Zygi,

Thank for fixing the immunity bug. This has been a great service to all of us in the game.

For those who are not yet aware, Zygi and I are working on a transfer of the game ownership. This has been in discussion and in the works from my end for a long time. The game will be owned by a Research Center that is affliated with my University. Some of the costs of maintanance, upgrades, and hosting will be paid by this center as well as supported by the University, and we will be teaching a course on online gaming with SL as a learning and research tool. Thus, I am probably the one to bother about issues like being moderator or other such requests.

Therefore, do not bug Zygi about being a moderator or about return of lost worlds or ships. He will be busy helping, under contract, to fix some bugs in the game and to make some improvements. One change that has been required by several of the faculty involved in the decision to approve the purchase of this game is that we will be providing an automated market exchange with bid and ask prices for all resources, similar to the Chicago commodities markets. The finance faculty want to collect some data on market transactions in a simulated game market environment.

As for changes, there will be no retroactive changes. No lost planets or ships recovered. No credits for rounds won restored. There also will be no major changes introduced in the short term, as it will take at least a month just for our support staff at the University to figure out the code and try to work with Zygi on a few bug fixes short term.

During the month of June, some changes should be announced. These changes will be announced in advance, so all players have time to react to these changes. There will also be a council set up with players that are respected by me and many in the game, including most clan leaders, who will be involved in discussion of proposed changes.

One change that I have decided will not happen in the next few months is a reset. There will be no reset until at least August or later. I am not sure there will ever be a reset, and doing so would be low on my priority list as I would prefer to see other means of making the game more effective at attracting and retaining new players.

Final comment here - I do not have a goal of making money from this game. We will have paid credits and some ads to increase revenues, but all income will be used to offset the costs of game maintenance and upgrades.

Sorry to write so much. I am a real professor, and professors are known for talking too much.

Dr. Ted Clark, Professor
Information and Systems Management Department
School of Business Management
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

__________________________
"Of all the things I have lost, I miss my mind the most."

Professor Zygimantas

Prof compaired to what that coulda been (e.g. your first posts) I am impressed with the shortness

I like change (Hence my millions of name changes)

but besides that congrads on your purchase

__________________________
Astlan Cal Serention

Vengence of iDG will be swift

One change that has been required by several of the faculty involved in the decision to approve the purchase of this game is that we will be providing an automated market exchange with bid and ask prices for all resources, similar to the Chicago commodities markets.

That sounds like an exciting addition to the game.

__________________________
Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction. - Blaise Pascal

I only know what I read on the internet.

Aargh, scientists have taken over the universe

__________________________
Walk softly and carry a big stick.

if this is realy and truly going to happen, i wish you all the luck and success in your endeavor...
i have not been playing as much as i could do to the fact that i figured why bother if its all going to go up in a cloud of smoke come august

__________________________
To the last I grapple with thee
From hell's heart I stab at thee;
For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.

Member of Anarchy in Da Galaxy
ANARCHY FOREVER!!

No, it will not end up in a cloud of smoke. It is POSSIBLE that there may be a reset someday, but not soon, and not by end of August.

On another question, SS asked if there will be credits for winning rounds. The answer is yes, and I also hope to make some changes that will make credits more useful. (For example, you might have to use credits and other resources to obliterate planets.) However, no credits will be awarded until the next round, which starts in May.

Other than automated exchange market and fixing a few bugs, all proposed changes will be discussed in forums before changes are actually implimented, so no surprises for players.

__________________________
"Of all the things I have lost, I miss my mind the most."

i hope all this works out, good luck

__________________________
sk8er 4 life

maybe we could sell resources for credits

__________________________
It's allways been my fault

cool

__________________________
When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.
Member of Shadow Industries
Insurgency

Great news! SL still not dead! I'm especially glad Professor will handle everything, and Zygis will still be doing improvements himself.

__________________________
Waiting for technical singularity in 2035.