Move to a new server, again

[Robc]

TBG is moving to a new server, again.

Well folks the last time I communicated much with you all was to announce a move to a new server in February 2017. At that time I was moving from a very expensive server to one that I had been using strictly for developing new games for about ten years or more, that is to say that it was a server based on very old technology and therefore was very cheap for me to keep alive. The low populations on TBG allowed me to keep the game running on a very low cost server while I worked full time to secure funds for my retirement. Well, the server company recognizes that the server technology was so old that it must be retired... they advised me that the server will be shut down for good in January 2020.

So I have contracted for a new server for a little more money but not anything that will break the bank. I will be updating the game code to use the newer database versions, etc. To that end the game might not work right out of the box. i will need a few days of testing and perhaps feedback from anyone who is still playing to let me know if anything is broken. I am making the move now so that I have a couple of months of transition time even though I hope that I don't need it. When I do start to revive TBG I am hopeful that this server will be the right one, it is scalable so that I can increase bandwidth as the game population increases again, I also should be able to convert back to a secure (https://) with I hope a minimum of fuss. For more information on the future of TBG see my reply to Stoutman on these forums.

Thanks to all of you that have stuck with the game over the years and welcome to anyone who has discovered the game recently, its very quiet here now but I hope that will change in the relatively near future. Robc.

[Robc]

Since I am in the middle of transferring this site to a new server and I after much difficulty think I have successfully moved the forum, I am temporarily locking all of the forums so that I don't have to do this again. I will release all of the forums after the new server goes live, fingers crossed that will be in a week or so, maybe sooner. Robc.

[Robc]

The move to the new server is complete! But I have some caveats. The database and other systems this game uses were waaay out of date, I upgraded the major systems to the latest versions. For those of you who know something about programming or network management this is seldom trivial. I had to update hundreds of lines of code in almost every system in the game. Now I don't keep a separate test server and I don't have testers anymore so I cannot guarantee that I made all of these updates correctly. I have tried as many systems as I can in the last couple weeks and I haven't broken it yet, I of course fixed all the problems I did find along the way. But I know from experience that when I release it to you all that the problems will surface immediately and probably in the most aggravating way... just let me know what goes wrong with as much detail as possible. I'll generously compensate any game money or supply losses I can verify and try my best to get on the problems fast to fix them. Thanks for those of you who have been so loyal and continue to play TBG! Robc.

[warra48]

Hello Rob,

I appreciate what you do to keep this game going. I'm looking forward to eventually playing the new version when you get around to it after you retire from full time work. In the meantime, I'm hanging in here.

Just some minor issues since the move:

1. The clock may possibly be out of sync, happy hour seems to be at different times to previously?
2. I can't buy food for others. The food menu will open but when you buy food nothing happens!
3. This may be purely coincidental, but the 6 pak buying list seems to be underpopulated? I've been able to buy only 3 or 4 since the move.
4. When you buy a 6 pak, it shows in the chat or pop up window, but does not display details of which one you bought.

Thanks and regards,
Robert

[Robc]

Thanks Robert,
The server is in a different time zone and I did forget to re-synch the game to the new system time, I'll look in to fixing that and take a look at the other issues you mentioned. Two other bugs on my list: The chat box list/pop-up input box is broken. Also for those of you who have uploaded images since the move please do so again. I didn't give the game write permission for the folder where those images were supposed to be stored, I have fixed it now but I need you to re-upload your images please. Thanks. Robc.

btw, this is the list of six packs I get... it looks the same (or similar) as on the other server, can you tell something that is missing?

Anna Bay Bitter (warra48)
Birubi Point Altbier (warra48)
Boat Harbour Stout (warra48)
Dutchmans Beach Lager (warra48)
Elsie The Pug Holiday (warra48)
Fingal Lighthouse Kolsch (warra48)
Huskarl (Panda)
Just Joey Brown Ale (warra48)
Landsknect (Panda)
Nelson Bay Kolsch (warra48)
Old Ale by wade (wade)
Old Pug Pale Ale (warra48)
Panda Blood Holiday (Panda)
Salamander Bay Helles (warra48)
Shoal Bay Porter (warra48)
Shogun (Panda)
Sunset Dark Lager (warra48)
Tomaree Pilsner (warra48)
Viking (Panda)
Yacaaba IPA (warra48)
Zenith Beach Vienna (warra48)

Recall that brewers have to 'opt-in' to sell six packs. I also think there was a cool down period after buying a particular label sixpack? Actually I'm not sure about that, my memory fails me. I'll take a closer look.

UPDATE:
Food in the pub. Food was being purchased but players were not being charged beer money for it. Fixed.

One more thing on six packs, when you buy them it normally tells you your last six pack purchase (icon and name) at the top of the six pack list. Is that not happening for you? I can't duplicate the problem. Maybe a screen shot if I'm not getting what you mean. Always be careful buying six packs because if you are out of beer money then you will use brew money, no warning is given.

[warra48]

Thanks Rob, I appreciate your response.

The 6 pak issue is I think only because GHawk does not appear to have brewed recently, so his stocks must be down, and his 6 paks are therefore not listed.
Yes, we can only buy each individual 6 pak once every 24 hours.

The cost of them is of no concern to me as I have so much cash in the system it does not really matter, and the couch $$ are a great help! The warning would be relevant to a number of newer players.

Rgds, Rob