Mike Anderson (Myke) - Developer

As a senior staff member of CyberStrike Classic and CyberStrike 2, I've become very experienced with the CyberStrike series. I first played the original CyberStrike when it was on the GEnie online network. I loved the game so much that I applied to become a staff member. In '96 when CyberStrike came to America Online I was hired as an Assistant CyberOp...and the rest is history.

  MAY 6TH, 2003

Deployed server changes to support something new which I can't give the details on yet. After getting back from lunch I was handed a note telling me of a side effect which resulted in the game servers viewing all players as shareware and thereby limiting them to just shareware mods. I quickly fixed the problem and there was much rejoicing.

  MARCH 17TH, 2003

On Friday, by player request I changed the /arena command to only list arenas with players. I added "/arena all" which will list all areans. This will take effect once the HUB server is reset.

Today I fixed a bug that was causing games to die which used the CS2 Classic ruleset. This was due to a bug related to the Flare module which has now been corrected.

  MARCH 10TH, 2003

Its been awhile since I've updated the Developer's Journal. Some of the recent things have been updating the detection for clients running at incorrect speeds, caused by the speed bug or hacks.

Today I released an update to the game server to disconnect "out of sync" players. This is commonly caused by file sharing problems. Players being disconnect with an out of sync message should make sure they aren't trying to play while running a program that places a heavy load on their system and its bandwidth.

We've also completed the necessary server software upgrades in preparation to move CS2's HUB to a faster server.

  NOVEMBER 12TH, 2002

I've implemented the Years of Service medals. They will be awarded automaticly based on when each person's account was created.

  NOVEMBER 4TH, 2002

Released an update to the Recycle Bins map. Senior CyberOp THE-WARRIOR added 200 new Glows(Lights, Fire, Smoke).

More updates to come.

  OCTOBER 7TH, 2002

Teammate kills and suicides are now displayed in the HUB to people that currently have that game selected.

The /assist command now displays a message to off duty staff that are online at the time. Also a confirmation message is displayed when a person uses /assist as well as telling them if no one is on duty at the time.

  SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2002

Modified HoverJet explosions so they no longer destroy a CyberPod, just their modules. The change has been released to the live game servers.

  SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2002

A 3rd map named Alcatraz will be debuted on Friday Sep.13th at 6p.m.est! Along with a custom made ruleset named BLASTER!

  AUGUST 23RD, 2002

Take a sneekpeek at the soon to be released Recycle Bin map! Official release is scheduled for Aug. 30th Fri. at 8p.m.est.

  AUGUST 9TH, 2002

After waiting four years to have this map released in CS2.... Metro was officially released last night! Other then some minor texturing issues which can be addressed in the future, its working perfectly. :)

.... and there maybe more where this map came from, stay tuned.

  AUGUST 7TH, 2002

Metro is almost in fully working order! I spent all of today working on the textures. I had to find replacements for a few that I was unable to locate. Several hours went just to making the radar map image. From the work to get it created, then aligned and sized correctly(this took countless tries/tweaking), then to fixing a display problem that caused specific colors in the image to display random colors in their place.... after trying many different things I discovered the problem was it only supported a 200 color palette not 256 like I was trying to use. Luckily the HUB map image was very easy to do.

Just a few more issues to resolve and Metro will be up and running. :)

  AUGUST 5TH, 2002

After searching the massive code archive vaults in the caves below Simutronics HQ, using only a burning torch for light..... okay, it was actually just some old CDs and server hard disks I went through while sitting in my cubical. I found a partly working version of the map named Metro. This is actually a real old map that few have ever seen. Due to tech problems it got cut during alpha testing, almost 4 years ago. I got it to work with the current version of CS2, the only problem is all the textures were missing. Using what map tools I've got working again, I'm able to addin missing texture files.

I found all but 6 textures and an overhead screen shot of the map, to use as a map.... (grabs his torch and heads back down to the caverns(box of disks))

  JULY 15TH, 2002

Fixed the Auto-Repair bug and deployed the fix to the game servers.

JULY 9TH, 2002 - MILESTONE #4 IS RELEASED

  JULY 3RD, 2002

Milestone 4 has now been officially scheduled for release Tuesday 7-9-2002! :)

  JUNE 20TH, 2002

An update to the MS4 beta has been released!

  JUNE 13TH, 2002

I'm currently tracking down a bug in the game client which was caused by some of the bug fixing work I did on the CS2 map creation tools. Doh!

Once I fix a couple more problems with MS4, I'll release a new beta version and then we'll see how that goes.

The goal is to have MS4 out of beta and released by the start of the next tournament, which is July 8th.... under a month. <crosses fingers>

  JUNE 7TH, 2002

MS4 Beta (known) bugs list.

- Bug Details: Observers crash the players in the game.
- Status: Fixed for the next MS4 beta update.

- Bug Details: Auto-repair not working after switching pod types.
- Status: Fixed

- Bug Details: Info Box on MK3's too low.
- Status: Not yet fixed

- Bug Details: Speed 2 ruleset issues
- Status: Mostly fixed, still being worked on by (Senior Op)THE-WARRIOR

  JUNE 4TH, 2002

The first night of open beta went great. A bug that causes all players in a game to crash when an observer enters the game was found, its a new bug in MS4. I found the problem and have corrected it. The fix will be in the next MS4 beta update. Another problem was found in the Speed 2 ruleset which is related to the MK2 pod type. This is a simple bug due to some settings in that ruleset which use to do nothing but now do since those features have now been implemented. This problem should get fixed soon too.

  JUNE 3RD, 2002

Milestone IV is in open beta! All subscribers can check out the cool new stuff!

  MAY 14TH, 2002

Today we started staff testing of the current version of MS4. :)

  MAY 9TH, 2002

More bugs fixed. When a player dies they now go back to the default pod type, rather then getting another one of what they had.

I'm also still working on the CS2 maps issues, going though archives, finding and fixing map creation tools, etc.

While going through the archives I found some neat behind the scenes stuff, like proto type sketches of CyberPods, CyberCities, etc. With alternitive versions of CyberPods and Raven aircraft. The monkey co-pilot for CyberPods was interesting. <G> Maybe someday I'll create a "CyberStrike 2 - The Making Of" website with these things.

  MAY 7TH, 2002

The bug with the MK3's battery has been fix, but more bugs turned up. To take a break from bug squishing I added a new HUB command /CSC. Its used to quickly take a person from CS2 to the website where they can login to CyberStrike Classic.

  MAY 3RD, 2002

I've setup the electrical systems for the different pod types, and am hunting down a bug effecting the MK3's larger battery size.

  APRIL 15TH, 2002

Simutronics hired me as a full time onsite programmer, today was my first day. :) Prior to this I've been working for them as a remote contractor. This will make work on CyberStrike 2 easier and quicker.

  APRIL 14TH, 2002

Hull and Shield subsystems for the different CyberPod types finished. Next are the battery, power input/output, jump hydraulics, and weapons capacitor.

  APRIL 9TH, 2002

I'm working on some of the details which make the CyberPod types different from eachother. I've got the 6 bay limit on the MK1 working, it will also allow staff to change the number of bays on any pod type in custom rulesets, anywhere from 1 to 10 bays.

Next up is the power, shielding, and armor systems. :::lowers welding mask:::

  APRIL 3RD, 2002

I made some changes to cloak. A cloaked CyberPod will be harder to see visually, also no infobox will appear over the person's head when cloaked.

I changed the text message for when a tower is ordered to say "Tower drop request acknowledged.', the Raven pilot will also speak this now. Aswell as a few other minor changes.

  APRIL 1ST, 2002

Work on CyberStrike 3 is about 74% done.... April Fools. <G>

I do actually have good news, the MK1 and MK3 pods are almost finished, a lot sooner then I had expected. Even though that's not the only part of Milestone #4, we may start the MS4 open beta testing once the MK1 and MK3 pods are finished.... and it hasn't even been two weeks since Milestone III was released, which took about 4 months to make. hehe

I'm adding some restrictions on when a player can switch pod types, to keep them from being abused by switching to get more health in battle. To swich pod types you must:

- Be in your team's base.
- Have enough credits for that pod type.
- Have very little, if any hull damage on your current CyberPod (you can use repair).

  MARCH 26TH, 2002

Started work on adding two more pod types. The MK1 and MK3. The current pod type is the MK2.

MK1: Smaller, Faster, Less health, 6 mod bays.
MK2: Normal.
MK3: Bigger, Slower, More health, Dual energy guns.

  MARCH 25TH, 2002

Some old CS2 files were found, which are source files to the maps. Here's a pic of fjorme in 3D Studio Max.

I'm working on getting the tools that compile the maps, up and running again.

MARCH 21ST, 2002 - MILESTONE #3 IS RELEASED

  MARCH 20TH, 2002

We're in final preparations for MS3 deployment. The scheduled release date has been set for tomorrow! (3-21-2002)

  MARCH 12TH, 2002

The beta testing is going great, only a few minor bugs have been found which related to the training mission mode. I corrected those bugs as well as some unrelated to MS3 changes.

I'm leaving MS3 in beta a little while longer just to make sure there are no more bugs. I expect to have MS3 fully released later this month.

  FEBRUARY 28TH, 2002

Tonight we moved MS3 into open beta! So far so good, no problems found.

  FEBRUARY 16TH, 2002

As of tonight MS3 is now in the staff beta testing phase. If all goes well, we'll move into open public beta testing by the CS2 subscribers soon. :)

  JANUARY 29TH, 2002

The new medals are ready. 24 old + 42 new medals x 3 images per medal = 66 total medals and 198 total images.

In other news, I found out how to create/compile/add new textures and objects into CS2, I think.... incase you are wondering I wasn't part of the original CS2 development team, other then being a tester, so I kind of have to figure out how these things work as I go, which is interesting to do as I'm use to working on software I've written from the ground up myself and therefore know exactly what everything does, CS2 is the opposite of that. <G> 

Next I'll be working on updating some of the content in the HELP area in the HUB. After that is done, if nothing else major comes up that I need to work on we'll be able to move MS3 into open beta!

  JANUARY 21ST, 2002

I finished work on some more confidential stuff.... like, taking over the world, you know the usual confidential stuff. 

Senior CyberOp THE-WARRIOR has finished creating art work for a ton of new medals. We will have a total of 66 medals! :) I'm currently processing all the new medals so that they can be used in CS2. While they won't all be fully implemented in MS3, they will be over time. Some are easy to get, while others are very hard to earn. One medal will take literally 5 years to earn. We're even going to have a cool SimuCon 2002 medal for those that attend the convention this year. www.simucon.com (early registration ends soon)
 

Entries for 2001