Hurricane Irene Update
Update 1 (8/28/11, 4PM EST) - Just a quick update: Obviously, power is still on. The eye of the (now) Tropical Storm Irene is north of us, but we are still in the windy Southern half of the storm. This part of the storm has only lighter winds and no rain. Therefore, I do not believe we will lose power at this point. However, since the river near me is continuing to rise and won't crest until tomorrow, we aren't 100% out of the woods. So, Delorean stays alive for now, but I'll keep giving you updates regarding the server status.
Hi, Everyone!
Just a brief heads-up regarding the status of Delorean and the upcoming hurricane that will be hitting the Tri-State Area. Hurricane Irene is expected to hit New Jersey between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. While I do not live in a flood-prone area and do not expect any form of major damage to occur to my home (or the server hardware within), loss of power is definitely expected due to the storm. Therefore, it is possible that Delorean will be down for a period of time during and after the storm until power is reliably returned to the area.
Note that this will NOT affect the safety of the server data at all, but will most likely affect server uptime. If the power does in fact go out in my house, my server's backup battery has enough juice to keep it alive for about 25 minutes. When the battery has about 5 minutes of power left, it will initiate a graceful shutdown of the server. Therefore, the server will shut down gracefully and safely even if the power goes out abruptly. If this occurs, I will be unplugging the power supplies for all server hardware, keeping them safe from power surges and the like, and will not restore power until I am convinced it is safe to do so.
Please note that if the power DOES go out, it could be for several days. As far as knowing whether or not Delorean is back up and running and if the server is alive, the best way to check is to visit this blog. If the blog is up, the Minecraft server will quickly follow.
Please feel free to ask any questions in this thread pertaining to the potential downtime. Cheers!
Promotions, Global Shop, and Downtime
Hey, everyone!
Just another blog post to handle three minor things on the server. I'll deal with these in order or ease:
Downtime earlier today
I apologize for the server downtime. The server crapped out on me because the console hung up. While the server itself was running fine with the console hung, it caused the reboot to not happen properly. So, after the reboot, the server went down completely.
Anyway, I don't suspect it to happen again, especially after I update Craftbukkit to the latest recommended build. The Bukkit team has a new build ready, I just have to test it before deployment.
Global Shop Update
Well, I finally got around to it...the Global Shop has been updated to add three new items: Red Mushrooms, Brown Mushrooms, and Slime Balls. Prices can be found on the Global Shop page as usual.
Promotions
And, finally, the fun stuff: Promotions!
Unlike last promotion, which was all about the builders, this one's all about the higher-ups:
Builder to Architect:
- justynsm
Architect to Artisan:
- jbkarate9
- xchrisbeftwx
- Thunder__Child
- ljdarten
Artisan to VIP:
- Archer665
- WARRIORSPARTON
VIP to Moderator:
- SanctusTerra
And, that's all she wrote, folks! Again, as usual, there are few active members that are not getting promoted. If you are active and not promoted, you just need a bit more time, that's all.
Eagleworld updated to 1.7.3
Hey, everyone!
This is just a quick note that Eagleworld is now on version 1.7.3 of Minecraft. Feel free to update and join! Thankfully, the update went through without any averse regressions or bugs that I can see. Here's a quick synopsis of what I did:
- Minecraft SMP is now on 1.7.3 and up-to-date.
- The Piston Bugs (and the resulting dupe bugs) should be resolved.
- Craftbukkit is temporarily on a non-canon version put out by Dinnerbone, one of the head developers. Once the Bukkit Team fixes all of the dev cycle problems they had due to the delay of the 1.7.3 update, they will release a recommended build and I will update accordingly.
- Essentials has been updated to the latest version and appears stable. New commands, too!
- LWC is an all-new version, but the functionality appears to be the same, so no new commands to learn.
- CreativeStick is updated as well. Functionality is pretty much the same.
- BigBrother is updated and caught up to the latest MC functionality. Server protection is the same as it always was
- Dynmap is a new version! Also, I've installed the Landmarks plugin to allow us to label things on the server. I'm working out the details more, but you can see two examples at the spawn point and The Capitol.
- iConomy, LocalShops, Townymod, and FlatEarth are unchanged. No new version, still work 100%.
I still need to update the help page so you can get a view of all the latest commands. It's going to take me a while to parse through the whole thing and update it. Honestly, I'm really tired and can't do it right now. If you're that desperate to find out (which I suspect), go to the Essentials Command Guide and figure it out yourself for now.
And for those of you that thinks this is easy, it's not. If you're bitching about why I don't have any new mods or that it took longer than you wanted, take a small look at some of the stuff I have to configure every time we update:
| Spoiler Inside: Permissions Config File for Eagleworld | |
|---|---|
| Spoiler Inside: Essentials Config File for Eagleworld | |
|---|---|
And these are just two configs out of the whole list I have. Just two. These are also in YAML format, which makes it more difficult. While YAML is not difficult syntax, if you accidentally put one thing out of order (e.g. one of the subitems in a group is just ONE SPACE OFF, or if I use a tab instead of 4 spaces), the whole plugin will crash and cause the server to crash. If that happens, I get to scour the logs to figure out which plugin crashed, then I get to scour through this entire file to find the one damn thing that's off. It doesn't help that sometimes a tab can be disguised as spaces if they line up in my text editor.
Also, when it comes to configuring each plugin, I have to scour through the whole list of permissions (This is iConomy's for example, and this is a small one) for every updated plugin. If any permissions have changed at all, I have to go through and revalidate all of the permissions for that plugin to make sure functionality won't break when I update. It's tedious and slow. And this is all AFTER I manage to get all of the plugins to work on the latest Minecraft SMP and Bukkit build.
Now, I get the fun of translating that permissions file you saw above into something you can use on the Help Page. Otherwise, I'll get nothing but complaints that you can't do what you want to do. So even after I'm done, I still get 5-10 hours of work scouring through this crap making sure the blog is updated.
This latest update took roughly 10 hours to do so far. And no, this is not fun. It's tedious, boring, mind-numbing, and painful. Testing new plugins and actually playing the game is fun. Unfortunately, both of those activities as of late tend to give me more work to do on the server...
One last thing: You can expect some more promotions this weekend, so stay tuned!
1.7.3 Status
Hey everyone!
Just a quick update to keep everyone abreast of the situation: Right now, Bukkit doesn't have an official release for 1.7.3, but Dinnerbone, one of the Bukkit team developers, has given a link to an unofficial build that is stable on 1.7.3. He stated that it is not formally part of their code repository, but it will be soon. I think it is safe to start working with that build.
Unfortunately, time for me lately has been extremely scarce for personal reasons. Therefore, it might take me a little while to roll this one out. I'm shooting for Monday/Tuesday, but that isn't guaranteed. Either way, it'll involve playing the plugin version game and scraping together a stable environment.
So, hopefully you should only have to wait another day or two, then it's time for pistons!
1.7 Update, Promotions, Salaries, and Playing Admin
Hey everyone!
Here's a quadruple-whammy post for y'all tonight. I have four major things to cover, but I'll try to keep it as succinct as possible:
1.7 Update News
Just so you are in the loop, yes, Craftbukkit does have a recommended build for Minecraft 1.7.2, and I can update at this point. However, there are major bugs in the server app itself (not Bukkit) that cause dupe bugs and piston bugs. The Bukkit team is strongly recommending not to update until this is fixed, and I tend to agree. Here is the Bukkit team's blog post regarding the matter: link here.
So, the long story short is hold tight until this is resolved. The good news is I can temporarily start working towards updating the server to get a head-start once the update is finished.
Independence Day Promotions
Well, I promised more promotions, so here they come! This batch involves the newest string of members and an embellishment of the server staff:
Builder to Architect:
- Banana_Blob
- adamant454
- MegaUltraBuilder
- pillsbaryjoeboy
Artisan to VIP
- Nonagrrl
VIP to Moderator
- Nephylim
- Melany23
Moderator to Administrator
- Openminded
I chose to promote Nephy and Melany to mods because they are both dependable and trustworthy members of the server, and they have experience modding Minecraft servers in the past. Also, the times they are online will fill the gaps of when mods/admins are actually online to ensure greater coverage of the server at all times.
I chose Openminded as the latest admin because Nick (Runninghobo) has been quite busy lately and he hasn't been able to back up me as much as he was in the past. Therefore, the need for additional admins is in order. Open has consistently proven to provide great assistance to helping me deal with the server, not just in building things (such as the subway system), but also in dealing with new members. He's proven as a mod that he will be able to serve as a quality admin on this server.
So, I hope you all congratulate the new promotions and welcome the new server staff! And if you were expecting a promotion, don't get upset. There are three major reason that people don't get promoted at any given time on this server:
- Hasn't been on the server long enough to demonstrate the worthiness of a promotion
- Has demonstrated trustworthiness, but has been inactive on the server
- Has given me a reason to question whether or not to promote them.
The majority of the lack of promotions in the list are due to 1 and 2. Honestly, I have 10-12 people I'd be willing to promote right now, but they either don't play anymore or have played very sporadically. So, don't fret if you don't see your name on the list today.
July Salaries
Well, it's that time of the month again! July salaries are ready to be given out, so make sure to claim them! And, since the server is not on 1.7 yet, I'll be giving out another "SNS-Free Bonus" this month for those of you that were willing to either not update or willing to back-up their 1.6 install: If you claim your salary before I update the server, you will get a 500 Talon bonus! So, make sure to claim them soon!
Quick update on Playing Admin
I've received a LOT of questions regarding Runninghobo's post on Playing Admin on the server. While I posted a response to his post in the comments and clarified some stuff, I still see people unclear about this. For example, someone was concerned because they saw a moderator asking questions and accused them of playing admin. Note that while mods cannot actually promote members, they can do all the preliminary questioning and prep them for membership.
So, to the members, if you see a mod asking questions, it's okay. And if you are a moderator, and want to know what you need to do to question a member, please ask me!
I'll be redoing the Server Info and Help Pages soon, so I'll make sure to add all this info in to clarify it for good.
And in closing...
It's a lot of crap to read, I know, but there's a lot going on in Eagleworld right now. Any questions about the post (I'm sure there will be a lot), please comment below and ask away! I will be sure to answer them as best as I can!
Yes, I am aware Minecraft is now on 1.7
Before you even start, I'll stop you right there. I go through this every update, and nothing is going to change about how I do things, so don't bother trying to convince me otherwise:
I am not updating Eagleworld to version 1.7 until it is damn good and ready. It will stay on 1.6.6 until most or all plugins are running nice and stable on the latest version.
If you're not sure what to do about it, please read this post regarding backing up your files. If you already updated your Minecraft installation, then there is nothing I can do to help you. I also recommend reading this post I made a while back regarding this exact situation.
And if you have no clue why it is so elaborate and takes so long to upgrade the server when it is "just updating it," expand the spoiler below and read what I have to do every update:
| Spoiler Inside: Minecraft Beta 1.7 Upgrade Plan | |
|---|---|
And yes, all that crap is really necessary, at least if you want a server that runs properly and all the time (otherwise it doesn't matter).
So, needless to say, bugging me about updates will only piss me off and possibly slow me down. Otherwise, you are doing no good by complaining that the server is outdated. I have to not only wait for Bukkit to get up to speed, but every plugin we depend on as well. So, it is going to take time. This is why I mention to everyone that joins this server that patience is a requirement for playing on Eagleworld.
In exchange for that patience you will get a server that hardly ever goes down (usually only 1-2 minutes a day for nightly maintenance), a well-backed-up map, and a multi-level anti-griefing system that has not failed to perform yet. So, continue to enjoy 1.6.6 until 1.7 is ready!
Eagleworld updated to Minecraft 1.6!
Hi, everyone!
This update was a long time coming. My apologies to everyone that it took so long. The Bukkit team recently released an excellent recommended build that works with 1.6.6 that solved a LOT of the bugs I was coming across in trying to update. Either way, 1.6 is here, and it's stable! You should find the server to be in a far better state than it was when I rolled out 1.5.
I am also very happy to say that very little functionality has been lost between 1.5 and 1.6, and that we have a bunch of new great stuff thanks to Essentials. Things HAVE changed, though, so please make sure to familiarize yourself with the following:
1. The Global Shop is now a Local Shop
Unfortunately, for now, this is the best solution. The person that took over SimpleShop has stripped many of the features that are compulsory for Eagleworld. There IS another plugin I can use called BetterShop, but it doesn't have the full functionality, either. So, LocalShops is our savior. Here's what you need to know:
- SimpleShop is no more, so you can't use the Global Shop everywhere.
- The Global Shop is located at the Walmart in Capitol city. There are two warps you can use to get to the Walmart: walmart and globalshop. The second one plops you directly into the shop.
- Use the Global Shop as you would any local shop.
- Now, /lshop and /shop work with LocalShops. Using either one is fine.
- ALL Eagleworld members now have access to /back to make using the new Global Shop easier. However, only Artisans or better can use /back to teleport to their death location.
2. Bug fixes and new bugs
I believe the mass-majority of issues we had on the server are now good. Here are things I know are fixed now that were previously problematic:
- The area around the spawn point with performance issues is now okay.
- Any nether issues as a result of the 1.6 upgrade are resolved. Nether works as before.
- The dynmap site issues are fixed and the dynmap works normally again
- The CreativeStick server crash is now fixed, as well as other cstick bugs
- Residual iConomy database bugs (that caused performance issues) are now cleaned up
There are plenty of other bugfixes I'm sure, but I am unsure what else occurred.
Here are some new bugs that I am aware of:
- Possible TNT detonation issue...investigating
- Possible spawn point lag issue...investigating
Also, please let me know if you do see any new bugs..I will update the blog accordingly.
3. Dynmap is back...and bad!
The Dynmap plugin was long overdue for an update, and it is finally fixed. There are some new features to look out for, such as seeing player health/armor bars, and general performance improvements. Also, the isometric view works again, and it is available for both the normal world and for the nether. Please note that right now, it is not fully re-rendered, so that will be done during the early morning.
4. Promotions all around, and I'm listening to you on them!
Promotions are LONG overdue on the server. And yes, I will be doing more this weekend. I am sorry it's been so long, so I have automatically promoted a bunch of you. I will give you your salaries/raises tonight:
Builder to Architect:
- xcaboose22
- jbkarate9
Architect to Artisan:
- Archer665
- Nonagrrl
- WARRIORSPARTON
- ugonalose
Artisan to VIP:
- MrKindLife
- ZackBlaze164
VIP to Moderator:
- openminded
Please note that if you are not promoted, DO NOT FRET. I am still evaluating users. These are just those that I knew were long overdue. If you wish to plead a case for a promotion for yourself or someone else, I will welcome your opinions. I will not hold it against you if you ask for a promotion at this time (for yourself or someone else). The server has been in a rough state for a while (as have I been), so I am not 100% in touch with every user. That will slowly be rectified over the next week or two, but in the meantime, I am counting on you to speak up if you feel you deserve a promotion.
Conclusion
There's still plenty for me to do. The blog will be updated with all the new commands and stuff over the next few days. Feel free to let me know about promotions for you or someone else, as well as any bug information. Tell me in-server or make a comment below!
Almost There
Well, after battling with the global shop plugin forever, I can't get it to work, SO, the solution is that in terms of the global shop, you will have to visit a store to do so. I will make the Walmart in Capitol City the Global Shop, so you can buy all the items there for the same price as before. I will also make a warp to it so you can get to it very easily. I am also going to give /back access to everyone, to make your lives easier in the transition. Sorry for those of you that earned /back, but I believe this is a fair exchange.
The latest Craftbukkit stable release is working VERY well on Eagleworld, and has solved many of the issues. I am working on the Global Shop now on the test server, and I am also working on redoing the permissions for the latest plugins. After that, I will be just about ready to roll out. The only caveat here is that I will have to work on the dynmap plugin AFTER the upgrade, but at least you will be able to play in the meantime. Dynmap isn't working well now anyway.
So, hang in there. I am hoping to get the server up and running tonight, but just in case I cannot, you can expect it up Tuesday or Wednesday the latest!
Another 1.6 Update
It's been a while since 1.6 is out, but I see no easy solution for this one. I'm going to try to hack my way to a solution this weekend. I have had a rough time the last week or so and haven't had the full brain power to devote to the server. I will get this done, though, and either with a LocalShop prescribed for the Global Shop or with another plugin, I'll roll this out this weekend.
I also owe a bunch of players promotions, so hang in there.
More 1.6 News
Hey, everyone.
Unfortunately, I have hit a bit of a road block here, and fear there is no easy solution. Right now, for the version of Craftbukkit that supports 1.6.6 (version 818), there is no working plugin that will give us a Global Shop. Basically, all plugins that exist don't give even close to the functionality we want/need, and the ones that do are all out of date and not updated. They won't work at all on the latest version.
Unfortunately, I don't see an easy fix to this. We will need to wait a bit longer until I can find some kind of fix. It might involve me creating a Local Shop in Capitol City with an unlimited supply, but I'll find some kind of fix. In the meantime, be patient until we can get past this showstopping lack of functionality.