Open Source Uru Plans, the GOW perspective

[BAD]

For inter-guild and wider inter-group communication, why not develop with the other guilds and groups an area on the Open Uru forum? I'm sure that JWPlatt would be happy to help with this. It would also be possible to set up a similar chat room to that in GoMa.

The reason for suggesting this central, potentially neutral, non-guild-affiliated area is that it might help overcome some explorers' antipathy to the guilds in general. It also helps to avoid the likely charge of empire building were any of the guilds to set it up in their own areas.

Edit: I forgot to say that I agree that it is essential to keep the separate guild forums for everyday working. That way, each guild can set up the system that best matches their needs.

I would rather not use JW's site. I don't think his idea is a bad, one, but if we are building an inter-guild server the guilds should be in control of the place we set it up on. It makes no sense to me to house all of our efforts on a neutral site, when it will be very obvious that the inter-guild server will be ran by the guilds directly. It sends a message that we are not confident about our collaboration. In an environment we have little control over, we put forward the appearance that we are not in control. Trust me when I tell you that when your running a game server, it is important that people understand who is in control of it. If there is any indication we aren't on top of the running of the server, certain people will take that as license to hack it or take advantage in other ways.

Unless of course we disband the guilds. Which I think would devastate any attempt to organize and consolidate the community.

You can just about ignore most of this post. I simply don't think using JW's site is a good idea, as we would be subject to his administration. I believe a foundation of all the guilds would have enough resources and motivated people to host and run it's own web space.

[BAD]

************************Open Source Uru Plan*************************

1) In the beginning........
*****A) Set up or join (if already existing) an all Guilds forum. Potentially the Guilds Server bank forum.
**********a) Create areas for server maintenance
**********b) Create areas for each Guild
**********c) Create areas for code projects
**********d) link all Guilds forums databases to the new forum
**********e) Set up forums for general discussion and sign up of other groups
**********f) Create areas for new groups as they spring up or join the forum
*****B) Set up a test server where GoW and GoMa can test out existing ages on the multiplayer aspect
**********a) Document the whole process and release it publicly
*****C) Set up the Main Guild servers for playing Uru
**********a) us knowledge from test servers to stabilitize the server as best as possible
**********b) Possibly begin soliciting for other servers to be set up to aid the main server

2) As we progress..... (after the initial set ups. Keeping people interested, possible problems and possible solutions)
*****A) Design UCC friendly way of linking to Ages (Relto bookshelf or Nexus might be a good start, but a library age would do better)
*****B) Make decisions about basic Shard Background (continuity of how UCC ages are written, establishing of guilds in IC sense - what did or did not happen in the last hiatus)

3) Home stretch..... (Here is where we have everything going. Put things we should keep in mind and promote to keep everything thriving)
*****A)

[teedyo]

I think 1) sub B) is way too simplistic depending on what is released by Cyan. If it is strictly source, it will need a bit of examination to see if someone has the resources to compile the parts directly; ie Oracle, Windows Server, PhysX(if it's included). Otherwise there needs to be development of the server for a different platform/dbms. If the PhysX code isn't included; there needs to be a substitute put in for that. Probably quicker to modify *cough* the current MOUL client for connection to a different server rather than replace the current physics code; for the short term, of course. Hopefully; any PhysX code in the client simply references the SDK ABI and will not have any reason to be removed.

Really just rambling thoughts.

[BAD]

Heh, please feel free to edit it all yuo want.

[BAD]

I know with all the excitement it's hard to focus, but I really think this still is very important.

I'll be adding more to it at some point but probably not until after new years. Please if anyone even has a small addition, add it. Some people have made great suggestions in this thread, but didn't add them to the synopsis.

I can't say this enough, this is a rough outline, so I want to see a lot of edits.

[Chacal]

************************Open Source Uru Plan*************************

1) In the beginning........
*****A) Set up or join (if already existing) an all Guilds forum. Potentially the Guilds Server bank forum.
**********a) Create areas for server maintenance
**********b) Create areas for each Guild
**********c) Create areas for code projects
**********d) link all Guilds forums databases to the new forum
**********e) Set up forums for general discussion and sign up of other groups
**********f) Create areas for new groups as they spring up or join the forum
*****B) Set up a test server where GoW and GoMa can test out existing ages on the multiplayer aspect
**********a) Document the whole process and release it publicly
*****C) Set up the Main Guild servers for playing Uru
**********a) Immediately after release, when all software is ready, set up a public server so the Guilds shard is seen as the primary one
**********b) Use knowledge from test servers to stabilitize the server as best as possible
**********c) Possibly begin soliciting for other servers to be set up to aid the main server
*****D) Publish a "home server kit" so Writers can do their unit testing at home

2) As we progress..... (after the initial set ups. Keeping people interested, possible problems and possible solutions)
*****A) Design UCC friendly way of linking to Ages (Relto bookshelf or Nexus might be a good start, but a library age would do better)
*****B) Make decisions about basic Shard Background (continuity of how UCC ages are written, establishing of guilds in IC sense - what did or did not happen in the last hiatus)

3) Home stretch..... (Here is where we have everything going. Put things we should keep in mind and promote to keep everything thriving)
*****A) Establish ways to bring new content into the shard. See this thread for 4 models.

[BAD]

Thankyou, I am updating the first post!

[Nalates]

************************Open Source Uru Plan*************************

1) In the beginning........
*****A) Set up or join (if already existing) an all Guilds forum. Potentially the Guilds Server bank forum.
**********a) Create areas for server maintenance
**********b) Create areas for each Guild
**********c) Create areas for code projects
**********d) link all Guilds forums databases to the new forum
**********e) Set up forums for general discussion and sign up of other groups
**********f) Create areas for new groups as they spring up or join the forum
*****B) Set up a test server where GoW and GoMa can test out existing ages on the multiplayer aspect
**********a) Document the whole process and release it publicly
---ADD---
*****C1) Determine server and bandwidth requirements for primary game server
**********a) Determine server hardware cost or acquire donated equipment
**********b) Determine bandwidth and ISP costs
**********c) Determine funding complications and costs added by International players
**********d) Determine legal liability for server operators - TITLE XIV--CHILD ONLINE PROTECTION (USA Code)
**********e) Determine if legal council is needed - find counselor
****************1) Decide minimum age allowed on server (13 is a TITLE XIV line)
****************2) Decide who accepts liability for child protection and compliance
****************3) Decide if insurance is needed and cost
****************4) Determine cost of legal council
**********e) Handle funding
****************1) Organize legally responsible group to handle funds
****************2) Organize accounting system and books
****************3) Do fund raiser for initial costs - if needed
****************4) Setup game subscription system - if needed
---End ADD---
*****C) Set up the Main Guild servers for playing Uru
**********a) Immediately after release, when all software is ready, set up a public server so the Guilds shard is seen as the primary one
**********b) Use knowledge from test servers to stabilitize the server as best as possible
**********c) Possibly begin soliciting for other servers to be set up to aid the main server
*****D) Publish a "home server kit" so Writers can do their unit testing at home

2) As we progress..... (after the initial set ups. Keeping people interested, possible problems and possible solutions)
*****A) Design UCC friendly way of linking to Ages (Relto bookshelf or Nexus might be a good start, but a library age would do better)
*****B) Make decisions about basic Shard Background (continuity of how UCC ages are written, establishing of guilds in IC sense - what did or did not happen in the last hiatus)

3) Home stretch..... (Here is where we have everything going. Put things we should keep in mind and promote to keep everything thriving)
*****A) Establish ways to bring new content into the shard. See this thread for 4 models.

Not many people are considering the money and legal aspects running a server will bring. So, I added a section C1 (did not want to relabel all the other sections).

Children and International players are a problem or if the server goes up in Europe, then US players are a problem. There is no doubt we want everyone in-game. What we can afford and what laws we have to comply with, profit or non-profit, are real concerns.

[BAD]

Good call. I'll change the letters and numbers around. THanks!

[Chacal]

Why should we have to make specific allowances for US laws? It is one country out of 195.
Let's locate the servers in a less, er, a more modern country. One that does not have stupid laws like COPA.

Edit:
Holy cow! Look at this excerpt written by Donahoo, from the latest GoMe newspaper (emphasis mine):

"I think my favorite past-time in Uru, after exploring, was dancing and playing music. The first
dance party was in the Kahlo Pub, and was called D'ni Happy Hour or Pub Night, evolving into
the D'ni Cocktail Party when we moved to the D'mala shard in February 2006. It was in the
Kadish Gallery on D'mala but because of city population limits in MOUL , we couldn't have the
party in a public city. We had it in a specially created Bevin called D'ni Party Bevin - 'cocktail' was
a bad word on MOUL. "

Yes, maybe we should consider other countries.