I wanted.

Please, try it out, enjoy it, see if anything is broke. I've also gone to the trouble of adding a banner and a screenshot, seeing as those things seem to be necessary for games to be paraded around the auto-bots of the website. Exploder is my only game that is a "favourite" of an official BYOND guild, and I hope its there for good reason.

Wargames will be next!

9.9 Changes:

1) Interface changed to black layout.
2) Interface mirrored left-right to switch places for better layout, say box is now at bottom for easier use.
3) Minor bug relating to Exploders updating to 4.0 meant the help guide (ie the browser) would go blank at the end of a game.
4) A way of cancelling from saving a map has been created.
5) Nationality option gives a choice of hudreds for those interested.
6) Games played and Nationality are included on the website.
7) Elo rating is listed in players online.

I've been switching my main focus lately at the moment, whatever suits my mood right now. At the moment, Wargames 2 has my attention. I'm currently working on the Scenario editor, my next big step in its development. I have nearly got a basic setup, so far you can create nations, set where their towns are, set up a default colour too for them.

I will probably release this soon, when it is a bit tidier and I've made sure it works and have set up some scenario maps for people to try. My first intended scenario was a Roman campaign of Britain, but basic world-map games are in the works too.

At first, the scenario editor will only be able to set these basic things I've listed above. They would be great for basic multiplayer maps you are used to seeing in games like Advance Wars; although my main aim was to create the ability to form an entire storyline around your scenario. Other features I wish to add is better control over technologies at start (whether they are better off, worse off, blocked from certain techs-ie tribal players might not be able to use complicated techs); stronger control over town setup (including starting level, population, resources etc); event messages that happen for reaching certain goals (ie, an endgame message for conquering the map, perhaps you would make a storyline which reveals itself with time).

Wargames 2 is meant to be very versatile, to be a Single player game, small multiplayer to mass multiplayer game. Random maps, Created maps, Story driven scenarios, multiplayer map scenarios etc. Map and Scenario creation can be used by my specialised creator as a subscriber feature, although non-subscribers can load them up for viewing, and can load these files in the game for playing; just not edit their own and save them.

I'm looking for any other ideas players might want to see being alterable in a scenario game.

Ok, so its a new year, well ten days ago it was anyway, so I got a new system in regards to funding my major games development. I've just about reached my £260 target, only slightly late so I'm happy. As observers might have noticed me write when I started that target, it wasn't made purely from BYOND. This year, I'd very much like to reach a similar target from just BYOND.

At the top of my blog, you'll notice an image (I'll change the background colour of it next time, sorry ;p). That image is showing a monthly target, and how far I've got through that target. Ideally, I want to be making £20 a month. That is 4 Wargames subscriptions, or 8 Survive This! purchases a month, which is yes, more than I'm currently getting :p

I'm trying my best to make Wargames more available to a broader audience, to soon be able to spread it outside of BYOND and hopefully bring some new players in. My obvious disadvantage to this is that I'm not currently hosting due to my circumstances. If possible, I will host when I can but no promises.

I also have a few more projects (yes.. I know!) which might entice some money coming my way. Some will be (hopefully if I hurry it up) innovative ways of using some of BYOND's latest features since 4.0. I realise money is tight, and many of you aren't used to paying for anything in BYOND, but if you do enjoy my games, and you can afford to support me, please do. I'm still out of a job so every penny helps.

You can help by doing one of the following:

Wargames Double Pack Subcription to Wargames 1 and Wargames 2 for £5/$10 a year:

http://www.byond.com/members/ Acebloke?command=view_post&post=26891

Survive This! Subcription, £2.50/$5 for life:

http://www.byond.com/members/ Acebloke?command=view_post&post=77457

Or, if you don't actually fancy getting anything for your money, or you want to leave me your Grannies inheritance* you can just use the old Wargames Donation link here:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/ webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=acebloke%40gmail%2ecom&i tem_name=Wargames%20Donations&no_shipping=2&no_note= 1&tax=0&currency_code=GBP&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&am p;charset=UTF%2d8

* PS: If your Granny left you an extremely expensive house, car, Personal Jet or whatever that can't be transferred by paypal, then give me a buzz on pager and we'll sort something out.