So I bought a cottage on the lake. The cottage on there is kind of crummy so we're designing a new one to tear down what's on there and build. The gotcha is that the lot is skinny. It's only 55 feet wide (200 feet deep).  So the house has to take that into account with 10 feet of space on each side (so we're talking about a 35 foot wide house.

So here's the lower floor as we try to find ways to squeeze it into 35 feet.  My wife really wants an out door bathroom so that kids who get sandy from the beech and such aren't tracking it in the house when they come in to the bathroom.

The other unusual aspect about the house is that it is into a hill. So when you drive to it, you're actually facing the upper floor. So the garage is above.  Now, one way to look at that is to say that the "top" floor is your main floor and then to have a walk out basement.  But I really wanted to have the kitchen and hang out area on the floor that is on the same level as the beech (the lower floor).  So I have the garage connected to the upper floor with stairs leading down to the main floor.  I'm still working on it.

So that's where I'm at with the cottage design.  Right now it's looking like it'll end up being around 2200 square feet. So it's a pretty big cottage but I want to make sure that it is something that someone could live in.

We're almost done with 1.3 but we have a new beta that should be available on Stardock Central to all users of Galactic Civilizations II.

Here is what is new in beta 3 over beta 2A.

 
************************************************************
Changes for v1.3 Beta 3:
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+ Changed some of the planetary improvement values and costs

+ Tweaked some of the values in starbase modules

+ made entry field selection show up

+ added tech report to trade screen

+ Tweaked text and dialog in teh campaign and in some scenarios

+ fixed save games not showing up in save game window if there were other files with the same extension.

+ Custom window sizes work now

+ fixed error where mod subfolders PlanetDescriptions and TerrainColorScheme didn't work

+ fixed error where Terrain query images + ship component thumbnails did not show up even if they were in the correct mod subfolder

+ Tweaked the minimap where it didn't draw all of the ZOC

+ fixed destination cursors not being visible after loading save game

+ added checks to make sure that dead civs are ignored in the UP

+ Added strings for moralists event

+ fixed typo in Singularity Driver IV's name

+ Removed redunant use of short civ name in battle messages in GNN

+ changed FindShipInSensorRange to use a predicate function

+ Sentry/Guard should work better now

+ Made it so that clicking on a ship will not cancel guard/sentry

+ changed it so that the ship list does not do a full update so often (should help move times)

+ added option to not prompt to pay cost of a module if you have enough money in your treasury

+ Changed missing turn button if a rallypoint is on an uninhabitable or uncolonized planet

+ fixed bug where there was a 1 turn delay before ships would calc a new path after swapping rallypoint destinations from the governor

+ fixed bug with trade screen where dialogs did not hide when switching civs

+ fixed government bonus strings so that they now show the bonuses as implemented.

+ updated ship designs that wasn't using correct ranges

+ Re-did UI so that where clicking on the minimap couldn't accidently click on the find or turn buttons

+ Updated calculation of alliance victory status string

+ tweaked locale code so that it doesn't change so much, which should fix some performance issues and some crashes.  Have verification that display and entry of German characters is working, but would like confirmation from other languages also.

+ Changed auto-attack behavior; When a ship is set on auto-attack, it will attempt to find a nearby ship belonging to a civ it is at war with. If it can't find a ship that is not hidden by fow, it will cancel auto-attack to avoid causing the missing turn button bug.  To avoid slowdown, it does not attempt to pick the 'best' target, it just picks the first valid target it finds. 

+ added additional debug messages to activation code

+ Updated screen on OpponentWnd where the civ name was not using the displayname field.

+ made rallypoint wnd sort rallypoint names alphabetically

+ Terran Alliance should now start with the correct intelligence

+ Addressed playability issue where the last non-custom race you played would be loaded when going to customize the custom race (You may get this the first time before you load the correct custom race config or clear the LastRace string under CustomRace in the Prefs.ini file)

+ Changed Ctrl+B where hitting CTRL+N when playing a Custom Race started a new game using the default Custom Race config

+ Fixed bug where planet quality and number of tiles did not match after choosing Neutral alignment

+ Updated Invasion behavior to avoid invading a planet with a planetary bonus multiple times would cause more tiles to become available every invasion

+ Added tool tip on planet screen

+ Fixed bug where info icons would appear jumbled together at the top of the screen if there were too many.  Now, new icons will fall as soon as the existing icons have been cleared.

+ Improved the graphics management system for better compatibility

+ Dead Civs no longer show up with voting power. We realize not counting dead people in voting makes game less realistic... JK.

+ Fixed "Specialized Ships" stat on Foreign Stats/Military page to show correct number of ships

+ Tweaked where starport icons on planets on main map were not updated after using the Civ Manager Governor to change what starports were building

+ Changed behavior where first turn after loading a saved game would show a dip in the manufacturing history graph

+ Updated Combat viewer to change where ship icons in combat viewer did not show the correct amount of damage if the civ had HP bonuses

+ Fixed an API that made the AI like you more than they should

+ Syncronized relations code that caused the AI and Human player relations to be out of sync

+ Hooked planet data to economic engine. Where planet data wasn't refreshing after changing spending sliders

+ Updated UI structs where intelligences were reset without updating difficulty level if you went back to a previous screen

+ Made decomission of planetary improvements never take more than 1 turn.

+ added code to make sure that decomission 'improvements' can't be built on empty or non-functional tiles

+ Our system now suppports tab keysin entry fields

+ added dialog to warn if you're using an invalid race config when playing a metaverse game

+ fixed bug where starting a new game after having started/loaded a game and left the ship list open causes a crash or empty game screen

+ added code to delete shipcfgs from My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships (or metaverse\ships) folder that do not have an xml file.  This will help keep the folder clean and cut down on save game sizes (and time to save/load)

+ rallypoints will no longer show up in the stacked ship context area, since they now show up in the context area in the bottom left corner of the main screen interface

+ Fixed bug where sometimes, after an alt-tab, freighter ships would not appear to be the correct size.

+ Fixed bug where planet quality penalties were applied in the case of an invasion that ended in a draw

+ fixed crash on foreign report if no race has any ships

+ fixed bug that didn't read in modded conversations or flavor text

+ fixed bug where last custom race wasn't loaded

+ Tweaked it so that tooltips will now show up for the lower row of ships in the Ships in Orbit

+ fixed it so that if you select a ship in the Ships In Orbit area, it will deselect the previous one, even if it's in another row.

+ SizeMods now use only the base capacity of the hull, not the max capacity (the capacity after miniturization is applied)

+ Made changes to font manager to fix the slow-down on foreign language systems.

+ Added option to disable city lights on the dark side of planets

+ fleet upgrade overlays always update properly

UPDATE: 1.3 BETA 3X

+ Tweaked ship weapons/defenses

+ Tweaked more planetary improvements

+ Fixed an infinite loop caused by Beta 3.

+ Changed the way planetary invasions penalties work when a draw (extremely rare)

Yes. It's finally done.  ObjectBar 2.0 is going through its final testing and will be out on September 12th. So what's new and what can you expect? See the linked article to get a full preview of what to expect in ObjectBar 2.0.

ObjectBar 2.0 is finally complete. Stardock will be releasing ObjectBar 2.0 on September 12th.  So what is ObjectBar and what has taken so long to go from 1.6 to 2.0?

What is ObjectBar

ObjectBar is essentially a GUI construction kit. With it, users can create their own alternative interfaces of Windows XP (and soon Windows Vista).  After all, Apple and Microsoft aren't the only ones with ideas on how the desktop interface should be done. 

ObjectBar can pretty much emulate virtually any existing desktop interface out there as well as add new twists to them or enable users to create their own.  Creations can be exported as actual programs that others can use (or the bar theme itself can be exported for those who want to trade and modify each other's designs).

ObjectBar: Two groups of users

ObjectBar content is much more involved than what is the norm in skinning.  ObjectBar content can be split up in two pieces: The actual bar theme and then the skin for the bar.  One could imagine the Windows Sidebar in Windows Vista or the Start Bar or the Mac finder as being examples of bar themes.  But beyond that, those themes can also be skinned independently.

ObjectBar skins are best when designed for the bar in question but ObjectBar can also automatically inherit your WindowBlinds skin.  The bar themes themselves are very customizeable. If the person who creates the bar theme exports it as an EXE, the user of the EXE (as long as they have ObjectBar installed) can use that bar theme as a stand alone program with a much simplified interface for adding content and tweaking what's there.  It's powerful and yet simple.

ObjectBar 2: Years in the making

For a long time, ObjectBar 1.x was quite popular with power users.  The problem Stardock ran into was one of support and expanding its market and deciding where it should go.  It seemed to be stuck between worlds.  Google, Microsoft, and tons of other companies have gotten into the "sidebar" business.  That is, having a vertical bar on the right side of the screen that users can insert various things into (clocks, gadgets, RSS feeds, short cuts, etc.). 

Such specialized programs tended to do what they did very well.  ObjectBar, by contrast, has been a generalist -- you could create a Sidebar with it. A fully skinnable sidebar at that.  And since ObjectBar 2 supports embedding DesktopX widgets, you could create some pretty spectacular sidebars.  But here's the problem with that -- the widgets and skins would have to be made with that particular sidebar theme in mind.

So what Stardock has done is re-imagine how ObjectBar is likely to be used.  First off, it made it so that the people who spend the time to create the bars can export them as programs.  Secondly, it has begun to try to separate the skinning from the bar creation part.  To that end, Stardock has made creating new bars somewhat more technically challenging but resulting in far more powerful and interesting bars.  On the other hand, customizing and modifying those bars has been made much easier.  Before, it was just somewhat hard to do most things but  never easy to do anything. 

The ObjectBar 2 Strategy

With ObjectBar 2, Stardock intends to provide a series of high quality template bar themes created by Jeff Bargmann and Treetog.  Then make it relatively easy for users to create skins for those bars.  The WinCustomize gallery will be set up so that users can upload skins that are distinct from bars.  A skinning guide has been developed and will be made available.

Since ObjectBar is a super-set of anything that any sidebar or similar program can do, it is our hope that by focusing initial effort on a handful of bar themes and then branch out from there as others create new bar themes that we can build a strong customization community for ObjectBar 2.

The key is for users to recognize that there are two elements at work here: Bar themes and skins. And while a bar theme will include a skin (by default) that users can create skins on their own.  So picture dozens of Sidebar skins or Finder bar skins or other types.

ObjectBar 2.0 on September 12th. Stay tuned!

The third world GUI Championship (previously called the GUI Olympics) is about to get going.

The three contests will be WindowBlinds skins, Icon packages (with at least 55 icons), and wallpapers.

Nearly $10,000 in cash and prizes will be handed out to the winners.  The formal announcement will be next week but since some of this stuff takes considerable time to do, we wanted to make sure people had time.  Events in each contest will include most usable, most original, and best overall (and possibly others).

ANYONE can participate as long as they aren't a judge of course. Stardock will NOT be judging (though I may be an alternate judge in the event that one of the official judges is not able to judge a particular event in time).  Registed users will be able to vote on skins to bring it down to a top 10 in each category with the judges judging the 10 finalists.

Submissions must be NEW (i.e. you can't take an existing skin and submit it).  Official announcement next week.

Everyone has things that get on their nerves. Things that really bug them.  Here's a list of some of mine:

1. People not taking responsibility for their actions or behavior
2. People who use arrogance as a debate tactic
3. People who think they have leverage when they do not
4. People lacking self control
5. Passive/aggressive people.
6. People who let the slightest obstacle stimey them.
7. People who think other people should take care of them.
8. People who worry too much about what other people make
9. People who resent or feel excessive envy towards those who are materially wealthier
10. People who think that anyone who has done better than them are just "luckier"
11. People who think those that disagree with them are automatically either ignorant or stupid
12. People who are unable to recognize that there are often multiple, legitimate points of view
13. People who think that multiple points of view are always equally legitimate
14. People who think they are more sophisticated because they make no value judgements due to seeing "shades of gray"
15. People who never see shades of gray
16. People who are stymied into inaction due to shades of gray
17. People who regularly use moral equivalence arguments
18. People who think it is always up to "someone else" to fix something.
19. People who think arguing passionately or loudly is the same as arguing effectively.
20. People who advocate a position without having any real knowledge of history or of human nature.

Those are real general things.  The quickest way to get on my nerves is to argue on a site like JoeUser.com (because it's a free site we provide) that my opinions (whatever they are on whatever issue) are costing  "me" sales.  As if my day job is the sum of my life and that my company is just me as opposed to being dozens of people.    That annoys me because the argument essentially implies that I should have no opinions, especially controversal ones, because my only point to exist is to make stuff not to express myself. OTHER people can express themselves but not me.  Which is hogwash and something I find deeply offensive.  But that's for a different article.

For reference, this is where your tax dollars go (at of year 2000 anyway, not much has changed since then since all parts have grown except interest on the debt which has shrunk and military which has grown slightly).

Our friends at Shrapnel Games have announced that Dominions 3, the latest incarnation of the cult-hit Dominions fantasy strategy game has gone gold.

Dominions 3: The Awakening puts players in the role of leader of a fantasy-based realm -- one of over 50 realms in an epic world where men, monsters and gods struggle for dominion.

Lead one of over fifty nations in three different Ages, against up to twenty other players (AI or human), in the ultimate struggle of sword and steel for the right to claim dominion over all.  Simultaneous turn structuring keeps the massive number of players thoroughly involved in the game, without downtime, and with the incredible number of options available to players each turn, gameplay is always tense and exciting.

Just as NetHack, with its seemingly endless catalog of creatures and items is considered  by many to be the ultimate Rogue experience, Dominions 3: The Awakening strives to achieve the same status in the world of 4X strategy gaming.  Featuring more than 1500 troop types, 600+ spells, and 300+ magic items, it will take players an epoch to merely see everything Dominions 3 has to offer.  Yet, that day never has to come.  Dominions 3 has been built with the mod-maker in mind, allowing players to easily add new items into the game.  Mod-making can be as simple as you like, such as easily importing new maps
into the game, or more complex, such as creating new items. 

While for many the true thrill of Dominions comes with playing against others, the single-player experience has been enhanced in Dominions 3: The Awakening with the oft-requested random map feature.  An endless supply of maps to wage celestial war on at the click of the mouse!  Other improvements over previous titles in the series includes
less micromanagement, transparent mechanics, overhauled graphics, a streamlined interface, rebalanced gameplay elements, map filters, an autotax ability, a thick tome of a manual by Bruce Geryk, and much more.  Fans of the series will find the core gameplay that is so addictive hasn't been changed, but the entire experience has been made cleaner, and less threatening to newcomers. 

Dominions 3: The Awakening is available through the Shrapnel Games' online-store, the Gamers Front at www.gamersfront.com/xcart/home.php for only $54.95. 

(note: we're not affiliated with Shrapnel, we just like their games and their company and think there's a good chance that many players of GalCiv II may also like Dominions 3).

I came across an election year 2004 poll by Rasmussen which asked whether the person thought the United States was a fair and decent country.

3 out of 4 Bush voters said Yes. Only 15% said no.

By contrast, Less than half of Kery voters think so. Again, I repeat: Is America a fair and decent country.

I may not be happy with Republicans these days but I am not about to vote for people who basically think our country sucks.