The Weekly Gazette 09-01-2024

[DerVVulfman]

(Augusty 26 to September 1, 2024)

Welcome dear readers to the latest issue of the Weekly Gazette! Here in the Gazette, we give you the news in brief of what occurred in the past week as well as provide any news happening in Save-Point itself

Official Area

Announcements and Updates

Kirito announced that another round of Server Updates will begin on the September 7th, this upcoming Saturday. Not a security update, but a normal update to keep up to date. And the next major update isn't expected until two years later.

General Chat

The investigation into the attempted assassination of Former President Trump still appeared in theNews of the World as the FBI stated they still have no motive. But a counter-sniper from the Pennsylvania rally concurs with House Republicans "evidence tampering" claims, that the shooter's roof was scrubbed clean and the body disposed before the official autopsy made, the official coronor himself having no knowledge of the assassin's body released. The middle east still hits the news as its been confirmed that Civilian Areas used as human shields account for almost all Hezbollah rocket launched at and incercepted by Israel. And despite more sanctions leveled upon Israel by the US Biden administration, the IDF was able to free a Bedouin hostage taken by Hamas. Sadly, six others were killed by Hamas (five Israeli, one Israeli/American), execution-styled shots to the head confirmed. As the Ukraine/Russia conflict continues, Ukraine's President Zelensy prepares a peace plan to show the next U.S. president. And while Russia continues to launch salvos of missiles at Ukraine's critical infrastructure and civilian targets, the governor of Russia's Belgorod territory sees Ukraine troops advancing, expanding their surprise ground campaign. Accusations of two-tiered policicing has now been raised in the U.K. as nearly 150K people were allowed to say 'sorry' and avoid prosecution of sexual assault and violent crimes. And the Notting Hill Carnival was described by the Metropolitan Police as a Family Day, despite a Mother was fatally stabbed in front of her child at the event. Meanwhile, attacks on culture continue, anti-white graffiti appearing on schools as Nottingham and Cambridge removing the phrase "Anglo-Saxon" from studies, attacking national identity to promote a suggested “anti-racist” ideology. An extremist Iman in New York praising Hamas and calling for the execution of an Israeli Professor at Columbia University, the Massachusetts Governorship caught hiding $1 Billion in spending on illegal immigrants as California plans to buy homes for illegals on taxpayer's dollars. Canada's plan to reduce foreign worker visas as Germany's Anti-Mass Migration Parties make gains, an Ancient Roman tomb opened in Israel, and even more hit this week's news.
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Tech Talk

Chinese Hackers are again hitting the news, a group called Velvet Ant exploited an issue with Cisco switches that has now since been patched, and Volt Typhoon hit the news once more by exploiting internet services within Santa Clara, California. But not just that, hackers are going after Chinese speaking businessmen and users have become the target of an email phishing enterprise using sophisticated Cobalt Strike software.

Social Media Censorship hit this week's News of the Cyber World as X/Twitter has now been banned in Brazil after previously threatening to arrest the Brazillian staff for not complying with Brazil's censorship orders. However, Mark Zuckerberg publically admitted that Facebook was pressured to essentially censor the Hunter Biden laptop story during the 2020 election cycle. And for TikTok, an appeals court ruled the social media platform can be sued over the death of a 10 year old child performing the infamous 'Blackout Challenge' for violating the Communications Decency Act (CDA). Apple firing more employees while planning to invest billions into AI, the FAA grouding the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, and more hit this week's cybernews.

Games Development

Development Discussion

When you are developing a game, there is always an effort to get enough resources. However, contemplating what to do with all the resouces at your disposal was What's up among RMers such as kyonides and Mel. But for kyonides, too many choices or options plague him as that also includes choosing what software to work upon or how many options there may be to create.

Material Development

Event Systems Database

This week, DerVVulfman uploaded a version of SPACE INVADERS made entirely with the RPGMaker 2000 engine, but added a .prog file so the demo can be opened and examined by RPGMaker 2003 users. The demo is fully playable, different from the original arcade classic but with an ever growing challenge with each prior wave beaten.

Scripts Database

It is expected that everyone within an RPG's party is engaged in combat, but sometimes the game developer may not wish that to the the case. That said, the Non Kombatant scripts developed by kyonides can pull aside any actor out of the party before combat ensues.

Sometimes stati battlers are fine, but sometimes they are not. That said, the Quickie Battler Animation by DerVVulfman may be for you, allowing both heroes and enemies to use a simple battler with a few animation frames appear on screen.

Plugins and Mods

If an achievement-like display is something desired, the KyoAlert MV plugin can give you scripted alerts on finding treasure, solving a quest, or any action big or small.

The KItemTeachSkill MV plugin allows items to teach actors to learn new skills, but also limits the ability to learn the skills based upon the actors or their classes.

For those worried that their heroes may enter battle unprepared, the RealEkuipment MV plugin by kyonides may prevent certain actors from going unarmed and/or unarmored.

If you wish to punish the player if they dared choose to escape from battle, the EskapeLevelsDown MV by kyonides can do just that. Upon fleeing combat, the players can be penalized by actively suffering a loss of one experience level.

With the MapSteps MV plugin by kyondes, you can keep track of the number of steps the player had taken as an in-game variable that can be used within forked conditions and other event-driven commands.

WIth the KLevelUpHeal MV plugin, kyonides grants game developers the option to let the heroes restore their HP, clear their States, and or restore their MP upon attaining their new experience levels.

The BattleEndAsLoss MV is a simple scriptlette by kyonides that can force any battle victory or party flight as a loss.

The KTouchNewMapEvent MV by kyonides is a plug-in that immediately triggers an autorun action the moment the party teleports to a new map. Whilst familiar sounding, the autorun commands are issued from the event touched prior to entering the new map.

For those that wish to get a heads-up, the KNextSkills MV plug-in by kyonides can let the player know what skill(s) their heroes will gain the next time they level up.

A simple plugin, the KRefreshFormation by kyonides allows you to cycle through the party to select the party leader.

Much as how coupons can get you savings as you buy groceries, the coupons within KyoDiscounts MV by kyonides can give you discounts in the local in-game stores. But do know, the game developer may have set how long a coupon may actually be valid.

For anyone interested in giving the player alerts at how safe they are, the Map Safety Level MV plug-in by kyonides will not only render the name of the current map within their main menu but warn them how dangerous the lands may be.

Creativity Section

Art and Design

It has been nearly half a year since Eric Matyas visited his Massive Library of Images. However, he had this week after finding new tileable stonework, mostly rough hewn granitework, some sprinkled with more color than others. And yet, one texture appears more dusky and earthen.

Not so often it occurs, but to find two works appearing within Remi-chan's Neato Arty thread thing is a rare occurrance indeed. Would you venture within? Truly, the artist's first work is that of figure clad in dark orchid set against a star-laced bay window with arcane currents eminating all around. To accompany her work, Remi-chan also delivered the 15 minute speed draw video, the 150th speed draw she had recorded. But if you perchance hoped to find some semblance of peace from her work, only two days later had another piece appeared, the second portrait embracing colors vermillion and crimson whilst delivering a very unsettling request.

It seems that there is plenty of seating for anyone wishing to join Starmage's Arts and Training Journey. Just this week, she took on a number of requests. And of those, Starmage had already crafted over a dozen new renders whether they be green-skinned dual-blades, elf archers with hair turquose, pony-tailed investigators with fingers on their trigger, or axe-weilding canine sorceresses withe eyes of amber.

Literature Section

The Bibliotheca

Recall if you will that Looking for a Save Point: The Mission by kyonides began within a fantasy setting whereby a Lord entreated the party to enter a dreamworld to face an upcoming danger. However, kyonides found he and his party within the world of today. Or did he? With a little insight and a warning, he learned the truth, that his friends were still within the dreamscape, and that the Lord who gave them their message has ominous plans for them.

Well, that's it for this week.

"I have an inferiority complex, but it’s not a very good one." - Steven Wright

PROSPECTIVE GAZETEERS!

If you are the creator of a thread in Save-Point, you have the option of sending/writing your own entry into the Gazette. The Gazette accepts write-in announcements (which will be doublechecked). Likewise, the Gazette would welcome other content such as a comic-strip series, ongoing story arc, or the like.

Just PM DerVVulfman with the submissions. Submissions must be in by 10pm EST.

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