PBW server is back up.

[geoschmo]

Ok folks, here’s the other shoe as it were. There was somewhat of a miscommunication between myself and the ISP as to the process for moving the DSL line. Here is how it’s going to work. Before they can do anything else they have to unhook the DSL at the old place. This is in process now and could happen really anytime in the next few days. Even today I suppose. I will have no further warning of this downtime, it will just be down and I will get an email at that point telling me it’s down. I expect some of you will probably notice it’s down even before I get that email.

At that point they begin the process to move the DSL to the new line. Officially this could take anywhere from two to four weeks. Unofficially he said these have been running about a week, and even just a couple days in some cases.

What all this means is PBW is going to be unavailable at some point in the very near future, and for an indeterminate length of time something between a few days and as long as a month. If you have a game that you would like to continue via email during the down time it can be done. You need to have your game owner start saving the turn files now, starting with the current one, and you can email him your .plr files and he can run the game PBEM style till PBW is back up and running.

If anyone has a game with an AWOL game owner, let us know and I will see about getting one of the players setup to run things.

Sorry about all this. I am not really happy about it either. Apparently the problem is I kept my phone number in the move. If I had gone with a new number they tell me they could have left the one DSL running while they hooked up the new one and minimized the down time. Unfortunately it’s too late to do that now since the process has started, and anyway I have to be out of the old house by the 31st and PBW would be down for sure at that point.

Geoschmo
PBW Admin Team

[ December 05, 2003, 21:58: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[spoon]

It's pretty obvious to me that you are just going to have to cancel the move...

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by spoon:
It's pretty obvious to me that you are just going to have to cancel the move... <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yeah. I guess I should just take all my stuff back to my old house. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Thermodyne]

Tell you what, just drive that puppy on down to DC and we will put it on my network. Peeps will have to actually type in the IP address, but these addicts should be able to put up with that minor trouble. And there might (will) be a little trouble with email, but they can work around that.

Also, it’s a long trip down here, so you might want to stay over. Just bring a sleeping bag and a computer, we’ll run some juice out to your car for you. That way you won’t have to unload the server. Then we’ll add you to the wi-fi net, and you’ll be in business. It’s a little cold out at night now, but it would be a small sacrifice for PBW.

[geoschmo]

I'll bring my teddy bear. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Atrocities]

I know these are kinda of a lame questions, but is there any way you can set up a back up server somewhere to just process game turns.

Or perhaps provide instruction on how to process the turns off line for those of us who have never done it before.

[Atrocities]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by spoon:
It's pretty obvious to me that you are just going to have to cancel the move... <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yeah. I guess I should just take all my stuff back to my old house. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I volunteer to help you move back. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Say after the move could I possibly talk you into update the Star Trek Mod on the PBW server to the latest Version, whatever that will be. And then update our game Star Trek Mod to the latest Version?

[tesco samoa]

breaks are nice as well.... Kind of nice seeing what else is going on in real life etc...

[rextorres]

I guess I can pack my bags and finally go on that vacation i've been planning.

[SpaceBadger]

Eh, I guess this gives Fyron a bit more time to write up an empire so we can get the SEG Aldan game started... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

SpaceBadger

[Fyron]

The ship set needs to be finished/finalized too...

[DavidG]

I'm no techie but how the heck does it take a month to 'move' a DSL line?? They make it sound like the are ripping the wire out of the ground and laying it in a new trench.

[tesco samoa]

if it takes a month the server will start up just in time for my next vacation http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

[Baron Grazic]

You beat me to it, Tesco.
That was exactly my thoughts too. Perhaps my holiday coming up in 2 weeks, will get me over the PBW shakes.

[SpaceBadger]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
The ship set needs to be finished/finalized too... <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">You're kidding... right? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

SpaceBadger

[Fyron]

All the models are made, but some of them were rendered wrong... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif Just trying to mess with you. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by DavidG:
I'm no techie but how the heck does it take a month to 'move' a DSL line?? They make it sound like the are ripping the wire out of the ground and laying it in a new trench. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Basically it's the same time period they give for a new install, 2 to 4 weeks. And no, of course it doesn't take probably ten minutes to actually do the work. All they have to do is plug in some wires and throw some switches I am sure. The 2 to 4 weeks is the time it takes to process all the orders that came in before mine. It's a queue is all.

[se5a]

Originally posted by Atrocities:

Or perhaps provide instruction on how to process the turns off line for those of us who have never done it before. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">yes! PLEASE!!
I have had a long day which probibly dont help, but I am kind of scraching my head over exactialy what to do...
can somone who knows spell it out for us?
SLOOOWLY?

[Fyron]

1) Collect .plr files.
2) Put them in the appropirate Savegame folder.
3) Load up game in SE4, and select host.
4) Hit process turn.
5) Zip up the turn, combat and log files for the game that get generated.
6) Email that zip to the players.
7) Collect .plr files.

[se5a]

Just what I wanted, thanky Fyron!

ill might make a little game between me, myself, and I, and try it out to make sure everything goes smoothly and I dont have any other questions.

[Ruatha]

(newbie) Galactic Combat 3 (NGC3) will go over to the emergency site when the PBW server goes down, deadlines will continue as usual, so don't miss your turns.

http://pbw.ath.cx

When the PBW server comes on-line again turns will be switched back.

[geoschmo]

Looks like it has begun. I didn't get am email from my isp yet, but I can't reach the server.

Geoschmo

[Renegade 13]

Confirmed. PBW is down. Let the screaming, cursing, and withdrawl symptoms begin. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[narf poit chez BOOM]

*pulls up a lawn chair and some popcorn*

ah, feels good to only have one game going.

hehehe.

[Ruatha]

Originally posted by Ruatha:
(newbie) Galactic Combat 3 (NGC3) will go over to the emergency site when the PBW server goes down, deadlines will continue as usual, so don't miss your turns.

http://pbw.ath.cx

When the PBW server comes on-line again turns will be switched back. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'll run the turn when I get home from work in approx 12 hours.
If you can't reach it at the above adress you might try:
http://ruatha.homelinux.org

Darned, my wife has switched it off, will turn it on when I get home and tell her to let it be http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
She's propably sleeping now unless the kids are sick, and I don't dare wake her for this! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[ October 23, 2003, 05:12: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

[se5a]

umnn, how do I ensure that the .plr files I have are all from\for the same turn?

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by se5a:
umnn, how do I ensure that the .plr files I have are all from\for the same turn? <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">When you pull up into the game host and hit end turn if any of the .plr files are missing or for the wrong turn it will tell you. It will give you an option for each one whether to skip it and process the turn without it, letting the AI play for that player, or cancel running the turn so you can straighten out the .plr file issue.

Geoschmo

[Ragnarok]

I'm already getting sweaty hands... Next will come the shaking... Then withdrawls getting worse...It won't be long before pure insanity is upon me...

[mottlee]

Thanks for Solo games!!!! I'm in the same boat http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[Cyrien]

Out of the four games I am playing 3 already have backups setup for the games to continue! I think I can survive for a few weeks on three out of four games. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Loser]

Rag has NGC3 from backup as well, but does that keep from panicing? Oh no. Why don't we all try to be a little more like him.

[rextorres]

Originally posted by Slynky:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by geoschmo:
Looks like it has begun. I didn't get am email from my isp yet, but I can't reach the server.

Geoschmo <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I guess Rex whooped my *** just in time http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif . </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, I never thought I was winning. I was a bit surprised about the outcome of that one battle.

[Ruatha]

Originally posted by Loser:
Ruatha please check your e-mail. I uploaded my turn to the PBW server Last night but it does not show on your backup.

After some trouble I was able to get a message that said I successfully uploaded my turn to your backup. But your main screen still shows me in red. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Sorry, the Last Version only checked for capital letters in the plr file name, yours had small letters.
It has been altered and fixed in this newest Version.

Se Ya

[geoschmo]

Ya'll might notice that I have put up the "Server down" page on the seiv.pbw domain. It's the old page left from Last time we went down. I am going to update it tonight.

Those of you that are running your games on other pages, would you like a link to your game from the down page? I can set that up if you want. Might help your players keep track of it.

Geoschmo

[Loser]

Ruatha please check your e-mail. I uploaded my turn to the PBW server Last night but it does not show on your backup.

After some trouble I was able to get a message that said I successfully uploaded my turn to your backup. But your main screen still shows me in red.

[Slynky]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Looks like it has begun. I didn't get am email from my isp yet, but I can't reach the server.

Geoschmo <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I guess Rex whooped my *** just in time http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif .

[se5a]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Ya'll might notice that I have put up the "Server down" page on the seiv.pbw domain. It's the old page left from Last time we went down. I am going to update it tonight.

Those of you that are running your games on other pages, would you like a link to your game from the down page? I can set that up if you want. Might help your players keep track of it.

Geoschmo <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">if you could stick my email address in there (scout_e5@hotmail.com) for 12hr game and big game newbs wanted it would be great.

[Fyron]

Geo, sure.

[Ruatha]

Please include NGC3 Emergency Site (http://pbw.ath.cx)
Thanx

[geoschmo]

Ok guys. In an effort to make things a little easier on all of you addicts I have setup a "low-tech" Version of PBW. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif Basically it's just links to games being run during the downtime. If anyone has a game they want listed let me know.

If you are in one of my other games I am going to get them on the list this weekend.

Geoschmo

Edit: Oh, the link? It's the same as before. http://seiv.pbw.cc If all you see is the server down page without the home and games button on teh left, hit refresh.

[ October 24, 2003, 20:47: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[Baron Grazic]

Question Geo.
On your "PBW Down" site you have a link to the IP address to the PBW Server, but are you sure you will be given the same IP address when they turn your DSL link back on line?

[Slynky]

"...Unofficially he said these have been running about a week, and even just a couple days in some cases."

Well, unless it gets installed today, I guess you/we can forget about that remark. They'd probably tell you anything if they thought you might be considering switching to cable.

[geoschmo]

Cool. I was planning on doing that today.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Baron Grazic:
Question Geo.
On your "PBW Down" site you have a link to the IP address to the PBW Server, but are you sure you will be given the same IP address when they turn your DSL link back on line? <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">No, I am not sure. If it is different I will update the page. It will only matter for however long it takes the DNS to repropogate over to the PBW server once we are back up. Until the DSL is hooked back up clicking on that IP isn't going to go anywhere in either case.

[Ruatha]

Geo, you can update all the sites by unpacking this file in the directories, it won't owerwrite any configuration text files.

http://pbw.ath.cx/patch15.zip

It fixes problems and gives you the host upload & download options and updates deadlines automaticly.

If no huge bugs get's discovered which I doubt as I've been using it for a while I won't continue any updaing on this.
Instead I'm working on ver 2 now.

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=23;t=010251

I didn't know anything on PHP when I started this, it started as HTML and then I added CGI/Perl and on Fyrons advice switched it to PHP, that's why the code is the way it is http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Ver 2 is rewritten from the ground up, all that is needed to set up new games will be for either the site owner to enter a name and press a button or the new game host to upload (by FTP) a configuration.php file and then press a button.

[ October 30, 2003, 12:33: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

[mottlee]

Geo,any word as of yet???????? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

[Grandpa Kim]

Am I the only one that can't seem to get to the temporary site? All I get is a "Not Found" notice indicating the site cannot be found on this server.

Like so:

Not Found

The requested URL /~geoschmo/seiv.css was not found on this server.


Apache/1.3.20 Server at home.covad.net Port 80

[Fyron]

Works fine for me?

[Slynky]

And I can get to it. Hmmmm...Halloween? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by mottlee:
Geo,any word as of yet???????? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">www.dictionary.com (http://www.dictionary.com)

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Grandpa Kim:
Am I the only one that can't seem to get to the temporary site? All I get is a "Not Found" notice indicating the site cannot be found on this server.

Like so:

Not Found

The requested URL /~geoschmo/seiv.css was not found on this server.


Apache/1.3.20 Server at home.covad.net Port 80 <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Is this an always thing, or just intermitant. What browser do you use?

EDIT: I think I know what was causing that problem Gpa. Tell me if it works now.

Geoschmo

[ November 01, 2003, 09:25: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[Grandpa Kim]

Geo, this is an "all the time" thing. And it still doesn't work for me. I get the redirect page then the not found page.

Please don't worry about it, it is probably my antique browser (Netscape 4.79), OS (Win 95), and hardware (P 133), a problem I plan to correct by spring.

[Baron Grazic]

Confirmed, I can't get to the site either, using both IE & Mozilla.
Unable to ping the site too.

[geoschmo]

Actually the redirect page at seiv.pbw.cc is down now. I am not sure what's up with that. The actual temp site that you get redirected to is up still. That's at home.covad.net/~geoschmo

You should be able to get that to work Gpa. Let me know.

Geoschmo

[Grandpa Kim]

Yes!

I can get to it now! Thanks http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[DavidG]

Anyone else get the feeling Geo lives in an area were there is one and only one provider of high speed net access? I'll bet with a bit of healthy competition the connection could be moved just a wee bit faster.

[Slynky]

And what have we learned from this? Never, NEVER, believe ANYTHING the phone company tells you about its DSL service. NEVER

[Slynky]

Oh, I think anyone could have made that mistake...who's to know about those sort of things unless you've gone through it before, Geo.

Any comment I made was directed toward all the readers about when representatives of the phone company tell you something, official or unofficial. THAT'S when you need to cock an eyebrow... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif .

[mottlee]

I have a RASH!!! HELP!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Lisif Deoral]

Apparently, something has changed.
seiv.pbw.cc is resolved to 66.28.187.248, which has a 2 lines long web page saying "No web site is configured at this address."...

[geoschmo]

Currently seiv.pbw.cc is resolved to a temporary page that a guy set up for me. All it has on it is a page redirecting players to the temporary PBW site at http://home.covad.net/~geoschmo
The Last few days the redirect page has been intermitant. All I can assume is he's haveing some technical issues with his site. If you can't get to it you should be able to connect directly to the temp site though. The URL isn't as easily remembered though. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[ November 06, 2003, 19:09: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[geoschmo]

Actually there are several options for highspeed service in my area. Unfotunatly the one I have is the only one that I could find that had the combinatiion of features I needed for PBW, good upload speed, fixed IP, permission to run a web server 24x7, a low enough monthly cost to make it possible to support via voluntary donations. If all I wanted was highspeed access for my own personal use I could take my pick of several decent choices in the area.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Slynky:
And what have we learned from this? Never, NEVER, believe ANYTHING the phone company tells you about its DSL service. NEVER <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">What I learned is if you are moving your DSL, get a new phone number at the new location. I thought I was doing the right thing keeping the old number. It turns out if I had gotten a new number they could have turned on the one without turning off the other and the down time would have been shorter. Unfotunatly by the time I asked the right questions It was too late to do that because I had to have the server out of the old place anyway by a certain date.

Geoschmo

[Ruatha]

There is a spot open in NGC3, a challange at position 18 of 20, The Xorlians:

http://pbw.ath.cx

mail me for password if you want to check it out!
Could help against those withdrawal symptoms!

james@visit.se

[Slynky]

Originally posted by Unknown_Enemy:
Sigh.

PBW still down and my stock of pills is running low.
It has been almost 3 weeks now, my withdrawal symptoms are beginning to be painful.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, the provider has already missed his "unofficial" installation estimate of a week or so. Now, unless they get their *** in gear, they will miss their "official" estimate of 2 - 4 weeks for the install.

[Unknown_Enemy]

Originally posted by Ruatha:
There is a spot open in NGC3, a challange at position 18 of 20, The Xorlians:

http://pbw.ath.cx

mail me for password if you want to check it out!
Could help against those withdrawal symptoms!

james@visit.se <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Thanks for the offer, but will do only temp takeover, to allow a player to get some holiday without screwing his game. So if someone need it in your game, you have the offer. But let me guess : was it another doomed religious race ? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
Anyway, another game and adamant9 finished to convince me that religious is indeed an over powerful trait.

[se5a]

do you get some kind of copmensation if its not done in the time they said?

[Loser]

Blood!

Demand blood!

Really, it's just nice to have around, for those little need-blood-now emergencies. Keep it right next to the spare pants and the prophylactics.

[Unknown_Enemy]

Sigh.

PBW still down and my stock of pills is running low.
It has been almost 3 weeks now, my withdrawal symptoms are beginning to be painful.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[se5a]

prophywhat?

[Alneyan]

Originally posted by Unknown_Enemy:
Thanks for the offer, but will do only temp takeover, to allow a player to get some holiday without screwing his game. So if someone need it in your game, you have the offer. But let me guess : was it another doomed religious race ? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
Anyway, another game and adamant9 finished to convince me that religious is indeed an over powerful trait. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Not at all, the Xorlians are merely a warmonger species that declared war on three or four of their neighbours. Ruatha, I believe you can forget about this Empire if nobody wants to take it in the following days, as I don't expect the Xorlians to survive much longer, even if I am the only one involved in offensive operations. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif And then, diplomacy will definitively be needed. So only take over the Xorlians if you are really up to the challenge, and a good diplomat. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Your religious race was far from being doomed UE, it is currently 13th, but has a decent strength. The Free Democratic Socialist Republic of Somewhere is much stronger than my old NethernoS for instance. Not to mention the talisman, but I should not speak of such a device lest Ruatha overhears. *Smirks* Perhaps the discovery of the Nyxian Chaos decided Ruatha not to attack the Republic? Who knows?

(Incidentally, I have been late as for the promised story Ruatha, with regards to the current... erh... relationships between us. Sorry, I had something like a writer's block. *Grumbles*)

[Ruatha]

Hi, (Sorry to HiJack the thread)
I hope to have a shell of a autoturn application up and running tonight, so then the turn might run on time on sunday instead of being delayed half a day until I get home, we'll see...


(Talisman, Hmm, what does he mean??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif )

EDIT:
Nah, I got it to run the turn at the deadline, zip it and move it to the gamefile directory.
but i haven't solved the mail allplayers thing yet, so I'll do the turn Manually when I get home!

[ November 13, 2003, 21:14: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

[Roanon]

Originally posted by Ruatha:
Nah, I got it to run the turn at the deadline, zip it and move it to the gamefile directory.
but i haven't solved the mail allplayers thing yet, so I'll do the turn Manually when I get home! <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">So it autoexecutes the turn, but just does not mail the results - this means we can download the turn from the website? I don't need more... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[General Woundwort]

What did they do - strap the server on the back of a lethargic snail!?! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[Slynky]

Well, I guess this is officially the 4th week of unofficially getting the DSL connection done in a week or less.

BTW, Geo, what's the name again? I just want to make sure I warn everyone away that ever asks about them http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif .

[geoschmo]

Well, depending on when you start counting, it's either 3 weeks and 1 day or 2 weeks and 4 days. Unfortunatly the ISP doesn't actually do the hookup, they have to contact the phone company to get it done. So it's actually the phone company holding us up at this point. The one week figure was simply what the phone company had been running at recently. Obviously they must have gotten backed up and are not running that fast anymore.

If I could hook it up myself I would.

Geoschmo

[Slynky]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
If I could hook it up myself I would.

Geoschmo <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I figured as much http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif .

(I have all these ships and fleets that have been training in our game now for weeks and weeks of "real" time...by now, they must be up to 40% x 40% each.... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif )

[Grandpa Kim]

Well, the Last turn email I got was on the evening of the 22nd. I figure PBW was disconnected sometime on the 23rd. That's when I'm counting from.

So, as of right now, that is 22 days. .... of agony! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Well, not so bad really. I finished a couple solo games but couldn't get the interest to start another... so I started a game of Civ II and I'm having a whale of a time! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif I haven't played it in so long its almost as much fun as the first time I played it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Fyron]

Just don't load up Civ 3... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif

[DavidG]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Well, depending on when you start counting, it's either 3 weeks and 1 day or 2 weeks and 4 days. Unfortunatly the ISP doesn't actually do the hookup, they have to contact the phone company to get it done. So it's actually the phone company holding us up at this point. The one week figure was simply what the phone company had been running at recently. Obviously they must have gotten backed up and are not running that fast anymore.
<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Anyone know where I can start a company were I can screw around my clients like this and still make money? It sound sweet!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[Ruatha]

Originally posted by Grandpa Kim:
Well, the Last turn email I got was on the evening of the 22nd. I figure PBW was disconnected sometime on the 23rd. That's when I'm counting from.

So, as of right now, that is 22 days. .... of agony! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Well, not so bad really. I finished a couple solo games but couldn't get the interest to start another... so I started a game of Civ II and I'm having a whale of a time! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif I haven't played it in so long its almost as much fun as the first time I played it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Up for a civnet game sometime?

Roanon, I didn't start the app before I left so it won't run the turn, will be home tomorrow night (12 hours x 2 in a car with two small kids, that's a weekend!)

[ November 15, 2003, 11:49: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

[Cyrien]

Actually I am playing a game of Civ3 Conquests. Unlike PTW and the vanilla Civ3 it actually makes for a worthwhile game.

[Fyron]

Originally posted by Ruatha:
Up for a civnet game sometime?<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Count me in. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Originally posted by Cyrien:
Actually I am playing a game of Civ3 Conquests. Unlike PTW and the vanilla Civ3 it actually makes for a worthwhile game. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Really? Did they finally get off their corporate butts and actually fix the game? Or how is it a worthwhile game wiht Conquests?

[ November 15, 2003, 16:57: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[Taera]

Civ II... which one?

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by DavidG:
Anyone know where I can start a company were I can screw around my clients like this and still make money? It sound sweet!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, technically they aren't making any money since I don't get billed for any time until the service is reestablished.

[Fyron]

But they are jerking you around now and will still be making money off of you in the future...

[Fyron]

Let's move the Civ 2 discussion to a new thread, located here:

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=23;t=010383

[ November 16, 2003, 04:14: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[Cirvol]

so, what is the deal with a 3 week dsl installation anyway geo? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

fill us in with some sort of eta...

its been waaay toooo looong

[Slynky]

Actually, I would be happy if it was a 3-week installation...it would already be done. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif It was taken down on Oct 23. 8 days in October and this is the 17th day in November...that means this is the 25th day of waiting.

[geoschmo]

Three weeks for a DSL hookup is not anything extraordinary at all. That's normal for some areas.

Guys, honestly. Do you not think I would post updates here as soon as I get them? Do you not assume that me not posting anything here means that I have nothing to post? I don't mind people posting actual questions, but if your only question is "Can we get an eta?", then maybe read the rest of this thread and see the Last time I gave you an eta. Cause if I haven't posted anything since then, and that eta hasn't passed yet, then chances are real good I don't have any new information.

All that being said, I have some new information! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

I just got an email saying the DSL line should be installed by the 21st. So we can all hope that they actually meet that goal. At least it's some news.

Geoschmo

[Unknown_Enemy]

Hey Geo,

Can we get an ETA ?

oooops....HeHe...Just couldn't resist......
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Captain Kwok]

I'm curious about this DSL hookup...is this just a normal DSL hookup that a user would use to surf the internet from thier home computer or is it a specialized one designed for servers?

If it's the former, I'm suprised it would take so long just to setup an account for that, who'd want to wait over 3 weeks just to get service - yikes. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

[Fyron]

If it's the former, I'm suprised it would take so long just to setup an account for that, who'd want to wait over 3 weeks just to get service - yikes. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Anyone in the US...

[Roanon]

You need a static IP in order for a server to work properly. Normal DSL usually makes a forced disconnect at regular intervalls, just to make sure you don't get a static IP, so they can charge ridiculous overprices for static. Few noteworthy exeptions.

[Fyron]

Not really. You can use services like www.no-ip.org (http://www.no-ip.org) to keep your server up to date. As long as you have a stable IP (as in, it stays the same for a few days) and can keep on top of changes, the downtimes are minimal. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif This isn't a good idea for huge web sites like www.microsoft.com, (http://www.microsoft.com,) but for something with the relatively low traffic of PBW, it is not a big problem. Of course, you could always write a program to detect changes in IP address and send the appropriate commands to get the IP of the domain updated automatically...

[Roanon]

"Minimal downtime" is not running a server properly http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif .
Plus, especially with PBW rather than microsoft.com (who really needs it? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif ), where you have to rely on the server, or you will end up with "manual only" constantly. You cannot run automated turns on a server that may be unavailable for the Last half hour before deadline.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Not really. You can use services like www.no-ip.org (http://www.no-ip.org) to keep your server up to date. As long as you have a stable IP (as in, it stays the same for a few days) and can keep on top of changes, the downtimes are minimal. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif This isn't a good idea for huge web sites like www.microsoft.com, (http://www.microsoft.com,) but for something with the relatively low traffic of PBW, it is not a big problem. Of course, you could always write a program to detect changes in IP address and send the appropriate commands to get the IP of the domain updated automatically... <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I am fully aware that this is doable from a technical aspect. The problem is it violates the user agreement, at least for the few isp's I looked into in my area. Also keep in mind that PBW requires a decent upload speed to be a consistantly functional game server. In fact it's uploading more then it's downloading. Your typical residential dsl, even many cable modems, run in the 128 range on the upload. I was told when I took over the service form Admiral that 128 upload was not enough.

Geoschmo

[Unknown_Enemy]

This should be THE DAY !!!
The day on which we get PBW back up !!!!!!!

Isn't it ?

[Slynky]

Originally posted by Unknown_Enemy:
This should be THE DAY !!!
The day on which we get PBW back up !!!!!!!

Isn't it ? <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, assuming there's no repeat of the line not working after it's "hooked" up and the two involved parties point the finger at each other (like we've seen before).

[Kiedryn]

Originally posted by Slynky:
Well, assuming there's no repeat of the line not working after it's "hooked" up and the two involved parties point the finger at each other (like we've seen before). <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">It is nice to know that not only in Poland there are peoples who would rather pass the buck upon someone else. :-|

[Maerlyn]

Originally posted by Kiedryn:
It is nice to know that not only in Poland there are peoples who would rather pass the buck upon someone else. :-| <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">no, this is a typically human characteristic.

[geoschmo]

I am hoping it's today. I won't be able to do anything till I get off work tonight though, assuming the phone co gets their part done. If so maybe late tonight we'll be back up. Knock on wood. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Slynky]

Woo HOOOOOOOO http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[geoschmo]

pft...pft...tap tap tap. cough.

Is this thing on?

http://69.3.206.249

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ November 21, 2003, 23:28: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[se5a]

yup! it works.

cooool

I just use the upload replacement turn?
if I make a zip with the .gam etc and include the .plr files will that work also?

naa forget that, ill just wait for all the rest of the .plr files to be emailed to me, run the turn then upload it...

[Slynky]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
pft...pft...tap tap tap. cough.

Is this thing on?

http://69.3.206.249

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Figured you KNEW it was on...I bet you heard my yelling even in Ohio!

[geoschmo]

The game owner can't upload the .plr files. You have to upload the three game files and the players have to upload their .plr files.

Geoschmo

[primitive]

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif - No more Prozac for me - http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[geoschmo]

Ok, coupla things. I am going to be workign on this for a while tonight. Things aren't 100%. First of all it doesn't look like the email is working. Game owners don't assume everyone is getting your news Messages. Cut your players some slack. I have to check that out.

You may also see some speed issues with the site. Phone company is checking that out. But it should stay up. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Geoschmo

[se5a]

also registration is not working.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by se5a:
also registration is not working. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Meaning you didn't get an email with your registration password? The email wasn't working, but I think I have it fixed now. If you already registered but didn't get your password, try usign the password retrieval now. It should email you the password. If not try registering again. If that doesn't work, email me at and we'll talk about what's happening.

Geoschmo

[Grandpa Kim]

Holy Polaron beams, Batman, it's not like riding a bike! I practically had to learn the game all over again while playing my KOTH turn. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Confirmed: Email is working.

[Ed Kolis]

Wow... now what will I do the rest of the work quarter... I'll be so busy with PBW again that I won't have time for anything else... like that new Dominions 2 game... say, now wouldn't be the best time to ask if anyone plans on setting up something like dom2.pbw.cc, would it? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

(BTW, I think someone also forgot to change the frowny face on the topic to a smiley face! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif )

[Mikeyman]

Woohoo, it's back!

[Geckomlis]

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Nodachi]

Oh man, what a beautiful sight! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Atrocities]

Hey Geoschmo, if I send you the links, could you update the Star Trek Mod to v1.34?

Right now the 1.20 Version is what is on the PBW server and it is grossly out dated. Better to go with the latest FULL Version which is 1.3.1 then I can send you the link to 1.3.4 Version.

[Fyron]

I get this when I try to approve a player to a game....

Error: 500
Location: /GameAdmin
Internal Servlet Error:

java.lang.NullPointerException
at cc.dpf.pbw.servlet.seiv.GameAdmin.processRequest(G ameAdmin.java:871)
at cc.dpf.pbw.servlet.seiv.GameAdmin.doGet(GameAdmin. java:962)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet .java:740)
at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet .java:853)
at org.apache.tomcat.core.ServletWrapper.doService(Se rvletWrapper.java:405)
at org.apache.tomcat.core.Handler.service(Handler.jav a:287)
at org.apache.tomcat.core.ServletWrapper.service(Serv letWrapper.java:372)
at org.apache.tomcat.core.ContextManager.internalServ ice(ContextManager.java:797)
at org.apache.tomcat.core.ContextManager.service(Cont extManager.java:743)
at org.apache.tomcat.service.connector.Ajp13Connectio nHandler.processConnection(Ajp13ConnectionHandler. java:160)
at org.apache.tomcat.service.TcpWorkerThread.runIt(Po olTcpEndpoint.java:416)
at org.apache.tomcat.util.ThreadPool$ControlRunnable. run(ThreadPool.java:501)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:484)

[Asmala]

It's back http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon6.gif

[Fyron]

And I get the same error when trying to kick a player or finish an empire. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif

Update... I can do it fine from crap Internet Explorer, but can no longer do it from Mozilla Firebird. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif

[ November 22, 2003, 07:50: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[Atrocities]

I can only upload turns using anything but IE. Any changes I want to make to the game I have to use IE. Must be the way the site is designed.

[Fyron]

I could use Firebird fine before this latest down-time... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[Maerlyn]

geoschmo, I love you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
I could use Firebird fine before this latest down-time... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That's peculier. Does it work in the text UI? And there hasn't been a new Version of firebird released in the mean time? No changes have been made to the PBW code.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Maerlyn:
geoschmo, I love you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That's nice Maerlyn, but you aren't getting my Bud-Light®. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Loser]

Woo-Hoo!

[SlamrFest]

bah i know i signed up to PBW but it was a while ago .. cant remember wha password i used or email ..
Pretty sure i used Slamr or SlamrFest for login name... i click lost password and it does nothing .. maybe could help me out .. send me my password or login info to me@pornhangout.com ???

[Slynky]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
I could use Firebird fine before this latest down-time... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That's peculier. Does it work in the text UI? And there hasn't been a new Version of firebird released in the mean time? No changes have been made to the PBW code. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Well, having screwed around with enough servers, I've come to learn they are an enigma. Too many times our office has either moved some or turned them off thinking all one needs to do is turn them back on or plug them back up (without any problems...after all, no code was changed...they just went through an orderly shutdown).

Yeah, RIGHT! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif

[Fyron]

seiv.pbw.cc seems to be getting directed to the temporary site still, whereas www.pbw.cc (http://www.pbw.cc) is not getting redirected there. Just the root index, as URLs like http://seiv.pbw.cc/graphic/index.jsp are working fine.

It does work in the text-based mode, but that is hardly a solution.

[ November 22, 2003, 16:27: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[Atrocities]

Originally posted by Atrocities:
Hey Geoschmo, if I send you the links, could you update the Star Trek Mod to v1.34?

Right now the 1.20 Version is what is on the PBW server and it is grossly out dated. Better to go with the latest FULL Version of 1.3.1 and ditch the old Version 1.2.0 entirely. I could then send you the link to 1.3.4 Version. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Geo?

[Maerlyn]

I cannot create a new game. am I right if I assume that this feature aint working yet or is this just a result of my limited understanding of computer programms?

[Slynky]

Originally posted by Maerlyn:
I cannot create a new game. am I right if I assume that this feature aint working yet or is this just a result of my limited understanding of computer programms? <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Asmala just created a KOTH game for me and Alneyan, so I assume that feature is working.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
It does work in the text-based mode, but that is hardly a solution. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Unfortunatly it's as good of one as you are likely to get anytime in teh near future. But we will look in to it.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Maerlyn:
I cannot create a new game. am I right if I assume that this feature aint working yet or is this just a result of my limited understanding of computer programms? <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">What exactly is happening? Are you getting an error message?

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Atrocities:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by Atrocities:
Hey Geoschmo, if I send you the links, could you update the Star Trek Mod to v1.34?

Right now the 1.20 Version is what is on the PBW server and it is grossly out dated. Better to go with the latest FULL Version of 1.3.1 and ditch the old Version 1.2.0 entirely. I could then send you the link to 1.3.4 Version. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Geo? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes, Give me some time to get some things done, but I will get to it.

[Atrocities]

Thank you. I just wanted to be sure it was on your list of things to do. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif I do appreciate your time and such and know that you are a busy guy. So thanks again for running PBW.

[Asmala]

Yep I created a game. I got the usual "page not found" error message but it's nothing new. The only thing which is changed is the "page not found" error message. It's a bit different, perhaps a different font.

[Atrocities]

Hey Geoschmo, how are the donation doing? Are they still coming in on a regular basis or have they dried up?

[Maerlyn]

Originally posted by Maerlyn:
I cannot create a new game. am I right if I assume that this feature aint working yet or is this just a result of my limited understanding of computer programms? <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">thanx for your time guys. consider it a proven fact that the mistake was only a result of my limited understanding of computer programms!

[Slynky]

Just ran into problems...can't get in with graphics mode now. Text working OK, it seems.

[Merry Jolkar]

Delighted to see the subject "PBW server is back up!!!" but checking the old link, it doesn't seem to be up. Sorry, but paging through the Posts, I couldn't find anything about a new URL. Is PBW back up?

Thanks,
Merry

[Baron Grazic]

Certainly seems up for me, both Graphics & text.

[Merry Jolkar]

Could you please send me the URL?
Thanks,
Merry

[Maerlyn]

same URL for me. but try to go directly to http://seiv.pbw.cc/graphic/index.jsp
I´ve heard that some people are encountering troubles with http://seiv.pbw.cc/ (but I dont)

[se5a]

possibly the ip hasent got to your corner of the net yet.
try http://69.3.206.249

[Slynky]

Originally posted by Baron Grazic:
Certainly seems up for me, both Graphics & text. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">It's working today, but after a lot of turns (40 turns yesterday), when I posted about the problem, the graphics refused to post and the site was taking forever as it spent time putting "X's" where all the graphics should have been.

But it's working this morning.

[AMF]

I have a PBEM to PBW question, figured this was the best place to post it. I also figure that Geoschmo is the best person to answer, but I am guessing it is a common enough problem that others know the answer too.

I have a PBEM game that I started with 3 players and 2 AI empires and some neutrals. Now, the neutrals are all dead, but I have players for all 5 empires (including the two former AI ones).

I now want to move this game to PBW. Is there anything special I need to do to deal with the "former AI now played" empires?

I am setting up my first PBW game this week, so I figure I'll understand the basics of setting up PBWs, but want to make sure I head off any problems related to this game.

Thanks,

Alarik

[Atrocities]

Just set up the game with each player in correct order on PBW and upload the .gam file and all should be ok. The game should recognize after the first turn that the neutral players are dead.

The game on PBW must be set up just like your PBEM game. IE all players must be in the same spot, that is human players and AI. Neutrals dont need to be, as they are generated by the game. So if you have players for all five empires, just put the players in the order they need to go and your off.

This is what I would do. But I am no PBW expert, wait for Fyron or Geoschmo to answer before doing anything.

[Fyron]

You do not need to set up AI empires on the PBW site, UNLESS they come before human empires. As long as all human empires are in lower player numbers than all AI empires, then all you do is assign each player to the proper empire name on the PBW site, and upload the turn files zipped up (don't forget .cmb and .log (or whatever the other 2 extensions are)) as AT said. If there are any AI empires between or before any human empires, you will need to set those AI empires up as human empires, using dummy player names, and then mark them dead.

[AMF]

Well, no empires are dead yet, but they all have players, and since the AI empires all came after the human players, it sounds like it shouldn't be a problem so long as I have *.EMP files for each of the 5 empires...thanks

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
You do not need to set up AI empires on the PBW site, UNLESS they come before human empires. As long as all human empires are in lower player numbers than all AI empires, then all you do is assign each player to the proper empire name on the PBW site, and upload the turn files zipped up (don't forget .cmb and .log (or whatever the other 2 extensions are)) as AT said. If there are any AI empires between or before any human empires, you will need to set those AI empires up as human empires, using dummy player names, and then mark them dead. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by alarikf:
Well, no empires are dead yet, but they all have players, and since the AI empires all came after the human players, it sounds like it shouldn't be a problem so long as I have *.EMP files for each of the 5 empires...thanks
<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Correct, they don't need to be the actual .emp files they used at the begining of the game even. All the players have to upload .emp files before PBW will let you upload the first turn, but you don't have to use the .emp files they upload. And since this game has already been running PBEM you don't need their .emp files for anything except to get PBW to let you upload a turn. Just have them upload something for an .emp file and then you can upload your current turn as the first PBW turn.

Geoschmo

[geoschmo]

By the way, this process is explained in the FAQ available on teh PBW website, question 1.14. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[AMF]

Well, I didn;t see that it addressed the "former AI now human" question...so....pbbttt! |grin,duck|


Originally posted by geoschmo:
By the way, this process is explained in the FAQ available on teh PBW website, question 1.14. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">

[ December 01, 2003, 17:10: Message edited by: alarikf ]

[Unknown_Enemy]

duuhh ????
cant access PBW either by link or IP adress !

Something wrong ?
Others in the same situation ????

[Roanon]

Yep, seems to be down.

[Vezzra]

Confirmed.

[geoschmo]

Yep, my DSL went down today around 1:30. I have already called the ISP and they are checking it out. The telco has a truck in the neignborhood today. Might be a coincidence, or maybe the guy unplugged the wrong wire. More information as I get it.

If you have a game due to process between now and 10:30 PM there is nothing I can do to stop it. I won't be home till then to shut off the automatic processing. Hopefully the DSL will come back up before then and there won't be a problem. If not you can contact the game owner about having the turn set back.

Geoschmo

[Baron Grazic]

I turn up to work and discover and our entire building as lost power after a huge thunder storm. We finially get everything up and running, and I'm ready for some downtime, only to find out PBW is down.
Looks like it is going to be one of those days. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[Atrocities]

Ya even our phones a messed up up here. The best connection I can get is 24.0 kbps. Someone please tell me there is hope...

Bad wheather all around and the holiday season is really effecting phone traffic. I actually got a "All channels are curently busy" message twice today just trying to call local and long distance.

[Maerlyn]

yeah, yeah, we lucky guys in europe http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif I've read quite a lot of articles about (your) bad infratructure in US telecommunication and electricity network. there is just one chance, move over here http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ December 02, 2003, 22:32: Message edited by: Maerlyn ]

[PvK]

Laugh! I remember dealing with the electric company in Cambridgeshire. That was the single most incompetent billing department I've ever dealt with, and the rates were astronomically expensive. They didn't get one single bill right the whole time I was living there.

But yes, particularly recently, it seems there have been many greedy scum in the US utility industry undermining the infrastructure.

PvK

[Geckomlis]

Originally posted by PvK:
But yes, particularly recently, it seems there have been many greedy scum in the US utility industry undermining the infrastructure.

PvK <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Made possible by… deregulation and privatization.

Gecko

[Phoenix-D]

Originally posted by geckomlis:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by PvK:
But yes, particularly recently, it seems there have been many greedy scum in the US utility industry undermining the infrastructure.

PvK <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Made possible by… deregulation and privatization.

Gecko </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Not that they didn't do it before. To switch subjects a bit, highways that go from 2 lanes to 6, then 2..with no exits in between..anyone?

[Grandpa Kim]

Am I just a superstar in my chosen vocation ( I don't think I am) or is the level of incompetence in the world rising steeply?

From Phoenix-D:

To switch subjects a bit, highways that go from 2 lanes to 6, then 2..with no exits in between..anyone? <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">PD, you must live in Calgary! *groan*. We have that particular foul-up in spades.

[Baron Grazic]

Tell me where EXACTLY this spot is, I want to install an advertising billboard there. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Roanon]

Ahem - back to the topic, any news about PBW? Do we have to activate the emergency server(s) again (Ruaaatthhaaaaa!) ?

[se5a]

what time is it in ohio?

[Ruatha]

Originally posted by Roanon:
Ahem - back to the topic, any news about PBW? Do we have to activate the emergency server(s) again (Ruaaatthhaaaaa!) ? <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">As approx 15 players already had uploaded I'll give it another day before I fire it up.
(otherwise all has to reupload, usually leads to problems....)

[1FSTCAT]

I think Geo's provider needs to be sent a trophy for having the worlds least reliable internet service. It took them a month to fix it, Last time it broke. It took a month to "hook him up" in the new location, and now it's down again, for the third time in 2-3 months, for who-knows how long. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[BBegemott]

I can't get to the PBW site http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif I have tried opening with iexplorer, MyIE. And I have no problems accessing other internet sites.
Is PBW down?

EDIT - I see that it is..

[ December 03, 2003, 14:53: Message edited by: BBegemott ]

[Cirvol]

*cry*

*curses geo's net provider*

pbw if fubar yet again -> Shrapnel, pls consider taking over the pbw site - this shrapnelgames.com site seems big enough to host a little measly pbw server http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

just an idea

[Phoenix-D]

Originally posted by Cirvol:
*cry*

*curses geo's net provider*

pbw if fubar yet again -> Shrapnel, pls consider taking over the pbw site - this shrapnelgames.com site seems big enough to host a little measly pbw server http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

just an idea <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Aside from lately I think Shrapnel has gone down more than PBW has..

[geoschmo]

Shrapnel has considered it. We have discussed it. We are still discussing it.

The thing you have to remember is that companies, even good companies like Shrapnel, have to do things that make sense from a business perspective or they go out of business.

PBW is a free site. As much as those of us hardcore fans would like to think it could make money, it can't. There just aren't enough regular players that would be willing to pay for it.

We get donations, enough to offset the actual monetary expenses for hosting the site. But not anywhere near the amount neccasary to offset the man hour expenses for running the site. It's an all volunteer organization, a labor of love. If Shrapnel ends up hosting the site, it will have to be in such a way that it does not negativly affect their legitimate business.

Geoschmo

[ December 03, 2003, 16:34: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[spoon]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
If Shrapnel ends up hosting the site, it will have to be in such a way that it does not negativly affect their legitimate business.
<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Maybe Shrapnel can bill you for all the hours they'd free up for you http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[rextorres]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
The thing you have to remember is that companies, even good companies like Shrapnel, have to do things that make sense from a business perspective or they go out of business.

PBW is a free site . . . If Shrapnel ends up hosting the site, it will have to be in such a way that it does not negativly affect their legitimate business.

Geoschmo <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">PBW - IMO - is essential to the success of SE - just looking at how many postings the PBW site generates should tell anyone that - not to mention that the players who play PBW are probably the games biggest evangelists, most likely to buy the upgrades, good for cross selling, etc. etc. Heck I wouldn't even be playing SE if wasn't for PBW.

I don't know what the numbers are, but my guess based on # of forum Posts, would be that SE is shrapnel's cash cow and Shrapnel not putting resources behind one of SE's - and Shrapnel's - biggest marketing components is derelict.

It's absurd that Shrapnel supplying PBW resources is even an issue.

[ December 03, 2003, 17:30: Message edited by: rextorres ]

[Rimfire]

Geoschmo,
Can the PBW Website be hosted on a Windows 2000 server? I have a couple of those hooked up to a T3. May be we could rig up a mirror or a back up site.

Rimfire

[ December 03, 2003, 17:39: Message edited by: Rimfire ]

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by rextorres:
PBW - IMO - is essential to the success of SE - just looking at how many postings the PBW site generates should tell anyone that - not to mention that the players who play PBW are probably the games biggest evangelists, most likely to buy the upgrades, good for cross selling, etc. etc. Heck I wouldn't even be playing SE if wasn't for PBW.

I don't know what the numbers are, but my guess based on # of forum Posts, would be that SE is shrapnel's cash cow and Shrapnel not putting resources behind one of SE's - and Shrapnel's - biggest marketing components is derelict.

It's absurd that Shrapnel supplying PBW resources is even an issue. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Shrapnel and Malfador have supported PBW. They donated the free products that we gave away in the fund raisers we have had. In fact they offered me some more recently but I never got around to announcing another raffle. Malfador has gone out of their way to make patch changes that allowed PBW to work in the first place.

But I must say you are WAY over estimating the effect PBW has had on the Shrapnel or Malfador bottom line. They don't release actual sales figures, but they did announce at one point SE4 Gold had gone over half a million in sales didn't they? A little math should give you an idea of how many units sold that is.

PBW at it's absolute peak has had something like 500 Users a week, 300 a day. Maybe that sounds like a lot, but it's only a fraction of the toal number of SE4 buyers.

You are probably right that Space Empries is the biggest seller at Shrapnel, but it's still a niche game. And PBW is a niche in that niche. Shrapnel is not rolling in dough. Tim, Richard and whoever else is on staff could probably leave right now and make more working for someone else. In fact they may have regular jobs in addition to Shrapnel. Not sure about that. The point is they don't have a lot to give, so whatever they give has to show an actual, quantifiable return.

PBW can't do that, as much as us diehard fans would like to think it could.

Geoschmo

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Rimfire:
Geoschmo,
Can the PBW Website be hosted on a Windows 2000 server? I have a couple of those hooked up to a T3. May be we could rig up a mirror or a back up site.

Rimfire <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">It can, it does actually. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Send me an email. Let's talk about it.

Geoschmo

[Fyron]

Battle.net is paid for by Blizzard and charges no money to use it... all you have to do is have the game. Battle.net makes them money specifically because a lot of people buy their games to play on Battle.net. PBW can become something similar for SE4/SE5.

[rextorres]

I would say that 300 - 500 "hardcore" players is not insignificant based on the total announced sales of the product. Again this is all based on conjecture.

[ December 03, 2003, 18:37: Message edited by: rextorres ]

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by rextorres:
I would say that 300 - 500 "hardcore" players is not insignificant based on the total announced sales of the product. Again this is all based on conjecture. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I didn't mean to imply it was insignificant. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Merely that it doesn't justify the level of direct financial support that some people seem to feel Shrapnel should be providing.


Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Battle.net is paid for by Blizzard and charges no money to use it... all you have to do is have the game. Battle.net makes them money specifically because a lot of people buy their games to play on Battle.net. PBW can become something similar for SE4/SE5. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Which is a perfect example of the point I am trying to make. Blizzard games are not what one would classify as "niche" games. They have a much larger fan base which can support things like bettle.net through proceeds from retail sales. Shrapnel is a little fish compared to that.

[Fyron]

Yes, and they would use little fish servers as opposed to the massive server farms used for Battle.net. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[AMF]

First off, thanks again for all your great work setting up PBW.

Second, I can't help but think that charging people 1 $1/month for the privilege of using PBW is a good idea. Plus, I often find that people value that which they pay for more than that which is free. Ever worked in an office with an intern who worked for free and a paid employee who did less than the intern but got paid for it? <g>

BTW, do you yet know why the connection is horked? (apologies if this has been asked, I didn't see it below).

Thanks,

Alarik

[ December 03, 2003, 18:59: Message edited by: alarikf ]

[1FSTCAT]

Yeah!

What's your provider got to say, this time around?!

[mottlee]

Originally posted by 1FSTCAT:
Yeah!

What's your provider got to say, this time around?! <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Lets ALL go over there and, and, and http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon8.gif UNPLUG them!

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by alarikf:
Second, I can't help but think that charging people 1 $1/month for the privilege of using PBW is a good idea. Plus, I often find that people value that which they pay for more than that which is free.<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I am sure you are correct. If anyone wishes to give a dollar a month, we will happily accept it. We accept donations by Paypal and by mail.

The problem with pay for play is this. While it is highly likely that a sizeable portion of the regular Users would happily pay, there is a significant portion who won't, or can't. If we don't allow those people to play, then the people who do pay will get let use out of the service because there will not be as many people available to play against.

By working from donations, those that are able and willing to pay can, and they will get the maximum value for the money they give.

At least that's the way we see it.

Geoschmo

[geoschmo]

Ok, time for an update.

I called the ISP yesterday within 30 minutes of it going down. Got the usual answers on the phone. Got a call back a few hours later saying they couldn't find the problem remotly and would be sending a tech out on Friday.

I was not ammused.

I fully expect that the problem will be with the telco and not the ISP, but I have to play that game and cannot call the telco directly. For the purposes of my DSL the telco doesn't work for me, they work for the ISP.

We've been down this road before and the ISP tech coming out Friday means the telco doesn't get involved till middle of next week at best. So I wrote a stern email to the ISP support detailing the disatisfaction I have had over the Last several months with the service. I told them that if their objective was to drive me away as a customer towards their many competitors in teh highspeed market, they were doing an excellent job. (in those words exactly.) I also told them that I would not be happy unless they got a tech out to my home by today. (wrote this yesterday remember)

Well, lo and behold, it worked. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif The tech just left my house and is heading to the central office as I write this. Assuming she doesn't find a problem there she will get the phone company involved at that point. Not sure how much of a fire I can light under them, but at least we saved 3 days of the process. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Geoschmo

[ December 03, 2003, 20:24: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

[1FSTCAT]

Thank, GOD!

Thanks for not letting them drag us all through the coals, Geo. Stay on them! Break out the whips and chains!

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

--Ed

[ December 03, 2003, 20:27: Message edited by: 1FSTCAT ]

[farstryder]

totally right geo. i wouldn't pay to play if it was required. i'm not against making voluntary donations, mind you, but i don't think it right to follow in the steps of the big game companies. Shrapnel isn't like that, Malfador isn't like that, and PBW isn't like that. It'd be a sad day indeed when if ever we had to pay to play our dear old PBW games.

plus, there's the matter of implementation. how would you smoothly implement such a measure with so many games running at once. i can only imagine how many players would miss turns, drop out of games, and just generally be irked. one can only guess what a nightmare that would be for the admins, having to reset all the turns and such.

Finally, I'd be very very willing to wager that many of the current die-hard PBW players would migrate to other sites, and use them to organise their own PBEM games. I mean, PBEM wasn't that hard to do when the PBW server went down just a little while back.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by farstryder:
I mean, PBEM wasn't that hard to do when the PBW server went down just a little while back. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Obviously you weren't running eight separate games like I was. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[farstryder]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by farstryder:
I mean, PBEM wasn't that hard to do when the PBW server went down just a little while back. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Obviously you weren't running eight separate games like I was. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">well, speaking from a player's perspective, anyways. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by farstryder:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by geoschmo:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by farstryder:
I mean, PBEM wasn't that hard to do when the PBW server went down just a little while back. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Obviously you weren't running eight separate games like I was. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">well, speaking from a player's perspective, anyways. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">And that's the truth. PBW has always been more of a service to the game owner then the players. When it's working correctly it makes running games a breeze. This means a game owner can run games he's not even in as a player. You can do that PBEM too, but it's not a lot of fun. And it means owners can run many games simultaneously, which means more opportunity for players to get into a game.

[AMF]

I agree that making a mandatory fee for PBW is not the best solution. However, I also think that the current "advertising" for donations is not too strong. Why not just a nicely worded request at the front end that says, simply, "we'd really like it if you donated $1 each month to pay for this site. If you don't want to, ok, no problem."

It would sort of act like the donations box in the lobby of museums - you can get in free, but many people do donate becuase it's easy to do so and it's right there...you could even put a PayPal button right there, give it a little "donation box" with animation, yadda yadda yadda...Maybe even a graphic showing running donations, and deficits for the costs involved, so that when you got low on funds people would see that and get more excited about donating...I'm sure there are plenty of javaistas out there who could whip that code up in their sleep...

In any case, PBW is a wonderful service, and I will go right now and donate even more money to it. (But I'm buying a new house in the next week, so not much this time around...)

Thanks,

Alarik

[farstryder]

check out Simtropolis (http://www.simtropolis.com) for an excellent example of asking Users for donations. what i really like is how easy it is to donate, and the fact that they list out the costs and what they need. of course, they have about 18,000 registered Users, which is around half again as many people as have bought SEIV...

[Fyron]

totally right geo. i wouldn't pay to play if it was required. i'm not against making voluntary donations, mind you, but i don't think it right to follow in the steps of the big game companies. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">The big companies let you play MP for free, unless it is a MMORPG... Blizzard lets you play for free, using the MSN Gaming Zone thingie is free, using Gamespy is free, etc.

of course, they have about 18,000 registered Users, which is around half again as many people as have bought SEIV... <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">SE4 Gold was said to have passed the $500,000 mark Last year some time. Not SE4, just Gold. 500,000 / 40 = 12500 Users that had purchased SE4 Gold about a year ago or whenever that statement was made. Now add more people that have bought it since then, and then all the people that bought SE4 original but never bought Gold (of which there are a relevent number of). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ December 03, 2003, 23:37: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

[Roanon]

Originally posted by Ruatha:
As approx 15 players already had uploaded I'll give it another day before I fire it up.
(otherwise all has to reupload, usually leads to problems....) <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Fire it up. No ETA yet, looks like poor Geo will be out of DSL for another month. In the unlikely event that it will be back up before the weekend, we can revert to PBW without trouble. Otherwise, it looks like developing your autorun programm shortly before PBW had its brief revival has not been a waste of time http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif .

[farstryder]

The big companies let you play MP for free, unless it is a MMORPG... Blizzard lets you play for free, using the MSN Gaming Zone thingie is free, using Gamespy is free, etc.<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I was referring to MMORPGs.

SE4 Gold was said to have passed the $500,000 mark Last year some time. Not SE4, just Gold. 500,000 / 40 = 12500 Users that had purchased SE4 Gold about a year ago or whenever that statement was made. Now add more people that have bought it since then, and then all the people that bought SE4 original but never bought Gold (of which there are a relevent number of). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">But the point still stands that, when compared to Sim City 4, SEIV is a very small game; and when compared to Simtropolis, PBW is a very small community.

[Ruatha]

Originally posted by Roanon:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by Ruatha:
As approx 15 players already had uploaded I'll give it another day before I fire it up.
(otherwise all has to reupload, usually leads to problems....) <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Fire it up. No ETA yet, looks like poor Geo will be out of DSL for another month. In the unlikely event that it will be back up before the weekend, we can revert to PBW without trouble. Otherwise, it looks like developing your autorun programm shortly before PBW had its brief revival has not been a waste of time http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif . </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ok, it's up again.
I'm recoding the entire autoturn app and will rewrite alot of the site later on, it's a fun learning process for me.
If PBW comes on-line again soon we'll switch back immediatly.

[Fyron]

farstryder:
That just means that you only run one server, not a server farm. It is just a difference of scale.

Comparing any game to a MMORPG is a mistake because they are built around an entirely different marketing base. MMORPG, pay as you play. Other games, buy it once (or thrice in the case of certain disreputable companies *cough* civ3 *cough*). It is better to compare to the large majority of games/companies that provide MP servers without charging for them.

[Phoenix-D]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
farstryder:
That just means that you only run one server, not a server farm. It is just a difference of scale.

Comparing any game to a MMORPG is a mistake because they are built around an entirely different marketing base. MMORPG, pay as you play. Other games, buy it once (or thrice in the case of certain disreputable companies *cough* civ3 *cough*). It is better to compare to the large majority of games/companies that provide MP servers without charging for them. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Except that most of these companies -don't- provide servers, they provide matchmaking services. IIRC even Blizzard's Battle.net is like this except for the Realms games for Diablo 2. This reduces the strain quite a lot..

And the comparison is relevent because someone else was refering to the pay by the month scheme..

[se5a]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Ok, time for an update.

I called the ISP yesterday within 30 minutes of it going down. Got the usual answers on the phone. Got a call back a few hours later saying they couldn't find the problem remotly and would be sending a tech out on Friday.

I was not ammused.

I fully expect that the problem will be with the telco and not the ISP, but I have to play that game and cannot call the telco directly. For the purposes of my DSL the telco doesn't work for me, they work for the ISP.

We've been down this road before and the ISP tech coming out Friday means the telco doesn't get involved till middle of next week at best. So I wrote a stern email to the ISP support detailing the disatisfaction I have had over the Last several months with the service. I told them that if their objective was to drive me away as a customer towards their many competitors in teh highspeed market, they were doing an excellent job. (in those words exactly.) I also told them that I would not be happy unless they got a tech out to my home by today. (wrote this yesterday remember)

Well, lo and behold, it worked. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif The tech just left my house and is heading to the central office as I write this. Assuming she doesn't find a problem there she will get the phone company involved at that point. Not sure how much of a fire I can light under them, but at least we saved 3 days of the process. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Geoschmo <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">YEA!!! wooohooo!! BBQ time!!
**dons flamethrower**
BIRNGTHEMON!!!
and as the firebat in SC says so well "LETS BURN!"


and as for the pay/donate thing:
I am quite willing to pay $1 a month, however I am unable to. being in New Zealand I can have a paypal acc, but I have no way of putting anything in it unless I have a credit card, (which I dont have, and dont know if I can even get, considering that I havent held a full time job for more than a year.
ermm not as bad as that could sound...)

[Fyron]

Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
farstryder:
That just means that you only run one server, not a server farm. It is just a difference of scale.

Comparing any game to a MMORPG is a mistake because they are built around an entirely different marketing base. MMORPG, pay as you play. Other games, buy it once (or thrice in the case of certain disreputable companies *cough* civ3 *cough*). It is better to compare to the large majority of games/companies that provide MP servers without charging for them. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Except that most of these companies -don't- provide servers, they provide matchmaking services. IIRC even Blizzard's Battle.net is like this except for the Realms games for Diablo 2. This reduces the strain quite a lot..

And the comparison is relevent because someone else was refering to the pay by the month scheme.. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Ok. Fix up the TCP/IP mode and provide a match-makign service. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif In addition to the PBW-like functionality. I am sure that Shrapnel would be able to afford it for SE5... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[mottlee]

Some where someone cut the fiber!!!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif I'll bet

[Unknown_Enemy]

Geo's provider has gained my special award of worst ISP I've run into. I understand the reasons that make Geo stay with that ISP, but I also understand how they can make good commercial offer if they are so cheap on service quality.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[mottlee]

So who IS the ISP? AOhelL?

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Some where someone cut the fiber!!!! I'll bet
<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">no, i cannot hear your call. i cannot hear your call at all. a mouse has cut the wire. goodbye.

[1FSTCAT]

So what's the latest update, Geo? Is this going to be another 30 day hiatus, or what?

--Ed

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by 1FSTCAT:
So what's the latest update, Geo? Is this going to be another 30 day hiatus, or what?

--Ed <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">One day at a time...

[farstryder]

The Gamer's Woe
by Johan Baumeister (aka farstryder)
(to be read in the style of Seuss)

Once upon a gloomy time,
A saddened gamer made a rhyme.
It was a story of his woes,
And this is how that sad rhyme goes:

When he awoke, his very first thought,
Was not of food, nor tea, piping hot.
It was of his most dear pastime,
That game of games, SE4 so sublime.

But alas! Woe was he,
PBW down? How could it be?!?
Crushed and gloomy, he turned to his rack,
Tried to have fun, but the gloom wouldn't crack.

So he sat down and cried,
And cried, 'cause he'd tried,
To have fun, but could not.
When who should appear, but Xintis, the bot!

The gloomy gamer barely perked up,
But Xintis told him, "Stop crying, sit up!
I've got a solution, one you must hear:
Call all your friends, both far and near!"

"We'll drum up a crowd of fans large and small,
Too many to know how to deal with them all.
Then start up a game via TCP."
"My router is broken, it won't work, you'll see!"

Said the boy to the bot, sad as could be.
The bot pondered that, said, "Watch some TV!"
With much distress and indignation,
With feelings of dread, and suffocation,

The gamer went over where the gleaming bot stood.
Dressed only in PJ's, a shirt with a hood,
The gamer-boy grumpily sat himself down.
While Xintis whistled happily, much like a clown.

He turned on the TV, changed the channel,
From Home Improvement, with Al and his flannel,
To Video 1, with its screen full of snow.
And shortly said, "Get ready for the show."

The boy had forgotten he owned Star Wars,
And Lord of the Rings, with elves and dwarves.
These magical, fantasy stories kept his mind free,
While valiant Geoschmo battled the evil ISP.

THE END

[rextorres]

Pretty cool! I think you get an extra 10% for that though.

[geoschmo]

The ISP tech ran the problem back to the central office and has passed it off to the telco, as expected. The telco has commited to getting out and checking their hardware by tommorow afternoon, which was a little unexpected. I guess my little email the other day is still having a motivating effect. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Knock on wood, maybe we'll be back up tommorow night. No promises though, of course.

Geoschmo

[Roanon]

Tomorrow they will find out that someone needs to flip a switch. So they will have to send out someone who knows how to flip switches. Unfortunately, the telco's only expert for that is skying somewhere, and expected to be back after Xmas. The usual bad luck added, he will have broken his leg while skying prolonging his absence till end of january. Of course, the temporary employment of a six year old who knows how to flip switches will be vividly discussed, but rejected because the telco cannot afford the additional costs estimating about 4 bubblegums.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

[Atrocities]

Daja'vu (sp)

I think this has happened before..........

[Jake Monroe]

Originally posted by Roanon:
blip<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Man, that was hilarious.
I'm only in one game, but I keep forgetting to check my email. Hopefully when this gets fixed, I'll be able to keep track a bit better so as to not miss a turn.

[1FSTCAT]

How can you be so calm, Geo??

I've had DSL for two years, and Road Runner for two years, and I've never had an outage (on either service) for longer than 2 days.

I can't imagine what I would do, if my high speed internet was down for longer than that..

--Ed

[Unknown_Enemy]

He is calm because he doesn't really have a choice due to the specs needed to run PBW.

[1FSTCAT]

It's UP!!

OMG, IT'S UP!!

[1FSTCAT]

For God's sake! Change the title of this post!! It's UP!!!!

[Alneyan]

Still down here, I cannot go any further than the welcome page. I run into a "error 500" nice page after that. *Frowns*

[se5a]

Im getting
"Internal Server Error
The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.
Please contact the server administrator, admin@pbw.cc and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.

More information about this error may be available in the server error log.
"

[1FSTCAT]

It's down, it's down!!

LOL

I guess what I should have said was:

Geo's DSL is FINALLY back Online. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[Unknown_Enemy]

UP !!!!!!
I get an error now, but it is irrelevant. Geo's got his DSL line back, and that is the most important point.


YEAA

[Asmala]

Yep it's most important that the DSL is back. I bet (knock on wood) Geoschmo can fix that error in no time http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[geoschmo]

Yes, the DSL appears to be back Online, although I don't think they are quite done yet cause now our phone doesn't work. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Also, I have to go home after work and get the server running before you will be able to get past the initial welcome screen.

But looks like chances are good that things will be back up within a few more hours.

[Asmala]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Yes, the DSL appears to be back Online, although I don't think they are quite done yet cause now our phone doesn't work. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">LOL, looks like you have very professional techs there http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[geoschmo]

Up.

[Unknown_Enemy]

Do you have DSL and phone working simultaneously ?
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[geoschmo]

Yes, the phone is working too now. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[se5a]

PHEW!! so they are not likely to cut the dsl trying to fix the phone...

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Atrocities:
Daja'vu (sp)

I think this has happened before.......... <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Not really. Well of course we have been down before, but the Last time it was over a week before the telco tech made it out to check his end of the problem. This time we got to that point in four days. I think the improvement is notable, and promising.

You guys are so negative. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

[Loser]

Meh. It could be worse. He could be working with US West.

[Maerlyn]

geo, thanx a lot (my addiction was trying to kill me again) but your technicans over there are stunning me over and over again. I especially enjoy your telephon troubles http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

[Phoenix-D]

Having issues again? The center frame isn't loading for me.

EDIT: annnnnnnnd..now it is.

[ December 06, 2003, 03:13: Message edited by: Phoenix-D ]

[Loser]

Thanks for bringing it back Geo. It's so nice to have PBW again.

[tesco samoa]

cool i should e able to do all my turns in about 9 hous

[se5a]

have you swiched auto turns back on yet geo?

[Roanon]

bump?

[geoschmo]

No, I have not turned auto turns back on. Frankly I am afraid to at this point.

Unfortunatly the location where I have moved to is pushing the distance limits of standard DSL technology by a few thousand feet. The ISP has me hooked up, but the connection is not very good quality. At times it slows to a crawl, and at other times stops alltogether for a few minutes. Other then the 3 day outage Last week I think it's been mostly up, but I am afraid to turn auto turns on because I cannot be in a position 24/7 where I can quickly turn off auto turns if the server loses connection.

I am workign with the ISP to see if anything can be done, and also looking at some other possible options. PBW will not be going away, but it might not be staying at my house. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif I don't want to get into it other than that for right now, but I will let you know something in the next couple weeks. Just be patient with me, and have your game owner run the turns. It's still a lot easier then running the game PBEM. And if everyone plays, he doesn't have to do anything really.

If anyone has a game owner that is gone over the rainbow, let me know and we'll get ownership switched to someone active in the game.

Geoschmo

[se5a]

how easy would it be to get it to ping your isp, if it dosent get a reply it will automaticly turn the auto turns off...
also if you had some kind of indicator on the homepage to let us know if its on or off would be cool to...
off course all this means work, blaeh...

hey, I could probibly host a game if you need me to.

[ December 12, 2003, 11:32: Message edited by: se5a ]

[Nodachi]

It's back!

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by se5a:
how easy would it be to get it to ping your isp, if it dosent get a reply it will automaticly turn the auto turns off...
also if you had some kind of indicator on the homepage to let us know if its on or off would be cool to...
off course all this means work, blaeh...

hey, I could probibly host a game if you need me to. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'm not sure how hard that would be. It would take some programing, and i have zero skills in that area. Georgig suggested it a while ago as well, but I never heard anything else about it, so maybe it ended up being harder then he thought it would be.

Geoschmo

[Nodachi]

Is PBW having issues this morning? I can't get the web page to load and my RTC just sits there trying to connect.

[1FSTCAT]

Not working for me, either.

--Ed

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Nodachi:
Is PBW having issues this morning? I can't get the web page to load and my RTC just sits there trying to connect. <font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Must be. It was working when I left the hosue this morning, but I can't get to it right now either. If it follows recent pattern it will be back up this morning sometime. Just keep checking back every once in a while.

Geoschmo

[Slynky]

It's gone again?

[CNCRaymond]

Confirmed, it be gone again. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[geoschmo]

should be back now

[Slynky]

Yeppers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[Slynky]

Does the word "yo-yo" come to mind? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

[edit] or maybe "Slowpoke"? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[ December 13, 2003, 03:53: Message edited by: Slynky ]

[Roanon]

Down again or just my ISP?