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!
Latest Tekkit trial updates
Hey, everyone!
Just another quick update to keep everyone in the loop. I've been working on the server the last few days, trying out the various mods and plugins that are part of the Tekkit mod. So far, I really like what I see. I think this adds so much to the game that it really can't be ignored at this point. So far, reception has been extremely positive. However, I still need people to help test! The map we're using right now is not going to be saved, so there is no harm in playing around with the mods and seeing what's good and what is not. If you want to join and have not been whitelisted yet, all you have to do is ask me! You can do it however you like (AIM, Twitter, Facebook, a blog comment, etc.).
Latest Decisions
So I've decided what plugins we were used to have been staying/going so far:
Installed Plugins
- Tekkit Mod Bundle (includes IndustrialCraft, BuildCraft, ComputerCraft, RedPower, and more)
- Esssentials (for warps, kits, protections, and all that fun stuff)
- GroupManager (for permissions)
- CoreProtect (for anti-griefing protection ala BigBrother or HawkEye)
- LWC (for chest protection)
Plugins that will NOT be installed
- TownyMod (no need for it anymore, really...if mobs become a huge issue I can use WorldGuard or just disable them entirely)
- CreativeStick (new plugins and Creative Mode supercede its abilities)
- MultiWorld (I'm sticking to one world for simplicity and lack of worry about updating)
- WorldEdit (hell, with all this Tekkit crap, who needs it?)
- iConomy (I am trying to avoid an economy this time, but Essentials has its own economy if needed)
- BetterShop (Essentials provides chest shops if needed)
- LocalShops (Essentials provides chest shops if needed)
Plugins I have not made judgement calls on yet:
- Dynmap (I'd like to do this, but only if it's not too much of a pain in the ass...a Dynmap-free server is better than no server at all)
- EssentialsEco (Essentials' Economy program - includes all we need for the economy, but I feel like the Tekkit mods provide what's needed for this...IndustrialCraft even has a recipe for coins!)
Things we need to test
The big thing I'm concerned about is the ability for the big four Tekkit plugins to work, now that I have GroupManager installed and locking down the server. I do not know if I have configured it correctly to bypass the no-guest-build security. Please test the following:
- IndustrialCraft automining
- ComputerCraft automining (especially the turtles)
- BuildCraft's ability to move stuff around (especially with pipes)
- RedPower
If there are problems, please let me know. I may have to make these plugins have OP privileges to the server, which I would really like to avoid. But, if necessary, I'll do it.
Anyway, keep up with the suggestion and comments...looking forward to what you have to offer to Eagleworld!
Eagleworld Redo Updates/Ideas
Hey, everyone!
LONG POST WARNING: Sorry, folks. Got a lot to say, and want to keep everyone in the loop. If you just want to get started testing to get ideas going, you can skip the "New Server Ideas" section, really. It's just my rough ideas for the future.
So I listened to the ideas I got so far, and I'm glad I did so...I was directed to look at Tekkit by Runninghobo and EG_SpaceNinja, and so far I'm completely blown away. I had no idea about this mod conglomeration, and I think it's a great direction to go. Is it any wonder why I love my mods and admins? (If you're the idiot looking for a "no homo" after that, grow up...lol)
Testing out Tekkit
So, I've set up a temporary Tekkit server so I try out mods and test out configurations. The server is located at delorean.eagleworld.net:25566. It runs on an older version of minecraft (1.2.3 I think), but it uses its own launcher chock-full of goodies (mini maps, the successor to Too Many Items, etc.). If you wanted to run the latest version of vanilla Minecraft, it can run side-by-side with Tekkit with absolutely NO conflict. This will allow people to test out their new stuff and not screw around with their server experience!
The test server is currently whitelisted, but if you wish to join and test, just ask! You can ask me pretty much anywhere: a comment on the blog, Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, text message, any way you can get ahold of me. If you were a former member of the server, and you're still reading this blog, that's pretty much all I need. I will whitelist requests as I get them and let people play around. To do so, however, you need the Technic Launcher, which you can get at http://www.technicpack.net/. Just like Minecraft, it works on Windows, Mac, or Linux, and lets you play Minecraft in a whole new bunch of ways. Just make sure to select "Tekkit" on the dropdown on the left before you put in your Minecraft credentials.
New Server Ideas
So, continuing on with all of the changes I'm making to Eagleworld, let's talk about the things I want to keep the same:
- Hourly map backups for total rollback capabilities (my scripts still work fine).
- Essentials Plugin for basic protections from creepers, and griefing
- Some Big Brother/HawkEye - like plugin for admins/mods to use to protect against griefing
- Some map plugin - maps are cool.
- Some method to get all the items you want, whether it is by the economy or some other plugin
The good news is that Tekkit actually has built in ways to get all the stuff you want, but doesn't use an economy for it. I'm debating putting the economy back in, but if I do, I might just end up using the built-in economy that Essentials provides (BOSEconomy), and using a chest-based shop, rather than a command-based one.
So what will be different?
- Towny is most likely going away - I don't believe it's necessary anymore, save for in-town creature protections. I'll try to find some other way to handle that that doesn't require such bloat.
- Besides Tekkit, Essentials, and server protections, mods will be kept to a minimum to make upgrades easier. That doesn't mean I don't want suggestions, though! If I feel a plugin really will add to the server, I will most definitely add it. But I am definitely going for server longevity here and ease of upgrade.
So what will the rules be like?
- Server will still be admin-approval only. I believe quality of users as opposed to quantity will help. We will advertise, but requirements for joining will be high as always.
- No-tolerance griefing will still be in effect. Rather than have all these regulations and shit, one time fuck-up and you go. Keeps everyone in line and nobody has to worry about their stuff.
- Rules will be a lot simpler - I created a rule pretty much every time something bad happened, and it added up. We'll make it simpler.
- Ranks will still be around to give everyone a sense of accomplishment as they move forward on the server, but I will try to make it so everyone pretty much can do what they want, regardless of rank. Thankfully, a lot of the stuff everyone want to do (like flying) can be done in Tekkit; it just requires some effort to do. For example, you can fly now with Jet Packs...which is way more fun to me than using Creative Mode, anyway!
- Other than that, the server will be pretty much free to do whatever, as long as it doesn't hurt someone else or isn't using common sense. For example, building your shit next to someone else (unless they are okay with it) is being a dick, and not using common sense. But rather than memorizing rules and all that, we'll take things case-by-case.
So what happens to towns?
- Still build 'em if you want...or build by yourself. Whatever. No more rules and crap on that. It made things very un-fun.
- If you want to build a town, just space it away a little bit from other towns. Leave room for expansion. Common sense.
- Just make sure you move away from Capitol a bit before you start. I'm planning on building a lot there (for everyone on the server), so I'd like to have some space to grow.
Speaking of Capitol, I'm planning on letting everyone build something there...just let me have a say in what or where. I want to plan on having districts again (so all the power plants and industry is in one place, all the high-rise towers in another, and the small homes in yet another, all with the spawn and government buildings in the center). I want to have the first place everyone sees on the server to be large, organized, and impressive.
If I do it right this time, we will have a great spawn point, as less time will be spent screwing around with the server. But, I want to make it fun and enjoyable for all...without excessive rules and all that. I'm setting my goals lower in terms of player count. I'd rather have 10 dedicated players that all fun to be around and enjoy themselves than try to get 50 players, half of whom rarely play and some of which can't be trusted.
More Ideas
I still want more ideas from you guys. If you need to join the server and play around with Tekkit to get some, just ask! Just remember the test server is in fact a test server...it will definitely go away. Do with it what you want...but again, just be nice to others. I'll keep everyone posted on how far I get with the build and all that. Cheers!
An Update Update Update (Update) Update
UPDATE 1: Just a quick heads-up on the current status to keep everyone in the loop. The test server is coming along nicely, with most major plugins updated fully. I had a major bug with Towny which I believe is now resolved, but am still bugtesting. I have finished configuring most of the plugins, but I am now going through permissions configuration (this is easily over 1,000 lines of permissions, so it'll take time). I AM working on the server actively, and it WILL be updated. I will be updating the Twitter feed constantly with the to-the-minute info, so check out @eagleworldnet for the latest!
Yes, yes, I'm still alive, folks (your comments crack me up, people...lol).
My sincere apologies for the massive delay in the update of the server. I have been working on it since 1.2.5 came out, and thankfully, a LOT of issues I was having has been repaired. For one, TownyMod, which was prior a serious thorn in my side due to not supporting MySQL (hence our billions of town plots were written out in a billion files on my server), I am NOW able to migrate all of our Towny data to a real genuine database. Thank GOD.
Additionally, other issues are not recurring (e.g. the issues I was having with LazyRoad), so my life is going to be a lot easier. The majority of the major plugins are updated for 1.2.5, so things are definitely looking optimistic for me to get this done soon. I don't want to make promises I can't keep, but I'm going to see how far I can get today on the test server. Assuming the Towny migration to MySQL goes easily, everything else should just fall into place.
So far, the only troublemaker I can see right now is HawkEye, as that has not been updated for a while. If anything, I might have to choose another plugin for monitoring server edits. Something tells me this won't be the biggest deal in the universe if I have to pick another.
That's really all I can think of to say right now. However, please feel free to ask questions with your comments, and I'll answer accordingly.