As much as I would like to spend more time on the Lucent Stones project, I'm just too overwhelmed with things. Therefore, I have decided to take a personal break from the project and will focus on my college courses.
It's actually been pretty rough lately and my motivation has decreased quite a bit. I think I really need to have only one goal going on at a time and try and clear my mind of a lot of the things I've been working on. It's a hard choice to make, but it's been pretty stressful and I'm not near as productive when I'm so overwhelmed with everything going on around me.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Pandora Desktop
Pandora, a great free internet radio service that plays only songs you like, has released a nice beta version of Pandora Desktop, which allows you to listen to Pandora without actually having a browser open.
Well, it is kind of has its own browser window, but you can minimize it into the taskbar near the clock, so it's out of the way.
I've been using it for about half the afternoon now and there are no problems. For more information, please visit this link.
Well, it is kind of has its own browser window, but you can minimize it into the taskbar near the clock, so it's out of the way.
I've been using it for about half the afternoon now and there are no problems. For more information, please visit this link.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Finished News System for LS Project
From now on, news regarding Lucent Stones will be found on its own website. I finally got the system working so there's no need to post news in two different locations now. :-)
Monday, January 26, 2009
Lucent Stones Website Automated News
Finally, progress is starting to be made with some integration techniques I'm using to handle and manage information stored on the same database used for the forums. I feel that it won't be much longer now until the home page will display automated news, and have the ability for members already logged in to comment on each news article.
Test Server Update
After much trouble, I have finally been able to update my test server without erasing everything that is on the database. Although a simple step in our progression, it's an important one.
For all who are involved with the project, please login to our forums here and read the latest news on the private forum. If you have any questions or would like to join our crew, please send an email my direction.
dbrown@driftsoft.com
For all who are involved with the project, please login to our forums here and read the latest news on the private forum. If you have any questions or would like to join our crew, please send an email my direction.
dbrown@driftsoft.com
Monday, January 19, 2009
Web News
I am pretty sure not many people actually view this blog. Maybe like one or two, but I think I'll keep posting as a way to keep me focused on what I've accomplished and what I need to work toward. Here's today's spill of what has happened today.
The website is so very close to be at the point where I can start posting news on it. Well, I know I always have a message on it, but it's not stored in a database, so it's easy to lose, manage, and update. Whenever I do get to that point, I'll stop most of the spam here and post directly about the game on the Lucent Stones site.
It's very difficult for me to work on the "Logging into Your Game Account" and so I have come to the conclusion that I need professional help from someone who is very experienced in PHP and MySQL. Therefore, I posted a job opening on the RC forums.
More pages of the website work now. By work, I mean that they actually have content on them. Feel free to browse around, but the main things worth mentioning is on the Information section, where there's company information, and a form you may fill out if you would be interested in getting a job for DriftSoft. Right now, I'm only willing to pay money for the website, but if you can bring something else to the table, I'm all ears.
The domains www.radultima.com and www.driftsoft.com are now being used again, to redirect to the Lucent Stones website.
Furthermore, my primary email address has changed, although I will still be checking my current one on a regular basis. For those who wish to contact me, please email me at dbrown@driftsoft.com.
I also have the next update to the test server ready to go. The only thing I'm working on is instructions on resetting the database in it's correct position. This shouldn't erase the data on it, but will allow me to start the server up again.
The website is so very close to be at the point where I can start posting news on it. Well, I know I always have a message on it, but it's not stored in a database, so it's easy to lose, manage, and update. Whenever I do get to that point, I'll stop most of the spam here and post directly about the game on the Lucent Stones site.
It's very difficult for me to work on the "Logging into Your Game Account" and so I have come to the conclusion that I need professional help from someone who is very experienced in PHP and MySQL. Therefore, I posted a job opening on the RC forums.
More pages of the website work now. By work, I mean that they actually have content on them. Feel free to browse around, but the main things worth mentioning is on the Information section, where there's company information, and a form you may fill out if you would be interested in getting a job for DriftSoft. Right now, I'm only willing to pay money for the website, but if you can bring something else to the table, I'm all ears.
The domains www.radultima.com and www.driftsoft.com are now being used again, to redirect to the Lucent Stones website.
Furthermore, my primary email address has changed, although I will still be checking my current one on a regular basis. For those who wish to contact me, please email me at dbrown@driftsoft.com.
I also have the next update to the test server ready to go. The only thing I'm working on is instructions on resetting the database in it's correct position. This shouldn't erase the data on it, but will allow me to start the server up again.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Today's News: Blog Changes and Website Changes
Yes, I have been spending way too much time posting these messages lately! :P
With the Lucent Stones website coming along nicely - at the cost of lower performance in my courses - I am preparing to keep this blog more on my personal developments. It will be very nice to have action happening on the game's own website. I'm currently looking into a lot of integration tools to help make the forums blend into the site layout a bit more; not to mention more features.
In other news, I combined all of the software links into one list. Although this is a pretty large list already, I even added a new link "WAMP" to the bunch. WAMP is what I have been using lately to test my websites before uploading them to the server. It works on Windows systems and is quite easy to use!
Furthermore, I have taken off a few things on the right menu, and added some quick links to the Lucent Stones website, as well as the free forums I use for discussing the project. Since the forums on Lucent Stones' website is not ready yet, I'll still be using these here for my own purposes.
Although not much has been mentioned of the project lately, I will spoil some things about the game (considering there doesn't seem much activity here lately anyway). Let me also say that currently, I am pretty much the only one working on the project, which is unfortunate for the project itself, but has also provided me with an opportunity to learn a very broad variety of skills.
The game is a 3D MMORPG (I guess we could leave the first 'M' out of that though), which will eventually have four different species to play as. To try and have a realistic development plan, I have plans on only one town, only a couple of hunting grounds, a handful of NPCs, a few quests, and basic models, graphics, animations, etc. to have an official release so that people may actually play the game and not login just to chat for five minutes and get off and start talking on their instant messenger programs instead.
Before the official release, the website needs to be operational, with forums, and the ability to manage your account. Simply adding information, manuals, documents, etc. are extremely easy, so the technical aspects are my primary concern right now.
There will be music and sound effects, and I actually acquired title screen music today (composed by a friend) - this is the only person to have really helped in a long time.
Well, I think I have rambled on enough now. Let me know there are still viewers of this blog sometime and email me at dbrown30@gmail.com. Take care!
With the Lucent Stones website coming along nicely - at the cost of lower performance in my courses - I am preparing to keep this blog more on my personal developments. It will be very nice to have action happening on the game's own website. I'm currently looking into a lot of integration tools to help make the forums blend into the site layout a bit more; not to mention more features.
In other news, I combined all of the software links into one list. Although this is a pretty large list already, I even added a new link "WAMP" to the bunch. WAMP is what I have been using lately to test my websites before uploading them to the server. It works on Windows systems and is quite easy to use!
Furthermore, I have taken off a few things on the right menu, and added some quick links to the Lucent Stones website, as well as the free forums I use for discussing the project. Since the forums on Lucent Stones' website is not ready yet, I'll still be using these here for my own purposes.
Although not much has been mentioned of the project lately, I will spoil some things about the game (considering there doesn't seem much activity here lately anyway). Let me also say that currently, I am pretty much the only one working on the project, which is unfortunate for the project itself, but has also provided me with an opportunity to learn a very broad variety of skills.
The game is a 3D MMORPG (I guess we could leave the first 'M' out of that though), which will eventually have four different species to play as. To try and have a realistic development plan, I have plans on only one town, only a couple of hunting grounds, a handful of NPCs, a few quests, and basic models, graphics, animations, etc. to have an official release so that people may actually play the game and not login just to chat for five minutes and get off and start talking on their instant messenger programs instead.
Before the official release, the website needs to be operational, with forums, and the ability to manage your account. Simply adding information, manuals, documents, etc. are extremely easy, so the technical aspects are my primary concern right now.
There will be music and sound effects, and I actually acquired title screen music today (composed by a friend) - this is the only person to have really helped in a long time.
Well, I think I have rambled on enough now. Let me know there are still viewers of this blog sometime and email me at dbrown30@gmail.com. Take care!
Forums Modifications
Although it was my original intention to have it completely integrated into the website, I see that is unlikely to happen anytime soon due to the sheer amount of work that would have to be put into it. Instead, I have decided to have the forums a bit more separated from the website, but I will ensure that only game accounts will be able to register and post so that there is a link between the forum and the game.
You will be able to post by choosing one of your characters and will also have options to customize their signatures. Until this is implemented though, these forums will not be used. There are a ton of options, and I cannot wait to explain them, but we will have that joy when we come to it.
There are still many changes to be made to the forums, such as removing the header and putting our own on there for the navigation of the Lucent Stones website.
If you would like to see what it currently looks like, simply go to the Lucent Stones website and click Forums on the top menu.
You will be able to post by choosing one of your characters and will also have options to customize their signatures. Until this is implemented though, these forums will not be used. There are a ton of options, and I cannot wait to explain them, but we will have that joy when we come to it.
There are still many changes to be made to the forums, such as removing the header and putting our own on there for the navigation of the Lucent Stones website.
If you would like to see what it currently looks like, simply go to the Lucent Stones website and click Forums on the top menu.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Forums Construction
The next major task of the Lucent Stones website will be the forums. Last night I purhcased forums from a company that I'm quite familiar with. Implementing the forums inside the website may be quite difficult, but having game accounts work on them will be the biggest challenge concerning the forums. I'll keep you posted.
Test Website Layout
I'm trying to fix some issues, but it's impossible to test all types of configurations and browsers. Please visit this web site and if you see anything out-of-place, please let me know what is wrong (screenshot works best), as well as what screen resolution and browser you use.
www.lucentstones.com
Email me at dbrown30@gmail.com
www.lucentstones.com
Email me at dbrown30@gmail.com
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Lucent Stones Website
Lately I have been working on the Lucent Stones website, which can be viewed here:
www.lucentstones.com
It's still under construction, but I just wanted to share to the world that I'm learning a bit more of how PHP works and have effectively made the layout work quite well. The links on the left, for example, will change depending on which heading you are under.
One of the main goals I want to accomplish is to create forums that will allow me to manage the site easier. For instance, being able to post news without opening up my web management software.
Linking the forums with the game database will also be a huge task, but an important one. Also something to note is that I will most likely keep this blog after I start the new website, for my personal happenings here. There's not much more to discuss, so I'll leave it at that.
www.lucentstones.com
It's still under construction, but I just wanted to share to the world that I'm learning a bit more of how PHP works and have effectively made the layout work quite well. The links on the left, for example, will change depending on which heading you are under.
One of the main goals I want to accomplish is to create forums that will allow me to manage the site easier. For instance, being able to post news without opening up my web management software.
Linking the forums with the game database will also be a huge task, but an important one. Also something to note is that I will most likely keep this blog after I start the new website, for my personal happenings here. There's not much more to discuss, so I'll leave it at that.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Progress Report
Lately, a lot of progress has taken place. Among the most important things is that we have a dedicated server using MySQL to keep track of database information. Now that this is complete, we can move on to more interesting features, such as having an account system on a website, clans in-game, high scores pages, etc.
That being said, we now have a private test server up where information will always be stored, regardless of when I need to make an update to the game. Not to mention it's nice to hang around with people I grew up with on Tibia every now and then. lol
The Lucent Stones website will be worked on next to try and establish a foundation for news, information, and communication. I believe this is going to be important, as having everything completed on external forums and a blog is not the best indicator of a serious project.
Will keep you posted - hopefully a little more than I have been lately.
That being said, we now have a private test server up where information will always be stored, regardless of when I need to make an update to the game. Not to mention it's nice to hang around with people I grew up with on Tibia every now and then. lol
The Lucent Stones website will be worked on next to try and establish a foundation for news, information, and communication. I believe this is going to be important, as having everything completed on external forums and a blog is not the best indicator of a serious project.
Will keep you posted - hopefully a little more than I have been lately.
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