Hey all, been awhile since I did a news update in regards to what we have going on so I figured we were probably due for a bit of news in regards to the status and direction of the current system overhaul.

What we're doing right now, and why its taking so long, is redesigning how CCS builds abilities and status effects, the tools Jora and I created originally, while effective are limited in the total available options we can apply when creating abilities and status effects.

So Melanie and I are working on expanding that system, Jora is busy on a side project in regards to the client design and a top secret NPC AI program that we believe is going to knock peoples socks off.

Regardless, what will happen once this overhaul is done is CCS 0.4.9 will get released, and heres what will occur when it does.

- All abilities will be stripped out of the system and replaced with reconfigured/better abilities
- All racials will be reviewed and improved or replaced as needed
- There will be powers and abilities all the way from level 1 to level 100 for every race and class
- The naming convention for powers will be changing to become more logical
- Abilities will no longer show up as available on your level up page if you already have them
- RP combat system integration
- Addition of the Zombie Race
- Addition of the Cyborg Race
- Total HUD overhaul (More details to come on this, don't want to let too much out so it doesn't get janked by someone who can't think for themselves)
- Additional HUD capabilities
- HUD target lock
- Status effects completely overhauled
- Abilities no longer locked by categorical timers
- Attacker tracking
- Upgrades and improvements to the CCS web interface
- Improvements to leveling curve.

And some other minor things that will improve security and functionality for the system.

Keep in mind this is CCS 0.4.9, not 0.5.0 and not the client version which is still very much in the works. But we are currently building the structure of the 4.9 system which is going to allow us to deepen and expand the CCS experience to make it even more professional and fun to play.

So regardless, this is why this update is taking so long, because we're essentially re-designing the guts of the game system from the ground up to better them.

Thanks for everyones patience and everyone have a wonderful fourth of July.

EDIT: Before someone asks, YES there will be a global respec available when these changes are released.

Here's a list of those that will be auctioned off on June 21 at 7pm SLT..

Eianna Cale
Jessicka Graves
Shy Mathys
Marth Amat
Endymion Nacht
Krankheit Spaatz
Drystan Thorne
Vishouspayne Nitely
Tifosi Lane
Roddy Dagger
Oren Itano
Killian Lagerlof
Dent Arashi
Methias Eponym

Pick out the ones ya want and save up them pennies!!

SheJ

Giving Stormy a break, I decided I'd do the news post for the BFB2CoLA Day post myself this month.

Regardless the point of BFB2CoLA Day is to ensure we get a little extra help in meeting the financial burdens of the sim and the network as a whole. Donations aren't mandatory but if you feel you can help us out, its often the difference between rice or rent some months.

Regardless we know times are tough for everyone these days, so we're not twisting your arm.

Feel free to donate in world via the donation jar in the bar or the donation station in the subway, or donate straight to our Paypal expense fund by using Paypal. Five dollars, twenty dollars, or ten thousand dollars (seriously though if you donate ten thousand dollars, you'll get a great big statue of you or something, or blowjobs for life from She Juniper maybe...I dunno we'll work something out), it doesn't really matter how much you donate, long as you pitch in to help out.

And hey, if you can't afford to help out, its alright too, we'll work it out.

Thank you all and have fun.

It's that time again.. time for you to whore yourself out for the good of the sim!!

The rules are simple enough, put yourself up for auction, to be bought for twenty four hours by your peers. Half the funds will go to LA and the other half will go to you, the auctioned. (i.e. You sell for $1000L .. $500L goes to LA and $500L goes to you. ))

The one that buys you will get you for a full 24 hours as a slave to do as they wish, however they wish to use you .. (( you are allowed to put in stipulations, like "only guys" or "I like it in the butt" beforehand if that is your preference..)).

(( This is for roleplay fun and for keeping LA afloat. Please keep it IC and have fun with it. Be creative in how you use your slave .. or just doink them senseless! ))

If you wish to enter your name in for the auction, please send She Juniper a notecard titled "Zodiac Slave Auction - (your name)" ..

The auction will be held on June, 21 a Saturday .. at 7pm SLT.

SheJ

Well least theres a JIRA report going for the guns, the lag we can't identify where the major issue is as of yet so theres not one for it.

Anyways we need your help to get the Lindens to focus on this issue and fix it. It was originally reported by Eata Kitty.

So go to the JIRA, by clicking this link, log in and vote for this issue to be fixed.

Now if we could just identify the source of the sim physics problems and get the same kind of JIRA march going on that.

Anyways....go do it please, it'll fix at least one issue.

Just a heads up to the community the release we planned for last week did not make the projected release date because what started out as a small upgrade ended up needing a lot of the stuff thats still a bit further ahead in the development schedule.

So instead of release it half ass we're working on the release for a bit longer since it requires us to overhaul a few things to get it to the state we need it in to reach our goals with this release.

No projected ETA as of this time but it is in progress.

That said, people seem to not understand what my working hours on my profile mean and its starting to literally nail me to the place I log in at again.

I realize that while you have a problem its very important to you and I respect that, but just because you have a problem doesn't mean several thousand other people don't have problems as well and if all of you are more or less making demands on my time at any point in the day that means I have absolutely no time in the day to do anything but take care of everyones problems.

Theres a Support system for a reason. Not every single problem you have has to come to me directly and most especially it doesn't need to come to me if its 3 in the morning US time. I realize not everyone lives in the US, and I'm sorry I can't do anything about the rotational speed of the earth....but seriously if you're IMing me at 3 in the morning something had better be on fire.

Simple facts are I care about everyone and I want to help, but once someone sends me an IM I can't very well tell them to bugger off and I get stuck taking care of the issue, irregardless of the time of day or how many other people have done the very same thing.

It cuts a huge hole in my development time and basically doesn't allow me to do much of anything except be stuck in IMs.

Please attempt to respect the stated business hours on my profile when contacting me. If its outside of those business hours, attempt to contact another member of the CCS network administration team or a CoLA GM or anyone who has direct access to me, if its really important they'll let me know, if its something they can handle, they'll handle it...and everyone goes away happy.

Oh and in closing.....this probably won't reach the people that really NEED to see it, but if I'm offline and you IM me with "hi" and you don't leave me a message as to what you're contacting me about, I'm less than likely to even respond because when I log in I get around 20 or so IMs from the period while I was offline and I handle the ones that actually pose a question or statement. "Hi" tells me nothing and thusly gets the absolute lowest priority in regards to offline IMs. I'm sorry if that seems snobby or something but if you don't tell me what you need, I've no idea what priority I should give your IM and generally if its nothing but "hi" its absolute lowest priority.

Thanks all.

Well lately theres been a lot of complaints on the forums in regards to character effectiveness and archtype effectiveness.

I've been a bit confused by them because the statements being made do not actually jibe up with my understanding of the game dynamic as I designed it.

Well today after reviewing the code it appears that the problem is the system has been calculating character effectiveness based on actual LEVEL and strength mod bonuses were not being applied as designed.

This might have gotten mistakenly switched around in a code update somewhere in the past and never came to my attention as being out of standards until just now.

So heres whats going to happen. We're looking to release the next revision of CCS next week. It will be coming with the CCS RP Combat addition, and a complete switch of the level over statistics method of character effectiveness.

The next revision will reapply the original design standard which allows character statistics to be the major developmental factor in a characters design. Level will only determine how many points are available to a character for development.

Just as a recap the stats perform as follows:

Strength - Determines base melee damage bonus BEFORE buff based bonuses
Fortitude - Determines overall hitpoint bonus at level up.
Endurance - Determines overall stamina bonus at level up.
Willpower - Determines overall ability to resist status effects
Intelligence - Determines base effectiveness at magical combat (in CCS 0.5.0, this stat is still inert in 0.4.8)
Perception - Determines base ability to dodge ranged or melee attacks.

Respec - Because of the game changing nature of this fix we will be enabling a network wide respec so characters can adjust to the intended dynamic.

Once again, the problems that have surfaced are because there was a switch in the variables being used to determine effectiveness and it occurred without me catching it and to be honest I'm not entirely sure where it occured either...so we'll be releasing the new revision next week to readjust the system so its performing as expected, with characters being able to surpass limitations through creative statistic investment, versus simply being managed by their level.

Anyways, just a heads up, this may actually address a few of the problems that have been popping up in regards to the tank archtype and a few other character based problems that weren't making sense to me.

It's that time again. The call for skilled warriors has gone out to participate in the Post Apocalypse's end-all, be-all of tournaments, the Fists of Fury competition. Now larger, more complicated, and containing more carnage per a cubic square of arena.

Why the added GT?

This time around, the tournament is a month-long spectacle dedicated to brawling, carnage and glory. Lasting the entire month of June, with a set of bouts taking place on each Saturday, the Fists of Fury aims to provide something not seen ever in the Post Apocalyptic world, and CCS sims in general.

Also, GT means Grand Tour, and for good reason. The first three Saturdays of the month will feature fights on location in three separate arenas. Champions will be selected from each sim, from three weight divisions. The three champions from each sim will represent their sim in the final and fourth bout on the last Saturday of the month, with each sim going up for control of each division's belt. Also, themed fights will be fought in each arena based on the location of the event.

For a more in depth look to the FoF: GT event check out the thread here.

EDIT: For some reason the site is being goofy and will not let me add the link to the thread. It keeps redirecting it back to the news page. Please check out the thread in the CoLA General Forum under Fists of Fury: GT.

This months Bring 5 Bucks To CoLA Day is May 15th! Sorry for forgetting to put the notice up! Thanks Selene for reminding me :P

Anyone who wants to donate Linden dollars is welcome to via the in world tip jar in the bar you can click here and get tped directly to it

Or if you wish to donate RL money in US funds you can click here for information on how to donate via paypal.

For those of you who are new to the community the original discussion thread can be seen here.

Again this is not required and is strictly voluntary but every little bit helps keep this great RP sim going for us where she lets us play for free!

EDIT - Addition by Suz:

Just to add on here, this isn't just about CoLA. This is about all you indy sims out there that use CCS to build and engage your communities with. Right now the donations that make all this possible, CCS included are coming entirely from the CoLA community, so basically 45 other sims out there are enjoying CCS on the generosity of CoLA players.

So don't hesitate to donate, even if you're not a CoLA regular, because the CoLA regulars are paying for you all, even if you never come to CoLA.

Sorry to those who sent in notecards and didn't get into this auction, hopefully you'll beat the others to the punch next month...

Here is the list for everyone...

Jessicka Graves
Layna Szondi
Kage Marx
Meianno Nishi
Eianna Cale
Endymion Nacht
Lazarus Charron
Methias Eponym
Nort Sinister
Fel Darkstone
Rek Kohime
Dent Arashi
Vixy Bravo
Dawson Brooks
Avrilla Jewell

Save your pennies!!

See you there, bishes...

SheJ

*puts on her pimp hat and clears her throat* .. Get yo ho asses up on tha stage!

The rules are simple enough, put yourself up for auction, to be bought for twenty four hours by your peers. Half the funds will go to LA and the other half will go to you, the auctioned. (i.e. You sell for $1000L .. $500L goes to LA and $500L goes to you. ))

The one that buys you will get you for a full 24 hours as a slave to do as they wish, however they wish to use you .. (( you are allowed to put in stipulations, like "only guys" or "I like it in the butt" beforehand if that is your preference..)).

(( This is for roleplay fun and for keeping LA afloat. Please keep it IC and have fun with it. Be creative in how you use your slave .. or just doink them senseless! ))

If you wish to enter your name in for the auction, please send She Juniper a notecard titled "Zodiac Slave Auction - (your name)" ..

The auction will be held on May, 17 a Saturday .. at 7pm SLT.

SheJ .. see you all there..