Opening statement
Eww the second edition of the Times is already late, now that is no good sign for sure, right? Well, no it's not! In fact the reason why this happened is simply because I was working day in day out on our new Resourcepacks, and by Sunday evening I was rather worn out which made me take an evening off instead of writing the Times on time! But I of course will not let you down, so here you go, with another edition of the MCME Times!
As a quick foreword I'd like to explain something about our server rules. Recently we took notice of someone advertising a new server and specifically asked players from MCME to join it. As I hope most of you know we have a rule which prohibits such advertising. Now you may wonder why that is, and I really like explaining the reasons behind such rules, because if you realise why the rule exists you will hopefully be more willing to respect it.
Because in fact it is not that we dislike any other server or deliberately don't want other servers to thrive. No, the reason is this: Keeping MCME up and running is a lot of work, and part of that is making sure that our server gets noticed by potential new players. This requires an up-to-date website, which costs real money and a lot of time, we maintain our Facebook site, organise and advertise events, collaborate with Youtubers, all also things that need a lot of time to plan. If someone now simply uses our platform to advertise another server he basically abuses all that time and effort we put into bringing the players here in the first place, and that is the reason why we don't want advertising of other servers here, because it is unfair towards all those who put effort into the behind the scenes stuff of MCME.
As a quick foreword I'd like to explain something about our server rules. Recently we took notice of someone advertising a new server and specifically asked players from MCME to join it. As I hope most of you know we have a rule which prohibits such advertising. Now you may wonder why that is, and I really like explaining the reasons behind such rules, because if you realise why the rule exists you will hopefully be more willing to respect it.
Because in fact it is not that we dislike any other server or deliberately don't want other servers to thrive. No, the reason is this: Keeping MCME up and running is a lot of work, and part of that is making sure that our server gets noticed by potential new players. This requires an up-to-date website, which costs real money and a lot of time, we maintain our Facebook site, organise and advertise events, collaborate with Youtubers, all also things that need a lot of time to plan. If someone now simply uses our platform to advertise another server he basically abuses all that time and effort we put into bringing the players here in the first place, and that is the reason why we don't want advertising of other servers here, because it is unfair towards all those who put effort into the behind the scenes stuff of MCME.
Project Progress
Andrast (In Progress) - Lead: @jacenpeter
and
Dol Amroth (In Progress) - Lead: @Eaglz24
Texture DevelopmentAfter so many months of working one could think jacen is about to be fed up with and just wants to finish it all. But no, in fact he extended his working area quite a bit to the north, up to the river Isen to shape the ugly WorldPainter terrain into nicely formed foothills to the White Mountains. Another victim to that is the town of Udul. While once it prould sat on an isolated hill it has now been integrated into the foothills, and now it definitely is no longer on the highest point within render distance!
Belfalas (In Progress) - Lead: @Thijs1801
and
Dol Amroth (In Progress) - Lead: @Eaglz24
No progress just yet, people are still waiting patiently, or maybe less patiently, for me to get done with the new RP. However we did hold a quick meeting where I presented my progress so far with the RP and discussed a few points about how the houses could be constructed effectively but still making sure that not all the houses will look the same in the end.
I will try to get a pre-release of the RP into the project leader's hands within the next days so that they can start adjusting the building style using the new blocks.
In the meanwhile Eaglz, Darki and newly promoted Kjolsen have picked up the threads on the terrain in northern Belfalas.
Lamedon (In Progress) - Lead: @_LukI will try to get a pre-release of the RP into the project leader's hands within the next days so that they can start adjusting the building style using the new blocks.
In the meanwhile Eaglz, Darki and newly promoted Kjolsen have picked up the threads on the terrain in northern Belfalas.
No progress this week, the heather is till floating. I will keep you up to date with the events on the crime scene.
Mordor Terrain (In Progress) - Lead: @Tyranystrasz
No news this week yet!
Moria (In Progress) - Lead: @Despot666 & @Finrod_Amandil
Oh my frikkin' Aulë does the 2nd hall look awesome now!!! In the past week master builders from among the rows of Artists and Designers have created a new set of wall murals for the 2nd hall and they are incredibly nice. I bow to everyone who has worked on these, and also to @Ardelenia who has created the first set of murals and whose designs and ideas can still be found in today's versions.
Tolfalas (In Progress) - Lead: @Tyranystrasz
No progress this week.
Valley of Erui (In Progress) - Lead: @Mandos
No progress this week.
This weekend I moved on from the long planning phase that has been going on almost since fall 2016 to the implementation phase. That means putting all the ideas I gathered in this time into a useable form, which in this case are the 2.0 versions of the MCME Resourcepacks.
Nowadays, Resourcepacks are a lot more than just textures, and I'd like to take a minute to explain what lies between a texture and the block that you ultimatively can look at ingame.
The different parts that come into action are these:
- blockstate: Every block can exist in one or multiple states. For example a Dispenser can face in six different directions, each of them is a separate blockstate. Wheat, and most other crops as well grow over time. Wheat takes seven steps until it's fully grown, every stage is thus one of eight blockstates. This is similar for the cactus as well, it even has 16 growth stages, however as all of them use the same texture by default you don't notice it. Almost every blockstate can be modelled and textured independantly.
- texture: A texture is a small picture, usually 16px by 16px in size. It is possible to make several similar textures and then let the game chose randomly which one to apply to a certain block.
- model file: Every blockstate has a model file. The model file is used to define the visual shape of the blockstate and to determine which texture is applied to which part of the shape. The minecraft game files contain a model file for every blockstate, but these can be overwritten by placing additional model files in a Resourcepack.
If randomized textures are desired, every variant needs a separate model file.
- blockstate file: The blockstate file defines which model should be used for which blockstate and says, in which case which blockstate comes to use. For example if you're placing a Dispenser while you're looking south the blockstate file tells Minecraft to take the Dispenser model which works for aall north, south, east and west, and rotate it so that the Dispenser you place faces towards you. If you look up or down however other textures need to be used, and thus a different model is chosen.
If randomized textures are used, the blockstate file connects them so that all are used on the same block. It's also possible to rotate and mirror the blocks to add even more variation, and also it's possible to define exact probabilities, if not all variants should appear similarily often.
- inventory config file: Custom to MCME are the new upcoming inventories. While it is hardcoded which blocks are to be found in the vanilla Minecraft inventory, we can adjust that with the inventory configuration file. In this file it is defined...
- ...which block (that may have several blockstates) is placed when you use it
- ...which item is used to make it look right in the inventory
- ...what name the block should be presented as
- ...the type of placement, i.e. whether it has six different orientations or whether it should look the same no matter what way the player faces
- ...which blockstates should be used (if multiple are required).
Animation Plugin (Testing in progress) - Dev: @Ivan1pl
Rank UpdatesDue to the URPS, which I really want to finish first and foremost, I didn't have the time for an extensive testing session yet.
Custom inventories / itemblocks (In progress) - Dev: @Eriol_Eandur
The coding for the new inventories is done, a few new itemblocks will still need to be created though. This plugin extension of the Architect bundle will be released with the completion of the Gondor 2.0 pack.
Guidebook (Implemented!) - Dev: @Eriol_Eandur
The Guidebook plugin is implemented on the main server now! Despot has already started using it to label the halls of Moria. Furthermore we hope that the Guides can do some work on adding some lore and descriptions to the locations on the overworld in the future!
If you want to learn more about the plugin, check out the manual! Guidebook Plugin Manual
Block analyse / replace / switch Plugin (In progress) - Dev: @Eriol_Eandur If you want to learn more about the plugin, check out the manual! Guidebook Plugin Manual
Eriol took over the lead on this small plugin. While the alternative async WorldEdit sure is a very good addition to the pool of tools it is not matching the requirements all that well which I need to add the many necessary changes to the map. The main extra function of the replacing plugin will be that one queue an arbitrary number of tasks (i.e. replace one block with another in entire Gondor), which then get executed over a larger timeframe, without causing too much server strain. It then can even run overnight autonomously.
I have now opened the discussion about the two upcoming ranks - Foreman and Commoner/Member to everyone! Be sure to voice your ideas and suggestions as I really do want to conclude this as soon as possible!
Foreman: Foreman - Public discussion thread
Commoner: Commoner / Member Public discussion thread
This week we have two promotions!
- Very big congratulations and hooray to @Kjolsen, who after showing like almost noone before how badly he wants to get this rank, managed to get promoted to Designer!
- Secondly a warm welcome to @Hearthseeker who is joining the Purple Legion as new Artist!
This week we haven't got any new submissions if I am not mistaken, thus I will instead post a quick teaser pick showing a few of the new randomized textures that will be in the new pack!
(Yes all three are randomised, you might need to look very closely tho
)
Upcoming
(Yes all three are randomised, you might need to look very closely tho
)
Themed Build
Discord vs. Teamspeak
If I am not mistaken no clear decision has been made yet; and for once I am not the one who feels resonsible for making that decision However given the pretty extensive usage of Discord, vs. the rather dead TS server (at least when I checked the last time) I presume we will just slowly abandon Teamspeak. It may be just too early to bid goodbye to it yet, but as it looks now I fear that's what it's gonna end up with.
If you've still found a striking argument against all that, voice it here! Teamspeak 3 compared against Discord
However given the pretty extensive usage of Discord, vs. the rather dead TS server (at least when I checked the last time) I presume we will just slowly abandon Teamspeak. It may be just too early to bid goodbye to it yet, but as it looks now I fear that's what it's gonna end up with.If you've still found a striking argument against all that, voice it here! Teamspeak 3 compared against Discord
The *new* Audiobook
The first edition of the new Audiobook, that is the Lord of the Rings, but this time read by MCME members, will start this Saturday, january the 14th, at 7pm GMT! For more information, check out @TI_020601's thread, who's organizing it and will also be reading. Why not read a few pages yourself to give TI a break? The New Audio Book
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