bkc56

I uninstalled the previous version AND cleared data before installing #5. I can confirm that everything is working as expected after doing that. And the two big things I was interested in from this release are also working correctly: * Names and health numbers are visible above players. * Changes made in settings are saved.

Perhaps I have become so used to right-clicking to change the action that I don't even notice doing it anymore?

We appear to have lost the "Number of Quickbar Slots" from the HUD tab. I can't change the AFK message in settings. I don't know if it was something I did, but all the names and health bars are turn off and I can't figure out how to enable them. The app is much less forgiving about what action icon is selected when you try to do something. It doesn't seem to auto-select the correct action based on context. For example, I must tap trade before talking with a bot or it seems to default to look-at: "You see Nera". <edit> Also, Avast is throwing an error on this version of the client: Suspicious fie detected - APK:CloudRep [susp]

While it would be fun to look at static scenes, briefly, I don't think it would have long-term value. At least not enough to justify the effort to implement it. Personally, I'm not sure I'd go through the effort to get one of the Android phones in the household working with Cardboard to try this. What would have value, as a novelty, would be a stripped-down client that work in VR where perhaps the only thing you could do is walk around and look around. I don't know how you'd solve even those simple control issue (how to walk, how to stop, how to "touch" a door or boat to switch maps), but to be able to walk around maps and look at the sky or forests would be really cool (even if you were limited to just one large map like WhitesStone, press the phone button to toggle walking). Just imagine WS with a couple dozen randomly generated VR characters, controlled by people on their phones, walking around looking at stuff. They'd be a little bit like the unicorn. We couldn't interact with them, but we could walk up and trigger emotes. o/ Would either draw in new players? I don't believe static scenes would. A very basic working VR client might because they could experience an aspect of the game that might motivate them to download the full version and give it a try. Edit-- From the PoV of a game designer working on a fun project, I think a stripped-down demo VR client would be a ton more interesting and fun to develop than a library of static game images. But that's the software engineer side of me talking without regard for the complexity of the project.

I would agree that playing on a computer with a real keyboard and mouse is easier. But like Piper says, the Android client provides a smaller and more portable option for times when a computer isn't available (like traveling). I won't switch to the android client, but it's a nice option to have available.

Entropy created a test-package modifying the android:minSdkVersion property lower, and it now installs on my Android 3.1 tablet. Don't forget to make that a permanent change in the build. So I've got this test build running now. I have old hardware, so even with most of the GFX tab effects disabled, I'm generally only running around 18 fps (this was in Tars). But as long as I'm not fighting/training that should be fine. I do get some graphical anomalies when I reduce the Camera/Perspective option. On my computer I run at 0.05, although I can't run that low on the tablet due to the problems. But that's not a huge deal, and I doubt most people turn it down like that (it's kind of a throw-back to the way EL looked years ago before the extended camera and all was added).

I'm not sure if there was any hope that the new version would fix my parsing error, but it didn't. All the same specs and stuff as before.

As a footnote, the other Android app available doesn't have the parse problem (it's just missing a lot of features). http://www.eternal-lands.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=59968

I was able to unpack the AndroidManifest.xml and it LOOKS (if I'm reading it correctly) like it's build for Android 1.0, which should work for any Android OS. So I'm thinking #6 is not the problem. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <manifest xmlns:"http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:versionCode="1" android:versionName="1.0" android:installLocation="auto" package="com.el.elc" platformBuildVersionCode="15" platformBuildVersionName="4.0.4-1406430"> <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="15" android:targetSdkVersion="15" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" /> <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" /> <application android:theme="@*android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen" android:label="@string/app_name" android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher" android:debuggable="true" android:allowBackup="true" android:hardwareAccelerated="true"> <activity android:label="@string/app_name" android:name="ELCActivity" android:screenOrientation="landscape" android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation"> <intent-filter> <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" /> <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" /> </intent-filter> </activity> </application> </manifest>

I tried all the fixes discussed in this article: http://www.technicalnotes.org/fix-parse-error-in-android-there-is-a-problem-parsing-the-package/ So I'm left with this one. What version of the OS was the client compiled for? My guess is something newer than 3.1 which means I'm hosed.

OK, I tried that. Once it's saved, I get the same three choices as above, with the same error message. So I don't think the intermediate step of using Dropbox damaged/corrupted the file in any way.

I have an older Samsung tablet model GT-P7510, with Android ver 3.1. I downloaded the package and used Dropbox to get it onto the tablet. When I tap the installer I get three options: Avast Mobile Security, Package installer, (Google) Verify and install. I've tried all three and I get the same error: Parse error There is a problem parsing the package. Is this something I'm doing wrong, or is my device/OS just too old?

Tonight I noticed a bug on the main server that we've been seeing for years on the PK server. It happens about every 49 days if a server has not been rebooted. Main rarely (if ever) sees it because it gets rebooted more often than that. The current up-time on the PK server is 687 days. The two ways I know that it manifests itself is with (1) an inability to walk, or (2) an inability to start harvesting. It can hit animals/critters too and you might find them frozen (not walking around) on various maps. The fix is easy: log out and log in again. A server reboot will also clear it. Entropy/Radu knows about the bug. We PMed about it in Jan '13. It's related to a 32-bit timer overflow (his words) and is hard to fix. Since it's so rare on main, it's not a priority. Please note: I posted here on purpose to inform people. Since the bug has already been reported, it doesn't need to be in the bugs forum.

It's normally not a problem on main because it gets updates often enough to not have an uptime of 49 days. I'm not aware of this ever happening on main before now (I've never heard anyone complain of, or mention it). I don't think it's a very big threat. But yes, a regular "maintenance reboot" every 6 weeks would prevent a recurrence. But don't reboots carry the same risk of catching someone in an invance/instance/etc?

I have to envision someone with a neurological disorder trying to pour the melted silver or gold into the ring-mold and spilling 99% of it on the floor trying to make that one little ring. There must also be a drain on the floor it runs down so they need another two whole bars for the next ring.

The only thing they "cost" is time. And if time had value we wouldn't be spending hundreds of hours of it playing a game... But I DO get your point, and an approximate value can be calculated based on the cost of the harvested items (as if you had purchased them on the market). But that is an artificial value as the harvested ingredients did not cost any real GC to get (other than perhaps broken tools). There is the argument that spending time harvesting is "lost opportunity" to be doing other things which has a value. But some people harvests because they are busy in RL and can't do anything more interactive. In that case, it's harvest or do nothing, so no lost opportunity. But this is all a bunny-trail from the actual point of this thread, so it's perhaps best dropped. Carry on.

Shouldn't that be: Ring of Anitora: 20+gc if you harvest all the FREE ingre & mix them yourself (Price based on the cost of the gem sanders, plus some delta for broken picks and ring molds).

I assume he'd move just like any other creature does (which includes random pauses).

I agree with Piper. A full world grid search is not fun. That's why I suggested a wandering joker because he's more likely to be spotted by people.

I like the idea but I'd prefer he move on the new day rather than staying in place for days and days waiting for someone to grid-search every map until they spot him. He's supposed to be fun, not another type of grinding. Actually, I think it would be even better to have him be fully mobile like Leonard is, but across both C1 and C2. It would be fun to see him wander buy and chase him down to trade. He can tele to a new map after each trade.

I like auto-complete. But as has been noted, it should fail if there is more than one match to the sub-string you entered.

This was part of the motivation of putting a cap of 100 on a/d on the PK server. The idea was anyone could join at a later time and be able to catch up with everyone else in a reasonable amount of time. The problem is that most of the earlier PKers on the server had limited (boring) one-dimensional characters. So when they hit the cap they had nothing else they could do, got bored, and left. Those with more well rounded characters kept going even after reaching the a/d cap. It's hard to make some sort of an "end game" that everyone has a chance to reach, but still have enough stuff to do for the people that get there.

This is hard, but let me try to (not really) answer the question with some random thoughts. All MMO/RPGs (and similar games) have to find their place on a game-play scale which could to something like this: | - boring (too easy) - | - fun - | - challenging - | - grinding (too hard) - | Different aspects of the game place a dot somewhere along that line. Average all the dots together and and you get an overall reading for the game. A few examples: Big Books - too easy - they take all the challenge out of starting up a new skill Quests - fun/challenging - they have some complexity to them and provide an experience reward (although some quests slip into grinding as they are too hard for the reward) High Levels - grinding - mixing 10K of item X to get the next level isn't really fun or challenging, it's just mindless work Now of course different people will view any particular action someplace different on the scale, but you get the idea. So let's look at a practical example. Why do I find the PK server to be more fun that the Main server (given there's no longer any PK happening on the PK server)? Part of it is the community. But part if it is the different game mechanics: No harvesting mini-events - they have no redeeming value, and the reason they were added no longer exists on main due to the rule change. No cool-down - all they do is slow you down when mixing (grinding) moving you to the right on the scale. Moving those two dots from the grinding range toward the fun range has a significant effect on the overall feel of the PK server, making it more fun for those playing there. (Note: I am totally ignoring the effects of cool-down in fighting/PK, but it does totally change the nature of that in the game). While there are no doubt some big changes that can, and should be made to EL, I feel that there are a number of smaller game mechanics that if properly shifted a bit closer to the center (fun/challenge) on the above scale could go a long way to restoring fun to the game. (Sorry for being so verbose)

I found it sad that the PK server (sort of the ultimate PK instance), which started so active and promising, was allowed to atrophy and wither to just a few hard-core players (who still prefer it over the main server). While a testament to it's stability, it hasn't had a server reboot in over 600 days, which means it's over a year and a half behind the main server in maps and features. So much potential squandered.

I've had to make font size and other changes in settings to make EL work with smaller window sizes on a higher resolution display (I tile my windows so I have two EL clients and a browser window all fully visible on the screen). I've made it work within the current limitations, but it would be easier to do with an improved and more comprehensive system in place. And I still have a few things I don't like and can't fix/improve with the current options available. I'm not sure if it's worth the amount of work you imply, but you can consider this a weak 'yes' vote.