The Twinsuniverse

J McKalling · #1 2012-12-22, 18:57

Hello everybody!

We probably all know the Encyclopedia Twinsunica, and we're all aware that it's quite old and is missing a lot of information. There's also a Wikia website that holds a great source of information as well, and it doesn't stop there. Some time ago I started even another base of information, called the Knowledge Base, which is a forum right here on the MBN. So what's it with all this stuff?

As the MBN community, we need to have all information about the universe of Twinsun, the games and all other related sources. Most of us don't even know where to find certain information anymore. A conversation about some bug here or there, and it turns into a months stretching discussion about what causes it and when. Lots of very interesting challenges to play after game finish, but also lots of discussions spread everywhere. So where does everything go? We need to gather everything we know and have been documenting at various places, and then put everything into one tightly organized location once and for all.

Fortunately, this is not so difficult! Just a lot of work. But remember we're with lots of people as well, so if we all collaborate, from all across the world, we can do this together. So I have great news indeed, as I've been working on the "Twinsuniverse" for a few months now, which is intended to combine everything we know into one knowledge base. The Twinsunica was the most prominent base, so I chose to base everything off that one, hence the name similarity.

I've just recently succesfully finished importing each and every in-game character and enemy article (both LBA1 and LBA2) from the Twinsunica, and I intend to do so for all other existing articles as well. So to maintain previous histories and to have a basic entry for the pages. So there is still some work to do, but I hope to finish the first public milestone by the end of this month, and then I'll post the instructions on how to get started at the Twinsuniverse. Currently it's hosted by one of our members, but it is intended to be moved over to the MBN later, if Elmuerte agrees (he's the only one who can do that). I hope you'll all like this project, and I hope there is interest to help out building it up to completion!

What do you think?

Cheers
Jack

*Darkflame* · #2 2012-12-22, 19:59

*two thumbs up*

Necdilzor · #3 2012-12-22, 22:57

absolutely great!

Arlowa · #4 2012-12-23, 03:25

Sounds wonderful!

Carajo · #5 2012-12-23, 03:26

This is great! I haven't got much time to catch up on what's going on here these days, but I'll try to get updated sometime soon.

J McKalling · #6 2012-12-23, 11:38

Nice to know you're excited

I forgot to tell that I've got a little surprise waiting on the Twinsuniverse as well.

Where as I not only imported existing stuff, I've also put in a lot of my magic...

...

Necdilzor · #7 2012-12-23, 15:06

Twinsun kind of magic? :O

J McKalling · #8 2012-12-23, 15:14

Well, that too, but I was refering to programmer's kind of magic

Carajo · #9 2012-12-23, 19:37

Twinsunian programmer's kind of magic? :O

J McKalling · #10 2012-12-23, 19:42

I'll have to say no to that.

My magic is unique.

Carajo · #11 2012-12-23, 19:47

Kevin Mitnick is that you?

J McKalling · #12 2012-12-23, 20:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carajo

Kevin Mitnick is that you?

I'm assuming you're talking to me then?

Maybe yes, maybe no. Maybe both. Might be able to tell you something about it, very expensive though.

Carajo · #13 2012-12-23, 23:45

iswydt

J McKalling · #14 2012-12-24, 18:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carajo

iswydt

What did I do

Even if I were Kevin Mitsomethingsomething, I wouldn't tell you.

...Unless,...

Nah, wrong thread.

Salvatoor · #15 2012-12-25, 00:42

Very cool! I'd like to be here for the release of the Twinsuniverse but I don't think It'll happen... I'm gong on vacations or january so I won't see anything until february... But I'm excited about it!

There's an idea I've been thinking, I don't know if it's good but you can tell me. I had thought that it'll be cool if the encyclopedia could have a dialogs and signs database, that could also work as a "source" to use in articles when refering to some information. Some times it happens that when I see some info about a character or a place I doubt how much is true and explicited in the game, and how much is just imagination...

J McKalling · #16 2012-12-25, 01:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salvatoor

Very cool! I'd like to be here for the release of the Twinsuniverse but I don't think It'll happen... I'm gong on vacations or january so I won't see anything until february... But I'm excited about it!
...

That is rather unfortunate! But no problem, it'll be still there when you come back. Glad you like it!

Quote:

...
There's an idea I've been thinking, I don't know if it's good but you can tell me. I had thought that it'll be cool if the encyclopedia could have a dialogs and signs database, that could also work as a "source" to use in articles when refering to some information. Some times it happens that when I see some info about a character or a place I doubt how much is true and explicited in the game, and how much is just imagination...

Yes, I've been giving exactly this a lot of thought. In fact I intended to move the existing "gamequotes" section from the MBN frontsite, but I don't have a clue about how I'm gonna copy thousands of entries one by one, so I'm gonna have to ask El for that when he's back

Or maybe someone else can offer some kind of feed of the actual gamequotes from source files? That would certainly be of great help.

There are some other ideas I've got so far, to add to the project;

Gamequotes
Music files
Your Wikia
Zink's File info
Maps

About the signs thing, I'm actually not sure. I'm already planning on using the "official" names of every location, but there are multiple versions of everything, even in-game. Like "Desert Island" for instance, on the holomap it's actually called "The Island of the White Leaf Desert". Both of which are correct, one is somewhat longer, but which one should be used? But let's not discuss that question here, there's a lot of space on the Twinsuniverse for that later.

aaron2 · #17 2012-12-26, 09:42

Sounds amazing! Encyclopedia for LBA fans

J McKalling · #18 2012-12-26, 12:52

Aye, that it be!
Though after all of my work, it isn't going to be an encyclopedia anymore...
My intention is to document everything, not only the "most encountered", "most popular" or "best known" stuff, but just everything. Think along the lines of a knowledge base, rather than an encyclopedia. As a KB it contains or could contain a lot more information than an ency.

Though it's still going to be written in the same style, as if it were a knowledge base of encyclopedic articles.

For example, the dog in Franco Village has no article in the encyclopedia. It has absolutely no purpose in the critical storyline, is not popular, best known, or even often encountered, but it exists. Just because it can be encountered, it's getting an article on the Twinsuniverse

Renesans · #19 2012-12-26, 13:28

Does that mean it'll contain EVERY scene from the games?

J McKalling · #20 2012-12-26, 15:22

In terms of a descriptive page with points of interest, yes

aaron2 · #21 2012-12-27, 19:41

OK! Now got it...It will be interesting in anyways

J McKalling · #22 2012-12-27, 20:49

I will definitely hope so!

Have been working hard to get everything right, and I can assure that the basic idea so far has been very much improving what was already there at the Twinsunica. Just a few days, and I'll get back about it

....drum roll

Twinsan · #23 2012-12-27, 23:17

In preparation that I would help gather information for little big adventure one after the recording of the lba guide failed ( for the time being) I have made save files for every single part of the game, so if picture, information and other information is needed, one is only too happy to provide.

xesf · #24 2012-12-28, 10:16

The best way to import the game quotes its to actually read the original quotes and export them into a file.

Don't know if the wiki support multiple insertion data, but if possible we can build an output file ready to import for wiki. It probably must be with the correct wiki category and templates to reduce the changes after insertion.

If you could simulate such a import in the wiki and gave me an example, I will be able to help you getting the game quotes into that format.

J McKalling · #25 2012-12-28, 10:35

MediaWiki has an import feature that allows importing any (amount of) page(s), as long as processing it doesn't exceed the server process limit. But that's something you have control over.

Otherwise, I don't have a destination format yet, so I can't simulate. I will do this soon.

But do you know how to transform such an export file you're talking about?