To-Do
Code
- +gossip
- flagpole
- +summon
- +feed
- +commune
- +sense, +aura, +aura/emit
- +scent
- schedule and system for XP and focus points
Files
- Pard
- Rodere
- Lukoi
- shapeshifters
- merfolk
- dragons
- gargoyles (non-playable)
- anti-psychics
- faithful, including sorcerers
- witches, including familiars
- secret societies
- preternaturals in society, especially concerning nobility and the poor
Other
- build underground
- add more lores
Progress Update
So, it’s been quite a while between updates, but we’ve been at it for over a year now! I know, you’d think we had more to show for it, but we don’t. Here’s what we do have to show since our last update:
- Fixed some bugs
- +conflict is mostly done
- Merfolk
- A lot of notes
- …
As you can see, we haven’t made too much progress. RL happens, but we’re back again. I’m back again, and now we’re working on:
- Overhauling current merfolk news files and improving them
- Faithful
- Sorcery, especially demons/familiars
- Witches, especially familiars
- Changing a few merfolk gifts
- Merfolk language
- the rest of +conflict
I expect to finish merfolk for the most part tonight, even if that means I don’t sleep. I’ve been toying with it for far too long.
For more information, check our recent changes to the wiki.
Checkup
I am not sure what happened to the blog’s theme since the last long-ago update, but I’ll look into it.
Progress on the game has slowed to a nearly static mode until recently– periodically relieved over the last few months by terse and mostly unheralded bursts. Jonquil faithfully handled code while I occasionally logged on to tend theme and setting. Despite our creeping, the game can boast more than a handful of regulars, all active and, for the most part, tireless. I am so grateful for their contribution, their ideas, questions and support. Without them, of course, there would be no game at all.
Thanks, guys!
We are, of course, still in testing. Just recently the game enjoyed its first merfolk application, so we have cultivated a tree of gifts specifically for merfolk. It shares a number of similarities between both vampire gifts and those of lycanthropes. We have not posted theme relating directly to merfolk, but we are working on it presently.
So, things to come pretty soon:
- merfolk files
- file on auras and how they work
- gossip system
- staff guide for character generation
- public XP guide
- setting information: independents and neutral territory
- so much, much more.
The Wiki
I’m fairly happy with the new layout of the wiki. I’ll likely tweak a few things in addition to writing a few templates. So that’s that for the most part. Of course, there’s still so much more to add!
Wiki Changes
The wiki will be a bit more of an eyesore for a little while, but it’s all in the name of Awesome or Improvement at least. Please bear with us, and we thank you for your patience during the test phase.
Shapeshifter Apps (Copy from BBpost)
Due to strong enthusiasm from players, staff have decided to admit applications for shapeshifters during this very early testing phase. It should be noted that shapeshifter applications will move gradually, perhaps more slowly than the norm. (At this point, as we are not even officially in alpha testing, most applications take at least a week because of staff’s workload.)
We have three main shapeshifter groups, the werewolves, wererats, and wereleopards. Exotic shapeshifters are secondary in concern and (at any point in the game) require spectacular concepts. As an aside, we have a fourth group, too, that will come into play later – the merfolk. While they are not shapeshifters in the typical sense but are a different race altogether, the group will be handled much the same.
Group leaders can be PCs or NPCs, and each group effectively exists as a prop. (See +help prop.) OOCly, we treat it like a player organization, and the first players to establish a group should create a local history for the group to help other players and staff understand the situation and to increase plot hooks in general.
Exotic shapeshifter types are treated similarly, although the player should also contrive a culture for that shapeshifter type. Cultures and histories are subject to approval from staff.
Our most important concern, however, is how the were-types interact with vampires and what the different types’ relationships with the vampires are like. Pre-existing involvement with the vampires is not required, but an OOC intent to become involved with the vampires is preferred.
Since vampires call other animals besides leopards, wolves, and rats, we understand that there should be one or two animals of a vampire’s animal to call. Concepts that tie into existing vampires are currently more welcome than those exotic concepts that do not. We do recommend that players avoid joint-applications though, as the players may find they have little interest in RPing with one another yet are tied together via backgrounds. That’s un-fun, and therefore uncool.
As always, please talk to staff and other players for ideas on possible RP hooks for your characters.
PS: We have culture notes on jaguars and some on tigers, but we do not have a local history for those two groups.
Character generation
So, aside from all this coding what have we been up to, you ask?
Well, gentle reader, I’m glad for your curiosity as I think you will be pleased with the answer.
With the major systems now in place we have begun testing character generation!
Yes, it is now possible to submit a background, get it approved and then start buying stats and gifts for your character. At the moment this is limited to humans and vampires, but we hope to be able add shapeshifters to this mix soon.
At this time we are still populating the Gift and Lore databases, largely based on what characters are being created. We’re working closely with the players to build gift trees that both give them the abilities desired for the character and have ample room to grow. Wherever possible we also try to insert ‘easter eggs’ that the intrepid players will be able to discover with a little thought about what Lores and Gifts they learn and buy once on the grid.
The downside to this is that the process is a bit slow as the players have to wait on use to create the Gifts and Lores. On the flip side of this it’s all but guaranteed the character will be very close to the player’s vision.
Also, as we do this we are uncovering bugs and better ways of doing certain things, so those slow things down somewhat. Though the incidence of those is declining steadily.
So! If you have a cool character idea and can be patient and work with us, please come and apply for a character.
Code update
It’s been a while since the last one and I’ve been keeping reasonable records about what I’ve been doing, so this is kind of long…
