I did a little coding. Just a small something:
Players who have donated $10USD and over can use colour codes in their titles.
Staff can too.
I expect to be colour blind by the end of the week.
Christmas
22
Dec
Want to thank everyone for all their support over the last week or two.
I’m sorry for the lack of updates both here and on Dark Isles.
Just that when things are rough in the ‘real world’, it is really hard to get the motivation to do… well, anything. It isn’t from lack of want, I do want to, really. I think about it a lot but by the time I get down to my room lately (which used to be about 10pm, and lately has been more like 1am by the time I get all the bits done for my Mum) I’m just so tired all I want to do is blob out and watch True Blood or Gossip Girls online.
Gossip Girl
I adore the characters of Chuck Bass (always had a thing for bad boys) and Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. Reminds me a lot of how I might imagine Nobility to act on Dark Isles. Does anyone else get that sort of inspiration even from contemporary fiction and tv? I also enjoy the appearance of the various technologies throughout the show and in the hands of the characters. I mean, the show is based around the fall-out from posts on a blog… how cool is that?
True Blood
Anna Paquin is great in True Blood. I didn’t realise till I started watching it that it was a made from the Charlene Harris series the first of which I read and loved a few months back. It is very gritty and has more sex than Outrageous Fortune (which for those Kiwis that have seen it, you’ll know that is saying something). But that just adds to the greatness of it all. Lots of blood and gore too. I wonder if they’ll bring it out in conservative New Zealand, and if they do, what our conservative folk will think of little Miss Paquin in such a graphic role? Got the last of the series to watch online tonight. Can’t wait.
Armed Robbery
An armed robbery happened across the road from us yesterday afternoon at 2.40pm. It was scary. The woman and children were held at knife point. Middle of the day on a busy street with lots of people walking past. Police have been combing the area. No one has been caught yet.
Christmas
Christmas tree is up, and stockings hanging for my boy. Lights twinkling and bright decorations hanging everywhere, he loves it all as does the neighbours cat. We’ll be heading away for Christmas for a few days and I’ll be without an internet connection while I am gone. However, I can check email from my phone so I encourage you all to write to me if you have questions or just to say hi.
PS. Great seeing Daedelus back, alive and kicking and all that.
Saying No
15
Dec
So I attempted to say no to Mum tonight. Well not no exactly, but more of a “Well, maybe that isn’t such a good idea.” Basically she wants (me) to do two roast lambs to take over to my grandparents for Christmas. They have said they don’t want/need it. They have steak, bbq meat, kebabs and a huge roast ham. So I suggest to Mum, how bout one? We can’t afford to spend $50 on two large roasts. Our weekly grocery allowance is $60 so that would leave us with nothing left over. She pretty much threw the grocery list at me and told me to do what ever I want because obviously she doesn’t matter yada yada.
And it’s been going on… and on… and on for the last 4 hours now. Slamming things. “Why don’t you just do that, you’re going to do what you want anyways.” “I’m so fucked up. I don’t know why I bother.” Etc. And it’ll probably be like this for the next few days.
Was it really worth it? I should of just spent the day cooking the lambs and paid for it myself. That’s what she wanted. It would of made my life easier. Oh wait, I don’t actually have a life anymore, I just do what she wants me to.
More Personal Dramas
15
Dec
I have trouble saying no at the most difficult of times, add into the mix an emotionally unstable mother and an upbringing where we are taught to listen and respect your elders/parents and it becomes (almost) impossible. At the moment I find myself faced with a choice, continue to lose a little more of myself each day as I find that my life and my actions are dictated by what my Mum wants and expects from me or deal with the aftermath of telling her no.
It isn’t to say I haven’t tried it. I have, truly. It just didn’t go well, and at the time it just didn’t seem worth going through all that.
Last night I tried to talk to my Mum about her uncontrollable spending (it is getting really bad, she’s piling it all on her credit cards, spending a good 100-200 on them each week). I asked her if she had a plan for paying it back and she said she figured that when I got work, that I would be nice to her and pay it all off (?!?!!!).
Firstly, when I start work after University, I have other priorities than covering my Mum’s uncontrollable spending – such as paying off student loan. Not to mention that at first, my income isn’t going to be that great at first.
Secondly, that would be enabling her. I pay it off, and she maxes it out again. And either I pay it off again or someone else does. It has happened before. And it will continue to happen if people keep doing that for her. She has to learn to take responsibility. But she won’t. The things she is buying aren’t essentials. They’re the luxury items she thinks she should have.
Then she threw in the ‘knife’ and said that if I didn’t, then she could always die and then her insurance would pay it off. Ultimately, she has no intention of paying it. Either I (or another family member pays it off) or it is paid off by her insurance pay out when she dies.
So. What do I do? I don’t want to be her mother and take away her toys. Not only that but my Mum’s last big depression outburst resulted in her saying she didn’t want me touching or controlling her finances. So I haven’t been … except when she asks me daily how much she has in her bank, how much she has to spend, or goes on and on about how little money she has…
This is just an example, a recent one, but it’s like that every day. I go down to my room and it is like I am 14 years old. Where’d you go? Why’d you go down there? What did you do? How long were you there for? Who was that texting you? Why did you smile? What did they say?
I find it so hard to say “no, I am 33 years old you cannot treat me like this” because my Mum’s mental health is so unstable she would not be able to handle it. But can I?
Not a Lot to Report
09
Dec
As the title says and because of the previous post and the general business of today.. not a lot done. And as it is 1am and I’m tired and want to watch Gossip Girl before bed (yay TVNZ on Demand) I don’t think I’m going to get any of the things done on my kha list, much less address any of the support tickets from today or the emails, or any of the other bits and pieces.
Ahh well, always tomorrow.
PS. @Siamsa, I’ve replied to your comment with a comment beneath it 
PPS. Oh, almost forgot. I did get one thing done. New theme. And set up TL with a nice snazzy new WordPress blog and theme. Have a look here!
PPPS. Wow we have talented players on DI, have a look at this YouTube Video. Can you guess which of our players it is?
Immunisations & Dramas
09
Dec
Ewan had his 15 month immunisations today and unlike the other times where the injections barely bothered him, this time it really hurt and boy did he scream. Not sure if it was because he was older and more aware, or whether the needles (which looked huge) were a lot bigger and more painful.
Also, the particular vaccine in this one, is one he hasn’t had since 6 months.. which was when he last reacted with a fever.. and what do you know, he has come down with a fever this time around too. Poor wee thing. So we’ve had a cool shower and he’s been running around half naked. He’s doing pretty good, just a little grizzlier than usual tonight.
My drama of the week:
Got a health worker from ACC coming tomorrow to access my Mum (who is ill), and whether they could/should continue to provide help for her. Problem is, my Mum can do more than she does. But she doesn’t. A lot of mental issues all wrapped in there but those aren’t things ACC are concerned about. At the moment, we get 2 hours of housekeeping a week to help out as my Mum does (almost) nothing beyond personal care (and even then…)
If they assess her and decide she can do these things herself, they’ll cancel care. Which won’t mean my Mum will do the things, it’ll just mean I will have to. Which will mean I need to rethink the whole going full time so I can finish my degree next year and do honours the year after. This year was tough being a single mum, part time university student and providing care for my Mum. If I have to do that and even more, there’s no way I can consider full time next year :-/
No doubt worrying for nothing and it’ll be all okay. I always worry too much.
Comment Feedback
09
Dec
@Atticus
Firstly, thank you for your feed back, it is always good to have and makes coding that much easier.
I think the object pose is one of my favourite new features, it is a small thing but adds so much to everyone’s roleplay.
@Siamsa
We plan on putting a lot more information about skills and how they work on the wiki. And as I have been updating files, I’ve placed a bit more information on how they work and what attributes come into play with what things. For example, races on the website now include information about what attribute bonuses they have.
So keep watch, there will soon be a lot more information available on everything. If this is something you’d like to help us with, contact me, we have a setup so that that players CAN propose new help files.
@Atticus & @Siamsa
I may be convinced to make magic a little bit less rare. Nothing is set in stone and no doubt that even the things listed will need some tweeking as it is coded. It may also be possible for non-mages to use the items that mages create. Still thinking on that one.
The Plan
08
Dec
So you can all see, not only how big of a job it is, but the progress I make on a daily basis, I’ve included the to do list and stages on the left column there. Some of the things on that list might take a day or two, and some even much longer. It is a big job, but I think one that is achievable in 1-2 months maybe? Hopefully? A lot depends on how much time I can put into coding over the next couple of months. Wish me luck.
Feedback would be nice
Kha System
08
Dec
As promised, next on the agenda is the magic system.
So, thinking about the kha and how it is going to work a lot tonight. The idea of orbs and wands will be kept, just trying to think of a way to make it so it can be easily expanded to create hundreds of combinations of spells, but without having to (necessarily) enter them all manually. And also thinking of ways it can work and the different stages of it.
My first thought: Kha will no longer be linked directly with a specific god. This makes sense as kha was around before the gods was made. Instead it will be linked to more traditional elements: Fire (fyros), Aeros (Air), Dwaeos (water), Ethreos (Earth), and Bhelos (darkness or chaos). It also makes it much MUCH easier to code.
Keep in mind that magic is rare. It will only be available to a few people with the talent to use it. Not everyone will have the ability to. It will come about either by a random chance of being set with the talent on creation or by applying. Keep in mind, whether an application is successful will largely be determined by how many active mages there are in game versus number of regular players. At this stage, I wouldn’t imagine us allowing more than 2-3.
So, anyways, here is my idea so far:
Kha Magic Stages:
1. Find Orb
This I see as being not unlike hunting for materials on Ryzom for those that have played it. A bit of prospecting, identifying a nearby source and following the guides to where it is. There will be skills involved, possibly even several. Skills could increase the range of prospecting, the chances of pulling an orb from the source, the quality of the orb, allow you to specify the type of orb you want, etc.
2. Identify Orb
This may determine what kha type the orb is, whether it a minor or major orb (minor with one affect, major with 2 etc), and identifying at a high level might even show what affect is on the orb thus reducing necessity for dangerous testing. Identify could be linked to kha type, so someone who can identify Fyros would not be able to identify Aeros.
3. Make Wand
Another skill. Takes a basic length of wood and gives it the ability of being able to accept orbs. Different types of woods may give additional bonuses to recharging, cool down times and casting.
4. Inscribe Wand
Mark the wand with certain runes. Like with the wood type, certain runes (made available through the skill tree for each kha type) will offer bonuses to recharging, cool down times and casting.
5. Merge Orb with Wand
The tricky part. Fail it and you might lose the orb. Or wand. Or even both. Improve your skill to ensure success. Can only merge an orb with a wand of the same type of element.
6. Charge wand
Recharge the wand depending on the kha available and skill level.
7. Collect any required ingredients
Some spells may need additional components. These will likely be herbs that are gatherable in the sector types linked to the kha elements.
8. Select orb on wand to cast
Wands will hold a finite number of orbs. Some wands will hold more than others (depending on the skill of the mage creating the wand). The mage will be able to select which spell they are able to cast and select the target. Using the orb will reduce the kha charge and also the wand will go through a cool down period before it can be used again.
Additional Note: The wand could be either a traditional wand, or something more trivial, such as a ring or even a weapon. As long as it is a *focus* for the spell.
Facts
07
Dec
Apparently staff and players from another mud are reporting that Dark Isles are ‘desperately struggling’. Whilst I won’t get into the mud throwing, I will let the facts speak for themselves. We’re doing just fine, thank-you very much for your concern.
16 Players Online
59 visits on the 6/12/08
Weekly Stats (only analysing 2 days so far for DI)
On another note, I thought you guys might want to see how much traffic our site gets each day, and whilst we (like any mud) have our less busy times, we’re certainly doing pretty good at the moment. The above weekly data actually only includes 2 days worth of stats for Dark Isles (we only just recently set up the analyser for our website). You can click on the images to view the images more clearly.
If any player would like to help with promoting the mud and getting new fresh blood on board, please speak to a staff member.