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Messages - Acacea

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201

Rumour Has It / The old dwarf finally falls for good

« on: June 22, 2008, 11:53:49 am »

He needed exercise..his tired legs, bad knees, and slightly stooped back felt good today. The axe was sharp but the trip was short. He became surrounded by bandits because tactical position was broken. Foolish? Perhaps, but that is neither here nor there now.

The aged dwarf Dorax Windsmith finally gave in completely to the Soul Mother and now his soul prays from beyond this plane for Vorax to escort him into the Halls so that his deeds may be remembered. A Blood War Veteran and friend to so many who have gone before him. Certainly not the brightest, but a good dwarf none-the-less. Rest in peace.

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202

Rumour Has It / Raffle List

« on: June 22, 2008, 11:27:51 am »

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203

General Discussion / A belated farewell

« on: June 15, 2008, 08:19:54 am »

Hello everyone,

I've been meaning to make this post for some months now, but every time I thought about making it I'd think to myself, "Oh, I'll come back." Once I started thinking about Layonara again I'd get excited to come back and do one thing or another. But I never did come back and GM or play. The fact of the matter is, NWN had a good run (and I've spent and absolutely obscene amount of time playing it) but I'm tired of it. I'm not tired of Layonara, but I just don't want to play NWN anymore, and haven't for a while.

I'd like to formally announcing my resignation from all Layonara position that I've held and release any and all of my characters to NPC use.

Talan's house should go to Lalaith, I believe her and some other characters still use it. Akki's house in Krandor (137 I think, the one closest to the crypts) can be resold.

----

Since about the time I completely disappeared (last December-Januaryish) I've been working on my own project which has captured most of my free time. You can read about it on my blog at:

Cutthroat Studios Developer’s Blog

It's not an MMO or even in the same genre as Layonara, I hope L does not mind me posting the link. The Layonara MMO should come out well before it anyway, which I'm looking forward to as well!

If anyone wants to reach me, feel free to do so! You can find my contact information on the contact page of the website I linked to above (I'm trying to avoid posting my email address on forums these days, some of the email addresses I used to do that with now get more penis enlargement spam than I thought was possible lol.)

Anyway, Have fun everybody! I'm sorry that I won't be here to share the road.

Jesse Wright, AKA SongOfTheWeave, Talan Va'lash

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204

General Discussion / For the love of Chongo's awesome new areas.

« on: June 14, 2008, 05:43:39 pm »

I can't stress enough how beautiful this guy's work is. Ever since V3 and the subsequent updates, I always do a quick doubletake and take the time to look around amazed at what he's done with the place. There are tilesets in use now that actually look BETTER and cripser than many of the NWN2 ones, and finally there's a decent amount of depth and height perception in places like Firesteep, which were originally very plateau-ish and "run across the flat plane and climb up to the next level-ish" Now you actually get a feeling for the massive climb, and a sense of going upward. A MAJOR feat considering how notoriously 2 dimensional the base bioware engine is in terms of altitude. And now, after 4-5 years of being told "we will never have bard enemy spawns, they have horrible AI", I encountered one that actually works pretty well!

Major Kudos to him and the rest of the building team involved for the major facelift the place has gotten! From the Dapplegreen to Firesteep, Dalanthar and the Thunder Peaks, this place just keeps getting better and better.

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205

General Discussion / Update coming soon! Download now...

« on: June 05, 2008, 03:51:31 pm »

There's an update coming soon, probably within a few hours. For this update, there's been a HAK and TLK change, so you can go download them now to beat the rush:

layo_controV3r4.rar

layonara_v21.rar

Or just go to the Dowloads page.

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206

General Discussion / All Call for Rangers

« on: May 11, 2008, 06:09:39 pm »

*A small notice is left at the best ranger camps around Layonara*

It is that time again. I would like to get all the rangers/trackers together so we can greet each other and to give us all a chance to learn from each other.

Feel free to bring your animal friends around. This is an event for them as well. And unlike the local towns, the camp welcomes such companions.

I am also willing to take on two apprentices.

We will meet at the Wolfswood Ranger Corps Camp on Jenra 9.

*marked*
Rodlin Serim
Captain, Wolfswood Ranger Corps

//Bring all your questions, comments, ideas, recommendations for future events, etc.

//RP heavy with allowance for OOC discussion for mechanical issues. However, if we can talk mechanics IC, that will be the preference.

//Please sign up on the calendar event so I can plan accordingly.

Calendar Event

Time Conversion

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207

General Discussion / Into the Clouds

« on: April 19, 2008, 04:47:51 pm »

Ever wanted to leave the road but was afraid of what you could not see from the road?

Well, I am here to show you. I am planning a trip from the Stormcrest to the mountains to the North (Hammerbound Peaks and everywhere in between). We are going to see what lies off the road. We are going to see what the top of clouds look like. You will be able to map and meet other people. You will be able to see areas you have not been able to see yet. So bring your parchment and quill and lets enjoy an adventure in the company of others.

//This is for anyone that wants to come. No level requirement.

The danger depends on your actions.

I will go as long as there are people behind me or until I physically can't.

There will be NO rushing ahead. I will take point and control the pace.

I am looking for a good RP adventure with new players and old players. The bigger the mix the better it should be. This is a learning experience for the newer players learning from the older ones. This will be a good chance for the older players to meet the newer ones (and maybe even show off a little).

If you have any questions along the way...ask them or write them down for later, please. Learn learn learn. Tells are fine, but I have to keep the pace moving.

All loot and CNR will be divided.

Lore can be told by anyone. This is where some of the older players can play a big part as well.

http://forums.layonara.com/calendar.php?do=getinfo&day=2008-4-23&e=6702&c=2

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208

Just for Fun / More law school fun...

« on: March 28, 2008, 03:17:18 am »

Now, I know some of you are jealous of all the jolly fun times I have in lawschool, (especially after I conclusively proved that law school is not boring) and wish that they could take a break from Layo to read casebooks and study the finer points of choice of laws doctrine... so I decided to share a bit of the fun with you folks. Here you go:

JOHN W. BRADSHAW, Plaintiff, v. UNITY MARINE CORPORATION, INC.; CORONADO, in rem; and PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY, Defendants

[a few paragraphs taken out here]

Plaintiff suffered injury on January 4, 1999 and filed suit in this Court on September 15, 2000. However, Plaintiff did not amend his Complaint to add Defendant Phillips until March 28, 2001, indisputably more than two-years after the date of his alleged injury. Plaintiff now responds that he timely sued Phillips, contending that the three-year federal statute for maritime personal injuries applies to his action.

Before proceeding further, the Court notes that this case involves two extremely likable lawyers, who have together delivered some of the most amateurish pleadings ever to cross the hallowed causeway into Galveston, an effort which leads the Court to surmise but one plausible explanation. Both attorneys have obviously entered into a secret pact — complete with hats, handshakes and cryptic words — to draft their pleadings entirely in crayon on the back sides of gravy-stained paper place mats, in the hope that the Court would be so charmed by their child-like efforts that their utter dearth of legal authorities in their briefing would go unnoticed. Whatever actually occurred, the Court is now faced with the daunting task of deciphering their submissions.

With Big Chief tablet readied, thick black pencil in hand, and a devil-may-care laugh in the face of death, life on the razor's edge sense of exhilaration, the Court begins.

Summary judgment is appropriate if no genuine issue of material fact exists and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. When a motion for summary judgment is made, the nonmoving party must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial. Therefore, when a defendant moves for summary judgment based upon an affirmative defense to the plaintiff's claim, the plaintiff must bear the burden of producing some evidence to create a fact issue some element of defendant's asserted affirmative defense.

Defendant begins the descent into Alice's Wonderland by submitting a Motion that relies upon only one legal authority. The Motion cites a Fifth Circuit case which stands for the whopping proposition that a federal court sitting in Texas applies the Texas statutes of limitations to certain state and federal law claims. That is all well and good — the Court is quite fond of the Erie doctrine; indeed there is talk of little else around both the Canal and this Court's water cooler. Defendant, however, does not even cite to Erie, but to a mere successor case, and further fails to even begin to analyze why the Court should approach the shores of Erie.

Finally, Defendant does not even provide a cite to its desired Texas limitation statute. A more bumbling approach is difficult to conceive — but wait folks. There's More!

Defendant submitted a Reply brief, on June 11, 2001, after the Court had already drafted, but not finalized, this Order. In a regretful effort to be thorough, the Court reviewed this submission. It too fails to cite to either the Texas statute of limitations or any Fifth Circuit cases discussing maritime law liability for Plaintiff's claims versus Phillips.

Plaintiff responds to this deft, yet minimalist analytical wizardry with an equally gossamer wisp of an argument, although Plaintiff does at least cite the federal limitations provision applicable to maritime tort claims. Naturally, Plaintiff also neglects to provide any analysis whatsoever of why his claim versus Defendant Phillips is a maritime action. Instead, Plaintiff "cites" to a single case from the Fourth Circuit.

Plaintiff's citation, however, points to a nonexistent Volume "1886" of the Federal Reporter Third Edition and neglects to provide a pinpoint citation for what, after being located, turned out to be a forty-page decision. Ultimately, to the Court's dismay after reviewing the opinion, it stands simply for the bombshell proposition that torts committed on navigable waters (in this case an alleged defamation committed by the controversial G. Gordon Liddy aboard a cruise ship at sea) require the application of general maritime rather than state tort law. See Wells v. Liddy, 186 F.3d 505, 524 (4th Cir. 1999) (What the ..)?!

The Court cannot even begin to comprehend why this case was selected for reference. It is almost as if Plaintiff's counsel chose the opinion by throwing long range darts at the Federal Reporter (remarkably enough hitting a nonexistent volume!). And though the Court often gives great heed to dicta from courts as far flung as those of Manitoba, it finds this case unpersuasive. There is nothing in Plaintiff's cited case about ingress or egress between a vessel and a dock, although counsel must have been thinking that Mr. Liddy must have had both ingress and egress from the cruise ship at some docking facility, before uttering his fateful words.

Further, as noted above, Plaintiff has submitted a Supplemental Opposition to Defendant's Motion. This Supplement is longer than Plaintiff's purported Response, cites more cases, several constituting binding authority from either the Fifth Circuit or the Supreme Court, and actually includes attachments which purport to be evidence. However, this is all that can be said positively for Plaintiff's Supplement, which does nothing to explain why, on the facts of this case, Plaintiff has an admiralty claim against Phillips (which probably makes some sense because Plaintiff doesn't).

Plaintiff seems to rely on the fact that he has pled Rule 9(h) and stated an admiralty claim versus the vessel and his employer to demonstrate that maritime law applies to Phillips. This bootstrapping argument does not work; Plaintiff must properly invoke admiralty law versus each Defendant discretely. Despite the continued shortcomings of Plaintiff's supplemental submission, the Court commends Plaintiff for his vastly improved choice of crayon — Brick Red is much easier on the eyes than Goldenrod, and stands out much better amidst the mustard splotched about Plaintiff's briefing. But at the end of the day, even if you put a calico dress on it and call it Florence, a pig is still a pig.

Now, alas, the Court must return to grownup land. As vaguely alluded to by the parties, the issue in this case turns upon which law — state or maritime — applies to each of Plaintiff's potential claims versus Defendant Phillips. And despite Plaintiff's and Defendant's joint, heroic efforts to obscure it, the answer to this question is readily ascertained.

The Fifth Circuit has held that "absent a maritime status between the parties, a dock owner's duty to crew members of a vessel using thedock is defined by the application of state law, not maritime law. Specifically, maritime law does not impose a duty on the dock owner to provide a means of safe ingress or egress. Therefore, because maritime law does not create a duty on the part of Defendant Phillips vis-a-vis Plaintiff, any claim Plaintiff does have versus Phillips must necessarily arise under state law. Take heed and be suitably awed, oh boys and girls — the Court was able to state the issue and its resolution in one paragraph ... despite dozens of pages of gibberish from the parties to the contrary!

The Court, therefore ... applies the Texas statute of limitations. Texas has adopted a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases. Plaintiff failed to file his action versus Defendant Phillips within that two-year time frame. Plaintiff has offered no justification, such as the discovery rule or other similar tolling doctrines, for this failure. Accordingly, Plaintiff's claims versus Defendant Phillips were not timely filed and are barred. Defendant
Phillips' Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED and Plaintiff's state law claims against Defendant Phillips are hereby DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE. A Final Judgment reflecting such will be entered in due course.

II. CONCLUSION

After this remarkably long walk on a short legal pier, having received no useful guidance whatever from either party, the Court has endeavored, primarily based upon its affection for both counsel, but also out of its own sense of morbid curiosity, to resolve what it perceived to be the legal issue presented. Despite the waste of perfectly good crayon seen in both parties' briefing (and the inexplicable odor of wet dog emanating from such) the Court believes it has satisfactorily resolved this matter. Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED.

At this juncture, Plaintiff retains, albeit seemingly to his befuddlement and/or consternation, a maritime law cause of action versus his alleged Jones Act employer, Defendant Unity Marine Corporation, Inc. However, it is well known around these parts that Unity Marine's lawyer is equally likable and has been writing crisply in ink since the second grade. Some old-timers even spin yarns of an ability to type. The Court cannot speak to the veracity of such loose talk, but out of caution, the Court suggests that Plaintiff's lovable counsel had best upgrade to a nice shiny No. 2 pencil or at least sharpen what's left of the stubs of his crayons for what remains of this heart-stopping, spine-tingling action.

In either case, the Court cautions Plaintiff's counsel not to run with a sharpened writing utensil in hand — he could put his eye out.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DONE this 26th day of June, 2001, at Galveston, Texas.

SAMUEL B. KENT
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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209

General Discussion / Thank you!

« on: March 12, 2008, 08:57:32 am »

I want to take a moment to thank all of the people involved in the last three updates over the past two weeks. There has been many long hours (I would be willing to bet at least a thousand) put in to these updates and it is clear their love for the world and community is what keeps them working on updates. The past six months have been extremlly packed with RL happenings, holidays, family issues, and the list goes on and yet these individuals continue to produce updates for the community.

There can not be enough thanks for them but I just want to make sure everybody understands that their selflessness is what continues to make the world a great gaming place that is enjoyed by many around the world.

In no special order:
Gulnyr, muaddib, Chongo, Eorendil, Darkstorme, Weeblie, Script Wrecked, and Dorganth.

Thank you and good job!!

I also want to thank everybody on the GM Team, now and in the past. I firmly believe that a major part of what makes Layonara so special is the GM Team and all of the events they run and all of the difficult work they do behind the scenes (online and off) in order to ensure that Layonara remains a RP server at heart. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and it is your attention to the spirit of the server which is what continues to make Layonara loved by many.

Thanks folks, to each and every one of you!

And of course, thank you to the community! What a great RP community.

You rock!

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210

General Discussion / Update

« on: February 27, 2008, 04:09:01 pm »

Soon the canyons of isles once only seen on the horizon will close in around you, the steady breeze from a channeled and ancient wind pressing against your face.

And soon, you'll find why no ships sailed there before...

As the chittering of cunning foes echoes in the high cliffed forests around you...

And only passing moments of peace are found to admire what you've naught seen before.

Soon old enemies will take new forms.

And perhaps a few new tricks they'll have learned just like you...

You'll seek out their new domains with much wonder..

And perhaps... you will learn again to run...

And then run faster...

And yet faster....

Until you can no longer run.

I'll see you all in there soon enough. Look for Dorg's big announcement! Look for the new spells bursting in the air around you, the new monsters thundering towards you, the flicker of an unseen relic on the ground, and ever the expanding horizon of new lands.

:)Be careful out there folks.

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211

Layonara Server / Module update coming soon!

« on: February 26, 2008, 08:00:12 pm »

That's right, you've heard me talk about it for months, and now, it's almost ready. This update will require that you download some new files before you'll be able to get in-game:

layo_controlV3r3.hak - Download and unpack this RAR file into your /hak subfolder under NWN

layonara_v20.tlk - Download and unpack this RAR file into your /tlk subfolder under NWN

Or download them from the Downloads page.

You can download and install these now without disturbing your game play.

I'm not going to say exactly when the update will happen, but it will be soon.

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212

General Discussion / Thanks and good wishes to Aragon

« on: February 25, 2008, 04:53:07 pm »

I'm not sure if Aragon made it a point of leaving in relative peace, but last night he came online to IRC to bid adieu to some of the team members until September as he ships out to serve his country.

If it were his intentions to simply fade away without any fanfare then I apologize to him, but I felt a showing of community support was deserved and could not let it pass.

Thank you very much for your efforts and hard work for the community and the future of Layonara Aragon and get back safely, we're going to be needing you again.

If you wish to share your well wishes of a safe and speedy return and thoughts for him, please do so without turning this into any sort of political debate.

Get home safe Chuck!

-orth

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213

The Dragon Storm Campaign / Player initiated investigation sessions

« on: February 02, 2008, 08:41:50 am »

Greetings,

we've been receiving requests on people wanting to pursue lines of investigation regarding the Dragon Storm plot.

You could use CDQ slots for this, but that would "cost" you a CDQ for your character. So what we'll do is Player Initiated Investigation Sessions.

These Investigation Sessions need to be for a group of players, as they should not be personal XP hunt sessions.
You can submit for one here by:

1) Indicating what you want to investigate, stating the clues/rumors/info you are basing it on.
2) Indicating what timezone you and the investigative party are in and at what times you are available, so we can look at GM availability
3) being aware that while this can be rewarding, it can also be dangerous or even lead you to nothing at all.

4) realizing the sessions will probably be open to everyone (unless valid reasons are given)

These will not be very long sessions, probably no longer than an hour or two max. The idea is to gather information/investigate something which may be of use.

We'll then look at the proposed Investigation and let you know if we'll run it, or not (because it may be covered in another quest already, or can be done in a PM).

It is not intended to be a re-run of information already handed out in another quest, because for you guys to achieve the best outcome the playerbase will have to communicate with each other across timezones.

(Best is in the eye of the beholder BTW

E.g. Blood may have been defeated, but the Dark Ages killed millions, good/bad? No idea! Could it have gone different? Yes

There's a group of GMs across many timezones running stuff, and you may not even realize until later that something could be related to DS, so you'll have to talk.

Have fun!

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214

Just for Fun / A Friendly Reminder to NPC Mages about Abusing the Magic System.

« on: December 03, 2007, 02:19:39 pm »

It has come to our attention that the spawned enemies of the server have been abusing the magic system in such a way which is not in the spirit of the server. This has got to stop.

Firstly, it is poor sportsmanship and metagaming to exploit the system and not harm your own allies with area of effect spells which should be damaging to oneself when cast in small quarters. Clearly if a mage player's fireball immolates his own party when cast, it is just poor form to cast it at point blank when being attacked, knowing full well that if it weren't for the bioware hardcoding, you and your own allies would be so immolated. Hellball and meteor swarm were never meant to be cast upon the self or the allies. A succubus should never dance around in her own black tentacles!

We have also heard numerous reports about NPC mages casting large litanies of spells without the appropriate spell components or the corresponding eschew feats. This is clearly abusing the system, and we would ask that in the future all you NPC mages would either please plan your spells per day around a non-componented selection, aquire the eschew feats at the earliest opportunity or invest in material components.

Furthermore, we would ask that your bodyguards would cease and desist all attempts to lure the player characters by wandering around corners, into other spawn points or fleeing past other species of critters to assault the party. It is clearly metagaming for a frightened ogre to flee behind an ancient dire bear which would, if not for the hardcoded bioware factions, maul the ogre without another thought. The same goes for ogres and cockatrices, worgs and jaguars, goblins and falcons, and all other mismatched pairs of opposition. Please at least RP your interactions and provide a CDT detailing *why* an ogrillon would not be eaten by a wild bear, and we may consider it.

In conclusion, we would kindly ask that the gnoll shamans, ogre mages, succubi, balor, raksasha, fire giant shamans, the giant shamans on east, the thundering shamans, the dark druids, the dark spiders and their treant-friendly webs, the troll shamans and all other NPC casters please report to the GM area for mandatory flogging. This means you, Caustic Bones of Krandor! Clearly acid sheath mixed with acid clouds that you are immune to are an "I-win" card!

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215

General Discussion / Dedicated to Lynn

« on: November 19, 2007, 09:16:30 am »

This is for you Lynn, and I hope his patrol moves quickly for you. I know during that time for me, the sweetest saddest smell was the boat smell. It was sad because I knew he would be going away, and sweet when I smelled it again because he was home.

When God Created the Military Wife

When the Lord was creating a military wife He ran into His sixth day of overtime. An angel appeared and said, "You're having a lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?"

The Lord replied, "Have you seen the specs on this order? It has to be completely independent but must always be sponsored to get on a military installation. It must have the qualities of both mother and father during deployments, be a perfect host to 4 or 40, handle emergencies without an instruction manual, cope with flu and moves all around the world, have a kiss that cures anything from a child's bruised knee to a husband's weary days, have the patience of a saint when waiting for its mate to come home and, have six pairs of hands."

The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands? No way." The Lord answered, "Don't worry; we will make other military wives to help. Besides, it's not the hands that are causing the problem, it's the heart. It must swell with pride, sustain the ache of numerous separations while remaining true, beat soundly even when it feels too tired to do so, be large enough to say 'I understand' when it doesn't, and say 'I love you', regardless.

"Lord," said the angel, gently touching His sleeve. "Go to bed. You can finish it tomorrow." "I can't," said the Lord. "I'm so close to creating something quite unique. Already it can heal itself when sick, on a moment's notice it will willingly embrace and feed total strangers who have been stranded during a PCS move and it can wave goodbye to its husband understanding why he had to leave."

The angel circled the model of the military wife very slowly. "It's too soft," she sighed."But tough," the Lord said excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this being can do or endure.""Can it think?" asked the angel. "Can it think?! It can convert 1400 to 2 p.m.," replied the Lord.

Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. "There's a leak," she said. "I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model." It's not a leak," said the Lord. "It's a tear." "What's it for?" asked the angel. "It's for joy, sadness, pain, loneliness and pride." "You're a genius," said the angel.

Looking at her somberly, the Lord replied, "I didn't put it there."

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216

General Discussion / An Open Letter to Leanthar

« on: July 21, 2007, 11:32:41 pm »

An Open Letter to Leanthar

"Because of the nature of the quest and what the result could be there are a few WL's that will have the focus on them. That is not a favoritism thing ( sad I even have to say that ), it is the nature of the quest and what the end result may be." - Leanthar: http://forums.layonara.com/calendar.php?do=getinfo&day=2007-8-19&c=3

Dear Leanthar

This is favoritism. There is no other way to put it. However that said it is also of the justified variety. Please in the future honestly admit that the quest’s focus will be on established players. With that said I must also state that I approve of your explanation that there is a reason behind this choice; that being that they may have some negative results. So this is a simple request from a long time player; remove the 'That is not a favoritism thing ( sad I even have to say that )'. I would rather approach the quest with the knowledge that people whom have invested over a thousand hours into the server will get theirs, then approach it with you being a limp noodle because you’re stricken with terror that rewarding some diligence openly will cause the community to go up in arms. Thus I propose this revision:

"Because of the nature of this quest, and what could be the various results in what I have tentatively planned. There are a few longstanding players, some of which are World Leaders ( WL's ) that will have the focus of the quest on them. This is because, the nature and history of their characters and their immediate and long running future could be seriously endangered. As a quest and series it is not only about these individuals and will affect everyone, therefore your participation in this quest is critical for it to succeed. So please approach this quest with the attitude to help your fellow players, as someday it will be you, not may but will."

Now I may poke fun of such a statement, but I really can't find anything genuinely wrong with it. In the past you have stressed that your quests are about the world, and effect everyone in it. Sometimes people could use a reminder that the quests are, and that people whom have stuck it out a long time will have sometimes RP clot. Also I suspect a reminder that a healthy community is one where people try and help each other succeed instead of being purely self serving.I have made this an open letter so that any whom think they can do better than me can take a try. That and so that those that will violently disagree can have their chance to call me a buffoon in some great pretty way.

Sincerely with Respect
Ozymandias/Jason

P.S. I know I could of worded things more eloquently. So feel free to edit what I've said in your head a little to be more palatable. Such as 'focus will be on part' or the like, you know normal procedure when dealing with me.

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217

Fixed Bugs / Time Converter MIA

« on: June 15, 2007, 03:41:00 pm »

Layonara Time Converter

Kell's fastidious about dating his journal posts - and without this handy little tool, he has no way of doing so! (Horrors!)

If someone could repair the broken link, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

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218

General Discussion / LORE Messaging and Parchment Folder Usage Returns

« on: February 29, 2016, 10:56:23 am »

LORE Messaging should be functional. Please be advised that you only get messages when considered in a Natural, Above Ground setting. In some cases some of the newer areas may not be flagged appropriately, but for the most part they are. Read more about the messaging system if you do not know about it, here: http://forums.layonara.com/layonara-server/101114-send-messages-players-game-through-lore.html The Parchment Folder system is back online as well. Since we upgraded the nwn database to the same encoding as our web sites, this may solve some of the weirdness with the parchment injection, but this is not a certainty. Hopefully the combination of the web and the in game system will help alleviate any bugs. We will not focus much development on the system, hopefully it will satisfy some of the needs. Read more about the parchment folder system if you do not know about it, here: http://forums.layonara.com/layonara-server/101371-parchment-folder-lore-system-usage.html We still need to update the character updater, so newer characters may not show up on LORE until this is done. -o

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219

Roleplaying / Reproducing parchments with Autohotkey

« on: June 06, 2007, 06:15:32 am »

Some time ago I posted on using the program Autohotkey http://forums.layonara.com/roleplaying/114411-emote-your-heart-out.html . This program has many uses for repetitive tasks.

The recent threads on parchment copying leads me to share how my PC is working on a rather complexly formatted ingame newsletter.

Note in the script below, please(!) change the references to "Pen N Popper" to your own player name. I don't want to get the tells spammed at me. :-)

Code: [Select]


^9::
    Write_Example()
return


Say(s, end_delay=0)
{
    global prefix

    SendInput {Enter}
    Sleep 250
    IfInString, s, /
        SendInput {Raw}%s% 
    else
        SendInput {Raw}%prefix%%s% 
    SendInput {Enter}

    if ( end_delay != 0 ) {
        Sleep end_delay
    }
}

last_color := ""

Write_Quill()
{
    MouseClick, right, 282, 382
    Sleep 250
    MouseClick, right, 350, 459
    Sleep 250
    MouseClick, left, 271, 241
    Sleep 6000
}

Write_Ink(name, x, y)
{
    MouseClick, right, 282, 382
    Sleep 250
    MouseClick, right, 350, 459
    Sleep 250
    MouseClick, left, x, y
    Sleep 250
    Say( "/tp ""Pen N Popper"" READY TO WRITE IN " . name . " INK")

    Sleep 6000

    return 1
}

Write_Gold_Ink()
{
    Write_Ink("gold", 312, 235)
}

Write_Red_Ink()
{
    Write_Ink("red", 314, 270)
}

Write_Green_Ink()
{
    Write_Ink("green", 315, 302)
}

Write_Blue_Ink()
{
    Write_Ink("blue", 316, 335)
}

Write_White_Ink()
{
    Write_Ink("white", 316, 370)
}

Write_Purple_Ink()
{
    Write_Ink("purple", 316, 399)
}

Write(color, text)
{
    global last_color

    if ( color != last_color ) {
        last_color := color
        if ( color == "white" ) {
            Write_White_Ink()
        } else if ( color == "green" ) {
            Write_Green_Ink()
        } else if ( color == "red" ) {
            Write_Red_Ink()
        } else if ( color == "blue" ) {
            Write_Blue_Ink()
        } else if ( color == "gold" ) {
            Write_Gold_Ink()
        } else if ( color == "purple" ) {
            Write_Purple_Ink()
        } else {
            Say( "/tp ""Pen N Popper"" ERROR!! UNKNOWN COLOR " . color . " ")
            return
        }
    }
    Say(text, 6000)

    return
}

Write_Example()
{
    global last_color

    gold := "gold"
    white := "white"
    red := "red"
    blue := "blue"
    green := "green"
    purple := "purple"

    Write_White_Ink()
    Write_Quill()
    Say("~~erase", 1000)
    last_color := "white"

    Write(gold, "~~title Bumblebee is the man!")

    Write(white, "~~~~")
    Write(gold, "~ ~~ All About My Favorite Brownie ~~")
    Write(white, "~~nl")
    Write(white, "~What a cute little fellow, dressed in yellow.")
    Write(white, "~~nll")
    Write(white, "~Wonder if he's married, or likes to be carried.")
    Write(white, "~~nl")

    Say("/tp ""Pen N Popper"" FINISHED!")

    return
}

Since this script will actually dip your quill into the inks, it is required that your inventory be structured in a certain way. (Note that the coordinates may need adjusting to match your graphics resolution / screen size.)

The line of ink vials are ordered from top to bottom: Gold, red, green, blue, white, purple. The parchment next to the ink vials is the one that will be written upon. The quill must be in its position next to the ink vials.

It doesn't matter what page of inventory this is on, but your inventory must be open to that page and positioned above the chat window.

This is all very important since Autohotkey will be moving your mouse.

Once you are ready to start writing, simply type Ctrl-9 (control key and 9 key together). Now sit back and relax! Don't move the mouse or try to type until it is finished.

Note that if your text is long there is a chance that an action will be missed and you'll end up resting or skipping a line or such. Just let the script finish and try again. The built-in delays of the script are often enough, though.

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220

General Discussion / Goodnight, Tonight...Goodbye

« on: June 04, 2007, 11:06:57 pm »

Normally, it is considered quite tactful, and in most cases respectful to post something like this in a private forum first before making it public.

At this time however, I feel that I need no such restraint and have no desire to show such propriety.

This can be considered my resignation as a DM, community member, player and contributor to Layonara. All those who have requested me to act in a DM capacity for a CDQ, or WLDQ must find another DM. All other projects, will stay on my hard drive and an alternate version should be used if any are even desired at this point.

I ask at this time that all contributions I have made to this point, up to and including all writings and stories I have composted related to and resulting from DM quests, Character Development Threads concerning the following:

Branderback
Miko Millspaugh
Xeen
The Vine
Ranalea
Boo
Prantz
The Administration
Broegar
Caliessa
Odlithaner (a.k.a. The Mouth of Broegar)
Oom Kaayrk
Dregar
Orc’s Watch
Fort Rael
The beginnings of Prantz
Sunset’s Dawn

be withdrawn from the handbook before it’s publication and not be used in any current or future works published by Layonara Studios or any of it's affiliates. They are not part of the Layonara Intellectual Property, nor do I wish them to be any longer.

I myself heartily disagree with this migration/subscription, and I do not want a part of it. I was not asked, nor approached in any way shape or form by any member of the staff regarding this project until I found out about it during a forum crawl on June the 3rd. I was told that I had to give written consent to use my writings as per the copyright notice for Layonara Intellectual Property found in several places throughout the various staff forums. I did not respond to that post, although my silence was taken as consent, which at the time I was fine with. Recently, I have been sent a release form to be filled out, signed, and then sent back to the Layonara offices, I have not, and will not do so. I find it reprehensible and underhanded that I was not told that what I write may or may not be used in a proprietary endevour started in secret by select members of the Layonara team.

Yes, the possibility existed for me to have gotten paid for this, that does not placate me, nor should it make it morally right. I did not become a DM, or a writer for the possibility of royalties, fame (infamy), or to have my name on a cover. I did this for fun, to share, to meet new people. The prosepect of money and paying customers changes all of this, and makes it unpure to me and I no longer wish to participate.

But why did I give my initial (albeit silent) consent? I did this thinking that I was writing for this incarnation (meaning, the free to play one) of Layonara, and for the next edition handbook which I did know was going to be published, and for which I would receive royalties for. I didn’t really like the idea of monetary compensation, but I rationalized that it’s for a book that nearly everybody will, in some way shape or form (My DM quests, random RP with either my PC’s or NPC’s, etc) be able to benefit from. I planned on framing my first royalty check, and then donating the remaining ones to the server. Now however, being the person that I am, I heartily dislike being deceived and having the true purposes of my labors unknown to me.. I refuse to be anybody’s mushroom (second definition), I deserve better treatment then this, not as a DM, or community member, or contributor, but as a human being, and therefore, I desire no further part in this moronic mess.

I have watched this community go into a slow decay, longtime players and friends have been leaving at a consistent rate. Veteran players are constantly overshadowed and left wanting in favor of those who go against what I thought the spirit of this server was (You all know who they are). My online experience has slowly degraded until it has been a chore to log on as either a player or DM. I’ve watched the player base go from a small close knit group of friends and cliques into a huge group of quest whoring, XP hungry, selfish, inconsiderate, unruly, disrespectful people. I’ve seen DM’s become scared to run events the way they wish because of the whiny poor attitudes of players. What was deemed as an RP-Action server, has basically lost the RP and is now left with –Action. That’s minus Action, like minus world from Super Mario Brothers.

Although this migration may be deemed as necessary, and I can even barely see where it is desirable, I do not see where it will improve the “quality of life” for those participating in the server. The problems in the community cannot be fixed by a magic wand of a new system design. My experiences in mechanical engineering, systems design, programming, and game development, a system (or machine) designed to accommodate everyone cannot, by nature of it’s shear breadth and scope, excel in every area if it even manages to excel in any one area at all. It is the nature of the people that made this community great, and they are now in a small minority, to cater to them cuts off the larger portion of the players (customers, whatever). To acquiesce to the majority alienates the minority. To add compromises sullies your original purpose, to force the majority to act like the minority by rewarding the minority for doing what you perceive is “right”, will be deemed as “unfair”. All of these things will only narrow the small niche market for this product further. This doesn’t begin to address the issue of those great players who cannot afford to pay a reoccurring subscription fee at all or the increased stress of a staff that now has to deal with customers instead of players.

As a last caution as you venture bravely into this new world. Remember, this not an enterprise, it is not the be all end all of your existence. You get no rewards at the end of the month (unless you’re one of the select few being paid), and nobody will knock at your door to congratulate you for killing that balor prince in 5 rounds, so please, have fun, it is just a game after all.

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