OpenUru.org

Greetings,

Note the question mark in the title to indicate a little more warning and flexibility than May's update. The intent of this thread is to allow discussion before an announcement is made at the next AGM in October. This is Tai'lahr's idea to be more inclusive of planning and the announcement. It's a great idea, so thanks to her. We can use all the ideas and help we can get.

We have preliminary plans for an update coincident with the first MOULa reset in November, which might be November 12 unless Cyan is closed for the Veterans Day holiday. If it is, the reset and update could occur immediately before or after that weekend. Chogon currently guesses November 13, if necessary. We'll find out more as the date approaches.

We would like to collect thoughts prior to the October AGM so that a more detailed announcement can be made there, and then again at the November AGM to remind everyone it is imminent and exactly what will be included. It is far enough out that there is no current conflict for Chogon.

We (Chogon and OpenUru.org, and I'm sure most of the community, but Mac_Fife brought it up) also want to push fan content a lot more to get something going as a bigger attraction for MOULa. Chogon was wondering how we would supply the content, which can be discussed with the community, but that while 3ds max 7 files fit into the built system, maybe it wouldn't be too hard to just take prps with the Python source - he'll have to look at the build scripts. We would need a fan Nexus produced and it would need to present some caveat to the player that they are venturing into the fan area - not that hard to do but it would make it easier for Cyan to accept ages that are not perfect, etc. I suggested an obvious, passive sign within the age and Mark agreed it would not have to be an in-your-face pop-up "with sirens and blinking lights." Heh. Mentioning fan content raises the issue of licensing. Frankly, it's not done and it will take volunteer time that few of us have to get it done. We'll have to think of something on the fly - case by case - until there's a permanent solution.

Regarding the grabby window patch, my favorite in this batch I think, it still needs work to be included into production MOULa: the disappearing cursor on title bar/border and the window receiving mouse clicks even while not at top (in focus).

I don't really know the complete fix/feature list at the moment, but we can discuss that here too.

The recent downgrade to CAVCON 2 concerns me because it always seems to drop a point after an update.

Right now, there are two empty spaces on the bookshelf after the city book. Maybe one of the spaces could be used for the fan age Nexus? Maybe both spaces could have books related to getting to user made areas, like one Nexus for fan Ages and one for fan made D'ni areas. That might feel more sloppy then just having them both different sub-groups in one Nexus though...

Then there is the question of if the book would be on the shelf from the creation of an avatar, or if the first link to the fan Nexus would be somewhere else.

I guess the other options are a link to the fan Nexus from the regular Nexus, or some kind of KI command to link to them. But I think it would be nice to use those empty book spaces once possible. Were there already any ideas forming about access to this Nexus?

This thread is about the update and content issues, but not about actually discussing a nexus design. You can start a thread here on OU, probably in the Open Discussion forum, or start a full-fledged project. But the best place to go for actually working on content is The Guild of Writers website and forum. There was a project here about a "Community Nexus" that didn't catch on, and most of its links are broken, but maybe it will give you some ideas about how to proceed, such as finding Tweek's existing UI design. I'm sure he and others have already put a lot of thought into it.

OK, I know I was part of the offline discussion that initiated this thread, but let me see if I've got things right here :

Nov 5 is the Monday following the November AGM, and Nov 12 is notionally the first server restart after that AGM. So what you're saying is that the October AGM is to be used to announce the "plan" (for want of a better description) for the next update?

Then the November AGM will announce what's in the update and will also act as a final reminder that all testing etc., should be complete to allow a packaging up for Cyan's uplift on Nov 5 and rollout on MOULa on Nov 12 (or thereabouts)?

Also, although trying make a move on new content has been mentioned here, there's no implication that the next update will include new content (barring miracles)?

All correct, as usual!

Regarding fan age distribution on MOULa, what we really need is a well laid out plan for fan age inclusion before adding any to MOULa is even considered. You mentioned licensing; since work on the Cyan's licensing proposal is not yet complete, it might be best to require that all fan ages under consideration for MOULa be released under either a CC license or a similar equivalent. Doing so will both allow for separations between Cyan and fan content on Cyan's shard, and also allow fan age licenses to be forwards compatible with any licenses Cyan formally adopts for their MOULa content. Just my thoughts; further discussion is definitely needed.

Also, regarding the actual update, is it an option to hold out until the next planned update? I know this was mentioned last time around, but I'd hate to have CAVCON drop down to 1 if there's only a few minor tweaks and additions ready to go.

Let's keep any discussion of prospective content and the associated snags for another thread - there's lots to discuss there and its unlikely to form any part of the "Next MOULa Update".

We can makes updates available to Cyan at virtually any point we wish provided fixes continue to come from the devs, but there's no fixed obligation on Cyan to pull those in at the point we offer them (or even at all), although it's fair to say that it's unlikely they'd turn them down after they've been through "proving" here. Obviously, if it got to the point where applying an update would empty the piggy-bank then it'd be a no-brainer to defer the update, but it's Cyan's call. Cyan's commitment is to keep MOULa running so long as it is managing to fund itself and the deterioration in CAVCON over the past two months suggests that it is not now able to do that. But the update we're talking about here is over eight weeks away, so there's time for the CAVCON health to (hopefully) recover. There's more I could say on CAVCON, but I don't want that to take over this thread.

Greetings,

Just a reminder that a November software update and the next AGM are more sooner than later. It would be great to have something to say about this at this AGM.

Christian, if you are reading, any chance you could work up one of your great wiki pages on what's available for the next update? Please keep in mind that the one change I am most enthusiastic about is the one that still needs work before we would endorse it as ready for prime time: the (anti)grabby window code still needs work on making the cursor appear on the title bar and border of the window, able to drag the window, and not accept mouse clicks if the window is not on top and in focus.

CAVCON may still be an issue for more community discussion before this update.

Content will not be part of this update.

In case it has slipped through the cracks, a reminder that my avatar-physics PR has been sitting in limbo for over 3 months now. If the ship hasn't already sailed, this should be deployed on Minkata ASAP.

The ship does not sail until one week prior to the update.