Merry Christmas to all.
These past two weeks have been filled with events both in my personal life and business life.
In the business world NiHao World has made some quite noteworthy leaps and bounds that are worth mentioning here.
The first of these was our foreign investment category listing.
A week before Christmas and I received an email from ChinaFIG indicating that our application to be listed in their potential foreign investment companies list was approved.
This was great news for us as it now readies the company for Venture Capital (VC) investment and after the procuring of investment we can take the NiHao Company forward in its development.
The sceond great move forward was the approval from Intel to join in their partnership program. The Intel® Software Partner Program page.
We at NiHao World will be looking into the development of CPU Hyper-Threading technologies for our software. In simple terms hyper-threading is the communication avenues and processes between 1 CPU and another.
E.g. An Intel Dual Core computer running the NiHao World software with the software designed to utilize just one of those CPU's so the 2nd CPU is free to handle other tasks.
Designing our software for CPU utilization means that we can produce a better software for our users.
For our users they benefit from knowing our software is compatible with the systems that they are using and that our software has been designed for those systems.
This means less drag on computers, better overall performance, and best yet....a longer life expectancy for user's computers.
On a personal side this month has been hectic.
Buying gifts, visiting loved ones, organizing timetables, and giving the NiHao Studios team a Christmas holiday even when we are too busy for the luxury lol.
Last week I sent a memo to the team telling them all to take leave....
"Go; have fun, enjoy the holidays"
Actually it wasn't a scheduled holiday nor a planned one but sometimes when the mood is right I don't mind letting the team enjoy the moment too.
And hell....its Christmas and we have all worked exceptionally hard this year...
We all deserve a break :)
So Merry Christmas one and all and lets look forward to a prosperous 2009.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Moving House Blues
This weekend I am moving house....
oooh joy.
Moving because the present house contract expires next week and wanted to find something in a little better locale.
Present house is 2 floors 4 bedrooms with all the facilities.
New house is 1 floor 3 bedrooms with more facilities.
The new house is 500 per month less than the present house and is beautifully equipped.
One draw back of this new house is that its on the 7th floor with no elevator :(
Hence being as cheap as it is.
But in saying that it is quite luxurious with a huge balcony that overlooks the hotels street :)
So packing everything up for the big move and one realizes just how much junk has been collected over the previous year.
Packing up the kitchen, bedrooms, and computers is not such a heavy task when compared to the buying of a multitude of bags for all the little accumulated things.
Sadly I will be without the internet for around 2 days during the transition but I should be busy enough to not notice that too much.
Ok that's all from me, I'll write again when I have gotten settled.
oooh joy.
Moving because the present house contract expires next week and wanted to find something in a little better locale.
Present house is 2 floors 4 bedrooms with all the facilities.
New house is 1 floor 3 bedrooms with more facilities.
The new house is 500 per month less than the present house and is beautifully equipped.
One draw back of this new house is that its on the 7th floor with no elevator :(
Hence being as cheap as it is.
But in saying that it is quite luxurious with a huge balcony that overlooks the hotels street :)
So packing everything up for the big move and one realizes just how much junk has been collected over the previous year.
Packing up the kitchen, bedrooms, and computers is not such a heavy task when compared to the buying of a multitude of bags for all the little accumulated things.
Sadly I will be without the internet for around 2 days during the transition but I should be busy enough to not notice that too much.
Ok that's all from me, I'll write again when I have gotten settled.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
NiHao Studios Growth
This week has been interesting to say the least.
As well as having been a very busy week, this previous week has also been a fruitful week with 3 new additions to the NiHao Studios team.
Chris (Grimthorn), Caroline, and Jane have joined the NiHao Studios team to fill their specialist field positions.
This makes life a little easier for me from the head person's point of view, yet it also adds to it new challenges, more responsibilities, and a little more to be concerned with on a daily basis.
Its a funny thing...
One brings in more people to make one's life a little easier, then in doing so; one's life becomes more complicated.
Chris fills the position of 3d weapon's modeler.
Caroline takes the lead in project management.
And Jane takes over from Irene in translation.
One would think that with such an array of professionals around me I should be able to relax and take a long needed break.
Unfortunately not so.
Seems now I have even more to do, pre-thinking what the pro's have to be thinking about.
Its a bad habit that I have but it proves to be useful in times when something goes wrong.
For when something does go wrong, and something always does, I have already prepared a number of probable solutions for the event.
Sometimes I think team management has nothing to do with people management at all, but has more to do with problem solving.
Most people when told to perform a task will do so, whether it be done well or not.
But its when everything falls apart that the manager shows his / her true strengths.
And thats what the manager / head is for...To get the machine working again when it has grinded to a halt.
However, that means with every new person joining the team there's new probable wrongs that need solutions....Oooooh my poor head.
I am now thinknig its time to bring in a middle management team.
A sort of buffer between me and the Pro's that make up NiHao Studios.
I dont actually want to, but for my own sake I think I have to.
I think if I problem solve much more than I am doing now, I would be getting close to achieving god mind power lol.
So an interesting and busy week.
Fruitful yet not without its own drawbacks.
Yet growth must of course be a good thing.
One hopes.
As well as having been a very busy week, this previous week has also been a fruitful week with 3 new additions to the NiHao Studios team.
Chris (Grimthorn), Caroline, and Jane have joined the NiHao Studios team to fill their specialist field positions.
This makes life a little easier for me from the head person's point of view, yet it also adds to it new challenges, more responsibilities, and a little more to be concerned with on a daily basis.
Its a funny thing...
One brings in more people to make one's life a little easier, then in doing so; one's life becomes more complicated.
Chris fills the position of 3d weapon's modeler.
Caroline takes the lead in project management.
And Jane takes over from Irene in translation.
One would think that with such an array of professionals around me I should be able to relax and take a long needed break.
Unfortunately not so.
Seems now I have even more to do, pre-thinking what the pro's have to be thinking about.
Its a bad habit that I have but it proves to be useful in times when something goes wrong.
For when something does go wrong, and something always does, I have already prepared a number of probable solutions for the event.
Sometimes I think team management has nothing to do with people management at all, but has more to do with problem solving.
Most people when told to perform a task will do so, whether it be done well or not.
But its when everything falls apart that the manager shows his / her true strengths.
And thats what the manager / head is for...To get the machine working again when it has grinded to a halt.
However, that means with every new person joining the team there's new probable wrongs that need solutions....Oooooh my poor head.
I am now thinknig its time to bring in a middle management team.
A sort of buffer between me and the Pro's that make up NiHao Studios.
I dont actually want to, but for my own sake I think I have to.
I think if I problem solve much more than I am doing now, I would be getting close to achieving god mind power lol.
So an interesting and busy week.
Fruitful yet not without its own drawbacks.
Yet growth must of course be a good thing.
One hopes.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Proactive server admin
Something I have learned over these previous few months while moving all of my applications and servers from my local servers to hosted servers is something called proactive server admin'ing.
Having hosted and managed my own servers for many years now I have gotten used to the way I like to do things, what i like running and not running, and controlling whats going in and out.
When I started this move to pay for hosting trend I found some of the hosting companies requirements bothersome, or demanding, or too strict.
Yet in dealing with these new hosts I have realised that their restrictions are in place so as to guarentee a good service all of the time.
Their requirements are set to allow what is being hosted is being hosted well and at good speeds.
They are strict because all too many hosting companies have blocked IP addresses in some countries; especially true of Asia and the Middle East.
Demanding because unless its a hardware fault then probably its something that you have done wrong which is not really their problem.
At first all of these quirks annoyed me. Hell I have been managing my servers damned well, and I am by no means a novice.
But over these months my heart has settled some to realise that they are in fact like this to help me as opposed to hinder me.
Sure I am the one paying the money, I want the best.
But when we are talking about internet technologies I also want the most reliable and efficient in my systems.
So one has to sit back and consider.....
Do I want it all on a platter then find a week later I am only serving to half of the world because the guy next to me wanted his porn sites all on a platter too?
Or should I be happy with the rugged, raw servers with no frills that are going to be seen globally?
So the choice was easy; I want global.
Not that I disagree with porn, but my porn site neighbour is not paying my bills. I am.
And if i am going to reach my target audience then why should I compensate my service for the porn guy?
So this is a lesson in hosting server admin; be proactive, work those few hours longer on the no frills servers, for when the work is done, its done.
Go for gold and be a champion for 5 minutes. Then the next runner will park himself next to you and tear it all down.
".....and down will come baby cradle and all"
So what is a proactive admin?
Well I think from my experience its an admin that finds the right solutions and compromises all for a good IP and an uptime guarentee.
For if one wants to consider themselves to be a server admin then obviously most server chores should be understood by that person.
And if you screw it up....dont scream at the company...its not their fault, they are but service providers.
Like a telephone company; they provide you with a way of communication, they do not however guarentee every phone call is going to be a happy one.
Server admin is just like that....
"Here is your server, your bandwidth, and your internet speed, have fun."
If your operating system spits at you like an angry girlfriend, then its probably your fault.
Finally, have patience with the support workers.
I used to contact them at some ungodly hours not thinking twice that it was an ungodly hour. In my thoughts "I am awake, you should be too!"
Then I forgot that I was also in another time zone...."oh what? Its like 5am there and you're changing shifts now? oh right ok. ummm....I'll write you again tomorrow." Many such conversations did I have lol.
To sum it up I think a proactive admin knows what he / she wants, the rest....well they take care of of that themselves.
A proactive admin pays for what they want.
And then is humble when the need arises to contact the support workers.
For we are all just people anyhows.
Having hosted and managed my own servers for many years now I have gotten used to the way I like to do things, what i like running and not running, and controlling whats going in and out.
When I started this move to pay for hosting trend I found some of the hosting companies requirements bothersome, or demanding, or too strict.
Yet in dealing with these new hosts I have realised that their restrictions are in place so as to guarentee a good service all of the time.
Their requirements are set to allow what is being hosted is being hosted well and at good speeds.
They are strict because all too many hosting companies have blocked IP addresses in some countries; especially true of Asia and the Middle East.
Demanding because unless its a hardware fault then probably its something that you have done wrong which is not really their problem.
At first all of these quirks annoyed me. Hell I have been managing my servers damned well, and I am by no means a novice.
But over these months my heart has settled some to realise that they are in fact like this to help me as opposed to hinder me.
Sure I am the one paying the money, I want the best.
But when we are talking about internet technologies I also want the most reliable and efficient in my systems.
So one has to sit back and consider.....
Do I want it all on a platter then find a week later I am only serving to half of the world because the guy next to me wanted his porn sites all on a platter too?
Or should I be happy with the rugged, raw servers with no frills that are going to be seen globally?
So the choice was easy; I want global.
Not that I disagree with porn, but my porn site neighbour is not paying my bills. I am.
And if i am going to reach my target audience then why should I compensate my service for the porn guy?
So this is a lesson in hosting server admin; be proactive, work those few hours longer on the no frills servers, for when the work is done, its done.
Go for gold and be a champion for 5 minutes. Then the next runner will park himself next to you and tear it all down.
".....and down will come baby cradle and all"
So what is a proactive admin?
Well I think from my experience its an admin that finds the right solutions and compromises all for a good IP and an uptime guarentee.
For if one wants to consider themselves to be a server admin then obviously most server chores should be understood by that person.
And if you screw it up....dont scream at the company...its not their fault, they are but service providers.
Like a telephone company; they provide you with a way of communication, they do not however guarentee every phone call is going to be a happy one.
Server admin is just like that....
"Here is your server, your bandwidth, and your internet speed, have fun."
If your operating system spits at you like an angry girlfriend, then its probably your fault.
Finally, have patience with the support workers.
I used to contact them at some ungodly hours not thinking twice that it was an ungodly hour. In my thoughts "I am awake, you should be too!"
Then I forgot that I was also in another time zone...."oh what? Its like 5am there and you're changing shifts now? oh right ok. ummm....I'll write you again tomorrow." Many such conversations did I have lol.
To sum it up I think a proactive admin knows what he / she wants, the rest....well they take care of of that themselves.
A proactive admin pays for what they want.
And then is humble when the need arises to contact the support workers.
For we are all just people anyhows.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Game Server Solution finds its way home
I've been in communication with the group at http://www.x3mservers.net/ and been very happy with the result of our talks.
I was working with GoGrid as mentioned in previous posts.
I cant achieve the results I need to launch NiHao World effectively on their systems unfortunately.
GoGrid specializes in Web TCP package handling. For game serving TCP is redundant as most online games will use UDP for speed.
Ping tests with GoGrid's best systems in place showed that the average pings from the game client to the server were 230ms.
Anyone thats played an online multiplayer game before will know that anything over and above a 90ms ping is far too high and creates in-game lag.
So hunting for another solution I went, until I found X3M Game Hosting.
Different than other game hosting companies I talked to, X3M were happy to offer me their slot system in which I pay per X number of users in the system, eg. 32 users could cost around 20 Euro's a month.
Other game hosting companies that I had checked in on had denied me this service insisting that I go for their dedicated plans starting at an average price of 140 US$ per month.
20 Euro or 140 US$.....hmmm.....
If I only have 30 users for the first three months which would be the best plan?
I wonder with great effort.
You see launching a game comes with it many draw-backs.
The greatest of these is the initial financial outlay.
Launching a new game, a first game carries with it many tasks that need to be performed such as, hosting the game, a successful web face to it all, a customer / user support system in place, a marketing plan and strategy, and an advertising campaign to get the thing started.
All of these cost the small game companies dearly. Some small game companies give up the thing and sell out to bigger companies. Others are simply looked over because their marketing and advertising campaigns were not strong enough.
So where does all the money go upon launching a new / first game?
That is the big question that a game company crew such as mine have to ask.
More money on good hosting means less on advertising.
More on advertising runs the risk of inadequate hosting, and a game that users will join and forget in 10 minutes.
Its an ongoing consideration for small game companies to get the rewards they deserve for the work that they have done, and developing an expenditure system that meets all of their game's needs without breaking the bank is the greatest cosideration of all.
Why is it so much trouble to get something that has been worked upon for such a long time started?
Simply because at the time of launch....
The last beautifying features have been added, and some of these features have to be bought. eg: flash movies for advertising, extra in-game adornments that were needed and added quickly to meet the deadline, sound files of good gaming quality, and many such small items.
Most of the time more money goes into the game's trimmings than the game production.
So there it is....the ready to launch game, so whats wrong now?
Now....the game is ready, but it is still to earn its keep.
Most small game companies that give up the thing do so at this point.
Its there....but the money is gone, and the game is still to produce an income.
Yet....more money needs to be spent.
So therein lies the problems of game developing and why its hard to be the smaller team wandering around in a world that is dominated by the game making giants.
So me and my team decided on X3M, and X3M it is.
In the next coming week/s we'll be sending NiHao World up to X3M's servers and give it a trial month or two.
Until then.....
Keep you posted.
I was working with GoGrid as mentioned in previous posts.
I cant achieve the results I need to launch NiHao World effectively on their systems unfortunately.
GoGrid specializes in Web TCP package handling. For game serving TCP is redundant as most online games will use UDP for speed.
Ping tests with GoGrid's best systems in place showed that the average pings from the game client to the server were 230ms.
Anyone thats played an online multiplayer game before will know that anything over and above a 90ms ping is far too high and creates in-game lag.
So hunting for another solution I went, until I found X3M Game Hosting.
Different than other game hosting companies I talked to, X3M were happy to offer me their slot system in which I pay per X number of users in the system, eg. 32 users could cost around 20 Euro's a month.
Other game hosting companies that I had checked in on had denied me this service insisting that I go for their dedicated plans starting at an average price of 140 US$ per month.
20 Euro or 140 US$.....hmmm.....
If I only have 30 users for the first three months which would be the best plan?
I wonder with great effort.
You see launching a game comes with it many draw-backs.
The greatest of these is the initial financial outlay.
Launching a new game, a first game carries with it many tasks that need to be performed such as, hosting the game, a successful web face to it all, a customer / user support system in place, a marketing plan and strategy, and an advertising campaign to get the thing started.
All of these cost the small game companies dearly. Some small game companies give up the thing and sell out to bigger companies. Others are simply looked over because their marketing and advertising campaigns were not strong enough.
So where does all the money go upon launching a new / first game?
That is the big question that a game company crew such as mine have to ask.
More money on good hosting means less on advertising.
More on advertising runs the risk of inadequate hosting, and a game that users will join and forget in 10 minutes.
Its an ongoing consideration for small game companies to get the rewards they deserve for the work that they have done, and developing an expenditure system that meets all of their game's needs without breaking the bank is the greatest cosideration of all.
Why is it so much trouble to get something that has been worked upon for such a long time started?
Simply because at the time of launch....
The last beautifying features have been added, and some of these features have to be bought. eg: flash movies for advertising, extra in-game adornments that were needed and added quickly to meet the deadline, sound files of good gaming quality, and many such small items.
Most of the time more money goes into the game's trimmings than the game production.
So there it is....the ready to launch game, so whats wrong now?
Now....the game is ready, but it is still to earn its keep.
Most small game companies that give up the thing do so at this point.
Its there....but the money is gone, and the game is still to produce an income.
Yet....more money needs to be spent.
So therein lies the problems of game developing and why its hard to be the smaller team wandering around in a world that is dominated by the game making giants.
So me and my team decided on X3M, and X3M it is.
In the next coming week/s we'll be sending NiHao World up to X3M's servers and give it a trial month or two.
Until then.....
Keep you posted.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Web Eyes
Working with the HostDepartment servers is not such a harrowing experience.
Not only am I acheiving alot in a short time, but am also learning alot while I am at it.
In this past week I have near completed a successful website build, added to that a new forum, a picture gallery, an online shop, and an email server. Of which all are working fine.
Then I added a blog server to it all, which is not working fine but that is my fault I think.
And the NiHao3d website looks quite polished as a finished entity.
One complaint about HostDepartment that I do have is that they do not reply to user's tickets in a timely manner.
I sent them a ticket like a week ago and am still waiting for a reply.
This is a nuisance I have to admit. As I am getting as much as I can done in a relatively small time frame.
Problem solving should be a quick, lets get our hands dirty, I'm finished affair.
Desperately longing to get this web stuff out of the way.
Sure its fun to see your work looking good and available for all to see, but my main point in it all is the 3d game, of which no work has been done during this time.
Regardless of my ticket's complaint with HostDepartment I still give them the thumbs up.
It took me a little while to get used to their system as its stictly a linux system, and my web server is a windows image built upon that. But the running gear of the Admin is purely linux and is just a little different than windows.
Yet it runs well. And because its linux I have no fears regarding security.
So a big thumbs up for HostingDepartment for a cost effective, clean system.
Just hope they answer my tickets soon :)
Web Eyes...
Tired, sore and living in a world of fuzzy white screens.
Want to get back to game developing soon and return to the world of 3d and full colour :)
Not only am I acheiving alot in a short time, but am also learning alot while I am at it.
In this past week I have near completed a successful website build, added to that a new forum, a picture gallery, an online shop, and an email server. Of which all are working fine.
Then I added a blog server to it all, which is not working fine but that is my fault I think.
And the NiHao3d website looks quite polished as a finished entity.
One complaint about HostDepartment that I do have is that they do not reply to user's tickets in a timely manner.
I sent them a ticket like a week ago and am still waiting for a reply.
This is a nuisance I have to admit. As I am getting as much as I can done in a relatively small time frame.
Problem solving should be a quick, lets get our hands dirty, I'm finished affair.
Desperately longing to get this web stuff out of the way.
Sure its fun to see your work looking good and available for all to see, but my main point in it all is the 3d game, of which no work has been done during this time.
Regardless of my ticket's complaint with HostDepartment I still give them the thumbs up.
It took me a little while to get used to their system as its stictly a linux system, and my web server is a windows image built upon that. But the running gear of the Admin is purely linux and is just a little different than windows.
Yet it runs well. And because its linux I have no fears regarding security.
So a big thumbs up for HostingDepartment for a cost effective, clean system.
Just hope they answer my tickets soon :)
Web Eyes...
Tired, sore and living in a world of fuzzy white screens.
Want to get back to game developing soon and return to the world of 3d and full colour :)
Monday, October 13, 2008
Dumped GoDaddy
I had to change from GoDaddy as a webhost to HostDepartment because the GoDaddy server IP's were blocked from within China, which is no good to me.
I am not angry at all about this but I kind of expected a "pay for host" to have such issues resolved.
I can understand a free server being blocked, but a payed server?
Host Department gets by this blocking problem by having very strict TOS; Terms of Services and for that I am actually happy.
I would rather that then be sharing hosting with "god knows what" as a neighbouring IP site.
eg: The molesting of and fornicating with Whales Forums :)
So time was wasted, around a week in fact, but I have found my "satisfactory solution" and work goes on.
Today I have just finished setting up the email server at Host Department.
Then onto the user's Blog servers.
Oh.....busy, busy, busy, but nearly all done.
When I have got all of this webstuff out of the way it will be back to game developing....
My favourite part in it all :)
I am not angry at all about this but I kind of expected a "pay for host" to have such issues resolved.
I can understand a free server being blocked, but a payed server?
Host Department gets by this blocking problem by having very strict TOS; Terms of Services and for that I am actually happy.
I would rather that then be sharing hosting with "god knows what" as a neighbouring IP site.
eg: The molesting of and fornicating with Whales Forums :)
So time was wasted, around a week in fact, but I have found my "satisfactory solution" and work goes on.
Today I have just finished setting up the email server at Host Department.
Then onto the user's Blog servers.
Oh.....busy, busy, busy, but nearly all done.
When I have got all of this webstuff out of the way it will be back to game developing....
My favourite part in it all :)
Friday, October 3, 2008
Game and Web Private Hosting
I mentioned in September that I was trying out the GoGrid servers for a potential game server.
Well all seems ok with GoGrid.
Admittedly they are still in Beta and a couple of bugs appeared in the administering of the servers but overall its a sweet system.
One down side for me that is; I thought this hosting remedy would be the "be all, and end all" solution, however as it turns out it wasn't.
With the design of the internet as it is today and still not perfect by any means, porting a client from Asia to the servers in the States was not such a clever idea.
Sure for users on the American continent its a great solution, but elsewhere in the world its slow at its best.
So back to the original plan of multiple hosts worldwide.
"dum de dum. Hey guys....meeting again."
This week I have been tidying up a new account at GoDaddy webhosting.
From tomorrow and onwards I will be moving all of the NiHao3d websites up to GoDaddy and then activate the user's blogs, emails, and what-have-you's.
GoDaddy's web services are fantastic I must say.
The only one bug-bear that I have with them is that they do not have a 24 / 7 website support chat system.
When I was dealing with GoGrid this proved rather useful as being in China meant I was always counting Z's while they were in office hours and vice versa.
But GoDaddy on the other hand works via telephone and support tickets.
Sure I could phone them in the midnight hours, but I dont really have the courage to barrage their offices with more bells ringing at ungodly hours.
So Support tickets it was, and although slow in the send / reply they always provided excellent results.
So webhosting; check,
gamehosting; check,
what next.....
Well after everything has been set up properly and considered running smoothly, then its back to the dev machines and working on the game again.
"Oh no the grindstone again"
Actually I love the dev part of it all most.
Just wish I had more time for it.
Then set up game servers for Asia....again.
and so on, and so on, and so on.
Someone once said, and its been repeated a billion times;
"Its all in a day's work" ???
I am certain that the first person to say this and all of those thereafter that repeated the words knew little about corporate life.
Nor should they.
"An afternoon is an average man's week"
Now thats how I live my life....
And I still have time for a coffee break :)
Well all seems ok with GoGrid.
Admittedly they are still in Beta and a couple of bugs appeared in the administering of the servers but overall its a sweet system.
One down side for me that is; I thought this hosting remedy would be the "be all, and end all" solution, however as it turns out it wasn't.
With the design of the internet as it is today and still not perfect by any means, porting a client from Asia to the servers in the States was not such a clever idea.
Sure for users on the American continent its a great solution, but elsewhere in the world its slow at its best.
So back to the original plan of multiple hosts worldwide.
"dum de dum. Hey guys....meeting again."
This week I have been tidying up a new account at GoDaddy webhosting.
From tomorrow and onwards I will be moving all of the NiHao3d websites up to GoDaddy and then activate the user's blogs, emails, and what-have-you's.
GoDaddy's web services are fantastic I must say.
The only one bug-bear that I have with them is that they do not have a 24 / 7 website support chat system.
When I was dealing with GoGrid this proved rather useful as being in China meant I was always counting Z's while they were in office hours and vice versa.
But GoDaddy on the other hand works via telephone and support tickets.
Sure I could phone them in the midnight hours, but I dont really have the courage to barrage their offices with more bells ringing at ungodly hours.
So Support tickets it was, and although slow in the send / reply they always provided excellent results.
So webhosting; check,
gamehosting; check,
what next.....
Well after everything has been set up properly and considered running smoothly, then its back to the dev machines and working on the game again.
"Oh no the grindstone again"
Actually I love the dev part of it all most.
Just wish I had more time for it.
Then set up game servers for Asia....again.
and so on, and so on, and so on.
Someone once said, and its been repeated a billion times;
"Its all in a day's work" ???
I am certain that the first person to say this and all of those thereafter that repeated the words knew little about corporate life.
Nor should they.
"An afternoon is an average man's week"
Now thats how I live my life....
And I still have time for a coffee break :)
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A world full of non events and then...
Recently a friend passed my over this link...
http://www.wikigogy.org/
So I checked it out.
Wikigogy was looking for a new administrator, hell I'm free, I'll do it.
So I made my very long proposal to be followed by arduous in depth questions, then when I thought I had completed a task well done the present admin says "no...you are not what we are looking for. "
Oh great, another long wasted time.
Yet on the upside.....
Last night I signed up for GoGrid http://www.gogrid.com/
so I can send my game server up to the fastest server system in the present day world.
All went through ok....
and am just waiting on a confirmation from GoGrid now to get it all started.
Sending the NiHao3d game up to GoGrid is a giant leap forward for our company.
Not only can we rest our server issues in their hands, but it means we can focus more of our attentions to the game development phase.
So onward and upward thanks to GoGrid :)
http://www.wikigogy.org/
So I checked it out.
Wikigogy was looking for a new administrator, hell I'm free, I'll do it.
So I made my very long proposal to be followed by arduous in depth questions, then when I thought I had completed a task well done the present admin says "no...you are not what we are looking for. "
Oh great, another long wasted time.
Yet on the upside.....
Last night I signed up for GoGrid http://www.gogrid.com/
so I can send my game server up to the fastest server system in the present day world.
All went through ok....
and am just waiting on a confirmation from GoGrid now to get it all started.
Sending the NiHao3d game up to GoGrid is a giant leap forward for our company.
Not only can we rest our server issues in their hands, but it means we can focus more of our attentions to the game development phase.
So onward and upward thanks to GoGrid :)
Friday, September 5, 2008
What didn't happen with Multiverse
Prior to the up and coming game convention 2008 in Singapore the NiHao Studios team went back to the table to talk again with the Multiverse team about probable partnership agreements.
And as always Multiverse were all ears; send us your presentation, show us your plan, describe in detail your proposals, and we did.
One cant complain about that, as it is the typical request made prior to a big meeting of this nature.
Then as seems typical of Multiverse, all of our ideas were received then the communication stopped.
We are getting used to this sort of treatment actually.
Yesterday one of my team at NiHao Studios sent me a link pointing to a latest news article published in an online magazine sepeaking of Multiverse and its future plans.
http://www.massively.com/2008/09/03/virtual-worlds-conference-talk-to-unveil-buffy-the-vampire-slaye/
So I go and have a read of it.
Yeap....everything I sent them has now become their idea.
All my "you should do this, and I think this should be changed to...." now has become "Multiverse announces changes to this..... and are going to do that..."
blah, blah, blah....
At first I smiled a wry smile of contempt as I read the article.
Then I felt nauseous with the feeling of being used.
At the least they could have said thank you for the ideas.
Raped?
Yeah pretty much....
....but these ideas are not copyrighted, they're not new ideas, and I could never say I created these ideas from scratch; they were simply ideas pointing to mistakes that my team had found while dealing with the Multiverse software. And some simple amendments that would have improved their systems.
But such is the nature of business, and even more so when it is over the Internet medium.
Over a time of communicating with people over the Internet with a goal of future business plans, I have found that it is all too easy to be scammed, all too easy to have your ideas taken off you, and all too easy to lose what was initially yours.
I remember what they said about Internet communicating years ago; "its fun, you can be whoever you want to be and feel free in that experience. No one can see you at your computer, your just a name and a number, so enjoy that freedom."
Then the sharks of business entered the Internet realm, and the same rules applied to them, except because of the Internet now they can hurt more, steal more, and gain more, for who's going to stop them?
So yet another mindless encounter with the children at Multiverse passes and we bid them farewell. We will not indulge in communications with them again as it is fruitless to think it worth the effort.
But we will see them at the game convention and certainly give them a handshake.
For as one underdog to another, only one can win, and usually the winner is the one with the most credibility.
Thankyou Multiverse for the added bonus of credibility.
It will prove to be useful in future meetings I am sure :)
And as always Multiverse were all ears; send us your presentation, show us your plan, describe in detail your proposals, and we did.
One cant complain about that, as it is the typical request made prior to a big meeting of this nature.
Then as seems typical of Multiverse, all of our ideas were received then the communication stopped.
We are getting used to this sort of treatment actually.
Yesterday one of my team at NiHao Studios sent me a link pointing to a latest news article published in an online magazine sepeaking of Multiverse and its future plans.
http://www.massively.com/2008/09/03/virtual-worlds-conference-talk-to-unveil-buffy-the-vampire-slaye/
So I go and have a read of it.
Yeap....everything I sent them has now become their idea.
All my "you should do this, and I think this should be changed to...." now has become "Multiverse announces changes to this..... and are going to do that..."
blah, blah, blah....
At first I smiled a wry smile of contempt as I read the article.
Then I felt nauseous with the feeling of being used.
At the least they could have said thank you for the ideas.
Raped?
Yeah pretty much....
....but these ideas are not copyrighted, they're not new ideas, and I could never say I created these ideas from scratch; they were simply ideas pointing to mistakes that my team had found while dealing with the Multiverse software. And some simple amendments that would have improved their systems.
But such is the nature of business, and even more so when it is over the Internet medium.
Over a time of communicating with people over the Internet with a goal of future business plans, I have found that it is all too easy to be scammed, all too easy to have your ideas taken off you, and all too easy to lose what was initially yours.
I remember what they said about Internet communicating years ago; "its fun, you can be whoever you want to be and feel free in that experience. No one can see you at your computer, your just a name and a number, so enjoy that freedom."
Then the sharks of business entered the Internet realm, and the same rules applied to them, except because of the Internet now they can hurt more, steal more, and gain more, for who's going to stop them?
So yet another mindless encounter with the children at Multiverse passes and we bid them farewell. We will not indulge in communications with them again as it is fruitless to think it worth the effort.
But we will see them at the game convention and certainly give them a handshake.
For as one underdog to another, only one can win, and usually the winner is the one with the most credibility.
Thankyou Multiverse for the added bonus of credibility.
It will prove to be useful in future meetings I am sure :)
Monday, September 1, 2008
Work-itis
Tuesday and tomorrow I join the working class in their battle for normality.
Whats worse is that I am starting my first day at work at 8:30am.
Man....Does anyone have the ability to process a thought at that time of the day?
I will need to wake up at 5am just to get enough caffeine within just to consider the idea that I am going to work at that time.
hahahaha.....maybe I have had it too good for too long.
Or maybe i know something that the working class haven't after decades of slavery yet worked out for themselves.
Whatever the answer is; I must still attend this tortuous event called work and paste on a smiling face so the other slaves feel that I fit in to this self mutilating mentality.
Oh dear....work.
What on earth has the world come to?
A world of peasant slaves offering pleasantries to the elite that determine with money that this is the way the world is meant to be.
I scream out to anyone who has had a single clue towards realising that they are slaves to a giant machine that takes them in early adulthood and grinds them down to minced matter just to spit them out to feed the next group coming in.
Are there any other people out there that still possess the ability to think?
Arrrgggghhhhh!
Save me from this mechanised monster called life, and save me from myself....
Must I really conform to this arbitrary punishment because I determine myself suitable for existence?
oooohhhhh.....life, work, money, then the epitome of our slavery....
The television.
That machine that renders us stoopid, convincing us that this is the way life is meant to be.
Well I am going to work....whether I like it or not.
But I ain't giving up my dreams, nor my goals.
And when that door of opportunity knocks again...
I will not answer it....I'll blow the bloody door off its hinges trying to escape this reality that you all conform to.
Whats worse is that I am starting my first day at work at 8:30am.
Man....Does anyone have the ability to process a thought at that time of the day?
I will need to wake up at 5am just to get enough caffeine within just to consider the idea that I am going to work at that time.
hahahaha.....maybe I have had it too good for too long.
Or maybe i know something that the working class haven't after decades of slavery yet worked out for themselves.
Whatever the answer is; I must still attend this tortuous event called work and paste on a smiling face so the other slaves feel that I fit in to this self mutilating mentality.
Oh dear....work.
What on earth has the world come to?
A world of peasant slaves offering pleasantries to the elite that determine with money that this is the way the world is meant to be.
I scream out to anyone who has had a single clue towards realising that they are slaves to a giant machine that takes them in early adulthood and grinds them down to minced matter just to spit them out to feed the next group coming in.
Are there any other people out there that still possess the ability to think?
Arrrgggghhhhh!
Save me from this mechanised monster called life, and save me from myself....
Must I really conform to this arbitrary punishment because I determine myself suitable for existence?
oooohhhhh.....life, work, money, then the epitome of our slavery....
The television.
That machine that renders us stoopid, convincing us that this is the way life is meant to be.
Well I am going to work....whether I like it or not.
But I ain't giving up my dreams, nor my goals.
And when that door of opportunity knocks again...
I will not answer it....I'll blow the bloody door off its hinges trying to escape this reality that you all conform to.
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Sweet Scent of Food
Friday night again.
A little hard to enjoy the once festive eve when one's poor and struggling.
Some good news snapped a little life into my now weak body...
I got a call from an agency of sorts looking for a teacher.
Oddly some time back and long since forgotten, an advertisement went up on the "Wonderful Worldly Window" indicating that I had taught IELTS previously.
IELTS is an English Language Testing System.
So this agent calls me wildly out of the blue and asked me if I were busy now and would I be interested in a job.
Well of course I am FUDGING interested.
Off the beaten track....
Some months back I had a very well paying manager's job managing teachers at an exclusive private language institution.
The local government came in to bust the place indicating that it wasn't properly licensed.
I of course knew that the licensing was in the final stages and wasn't overly concerned about it.
However at the moment that the coppers had arrived the boss did a runner and had left me high and dry with these coppers to deal with.
So what was I to do?
With a big inhale and a twenty minute screaming exhale I cut loose on these guys for annoying me, disrupting the school, and all sorts of other lovelies that I could conjure up.
Much to my misfortune though the coppers after quieting me down told me that the school had reneged on getting its license and has been considered to be blatantly breaking the law.
"Oh shit....."
The coppers let me leave the building red faced as I was, and they told me not to work for this company again.
I was heavily relieved as I could have been deported.
That runaway boss knowing that I had a very good story to share with the somewhat small foreign community of this town, went about blacklisting me with damn near every school within a hundred miles of the place.
Another unfortunate event that was as I was near the end of my contract when it all happened and my NiHao Studios company was near ready to launch.
Ok so no job, and no resources either.
4 months later...
Starved, unwell, desperate, and alone in a foreign land, and that wildly odd phone call arrives.
Now we are back on track again....
I had taught IELTS for many years in another town and managed an IELTS Center so of course I had breezed through the job interview and had determined my own pay.
After which the girl boss said...."Do you need extra money for food?"
She had meant a monthly living allowance.
Inside myself I screamed; "Don't say that sinful word in front of me...I am starving!"
But I replied..."No I shouldn't need extra money for food thank you."
September 5th (7 days later) I start work.
Wow...I may just live through this; another episode of my life.
Recently I had been having bad dreams about being sent home in a box.
What's worse is that I started to believe that it may just happen.
Well maybe not now, but if my mother saw me in this situation she would freak.
hahaha ooops sorry mum. I forgot to look after myself.
Oh well another poor Friday passes.
That sweet scent of food draws nearer and I can almost imagine eating something substantial again.
Poor? Yes, but not for much longer :)
A little hard to enjoy the once festive eve when one's poor and struggling.
Some good news snapped a little life into my now weak body...
I got a call from an agency of sorts looking for a teacher.
Oddly some time back and long since forgotten, an advertisement went up on the "Wonderful Worldly Window" indicating that I had taught IELTS previously.
IELTS is an English Language Testing System.
So this agent calls me wildly out of the blue and asked me if I were busy now and would I be interested in a job.
Well of course I am FUDGING interested.
Off the beaten track....
Some months back I had a very well paying manager's job managing teachers at an exclusive private language institution.
The local government came in to bust the place indicating that it wasn't properly licensed.
I of course knew that the licensing was in the final stages and wasn't overly concerned about it.
However at the moment that the coppers had arrived the boss did a runner and had left me high and dry with these coppers to deal with.
So what was I to do?
With a big inhale and a twenty minute screaming exhale I cut loose on these guys for annoying me, disrupting the school, and all sorts of other lovelies that I could conjure up.
Much to my misfortune though the coppers after quieting me down told me that the school had reneged on getting its license and has been considered to be blatantly breaking the law.
"Oh shit....."
The coppers let me leave the building red faced as I was, and they told me not to work for this company again.
I was heavily relieved as I could have been deported.
That runaway boss knowing that I had a very good story to share with the somewhat small foreign community of this town, went about blacklisting me with damn near every school within a hundred miles of the place.
Another unfortunate event that was as I was near the end of my contract when it all happened and my NiHao Studios company was near ready to launch.
Ok so no job, and no resources either.
4 months later...
Starved, unwell, desperate, and alone in a foreign land, and that wildly odd phone call arrives.
Now we are back on track again....
I had taught IELTS for many years in another town and managed an IELTS Center so of course I had breezed through the job interview and had determined my own pay.
After which the girl boss said...."Do you need extra money for food?"
She had meant a monthly living allowance.
Inside myself I screamed; "Don't say that sinful word in front of me...I am starving!"
But I replied..."No I shouldn't need extra money for food thank you."
September 5th (7 days later) I start work.
Wow...I may just live through this; another episode of my life.
Recently I had been having bad dreams about being sent home in a box.
What's worse is that I started to believe that it may just happen.
Well maybe not now, but if my mother saw me in this situation she would freak.
hahaha ooops sorry mum. I forgot to look after myself.
Oh well another poor Friday passes.
That sweet scent of food draws nearer and I can almost imagine eating something substantial again.
Poor? Yes, but not for much longer :)
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Quietness Settles
Today 24th August 2008.
Quietness today around about.
The recent typhoon called Nuri blew its way down south to Guangdong Province and fizzled at landfall to a tropical storm.
Still have heard nothing from the Multiverse crowd. This I wonder about some as its approaching time for the next GDC. Game Developer's Convention.
This year; September, the GDC will be held in Singapore and with perhaps a little good fortune we may be sending one of our guys Jon over there.
NiHao3d the game could certainly do well with a GDC introduction and launch.
Finger's crossed.
No other events have occurred to speak of and the title of this entry "Quietness Settles" has a two edged meaning.
Quietness in the sense of little happening and no new news to offer a promising light.
Quietness in that there is little I myself can do to make a difference to it all.
I feel resolutely confined to a solitude of inability.
Searching for an answer wearies the mind, while the body yearns for energies to be spent.
Quietness settles on another day...
Hoping for a better day.
Quietness today around about.
The recent typhoon called Nuri blew its way down south to Guangdong Province and fizzled at landfall to a tropical storm.
Still have heard nothing from the Multiverse crowd. This I wonder about some as its approaching time for the next GDC. Game Developer's Convention.
This year; September, the GDC will be held in Singapore and with perhaps a little good fortune we may be sending one of our guys Jon over there.
NiHao3d the game could certainly do well with a GDC introduction and launch.
Finger's crossed.
No other events have occurred to speak of and the title of this entry "Quietness Settles" has a two edged meaning.
Quietness in the sense of little happening and no new news to offer a promising light.
Quietness in that there is little I myself can do to make a difference to it all.
I feel resolutely confined to a solitude of inability.
Searching for an answer wearies the mind, while the body yearns for energies to be spent.
Quietness settles on another day...
Hoping for a better day.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Virgin Again
Well my first blog outside of all of the other things that I do and write my name on.
Today 20th August 2008:
Whats on the calendar...
Most important of the things to do:
Madness has kept me on my toes these last two days.
Typhoon Nuri, Level 3 typhoon, is heading for China.
The Superstorms website to update; http://www.superstorms.org/
The Wunderground website to update; http://www.wunderground.com/blog/MrTyphoon/show.html
And dozens of telephone calls going out to the various Superstorms Regions.
Second on the calendar:
Yesterday I had to take the NiHao Live servers down; http://www.nihao3d.com/
Funding NiHao3d has become a real burden.
Keeping it funded isn't much of a problem, but financing it for further growth is where the burden lies.
A less worrisome event:
Yesterday NiHao3d went into talks again with Multiverse; http://www.multiverse.net/
We have always liked what the guys at Multiverse were doing, and considered a partnership with them 4 months ago.
But talks broke down over some trivial matter.
However today's Multiverse has had some management changes, won sponsorship from IBM, and is worth looking into again.
Surprisingly in a nice way, was the reception we recieved from them upon our first request for talks.
Nice to see some happy faces again.
So a busy few days have past, and a few more busy days are ahead.
Typhoon Nuri will keep me on my toes for another few days.
NiHao3d; well my heart weeps at the state of her.
Multiverse is a foot in the right direction though. Of course this is all dependent upon how the future talks go. And even if they go well, there is alot of work lying ahead of the NiHao Studios Team to get the game as we have it today, converted over to the Multiverse platform.
Nihao Studios link: http://www.superstorms.org/NiHao/NiHao%20Studios/index.html
The greatest of my calendar's pencil scratchings:
I have had a very long run of misfortune unfortunately. Foremost of my misfortunes is that of being stuck in a foreign country that has near banned me from working, but still expects me to run my organization.
haha go figure huh?
Because of the big events happening in China these days, alot of new rules came into play.
Of course these new laws, which are not entirely bad laws; affected nearly every foreigner that was in China at the time, me included.
Me; well I had just moved to a new city when it had all happened. Got a small job helping out at a local school for pocket money while I went about making enquiries into setting up another Superstorms Branch office.
Then the new laws kicked in.
I was told I could no longer work at the school.
"So then what?"
Well nothing is what.
There aint much for foreigners to do in China other than English teaching.
So 4 months later and I am still here, still unemployed, and haven't eaten a square meal in god knows how long.
But to the contrare; If I were not here to perform my Superstorms CEO duties; I would have the world's 2nd largest population screaming down my neck for every lost soul that these big typhoons bring.
Go figure.
So onward I go, taking each day as each day happens, and hoping for a light to appear in my very long, black, neverending tunnel.
Maybe it will, and maybe it wont.
But I keep on waiting for it anyhow.
Today 20th August 2008:
Whats on the calendar...
Most important of the things to do:
Madness has kept me on my toes these last two days.
Typhoon Nuri, Level 3 typhoon, is heading for China.
The Superstorms website to update; http://www.superstorms.org/
The Wunderground website to update; http://www.wunderground.com/blog/MrTyphoon/show.html
And dozens of telephone calls going out to the various Superstorms Regions.
Second on the calendar:
Yesterday I had to take the NiHao Live servers down; http://www.nihao3d.com/
Funding NiHao3d has become a real burden.
Keeping it funded isn't much of a problem, but financing it for further growth is where the burden lies.
A less worrisome event:
Yesterday NiHao3d went into talks again with Multiverse; http://www.multiverse.net/
We have always liked what the guys at Multiverse were doing, and considered a partnership with them 4 months ago.
But talks broke down over some trivial matter.
However today's Multiverse has had some management changes, won sponsorship from IBM, and is worth looking into again.
Surprisingly in a nice way, was the reception we recieved from them upon our first request for talks.
Nice to see some happy faces again.
So a busy few days have past, and a few more busy days are ahead.
Typhoon Nuri will keep me on my toes for another few days.
NiHao3d; well my heart weeps at the state of her.
Multiverse is a foot in the right direction though. Of course this is all dependent upon how the future talks go. And even if they go well, there is alot of work lying ahead of the NiHao Studios Team to get the game as we have it today, converted over to the Multiverse platform.
Nihao Studios link: http://www.superstorms.org/NiHao/NiHao%20Studios/index.html
The greatest of my calendar's pencil scratchings:
I have had a very long run of misfortune unfortunately. Foremost of my misfortunes is that of being stuck in a foreign country that has near banned me from working, but still expects me to run my organization.
haha go figure huh?
Because of the big events happening in China these days, alot of new rules came into play.
Of course these new laws, which are not entirely bad laws; affected nearly every foreigner that was in China at the time, me included.
Me; well I had just moved to a new city when it had all happened. Got a small job helping out at a local school for pocket money while I went about making enquiries into setting up another Superstorms Branch office.
Then the new laws kicked in.
I was told I could no longer work at the school.
"So then what?"
Well nothing is what.
There aint much for foreigners to do in China other than English teaching.
So 4 months later and I am still here, still unemployed, and haven't eaten a square meal in god knows how long.
But to the contrare; If I were not here to perform my Superstorms CEO duties; I would have the world's 2nd largest population screaming down my neck for every lost soul that these big typhoons bring.
Go figure.
So onward I go, taking each day as each day happens, and hoping for a light to appear in my very long, black, neverending tunnel.
Maybe it will, and maybe it wont.
But I keep on waiting for it anyhow.
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