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skyringMy test site is slowly progressing. WordPress 3.0 was released a few days ago, and I updated all my WordPress blogs. My BCX site was an early 3.0 version, and that had been working fine with BuddyPress.
Today I wrote a widget plugin, using a template from the WordPress Bible
I bought in San Francisco. The instructions were clear enough, and once I'd sorted out a syntax error in the sample code, I had the thing installed, activated and running.
That's a start. I'll build on this in weeks to come.
A few words about the architecture. Each player - and there can be hundreds, if not thousands of players - will have a blog on the site. Not that this will be a blog for recording daily activities or opinions or book reviews. You could, I guess.
There will be a widget tied into the database for entering orders. Some immediate feedback as to whether the orders were feasible or not - like if you wanted to drive somewhere without a car it wouldn't work - but the main processing would take place on a fixed timetable, when orders from various players would be processed together, resolving conflicts and reporting results.
Results would be posted as a private blog entry. Read it, analyse it, work out what to do and submit fresh orders.
This is a twist on the traditional play-by-mail game model, where it might take two weeks for an orders cycle.
I want a shorter cycle, on the order of hours, rather than days, but I don't want players to be completely exposed if attacked. Flash an update to a player who is being attacked so that they can issue their own orders, call in reinforcements etc.
Unless, of course, some surprise factor is being played.
I'm envisaging a model where characters are controlled by the players, moved around the play area, given tools and actions, and made to perform actions. Bands and units may be built and moved and controlled through leader characters.
The setting is a more or less modern nation in a state of tension, with diverse community movements and organisations attempting to keep or change control over territory and population.
More later.
Today I wrote a widget plugin, using a template from the WordPress Bible
I bought in San Francisco. The instructions were clear enough, and once I'd sorted out a syntax error in the sample code, I had the thing installed, activated and running.That's a start. I'll build on this in weeks to come.
A few words about the architecture. Each player - and there can be hundreds, if not thousands of players - will have a blog on the site. Not that this will be a blog for recording daily activities or opinions or book reviews. You could, I guess.
There will be a widget tied into the database for entering orders. Some immediate feedback as to whether the orders were feasible or not - like if you wanted to drive somewhere without a car it wouldn't work - but the main processing would take place on a fixed timetable, when orders from various players would be processed together, resolving conflicts and reporting results.
Results would be posted as a private blog entry. Read it, analyse it, work out what to do and submit fresh orders.
This is a twist on the traditional play-by-mail game model, where it might take two weeks for an orders cycle.
I want a shorter cycle, on the order of hours, rather than days, but I don't want players to be completely exposed if attacked. Flash an update to a player who is being attacked so that they can issue their own orders, call in reinforcements etc.
Unless, of course, some surprise factor is being played.
I'm envisaging a model where characters are controlled by the players, moved around the play area, given tools and actions, and made to perform actions. Bands and units may be built and moved and controlled through leader characters.
The setting is a more or less modern nation in a state of tension, with diverse community movements and organisations attempting to keep or change control over territory and population.
More later.
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no subject
Date: 2010-06-20 02:03 pm (UTC)Glad you seem to recommend the Wordpress Bible because I bought it a couple of weeks back, but haven't had time to open it yet.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-20 05:15 pm (UTC)I think that there is room for a slow and complex game, and I think wordPress is a good vehicle.
The WordPress Bible I highly recommend, because it is a step by step guide to some of the more technical tasks of customisation. I found programming a widget relatively easy, though there were a couple of errors in the sample code provided. You might not want to go that far, but certainly there is scope for theme customisation, or at least understanding how the system works.
With WordPress, the sky is the limit. It's far more powerful than a blog needs to be. Some highly visible companies use WordPress for blogging or variations.
http://venturebeat.com/2009/09/03/inside-peek-how-the-new-york-times-uses-blogs/
http://magazine.wsj.com/
http://wordpress.org/showcase/wsj-magazine/
The Wall Street Journal uses WordPress to publish their online magazine. That's amazing. It's obviously well customised over a basic WordPress install, but there doesn't seem to be anything there that is too far away from what can be done with a few widgets. Design and a good understanding of CSS counts for more than programming trickery.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 10:18 am (UTC)