mrimer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

Rank Points: 5164
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Welcome to the latest edition of the Illumination, which in this case is written by me, Tim (well, actually most of it is written by RoboBob3000). Since I'm not known as a linguist, I'll keep this short [but it's packed with content! -- mrimer]

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Caravel News


* Smitemaster's Selection CDs are going out

Mike Rimer told me that the new Smitemaster's Selection CDs (for Suit Pursuit and Complex Complex) are currently being pressed. That means they will be received and sent out soon. Make sure to have your shipping address current if you ordered one!


* Next Smitemaster's Selection is nearing completion

As for the next Smitemaster's Selection, I think I'm allowed to tell that the voice auditions for that is scheduled to take place in a couple of weeks. Look for announcements in the Contest Board!


* Rumours about DROD RPG Holds

RPG Holds are finally being considered for promotion! Are you bold enough to submit your challenging level sets? If Tendry himself ever made a hold, rest assured it would contain a collection of his latest remixed pop-ballads.


* Top scores for Tendry's Tale

The RPG scoring pages are still in development. However, with permission from Schik, I can reveal the current validated top scores for 2 scorepoints in Tendry's Tale:

This one describes the first scorepoint most players will reach first:


The second one describes the first scorepoint most players will reach in Part 2:

If your score is not on the list, it's time to best these numbers. Thanks, Schik!

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Don't Ask Award

This newsletter's Don't Ask Award goes to forum veteran Briareos. He was nominated for a long continuity of being an upstanding citizen of the forum. He's always been very

helpful to boot, a veritable pillar of support on the Hints and Solutions board. And he keeps us updated on what's "now playing". Briareos, please claim a prize from the Prize Pile!

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RoboBob3000's Top Picks


This month's theme for RoboBob3000's Topical Topic Picks: "Things that don't yet exist".


DROD Stuffed Animals
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=29507
Realistically, Caravel Games is not going to produce a plush wubba in time for your birthday. But that doesn't mean you can't pine for one! And while we're at it, let's talk about all of other non-existent DROD merch you didn't even know you coveted!


DROD: Starter Pack
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=29691
In the DROD universe, user-created levels are a BIG DEAL. You're not truly playing these games until you check out some of the amazing stuff the community has put together. So why not pack some of the best user-made stuff into an official release? This idea of a "DROD Starter Pack" is generating some buzz, and might actually happen. Keep an eye on this thread for developments. At zero cost, the DROD Starter Pack would represent infinite value!


So what are you looking forward towards in 2010?
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=29497
The year 2010 hasn't happened yet, unfortunately. All we can do right now is tap on the glass, hoping to rouse it from its slumber. But once twenty-oh-ten is here, oh boy! It's gonna be great! What are you most looking forward to? For me, it's gonna be the Blu-Ray release of the forthcoming sequel to the "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movie.


Son of Bride of Watch the Bar VI Unleashed: Barmageddon
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=29658
Speaking of sequels, it looks like there's a new bar in town! Check out the front page of the forum to see it (at forum.caravelgames.com). What could it possibly be counting down to? What is this Next Big Project that is already 60% finished? Come join the discussion in the thread that puts the "fun" in "watching a progress indicator slowly advance towards completion." (Hey, if Blizzard can make it fun across an entire franchise...why shouldn't we take a shot at it, too?)

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RoboBob3000's List of Recently Released Holds


And as always, here are the holds that have been published since the last newsletter. It's a charming mix of holds large and small:

Aurelia Keep by Pinnacle
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=29634

Empire's Power: The slayer vats by Chaosgamer
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=29573

Gigantic Jewel Lost by Zch and Kallor
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=29523

Directions of the Compass 2 by brian_s
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=29489

Trapoe by skell
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=29406


Till next month!

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

Briareos
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 3516
Registered: 08-07-2005
IP: Logged

Like, ummm, whoa. And I didn't even ask for it...

*bows*

np: Orbital - The Naked And The Dead (2Orbital (Disc 2))

____________________________
"I'm not anti-anything, I'm anti-everything, it fits better." - Sole
R.I.P. Robert Feldhoff (1962-2009)

Bobpie
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 54
Registered: 04-26-2007
IP: Logged

*clap*x3

---

[Last edited by Bobpie at 08-04-2009 07:45 PM]

Chaosgamer
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 88
Registered: 04-08-2009
IP: Logged

Well just awhile ago Fang got 589 on grey man witch gives him 1st and 360 on 'neather witch give him 1st by 3.

Fang
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 175
Registered: 07-25-2008
IP: Logged

Grats Briareos
Also for the scores, that's true. I'd post a screenshot but I tried a few times with ctrl+F11 and it doesn't seem to work, or I don't know where the pictures end up.

____________________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." -Albert Einstein

TFMurphy
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3118
Registered: 06-11-2007
IP: Logged

Given the current state of things, I feel that there's a couple of things that should be mentioned with regards to DROD RPG.

High Scores: CaravelNet is finally accepting scores from the 1.1 version of the Tendry's Tale hold. I strongly suspect that this means that scores uploaded from the 1.0 version will be *ignored*. The easiest way to tell which version of the hold you have is to look at the graphics for Stalwarts, Keys, Power/Shield Gems, Shields and Accessories. All of these look much prettier in the new version. If your Stalwart/Tendry looks identical to a DROD TCB Stalwart, then you have the old version. In order to get the new version, you will have to redownload the full version: no patch exists to update the graphics and Tendry's Tale hold.

Also, there are going to be a few fixes to the hold again in 1.2. Hopefully, scores from 1.1 will still count in 1.2 (since what's being changed does not restrict choices), but to get these fixes, you will also have to redownload the whole game when this patch is released.

Hold Submission: Build 56 has many fixes and changes to the way scripting interacts with combat, but it is currently unreleased (even as a beta patch). As a result, please be aware that code you have made for the current version may not work properly once this patch is released. Also, due to these changes, DROD RPG will be updated to 1.2 at this juncture, and it is likely that versions previous to this will not be able to play holds created or edited with 1.2. So I advise a little caution. Furthermore, it's been a long time since most of the holds in RPG Architecture have been touched: please take the time to play through your own holds again and make sure things haven't broken in the meantime.

RoboBob3000
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1982
Registered: 10-23-2003
IP: Logged

TFMurphy wrote:
DROD RPG will be updated to 1.2 at this juncture...

Is there any chance we will be seeing an RPG source code release when 1.2 comes out? I think there are more than a few people who are chomping at the bit to port over some of the new features of RPG to TCB. When that code is finally public, it wouldn't surprise me if the community hive-mind starts to tackle some of those projects.

And as always, kudos to the team for their hard work! You guys make great stuff, and the community is always going to be here to support you!

____________________________
http://beepsandbloops.wordpress.com/

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1979
Registered: 08-07-2004
IP: Logged

I just want to make clear that I wrote the text a couple of days ago, so the scores might not be completely up-to-date.

Also wanted to say that I didn't write the Don't Ask Award, but still want to congratulate Briareos anyway.

____________________________
The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.

Vertelemming
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 19
Registered: 04-17-2007
IP: Logged

... but I wasn't even trying! Cue the confusion.

Nate
Level: Roachling
Rank Points: 10
Registered: 01-12-2007
IP: Logged

Neither was I! On top of that, I thought that I was kind of lousy at the game. Oh well, I'm just going to enjoy my brief taste of the top of the scoreboard (apparently already over, too.)

slimm tom
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1240
Registered: 10-14-2006
IP: Logged

Wow, I'm in second place. Really didn't expect that.

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1979
Registered: 08-07-2004
IP: Logged

Small Announcement (again):

Since both Mike and Wesley seems to be pretty busy this month (again), Mike asked me to see if I can make something.

If anyone has something important to say (like contests info, or a hold that is worth replaying, Forum Picks, etc.), PM me (or e-mail Mike) with some text and I might include it in the next Illumination.

I'm going to start writing something sometime next week, so you have plenty of time

____________________________
The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.