Thursday, March 26, 2009

City Maintenance XXXVII

From: City Hall
Object: City Maintenance
Date: Sun. Mar. 22nd

Mayor Tarn Pagott,

A total of 29150 credits has been paid from the city treasury for maintenance and upkeep of structure.

Eweev's tale

Tanisi sat down at the tap caf, looking outside the throng of sentient passing by. He wrapped his hands around his steaming mug of caf.

He smiled to himself as he looked down into the black liquid. Things couldn’t be going smoother, if he had planned it.

Eweev was already beginning to see what she was becoming. It scared her, but he knew she wasn’t going to resist.

He felt the storm brewing. Darkness was beginning to permeate through the bond soon; she would be on their side.

The sound of flesh against wood caused him to jump in his seat, bringing him out of his thoughts. He glared at the white Zabrak sitting across from him.

“This booth is taken,” he stated coldly.

A huge smile spread across the man’s ghostly, pale face. “Where is your companion?” he asked, eyes darting around the tap caf. He laughed, seeing the confusion on Tanisi’s face. “The beautiful blonde you were with the other day at the bunker.”

Tanisi couldn’t keep the shock from crossing his face. “What do you want with Eweev?” he demanded.

The smile from the other man sent a chill down his spine.

“The same thing you want, darksider.” He leaned closer, almost whispering. “Be careful with her. She’s no mere darksider.”

“She’s powerful.”

“It’s more than that,” the Zabrak confided. “She will easily rival the two Sith in control. She needs guidance.” He paused pointing a finger at Tanisi. “She needs to be shown what she is.”

Tanisi looked down at the cooling caf in his mug. “Eweev already feels she’s turning Sith.”

He glanced up to see the Zabrak nod, settling his back against the booth.

“She needs to be shown slowly,” he reiterated. “Her destiny can fork in two ways.” His stare became intense. “I want to make sure she brings glory to the Sith and not destroy them.”

Sunday, March 15, 2009

City Information

This week has seen many events in our fine city.

The city contraction to rank 3 (Township) has brought our city down to 18 citizens, with the unfortunate consequence of losing our shuttleport (one of the oldest on Lok).

Citizens with Homing Beacons in their homes will still be able to land in the city.

In the course of the previous days, several institutions have been fleshed out in better details, be they the Galactic Vagrant Buildings Demolition Movement or the Planetary Civic Authority.

The city's establishment of the "City Network" has been designed to access detailed information about our township, while a new message system, greetings Moutainbasers and visitors alike is now in place.

Elections Anyone ? XVI

FM: City Hall
Obj: Election won
Date: Sun. March. 15th

Congratulations, Mayor Tarn Pagott!

The populace of Twin Mountain Base has elected to retain you for another term. Your rights and privileges as Mayor have not changed. The next mayoral election has started and the results will be tabulated in three weeks' time.

The city thanks you for your continued service.

City Can't Support Structure

Mayor Tarn Pagott,

The structure "Shuttleport" cannot be supported by the current city rank!
This structure will be removed from the city in one week unless the city's rank increases to the level necessary to support it. You must either raise the city's population or re-deed the structure to save it.

Lost Citizens

Two citizens have been lost due to City Contraction:
Enkarn Lightmist
Teradok Bear

City Contraction II

FM: City Hall
Date: Sun. March 15th

Warning!

The city of Twin Mountain Base has contracted to rank 3 due to lack of population. Some of your civic structures may have been destroyed. Please check the city manage terminal report menus and your email for more information.

City Maintenance XXXVI

From: City Hall
Object: City Maintenance
Date: Sun. Mar. 15th

Mayor Tarn Pagott,

A total of 39000 credits has been paid from the city treasury for maintenance and upkeep of structure.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

....and 50 down !

All right, 50 buildings down and new badge for the collection. The immediate vicinity of Twin Mountain Base has been cleared up, now moving to where RAID's West Point used to stand. So far, the 100 buildings target is still achievable before transfer.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Scylla Population

Correcting yesterday's widely off guesstimates:

Number of guilded characters on March 13 209 (incl. alts, 3rd slot, multiple accounts, inactive players and active players): 8368

Number of guilds : 334

Guild membership average : 25.05

Of which:

42 PA have 5 members
108 PA have 6-9 members
89 PA have 10-19 members
36 PA have 20-29 members
13 PA have 30-39 members
9 PA have 40-49 members
5 PA have 50-59 members
6 PA have 60-69 members
6 PA have 70-79 members
1 PA has 80-89 members
1 PA has 90-99 members
14 PA have 100+ members
2 PA have 200+ members (VR > ARES)
2 PA have 300+ members (KOTOR PA > GFF)

Taking minimal bracket value: 50% of characters are either in the lower tier or the upper tier of player associations.

If we guesstimate 25% of unguilded characters (it's vet server with lots of multiple accounts and few new players), that would bring Scylla to a total population of app. 10 000 characters.

These stats could be crossed with the GCW stats and the city ranking updates (though, it may still be possible to reside in two different cities) to give a more complete picture of a server population.

In Scylla's case, it seems that the 10 000 population guesstimate is strongly limited by : inactive players, 3rd slots, multiple accounts, which bring the active amount of players very low.

Well, that was my two bits of the day.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Game Update 8

Kudos for the improvements on City management and Guild management. More details can be found here.

As far as TMB is concerned, it falls at a bad time, with FCTS and Demolition Day, nevertheless, something to look forward to on other servers.

For the greater Scylla server, the guild management system offers a powerful insight into server population. I should make a serious count, but from the overall look, about 700-800 players are guilded on the server. Adding a completely guesstimate about non-guilded population of 25% of server population (given that it's a veteran server with many alts / multiple accounts), that would put the Scylla population in the small 1000's.

The new management systems enable also to check players' offline time, which, taking the example of TMB, can go in 4 digits numbers for some citizens (and yet, their structures are not abandoned. Should look into that too at some point).

Thus, Scylla's server population of an approx. 1000 has to factor ghosts. No guesstimates on that. Guessing the server forum may wake up from its lethargy in reaction to the new tools.

As far as TMB is concerned, this time from a mayor point of view, city update will take place in two days. There will be another city contraction, it is unavoidable, with 10 citizens short of the required level for "City" rank (i.e. Rank 4).

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Demolition Update

Twin Mountain Base's buildings marked with an "abandoned" have now been removed. The current population is 20. With the coming city maintenance - and thus the city contraction, it is expected that more citizens will be lost to the city. The city, now Rank 4 "City", is at risk of losing its shuttleport.

With Demolition Day, Rettep Sunrunner's last building has been removed from the city. Rettep was the original founder of the city with Jed and Tarn. Among his many contributions were the scouting of the current city site, the city's first website, and of course, many hours spent in various adventures, from the mundane to the caves of Kashyyyk or to the Village. Thanks again for all the memories.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

City Contraction

FM: City Hall
Date: Sun. March 8th

Warning!

The city of Twin Mountain Base has contracted to rank 4 due to lack of population. Some of your civic structures may have been destroyed. Please check the city manage terminal report menus and your email for more information.

City Maintenance XXXV

From: City Hall
Object: City Maintenance
Date: Sat. Mar. 7th

Mayor Tarn Pagott,

A total of 41350 credits has been paid from the city treasury for maintenance and upkeep of structure.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Badge List

Junior Wrecking Crew added for Tarn.
Created a character on Europe Infinity to seek Hero of Tansarii Point Station Badge, got it, deleted char afterwards...Useless exercise, but rewarding from a badge frustration point of view...

Demolition Day Update

Twin Mountain Base’s structures, March 5th 2009

There are currently 113 structures in the city. 10 structures have been destroyed already, bringing the total of structures to 123; of which:

- 21 are civic structures (terminals, city decorations, gardens, civic buildings)
- 101 are player structures (small, medium, large houses of Tatooine and Generic styles, Mustafarian bunkers, merchant tents, guildhalls, cantinas), of which:
Abandoned: 63
Remaining: 38
To be transferred: 5 (Free CTS and CTS)

List of structures:

1. (unnamed house)
2. 1 (abandoned)
3. 1 (abandoned)
4. 7 Emperor Palpatine Way – Darkossk’s House
5. Aces in the hole HQ (abandoned)
6. Ah’le Anehi Imperialist
7. AITH Advanced Shipyards (abandoned)
8. AITH Elite Laboratory (abandoned)
9. AITH Store House (abandoned)
10. Aitih Ymowou (abandoned)
11. Apouh Oithow
12. Arynidal Palace (abandoned)
13. Atiwa’s house (abandoned)
14. Banking Terminal
15. Cassis’s House
16. City Banner Kit: Lok Flag
17. City Decoration: Lamppost: Welcome to TWIN HQ
18. City Decoration: Statue: Venimus, Vidimus, Vicimus
19. City Hall
20. Cloning Center
21. Daz and Dirty (abandoned)
22. Dougs’s house (abandoned)
23. Downtown North – Darkossk’s Bunker
24. Dube (abandoned)
25. Dumptruck’s Dump
26. Ella Depot (abandoned)
27. Enkarn’s Stronghold
28. Fallen Hero’s
29. Febostaks not really meatshack (abandoned)
30. Foobis’s house (abandoned)
31. Ground Space and Beyond (abandoned)
32. Helga’s house of pain (abandoned)
33. Herot 5 (abandoned)
34. Herot 6 (abandoned)
35. Herot 7 (abandoned)
36. Herot 8 (abandoned)
37. I like candy (abandoned)
38. Ibaoki Nao
39. Ibaoki’s House
40. In Memory of Mory Jenday
41. Inisk Demolition Expert (abandoned)
42. Isasywi’s House
43. Jed Hull
44. Jed Hull Repository
45. Jeiread’s Shoppe
46. Kaalimar’s house (abandoned)
47. Large Dantooine Garden
48. Large Dantooine Garden
49. Large Tatooine Garden
50. Large Tatooine Garden
51. Maraalus Scharix (abandoned)
52. Meatshack on the mountain (abandoned)
53. Meatshields ‘R US (abandoned)
54. Medium Tatooine Garden
55. Meep’s little piece of heaven (abandoned)
56. Mission Terminal
57. Mission Terminal: Artisan
58. Mission Terminal: Bounty Hunter
59. Mission Terminal: Entertainer
60. Mission Terminal: Imperial
61. Mistress Meep of the Notorious (abandoned)
62. MrMoe’s Office
63. Nakkiti
64. Nas Choka the Emperor’s Hand (abandoned)
65. Nas’s house (abandoned)
66. Nas’s house (abandoned)
67. Necktonn’s house (abandoned)
68. Nekton’s emporium (abandoned)
69. Ne-Va
70. Ocknock’s guildhall (abandoned)
71. Ocknock’s house (abandoned)
72. Oklo’s hole (abandoned)
73. Ommedo’s little shop (abandoned)
74. OneNice Girl’s House
75. Oropp’s Outlet
76. Parking Garage
77. Peiri’s tent (abandoned)
78. Ploperfet (abandoned)
79. Ratboy Brad NGE Respec Jedi!
80. Reaper’s house (abandoned)
81. Recon Dawn (abandoned)
82. Rettep Sunrunner Ranger Outpost (abandoned)
83. Retter Sunrunner Interior Commissioner (abandoned)
84. Rev
85. Serendipity (abandoned)
86. Shuttleport
87. Skillzkillz’s house of pain (abandoned)
88. Small Tatooine Garden
89. Small Tatooine Garden
90. Small Tatooine Garden
91. Snigal’s house (abandoned)
92. Stryx
93. Swipp’s House
94. Syfhen’s House
95. Tarn Pagott
96. Tarn’s House
97. Teradok’s armory (yes he’s back)
98. Teradok’s Crafting Stuff
99. Treela wyndwalker (abandoned)
100. Truis Dav (abandoned)
101. Twin Mountain Base Militia HQ (abandoned)
102. Twin Mountain Base Museum
103. Twin Mountain Conclave
104. Under Construction
105. Valthron’s House
106. Vell Ianape’s (abandoned)
107. Vilouss’ Sanctuary
108. Vothmar’s house (abandoned)
109. Wrath The Kimogila Klaw Kantina
110. Yerkaa Isard
111. Young House
112. Young Storage
113. Zupposk’s armory (abandoned)

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Upgrading this blog

Attempting to add a slideshow to this blog is, so far, no easy task. Tried with Picasa and with Flickr. Must be doing something wrong...

Demoltion Day : update

It appears that there's a five buildings a day limit...Tarn will thus remain on Scylla for a while longer (19 more days), in order to obtain the "Wrecking Crew Mogul" badge. Tarn's home furnishing is fast becoming more sophisticated with the acquisition of the Emperor's Senate chair, lamp and desk, as well some of the xeno line furnitures (table and couch).

Dusk of a city

The Eastern rays of the early morning were basking Twin Mountain Base; datapad in hand, Tarn wanted to wait until the last moment before severing for ever his connection to the city's communet. The server was going to shut down along with the city, urging one last time to anyone still listening to log out safely - an unnecessary code phrase to leave the city urgently. Carried on the wings of the closing TIE bombers, the time of clandestinity had come. Twin Mountain Base had finally been confirmed as a Rebellious outpost.

Over the last years, the ranks of the Antarian Rangers had dwindled. From a 100 beings strong force and another 100 sympathizers, it was down to 44 beings and 44 sympathizers. The war had taken its toll on the organization - and today's raid was going to worsen the situation.

Although the city was now deserted except for Tarn, Ibaoki, Kelv, and Siot, the city's evacuation has come too late. ISB agents combing the future rubbles for clues would identify most members of the organization. The only good news - to an extent - was that the Empire didn't know of the evacuation expecting the Rangers to put up a fight, and thus had planned for a wave of atmospheric bombardments before entering the city.

Tarn knew that. Information from the Imperial Base came to him regularly and accurately. After all, the Rangers were adept spies and had a good network of informants...80% of the city was slated for destruction, but on Lok and several other planets, other destructions would take place too.

When the Empire initiated "Demolition Day", it relied on spatial imagery and records from Planetary Authorities to identify "abandonned" buildings to be removed, via all necessary means. A heavy-handed method to be sure, but effective nonetheless.

As far as the Rangers were concerned, it was the second most threatening policy the Empire had enacted. The first one, enacted few years ago, was the regulation of independant scouts and rangers. Faced with multiplying actions of sabotage and attacks on Imperial facilities or convoys from Republican loyalists and surviving Separatists, the Empire thought it best to "regulate" these professions. Almost overnight, all the independant ranger and scout trainers were gone. Hired into Imperially-approved guilds or executed. For the Rangers, new recruits and a valuable network of informants and sympathizers disappeared in a pinch.

Demolition Day and FCTS final preparation

Ranger Cove has been packed up. Tarn's Storage has been packed up. Ibaoki's vendors are all destroyed. Her wares have been stored in houses, all packed up. Ibaoki's factory has been packed up. A small Tatooine house along with a travel ticket awaits U-lan in Ibaoki's house.

Tarn switched back to regular combattant to avoid the off chance that he'd come across an enemy special force during Demolition Day and end up in the cloner.

Left to do:
Proceed to Demolition Day
Remove Lok flag from Kimogila Way
Pack up the Museum
Pack up Tarn's house
Pack up Ibaoki's house
Disband Twin Mountain Base (guild)

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Preparing for Demolition Day and the transfer

In preparation of Demolition Day and the Free Character Transfer Service, several changes have taken place in Twin Mountain Base.

Ibaoki Nao has withdrawn her vendors from the merchant tent on Kimogila Way. Her vendors are located in her house, until her transfer, during March.

City Zoning has been disabled until the new administration comes in. With Tarn's coming departure around March 4th, U-lan Qirs will move into the city and challenge Tarn Pagott for the city election. Ibaoki Nao will vote for U-lan, thus securing his election. Ibaoki Nao will then transfer and her replacement will come in.

In order to reduce City Maintenance cost for the arrival characters, City Registration has been disabled, City Specialization has been removed, Old Trainers have been removed. These measures will lighten the city maintenance cost by 10 000 credits.

New Badge

Completing the final quest for the Ewok Festival of Love comes the final badge of the event. Always a pleasure. End of the zany moments.

City Maintenance XXXIV

From: City Hall
Object: City Maintenance
Date: Sat. Feb. 28th

Mayor Tarn Pagott,

A total of 53350 credits has been paid from the city treasury for maintenance and upkeep of structure.