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fixed save/load routines and currently working on refining authentication to allow for smooth bot restart

coming up next (still)... detecting other players within unit/city sight range

====
pushed latest code to github: https://github.com/crutchy-/test
note: irciv.php and irciv_lib.php contain most of the game functionality and can be found in the scripts directory
latest web map demo here: http://irciv.port119.net/?pid=2

join #civ channel in soylent irc to get involved, or use the github source for your own project

more info:
http://wiki.soylentnews.org/wiki/IRCiv
http://wiki.soylentnews.org/wiki/IRC:exec

got fog of war working... thanks to chromas for the idea of using a gd filled circle image :-D

city name and proximity detection also implemented

coming up next... detecting other players within unit/city sight range

====
pushed latest code to github: https://github.com/crutchy-/test
note: irciv.php and irciv_lib.php contain most of the game functionality and can be found in the scripts directory
latest web map demo here: http://irciv.port119.net/?pid=2

join #civ channel in soylent irc to get involved, or use the github source for your own project

more info:
http://wiki.soylentnews.org/wiki/IRCiv
http://wiki.soylentnews.org/wiki/IRC:exec

got basic city building working last night. only settlers can build cities using the "build" or "b" command in irc

city images cover 3x3 terrain tiles, with the reference as the center tile. this will allow big cities to look big on the map.

pushed latest code to github: https://github.com/crutchy-/test
note: irciv.php and irciv_lib.php contain most of the game functionality and can be found in the scripts directory
latest web map demo here: http://irciv.port119.net/?pid=1

coming up next... city building proximity detection, and fog of war implementation

join #civ channel in soylent irc to get involved, or use the github source for your own project

more info:
http://wiki.soylentnews.org/wiki/IRCiv
http://wiki.soylentnews.org/wiki/IRC:exec

fixed up some of the map image stuff last night.
thanks to Brylarke for correcting my misconception about png filesize; i incorrectly assumed that gif output would be smaller than png (without testing my assumption), but i was very wrong. png++
painted gridlines on the map if "grid" player flag is set.

when a player moves, the irc bot outputs two URLs; the long one is specific for that instance of the game (for timeline feature to be added later) and the other just shows the latest map image. if you open the latest image URL and move again, you can just refresh the browser and it will update the map. in some (probably most) browsers you can scroll to the area of the map where your units are, and when you refresh the browser will keep that position.

demo here: http://irciv.port119.net/?pid=1

civ2 fans might recognize the map graphics... i won't tell if you don't. if anyone is handy with game graphics, replacement images will be welcome. images are png format with magenta (255,0,255) for transparent regions. have a squiz in the scripts/images directory. i might reduce the unit image down to 48x48 tonight.

pushed to github: https://github.com/crutchy-/test
note: irciv.php and irciv_lib.php contain most of the game functionality and can be found in the scripts directory

coming up next... fixing bug in map_img function (vertical unit image offset is wrong, but i might change the unit image as well), and adding a city to the map :-)

http://wiki.soylentnews.org/wiki/IRCiv
http://wiki.soylentnews.org/wiki/IRC:exec

was a bit lazy last night, but instead of fillrect terrain we have terrain images (atm only land and ocean).

website now has a png logo, and players can access their latest map using http://irciv.port119.net/?pid=<player_id>

example: http://irciv.port119.net/?pid=1

haven't pushed to github yet. will do tonight (australian time).

coming up next... playing with the map image generator to get settlers and warriors on the map. wanna try png maps for antialiased layers, as long as the files aren't unreasonably large.

I have been trying to setup a native development environment on Windows for Slashcode. I have made a lot of progress with Eclipse and Eclipse's EPIC plug-in, however when trying to test any of the Slash modules, references to other Slash modules fail to be located. Is this a hopeless effort? :/

It would appear to be a simple issue with Perl's @INC array, however after a full day of wrestling with it I am completely out of ideas...

I have discovered that by creating an environment variable called PERL5LIB, we can add items to the top of @INC without touching any code in the Slash project. Great.

On Windows (Using the default cmd.exe) you set the %PERL5LIB% variable by right-clicking 'My Computer', selecting 'Properties' and choosing the 'Advanced System Settings' on the left. Once you open a new cmd.exe, the changes will be reflected. If you're using a Bash shell on Windows (msysgit, for example) locate your profile which is likely Users\username\AppData\Local\Programs\Git\etc\profile

You can use the -V argument to display perl's extended info, including the @INC contents at the bottom:

$ perl -V

@INC:
/usr/lib/perl5/5.8.8/msys
/usr/lib/perl5/5.8.8
/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.8/msys
/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.8
/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl
.

After adding /usr/share/slashcode:/usr/share/slashcode/Slash:/usr/share/slashcode/Slash/Constants to the PERL5LIB environment variable we get:

@INC:

/usr/share/slashcode
/usr/share/slashcode/Slash
/usr/share/slashcode/Slash/Constants
/usr/lib/perl5/5.8.8/msys
/usr/lib/perl5/5.8.8
/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.8/msys
/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.8
/usr/lib/perl5/site_perl
.

That's in a Git Bash shell on Windows, which is why it's formatted that way. I long gave up on cmd.exe for this because of how dependent slashcode is on a linux.

Even with the above absurd @INC, I get this from all Slash modules in one form or another:

michealpwalls@K75DE-WINDOWS ~
$ cd /usr/share/slashcode/Slash

michealpwalls@K75DE-WINDOWS /usr/share/slashcode/Slash (meh)
$ perl -e'use slash;'

Can't locate Slash/Constants.pm in @INC (@INC contains: /usr/share/slashcode /usr/share/slashcode/Slash /usr/share/slashcode/Slash/Constants /usr/lib/perl5/5.8.8/msys /usr/lib/perl5/5.8.8 /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.8/msys /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.8 /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl .) at /usr/share/slashcode/Slash/slash.pm line 32.

BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/share/slashcode/Slash/slash.pm line 32.

Compilation failed in require at -e line 1.

BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at -e line 1.

Any thoughts? :/

have been having some difficulty with my internet connection, so progress has been a bit slower than i would like

set up an apache vhost on my dmz server for the IRCiv website, and coded a little php web app that will allow exec to upload map images to the website using a private key, and displays an image based on a map filename passed in the URL (validated to allow only a alphanumerical chars)

the IRCiv logo is displayed in a gif format (less sexy) on the IRCiv webpage @ http://irciv.port119.net/
thanks to mrbluze for use of his domain and also for some style guidance on the logo

pushed to github: https://github.com/crutchy-/test
note: irciv.php is in scripts directory and contains most of the game functionality

coming up next... making IRCiv upload map images to the website when a player moves

[[Ask Soylent]]

In response to rampant internet surveillance, the imminent demise of network neutrality, and problems with the certificate authority system, MaidSafe is designing new protocols to access the internet in a decentralized, cryptographically secure manner.

Briefly, the project is an open source app development platform based on client-side encryption and redundant online storage. Websites using the system would be immune from mass surveillance and censorship, and provide anonymous login and site verification without a certificate authority.

Should SoylentNews run under MaidSafe?

SoylentNews was formed to show people how good things might be without the abuse, as push-back against ruining "our garden", but the scope has narrowed considerably due to the change in management. Without a "product distinction", something that marks this site as "better" (or at least, "different") it runs the risk of being "just another news aggregator".

Throwing weight behind MaidSafe would give momentum to their project, while giving us product distinction and help solve some of the abuse. As early adopters we would help set the direction of their project, and we bring an enormous amount of technical insight and debugging ability. It would empower both projects.

MaidSafe is just getting started, so there will be kinks and issues. Also, SN should be dual interface until the new system gains momentum - perhaps "read-access" to the general internet using the existing protocols, but with user registration and login using MaidSafe.

SoylentNews is also just getting started, and there's been talk of house-cleaning some of the code. This is an opportunity to be an agent of change - to take back a measure of control - while at the same time becoming demonstrably different and better.

This is a generic journal entry posted entirely so that you can tell me I'm awesome, call me a dick, or impart useful information since SN lacks a messaging feature and I'm not giving out my email address.

updated unit movement, added settler, got active unit cycling working

made up a simple logo to (eventually) go on the IRCiv website
for now its here: http://wiki.soylentnews.org/wiki/IRCiv

pushed to github: https://github.com/crutchy-/test
note: irciv.php is in scripts directory and contains most of the game functionality

coming up next... building/setting up the IRCiv website (to eventually host player map images)