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23Sep/1120

Two Points of Business

Posted by EagleRock

Okay, I have two points of business for you people...

1. Strive for 1.8, or 1.9?

Unfortunately, we're already encroaching on 1.9, but Bukkit JUST got updated.  A lot of our plugins are 1.8 ready, but some are still not.  The big one, for example, are shops.  If I move to 1.8 right now, we will have no global shop, and no player shops, basically rendering iConomy useless.  Other plugins, however, like Essentials and Towny, ARE working.  So we are not far off.  I have already generated a map using my chosen seed, and we can take it from there.

Here is the big problem with all of this.  If you read the latest Bukkit Team blog post, they state that if you are refreshing your map for 1.8, the changes in 1.9 will require you to do the same.  So, considering we've waited all this time for 1.8, is it really worth it to upgrade before 1.9 is out?  I believe the Bukkit release will take a LOT less time due to the big changes from 1.8 already being ironed out.  The majority of the changes are really just a few new items and some biome adjustments.  It was Creative Mode and all of the other issues that caused the delay in Bukkit.

So, here is my question to all of you: Should we push out 1.8 as soon as I can, or should we wait for 1.9?  I estimate that it will take roughly a week for them to push out 1.9, and Bukkit a day or so to push their release.  It might be worth it, but I leave that up to you whether you want to wait for not.

And that takes me to my second point of business...

2. Anarchy Mode comes back to Eagleworld!

Since we will have to wait as I tweak our 1.8 prod server and get all of the plugins reconfigured ANYWAY, that'll leave our 1.7 prod server basically sitting idle.  Nobody is saving Talons anymore or logging on 1.7, basically making it useless.  So, why not have a little fun with our old map?  Instead of basically keeping it tidy on 1.7, blow it up on 1.8!

Here are the rules of Anarchy Mode:

  1. Anarchy Mode runs Vanilla.  No mods, no nothing.
  2. All Admins and Mods have OP privileges.
  3. Nothing that happens in Anarchy Mode will be saved.  The production data is not touched at all.
  4. No whining.  Since it won't persist, don't complain about it.
  5. EVERYTHING ELSE GOES.  Kill, steal, detonate, maim, destroy, whatever.  It's anarchy mode!

As one other note, don't bother to bug admins and mods to spawn you items.  They won't.  However, since they can spawn anything they want for themselves, they are good targets to kill!

The server will stay in Anarchy Mode until I get the server stable on 1.8, or, if everyone elects to wait, 1.9.  Also, if we DO wait for 1.9, Anarchy Mode can upgrade right away, since it's Vanilla.

Enjoy, and make sure to weigh in!  I will be working on the server tonight, and I will see your comments!

16Sep/118

Quick 1.8 Update

Posted by EagleRock

UPDATE 4: The Bukkit team, after toiling like they did, finally released a version of craftbukkit they have deemed stable on 1.8.1!  Currently, I am waiting on the Essentials team to do the same with their plugin.  I'm going to be out all day busy anyway, so by the time I get home tonight, I'm hoping Essentials will have at least a semi-stable plugin and I can start the upgrade of the test server.  Note that during this time, the 1.7.x server will remain up and running, so don't hesitate to connect!

 

UPDATE 3: The Bukkit team is still working on Craftbukkit.  There are still glaring bugs in their current builds.  They are far more stable than before, but not yet at the quality to be deemed recommended builds.  I am still uncomfortable with upgrading to a non-stable Craftbukkit.  Keep in mind the server IS still there for you to play on, and you could've probably earned 10,000 talons if you were playing since 1.8 was released.  :-)  Patience, folks!

 

UPDATE 2: There still is not a recommended build for Craftbukkit.  There ARE builds out there, but none are recommended, because there are still plenty of bugs to iron out.  Additionally, Minecraft SMP has its own bugs which will cause problems for us if we upgrade.  While I am willing to upgrade to 1.8.1, I am not willing to do so without a recommended build.  The SMP bugs are showstoppers as-is, and I need to depend on craftbukkit to lower the amount of bugs, not increase them.

Additionally, a lot of the plugins we use (such as Towny and LocalShops) are nowhere near ready for 1.8.  Therefore, pushing an unstable Bukkit is useless, as we will be without critical plugins.  So, hang in tight, fellas.  I still recommend coming on the server just to chat with others, build up some Talons, and also figure out who wants to start a town with one another on the new map!

 

UPDATE 1: The Bukkit team is still working on this.  However, I'm happy to say that some of the plugin developers are starting to work off of dev versions of 1.8-compatible versions of Craftbukkit.  I already see the Essentials Team putting out dev versions of their plugin, so whenever Bukkit DOES come out, I will be able to quickly start map generation and bugtesting with the rest of the Eagleworld Staff.

However, just remember that we will have to wait for the other plugins to catch up (such as BigBrother, iConomy, LocalShops, etc.) to catch up before we can actually roll it out to production.

 

Hey, guys and gals!

Just a quick status update on Eagleworld so everyone is kept up-to-date: the Bukkit team is still working their butts off on a 1.8-compatible Craftbukkit build, but they're not stopping 'till it's done.  This particular update was obviously difficult because of all of the changes to Minecraft overall.  They have finished all of the additions to cover the new material, but they are currently bugfixing and getting Craftbukkit stable.  You can, of course, read more about it at www.bukkit.org, or follow them at @craftbukkit on Twitter.  If you are following me on Twitter, I'm retweeting their more important posts, so you can keep updated that way as well.

The new map plans are staying solid at this point, so feel free to read the last post about all of the detailed updates.  I might do some minor tweaks to the changes (e.g. keep creepers from destroying things in the wilderness...I'm tentative), but for the most part, that's what you can expect.  I also updated the New Player and Server Info pages to all of the latest info, so you can read them there.

If you have any questions, you can always, of course, ask me or another mod/admin, or just leave a comment here and we'll all see it!  I'd recommend joining the 1.7.3 server in the meantime just to do some more mining and getting your talons up.  Remember, there's gonna need to be a lot of rebuilding on the new map, so the more money and resources you have, the better!  If you want some tips, don't forget to check my guide on how to earn Talons on Eagleworld!

Have fun, everyone!  We got some great times ahead for Eagleworld!

13Sep/1125

Pre-1.8 Preparations

Posted by EagleRock

Hey, everyone!

I am happy that so far everyone has unanimously approved of the map restart idea, so that is going to be what will happen to Eagleworld come 1.8.  I am already preparing for all the changes necessary once 1.8 is released.  Since I have a better idea of what's going to happen, I wanted to reiterate what I said in my last post with a bit more clarity, as well as provide a loose timeline of how this is going to roll out.

NOTE: I do apologize that this post is very long and verbose, but I'm putting all this information out there to ensure everyone is informed, and your questions are answered.  I'll update this post as more questions and need for clarifications arise.

Rollout Timeline

  1. Pre-1.8 Preparations
    • I am currently testing the pre-release 1.8 to see how the new features should be handled (new rules, necessary plugins/configs, etc.)
    • Users can finish up structures in the old world and gather resources or earn money to prepare for the new world
    • Users should consider what town they wish to join/found on the new map and prepare or help prepare the town applications
  2. Release-time changes
    • Once 1.8 is officially released, I will wait for a Bukkit release before I generate the new map, and ideally wait for Essentials to get updated as well (Essentials is vital to protecting against creepers/endermen/etc., and usually release the same day as Bukkit anyway)
    • Once Bukkit/Essentials are ready to go, I will implement these on the test server and select our chosen seed
    • I and Eagleworld Staff will help generate the new map as I install/configure all the new mods
    • While on the test server, no building will occur, except for me marking the location of the new Capitol City
    • Once the server is fully tested and ready for cut over, I will push out all the changes to production
    • I cannot guarantee a timeline for how long this will take, as it depends on Mojang, the Bukkit Team, and all our plugin developers, but I am hoping to get it done within a week of 1.8's release.  Again, however, a lot of this is dependent on other people, not me, so I can't give hard timelines.
  3. Migration to the new map
    • Towns will be officially selected and mayors will found their towns with my assistance
    • Members will move into their towns and help build town structures, as well as set up personal homes as well
    • Members will move all their items from the old world to the new, and select their structure to be moved, as well as the location (if possible)
  4. Building migration by Admins (if possible)
     

    • Users will select their structure to be migrated, and the location of the structure
    • If a structure is to be moved to a town, the mayor will need to approve of the location as well as the admins
    • Admins will then move the structure using WorldEdit as time allows (we are volunteers, after all)
    • Note that users that opt to move their structures into a town will get a bonus.
    • Additionally, users that opt to not move a structure at all will get an even larger bonus
    • I'll decide on the bonuses after I can determine whether or not this is even possible
  5. Lockdown of the old map and finalization of move
    • Once the active users are moved over to the new world, I will make the old one immutable, as to preserve it
    • I will ensure warps remain active (I might rename them for clarity purposes)
    • I will attempt to ensure things such as redstone, mine carts, and the like work in the world, but can't give a guarantee
    • If users come back after a while and wish to reclaim their items/building, I will deal with those on a case-by-case basis.

Rule/Policy Changes

As far as what's going to change/stay the same, here's what I have so far:

Inside Towns

  • Mayors will be responsible for controlling towns as usual, but assistants will need to be run by me in the future
  • Mayors will need to allow for me to put one highway and at least one subway station in their town (the width will be equal to one towny block (16 blocks), and leave the area above/below it for my use (signs, subways, etc.)
  • Mayors are strongly encouraged to use the town plot system to allow for residents to control their own buildings
  • Mayors are strongly encouraged to allow residents to build all their structures inside the town, as opposed to in the wilderness
  • Naturally, towns will have a large demand for space, and will be allowed to get much larger than on the old map
  • I will make it easy for towns to expand to fulfill their needs, as well as ensure towns are far enough apart to not feel cramped for space

The Wilderness

  • The wilderness will remain free to build, but all users are encouraged to build their structures primarily inside towns
  • I will encourage the wilderness to be used more for exploration and mining, or for special structures/creations that are not fitting for a town
  • Since Strongholds will be limited on maps (currently set to 3 according to Jeb's latest remarks), I will make sure Eagleworld's Strongholds are preserved for all users to see and explore (however, the person that finds it will be allowed to loot the chests inside for items)
  • Since chests will now spawn in places like mine shafts, dungeons, and strongholds, unlocked chests in the wilderness will be allowed to be free game (this does NOT apply to chests in towns, public LWC chests, or chests inside an obvious player building)
  • Assuming I can find a way to do this, I will periodically wipe out parts of the wilderness that are solely used for resource gathering and allow for areas to regenerate to keep resources available on the map

The Economy

  • The economy will largely remain unchanged, as users will retain their items and Talons, and salaries are unaffected
  • A new marketplace will be created in Capitol City where users can set up stores (I have not yet decided how it will look...I might even make a mall or a bazaar that users can make stores in or something)
  • Old stores will be deleted, and users will get their stocked items back
  • As before, all players regardless of rank will be allowed to make a store in Capitol City
  • I will hopefully get the worldwide global shop working again, but if I cannot, another physical store will be created, similar to Walmart.

Maps/Warps/Dynmap

  • The new Eagleworld map will be a random seed based on a string symbolic to Eagleworld
  • I will not release the seed string, to encourage fair play and not allow users to scout for locations/resources
  • The Dynamic Map will stay as usual, and it will show the new map, old map, and the nether
  • Warps from the old world will be preserved but preceded with a string to differentiate the old warps from the new ones
  • Warps as usual will be given out by admins, and warps outside of towns will be created very sparingly

Blog/Users/Promotions/Advertising

  • I will revamp the New User and Server Info pages to simply them and include the updated information
  • Eagleworld will be promoted on both MC Server list and the Minecraft Forums to encourage new users to join
  • Users will still be tested to ensure trustworthy, mature players join the server
  • I will retain the referral system bonus for players
  • Users will still be promoted based on trustworthiness, maturity, and activeness on the server as usual (I am aware some of  you are overdue for promotions, but I will straighten that all out after 1.8 is out)

What I need from you

So far, everyone's been very good at voicing their opinions about this change, and I greatly appreciate your feedback so far.  If you have opinions or whatnot about this, please feel free to add a comment to this post.

I do have some other questions for everyone, and would appreciate you answering them:

  • How do you feel about the shift to building primarily in towns as opposed to the wilderness?
  • What would make you more willing to build in a town as opposed to sticking to the wilderness?
  • What is your opinion on creepers/endermen in the wilderness?
  • Do you have any concerns about 1.8 or the changes being made to Eagleworld?

Again, as before, I do take your opinions very seriously.  Also, your feedback has not just made decisions easier for me, but brought my attention to things I had not accounted on.  So please  speak up if you have something to say, as I want to ensure if we are going to make this huge change, I do it in the best way possible for everyone!

Thanks for your time!

 

8Sep/1155

Important: Should we start anew?

Posted by EagleRock

Hey, everyone!

Okay, I've got some plans down the pipeline, especially with 1.8 coming out, and I want to get a consensus from the active players on what to do.  I implore ALL of you to read this and leave at least one comment to have your voice heard, as this is important to you and your creations on Eagleworld.

Eagleworld has been running for almost a year, and the game has changed drastically since we started on Minecraft Alpha.  The game has introduced many new items, and the map format has changed drastically.  Additionally, 1.8 is going to have a large change to the map structure, including a much higher ceiling.  So, suffice it to say a lot of the spawned area Eagleworld has is, well, outdated.

Also, in that year, the players have done a damn good job of pillaging the land for all the good stuff.  :-)  So, after a year, the map has many good creations, but has a lot of "exploited territory" laying in ruin as well.  As such, now might be a good time to start anew.

Start anew?  Does that mean I lose all my crap?

Not exactly.  I'd like to get a consensus from the players as to whether or not they are okay with this first.  Second, all your creations and hard work would not just disappear.  As most of you know, I don't settle for second-best with how I run this place, so it would be a lot better than just dumping everything and starting anew.

Here's what will stay the same:

  • All members would retain their ranks, and there would be no change to that system at all.
  • All players would retain their Talons, and the banking system would be the same.
  • I will create a new Global Shop and let players create new player shops as I did before.
  • Players will be allowed to bring all of their items over to the new map.

Here is what will change:

  • Once 1.8 comes out, Eagleworld will be updated as per the normal update procedure.
  • Once the server is on 1.8, I will create a new map called Eagleworld2 (note the server can support multiple maps).
  • The nether's map will be purged and be started fresh.
  • Townymod data will be purged completely and new towns will be allowed to form on the new map.
  • Players will start playing on the new map, forming towns again.
  • All players are allowed to use their resources from the old map on the new one, but are recommended to not destroy their old creations, as the old map will be kept around.
  • Not Guaranteed - With the help of WorldEdit, Admins will allow players to select one building/structure of their choice to be copied to the new world.  For example, in my case, I would "copy" my mansion and bring it over to the new world.
  • Once the transition is complete, the old Eagleworld map will be frozen and exist as a museum.  This way, we can start anew, but you can still show off all your hard work to other players.

Here's what will happen to the towns:

  • All the old Towny data will be removed.  All players and towns will start fresh.
  • I will lay claim to the new Capitol City and mark the land first (hey, my server guys :-))
  • I encourage ALL active players to have a town to join.  I would rather more structure than not inside towns.
  • The new towns can be based off of old ones, or completely new ones can be formed...it's all up to you.
  • In terms of claiming space, I will make sure towns have the ability to claim the land they need, as I am aware we had problems with this in the past.
  • I will accept applications for new towns, but those towns need to have a definitive citizen list, mayor, location, theme, etc.
  • Everyone can apply, but realize the more organized groups/mayors will have a better chance than less organized ones.
  • Once we get settled on the new map, I encourage more players to set up home base inside towns, not scattered in the wilderness.  Wilderness building is fine, of course, but I would rather see towns be more active than less active.

What I need from you people

I need to know what people think about this.  It is going to take a lot of work to do this, but I believe it will be worth it,  However, it'll only be worth it if everyone is on-board with the idea, and people will actually play on the server.  Note that once we transition to 1.8 and the map is reset, I will start promoting the server more aggressively to bring in new blood.  So, I ask every player on the server to make a comment to this post! Your opinion is very important, so please make sure your voice is heard.

Please note the following in your comment:

  • Are you for or against this move for Eagleworld?  Please explain why/why not.
  • How important is the ability to copy a structure from the old world to the new one to you?
  • Would this move make you play more or less on Eagleworld?
  • Do you like or dislike that players will retain their items/Talons?
  • Do you like how the Towny system will be handled?
  • Finally, any additional comments/suggestions are welcome.

Like I said before, I am NOT doing anything without first getting a voice from the players, so don't worry about the changes just yet.  They will not take place until the server is on 1.8 anyway, so we have time to deliberate.  I want to get a feeling from the players first, and from there I can get a more definitive plan.

On that note, I welcome your comments/suggestions!  Please make sure to respond, as it is highly important I hear from everyone!  Thanks!

5Sep/1111

A Serious Issue

Posted by EagleRock

This one is serious.  Not like the "SNS Syndrome" post serious.

People don't play on the server anymore.  Period.

The past two weeks have been nothing but people logging in, bitching to nobody that nobody is on, then logging out after 10 seconds.  I got news for you complainers:

YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.

Previously, if nobody was online, people would log in and start playing, because they knew new players would be on eventually.  And, sure enough, people would sign on throughout the day, and there would be a steady influx of users throughout the afternoon and especially the evening hours (server time, anyway).  Nowadays, however, people are expecting instant gratification and if they do not see people online at all, they immediately log off.

I am going to dispense with the posting of server logs, but quite a few of you have been missing each other by literally less than a minute apart.  Had some of you stayed logged on for literally a single minute, you would have had someone else to play with.

I cannot do much else to solve this issue.  The only thing I can do is to stay logged on the server 24 hours a day and let you people know that 5 other people logged in during the previous hour, but none of you were willing to wait for one another.

As far as new players, I'm working on some solutions for that as well, but it requires time that I have little surplus of.  Keep in mind keeping this server requires time and effort, which I still have to do whether you play for 10 hours or 10 seconds.  It gives me serious pause to consider keeping the server running once 1.8 comes out considering how little people use the server.

If you are concerned that the server has no players, don't be.  I get at least 10 different players hitting the server throughout the day, some of you 8-10 times a day.  However, considering the total time people play is rarely over a minute, it's no shock none of you ever meet up.

Long story short: yes, people play on this server, and no it's not dead yet.  However, it WILL BE if you keep up the "stay logged in 10 seconds waiting for players."  We are also still getting new players in, by the way, but since I have no active admins/mods but myself, a lot of them get missed.

It would be nice if a few of you actually bothered to stay logged in for a little while, so that way the logged-in population can grow to a decent amount like it used to.  People ARE playing, and they WILL log in, but I can't do this all myself, especially when I spend a good amount of my time maintaining the server...which I have my reservations of continuing.

At this point, all I have to show for the work I do is an empty server and a bunch of people bitching at me that the server is always empty.

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