Topic: UPDATE #1

[FA Frey XC]

Update # 1.

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We've moved our ISP from Time Warner cable to Verizon FiOS.  We've gone from 3 Mb down / 1.5 Mb up to 35 Mb down / 35 Mb up. I've posted some of the speed tests, and they are amazing. What does this mean for you?

• Relaxed bandwidth constraints on the FTP
• Relaxed bandwidth throttling on HTTP
• Relaxed Freymeister who's loving FioS

We're in the process of decommissioning UBER-LOKI, the webserver for Dynaverse.Net and associated services (FTP , IRC, Directory Services, Teamspeak) and moving everything to a new, much upgraded and more powerful THOR.

This has actually already been completed, and your reading this off the new server. Look for tweaks and the occasional possible oddity as we tighten the bolts down on this lovely beastie.

This also means we've established the codebase and codevault for the SFC4 project. As I said, we've got the brightest minds in our community working on this, and I'm sure we'll see more return... but here's a quick list (because I can't help but brag!)

Bonk
Firesoul
Marstone
NuclearWessels

So, what's the goal?

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Goals

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#1 Update the EAW codebase to compile on new(er) code. The objective here is to allow the game to run on Vista / Windows 7.

#2 Update the EAW codebase to match the fixes / enhancements available in SFC: OP.  (This will allow us to optimize the serverkit, as the serverkit for EAW never had any issues with MySQL.)

#3 Unlock the stuff buried inside EAW for use in SFC4.

#4 Upgrade the engine itself if possible to something more current.

#5 Roll out the Strategic Combat Simulator interface (SCS)

#6 Introduce Crew Pools, online enhancements and perpetual career tracking online with the ability for Campaign Masters to issue medals, commendations, etc.

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So there you have it ! Finally, your update!

We wish you the best on this Merry Christmas season, and have a great New Year!

And don't forget, the donation button is right there on the menu bar, and on the front page of D.Net!

Save some of that Christmas cash and pitch in to support the ONLY Official Starfleet Command site online.

Regards,

[Capt Jeff]

Well Done !


 

[Strayy]

All Hail Adm. Frey     Great work !!!!   

[Centurus]

*sets several star systems on fire*  TIME TO CELEBRATE!!!  *feels tap on shoulder, turns to see Murray, and hears what he says*  Oh sh*t, what do you mean I just torched several of our own star systems.  Oh boy, this is gonna be a long day.

[FA Frey XC]

Also, if you didn't notice, we've incorporated (well, Bonk did, that man is a GENIUS, I tell ya!) facebook, twitter, and a buncha other stuff.

Help spread the word! D.Net has been, and always shall be, your friend for everything SFC ... and beyond!

What does that mean? Tune in, there's still MORE to COME.

Muhaahaaaaaa

Regards,

[Roychipoqua_Mace]

Thanks for the update, and the goals sound exactly like what this game needs!

[Lepton]

And this didn't happen two and a half years ago because? 

SFC4 announcement was May 2008. 

Kudos on the hardware and infrastructure upgrades but how that relates to upgrading a game designed to run on hardware and software technologies that are 5 to 10 years old depending on your perspective is not clear to me at all.

[IndyShark]

That is great news! I can't wait to see it

[Bonk]

And this didn't happen two and a half years ago because? 

SFC4 announcement was May 2008. 

Kudos on the hardware and infrastructure upgrades but how that relates to upgrading a game designed to run on hardware and software technologies that are 5 to 10 years old depending on your perspective is not clear to me at all.

You can't have multiple users (heck even just one) doing an initial checkout of a large project over only 1.5 mbit up. (with a zillion other services running on the same pipe too) 35 does the job much better. I can do an initial checkout before I grow a beard...

Hardware consolidation relates to residential electrical and budget limitations. (simple facts of life)

I have explained why this did not happen when it was originally announced. I will send you a PM. I prefer not to dig up old skeletons in public.

Also let me make this absolutely clear, as I am being forced...

This will NOT be SFC4. It will be EAW for Vista/7. That is all. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

I had desired/intended that it not even be announced until actually tested and ready for release, but Frey gets excited and I cannot blame him, I am too. (and it is his show...)

[Lepton]

EAW for Vista/Win7 sounds like a much more reasonable goal.  Glad to hear it, but I thought there wasn't even a complete codebase to work from.

As to infrastructure, seems that I get many multiple gigabyte downloads whenever I want over bittorrent in hours or sometimes days depending on the number of seeds and peers and that's with a measly 1.5 mbit down and 600 kbit up.

[Bonk]

Glad to hear it, but I thought there wasn't even a complete codebase to work from.

That remains to be determined. (thus my hesitance to have anything announced at all) BUT as of moments ago I can say, with trepidation, that it looks like there may be everything we need there. May be. The old VSS db was rather tangled. I have yet to come up with an svn checkout command for the imported db that does not recurse into the redundant directories of the old VSS layout resulting in an absurd recursion and a checkout well into the tens of gigabytes (should be less than 4 anyway...)

Way more details than you need to know, or I am obliged to explain. I'm busy dig?  (insert grinch, bah-humbug etc.. ) Unless you want to help and Frey approves of it....

As to infrastructure, seems that I get many multiple gigabyte downloads whenever I want over bittorrent in hours or sometimes days depending on the number of seeds and peers and that's with a measly 1.5 mbit down and 600 kbit up.

I do not believe there is an scm that implements bittorrent. And running the tracker is an entirely different matter than downloading stuff... the issue is not downloading from my end, but uploading from the Dynaverse.net end to multiple users see... (while running a separate webserver, teamspeak, The Forge ,the directory services, xenocorp hosted sites, DNS, etc.. etc.. etc. There is only so much you can cram down a residential cable connection and expect it all to arrive without corruption.)

I like subversion on ssl.

[Lepton]

I'm sure it's in good hands but I really loathe these grand announcements especially when they have been made in the past and nothing was delivered.  Loads of work may have been done, but ultimately that makes little difference to an end user.

I realize that for testing purposes that you guys are likely to want to keep access to the end products as open as possible, but might I suggest a Minecraft-ish approach.  If I remember correctly, people paid for access to the Minecraft alpha.  If money and time are issues, I'd suggest a similar system wherein people could help fund the site and the game updates while gaining early access to something that isn't entirely ready for everyone.

[Bonk]

I am not going to go into why what happened before happened the way it did (it is why I left for two years). I had pretty much nothing to do with it. That is as much as I will say. I do not want this dragged out of me. I will not disrespect the team.

Money is not the problem. Comprehension of the problem was the problem. I comprehend. Period. Foot down. Not another word.

[Bonk]

Didn't mean to be cranky on ya yesterday, just my plate was very full and I wanted to get this done. I just built the EAW 2.0.3.4 client (I was hoping for 2036, but this will do) against the last usable directx for it (summer 2004) and the correct platform sdk. It runs. No serverlist as I have not configured the directory servers to accept it (though I can rebuild and fudge the version, as I do not believe the 24 to 36 changes are that significant or difficult to reproduce - esg/hellbore and one other thing... as far as I recall). But I will test the singleplayer functionality of my build first. Then I will either reproduce the fixes or go back to the VSS database and see if the last two versions got corrupted somehow (VSS is notorious) or if we never got those in the first place - not so easy to tell - I can ask MagnumMan)

The eaw serverkit code is present so we have a matched set. But I have not built it yet. I will address the version issue in the client first(?). Now I can get started. For all I know my build environment may have already resolved vista issues, but I need to get a client matched up to the patch level the directory server will accept, or edit the directory server config to accept 2.0.3.4 as well.

I'm off to play some singleplayer missions in it to see what I get. 

When I have something ready for dynaverse play it will go out to the beta group. Actually I may post this build for them just for fun and to get more singleplayer testing done...

[FA Frey XC]

I'm sure it's in good hands but I really loathe these grand announcements especially when they have been made in the past and nothing was delivered.  Loads of work may have been done, but ultimately that makes little difference to an end user.

I realize that for testing purposes that you guys are likely to want to keep access to the end products as open as possible, but might I suggest a Minecraft-ish approach.  If I remember correctly, people paid for access to the Minecraft alpha.  If money and time are issues, I'd suggest a similar system wherein people could help fund the site and the game updates while gaining early access to something that isn't entirely ready for everyone.

Hey Lepton, thanks for your feedback and I appreciate your point of view.

Just a quick point of pride - and I'm speaking frankly here because I understand and (believe it or not) respect your point of view. I understand why you think of it this way. So I would ask you if you truly realize that we work entirely on a volunteer basis, and I pay for everything pretty much out of my pocket. Are you aware that I run 3 DL580's and 2 DL380's (HP Proliant servers) out of my house, which is 60 years old?

I've been working very hard at my Real Life job to get to this point - the point where I can run whatever I want to run without having to worry about amperage constraints and blowing fuse boxes. And unfortunately, volunteer's kinda come and go... you get people that say "OMG I'm so dedicated" .. then 3 months later you find out they lied about everything, including who they said they were, and burn off.

That's happened several times over the last two years.

Considering such, and the sanctity that I feel when dealing with the EAW source (which we do have a complete codebase of), we can't just look at the dollah signs, but instead must consider how best to offer those who are truly interested in participating in such a grand endeavor a fair chance in contributing. To abscribe a monetary amount to gain access in any manner would violate the very core of the ethical standards we've maintained since day one.

On a side note, I honestly don't remember seeing a single donation associated with your account. Did I miss something? I apologize in advance if I did.  Perhaps you might consider supporting us instead of criticizing us - and I'm not just talking about money (although it's always nice) - you've been here a long time, Lepton - it's mainly for people like you we do all this.

Please don't forget that.

Regards,

[IndyShark]

Frey for President in 2012!

[ShadowDiver]

If i donated an HP DL580 G7......

Would I be considered dedicated? .... and would I get like a lifetime membership, a ship named after me or just a Thank you and a Lousy Cheesma T-shirt depicting me getting gassed from Stoney or Merlin....

[FA Frey XC]

 

 
 
 
 

Regards?

[Ronin]

I don't care that it isn't ready. I mean, I will be thrilled when it is, but the thing that has me excited is that you gents are still working on it. That's a hell of a collection of skills represented by the names you introduced as being on the design team. The sort of brain trust that can, given resources, time and opportunity make just about anything happen with our beloved game.

So I am content to bask in the glow of the possibility of a working SFC2 Dynaverse and the hope that the knowledge gained thereby might lead one day to the SFC4 that has been dreamed about for years.

To all those contributing time, energy and skull sweat, thank you. And my hat is off to you all for refusing to rehash old disagreements. Continue to look forward, not backward, and see great things happen!

<S>

[Payne]

Don't listen to Ronin, he is luring you into a false sense of security so he may ..uh....do bad things?  Something anyways, the jerk.

But all that aside, this is for EAW then?  I was rather hoping any changes would be made for OP.  However this turns out, great to hear something is being done.