First time I've had alcohol and it was four shots of tequila. Depending on how stupid this post looks when I'm not feeling the effects of the drink anymore, I'll determine whether or not I ought drink in the future.

Consequently, I should install some sort of device to keep my screen from spinning.


edit-

make it 6. drunken rapp is hilarious. must remember this is the alcohols fault. probably.

It's been a whopping 3 months and some change since I last made a post. Subtract that change, and it's probably the last time I really logged on to BYOND until a few days ago. Things took a turn for the worse last November, and coupled with some personal problems that the Internet needn't know nor care about, and the N:BOTLS controversy reaching critical mass... well, BYOND just didn't seem very attractive. Forgive the run-on sentence, I'm Peter Parker when it comes to explaining trouble.

Back on topic; I am still working on TSS, albeit slowly. The code that was already written for it became messy and dysfunctional pretty quickly once the more complex systems were added in. That prompted me to redesign the thing from the ground up, so that's where I am now... again. Despite the slow progression (well, zero, considering recent setbacks), it's still promising to be something worth my time. That doesn't sound like it'll be changing anytime soon.

While the AI's little more than stub-work now (typical fight or flight response, no 'simulated intelligence' or automation), there are plans in place to make it much, much more. I want NPCs to have memory - both short and long term - and be able to evaluate decisions and take necessary actions (note I said actions, not reactions, although the latter's certainly still going to occur) based on their wants and needs.

The practical logic behind the system's already been thought up. It's going to rely heavily on (presumably SQL) databases, and it's going to be a far cry from "true AI", but it will offer enough immersion that you have just as much incentive to socialize with Shopkeeper Bob as you do stab him and take all his stuff.

Magic is still giving me a lot of trouble, simply because I can't make up my mind. Do I want a traditional "this spell costs x MP and does this" system, or a "Perform these actions, which if combined in a proper order with some verbal commands and physical components, produce a unique magical effect" setup?

The former is much easier on me mathematically, making skills directly influence spell-casting (Your White Magic skill is 65%, and you're casting a first level healing spell, so you have a 65% chance to successfully cast), while the latter makes for more 'interesting' skills (You have an oratory skill representing how well you can faithfully reproduce "magic words", a skill based on dexterity to see how well you perform hand gestures, etc). Both have their merits.

I could see a Space Station 13 situation developing with the more free-form magic system, though. Something like "Click here for instructions to cast Finger of Death and other top-secret spells!" being posted on the forums.

So, yeah, I'm still alive and kicking, albeit by myself. Help on the project would be a boon, but I don't expect any interest when I have little to show for my troubles. Maybe I should write a pamphlet... "Come see sunny Clennon! Cheap, quality rat and human traps! Fae-folk eat free on Wednesdays!"

Death Cab for Cutie's playing a show here soon. The only seats left are in the balcony.

Damn.

Late last night I received a reply from my e-mail to Hedgemistress. I asked her for permission to use the ideas presented in "Through a Glass Darkly", and she gave that permission with only a few minor stipulations.

So the project appropriately rests squarely on my shoulders, now. Next step in the process is setting up a comprehensive design document. I'll be using PBWiki to house my information (and a backup copy of Hedgemistress' documentation to reference more easily). Some more definites about the game;

* This game will be roleplay enforced. I don't plan on allowing downloads, so expect to have to deal with the administrative tactics you so enjoyed during your stay on my SS13 server.

* The setting is modern-day, within a large city. Particularly the game will focus on one or two sections of the city (which I'm thinking of calling "Clennon".)

* Major map areas will include A nightclub; Graveyard; Park; Hotel; Sewers; University; and probably a few other important areas I haven't named yet.

* There will be magic. Its use will not be widespread, and the general public won't know about it, much like they don't know about the rest of the supernatural world.

* Psychics, Vampires, Werecreatures, Demons, Androids, Robots, and a few other oddities will be playable character types (along with 'normal' humans).

* The combat system's still in a heavily abstract state, however it will necessitate roleplay above "player skill". This is to discourage unnecessary and unroleplayed PvP from occurring.

* Combat will be turn based, and probably interactive with the environment in which it's happening.

* Characters will be both graphically and descriptively customizable on a greater scale than usual. Players will be able to choose from a pool of body parts to mix and match and create their character - descriptions will be generated from these selections and added onto later through player choices. Character portraits may come into play with a similiar system of customization, using a few base faceshapes and letting players "Mr. Potato Head" features onto them.

* There will be a chase system to facilitate conflict during extended movement. More on this later.

* The working title for the game will be "The Sun's Shadows".

I'll link the Wiki when I've got something worth reading up there. In the meantime, I'm still up for some help wherever you may wish to provide it.

Anyone else notice a stark lack of roleplay on BYOND lately? Maybe I just don't know where to look, maybe they're all private servers, or maybe it's because I sleep from noon to nine and miss the majority of the active players in doing so. Whatever the reason, there's a stark lack of RP in my life, and this does not make Evre happy.

To that end, I've been thinking more and more about starting up my big project to make the next best thing on BYOND. There's only one thing definitely set about the project so far, and that's that it will be RP-enforced. As far as likelihoods, I'm looking into making it grapihcal, over text-only, and set in a modernish sort of Anne Rice world. Vampire the Masquerade meets D20 Modern is a good way to gloss over it.

Reading Hedgemistress' copious design notes on Through a Looking Glass Darkly didn't help keep my setting bias in check at all. I absolutely adore alot of her ideas, predominantly Circle Magic, Psychics, and being able to have high-tech and mysticism together without suspending disbelief too much.

Honestly, I'd like to directly use some of her mechanics and ideas, but that's a big no-no without permission. If anyone knows how I can get in touch with her, I'd be extremely appreciative. She has a history of not wanting contact from people she doesn't know very well, which isn't going to help my case at all, but it's better than not asking at all.

Graphics are another concern - I'm decent at the art, but I imagine the sheer scope of this project is going to go beyond a single person's managable workload, especially when she has a real job to deal with as well. Players are going to be able to customize their appearance using pre-made "body parts" like various types of eyes, mouths, torsos, etc. Additionally, I'd like each piece of equipment to be visible on the characters (within reason, of course.) In that sense, I suppose I'm borrowing from Space Station 13, but it's a wonderful idea, and given enough diversity of choice, I'm hoping it'll make player characters truly unique from one another, instead of just being the same sprite with different colorations.

Combat is going to play a much less signifigant role in this game, which is going to imply some interesting things. With fewer people being true combatants, those who are combatants are going to have an easier time of beating others into submission. Repurcussions will be in place to discourage this, of course, but it's still a viable approach. Since combat isn't going to be the primary driving goal for the majority of characters, that's going to entail me writing much more indepth systems for not only things like crafting and magic, but several other interesting professions as well. Suggestions in that field would be appreciated as well.

I like the idea of advancement being partially or entirely time-based, much like in HrH, though it does encourage "AFK Botting", which is going to hurt server lag and defeat the purpose of playing. I might just base it on player-file age, with modifiers attained from certain ingame actions with positive or negative effects on experience netgain.

It all sounds very abstract, I know, but I'm hoping to capture several of the better qualities of a lot of popular BYOND games of the past and present, and roll them into one package, where hopefully they'll all complement one another nicely.

My name isn't very well known in the community, and I wish that weren't the case. Without anything to back me up, this just sounds like another case of a newbie spouting out dreams of inevitable vapourware. Regardless, I don't plan on letting this project die, should it get started. Having others to support me, or even help me, would be a substantial benefit to the process. If you're interested in helping with the code, graphics, music, or even just want to suggest something (who says the idea people aren't important?), please please please don't hesitate to tell me.

On a side note, I found my very first BYOND key from way back in my "pretend to be a boy" phase. It's dated in early 2002, which officially makes me an oldbie, I think. Not that it really matters, but I thought it was fun.