Wednesday, 6 April 2011

To note

Looking at my calendar ahead for April, there are dates where I'm going to be "dark," as in no internet. Yes, in the mountains of Georgia (USA) fishing with friends.

Seems I better have some posts ready for that weekend to be an honest participant in Blogging A to Z. Easy enough, I think.

Data backups. Yes, time to automate that. Done.

Bugs. I am a long time user of a blogging platform called blojsom. It's a Java based platform and generally well regarded. Sometime ago I became the "lead steward" of the platform, contributing bug fixes, responding to users and developers, etc. I also went the extra mile and started a major refactoring of the platform to make development easier and to clean up the code. But I also, more recently since I started blogging again have found broken pieces of code that need to be fixed.

Time to break out the Integrated Development Environment and start patching.

Update
I'm going to be periodically trying to cross link some of my Blogging A to Z entries with each other, either as I write them, or after the fact.

I will also be linking to DriveThru RPG where ever a WFRP 2e source book or other item is mentioned. While the printed copies are no longer available, FFG and Games Workshop did release the entire WFRP 2e library in PDF, all 25 books or supplements. These links may or may not be through the affiliate program, but if so, and you need a copy of the book, or want to get started with WFRP, consider using the link. It helps me defer the costs of hosting.

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Posted by caffeinated at 2:10 PM in kaffehaus
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Sorry to all of time?

I did something incredibly stupid this morning.

I was editing the database to correct an error and executed a query that updated all the comments, since the beginning of the blog, to the phrase, "Only a WFRP 2e refugee is mad enough."

Nothing like seeing Query returned successfully: 98 rows affected, 67 ms execution time. appear in your window to wake you up.

I think I have a backup, but not a recent one. Indeed. "Only a WFRP 2e refugee is mad enough" to edit the production database!

Update
I have been able to recover all but the most recent comments. Crafting the UPDATE command now.

Update #2
I have restored all comments (going back 5 years!). To Jen and Teri, visitors from the A to Z challenge, apologies! I guess "history will show" that you thought I was mad too. :)

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Posted by caffeinated at 11:32 AM in kaffehaus
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E is for Eastender Bridge

When I started the A to Z challenge, it was tempting to begin with "A is for Altdorf." I instead chose an equally important character in the WFRP fiction: Archaon, The Everchosen and Lord of the End Times.

However, as the challenge continues, as "A" before it, some of the entries will appear obscure by even the simplest of measures. This is true of Eastender Bridge.

Over a year ago I blogged about an NPC (non-player character for those visiting) I called the Bridge Boatman, inspired by the descriptions of the London Bridge in the 17th century. Bridges of old were sturdy constructs, but engineering was a heady mix of math and a lot of "did it work last time? Yes. Ok, do it again." This often resulted in over building of piers and piling, often choking the flow of water where bridges provided crossings.

This choking of water often led to flooding as the bridge often became an obstruction in swelling rivers during seasons with lots of rain or a hazard to travel as the piers and starlings channeled the river through narrow passages. Passing under these bridges became known as "shooting the bridge." The Eastender Bridge is such a bridge.

Eastender Bridge is the first large bridge encountered by travelers entering Altdorf from points east in the Empire. Large starlings protect numerous piers and create the first opportunity for characters on the river to part with gold or risk shooting the bridge. 

While not detailed in any manner in any official sourcebook, we get a possible idea of the size and composition of the bridge in Mad Alfred's Key to Altdorf and Adolphus Altdorfer's Gazetteer. However, we can take important notes from history to add our own details to the Eastender Bridge, and all bridges of Altdorf. Three likely features found on all of Altdorf's bridges would be:
  1. Drawbridge
  2. Mills
  3. Pumps
Bridges in a major river port such as Altdorf would provide a drawbridge for large barges or masted ships under sail to Marienburg in the west or points east that were navigable. The drawbridge would provide safe passage to such craft and, more importantly, an ideal point of enforcing a tax or toll.

Any bridge on water, especially any of significant size, would house mills and pumps. Mills to process all sorts of grain and other commodities and pumps to service municipal needs of all primitive sorts, each powered by waterwheels of varied size, ownership and repair. One can imagine both types on the Eastender Bridge, appearing in the distance as a clockwork under the bridge near the shoreline.

Now go find adventure on the river, and bring gold, you're likely going to need it on the River Reik in Altdorf.

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Posted by caffeinated at 7:04 AM in d10
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