It's been a whopping 3 months and some change since I last made a post. Subtract that change, and it's probably the last time I really logged on to BYOND until a few days ago. Things took a turn for the worse last November, and coupled with some personal problems that the Internet needn't know nor care about, and the N:BOTLS controversy reaching critical mass... well, BYOND just didn't seem very attractive. Forgive the run-on sentence, I'm Peter Parker when it comes to explaining trouble.

Back on topic; I am still working on TSS, albeit slowly. The code that was already written for it became messy and dysfunctional pretty quickly once the more complex systems were added in. That prompted me to redesign the thing from the ground up, so that's where I am now... again. Despite the slow progression (well, zero, considering recent setbacks), it's still promising to be something worth my time. That doesn't sound like it'll be changing anytime soon.

While the AI's little more than stub-work now (typical fight or flight response, no 'simulated intelligence' or automation), there are plans in place to make it much, much more. I want NPCs to have memory - both short and long term - and be able to evaluate decisions and take necessary actions (note I said actions, not reactions, although the latter's certainly still going to occur) based on their wants and needs.

The practical logic behind the system's already been thought up. It's going to rely heavily on (presumably SQL) databases, and it's going to be a far cry from "true AI", but it will offer enough immersion that you have just as much incentive to socialize with Shopkeeper Bob as you do stab him and take all his stuff.

Magic is still giving me a lot of trouble, simply because I can't make up my mind. Do I want a traditional "this spell costs x MP and does this" system, or a "Perform these actions, which if combined in a proper order with some verbal commands and physical components, produce a unique magical effect" setup?

The former is much easier on me mathematically, making skills directly influence spell-casting (Your White Magic skill is 65%, and you're casting a first level healing spell, so you have a 65% chance to successfully cast), while the latter makes for more 'interesting' skills (You have an oratory skill representing how well you can faithfully reproduce "magic words", a skill based on dexterity to see how well you perform hand gestures, etc). Both have their merits.

I could see a Space Station 13 situation developing with the more free-form magic system, though. Something like "Click here for instructions to cast Finger of Death and other top-secret spells!" being posted on the forums.

So, yeah, I'm still alive and kicking, albeit by myself. Help on the project would be a boon, but I don't expect any interest when I have little to show for my troubles. Maybe I should write a pamphlet... "Come see sunny Clennon! Cheap, quality rat and human traps! Fae-folk eat free on Wednesdays!"