Update 22 February

SGS UPDATE NEWSLETTER
Update
18-22 February 2010


Most of the updates in the last days has been done mostly to adapt certain functions to Nomos.

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SGS RELEASE 0.61
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More development done to adapt the game for Nomos.
A few minor changes for KOS too, such as 'Orgasmic' mental level is now 'Heightened'.
The update is optional for KoS, but you may want to get it anyway.

SGS Updates are available in the Game Room, at the Entrance. There is a HUD UPGRADE sign on the Wall.
Click on it and get the new upgrade.

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BANK/ATM/MONEY LENDER
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Added new function: TRANSFER
You may now transfer money from your bank account to another player bank account.
This is the best and safest way to transfer large amount of money.

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BUSINESSES UPDATE
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For those of you running a business at Ireem, you will notice an increase of revenue due to
the sales of the hejira and alcohol (G$2 goes to your cash till every time it is paid for).

Cash till added to the Library

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DANCE MACHINE
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I rewrote the script for the dance machine, and it is a now a little jewel of code. :)
Also we can run all the animations anywhere in the SIM. I am particularly proud of this, although
I am the only one to be able to enjoy the beauty of the code ;-)
Anyway the Arabesque, Bedu Camp, Palace and Eventus Isle at KoS have now the new Dance Jars.

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CHANGING SPECIES
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If you want to change species, you will *not* lose your scores or skills anymore.
However you will be charged G$ 350 into your bank account (if you don't have enough money there, you
will go in debt - negative balance).
The only data you will lose is your clan affiliation and/or your clan leadership.
Then you may form another clan within your new group.
To change species, there is a jar in the Game Room.
ps: The reason we apply a 'game fee' is to discourage the abuse of species switching
every 5 minutes.

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SKILLS
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The skills previously named as 'Law' has become 'Justice'.
A 'Law' skill was also added - different scope - to be used in Nomos.
This is just to explain if you see a 'Justice' skill in your profile instead of 'Law'.

Tuesday 16 February Update

SGS UPDATE NEWSLETTER
Update
16 February 2010

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RESULT OF VOTE
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The result is:
- 80 people voted that it is okay to step in after a fight has begun
- 24 people voted that it is not okay.

Therefore, the majority of people believe that being able to help out their friends in a combat situation
is essential to game play in KOS. We agree that making friends and allies is an essential part of the game
and using their aid in combat is a main reason for these alliances.

However, there are still one or two points to be taken into consideration before making a simple yes or no
ruling on the subject.

So here are a few things to bear in mind before joining in on a combat situation that is already underway.

First the most obvious is to make sure that the people fighting want you to be involved, this might be a
personal fight between two players.

If you are within sight of a combat situation which involves a member of your own Clan or an Allied Clan then
the rule is that you can indeed join that combat.

As pointed out by many people, role play introductions to combat already underway are totally impractical
unless there is a natural pause in the fight. So if the combatant players are not Rping at the time you join the
fight, then you may join without need for lengthy introductions.

Players who are neither friends or allies of those fighting should ideally stay out of the fight, or at the very
least have a good RP reason as to why they are joining in. One such reason might be an RP call for help from
one of the combatants.

TPing directly into a fight is not allowed. If you receive an IM from a friend in trouble and a TP is involved then
it should be to a logical location, so that your appearance on the scene is “believable”

The main problem we have sought to solve is the situation where 2 players start a fight and neither call for help.
Then as the combat progresses one of the players decides they do not want to loose so they call in friends,
and in many cases this allows the loosing player to win the fight. This is basically cheating.

Unfortunately written rules are too easily broken and no matter how much we try, it is impossible to police
all situations. So we will introduced a mechanical method that was originated to solve another problem, that of
being attacked the moment you arrive in the sim, before you have had a chance to rez and prepare for any
kind of Rp leave alone combat.

So there will now be a 2 minute pause before the meter becomes active after a TP into the sim.
This will mean that you must judge a combat situation early to assess if you feel you might need assistance,
and call for that help before the combat goes to far. If not you may find your friends will not get there on time
to help you out.


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SGS RELEASE 0.60
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Added a 'Rezzing Mode', that it is a 2 minutes delay when you Teleport in the SIM, or in specific situations that
requires the meter to process some information, without interferance. During the Rezzing Mode, your meter
won't allow you to fight and/or to submit damage from a weapon, as well as not being able to be captured,
if you are a prey.
And some minor bugfixes.

SGS Updates are available in the Game Room, at the Entrance. There is a HUD UPGRADE sign on the Wall.
Click on it and get the new upgrade.


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EJECT MEMBERS FROM CLANS
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If you are a clan leader and you wish to eject a member from your clan, you can now login to your account
on the web, edit your clan and eject the member directly.
This works only when that player is not at the specific region (KOS for KOS clans, etc).




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ireem Chronicles: http://ireemchronicles.blogspot.com
SGS website: http://www.socionex.com
KOS Blog: http://kingdomofsand.blogspot.com

Thursday 11 February

SGS UPDATE NEWSLETTER
Update
5-11 February 2010


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EVENTS THIS COMING WEEKEND
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( 1 ) SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY
KoS Sisterhood invites to:
2 EVENTS at 6AM SLT and 3PM SLT
http://www.ireemchronicles.blogspot.com/

( 2 ) SUNDAY 14 FEBRUARY
Sultana invites you to:
VALENTINE's DAY 2:00PM - 4:00PM SLT
Party at Eventus Isle, Formal Dress.


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SGS VERSION 0.57, 0.58, 0.59 (MINI-RELEASES)
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ETHOS
The word 'Ethos' is replacing 'Moral'. That is especially meaningful in moral-less cultures.
Ethos means the disposition, character, or fundamental values peculiar to a specific person.

SLAVE TRANSFER BUG
It is now fixed. Please update to the latest version.

INFECTION/VACCINE
Added a few tweaks to handle viruses and their vaccines.

Other minor bugfixes:
- Clear message queue when changing region

HUD Upgrades are available at the Game Room, up in the sky.


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PALACE
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As you know, the Palace group (SGS group) is not open enrollment and you can be part of it only by invite.
The Palace has also become Safezone for the Palace group. So, if you enter the Palace, be prepared to have a RP reason
to be there, or you can be kicked out, and/or incarcerated and/or fined.
Like other group camps with safezone enabled, you don't enter the enemy camp unless you have a proper RP reason
and/or you like the danger :)

If you wish to visit around - as visitor - please turn your meter to OOC, or wear an explorer tag. Thank you.

Update 4 Feb 2010

SGS UPDATE NEWSLETTER
Update
2-4 February 2010


Some of this information was also sent as notice. But the KOS notices often fail to be delivered.

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SGS RELEASE 0.55-0.56
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( 1 ) Someone reported a bug when transfering the ownership of a prisoner/slave.
I was able to reproduce the bug only once ;-/, but I think it is fixed in v 0.55
If you find any problem again, please let me know.

( 2 ) The updated employment register will only work with 0.56 and above.

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EMPLOYMENT REGISTER UPGRADE
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The code has been rewritten from scratch. There are some major differences:
- No need to resign from a position if you change jobs. Simply signup for the new job
- You will not get fired if you don't show up at work for a week. This is mostly to simplify the back-end code
- There is an unlimited number of jobs, instead of limited. Just signup for the job that matters to your character.
- You will get paid for mastered skills at level 3 and get level 3 items
- All salaries are now at 70G$ Lev1, 80G$ Lev 2, 90G$ Lev 3
- Your meter will display the job title you signed up for the day (mastered skill as well)
- Animals are not allowed to signup for an employment
- It only works for version 0.56 and above

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KINGDOM OF SAND: DRAMA BOX
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Let's keep Ireem OOC Drama-Free! :)

􀀀

OOC-DRAMA DISRUPTS GAME/ROLEPLAY

We often get complaints from people who are forced to listen to long OOC arguments that take place in
the street in Ireem. This is not good. Even if the discussion keeps to the green OOC chat, it still disrupts
play and the feeling of all within earshot.


ABOUT DRAMA BOX

While considering this problem recently we jokingly though how we should have a box to put all the OOC
dramas in. And then we realised this might actually be a good solution to the problem.
So we give you the KOS OOC Drama Box.
Silly name, serious function.
From now on should you find yourself in an RP situation that has regressed beyond a few simple sentences
in OOC chat, then please use the TP to the drama box, and take all those involved or those wishing to continue
the debate with you. We Fully understand that these situations are unavoidable and can in fact be useful, but
they need to be carried out far from others who do not wish to hear them, others who are busy trying to RP
whilst wading through a sea of green type.
We hope you can see the important function of the box.

For those being punished by over long arguments in in the game part of the sim, please feel free to tell those
involved to use the box provided. Give them the Landmark!


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VOTE ON A SIM RULE: IS IT OKAY TO STEP IN AFTER A FIGHT HAS BEGUN?
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*** IMPORTANT PLEASE VOTE ****

Recently we have had many complaints about what should happen once combat has commenced between two players.
One side of the arguments says that it is totally illogical for friends of the combating players not step in to help if they
can, even if they were not part of the RP leading up to the fight.
And conversely there are those who think that once combat has begun only those players who were in on the proceeding
RP should be allowed to fight, and all others must wait until it is over before getting involved.
Both sides are quite certain that their view is correct, as usual.
We can understand both sides of this argument.
But we must make a ruling one way or another. To this end we are asking for players to vote on the matter, and of course
if anyone wishes, they may also drop in a suggestion as to why they believe one side of the argument is better than the
other.
This could help us in making our decision.
Of course this situation does not occur so often in text combat so this vote is only aimed at meter combat.

To vote login to your account on http://www.socionex.com
or simply click on PROFILE on your HUD when you are at KOS, and you will be automatically logged in to your account.
There is a VOTE link on your account page.

You will have 1 week to vote, and if you change your mind, simply vote again. Your most recent vote will be the one
that will count.

If you don't vote, we will simply assume that you have no preference in the matter, you are fine with either one of
the possible resolution.


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SAFEZONE UPDATE
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The safezones are revised :)
If you are using them for the right purpose, you will be in a safezone within 30 seconds.
If you are trying to escape from a fight by enabling a safezone, if your opponent clicks on them during the 30 secs
delay, the delay will be extended to 5 minutes.
Again, while the use of safezone is good to protect some areas from constant fights, running from fights is not
very honorable and is discouraged.

Update 1 February 2010

SGS UPDATE NEWSLETTER
Update
1 February 2010


MINI-RELEASE v 0.54

Bugfix: if you were captured, the transfer to someone else didn't work in v 0.53, and you
were in a situation where you couldn't ransom out .. aehm.
Anyway, it is fixed. Please pick up the new version at the UPGRADE sign in the Game room.
Thank you.


MISCELLANEOUS AT KOS

( 1 ) Sultana bedroom door may be open by Palace group members only.
( 2 ) Mustafa and Hakim are back at work, to protect the Palace. Only authorized members may go through them.
( 3 ) Dungeon is now safezone for knights
( 4 ) Cell doors may be open by knights only
( 5 ) Djin safezone delay adjusted to 30 sec as well