Tom's site

New site colors, minor layout foo.

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:03:09 +0000

Much thanks to Aaiko for the mockup.

We're live! Sort of...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:01:03 +0000

As expected, we ran into some problems, but in theory the new site is up & running. It will most likely have sporadic issues and possible further downtime, but I expect that we can iron these things out over time.

Read the various stickies in the forums to get a gist of how things work now. Feel free to let us know about any problems (we've already found a few). Please avoid the temptation to bash everything immediately.. it's a big change and maybe a bit underwhelming, but we think it'll work out well for the long-term. It's also a work in progress as we have a few perks we want to add in, and there will be inevitable usage issues that we can attend to as they crop up.

The main issue you may encounter is with the DNS not updating fast enough-- that is, with your machine seeing our old IP address for various urls. We did not have the foresight to correct this ahead of time nor the insight to correct this now, but it should resolve itself by this evening at the latest. The way to test if you have the correct server info is to do the following calls (on windows; other platforms are similar):

Start->Run->cmd
ipconfig /flushdns
ping www.byond.com
ping secure.byond.com
ping files.byondhome.com

Those will return either 67.228.127.155 (old) or 50.22.142.18 (new). If they all return the new server, you are updated and in good shape. If not, most likely it is only files.byondhome.com that isn't resolving (since you are reading this at www.byond.com on the new machine already). That is only used for Member file uploads so just avoid doing those for a day and you'll be fine. If you are really impatient, you can correct this by editing your 'hosts' file. On Windows 7 and related, this is in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts . You would just add the following lines:

50.22.142.18 www.byond.com
50.22.142.18 secure.byond.com
50.22.142.18 files.byondhome.com

Ideally you'd want to pull those out in a day or two after the DNS properly updates in case we change our IPs at a later date.

Feature creep

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:05:57 +0000

We've had some comments regarding the neglecting of the Feature Request Tracker. Truth is, we do look at that often but due to various things (time commitments, under-rating workload) a lot of stuff is not do-able at this time. We will try to provide better feedback in the future (we'll spend some time going through this and the bug tracker to sort things out).

We have come up with a compromise based around the ways some others sites do things, and that is an upvoting system where you can promote the suggestions you think should be given high priority. BYOND Members each get 5 votes that they can allocate as necessary. Votes will be returned when an item is resolved in any way (either by us stating it isn't going to happen or by accomplishing the feat). We will prioritize those suggestions with the most votes (although others may get attention if they seem especially appealing or easy for us). At the very least, we'll give feedback on those first.

New "BYOND Features" tracker

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:34:39 +0000

In order to better organize software & website feature requests, we're moving such items into a new "BYOND Features" tracker. This can be found under both the Developer & Help menus. For the time being the BYOND Features forum will remain, but we ask that you make formal requests in the tracker, as it is easier to monitor and provide status updates. Feel free to repost any items that you may have requested previously to the tracker (although not if said requests have been shot down!);

next release

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:20:38 +0000

Based on the preliminary feedback for 455, we'll be reverting some changes in 456:

* the instance editor will once again show all instances, with the exception of those whose only change is a modified (nudged) pixel-offset.

* the map editor will swap click/ctrl+click again, although we may have to come up with a failsafe to prevent too much turf redundancy (maybe a way of visually indicating when there are multiple turfs on a tile)

* the map will distinguish between out-of-bounds and NONE tiles (that was an oversight, not intentional).

There are also a few bugs in the isometric layout that will be fixed. We'll look into a few of the minor feature requests but most likely those will not be addressed until a future release (in the interest of stabilizing the beta).

FYI, 455 was re-released (as 455.1047) due to a corrupted sound dll. If you are experiencing sound-related crashes in the beta, redownload.

website experience

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:43:42 +0000

Tiberath wrote:

How you came to the conclusion that browsing games is difficult is also beyond me. I don't consider two clicks to get here to be "jumping through hoops". Considering the website back in '03 had the same amount of clicks to get to Unpublished Games (Games Live -> Unpublished Games).

I think it's pretty good (better than anything we've had before), but I am coming from a biased view of knowing how it all works. As are you and others in this thread. The best way to know is to query new people and see how they find the site. I've tested it with many people and they haven't had problems (although they haven't necessarily stuck around due to content or interest). If you or others can do the same, we could use the feedback.

Like I've said a bunch of times before, a lot goes into this little project because we have to manage the software, the website, and the community. We try very hard to take user feedback into account, but that is challenging when some users want things a certain way and others want it the opposite. Most common are blanket statements like "X sucks" which are absolutely worthless to us outside of lowering our opinion of the commenter.

BYOND Bug Tracker

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:31:12 +0000

BYOND Bug Tracker

This is the new system we'll be using for future bug reports. It is accessible via the Help menu / "Report a Bug".

We'll refine this through usage. You'll even be able to add trackers to your own blogs (we'll hold off on this until we are satisfied with the system).

We've moved some bugs over into this system already, and will continue doing so. In the meantime, please repost any of your own reports that you'd like to see addressed, consolidating any new info you may have gathered since then. Make sure we haven't posted them already (you can just search by name in the tracker). We'll be taking down the existing Bug Report forum in a week or so.

My noble, glamrock hating dog

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 08:58:36 +0000

So a couple of weeks ago I "rescued" a dog from the pound. I use the term "rescue" loosely because I live in the yuppie suburbia that is Orange County and I may have only saved this dog from a lavish lifestyle in beach-front property somewhere. But then again, those damn beach hippies probably don't pay attention when their dog jumps into the freezing Pacific. It's a tough call!

I've named this dog "Baron" since he is a noble creature with noble aspirations (namely, to have someone scoop up his poop for him every day). I'm pretty sure he has no clue that is his name. Right now he mainly responds to "get the hell over here, dog!" (or the equally frequent "get the hell off that, dog!")

I've never had a dog before so I don't really know how he compares, but he seems to be quite a character. All attentive and obedient one second and completely oblivious the next. I have done a scientific analysis of this and constructed a state-machine modeling Baron's behavior:

Food in hand?	Possum in yard?	Persona
No	No	Determined forager
No	Yes	Evil homewrecker
Yes	No	Angel sent from heaven
Yes	Yes	Hyperactive schizophrenic

He likes to follow me around everywhere. I must say this is pretty endearing, albeit somewhat disconcerting when I find him outside the bathroom door after doing my business. It's like I have my own stalker. That's another first (I think... some of these BYOND fanboys are a little sketchy).

Despite the fact that Baron has chewed up everything in the house (with the exception of his chew toys), I must say that I am enjoying his presence immensely. He is an endless source of entertainment and has me constantly pondering new things. For example, after he ate a piece of poop during our morning walk, I thought about how wonderfully recursive an "all poop" diet would be. It's the secret to perpetual motion, I tell you! I can't wait to use this story during my Nobel Prize acceptance speech.

I hope that stuffed dog enjoyed his 2.1 seconds of life, may he rest in peace

Tonight I learned that the dog doesn't like David Lee Roth, of Van Halen fame. This is news to me-- I thought all dogs liked Van Halen. But judge for yourselves: I was listening to the "Arena Rock" station on our TV with the thousand channels and David Lee Roth came on and started rocking his stuff. Baron, who was peacefully chewing my sock, immediately perked up and started this low growl that he usually reserves for cats. I looked outside for a cat, but none was in the vicinity (they are getting wise to our property boundaries). So I said, "What's the deal, dog?" And he said, "This sucks. Change it." So I switched to "80s Rock Ballads" and we enjoyed some Meatloaf together.

I'll make another post after Baron takes down his first wall (awwww, how cute!) We live in a house made of glass; it's only a matter of time!

With great power comes great responsibility...

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 04:04:20 +0000

... with your powers, not so much.

I don't watch much network TV, especially during basketball season, when I like to keep tabs on both my beloved Clippers and hated Lakers. That's countless hours per week I spend absorbed in pointless activity on a television screen. Combine that with the countless hours per week I spend absorbed in pointless activity on a computer screen and it's a wonder I don't have the pasty white complexion of a porcelain toilet bowl.

That said, earlier this week (whilst waiting for the endless NBA season to get underway) I happened to tune into this new show on NBC called "Heroes". This appears to be an X-men ripoff where all of the characters have been assigned the bonus power of "rubbish acting." However, as I have had a lifelong obsession with bettering myself through divine inspiration (see previous post), I went ahead and watched the whole thing.

As with X-men, "Heroes" deals with the idea that mutation in humans can lead to unusual abilities. While that's perfectly plausible, some of the powers strike me as a wee bit over the top. For example, one guy on the show can stop time! What kind of mutation causes that? Another guy can paint the future. I wonder if he'll eventually make a painting that reveals that the show has been canceled, LOL.

I realize that the writers of these shows are going more for entertainment than realism, but it strikes me that a truly clever show could get you thinking that the notion of "superpowers" need not be sci-fi, so long as its toned down a bit. There are plenty of documented cases about people who have extraordinary memories, or computer-like calculating abilities, or musical gifts from the great unknown. Aren't these effectively superpowers? Who's to say there aren't more fantastical cases out there?

One thing about these people is clear: with their gifts comes some kind of deficiency, a twisted exchange in God's eyes. The great savant Kim Peek, a walking encyclopedia who was the inspiration for the movie "Rain Man", cannot even dress himself. Less extreme savants are often autistic; they just go on to become computer programmers.

So if we are to hunt for superheros, we might proceed by observing people who appear to lacking in certain skills we take for granted. This was on my mind when I had the following conversation with my roommate at the grocery store. I have long suspected he might be a borderline superhero (or, more likely, super-villain) since he already has a super-name: The Cog.

INT: Grocery checkout
A great looking guy with calves of steel-- an obviously well-trained cyclist-- and his homely sidekick are waiting in line. They observe some new technology in the aisle next over.

Me: It seems like all of these grocery stores are using self-checkouts now. We are quickly being replaced by machines. Hey, grab that box of ho-hos for me.

The Cog: I'm not going to bag my own groceries, I'll tell you that much.

Me: Wow, lazy!

The Cog: No, it's not that. It's... never mind.

Me: Now you have to tell me.

The Cog: Ok, but don't tell anyone...

Me: It's in the vault!

The Cog: Well, it's ... uh... I don't really know how to bag groceries.

Me: What does that even mean?

The Cog: It's hard for me to open those plastic bags... my fingers can't do it quickly enough, especially with people waiting. It's embarrassing!

Me: Cog... I think you might be a superhero! Get in the Cog-mobile and we'll get you back to the Cog-cave to run some tests!

INT: The Cog-cave
A top-secret lair in the heart of Orange, California (just 10 minutes to Disneyland!) High-tech accouterments line the walls, as do an assortment of junk-food wrappers.

Me: First question. Cog, is there anything you are good at?

The Cog: I have to say, that question is a little insulting.

Me: I mean, do you have an special abilities. For example, maybe you have perfect pitch?

The Cog: What is that?

Me: You know, the ability to recognize the pitch of any note you hear.

The Cog: Of course I can do that. Otherwise, how would I tune my trumpet?

Me: What I'm saying is, you can't tune your trumpet. Not without a tuning fork or something.

The Cog: I can totally tune my trumpet, dude. I've never owned a tuning fork in my life.

Me: Ok, let's test it it out, superboy. I'm going to tweak the 6th string on this guitar here I want you to put it back on "E". Set's it to B-flat You can't play any of the other strings or anything.

The Cog: Puleeze. This is a piece of cake. Fools around with tuning levers. Ok, done.

Me: Ready to mock The Cog. I am ready to mock you, Cog. Plays string and checks tuner. It reads just a few hertz flat of "E". WTF. Hmm, that's pretty good. I must be misunderstanding "perfect pitch."

The Cog: Sweet! I'm a superhero?

Me: Not quite. I mean, you were a little bit off. But I think it's safe to say that you have "pretty good pitch". I'm sure that would be useful in some sort of crime setting, Cog.

The Cog: Yippeee!

Me: Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility.

So of course I'm a little bitter (needless to say I tried testing myself for "pretty good pitch" and only managed to break a guitar string). While my roommate has mediocre superpowers, I have yet to uncover any of mine. And I have TONS of deficiencies (see, eg my nonexistent direction sense).

Oh yeah, I'm due for a big one, and I'm getting pretty grumpy waiting for it!

The greatest website in the history of mankind

Fri, 27 Oct 2006 07:37:37 +0000

Pandora

It is unclear to me how this wonderful project intends to make money. They are probably banking on the post-Y2K business model, AKA "let's get bought out by Google!" FYI, that's BYOND's plan too, but so far Google hasn't returned my calls.