Hold your Horses!
Okay, that's a really bad title, but I couldn't resist...
As most of you know, the 1.6.1 update just came out this morning, dubbed the Horse Update. We have plenty of great items to look forward to, including the new food mechanic (you farmers might actually get more Talons for your wares), Horses and complementary items (hay bales, leads, horse armor, etc.), Hardened Clay, Stained Clay (great for your pixel art and you people that like colored items), Carpets, Name Tags, and more fun!
But, as usual, it takes a long time for things to r0ll downhill on the Multiplayer side. So, we're going to have to wait awhile for 1.6.1, but I will get it going as soon as possible. So, in the meantime, Eagleworld.net will stay on 1.5.2 until further notice. More info below on what needs to be done...
How the server will be upgraded
For the uninitiated, here's a quick rundown what I have to do between every update to make sure the server actually works on the new version:
- Prepare the staging environment by duplicating the production server to staging
- Wait for a somewhat usable build of Bukkit (preferably recommended, but beta and alpha builds might be needed)
- Test which plugins do not work with the new build and wait for new builds of those
- Develop a buglist and figure out what needs to be updated/fixed before we can go live
- Keep updating Bukkit and the plugins until we get a somewhat usable server
- Once we're ready to go live, roll out the plugin updates and config changes to production
This can take a while, depending on how long it takes for Bukkit to be made stable. It can take as little as a week, as long as two months. It is all depends on how fast Bukkit gets updated, and how well the plugin maintainers adapt to all of the changes.
Unfortunately, until Mojang gets off their asses and develops an official Minecraft API, we have to wait like this, because everything immediately breaks every time Minecraft gets updated. I can't make it go faster without sacrificing the stability of the server.
What you need to do
The good news is that if you don't do anything, you'll still get to play on Eagleworld. You cannot get 1.6.1 without updating to the latest launcher. The other good news is the latest launcher allows you to select which version of Minecraft you want to play, so you can easily juggle the latest and greatest update with 1.5.2, so you can test out the Horses and stuff while still playing on Eagleworld.
However, I have heard of many issues with the latest launcher, and I am recommending that you do not use the latest launcher until Eagleworld gets updated. If you wish to do so anyway, that's your choice, but problems with the latest launcher will not be supported until we're on 1.6.1. As you might know by now, the latest updates of Minecraft usually have big issues that take time to get fixed, so I expect nothing else but more of the same with this launcher. Even the Bukkit team doesn't try to play with Minecraft until they patch it a couple of times these days, so don't expect good stuff right off the bat.
Anyway, I'll keep everyone posted on the progress, but sit tight and I'll get us updated as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!
The new Minecraft Server is live!
Well, after enough testing and hard work, the server is finally ready to go! As is custom, here is some random rock song to kick off the event:
I figure "TNT" couldn't be a more appropriate song for Minecraft, actually...
Anyway, Please feel free to join and play on the new Survival Server! The hostname is the same as always, delorean.eagleworld.net with the default port (25565). Note that the Tekkit Server is still down for now as I am currently doing a lot of stuff and need the extra horsepower on Delorean.
If you are looking for what to do, here's a cheat-sheet for different types of members:
If you have played on the Tekkit Server
Your membership is considered current. You can instantly start to play, no initiation required. Here is how the ranks convert from the Tekkit Ranks to the new ranks:
Veterans will stay as Veterans on the new server.
Alchemist and Engineer will become Master Rank on the new server.
All other ranks will become Artisan Rank on the new server. If you played at all on the Tekkit Server, you are considered fully trusted and will enjoy the benefits of it!
If you have played on the older Survival Server
Your membership is considered inactive. You will be able to play and will retain your old rank, but must first go through the new initiation process, which is detailed here.
Once you complete your initiation, though, you will immediately retain your old rank. Ranks convert from the old server to the new as follows:
VIP will become Master Rank on the new server (they are equivalents in abilities).
Artisan, Architect, and Builder will stay the same rank.
If you were banned from Eagleworld
You now have a chance to appeal your ban! Head to the Ban Appeals section of the Eagleworld Minecraft Forums, sign up for an account, and follow the sticky there to complete your application. We would like to give people a chance to make amends and have another chance to play on Eagleworld, so please feel free to submit an appeal, which the staff will carefully consider. Please take your time with your appeal, though, as you only get one shot!
Stuff that isn't ready
While the Survival Server (Aquilia) is ready-to-go, I am not quite ready with some other aspects of the server. Here are a few things I didn't finish yet, so keep patient with those and we'll get those going ASAP:
- The Global Shop (The plugin works, but I am still building the stores themselves)
- The Donation Page (I will get this going soon for those of you that want donation perks)
- All of the Blog pages (I will update everything with hints, staff members, and all that fun stuff)
- The Tekkit Server is offline for now until I am done with the server heavy-lifting
Aquilia and Technia Temporarily Down
Hey, everyone!
Just a quick update on the progress. We are almost ready to go live! I am presently generating the production map (which takes lots of time), which will minimize lag when people join and start playing. Once I get a basic map ready, after a few simple checks from the staff, we will be ready to start playing!
As result, I've had to take down the Tekkit server (Technia) and lock down Aquilia (Survival Server) to allow Delorean to chug out the map. I expect this to take the rest of the day and evening, so I do not know if we can finish up tonight, but I assure you we're going to be playing very soon!
Survival Server is Almost Done!
Hey, everyone!
Well, thanks to the hard-working staff and other members who have donated their time and effort to getting the Survival Server working, we are just about done with the server build! At this point, I am prepping the website and the forums to handle an influx of new members, and all of the testing is pretty much done!
What's left to do at this point is really playtest the server, and I plan on doing that when the server is live. However, I am going to be leaving on Wednesday for a wedding and won't be back until Monday, so I am going to have to minimize my work on the server during that time. Thankfully, I should still get all the stupid documentation done in the meantime.
I am planning for a rollout next week, hopefully as soon as possible. In the meantime, I invite all members to screw around on the test map for now. Everything will get wiped before we go live, and I will make sure everyone knows when we are on the production map.
So, while we aren't quite ready for rollout, your hard work is done! Just enjoy getting used to mcMMO and the new plugins, and let me know if you find any other issue as you go along.
Thanks again to everyone, and I hope everyone is looking forward to the rollout next week! I sure am!
The Survival Server is happening!
Hey, everyone!
The more astute members of Eagleworld have already noticed that I've done a ton of work in getting the new Survival server up and running. I have a test server running on a beta build of Craftbukkit, and a ton of the configs are done. However, there is a ridiculous amount of work left to do.
New Forums
First off, if you have not signed up for the forums yet at minecraft.eagleworld.net/forums, please do so! There is a TON of information about what will happen on the server once it is redone. In particular, the Suggestion Box currently has a ton of threads showing just what will change in Eagleworld once we are ready. When you sign up, I will need to approve you, but I am checking a few times a day to approve any members that want to get involved.
Survival Server Testing
Right now, the test Survival Server is running, and I need members to test it out. Any former member of Eagleworld (that wasn't banned...) can help out, as there is plenty of stuff that doesn't require mod or admin rights to do! Here are the links you need:
Make a post here to get whitelisted: Test Survival Server Whitelisting
Check the TODO for what needs to be done: Master 1.5 Survival Server TODO List
Thanks! The more people that get involved, the faster the server will be ready!
New forums are live, and a new server soon!
Hey, everyone!
So, I've been working my butt off the past few days, and I think there's plenty to show for it so far. I've overhauled the web server on Delorean, getting rid of the messy port 8000 stuff, preparing for the forums, and preparing for more things in the future, such as multiple Dynmaps, and other possible features in the future.
New Forums are Live!
I'm happy to say the forums are just about complete! While there are tweaks to be made here and there, I think we are ready to go:
http://minecraft.eagleworld.net/forums
Please head over there and sign up. I'll active your accounts and give you full access right away.
New Server On Its Way...Need Ideas!
The other great news is that since the forums are pretty much complete, I can start work on the new server! I have some ideas that I've compiled already from all of the suggestions I've received thus far, but it's too much to put in a blog post. So, I've compiled them all in the Suggestion Box Forum on the new forums. I encourage everyone to register on the forums, vote on my ideas, comment on them, and submit your own threads for discussion as well!
Like I've said before, this is your server too, and I want everyone to enjoy it. So, I'm open for ideas. The ideas I've compiled so far are an amalgamation from your feedback so far, but they are by no means concrete. So, I want your ideas on how to make Eagleworld better!
Anyway, I'm going to keep tweaking the forums as they need it (e.g. I didn't put up a logo picture yet), but I'm also going to be working on the new server. Please please please post your feedback on the forums, and let's work on this together!
Good news…
I'm happy to say that the website has been completely cleaned up and I have laid all the groundwork for the minecraft site to have its own forums! I am working really hard on the server so I hope I have stuff for you soon! I still want your ideas for the server, so please please please make comments and tell me what it is YOU want from Eagleworld! If you need info on what I need, please check the last post for all the details.
Anyway, as I work my ass off on getting the forums ready, I welcome your input, and I hope to have a forum update for you soon!
EDIT: We have a forum ready to go...I just need to configure it. It's going to be at minecraft.eagleworld.net/forums. While I won't allow registrations until it's ready, you can at least see the progress!
Migrating to Tekkit Lite…Suggestions Wanted!
Okay, folks, I kinda opened up a Pandora's Box when I made my last post. Going from "Tekkit Classic" (as the old Tekkit is now known) to "Tekkit Lite" (the latest version) was basically going to be an evolutionary change, with nothing really crazy going on. In other words, it'd be as simple as updating the old server from one version of Minecraft to the other. Most of the stuff would work as expected, with some slight changes here and there.
However, a lot of people seem to indicate they want change. So, I want to know what you as the members of Eagleworld want. Please give me all the input you want. I'm gonna throw out some ideas in this post, and I'd like you to comment on it. Note that my original plan for Eagleworld was going to be the following:
- Move from Tekkit Classic to Tekkit Lite
- Update the Bukkit plugins we use now or substitute any outdated ones
- Keep pretty much everything as it is, except allow all the new stuff
- Everything would be as it was before, just shinier and newer
However, here are some ideas I heard (and I thought of), and I want to know what you people want to do:
A Fresh Start
Some people want a new server completely...again. Maybe it's to refresh ore and introduce the new stuff, but maybe it's for other reasons. I know some of you have put some time into the new structures we have on the server (like the towers in Capitol City or ljdarten's settlement), but it seems like we'd lose a lot by killing off all the new stuff and starting totally fresh again. Anyway, I want to hear why you are for or against this.
A (Sorta) Fresh Start
One thing I think people are complaining about was the whole Equivalent Exchange exploitation that was going on. Some people don't like that some people are so far ahead from using EE while others have comparatively nothing. I can understand this. The same people hate the idea of losing their structures, too. I can understand this as well. Maybe we kill off all the chests and player items, so that people only have the equipment they have build and structures they made? Give me some ideas, folks. I'd appreciate them.
New, New Rules
Obviously I cleaned up the rules we were using in the past, which got very crazy and relatively stupid. I have streamlined the rules to make them simple and common-sense. Melany mentioned a fresh start with "new new rules." So I ask you, the members of Eagleworld: what new rules does Eagleworld need, and why? There are no wrong answers, folks. I really want to know what you think.
To Tekkit, or not to Tekkit?
Maybe some of you are just bored of Tekkit? I know some of you love the complex machines and factories you can make (I'm looking at you, Chris). Others seem to be apprehensive. Maybe we should go back to an "enhanced Vanilla Minecraft" like we had before. Let me know what you people think.
TownyMod, do we need it?
Another thing that has been missing since Eagleworld went to Tekkit are towns. Granted, I was getting a bit crazy with the town idea, but maybe it should be reintroduced in some way? Not a required thing like on the second map we had, but as an optional thing, to give people who band together to make a town extra benefits (like monster protection and all that crap). Many people thought Towny was more trouble than it was worth, but I want your opinions.
Some Form of Advertising
This is obviously something we need to do to keep Eagleworld alive. We need new blood. MCServerList served its purpose pretty well, but it introduced a lot of chaff with the wheat, so to speak. Anyway, let me know what forms of advertising we should take. Obviously I want to do it once Eagleworld is situated again, but I'd appreciate ideas. My idea was a Minecraft Forums post for advertisement, but maybe there are other, better ways for this?
New Recruitment Procedures, and a Whitelist?
Maybe I should change how people are recruited, too...should I make Eagleworld a whitelisted server where people have to request to join? At first I disliked this idea because I figured more people actually joining the server would encourage membership, but does it attract the right people? Whitelisted servers seem to give off the air of a more mature group of players, which is obviously what we want. Ideas?
More Features, and maybe a Forum
Maybe there are other in-game features we need. Let me know what they are. I'm thinking maybe an Eagleworld Minecraft Forum is in place here to encourage players to chat about together and to handle membership applications. I'm really trying to figure out the best way to do this folks, so please give me your ideas.
Please Comment!
I really need your help on this one, folks. I can tell people want more out of this server, but I don't know what to do. I need your voices to let me know the direction to take. I feel like maybe going to Tekkit was doing good, but missed the mark somewhat. So be completely critical of Eagleworld...tell me what sucks about it, and what you'd do to fix it. Together we can make it a better place!
So yeah…
EDIT: I realize I was ambiguous in my post, but Tekkit Lite is an evolutionary progression from Tekkit Classic, so all of the stuff we got used to and our current map should work. I can't guarantee 100%, but I can say about 95% certain that we can keep the map, and that maybe only a small portion of the items (if any) might not work. Just give me time to work it all out though 
Hey, everyone!
So yeah...
If you are anything like me, you have been getting SNS Syndrome* over the new stuff in Minecraft that's come out since the build used in Tekkit. Well, I hate to say it, but I was getting ridiculously impatient! I've even been checking week-by-week for updates, but nothing that gets us new crap (just bug updates).
Then I come across something called "Voltz" that they're putting out. It's basically the "next version" of Tekkit that has a whole different set of plugins that work off of a common electricity standard. However, that would mean we have to start from scratch completely with a new map and everything...not an enticing option.
Just as I was abandoning hope and was ready to back to vanilla + Bukkit, I found out about Tekkit Lite today. I initially thought it was a pared down version with less plugins, etc, but it turns out it is the next version of Tekkit! The "lite" part is that it does not rely on Bukkit in order to work. Good news is I think it will work with all the stuff we are used to.
So, it will take me some effort to port this over, but I believe we can have all of the Tekkit plugins we were used to, combined with our Bukkit plugins (such as grief protection, etc.), AND have the latest Minecraft build! So, I didn't forget you people...I want to get on the latest-and-greatest, and will get it out as soon as I can. In the meantime, the "Tekkit Classic" server is working, and should be available for your use. If you're having problems, let me know and I'll help you out! Have fun!
*SNS Syndrome: A serious disorder. Read about it here.
Eagleworld is now on Tekkit.
It's about time, right? The whitelist is off, the server is updated, time to par-tay!
I'm going to keep this post as short as possible, so we can all get to playing:
Here's the mods I went with:
- Tekkit (ALL mods enabled!)
- Essentials (for all the warps and stuff we're used to)
- LWC (protect your chests)
- CoreProtect (rollbacks and anti-griefing)
- Dynmap (yes, we still have Dynmap! and this time, no chat spamming!)
- EssentialsEco (not yet configured, but it's installed)
- ChestShops (coming soon!)
Updates to the Rules/Policies
- The rules are chopped down and simplified
- The policies of the server are DRASTICALLY reduced and relaxed in the interest of fun
- Server ranks still offer prestige and status, but now most features are available, even to Builders
- There are no longer restriction on only building in towns, and TownyMod is no longer around. We can do towns on our own without the plugin!
Changes to the Server Economy
- iConomy is substituted for the more stable and updated EssentialsEco
- Annoying commands are gone, in favor of ChestShops
- The Global Shop no longer trades everything in favor of Equivalent Exchange
- There will be a National Bank in Capitol City that trades metals, gems, etc.
- Trading with the National Bank will only give you a slight penalty in value as opposed to before
- Your Talons (basically your bank account) will now generate interest!
- The economy plugins are NOT SET UP YET, but will be soon once the server is in full swing!
What you need to do to join:
- Download and run the Technic Launcher at www.technicpack.net
- Select "Tekkit" from the drop down, log in, and connect to the server at delorean.eagleworld.net
- Get re-added by an admin (I will be on as much as I can, at least on the console)
- Find a place to build (preferably away from spawn, as Capitol City will go there)
- Use "/dynmap webregister" if you wish to be able to use the dynamic map
- Have FUN! There is a lot to do with Tekkit, so enjoy!