We've been so busy lately that we haven't had time to do much in the way of journals.  Things have been going a mile a minute. We're internally working on what will eventually be considered beta 3B. It's the last beta drop before we move onto beta 4 which is due out just before Halloween.  What we want to do is get all the non-diplomacy, non-campaign stuff done so that when we move towards beta 4, we're feeling pretty good about the core parts of the game. Beta 3A, which is the version that is available to the beta team, is still pretty weak in terms of game-play.  It's getting better but we still have a long way to go.  GameSpy and Gamespot both ran very nice previews on beta 3.  Even in the few weeks since that build, we've come a long way.  Let me outline a few things that were just this week alone as an example.

Scott started implementing tool-tips.  The tool-tips are going to be a major part of the game this time around because we want every variable in the game to be understood by the player.  We're also working on the large hulls for human players.  And in fact, most of the ships aren't in yet.   Right now, we've only got 3 total hull styles (human and two others).  In the final game, there should be around 5 total.    Joe worked on performance and usability items.  For instance, a lot of screens had the full ship model in there, which looks nice because you can rotate it in the thumbnail but it is an expensive call that slows down the game.  So we moved to a static bitmap which looks just as good (and I suspect few people even knew they could rotate their thumbnails around when they selected ships or planets).  This makes the game a lot quicker and more responsive.

We also worked on the fog of war.  In Beta 3, the fog of war didn't really work right.  You could see enemy ships in it and visually places you explored were pretty transparent.  Now if you don't have sensors, the explored but out of sensor range areas are pretty opaque.  Joe also did work on the mini-map to make it more usable.  Ships look like triangles, you can zoom in easier on the mini-map, and the strategic map scaling is much nicer (and you can see shields on planets in strategy mode now). 

Another area of work has been in things most people won't notice but they would notice if they were missing.  We had to put together a new mode for displaying ship info if you clicked on a ship that was in orbit. Since we have less room, we had to pick the most important parts.  We also had forgotten to have a "Planet" button on the planet context window.  In beta 3, the only way to get to a planet was to double click on it. That's not really intuitive. Now there's a button that takes you there.

Another thing that was changed is that when you click on the build ship button on the planet context window it brings up a little dialog that lets you quickly pick your ships rather than going to the full-blown start port window.  And in the progress screen of it we put a little tiny buy button so players can buy ships directly from the main screen.

I should go on about performance for a bit, under the covers so much work has been done to make the game faster.  We haven't heard complaints about it but we're kind of anal about the speed of the game.  This is a game that is meant to be played for many many hours so we don't want the game speed to get in the way of the enjoyment.

The ship yard got some playability love too.  Ships you've built in one game now live into the next game.  So if you have the proper technologies, a ship from previous games will be displayed.  This is really handy because I built a ship called the Velocity Colony Ship.  It has poor range but it can move at two moves per turn.  With the new system, it's always there at the start of the game.  So one can imagine new players creating their own set of default ships at the start and only having to do this once.

We've started moving on cultural warfare.  It's quite a bit different than GalCiv I's system (and we think much better and more intuitive).  Every planet has a number of forces on it (culturally) working to influence the people.  You have your own pushing out and other influences pushing in. 

We've defined this as a ratio (alien influence vs. native influence).  If a planet is within its own territory, that number will be less than 1.  If it is 1, then the planet is on the border.  If it greater than 1, then alien influence is greater than native influence.  At some point, alien influence can become so much more that the planet will "flip".  Certain things will help (planetary improvements and a fleet parked in orbit) but sooner or later, if the ratio is too much, it'll revolt and become part of the other civilization.  In the screenshot on the left, the Korx are suffering from a 4.69 to 1 alien to native ratio.  Unless they do something, that planet will be mine soon.

Of course that touches on the AI which is still pretty weak.  My biggest pet peeves with the AI (and it's my job to fix this stuff) is that it's currently horrible at managing its planets, its ship designs have no strategy beyond brute force, and its battle tactics are pathetic -- just dribbles ships.  In Galactic Civilizations I, the AI had a concept of "force projection".  It didn't work out terribly well in practice so this time I'm going to toss that out and put in "battle groups".  I hope to make use of the internal rally points features and have the AI make use of them.  They'll send their ships to a rally point that they make and then when enough ships are at that rally point they'll go at a particular target.  This way, when you get attacked, you're getting attacked by something that matters and not just isolated fighters.

Probably the biggest and most complex feature we've been working on is the fleet battles screen and fleet management system. It's not in Beta 3 at all but it will be part of Beta 3B.  Beta 3B will only be available to a handful of beta testers so that we can nail down problems as we progress to beta 4.   The fleet combat is really slick as you get to watch ships battle it out in a full screen view with Star Trek like battles. I have to say, it's definitely the most impressive "action" stuff I've seen us do before.  There's about 2 months of effort into this feature.   How that feature evolves will remain to be seen (depending on how much time we have).  We want to stay away from having players control the battles in any way since most people won't want to do that, they'll want "auto" but that means having some "AI" do it which will never be as good as a human player (as long time MOO fans know).  Hence, we don't want the overall effectiveness of a player come down to how good they are at tactical battles.  Galactic Civilizations is a "clash of civilizations" games. Not a clash of tactician skills.

When beta 4 rolls around, the most obvious change will be that it will have the textures in them.  Diplomacy will be in its infancy but it'll be in.  And the fleet combat will be in and hopefully be in pretty solid shape.

There's still lots of tweaking to go.  We'll be listening to feedback and making adjustments based on it.  Stay tuned!

 

Allen "Delsyn" Rausch has checked out beta 3 of Galactic Civilizations II.  Allen is not just any old preview editor, however.  He was the one who reviewed Galactic Civilizations for GameSpy back in 2003.

Quote: "Galactic Civilizations II may very well turn this game into everything Master of Orion III should have been. Watch for it when it releases in February 2006."

Stardock has put out the first public beta of ThinkDesk.  ThinkDesk is Stardock's new suite of utilities that has been in development for over two years.  It is quite unlike other utility suites out there.  ThinkDesk was designed as a set of utilities to deal with the problems users have today.  The four primary components of ThinkDesk include:

Multiplicity.  Multiplicity lets users take their computers and put them together and use them as a single computer. Lots of people over in the "show us your setup" thread have desks filled with keyboards and mice. They should be using Multiplicity. Only one computer needs to have a keyboard and mouse and a universal clipboard is set up between computers. This news post was created with the help of Multiplicity ("test" box with all the beta software for getting screenshots and the production machine for doing the post, print-screen on the test box and pasting into the editor here).  Anyone with a laptop and a desktop PC should have this.

KeepSafe. Nobody does backups it seems not matter how easy you make it. Stardock developed it in response to its own issues. It automatically creates a backup revision of any file type you choose to protect with it. Users can go back to any revision of any file they've protected simply by right clicking on the file in question. Stardock uses it heavily in development and with .dxpacks and WindowBlinds skins since often...mistakes are made and the need arises to go back to a previous revision.  Users can set where file backups are placed (such as on a server or a removable drive).

SecureProcess.  Virus scanners and spyware scanners are great but they really are only useful after you've suffered from a problem.  SecureProcess is designed to prevent you from running into problems in the first place.  The way it works is that a user "trains" their system over a period of a week or two. SecureProcess learns what programs you normally run and builds an "approved" process list.  Once training mode is turned off, other processes are prevented from running (unless you're an admin at which point you can add them to the approved list).  It's an ideal program for people trying to keep things from getting onto their systems, people who used shared computers (such as if you have kids using your PC) or for network administrators who want to keep their machines stable.

ThinkSync. Folder synchronizing programs are nothing new.  But ThinkSync takes it to the next level. For users who have files on multiple machines, even over the Internet, ThinkSync uses your Stardock.net account to keep different folders containing the same things. Anyone who has files at home and work that they wish were in both places will definitely want to be part of the ThinkSync beta.  If you're using USB keychains to take files back and forth, ThinkSync is for you.  It is also very good for local synchornization for those who want to complement KeepSafe's backup features into protecting (synchronizing) entire directories with remote backup servers or USB hard drives.

ThinkDesk is still in beta and will be in beta for the rest of this year as we listen to your feedback and suggestions on additional features, interface options and of course bug reports.  Some of the programs are already done (Multiplicity).  Others are nearly done (KeepSafe).  By joining getting it now, you get to shape the future of the suite and you receive updates from now until it's official launch plus a full year's worth of updates after it's released.

The ThinkDesk home page is http://www.thinkdesk.net.  If you have Object Desktop, you can get ThinkDesk for $25 less!

On September 13th, DesktopGadgets.com will be officially open to the public.  DesktopGagets.com is a new concept for skinners/developers/etc. It allows people to create programs, upload it, name a price, and then split revenue with DesktopGadgets.com 50/50.

For starters, the site will focus on gadgets created by DesktopX Pro.  While many people are familiar with "widgets", gadgets are relatively new.  Widgets are mini-applications that are used in conjunction with a "widget enabler" (such as Konfabulator, Kapsules, DesktopX Standard, etc.).  Widgets typically use less memory than traditional programs, are much easier to create, and are designed to be "skinnable" from the start. 

Gadgets are identical to widgets in every way except for one important difference: They don't require the "widget enabler". A gadget is a stand-alone program.  They have all the advantages of widgets but none of the disadvantages. Gadgets are created with DesktopX PRO.

Making gadgets is as easy as making widgets. Which means it's quite easy depending on what you want to make.  You don't have to be some sort of hard-core software developer to make neat things.  You can make really simple things for personal use, make games, desktop decorations, you name it.   When a user finishes working on a gadget, they export it as a gadget which is a standard Windows .EXE.  For example the sticky-note gadget can be downloaded here. It's less than 700k total and uses relatively little memory.

For aspiring artists and software developers, gadgets offer a unique opportunity -- they can create neat things that they can either give away or sell on DesktopGadgets.com very easily. 

Gadgets in action

What are some examples of things people can do with gadgets?

Stardock is using DesktopX Pro to create Aquarium Desktop 2.  While Aquarium Desktop 2 isn't a gadget per-se (it's a full blown desktop which involves a different DesktopX license) it still illustrates what is possible to do with DesktopX Pro.

Aquarium Desktop 2 will be released along with DesktopGadgets.com.

Another well known product that used DesktopX Pro (again, different licensing since it's a desktop) is Natural Desktop.  This desktop uses VB Script to grab local weather and then sets wallpaper and sounds based on the conditions. It's been a big hit with users everywhere (especially people stuck indoors working on nice days or in the winter when one wants to remember the summer.

One gadget Stardock is working on (early screenshot shown) is a desktop pet.  This gadget involves a virtual pet that lives on your desktop and interacts with various objects on your desktop. He eats, sleeps, plays, and just generally lives in the background of your desktop.

The desktop pet should show up a few weeks after the launch of DesktopGadgets.com.

Other gadgets in development include a registry editor, a Tivo manager, and a disk defragmenter.

 

Your gadgets

What makes gadgets different from traditional programs is that they don't require anywhere near the effort to make something that is visually interesting and user-interactive. Things such as animation, mouse interaction, states, etc. are all built in allowing the gadget maker to focus their efforts on the core logic.

Gadgets can be as simple or complex as you'd like.  For example, a gadget could simply be an image that you want on your desktop.  Perhaps as a decoration or a photo of a family member.

Stepping just beyond that involves using some VB Script or JavaScript.  DesktopX's documentation is very complete and makes it easy to create interesting and useful things easily.

For example:

DesktopX Pro 3.1's environment makes it easy to create objects and start manipulating them. The documentation includes small samples.  If you've ever wanted to try your hand at programming, this is the way to go.  That's because DesktopX doesn't use some proprietary language, it's VB Script or JavaScript that is applicable in all kinds of ways.

Some types of uses are common enough that they've been turned into a plugin.  For example, MP3 players are common enough that Stardock developed a media player plugin that makes it a snap to create very cool looking media players.

Anyone who has ever made a Windows Media Player or Winamp 5 skin can tell you it is a lot of work.  With DesktopX Pro, making the same skin is relatively easy and best of all, when you export it, it's a stand alone program. It's YOUR media player.  Your users can have it play music directly or have it control Windows Media Player, Winamp, iTunes, and others. 

Taking Skinning to the next generation

DesktopGadgets.com is being designed as a show-case for gadgets.  Most gadgets submitted won't be accepted, it will be heavily moderated. Gadget makers will be able to distribute their gadgets for free or set a price on them giving them an opportunity to make a little money from their creations. And for gadget users, they will gain access to a host of small but useful programs whose functionality goes beyond what widgets typically have. One might argue that it will be gadgets, because of their stand-alone nature, that demonstrate the true potential of widgets. A developer or artist is much more likely to put effort into something that is truly theirs than something that requires their users to go and download an enabling program in order to run their "program".  So don't expect to see clocks and RSS feeds on DesktopGadgets.com.

Be part of it all

If you don't have DesktopX Pro, you can get it HERE.  If you have Object Desktop already, there are discounts available for it as well.  We hope to see you at DesktopGadgets.com starting September 13th.

According to a Betanews story, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer was furious when he learned that Kai-Fu Lee was leaving Microsoft for Google.  According to one witness, Ballmer vowed to "bury" Google.  Ballmer denies that the incident occurred as described.

Editorial:

Whether true or not, if a competitor were hiring my guys, I'd probably say more aggressive things than "bury".  At the level Microsoft and Google are, we should leave the comparisons with companies behind and look at them more like sports teams. I suspect the Cowboys and Steelers have had tougher words than "bury" in the past.

But no matter how you look at it, the battle is on between Microsoft and Google.  And to think only a couple years ago there were rumors of Microsoft buying Google.

This week's PowerUser podcast has the WinCustomize & Neowin team talking about Halo the movie, the WinFS beta, file sharing, the .xxx domain and the Snapstream vs. Tivo debate.

Back in 2003, I had my basement finished using the Owens Corning Basement System.  It's an alternative to dry-wall that looks similar to dry-wall but is actually soft to the touch (that is, it is almost like a cushion).

The advantages of Owens Corning's system to normal dry-wall (According to Owens Corning) include:

• Basements can be finished much quicker.  The 1200 square foot or so of our basement that we got finished was done in about 10 days (compared to months with dry-wall).
• It is very damage resistant -- it doesn't scratch, it looks the same 2 years after the fact.
• It is allegedly black mold resistant.  Drywall, being made of wood, can serve as a place for mold to grow.  Owens Corning's system is synthetic, nothing grows.
• It's water damage resistant -- you can get it wet and it looks fine once it dries.
• It acts as a great sound proofing mechanism.  The basement is quiet.
• It has good acoustics. Great for home theaters and such.

It also has down sides:

• It's quite expensive. Significantly more-so than Dry Wall.
• The sales people who sell it use an obnoxious hard sell technique that is, IMO, borderline unethical.
• It is hard to modify. That is, you want put shelves or "nail" things to the wall, you really can't, you have to do it with special fasteners since the wall isn't made of wood, it doesn't support other structures being placed on it well.
• You're tied into Owens Corning for repairs, modifications, etc.
• Bears repeating - the sales people who sell it use rather unsavory sales tactics in which if you don't actually bargain them down you could pay 2X as much as you really should.

My original review can be found here.  Since it was the first review on a major site, it has over 150 different websites pointing to it. 20,000 people alone have visited because it shows up high in Google's search engine.  But it also means that there's hundreds of comments which can be hard to go through.

So I've established this running article as a way for people to post their experiences with Owens Corning Basement System. 

My overall experience has been positive. But since I run a company and deal with aggressive sales people all the time, I didn't have a problem neutralizing their sales techniques.  But they are unusually aggressive (note that these sales people rarely work for Owens Corning directly, they work for other companies who sell it).  And our experience was mildly soured by attempts to nickel and dime us at the end. 

But overall, 2 years later, I'm pretty happy with it and am glad we went with it. I do sometimes get jealous of my neighbors who did a true "full finish" basement that looks like their upstairs.  But then I remind myself that it took them 6 months to do that whereas mine was done in 10 days without any mess or fuss.  It's not for everyone but for us, it worked out pretty well.

Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments area and I will try to post some of them here from time to time.

http://top500.feedster.com/

According to Feedster, JoeUser.com isn't in the top 500.  Which is surprising given our relative traffic. It makes me wonder how their system works. Perhaps we aren't even registered in there.  So I'm creating this blog item to make sure we are.

No Need to Click Here - I'm just claiming my feed at Feedster feedster:f531b608b914eec2d8483a525d3a2174

I'm a moderator on many different websites and each site has its own rules of conduct not just for users, but for moderators as well.

On WinCustomize.com, moderators are encouraged to moderate politely but publicly.  If a user is acting out, a moderator is supposed to make his presence felt so that observers can see that "the cops are on the beat".

On other sites, moderation is done discretely. If someone is misbehaving, a private message is sent to them letting them know they must stop or they face punishment.  To users on the forums, the moderator's presence is almost invisible. This way, so goes the theory, the forum participants don't feel like big brother is watching.

Which begs the question, which way do you think is more effective?

No Need to Click Here - I'm just claiming my feed at Feedster feedster:99fa96d97dd67dbadc2839937ce79167

Microsoft had been referring to their next generation graphics API as "Windows Graphic Foundation" (WGF).  But in a moment of sanity, Microsoft has finally decided to rebrand it as DirectX 10.

It gave some details to the developers officially about its upcoming API and we know that it plans to release this API together with Longhorn. Or Vista, as we must learn to call it.

The DirectX 10 API will have completely new and faster dynamic link libraries (DLLs) and is supposed to run much faster. The company decided to cut the backward compatibility with DirectX 9, 8, 7 and lower in this API but there will be a way to use games programmed for those APIs. Microsoft will enable support for DX 9 or lower games through a software layer, meaning it might run slower.

The company did this to make the next API faster, it said, and at the same time will take some burden of the CPU runtime. At the same time we learned that DirectX 10 will have support for Shaders beyond Shaders, model 4.0.

It's coming with Longhorn but we learned that Shader Model 4.0 might come even before Vista.