Dark Isles

This is a post that should of been put up a while ago: "We're Open."

As of the 8th of July, exactly one year after we booted the mud for the first time, we are fully open for roleplay and testing.

Already a lot of new code has gone in and I'm going to endeavour to post here in news with future additions so you guys can have somewhere to keep track of it all. Or maybe I should start a blog? That might be a bit more useful, and keep the more major stuff for the news.

On that point, the major new stuff:

- Help files have shifted over to a mysql database system. This means you can search through both the text and keywords for an entry. It also means players can also add entries for approval as well.

- We now have a basic in game messaging system. Help messages for how it works. It'll be expanded in the future to become an IC messaging system too.

- Boards, both IC & OOC ones are now in. This is just a temporary system as I plan to shift this over to mysql eventually.

- Vek have been altered. They now get bonuses at night and get hurt under the sun during the day. Cloaks are their best friend in the sun. There are other things as well, if you're a Vek, you'll know about them.

- Skills now go up through usage.

- Laws IC have been defined. Look for the law-book in the library.

- Display of objects has been changed to a list format. A bit easier to read.

- Colours of NPCs and PCs are now Cyan rather than pink. Fits our colour scheme a little better.

OPEN DAY: Monday, 7th of July (10 days to go)

Quite a few people have nudged me about when we're looking to open over the last couple of weeks and I'm happy to announce that at this stage, the opening date is set to Monday, 7th of July.

If anyone wishes to join us in aiding with the development over the next few days, please contact me ASAP.

Mining code is now in and all the harvesting code has been rewritten. Seahaven is 99 % done, meaning we're almost ready to go live. Intend to send out invitations for pre-opening RP this weekend if all goes well.

The first stage of player made housing has now been added to Dark Isles. This allows a player to be able to collect certain resources and if they have the appropriate skill, build a simple shelter. Several different types of shelters are available to be built, each having different requirements and resulting in a different room description.

The room description itself can be customised through the use of the RMEDIT command.

For more information, read the section on housing.

The official Dark Isles forums have now been set up and the posts from the temporary forums (mostly) ported over. It should be a lot easier to use, and has a gallery too (album link at the top) so please feel free to post mug shots of you and your characters up.

15th of June

Game messages stream-lined updated on login.
Vagabond code fixed.

17th of June
Website created.

21st of June
Starting area for ported characters created and roleplay opened.

22nd of June
Alchemy code totally reworked:

Alchemy is the skill of mixing together a variety of ingredients including herbs, roots, minerals and animal by-products to produce useful salves, potions, poisons, dyes and poultices using the mix command and a mortar and pestle.

In order to mix herbs together, you will need to be holding a mortar and pestle and have an empty grey vial in your inventory.

Place the herbs you wish to mix together in the mortar (you will need at least one) and simply type: mix.

Each herb has its own effects both positive and negative. Combining herbs together combines these effects and experimentation will be required to get the result you want.

7th of June:

Refillable lanterns added.
Attribute word ranges adjusted.
Coin values updated.
Variables (renter, rent price and number of rooms) added to rooms.

8th of June:
Recog break fixed.
Cloak removed from corpses at death.

14th of June:
Hidden exits added.
Search command added.

Welcome to our hosting services homeland,

We would like to take the time and welcome you to what will certainly become a well trusted and sought after hosting service. We pride ourselves on being the FASTEST dedicated MUD provider with our OC12 connection. You can connect to the Giggle server by visiting giggle.mudmagic.com, either through telnet or ssh.

An account is set up with mudmagic and over the following days the mud is created and eventually started up for the first time on the 6th of June.

On the 12th of June, Dark Isles (the name suggested by Archon) is registered as a domain and set up on our MudMagic account.

The new development forums are set up and discussion starts on the setting, mythos, races and code for the new mud. The name 'Homelands' is used temporarily for the mud.