As some of you may have read in the blog comments of last post, through facebook, or from other TMN players, I finally got a response from DC at July 21st. This of course is good news, but the response was as quick as "Hey Marc, did you get my text message? Let me know your schedule and we'll talk soon". I did not get any text message, and my schedule for TMN-related things is as easy as 'any time you are available'. I didn't receive any replies since that day.
Since I returned from holiday (I spent 8 days in Crete, Greece) last monday I haven't done too much on TMN, but today I continued where I left off. I worked on the following items:
- Online players page
- Friends List
- Online / Offline status improvements (also for performance)
- Gambling on Blackjack now works (others should as well, need to test that)
- Casino owner panel now works
- Registration process improvements
- Travel to other cities now working
- Performance updates regarding game forum
As you can read I'm still not waiting for DC to fix TMN, although getting the most recent files from him would actually speed up the process.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Stayin' busy
Celebrating my graduation, enjoying the good weather, drinking beers with people I haven't spoken in a while... Yeah, I've been enjoying myself since I graduated! But in the meantime I'm working quite hard to earn some money, to try and contact DC, and to 'repair' my version of TMN for possible future usage.
With small steps I'm getting the game ready, but since I don't have any recent database backup (I was busy with the graduation project and never thought of making one), it's a time-consuming and difficult job. Because I do have the entire source code it isn't an impossible job (I wouldn't have started doing it in that case), but it still takes a lot of time.
I started off with a database from 2008, which is one major version and hundreds of minor versions previous to the "TMNClassic" we used last round (October 2009 - March 2010). I couldn't login, register, or even attempt anything. I'm now at a stage in which I'm able to "fake" an account, login, and view my mailbox without getting any errors (see screenshot below).
What most of you will want to know, is whether or not I'll be bringing TMN back online. I can't really answer that question, but if there were no hope at all I wouldn't be repairing it. I've done everything I can to contact DC, so I'm not waiting for him. There are however a few things I will need to do before I can bring it back online, here's a quick list:
- Repair the database and test the game
- Port database to mySQL to save about $50 a month
- Research possibilities to run TMN on a cheap (virtual) Linux server
- Beg for money to cover at least 3 months of server fees
- Request support from players willing to help moderate the game (and forums)
Marc
ps. Besides e-mails, text messages, voice-mail messages and messages in paypal money transfers could you think of any way to contact DC? let me know if you do, I'm out of ideas!
With small steps I'm getting the game ready, but since I don't have any recent database backup (I was busy with the graduation project and never thought of making one), it's a time-consuming and difficult job. Because I do have the entire source code it isn't an impossible job (I wouldn't have started doing it in that case), but it still takes a lot of time.
I started off with a database from 2008, which is one major version and hundreds of minor versions previous to the "TMNClassic" we used last round (October 2009 - March 2010). I couldn't login, register, or even attempt anything. I'm now at a stage in which I'm able to "fake" an account, login, and view my mailbox without getting any errors (see screenshot below).
What most of you will want to know, is whether or not I'll be bringing TMN back online. I can't really answer that question, but if there were no hope at all I wouldn't be repairing it. I've done everything I can to contact DC, so I'm not waiting for him. There are however a few things I will need to do before I can bring it back online, here's a quick list:
- Repair the database and test the game
- Port database to mySQL to save about $50 a month
- Research possibilities to run TMN on a cheap (virtual) Linux server
- Beg for money to cover at least 3 months of server fees
- Request support from players willing to help moderate the game (and forums)
Marc
ps. Besides e-mails, text messages, voice-mail messages and messages in paypal money transfers could you think of any way to contact DC? let me know if you do, I'm out of ideas!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Offline.....
Wow, and this had to be the title of the next post!
I assume everyone who reads this already knows TMN is off-line, but the bad news is that I don't know why and for how long (though I could guess, I won't). After numerous e-mails and text messages, and even some messages on facebook, I still haven't heard from DC.
So, what's next? That's my question really... If DC's had enough of TMN, I'll buy the domains and cut him a deal as I'm sure players are willing to help and revive the TMN community. I'll be busy as always (although the 55-hour weeks of graduation are over), but with some help from people who actually communicate it might work.
For now all we can do is wait, sadly.
If you would like to stay updated, you could either join the Facebook group ("TheMafiaNetwork") or keep watching the TMN domains (themafianetwork.net, tmnx.net) and this blog.
Marc
Ps. The message below was posted on Facebook earlier this week:
I assume everyone who reads this already knows TMN is off-line, but the bad news is that I don't know why and for how long (though I could guess, I won't). After numerous e-mails and text messages, and even some messages on facebook, I still haven't heard from DC.
So, what's next? That's my question really... If DC's had enough of TMN, I'll buy the domains and cut him a deal as I'm sure players are willing to help and revive the TMN community. I'll be busy as always (although the 55-hour weeks of graduation are over), but with some help from people who actually communicate it might work.
For now all we can do is wait, sadly.
If you would like to stay updated, you could either join the Facebook group ("TheMafiaNetwork") or keep watching the TMN domains (themafianetwork.net, tmnx.net) and this blog.
Marc
Ps. The message below was posted on Facebook earlier this week:
Since TMN has been offline, I've been trying to contact DC to figure out why... I assume he just 'let it die'. Especially since he has ignored text messages as well as e-mails on all e-mail addresses I know, I'm afraid I'm right.
Anyway, if he responds, we'll see what we can do. The least we could do is get a website o...nline to explain things. As for now: the future is unknown.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Up and running
As you may know, TMN is back up and running. It doesn't look bad at all from my perspective; between 150 and 300 players online usually, forums are quite active as well, and overall TMN seems alive again.
Before we re-launched we already made a lot of changes, and it seems like we're not stopping yet! Unfortunately we didn't have much time to test the new layout, also because we're more focusing on this game round and its features. I think we'll eventually find a nice way to implement the new layout though! I can't share any screenshots yet.
As for me, I'm currently doing 5 courses at another university, and though I have to spend a lot more time on studying and traveling now, it's a nice set of interesting courses so I'm not complaining.
Marc
Before we re-launched we already made a lot of changes, and it seems like we're not stopping yet! Unfortunately we didn't have much time to test the new layout, also because we're more focusing on this game round and its features. I think we'll eventually find a nice way to implement the new layout though! I can't share any screenshots yet.
As for me, I'm currently doing 5 courses at another university, and though I have to spend a lot more time on studying and traveling now, it's a nice set of interesting courses so I'm not complaining.
Marc
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Back from holiday
Only a few days back I returned home from 8 days of fun in Rimini (Italy). I spent my nights in multiple clubs including Baia Imperiale, Club Life, Shooters Bar, Copa Cabana, Altromondo Studios and Blow-Up. This holiday was a (well-deserved) opportunity to relax.
Back home I replied to all e-mails and PMs (not too many, lucky me!), to continue with development. Today I started off slow* by implementing Youtube videos for player profiles, which works quite nicely now.
Marc
*: Italians do everything slowly, I apparently got used to that!
Back home I replied to all e-mails and PMs (not too many, lucky me!), to continue with development. Today I started off slow* by implementing Youtube videos for player profiles, which works quite nicely now.
Marc
*: Italians do everything slowly, I apparently got used to that!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
TMN Beta Testing
The TMN Beta Test is going very well. Most players I e-mailed about it were happy to help me test TMN on a 100% voluntary basis.
So far I've spent most time on a few improvements:
- Properties on Trading Center had a few bugs in it, those were fixed
- Business Names are now scanned for illegal characters (on creation)
- Replaced one crime with a pick pocket function, that will pick another player's pockets (you can type in the name yourself!)
- Added a Sell All Damaged Cars button to garage
Other improvements we have been discussing on the forums include:
- Sorting of garage
- Car Bombing
- Allowing players to update a topic they created
- Network invitation messages and slogans
- Drive-By Organized Crime
- MTAs
- Explosives Lab (entirely different than the way it used to be!)
- Bullet Factories
The above things are still being considered, but I'm hoping to improve TMN as much as possible.
So far I've spent most time on a few improvements:
- Properties on Trading Center had a few bugs in it, those were fixed
- Business Names are now scanned for illegal characters (on creation)
- Replaced one crime with a pick pocket function, that will pick another player's pockets (you can type in the name yourself!)
- Added a Sell All Damaged Cars button to garage
Other improvements we have been discussing on the forums include:
- Sorting of garage
- Car Bombing
- Allowing players to update a topic they created
- Network invitation messages and slogans
- Drive-By Organized Crime
- MTAs
- Explosives Lab (entirely different than the way it used to be!)
- Bullet Factories
The above things are still being considered, but I'm hoping to improve TMN as much as possible.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Empty!
The game forum counts max 3 pages. Topics stay on for days. Online players 'list' is just a few lines of names, less than 60 usually. I get less than 10 messages a day.
All sad signs of one thing: The reset
People say we should reset sooner, but we assumed people would be pissed if we'd announce it later. It seems like this wasn't such a great step to take after all!
Should we change the announcement? I think that decision requires some insight in donation records (which I don't have myself). I should have a chat with Huy within a few days that could help us. We could possibly do the killfests earlier and bring TMN back up earlier as well.
For now, I've set up another server (besides the regular test server) to test TMN with about 10 players. The forums there will be used for discussing new and improved features for next round, and to test these features as well. I hope that'll save the trouble we had with tmnX, and I hope that will make next round a little more exciting.
Marc
All sad signs of one thing: The reset
People say we should reset sooner, but we assumed people would be pissed if we'd announce it later. It seems like this wasn't such a great step to take after all!
Should we change the announcement? I think that decision requires some insight in donation records (which I don't have myself). I should have a chat with Huy within a few days that could help us. We could possibly do the killfests earlier and bring TMN back up earlier as well.
For now, I've set up another server (besides the regular test server) to test TMN with about 10 players. The forums there will be used for discussing new and improved features for next round, and to test these features as well. I hope that'll save the trouble we had with tmnX, and I hope that will make next round a little more exciting.
Marc
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