Post by Darth Tater on Jun 21, 2013 9:36:42 GMT -5
Announcing the launch of Orc Realm!
After three months and many, many hours and weeks of work, Orc Realm’s launch is scheduled for:
12:00 Noon on Friday, June 21!
We will be activating our new server: 216.144.243.61:27015
Over the past four months, Orc Realm server was in Beta mode. Our goal was to observe gameplay, to identify glitches, how players could exploit them and try to identify game and map changes to improve game play. Hopefully we have been able to address the major issues in our quest to create a stable, fair play environment. This is a new beginning, we have long-range plans mapped out for future development and gameplay.
New/Changes:
New Base Map:
Orc Realm: Dawn
- Morning Map version
Server:
Changed to new server provider:
-Projecting less lag (lets hope!)
-Better built-in features for adapting to Steam updates
-Better adaptations to new Steampipe requirements
Basecode:
- Reverted to older, stable base code
- Older code does not contain some of the newer items (many which were causing programming errors, such as “printers”).
- Dr. Bits and his team have been cleaning the original code and have built many new features into the base code to modify its structure, how the program runs and have incorporated new gameplay coding for new in game features. This has been very time intensive and required repeated testing to stabilize the new code. Due to the major restructuring of the code, there are still bugs that the team is actively working to fix.
Hammer:
- New modeling techniques have been developed that help in the creation of the map. Over the next few iterations of the map, older sections (i.e.: Saban Mill) will be re-modeled to bring them in line with the newer map sections.
- Textures: Improved texture creation and implementation.
Map:
- The map has undergone major significant changes to enhance rebel and cop play. Please remember, Orc Realm maps are original maps, entirely of our creation, not a re-worked existing maps. As such, we hope you can appreciate the time and effort involved in developing and de-bugging a project of this size. Almost every area of the map received significant additions, renovations or improvements. We will adapt the map as determined by play.
- Police Department:
- Original plans for a new PD in the Saban Mill Green have been scrapped in favor of renovating and improving the existing station (due to vertex limitations and the decision to not over emphasize the importance of the station in the game… it is not a palace).
- Four new offices, each equipped with map monitors to patrol the map (for Cops)
- A fully equipped armory (for Cops only)
- Easy access to teleports (going to various map sectors) and other access entry points (for Cops)
- One new jail cell added, making a total of four cells
- Secured jail cells (death on escape attempt)
- Additional health/suit chargers (for Cops only)
- Telephone in station
- Municipal Courthouse
- New structure for holding trials and community meetings
- Additional space in rear for future expansion/development
- New Community AFK Room
- New room in map
- temporary access during map reset, coding under development for future feature (TBA)
- Features five teleports for AFK player to leave room and continue play.
- Features three large screen game map monitors to watch game play outside AFK room.
- Secure area/no kill zone with kill boxes surrounding it for protection of AFKers.
- Dumpster Ball Arena
- New spectator walls along the sides of the field with ladder access
- One Room Hotel (aka the ghetto)
- Raised walls to prevent glitching/attacking players from ceiling gap that existed
- Removed six units to conserve vertices for other areas, balance available rental space
- Deleted most cots/beds/fixtures from rooms for more usable space, lower vertex count
- Deluxe Apartments (5k Down Under)
- Raised walls to prevent glitching/attacking players from ceiling gap
- Corrected minor wall issues
- Colony Apartments
- New kill areas in first floor ceiling to prevent players from glitching through to second floor (protecting second floor tenants from attack while AFK)
- Fixed several wall issues
- Remodeled former Bank Apartment for use as apartment
- Hillcrest Houses
- Seven new houses modeled with higher vertex economy (one story saltbox style)
- Reduced Hillcrest area by one-half, improving play and compile performance
- Saban Mill
- 10 new apartment units in South wing, first floor
- Minor remodel of first floor stall area, removing unnecessary brushes and economy.
- Six machine units in Basement are now functional, for use by new job occupation, Machinist, to earn money.
- Max & Hammer Building
- New building in Saban Mill Green (where column stalls were located).
- 12 new Apartment units
- Kill areas in first floor ceiling to prevent players from glitching through to second floor (protecting second floor tenants from attack while AFK)
- 9 Lakes Park
- Three new primitive water bunkers (rentable)
- Three rental doors on old lake structure huts (far west side)
- Two rental new primitive gate house structures at entrance tunnels to 9 Lakes Park
- Improved water rendering for ponds
- Community Gardens
- Removed from this version of the map (will return in upcoming maps in the map rotation)
- New Village Bank Building
- Old Bank in Colony Apartments converted to an apartment
- New building in Village Green
- Features two Bankers and a private room in back of office
- Itsy Bitsy Realty Building
- Remodeled, expanded and re-located as new Village Bank
- Union Station (train)
- New area (created in Community Gardens area and expansion)
- In upcoming maps, station will be opened with service to various locations in map
- Features a two story Station building and square
- Darth Tower
- Improved key pad combination system (good luck! no clues in map)
- Remodeled Tower room and lower floor
- Mini-Mall
- New area, developing in the Down Under truck yard area
- Construction in progress for future map release
- Stores can be rented while under construction, leases will terminate with completed construction in future
- Orc Realm Casino
- Located in the new Mini-Mall area (first tenant)
- Features more realistic gambling play (as opposed to just guessing red or blue)
- Features seven functioning slot machines (new coding)
- Features a functioning (code) roulette table (modified play)
- Features a functioning Wheel of Chance (modified play)
- Features a side room for High-Roller betting, $20K minimum bet slot machine.
- Spawn Area
- New spawn area
- All players spawn in this area
- All plNext to the spawn area are 10 teleports to various map locations
- Multiple, simultaneous spawns possible (won’t spawn inside another player)
- On change of map, players spawning are automatically teleported from Spawn Area to the AFK room for AFK protection . After time period, all players resume spawning in Spawn Area.
- Additional additions/changes:
- Telephone system implemented
- Multiple new hiding/sniping areas
- New secret features for players to discover
GamePlay Changes:
Economy/Money
- To create a more balanced game play, there has been an overall “de-flation” of player wealth in the map. The process of acquiring money has been slowed – no getting rich over night. Players will need to invest an appropriate amount of time to accumulate wealth and status. We have attempted to put in safeguards to the glitching errors that some players were exploiting. Money printers no longer exist in the game: they created unbalanced game play and they simply are not available in the current game base code (we do not have plans to program them back in). Players found to be using cheats to acquire excessive wealth as evidenced by acquiring instant wealth in an unreasonably short time will be penalized appropriately. Glitching for wealth will not be tolerated.
Jobs/Employment
- Orc Realm is not only a public server, it is a teaching tool at a top rated game design college. As such, some changes were necessary to make the game suitably appropriate for use in a collegiate curriculum to avoid potential litigation by possible offensive matter. Obvious changes involved the names of some occupations: Drug Dealers are now Cactus Picker, Strippers are now
Therapists, etc. Additionally, overly offensive language will not be tolerated.
-Jobs are in integral part of RP. Job wages have been balanced to insure a distribution of employment. All jobs will pay within a reasonable wage scale. There will not be a job that pays far more for performance than others. If there is, then everyone will do that job and no other. If we find over time there is an imbalance of wages, we will adjust accordingly. You are free to change jobs at anytime through the job employer NPC, Doggie, found throughout the map.
- New Jobs to Orc Realm:
- Cactus Picker: (formerly Drug Addict)
- Gambler: (new)
- Therapist: (formerly Stripper)
- Machinist: (new)
- Sanitation: (now working)
- Monk:(new)
Data Loss/Server Crashes
- Server crashes/ Data loss: Unfortunately, even with a stable code base, server crashes may occur, resulting in complaints of “I lost all my money and items!” The new Orc Realm policy is that in the event of data loss, all players will be refunded to their status as of the last saved backup version of the data. Data backups are performed each day, so the “refund” may take you back to what you had the previous day (Dr.Bits team is working on a soon to be implemented automatic back-up system to ensure reliability). Due to time constraints, Admins cannot (and will not) make individual refunds. Backing up players individually is far too time consuming for a volunteer position. With a lower rate of income, players should not lose appreciable sums. Typically, Valve or server provider crashes are beyond our control, we have to cope as best as reasonably possible.
Example:
o I had $450k yesterday and today spent 150K on a megalock (now I have $300k and a mega lock).The server crashed after I bought the lock, I lost everything!
o Restitution: The backup, when implemented , will restore me to yesterday’s total (at the time of the back-up) to $450K. I probably lost some money I made today and my time/wage will revert accordingly too.
Housing
- Players may only lease/rent one property at a time. No one permanently
buys property in Orc Realm. If you want to continue to lease a piece of property, you will need to play the game, earn money and re-lease at the end of the lease period. This will keep the game fresh, insuring property is competitively available for new players.
-Locks: Locks are the players responsibility. No refunds on locks if you fail to remove them prior to exiting game or the end of your lease.
VIP Status
Revised VIP status perks. This server is expensive to run. Payments are due every three months, so VIP was brought in line with that in hopes of off-setting the personal cost. No VIPs could mean the end of the server... (for real)
Player Data Reset
All players data will be reset to start a new game. It was determined that it was the fair thing to do. A few VIP individuals were given exemptions (partial previous credit) in consideration of their extreme dedication to the server over the past five months.
Additional:
- Our goal is to promote and develop Orc Realm as a game server destination for players. Our goal is not to promote or develop your new or existing server. If you are caught trolling/recruiting players to go to your server while in the game or on the forum, you are subject to immediate and permanent ban from Orc Realm, no appeal.
If you want to learn how to make maps, customize code, etc., come take one of our college courses in Game Development and Design or join one of the many map making groups in Steam, you can find us there too. We look forward to working with you!
After three months and many, many hours and weeks of work, Orc Realm’s launch is scheduled for:
12:00 Noon on Friday, June 21!
We will be activating our new server: 216.144.243.61:27015
Over the past four months, Orc Realm server was in Beta mode. Our goal was to observe gameplay, to identify glitches, how players could exploit them and try to identify game and map changes to improve game play. Hopefully we have been able to address the major issues in our quest to create a stable, fair play environment. This is a new beginning, we have long-range plans mapped out for future development and gameplay.
New/Changes:
New Base Map:
Orc Realm: Dawn
- Morning Map version
Server:
Changed to new server provider:
-Projecting less lag (lets hope!)
-Better built-in features for adapting to Steam updates
-Better adaptations to new Steampipe requirements
Basecode:
- Reverted to older, stable base code
- Older code does not contain some of the newer items (many which were causing programming errors, such as “printers”).
- Dr. Bits and his team have been cleaning the original code and have built many new features into the base code to modify its structure, how the program runs and have incorporated new gameplay coding for new in game features. This has been very time intensive and required repeated testing to stabilize the new code. Due to the major restructuring of the code, there are still bugs that the team is actively working to fix.
Hammer:
- New modeling techniques have been developed that help in the creation of the map. Over the next few iterations of the map, older sections (i.e.: Saban Mill) will be re-modeled to bring them in line with the newer map sections.
- Textures: Improved texture creation and implementation.
Map:
- The map has undergone major significant changes to enhance rebel and cop play. Please remember, Orc Realm maps are original maps, entirely of our creation, not a re-worked existing maps. As such, we hope you can appreciate the time and effort involved in developing and de-bugging a project of this size. Almost every area of the map received significant additions, renovations or improvements. We will adapt the map as determined by play.
- Police Department:
- Original plans for a new PD in the Saban Mill Green have been scrapped in favor of renovating and improving the existing station (due to vertex limitations and the decision to not over emphasize the importance of the station in the game… it is not a palace).
- Four new offices, each equipped with map monitors to patrol the map (for Cops)
- A fully equipped armory (for Cops only)
- Easy access to teleports (going to various map sectors) and other access entry points (for Cops)
- One new jail cell added, making a total of four cells
- Secured jail cells (death on escape attempt)
- Additional health/suit chargers (for Cops only)
- Telephone in station
- Municipal Courthouse
- New structure for holding trials and community meetings
- Additional space in rear for future expansion/development
- New Community AFK Room
- New room in map
- temporary access during map reset, coding under development for future feature (TBA)
- Features five teleports for AFK player to leave room and continue play.
- Features three large screen game map monitors to watch game play outside AFK room.
- Secure area/no kill zone with kill boxes surrounding it for protection of AFKers.
- Dumpster Ball Arena
- New spectator walls along the sides of the field with ladder access
- One Room Hotel (aka the ghetto)
- Raised walls to prevent glitching/attacking players from ceiling gap that existed
- Removed six units to conserve vertices for other areas, balance available rental space
- Deleted most cots/beds/fixtures from rooms for more usable space, lower vertex count
- Deluxe Apartments (5k Down Under)
- Raised walls to prevent glitching/attacking players from ceiling gap
- Corrected minor wall issues
- Colony Apartments
- New kill areas in first floor ceiling to prevent players from glitching through to second floor (protecting second floor tenants from attack while AFK)
- Fixed several wall issues
- Remodeled former Bank Apartment for use as apartment
- Hillcrest Houses
- Seven new houses modeled with higher vertex economy (one story saltbox style)
- Reduced Hillcrest area by one-half, improving play and compile performance
- Saban Mill
- 10 new apartment units in South wing, first floor
- Minor remodel of first floor stall area, removing unnecessary brushes and economy.
- Six machine units in Basement are now functional, for use by new job occupation, Machinist, to earn money.
- Max & Hammer Building
- New building in Saban Mill Green (where column stalls were located).
- 12 new Apartment units
- Kill areas in first floor ceiling to prevent players from glitching through to second floor (protecting second floor tenants from attack while AFK)
- 9 Lakes Park
- Three new primitive water bunkers (rentable)
- Three rental doors on old lake structure huts (far west side)
- Two rental new primitive gate house structures at entrance tunnels to 9 Lakes Park
- Improved water rendering for ponds
- Community Gardens
- Removed from this version of the map (will return in upcoming maps in the map rotation)
- New Village Bank Building
- Old Bank in Colony Apartments converted to an apartment
- New building in Village Green
- Features two Bankers and a private room in back of office
- Itsy Bitsy Realty Building
- Remodeled, expanded and re-located as new Village Bank
- Union Station (train)
- New area (created in Community Gardens area and expansion)
- In upcoming maps, station will be opened with service to various locations in map
- Features a two story Station building and square
- Darth Tower
- Improved key pad combination system (good luck! no clues in map)
- Remodeled Tower room and lower floor
- Mini-Mall
- New area, developing in the Down Under truck yard area
- Construction in progress for future map release
- Stores can be rented while under construction, leases will terminate with completed construction in future
- Orc Realm Casino
- Located in the new Mini-Mall area (first tenant)
- Features more realistic gambling play (as opposed to just guessing red or blue)
- Features seven functioning slot machines (new coding)
- Features a functioning (code) roulette table (modified play)
- Features a functioning Wheel of Chance (modified play)
- Features a side room for High-Roller betting, $20K minimum bet slot machine.
- Spawn Area
- New spawn area
- All players spawn in this area
- All plNext to the spawn area are 10 teleports to various map locations
- Multiple, simultaneous spawns possible (won’t spawn inside another player)
- On change of map, players spawning are automatically teleported from Spawn Area to the AFK room for AFK protection . After time period, all players resume spawning in Spawn Area.
- Additional additions/changes:
- Telephone system implemented
- Multiple new hiding/sniping areas
- New secret features for players to discover
GamePlay Changes:
Economy/Money
- To create a more balanced game play, there has been an overall “de-flation” of player wealth in the map. The process of acquiring money has been slowed – no getting rich over night. Players will need to invest an appropriate amount of time to accumulate wealth and status. We have attempted to put in safeguards to the glitching errors that some players were exploiting. Money printers no longer exist in the game: they created unbalanced game play and they simply are not available in the current game base code (we do not have plans to program them back in). Players found to be using cheats to acquire excessive wealth as evidenced by acquiring instant wealth in an unreasonably short time will be penalized appropriately. Glitching for wealth will not be tolerated.
Jobs/Employment
- Orc Realm is not only a public server, it is a teaching tool at a top rated game design college. As such, some changes were necessary to make the game suitably appropriate for use in a collegiate curriculum to avoid potential litigation by possible offensive matter. Obvious changes involved the names of some occupations: Drug Dealers are now Cactus Picker, Strippers are now
Therapists, etc. Additionally, overly offensive language will not be tolerated.
-Jobs are in integral part of RP. Job wages have been balanced to insure a distribution of employment. All jobs will pay within a reasonable wage scale. There will not be a job that pays far more for performance than others. If there is, then everyone will do that job and no other. If we find over time there is an imbalance of wages, we will adjust accordingly. You are free to change jobs at anytime through the job employer NPC, Doggie, found throughout the map.
- New Jobs to Orc Realm:
- Cactus Picker: (formerly Drug Addict)
- Gambler: (new)
- Therapist: (formerly Stripper)
- Machinist: (new)
- Sanitation: (now working)
- Monk:(new)
Data Loss/Server Crashes
- Server crashes/ Data loss: Unfortunately, even with a stable code base, server crashes may occur, resulting in complaints of “I lost all my money and items!” The new Orc Realm policy is that in the event of data loss, all players will be refunded to their status as of the last saved backup version of the data. Data backups are performed each day, so the “refund” may take you back to what you had the previous day (Dr.Bits team is working on a soon to be implemented automatic back-up system to ensure reliability). Due to time constraints, Admins cannot (and will not) make individual refunds. Backing up players individually is far too time consuming for a volunteer position. With a lower rate of income, players should not lose appreciable sums. Typically, Valve or server provider crashes are beyond our control, we have to cope as best as reasonably possible.
Example:
o I had $450k yesterday and today spent 150K on a megalock (now I have $300k and a mega lock).The server crashed after I bought the lock, I lost everything!
o Restitution: The backup, when implemented , will restore me to yesterday’s total (at the time of the back-up) to $450K. I probably lost some money I made today and my time/wage will revert accordingly too.
Housing
- Players may only lease/rent one property at a time. No one permanently
buys property in Orc Realm. If you want to continue to lease a piece of property, you will need to play the game, earn money and re-lease at the end of the lease period. This will keep the game fresh, insuring property is competitively available for new players.
-Locks: Locks are the players responsibility. No refunds on locks if you fail to remove them prior to exiting game or the end of your lease.
VIP Status
Revised VIP status perks. This server is expensive to run. Payments are due every three months, so VIP was brought in line with that in hopes of off-setting the personal cost. No VIPs could mean the end of the server... (for real)
Player Data Reset
All players data will be reset to start a new game. It was determined that it was the fair thing to do. A few VIP individuals were given exemptions (partial previous credit) in consideration of their extreme dedication to the server over the past five months.
Additional:
- Our goal is to promote and develop Orc Realm as a game server destination for players. Our goal is not to promote or develop your new or existing server. If you are caught trolling/recruiting players to go to your server while in the game or on the forum, you are subject to immediate and permanent ban from Orc Realm, no appeal.
If you want to learn how to make maps, customize code, etc., come take one of our college courses in Game Development and Design or join one of the many map making groups in Steam, you can find us there too. We look forward to working with you!