Hi, I'm looking for volunteers who might want to contribute to a writing a collection of tutorials, for plug-in creation using NovaTools. This is a part of the larger vision that is the (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum26/HTML/004204.html")EVN Expansion Project(/url). Quoting from the thread:

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The tutorials - A main page will be set up, linking to the "Basic tutorials"/"resource explanation" page, the advanced/practical tutorials, and any others as appropriate. To elaborate: "Basic" tutorials: A page containing screenshot of all necessary resources within Novatools window. Clicking on each of the resource leads to Screenshot of the Tool window, and the explanations of each function in easy-to-understand, practical terms. Perhaps screenshots of each 'boxed' group of items would be helpful - its best to have graphics right next to the text to help memorisation through association. So basically, this is the "Easy to use, user-friendly, graphical Nova Bible (with lots of practical advice)". Next, we have the advanced/practical tutorials covering the specifics, such as "creating your own ships", "creating missions", "understanding ncb's", "how 'flag' works" ... or even "how to install NovaTools - when you're really confused". As with the web pages, the pages may be inter-linked (for example, the shän resource page may contain links to dësc, PICT, snd, rlë8, rlëD, shďp, as well as an "advanced" tutorial on "how to create ships"). Now, the tutorials can cover practically everything - they don't have to be specific to this project, but we need to put side boxes stating the requirements (your ränk, if you like) within the EVNEP community (eg. a graphics artist, a core plug-in member, etc. What you can and can't alter.

To summarise, we need people to explain the individual resources, and also any "how-to" types of tutorials. If you are interested in helping, please state what you would like to help with in (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum26/HTML/004204.html")this thread(/url).

Thanks for your help in advance.

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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm

Will you calm down! I'm workin' as fast as I can!

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The only sovereign we can allow to rule us is reason — Wizard's Sixth Rule, Faith of the Fallen.
— Cafall

Oh, I know you are, carry on with your good work .

Could you please just list what you tutorials you are making, prefably in (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum26/HTML/004204.html")this forum(/url) so that anybody else wanting to help would know not to do what you've done? Thanks.

The reason why I'm posting this is because I want to see each resources explained, as well as the tutorials such as yours (covering the practical aspects). I'm just requesting for more volunteers, so it will be very comprehensive. I do appreciate your effort though, thanks very much. Do you mind if I put your tutorial(s) onto a website? (I'll give you credit, of course)

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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm

You might want to hunt down and talk to Talos, who's working on a HTML version of the Nova Bible.

Also, as vacation starts in a precious 26 hours, I imagine that I'll have some free time, and can work on basic explanations of each resource. I'll confer and see if some of my other buddies are interested in this as well.
For now, figure out 6 complicated/difficult resources to explain and email them to me. I can work from there, if you're in need of those kind of people.

Anatole.

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There is a place, where these creatures of phenominal power exist. I went their once, and walked as they did, and studied them. Only then did I understand why we act as we do. - From the, "Guidebook to Humans", Antigan Military pamphlet

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**Oh, I know you are, carry on with your good work.

Could you please just list what you tutorials you are making, prefably in this forum so that anybody else wanting to help would know not to do what you've done? Thanks.**

I would do so, but I'm still trying to figure out:
(list=1)
() What the "EVN Expansion Project" is, exactly,
() What effect it would have on the plug-in developer community,
() Whether it would have a positive effect on the community and the quality of plug-ins, and
() Whether some aspects of it would be possible.(/list=a)

I'm still not sure I like the project or whether I will participate in it.

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Do you mind if I put your tutorial(s) onto a website? (I'll give you credit, of course.)

Thank you for offering, but this offer has already been made by Iron Eagle and EVula, who currently maintain and contribute to and/or run (url="http://"http://www.ev-nova.net")ev-nova.net.(/url)

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The only sovereign we can allow to rule us is reason — Wizard's Sixth Rule, Faith of the Fallen.
— Cafall

Anatole - Wow, thanks very much. I'll email you as soon as I figure out the most difficult resources to explain .

Cafall - Regarding your concerns:
(1) The EVNEP is a project aimed at allowing the creation of a whole bunch of compatible plug-ins which would expand the EVN universe. We're currently at a conceptual stage, sorting out any possible problems as we go (as well as coming up with plans as to how to organise it).
(2) The effect on the plug-in community can be as small or as large as the number of people wanting to contribute. Its fully voluntary to join, of course, and it need not be their main project (a developer may want to work on a total conversion, and take up some EVNEP tasks as an extra 'hobby'). The idea is that the project would involve multiple plug-ins that would each add to the overall picture, to form a "better" universe (part of the reason that I proposed this project is because of all the complaints people had, and others replying 'well, go out there and make your own plug-in and stop being such a pain!'. I concluded that neither of these would really help the situation at all, so I came up with this.)
(3) I certainly hope so. I have stated that any overall direction must be decided or discussed by a number of people before incorporating into the EVNEP univese. Requirements with the graphics is that they have to match ATMOS (is that good enough? ) both in quality and style.
(4) Yes, this is mostly what we have been discussing in the (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/webboard/Forum26/HTML/004204.html")EVNEP thread(/url) and I believe it is possible. There are still a few problems we need to get sorted, but the ideas are coming together nicely. What we now need to do is to carry them out, at least in part, so that suggestions can be made by the mass to improve it. A bulletinboard topic will be set up (well, when somebody could figure out ways to set up the membership for both the project and the forums at the same time...) for this purpose (under "suggestions" sections, there could be topics for the tutorials, webpages, etc.).

However, the EVNEP is wholly independent of the tutorials, but for the side bars stating your ränk requirements for EVNEP to work on a particular project (eg. creating a ship, for example, would require you to be a 'core' group member, and a 'graphic artist' status (those deemed good enough to create graphics, ie. ATMOS-quality)). I came up with the tutorials idea so that there would be a place for any creative people can go to get a kick-start on their project (whether EVNEP-related or not - in fact, I came up with the EVNEP idea afterwards). I was initially hoping that Ambrosia would set up tutorial pages on their own server (based on our work) linked from the EVN site, but decided to wait until a substancial work was done.

OK, that's no problem. We may ask them for permission to link to it then.

Thanks both for your replies.

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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm

Hi, just posting what Anatole is working on, so nobody else will:

gövt, mďsn, oütf, shďp, spöb, wëap.

I've come up with a guideline to ensure a certain consistency across the different authors. Please keep these in mind as you write. If you like, you can also make suggestions to make additions/changes to the guideline by posting here or emailing me.
- Make sure you're explaining them for the NovaTools™!
- It must be written in a clear, easy-to-understand manner.
- Make sure to have other people proof-read the document for accuracy of information, spelling & grammar, clarity, etc., and also have them offer you suggestions and ideas.
- Use examples and links wherever necessary.
- Keep in mind that your words will be displayed next to the screenshots (The entire window on the top of the page, and possibly screenshots of each of the grouped (boxed) fields).
- At the bottom of the page, please provide the list of links to other related areas (for example, a shän resource page may link to dësc, PICT, snd, rlë8, rlëD, shďp, etc., as well as any other external tutorials such as a "how to create ships" tutorial).

Thanks for all your help!

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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm

While I doubt I will have the time, energy, or inclination to write a explanation for each resource or a step-by-step guide, I would like to contribute someting to this project and the EV:N developer community. So, if this will be of some help, I will submit advanced ideas for engine uses, ways to push the engine to its limits. These would be along the lines of an earlier post I made detailing a few engine pushing ideas (perhaps more advanced, as those were fairly basic). This might allow up-and-coming plugins to incorporate some really cool features. So if there is intrest, I'll see what I can come up with.
Joe

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Originally posted by jdh545:
**some ASCII
**

Yes, that would be great as an 'advanced/practical' link!

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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm

fimwat, you're running this project prety well by the look of it - I hope this project comes to fruition as it should be a great resource.

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(url="http://"http://www.mazca.com/")Mazca(/url) , Moderator, EV Developer's Corner.
What I lack in enthusiasm I make up for in laziness.
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=9&SUBMIT;=Go")EV Developer's Corner(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evn&category;=utilities&display;=date&file;=NovaTools.sit")NovaTools(/url) | (url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number;=29&SUBMIT;=Go")EV Development FAQs(/url)

as i said in the other thread in the EVN forum, I'll volunteer for flet, dude and pers if no-one has started on them already.

also if someone can explain the scanmask concept ill have a go at junk as well (this may seem like a copout since scanmask seems to be the most complex bit of the junk resource, but there you are)

AJM

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"All things are possible. Most are highly improbable"

• Mazca - aye, managing as well as anybody possibly could a non-existant one . Seriously though, I hope so too. I, for one, could definitely use something like this!
• AJM - thanks for volunteering! See the EVNEP thread for my reply .

(edit: iCan't spill 'too')
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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm

(This message has been edited by fimwat (edited 04-13-2002).)

Hi,

Just letting you know düde, flët and përs (and possibly Jünk) are taken. Quoting AJM from the EVNEP thread:

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Originally posted by AJM:
**ok. I'll start on the tutorials asap (done part of flët already). I'll do them as a .pdf first of all (I started in appleworks and appleworks' translation to .html sucks) and then later on take the text etc and shove it into Netscape Composer and make it into a (hopefully decent) .html page........

to clarify, I can do düde, flët and përs now, but I will have to wait until some kind of tutorial on the scanmask is available (perhaps as a part of the mďsn or gövt tutorials - it features in both of them as well) before I can do jünk, cos at the moment the scanmask concept goes over my head, frying my small brain in the process

I'll post links to them when they are available for download, so you can give me comments, criticisms, random praise, anything like that............

AJM

**

So, to clarify, gövt, mďsn, oütf, shďp, spöb, wëap, düde, flët, përs, (Jünk) are taken, out of the following:

Cheers

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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm

Hi,

just an update to say that, thanks to Platypus Man, chär, nëbu, ränk, röid are taken as well.

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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm

...what a LOT of resources there are.

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"A taco is merely a rigid, deformed tortilla."
- Thomas Castiglione
"There will be MUCH CRUSHING!"
- Pink

You know, about the EVN Expansion Project, while certainly a romantic idea, I notice some problems with the concept. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see it happen, but I'm not sure it's been totally thought through.

As a group of developers, I can see that you've definitely put some thought into the project (certainly 5 pages, which I have neither the time nor the patience to totally read through), but have you thought about the players?

Downloading a billion little interconnected plugins would be a pain in the azz, and to organize them so that when you play, you're sure that you have all of them in the plugin folder would be a hassle. I'm sure that since they're interconnected, missing one or more of the plugs would cause problems with the gameplay. My suggestion to you would be to compile all the plugins before release, and combine them into one, more easily downloaded, and manageable plug. Again, I haven't read through all 5 pages, because I haven't the time, but I believe that doing that (combining) would be a prudent idea.

Matrix

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Captain: What happen?
Mechanic: Someone set up us the bomb!
Operator: We get signal.
Captain: What!

I know a good way to make systems(linked and everything) with EV-edit, but I posted that somewhere else, and I couldn't write a whole thing on the s˙sts, I don't know all how all that stuff works.

Now where did I post that thing? Oh yeah, in the thing about ev editors.

• Gul Banana - yes, I sort of agree with Mr. Castiglione on the relationship between a tacos and a tortilla... er... I mean... yes, there are .
• what_is_the_matrix - Nope, I don't claim to have thought through it all. In fact, its impossible for me to, considering my lack of experience . I think this is one of those things that needs to be discussed when the project forums are up. I'm weary of any state of "completion", because of the flexible nature of the project. I do think it may be worth combining several parts of the project together into single plug-ins though, but only those that are "complete". I think initially multiple plug-ins will be made available (as a compilation in a compressed archive, and individually), then some core members would try to combine them. We'll see what happens.
• Meaker VI - um... my understanding is that EV-Edit doesn't work for EVN; we're writing for NovaTools™. Correct me if I'm wrong.

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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm

The whole idea of a huge plug-in, or a group of plug-ins, makes me nervous; in order to have any kind of way to tie your contributions into the rest of the project, you would have to be heavily involved, and that is something not many people are willing to do; I believe at least some others feel the same way, because despite EVNEP's size and potential, it seems to be quite small; most of it's "members" are enthusiastic Nova players, which are absolutely no help when you're trying to actually make a plug-in. I really don't believe that something this immense, in which everyone is just a cog in the wheel, would be possible in a community of such independent-minded developers.

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The only sovereign we can allow to rule us is reason — Wizard's Sixth Rule, Faith of the Fallen.
— Cafall

• Cafall - if that's to be the case, at least we'll have some tutorials up!
Seriously though, I think with the right management and effort, it can be done.... and if this is successful, there can be other community groups like it. Where's your pioneering spirit??

Just to let you know that PICT/rlë8/rlëD, spďn/shän are now taken, thanks to pgarcia01 and Lomax201.

The forums are also up: (url="http://"http://www.oxy-web.com/evnep/cgi-bin/phpBB2/index.php")http://www.oxy-web.c...hpBB2/index.php(/url)

Cheers,
fimwat

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"People need to stop using forum signatures. They're so irritating"
- conniving little worm