Messages

136

Gallery / Re: Airport - finally OP update!

« on: June 08, 2011, 10:31:51 PM »

An airport terminal need not look exactly like a real-world counterpart, but there are some reasonable features that should be included if you want an interesting reproduction:

• Increasing the scale is the biggest change I suggest - A runway of that size would likely be built for a large, commercial airport and the terminal should reflect that. They are typically large so there are enough gates, 50+ ( or even hundreds), for the number of planes stationed there at any given time. Also consider all the stuff you'd find inside a terminal (see point 3).
• Add exterior details - One of the fantastic things about an airport is the great variety of equipment and activity you can see occurring out on the tarmac. Fuel, food, and baggage trucks are good items you could include. There are also many entrances and ground markings you could add to make it more interesting. Don't forget airports have other important structures like parking garages, transportation hubs, and maintenance areas.
• Add interior detail - Airports are full of detail: shops, restaurants, restrooms, advertisements, gate seating areas, security checkpoints, baggage claim areas. Some include recreational areas like small parks, playgrounds, and also have quiet areas for conducting business.

You did a great job making the taxi-ways and the runway, but the current terminal does look rather poor. Consider remaking it so this can go from being a "decent" build to a "great" build.

137

Gallery / Re: Airport [WIP]

« on: June 08, 2011, 01:10:17 AM »

Rather than worrying about whether or not the runway accurately reflects "the real deal", why not start adding the other interesting details like the signs beside each taxiway, hangars, and the terminal? You've have already made a good start.

138

General Discussion / Re: Why do people make "RP" servers?

« on: June 06, 2011, 10:25:58 PM »

A role-playing theme allows for the implementation of arbitrary rules with little inherent game-play. It's an easy way for players to build themselves a little kingdom with which they can further inflate their egos; this is commonly referred to as a "power trip". It requires neither talent, effort, nor creativity to setup, but none-the-less it draws in players looking for structure in a game that lacks it.

139

General Discussion / Re: Movie Recorder

« on: June 05, 2011, 10:57:41 PM »

I've always had good experiences using FRAPS. It records high-quality video with minimal overhead. Be sure to purchase the full version so you get unlimited recording time and no terrible watermark. You can reduce the file-size of videos later using even the simplest of programs: Windows Movie Maker can do it!

Here is a sample video I shot at 1080p: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfL55-9VfuQ

I should note that the game itself looks terrible, but the video quality matches what you see in-game.

I have yet to see a video recorded using Camstudio or Hypercam that doesn't look awful. It may be user incompetence, but I'm inclined to believe the programs simply compress the video too much and record at low resolutions.

140

General Discussion / Re: Respect

« on: June 03, 2011, 02:04:03 AM »

The average age and maturity of the users of this forum precludes the formation of any reasonable discussion. There exists a small group of older players that could participate politely and productively in a forum, but there is little reason for most to return; Blockland hasn't had any "killer" features added lately and it remains a niche product primarily aimed at children.

141

General Discussion / Re: Mac vs PC????

« on: May 30, 2011, 12:56:40 AM »

What shallow comparison would you have us draw?

142

Off Topic / Re: Phobos Squad - Very Early Alpha

« on: May 24, 2011, 01:54:42 AM »

And it seems like you just announce projects, get the attention, then it dies out and you announce a new one a month later

That kind of astonishingly accurate pattern-recognition could kill a man. Be careful with the power you wield son!

143

General Discussion / Re: Just when exactly is enough?

« on: May 24, 2011, 01:48:52 AM »

5 years and counting; I see no reason to quit now.

144

Creativity / Re: Lego Stuff

« on: May 09, 2011, 12:13:51 AM »

My apologies for the poor image quality. I followed this guide on Instructables. I don't recommend the build; it barely holds itself together and is quite difficult to pose. I will probably have to glue them together. Buying the parts from Bricklink ended up costing about $10 per turret.

145

Off Topic / Re: Intel Graphics Card Rant

« on: May 08, 2011, 11:47:09 PM »

I was pleasantly surprised today when I found out that the Intel HD graphics chip in my new laptop can run Portal 2 at an acceptable frame-rate. Interestingly Minecraft runs really poorly on this machine on even the lowest settings; it goes to show that competent optimization can make a significant difference. The laptop was purchased for productivity, not gaming, but it's nice to know I have options for killing time should the need arise.

146

Gallery / Re: Heretic Cruiser-Class Spaceship: A NEW DESIGN

« on: May 05, 2011, 09:38:16 PM »

The bow of the craft has great curvature but the latter half of the hull is a rather boring tube. The bridge protruding from the top of the ship is not bad, but the turrets look really out-of-place and should be removed.

147

Help / Automated downloading of files stalls

« on: April 10, 2011, 12:06:42 AM »

I just installed a fresh copy of Blockland and it appears that the downloading of addons stops about 80-90% of the way through. The connection to the server is fine as the player chat still comes through. Reconnecting causes the remaining items to be downloaded and allows me into the game.

It's not an issue that really breaks the game, but it is an inconvenience and might discourage new players.

148

General Discussion / Re: What makes people say, "Wow!"?

« on: March 21, 2011, 12:18:22 AM »

A detailed build that isn't just another set piece for some ill-conceived combat in Blockland. A build that avoids the tedium of repetition. A build that shows a working knowledge of architecture or engineering. A build that dares to be unique, but doesn't sabotage its integrity in doing so.

I doubt that talent still lingers here. Prove me wrong.

149

Off Topic / Re: I'll never sleep again >:D

« on: March 07, 2011, 02:33:49 AM »

According to Wikipedia a dose of approximately 150mg per Kg of body weight can be fatal.

Assuming you weighed 150 pounds you would need to consume 10,200 mg of caffeine or about 100 of those mints. That may not kill you, but at that point you'd be pretty debilitated for the remainder of the drugs effect. List of potential side-effects include:  mania, depression, lapses in judgment, disorientation, disinhibition, delusions, hallucinations, and psychosis may occur, and rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#Overuse

150

Off Topic / Re: Need some Stuff for my Project i am making

« on: March 06, 2011, 12:49:35 AM »

Your post is difficult to read, but I assume you are trying to make a Windows desktop look it is running OS X.

Try installing Rocketdock. It can be customized to look like the OS X taskbar.