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Don't panic!

Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:35 pm
by Ryme
In the immortal words of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: don't panic!

First, the game isn't going anywhere. The entire purpose of this offer is to keep it alive. I'm not planning on dumping the game, I'm not planning on shutting it down, and I'd refuse an offer if I found a willing taker who I thought would make a real mess of things. In the absence of any good options I'll just keep doing what I'm doing for now. But if I think there's someone motivated to keep the spirit alive and get improve the game, it would be tempting to let them take over and keep the game thriving.

For various reasons*, I'm really struggling to keep up with Twilight Heroes. I think someone with more time and energy, who is capable and willing, could be developing better and faster than I am, so I'm trying to see if that special someone (or team of someones) is out there. That's all I'm looking for at this point.

I would like to remain involved in the game and the community, just not in charge, though that's going to depend on how the details work out. I think I still have a lot to offer, including years worth of notes and ideas, but the game itself would do better if I wasn't the one holding up progress.

In the meantime, development will continue at its current pace. The level 12/13 quest is in testing and nearing completion. I've got a handful of smaller things to polish up, a special event very loosely planned, and then I'm diving into the project related to the photo contest. In the short term things should keep progressing at the same pace they have for the last few months. If I find anyone suitable to take over, it would only be with the goal if increasing the pace of development.

If you know of someone who's comfortable with PHP and MySQL or equivalent technologies, or you know someone with a strong creative spark, or you are that person, get in touch with me using the site's contact page.

--

* After five years of TH filling my nights and weekends I think I'm a little tired. Or maybe that's the newborn at home, but she's not going anywhere either. I've put a lot of other great things on hold over the years to work on Twilight Heroes, and while it's without a doubt the most rewarding and enjoyable thing I've ever done, I'm feeling the pull of some of those other delayed projects. Lack of time and energy are dragging me down, while I'm being tugged at by some other ideas. I've still got pages of notes for TH, but at the current pace it would take me years to even get to half of them, and the right enthusiastic person or team could do a lot better than that.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:18 pm
by the SUPERnaturalist
not gonna lie. the 'for sale sign' picture scared the crap out of me

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:53 pm
by Ryme
Well, does the post at least relieve a few of those fears?

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:55 pm
by the SUPERnaturalist
no, game or not, if you leave i'll still miss you ;^;

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 5:38 pm
by TheK3vin
Aw Ryme

I'm sad that I've fallen out of touch with the game over the past couple years, if I were in the loop there's nothing I'd love more than helping continue this thing that I love so much. I wish you the best of luck with finding help keeping Twilight alive, and would like to again thank you for all the amazing work you've done so far!

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:36 pm
by seventhcross
Wishing I could be the one to take over and make it run, but alas, I have no time either, and no coding skills at all. Best wishes for finding what you are seeking Ryme.

Now, where did I put that towel....

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:07 am
by Corrupt Shadow
Having kids changes your life, bro. I won't say I was completely surprised when I read the post.

Hope you find someone worthwhile...

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:55 pm
by Ryme
the SUPERnaturalist wrote:no, game or not, if you leave i'll still miss you ;^;
I really am going to do my best to work it so I'm still sticking around. Ideally I'll even still be contributing. Perhaps even at close to the same pace I've been working the last 4 months, in addition to more stuff from other people.
Corrupt Shadow wrote:Hope you find someone worthwhile...
The game's best bet is from someone on the inside, so there's probably a 50-50 chance it's someone who's already a player and appreciates the game for what it is. That would be an ideal option, for me.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:19 am
by Corrupt Shadow
Ryme wrote:The game's best bet is from someone on the inside, so there's probably a 50-50 chance it's someone who's already a player and appreciates the game for what it is. That would be an ideal option, for me.
The only problem is finding a regular... who can code.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 9:38 am
by Harry Dresden
He could always find someone with enough motivation to finally get off their lazy ass and learn to code.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:23 pm
by Corrupt Shadow
Well, get off your lazy ass, Harry! :lol:

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:40 pm
by Harry Dresden
I'm working on it.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 10:30 pm
by Cristiona
Ryme wrote:The level 12/13 quest is in testing and nearing completion.
About time, too!

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 1:39 am
by Jesus
Harry Dresden wrote:I'm working on it.
You have to work at getting off of it?
That must be some ass :D


I know there are good reasons for wanting to up the pace of progress... but I think it's funny that after all this time... with me being #4 in total retcons... I have the parts to build all of *1* octotron. And that after caving in and buying some of them. Just sayin', the pace hasn't been such that I've exhausted all of my goals.

Although to be fair my goals are probably more ridiculous than most players.


Also, if/when a new person comes on board, can we call him Mr. Hullskead?

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:39 am
by Cristiona
Jesus wrote:Also, if/when a new person comes on board, can we call him Mr. Hullskead?
Bleh. No. Besides, with any luck, I'll be able to keep writing.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 2:42 pm
by blackmatter615
if i knew php, id gladly take over... sadly, i dont, and I wouldnt even know where to start, and I would be very hesitant to start with an already in work project, especially one that, if broken, would cause massive emails into an inbox somewhere...

but i do want to learn php someday soonish...

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 9:55 pm
by Ryme
So, since making this announcement, donations have kind of dried up. Like completely. I assume it's not because the IotM is completely lousy and more because people are cautious about donating to a game when it appears to be in flux. I understand that, and I understand my reassurances may not be enough until there's actual evidence that things aren't going to go crazy. So what I'm going to do is leave the Casino's Choice Award in the Wok through October, in addition to the normal October IotM, to give the situation time to work out and let everyone see it's still a worthwhile investment.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 6:18 am
by Harry Dresden
Some of it may be concern for the game's future, but the vibe in chat after release was kind of a "meh...this won't really do anything for me" kind of feel. Just means I can sell them at a huge profit 3-6 months from now when people realize that it could help them out.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:49 pm
by Jesus
Ryme wrote:...people are cautious about donating to a game when it appears to be in flux...
I don't think it's so much that the creator is looking for another able hand or would be relieved to step into a junior partner / occasional contributor role... I think it's mostly this:
the SUPERnaturalist wrote:the 'for sale sign' picture scared the crap out of me

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:21 pm
by Ryme
Sorry. The store was all out of "senior partner wants to become junior partner" signs. Figured the classic would get the point across, and a reference to classic Douglas Adams would keep the perspective properly out of alignment.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 6:55 am
by Mana Yachanichu
Well, I didn't donate this month because I happened to have a surplus of silver stars, with which I got the IotM. I do plan to donate again once those run out, but I AM a poor starving (graduate) student, and TH and KoL are my only real entertainment expenses.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:57 pm
by Ryme
Too early to say anything definitive, yet, but I'm in negotiations with someone. Assuming it all works out, the plan is for me to maintain partial ownership and continue to contribute.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 9:44 pm
by Jesus
Ooo, something also occurred to me since it's getting to be about time I donated again...

It could be that people who send donations through the mail are worried about the status of the Post Office. Hooray for all that debt reduction nonsense...

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:28 pm
by Ryme
Jesus, nobody but you has used physical mail to donate since 2008. I don't know why I keep the box, except I've got an attachment to the number 421, and 4241 is too coincidentally close to give it up. (How's that for a math geek?)

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:58 pm
by Jesus
Wow, I'm a dinosaur. Raaar.

For the record, I also like to buy CDs.
For the 8-track, I do not care about records.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:00 am
by Harry Dresden
CDs? Get a clue, grandpa! The world is digital now.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:24 am
by Mana Yachanichu
Harry Dresden wrote:CDs? Get a clue, grandpa! The world is digital now.
You still use 1s and 0s? Luddite! I suppose you haven't even ever heard about neuron streaming!

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 9:05 pm
by Jesus
Harry Dresden wrote:CDs? Get a clue, grandpa! The world is digital now.
I just like having physical stuff.

Like when the machines inevitably take over, I will be *incredibly* disappointed if that just amounts to an ATM screwing with the amount of cash in your account. I want a robot apocalypse. Back in my day, we had this movie - not in 3D, mind you - called Terminator. You kids these days with your Eagle Eye and Shia LaBeouf just don't get it.

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:11 pm
by the SUPERnaturalist
was i the guy from 2008?! =D

Re: Don't panic!

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 7:38 pm
by Ryme
Don't actually remember, SN, but it could have been you.