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RRU has gone to the shop to buy new hamsters. RRU will be back soon.... I hope. Update #1: RRU stopped for ice-cream on the way there. Update #2: The GPS caused RRU to get lost. We've sent out a search party. Update #3: Out of no-where the Potato King appeared an destroyed the search party. A second unit has been deployed. Update #4: The second search party has almost located him... Update #5: RRU was successfully located. We're taking him the hamster store. Update #6: RRU is now shopping for hamsters. There are many to choose from, they also offer free paint jobs on hamsters. This might take a while... I'm looking for a seat. @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:29 AM) Get your last words out people @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:29 AM) "Say now?" @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:29 AM) "Last words out?" @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:30 AM) You got 5 or so minutes @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:30 AM) I'm with Quis here. What? @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:30 AM) Why? @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:30 AM) maybe less, not sure @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:31 AM) Why? @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:31 AM) Why? @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:32 AM) Maintanence? @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:32 AM) @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:32 AM) yes @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:32 AM) RUN! @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:33 AM) There's the /announce thingy for admins for a reason, Cyrem... @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:34 AM) Ah, well, see y'all later then! Good luck, Cyrem! @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:34 AM) nah I wing it @ Xiron : (07 October 2014 - 04:35 AM) MAINTAINEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENCE! @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:35 AM) maybe take a while, can't really say how long yet @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:36 AM) What are you doing in particular? @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:37 AM) getting a new hamster @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:38 AM) Good source of power, aren't they? @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:41 AM) they are @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:41 AM) this one is getting too old @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:43 AM) And you need >5min to replace a hamster? @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:45 AM) oh, much more @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:45 AM) I'm getting a bunch @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:46 AM) Got the wheels ready? @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:47 AM) They need time to acclimatize, you know. @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:47 AM) No good just stuffing them into a wheel when you've dragged them out of the hutch: they'll hate it! @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:48 AM) oh @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:48 AM) I only bought 1 wheel @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:48 AM) Still, winging it... @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:48 AM) I want them to work together at hyperspeed @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:48 AM) might work @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:49 AM) I the wheel is a little larger than the old @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:49 AM) Problem is, if one hamster's slow from sickness or plain tiredness he'll slow the whole lot down. @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:49 AM) they should all fit @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:50 AM) You could maybe put some on the outside? @ : (07 October 2014 - 04:56 AM) maybe @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 04:59 AM) I'm confident you'll work something out. You weren't an admin because of your lack of innovation @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:02 AM) @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:03 AM) I'm thinking a gear-like system @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:03 AM) You only have the one wheel.... you really do need more. @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:04 AM) A gear idea has problems with gear ratios: if the gears are different sizes then some hamsters will have to work a lot harder. If they don't then the entire system will slow down. @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:05 AM) You'd be better off having individual wheels. That way, if one suddenly just dies you'll still have plenty left and no damage on the other hamsters. @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:08 AM) but if there is more hamsters in the big ones the load should be less @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:09 AM) But what of the small ones? @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:10 AM) You'd need a definite contrivance too make sure that all of them got an equal amount of work. @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:10 AM) It'd be far easier in my eyes to just wire them up individually. @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:17 AM) Are you actually going to do the maintenance now? @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:17 AM) well @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:17 AM) I am @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:17 AM) just taking longer than expected to prepare @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:19 AM) Acclimatizing the hamsters? @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:20 AM) I'm browsing online choosing the best ones @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:20 AM) some have better specifications @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:20 AM) trying to get a good team happening @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:21 AM) What, so you haven't even got the hamsters yet? You'd better hope they're wheel-trained... @ The Ace Railgun : (07 October 2014 - 05:22 AM) Cyrem is making a team of hamsters? @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:23 AM) yes @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:23 AM) apparently they are all tried @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:23 AM) and tested @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:24 AM) I've also ordered their Team RRU bandaners @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:24 AM) @TAR Look in the archive for ~1 hour ago. @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:24 AM) I notice the "TEAM" there. I'm guessing that means that you're sticking to the gear system? @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:28 AM) nah @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:28 AM) I'm just running all the power cords into one @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:29 AM) Effective, certainly. @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:30 AM) calling them a team to... you know... keep em motivated @ aidenpons : (07 October 2014 - 05:31 AM) Good point. Can't have hamsters getting depressed. @ : (07 October 2014 - 05:33 AM) yeah, they'll not be getting breaks ... soo...

[9:42:13 PM] High Weedmeigh: wotm8 [9:42:22 PM] Will Kirkby: wot [9:42:23 PM | Edited 9:42:27 PM] Will Kirkby: m9 [9:42:34 PM] Jamesster: no, m10 [9:42:42 PM] Jamesster: 9 is skipped

FlicTool Latest version: 1.1 (Updated 2014-09-27) FlicTool is an application used to compile and decompile Rock Raiders Flic Animation files (commonly known as FLH files), allowing you to edit existing animations or create new ones. This can be used to create your own animated menus, edit animated cursors, etc. Usage FlicTool is a command line program, which means you have to open a command prompt and run it from there. The application accepts two arguments, input and output. Example: FlicTool input_file.flh output_directory This would decompile the FLH file input_file.flh and place the individual frames in output_directory. The application will automatically detect that input_file.flh is a Flic Animation file, and will then try to decompile it. Inversely, it is also possible to write FlicTool input_directory output_file.flh which would take all the frames found in input_directory and combine them to create output_file.flh. (Frames are recognized by looking for BMP files with names matching frame####.bmp where #### is the zero-padded frame number, starting with 0001) If you leave out the output file/directory name, it will be assumed to be output.flh when compiling, and output when decompiling. Notes It should be noted that FlicTool is still in a very early stage of development. There may be lots of bugs yet to be discovered, and many features are still missing. This also means that I have yet to test FlicTool extensively. Remember to make backups of your FLH files before you start tinkering with it. Plans The current compression algorithm creates slightly smaller or slightly larger files when recompiling existing Rock Raiders FLH files, depending on the color data. This doesn't affect the loading of the files in Rock Raiders, but it is still something I wish to address properly when I find the time. Download Windows: Github - https://github.com/Merigrim/FlicTool/release RRU - https://www.rockraidersunited.com/files/dl-r11/ Linux, OS X: I might provide binaries later, but for now it's easier to build the tool directly from source. Source: GitHub - https://github.com/Merigrim/FlicTool (current source) RRU - https://www.rockraidersunited.com/files/dl-r13/ (v1.1 source) FLH format notes: Still need to write this, but I recon it could be of interest as well so I'll start working on it once the source is uploaded. Changelog -------------------- Hey everyone, first time posting here! I joined a while back, but was never an active member of the forum. Hopefully some of you will find this tool useful. Also, this post was written very late (almost 2am here) so I apologize if any parts are hard to understand. I will be back to edit this when I get home tomorrow.

A Myst Television series is apparently coming, Rand and Robyn are going to be involved too, it should be interesting. http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/7/6935711/myst-is-getting-a-tv-series-with-a-companion-game

Announcement 1: We now have a proper news page/devblog. Check it out. Announcement 2: Despite the onslaught of school, work, and a myraid of other things, Barony version 2014.10.03 has been released Changelog: + New maps ("ruins" theme) + Magic mapping spell + Respawning in multiplayer + Torches can now be removed from walls + Updated music + Swimming + Added two new books + Lockpicking & keys + Door lock & unlock sound effects + Implemented water breathing amulet + Implemented water walking boots + Magic keybindings + Spell-list is now accessible from the inventory screen via a "spell list" button * Modified some existing maps. * Fixed random number generation across operating systems not matching up. * Fixed starving shopkeepers * Players can, once more, see even after they're dead * Camppfires now have a limited supply of torches * Minor class adjustments * Adjusted some buying and selling values * Modified some monster starting equipment * Fixed combat music fading in too slowly * More monster AI optimization * Fixed obnoxious unresponsive mouse clicking in some GUI elements * Modified vomiting * AI code, in general, much faster * Fixed unimplemented spells crashing the game * Fixed bug where you could cast a spell after the game restarted * Offensive spells will trigger monster aggressiveness * Offensive spells now grant wizards XP * Fixed occasional crash on player death * Fixed spell duplication bug * Tins now require tin openers to open * Towels not always consuming properly fixed * Enchant armor scrolls fixed * Fixed shopkeepers attacking you when you attacked other entities * Fixed crash when selling equipped items * Players now informed via message when other players pause the game * Various un-named bugfixes - Players no longer decrease character level on death - Wizard no longer starts with spellbook of forcebolt THE RUINS Get it here!

Hey everyone, this is my first post here (made an account to download and try out a couple mods a while ago). Sorry for the long, disjointed post, but I couldn't let this go by without putting in my opinion. I have to 100% agree with Polaris' criticism of using blocks. If I may, I would like to add a few points to the discussion. I think that you are spot on in saying that, even if it's not true, using blocks will make this game look like a Minecraft clone. And that's pretty darned important. To be honest, I'm having a hard time imagining how a block-based Rock Raiders game would look different from Minecraft. Sure, RR would have buildings, but Minecraft already has usable blocks like the crafting table and furnace that function in a similar manner. RR and Minecraft both have monsters, different tools, etc. RR would have vehicles, training/upgrading rockraiders, and the RTS elements, but I'm not certain that this is enough to differentiate it from Minecraft and the other MC clones that are already out there (especially if the RTS elements of the game are not deeply expanded upon). My other criticisms for the block system center around the fact that RR is, at its core, an RTS, and in no way do I feel that a block-based system is conducive for an excellent RTS experience. I know that the block-based world is attractive as it seems to more easily account for verticality. I don't necessarily believe that this is true for a top-down RTS (even if you have the option to go into 3rd/1st person modes). In a block-based world, the player would still need a way to navigate the top-down camera from level to level, and I think that it would be even more difficult to this without making the world painfully confusing to navigate. In a plane-based (I think that is the terminology people have been using) world, all of the levels would be right on top of one another. In a block based world, some levels would be on top of others, while other levels would be halfway between. The block-based system is great for building things. This seems to be another main reason for supporting it, as it allows members of the community to easily make levels. The game Rock Raiders, however, is not about building things; it's about management and strategy. Players do not need a building system to enjoy the game. Furthermore, while the block-based system may be accessible for level designers, there's no reason why the plane (or tile or wall) based system would be any less accessible. In fact, I personally would find it far less daunting to make a map with a set of horizontal tiles on several levels than blocks positioned all over a 3d world. It's also worth mentioning that processing a world made of individual blocks is not exactly resource friendly for our computers. Minecraft especially struggles with a poorly optimized engine, but I think that this is an inherent problem in a block-based system. I like Polaris' system of tiered planes. There can certainly be more ways to get between levels than ramps. You could simply use a zip-line down a 1-tile space for individual rock raiders, ramps of varying sizes for land vehicles, or simply holes in the ground for flying vehicles. Players could build damming systems for water vehicles, as well. There are plenty of possibilities, really. If this system were used, I would prefer that the ground of one level would be the wall tiles/unexcavated rock on the level below it. Thus, if someone mined away that wall tile, then the floor above would disappear, potentially harming rock raiders or destroying buildings that were placed on it. I'm not an artist, but here's a basic plan of how a 3x3 tile space would look between 2 levels in a few examples: X (Floor), W (Wall), O(Open space between the upper and lower level) Ex. 1 Upper Lower Ex. 2 Upper Lower Ex. 3 Upper Lower XXX WWW XXO WWX OOO XXX XXX WWW XOO WXX OOO XXX XXX WWW XOO WXX OOO XXX I think that such a system would make the tiers feel more connected to one another, and it would allow for level design that made base planning and digging more challenging. Anyway, that's just my 2 cents on the block-system vs the original system and that which Polaris suggested. I do have a few other things to say. I read over the story section on the new web site, and I have to say that I do not like this nonsense about androids. I think that you should keep the Rock Raiders human (even if they are cartoony humans that bear a strong resemblence to the Lego minifigure). I simply feel that their being human, combined with the ability to name them, makes the individual Rock Raiders feel more important and meaningful to the player. I don't see any reason to change that, unless it somehow helps prevent copyright/trademark issues (but I suspect that it does not). In fact, I think that the story should still be a bit more pressing. I quite liked that the original Rock Raiders needed to gather enough crystals to repair their ship and go home. Mining with androids in space for...profit? Or even simply just for the heck of it? I feel like this takes away from any chance at a compelling campaign storyline. I'm glad that this game plans to carry over all of the core Rock Raiders features. This is a good starting point, and the site seems to indicate that there are plans to greatly expand upon the content that is included in each of these features (like additional buildings, vehicles, creatures, etc.). Here are some other features that I would like to see expanded upon: The Rock Raiders themselves: This is probably a given, but I would like to see rock raiders that look different (clothing, ethnicity, gender, etc.). Maybe even (since this is science fiction) different alien races with advantages/disadvantages, sort of like what the indie game FTL does. More/Tiered Training Options: It would be nice to see some additional jobs the RR's can perform. I would also like to see tiers in each ability, such as Driving I, Driving II, Driving III. I think that this would add to the feeling of progression (which is definitely going to need to be expanded upon if the levels are going to be larger). Fully Functional 1st/3rd Person: The ability to perform all individual rock raider actions from the 1st/3rd person viewpoint, although I get the impression that this is already on the to-do list. Difficulty: This is critical. While Rock Raiders is a great game (and rather difficult for a Lego title), it is still fairly easy. Most of it is simply a time-sink to explore and eventually get the required crystals. The only truly difficult aspects of the game are lava, slimy slugs, rock slides, and oxygens (And those last two are only a problem for the first few minutes of any mission!). Off the top of my head, I can think of many ways to add difficulty. (1) Limiting the number if RR's that can be called down in any mission (I think that something like this is essential). Basically, you only get 8 Rock Raiders for level 1, and if any of them die, you cannot call down any additional RR's. (2) Making Rock Monsters and other creatures much more of a threat. (3) Requiring ore or other resources to train/upgrade RR's. (4) Losing resources spent on a structure when it is destroyed. (5) Time limits on some missions (although this is sort of a lazy one, it can certainly work here and there). (6) Limiting the number of skills that a Rock Raider can be trained in (e.g. once a RR is a driver, explosives expert, and geologist, he/she cannot be trained any additional skills). This would also go a long way towards making each Rock Raider feel unique and important. (7) Additional Rock Raider needs beyond sandwiches (maybe sleep, medical attention etc.). These are all just examples, obviously, and I am simply welcoming to anything that adds difficulty to the game. Remember, this game is 14 years old (I think), and as such, the target audience is probably 14 years older. On a side note, I really like the idea for multiplayer! Sorry for the long post! I just wanted to get some of my ideas out there.

The best kind of first post is always one that provide a new modding tool.

http://youtu.be/_p4F9d2k4IE The lyrics are just awesome, unfortunately there's no english version http://youtu.be/myhnAZFR1po