Topic

Housing Routes & Directory - Now Live

Now these points of data
make a beautiful line.
And we're out of beta,
we're releasing on time


Some of you might have already seen the Directory side of the new site, Glitch Housing Routes & Directory. Today I'm proud to announce the launch of the, well, the entire thing-a-llama.

In addition to the ability to see who connects to your home street and what resources are on each and every one of our home streets and what resources are on other people's home streets, now you can create and manage routes easily. Powerful tools are at your disposal to automatically detect breakages and change in resource distribution in your routes. Discover and visit new routes, find home streets with the resource you need and teleport there instantly with a single click.

If you're migrating a route over: You can contact me to have me import your route over if you have a list of members and links to their profile available. After creating a new route, your route won't be immediately listed on the routes list. If you want it to appear there, please drop me a mail.

We've been testing and migrating HRRs to the new system, so for now all routes you see are HRRs, but in the future we hope that every route will use this to manage their players. Please post any feedback, ideas, complaints, bugs you encounter, etc. here. Thanks!

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Set by step guide to creating your own route:


1. Take a look at the other routes on site. We try not to have two routes with the same theme/resources, so don't duplicate an existing route
2. Go to the create route page. You'll need to enter in a name for your route as well as a description. Please keep the description short and sweet.
3. If you're operating a resource route, enter in the minimum resource requirement for your members to meet before they can join the route. If you have other kinds of requirements (eg. machines), enter them into the route description
4. Decide on which signpost you want your members to use. Remember than 1 and 5 (last) are taken by Serious Routes and HRRs, so you might want to chose something else instead.
5. If you want to limit the number of people who want to join, enter a maximum player number. If you want to keep the route private and manage signups using, say, a group or a thread on the forum, enter zero.
6. If your route belong to an existing route group, choose the group from the dropdown menu.
7. Hit submit to create your route
8. If your group already has members, you can add them to the route using the "Edit Player" button on the bottom right hand corner. If your route is long, and you have kept a list of names of players along with links to their profile, contact me so that I can import the list instead of having you to enter in each name manually.
9. At this point, your route will not be listed on the main routes page or the homepage yet (Anybody with the URL can still visit it). If you want it to be listed, please drop me a message through IM or mail.

And of course, if you have any problem please do not hesitate to contact me to ask for help.

Some extra information:

If you're interested in playing around with the raw data, a dump of the database is made every 6 hours and is available here: resources.grelca.com/data/.

If you don't want your information in the database, please follow the instructions here: resources.grelca.com/delete_me. We'll miss you though!

Basic inline HTML is available in route descriptions: strong, em, hr, br, a, img. Please try not to overuse them.

If you want to see what it's like to be on a route without actually been on a route, try joining the Testing Testing route, which was used to test the joining up process. There is no resource requirement, and you can always switch your second signpost away after joining.

If you want to create an invite-only group, you can try setting the maximum number of players on the route to zero. This means that you will need to add each new player manually though.

There's a way to see the teleport face of any player in the database. See if you can find out how ;)

Posted 12 years ago by Boom and Bust Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

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  • Have you migrated all the HRRs over? Or are you still in process? 
    Posted 12 years ago by Axa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Congratzzzz!
    Posted 12 years ago by Atlantis Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Heh, the teleport face is a nice little easter egg. :)

    Good job Boom!
    Posted 12 years ago by Frodo Alpha-Turkey Subscriber! | Permalink
  • That is an awesome thing!
    Posted 12 years ago by Agnes Snatchflannel Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Yay! This must celebrated! With a new set of butt feathers perhaps Boom? ;-) Very well done, really!
    (Hope you include the Serious Routes too)
    Posted 12 years ago by Atlantis Subscriber! | Permalink
  • That. Is. AWESOME.  !!!!  :-)
    Posted 12 years ago by FawnFang Subscriber! | Permalink
  • None  of the Serious routes are included?

    And HRR's Bubble Boulevard is missing too

    But it is a Good Thing
    Posted 12 years ago by IrenicRhonda Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wow, nice tool - I especially like seeing who might have me on their signpost.  

    Would be better if the raw data required a login first to get to, IMO.  

    Also, the delete me says it's only for deleting you off a route, is it also for deletion from the directory itself?  What about the gaps that would leave with some of the peoples' signposts, etc.? 
    Posted 12 years ago by b3achy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't find Bubble Boulevard, even when searching for bubbles.

    Edit: IrenicRhonda beat me to it...
    Posted 12 years ago by dm Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I got this message when I tried to delete...does it mean that it's worked?

    A Database Error OccurredError Number: 1213Deadlock found when trying to get lock; try restarting transactionDELETE FROM `players` WHERE `location` = 'LHVH0GGAJ1V22LP'Filename: /home/glitchresources/resources.grelca.com/controllers/profile.phpLine Number: 221
    Posted 12 years ago by ~Arabesque~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Irenic I asked tis in private if she would like to test out the system, she said yes, but never got around doing it.

    @b3achy The delete me button removes all traces of you from the database. Like the page says, we assume that you're responsible and have made all the arrangements before pressing the button.

    Oh, and thank you Atlantis so very much for the git subscription!
    Posted 12 years ago by Boom and Bust Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I see the Fuel Cell Route is listed but not all the members. This is nice but am I missing something or is it still incomplete?
    Posted 12 years ago by Axa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Axa, @Irenic Still in the process of doing it. Not all routes are on the site - Saucelah said she'll be doing it for the bubble route some time today I believe. She said that she'll be reorganizing it, so it may take some time
    Posted 12 years ago by Boom and Bust Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hmmm, What exactly do you mean by 'made all arrangements before pressing the button'?  I'm confused...I may want to stay on my friends routes, but be removed from the directory...not saying I do, just asking for those that want that.  However, if I'm not in the directory coz I deleted myself, that would leave a gap on my friends' pages where I'm on their signposts and they want to be in the directory.
    Posted 12 years ago by b3achy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @b3achy Not possible, sorry. Directories and routes uses the same data. Arrangements simply means having the route signpost fixed so that you're out of the loop and won't cause problems once you're gone. If you press that button, you'll be gone from any routes you joined on the site, any routes which you are curator of on the site will be deleted, and you won't appear on your friend's list of neighbours on the site if they point to your home street with their signpost.
    Posted 12 years ago by Boom and Bust Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Okay cool...thanks!
    Posted 12 years ago by b3achy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Axa Individual curators chose if and how they want to use the site. I'm not sure what happened there but you can ask Rev. about it.
    Posted 12 years ago by Boom and Bust Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This is awesome!  Too bad the game is greatly lagging right now, or else I would be cultivating like mad for potential travelers.
    Posted 12 years ago by arose4beni Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Amazing work, B&B!
    The design is really clean and easy to understand quickly. Thanks for this amazing resource. 

    One question, does the 'each and every one of us' in this statement: apply to all Glitchen, or only those on resource routes? 
         "In addition to the ability to see who connects to your home street and what resources are on each and every one of our home streets and what resources are on other people's home streets"

    I'm not on any resource routes and I doubt that anyone has a sign post that points to me, but I have 5 people on my signpost and none of them show up in the 'connects to' box of my profile on your website. 
    If it doesn't, it's a shame because it would be handy to have the network of all-of-the Glitches, but I have no idea how hard that would be to do.

    Thanks again for all your work!
    Posted 12 years ago by Squiggle-Squee Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I can still see you Arabesque, so I suspect it didn't work.

    ETA: I'm not on any routes SS, but myself and all my friends are in the directory.  Not sure how complete their directory is or if they are still scraping for data...B&B would have to answer that. 

    EETA: Just searched on you SS, and I can see you and your friends on your signpost. It says it was updated 16 min ago.
    Posted 12 years ago by b3achy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Congrats for the release!! This helps a lot to all groups like HRR and others.
    One thing I thought to do, maybe you can add it too, that helps solve the big problem "people change their signposts order all the time", is to show a lot more the name of the next person homestreet you need to go.
    maybe inside the page on each avatar or (I thought for me) in the title of the window/page, so if the signpost doesn't match... you can go anyway.

    Nice work!
    Posted 12 years ago by UXRoot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Other idea... on each avatar... if you click it, wouldn't be better if it goes to the page of that player inside your site, instead of the glitch.com site? that way you can "visit" their homestreet easily. then you can go to the glitch.com/profile page.
    ETA: I thought a lot about "routes", and I think the biggest problem is that changing the signpost order is too easy. so it will happen a lot!
    Posted 12 years ago by UXRoot Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Brilliant!
    Posted 12 years ago by Coke Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wow! Incredible.   Now if there is a break in a route I can easily get around them. 
    Posted 12 years ago by Tibbi Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This is amazing! What a fantastic source of information- thank you for your hard work! =)
    Posted 12 years ago by TransplantedEntwife Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Many thanks, this will be terribly useful!
    Posted 12 years ago by Yse The Great Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Nice!
    Posted 12 years ago by WeavingTheWeb Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thanks B&B! I'll ask the Rev. BTW, awesome job -- this is going to be very useful--and it's really nicely designed.
    Posted 12 years ago by Axa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Oh, and a question/concern. I went to the Routes page,  and clicked on the fuel cell route to see what would happen. Then I saw the "join this route" button, so I pressed it. It told me to link to the next person on the 1 position on my signpost. The only person listed was the Rev, who is the curator of the route. If your list and the HRR lists are not in phase, then I can see this creating a certain amount of confusion since the HRR routes are currently managed via the group areas on glitch.com. Usually, you get to join a route after the curator confirms your eligibility and also confirms who the person is who you should link to--reduces the risk of two ( or more) people deciding to join at approximately the same time and all linking to the same person.  Am I missing something or does this process on your site need some clarification? Thanks!
    Posted 12 years ago by Axa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This is amazing. Thanks B&B!
    Posted 12 years ago by Kerlick Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Still trying to find the teleport faces though..
    Posted 12 years ago by Kerlick Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Hi Axa - We're in the process of moving the existing routes to the website - Rev's in particular has had some issues for him manually adding the existing members.  

    From now on, the method for joining the routes will be managed via the website - the route threads will still exist for:
    a) questions and concerns specifically about the route,
    b) remove requests and managment
    c) communication between the curator and route members.
    Posted 12 years ago by Scarlett Bearsdale Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What a wonderful aid!  Makes finding what you want so easy.  I look forward to seeing the IMG routes on it, and my own weird pixie face.  ^,^  Thank you Boom and Bust
    Posted 12 years ago by Phoebe Springback Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Good to know Scarlett! Do I need to rejoin via the new website or wait and be moved over? The new site lists a member that is not part of the group listed in the thread so I'm just getting really confused.
    Posted 12 years ago by Axa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This seems to be a bit of a mis-nomer on the front page " Sign in to join routes, view your profile and more!"  You actually don't have to sign in to search the directory and see your profile (or everyone else's profile for that matter).  You also don't have to sign in to see all the data from the link at the bottom.  Are there plans to change this so it is a sign in only site?
    Posted 12 years ago by b3achy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @B3achy my butler told me you were the last person to visit my street but when I went to return the favour of street img it's telling me I only have the option to block you.  Can you unblock if poss so I can return the street img, cheers! (I'm guessing it was you who left the bubbles by the tree for the next glitchen who visits :D
    Posted 12 years ago by ~Arabesque~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Axa - Ask in the route thread and I'll make sure Rev knows to check there to answer your questions.
    Posted 12 years ago by Scarlett Bearsdale Subscriber! | Permalink
  • AMAZING! This is one of the coolest things I've seen done with the Glitch API, well done!
    Posted 12 years ago by absolute Subscriber! | Permalink
  • ::sigh::  I wish you'd left the internal lists. I hate having to visit an outside website to access the start point or find my place in a particular given route. Sorry, but I'm not keen on the sweeping change.

    ETA by removing the links from within the forums and forum threads you've made it so the only way to access many of the HRR's is via visiting the 'built' website. It's really quite inconvenient.
    Posted 12 years ago by Wandering Confusion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wandering Confusion.  Following a link to a page on this website that has links and following a link to a page on an outside website that has links involves the same action and does not really have any effect on your browsing experience except for a change in the address bar.  I'm not sure where the problem is.
    Posted 12 years ago by Carl Projectorinski Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Issues with firewalls, IP's and white lists.
    I also have an issue with a player built system of resources being redirected to external resources.

    I can't access things like the Gas Route because all internal player profile links for the route have been removed and edited to re-direct to an external database. Instead I have to select a name from within the discussion chatter and start the route there.
    I don't like having to load a bunch of graphics and remember what 'face' I last clicked/visited to keep my place in a route - before I had a list to work down. At the very least, links to the start points should have been left in the various group forum posts.

    On a different note, I didn't consent to my info being used in such a manner. I find it upsetting this change was made unilaterally. At no point by joining a route did I agree to participate in a system that funnels everyone to a single external website (opting out of the website appears to opt you out of the route entirely now). I'm extremely disappointed by the privatization of the Housing Resource Routes, and very let down by the way the links were all pointed to it.
    Posted 12 years ago by Wandering Confusion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Wandering - there should still be route lists in the route threads, as back-up if nothing else.  Gas is one route that doesn't have a route list in its thread.

    You can also view the route in list form on the site - there should be a button for that on the lower righthand side.

    As for the rest, I regret that you are disappointed but this change will make the route maintenance and route use much improved overall.  I think my favourite new feature is the "Vist Route" button which takes you to a random route member's yard - this should help to spread out the route traffic around the routes.  In any case, I do hope you stick around but if not, good luck to you!
    Posted 12 years ago by Scarlett Bearsdale Subscriber! | Permalink
  • See Scarlet, that's exactly part of my problem with it. You removed functionality for many people AND made participation via your tool a pre-requisite of being on a HRR.
    I can't 'opt-out' of the website (external) and still participate in the routes (internal). So essentially everyone is being forced to participate in the website if they want to participate in the HRR aspect of the game. That's not cool.
    Posted 12 years ago by Wandering Confusion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • One time, I went to an external website, and it swallowed my computer whole and when I got it back, it was covered in lint and what smelled like the grease from old french fries. Seriously, what's the big deal here? I'm not getting it- much more functionality than the group, so forth and so on and a bunch of other things naysayers aren't going to read or care about anyway. Also, all of the uncomfortableness with your info being used without permission is irrelevant. TS owns that info, and TS chose to have it in the API for others to use to do things exactly like this. I suppose TS could take away API access and no one could use tools or scripts or sites like this anymore. I also suppose TS could do all of these things their own selves and hire some more staff to set it up. And than take away the free to play functionality to pay them.

    Unless Boom is using the site to set up a complex network of drones to begin Skynet. IS THIS WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?!
    Posted 12 years ago by Darius Atrepes Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Maybe I wasn't clear - route lists (which may have links to route members yards, by curator preference) should be maintained on the route threads as well as on the website; so your use of the routes via the group forum threads should not have any functionality removed from it.  The gas route is the one exception to this at the moment.   You can also set the route on the website to display in list form.  There should be no loss of functionality for anyone, only gains that are unavailable to us in the group-only format.

    As far as the issue with opting out of the website precluding route participation - that's a point well worth considering; we can see if there's a feasible solution, but I make no guarantees. 
    Posted 12 years ago by Scarlett Bearsdale Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Darius - forum discussions can also be used to voice opinions, raise issues and concerns... not just to 'atta-boy'. Please don't diminish my very valid concerns by attempting to marginalize them. To utilize the website I need to create exceptions on my end, which drives me up a wall but is necessary given other things on my computer.

    I didn't say the tool was bad, it probably has a few really great things happening. I've said I'm disappointed with how the tool has been 'released', the links altered (they were just fine last week, Gas Route included), and the increased difficulty (for me) of playing within the confines of the game. To my mind, part of the definition of a bad game is one where you need to access a bunch of external websites in order to understand or enjoy the various game aspects.

    I understand the difficulty in trying to maintain these type of lists, I really do. I don't think being compelled to use a specific outside resource (and participate in it) to continue to take part in a group / community aspect of Glitch is a sustainable way forward. I know I'm not the only one with concerns, and Scarlet is doing her best to listen to / answer them. Kinda the point of having forums, no?
    Posted 12 years ago by Wandering Confusion Subscriber! | Permalink
  • This is my only whinge now..but I just went to the HRR group as I needed to hit the gas route (down to low quantites) and as soon as I clicked on the gas link it took me straight out of the Glitch site and into another outside site.  This is what I want to avoid.  Can someone please just tell me a well known player on the gas route and I'll add them to my sign post.  Cheers :?

    Edit: forget it, going to Kalavanna, - haven't explored Ur proper in a while.
    Posted 12 years ago by ~Arabesque~ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Arabesque, if you want to add me to your post I have 15 trees :)
    Posted 12 years ago by Liza Throttlebottom Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Would it be possible to generate a list of people who you can visit for badges, e.g. Sociable Susan, and have it include streets you haven't visited?
    Posted 12 years ago by Rook Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Arabesque - To avoid leaving the Glitch site, I had to scroll through the chatter in the route forum thread and pick a person to start with. Clicked on their name (from the forum post where they signed up to join the route) and hoped they were still on it. Only way, so far, I've found to stay within Glitch where the player lists have been altered. So there is a work-around, but you're kinda flying blind as far as getting lost or off the route.
    Posted 12 years ago by Wandering Confusion Subscriber! | Permalink
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