Messages

1

General Chat / How do you get around?

« on: July 04, 2008, 10:41:18 pm »

Citation X.

Seriously though, I take school bus to school then mass transit home. HK doesn't live on cars. Even though if all of our cars went out, there wouldn't be enough road space to fit them all Fun fact of the day.

2

General Chat / How do You celebrate your countries National Holiday?

« on: July 04, 2008, 10:37:07 pm »

Ooo Hong Kong's "independence", or rather, inauguration back to China is on July 1st (yes, it's Canada Day I know). This is how we celebrate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_July_1_marches
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-07-01-hongkong-anniversary_N.htm
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121493198497519847.html

As you can see, we are a most happy and content people.

No. We're worse than the French. Trust me on that one.

3

General Chat / make my own MMOG?

« on: July 04, 2008, 10:21:38 pm »

If you're going ahead with this, some tips for ya as I can't sleep with all this jet lag.

(1) If you run Windows, get XAMPP (http://www.apachefriends.org) or WAMPserver (http://www.en.wampserver.com). If you're on a Mac, get MAMP (http://www.mamp.info). I've never used MAMP, so I don't know how realistic a testbed it is.
(2) If you can't set up your own server with old computer parts, don't bother buying hosting yet.
(3) Learn PHP (preferably PHP5, but PHP4 should be fine as well) and MySQL. Buy a book, program, and most importantly, learn by example. It REALLY helps.
(4) ALWAYS use php.net if you're ever stuck on anything. It's a great site, it's got lots of examples and it's extremely easy to use. Example: if you forget how mysql_fetch_array() works, no need to search on Google - just head right on over to http://php.net/mysql_fetch_array/ .
(5) If you're going to get hosting, make sure you know (a) what the hosting provider gives you, and (b) what contract you'll be under. It's kinda like getting a cell phone contract, except with alot more perks Oh, and read reviews about that host...make sure they are reliable, safe and fast.
(6) Don't expect 1,000 members right away. Don't even expect 100.
(7) I can't stress this enough. ENCRYPT PASSWORDS. You don't even need two-way encryption for passwords. Just use a one-way hash like sha1("your text here"), since with passwords all you're doing is comparisons. You never need to know your members' passwords - you can always CHANGE them, but you don't need to READ them. Google SHA1 or MD5 if you want to know more.
( If you're going to use a web application framework, write your own. Most out there are tailored for big applications, but games are a whole different world, since you have so much user interaction.
(9) Make it IE friendly too. That means using IE stylesheets, <!--[if IE] statements, and whatnot. However much you want users to use Firefox, IE still unfortunately rules the population. Still.
(10) Use CSS, and if you do declare yourself XHTML-whatever valid, make sure it is. Googlebots search better than way.

I know there's a lot there, so don't be scared about all of it - web development is really fun and enjoyable once you get the hang of it

Feel free to reply or PM me if you want to know more. And for those of you who know what I'm talking about, feel free to reject anything I've just mentioned

4

Flight Simulators & Online Flying / For HK-ers..The best place to buy FSX

« on: July 04, 2008, 10:06:56 pm »

If you're in school, take your school ID card. If not, then no worries, just no big discount

WINDSOR HOUSE (Causeway Exit E)

11th floor (or 10, can't remember exactly), get out of the lift, turn right, head to the end of the hall, turn left again, you'll see a "huge" (HK huge) game/software store.

$400 for Deluxe if you're lucky. That's what I got it for with my school ID. Guy gives discounts depending on school.
I believe it's upwards of $600 without discount.

If it's above 700 I'd really shoot for Sham Shui Po...

^^ Those are prices for real software btw. And note that prices are sure to have dropped as I got mine in Dec.

5

General Chat / Token Site Suspicious

« on: June 26, 2008, 06:51:16 am »

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/ie8/default.mspx

Worse than IE 7. Quirks mode becomes more quirky. Standards compliant mode follows more quirks than quirks mode.

6

General Chat / Something for the chinese.... Well anyone can read it!

« on: February 10, 2008, 02:47:15 pm »

恭喜恭喜,希望人人心想事成,身體健康,鼠年好運!
(都希望AM今年沒有那麽多"麻煩／無聊人"!　XDXD)

---------------------------
Google translate it for your own sake

And to echo Daniel - I want my red pockets too

7

General Chat / Age of Empires Series

« on: February 04, 2008, 03:03:11 pm »

One and two with countless 4hv4h or 4hv4ai AoE II games with my friends. I also play AoE III, though several things now take precedence over AoE....like DotA or SMotA

8

General Chat / New Graphics Card - Help Please

« on: January 31, 2008, 03:04:38 pm »

Yea, if you're planning to get a new PC any time soon (within the next 6 months), I'd live with what you have atm and get a higher end PC when you do purchase.

9

General Chat / New Graphics Card - Help Please

« on: January 29, 2008, 02:26:41 pm »

With those power and CPU limitations, your best bet would be a high-end 7k GeForce series card, as you suggested, the 7900 would work quite well. Just be careful not to overclock it, as your PSU does seem slightly low for a mid-to-high-end PC...

In any case, I'd advise against getting an ATI: they just aren't as reliable or all-rounded as the nVidia cards are

10

General Chat / the "i study but still play AM" thread

« on: January 26, 2008, 09:21:02 am »

In response to the "i work but still play AM" thread

Same rules, students only, no working members of the community here, hah

Anyways, I'm currently in Year 1 (of 2) of the IB Diploma Programme...

If you know the IB, here's my 6 subjects:
Group 1: English A1 SL
Group 2: Chinese B SL
Group 3: Physics HL (Quantum & Nuclear, Optics optioned)
Group 4: Geography SL
Group 5: Math HL (don't know options yet....I think one's sets and relations, can't remember)
Group 6: Chemistry HL (Further organic & industrial chem optioned i believe)

Too bad my school doesn't offer CS as a Group 5 subject....

How about all of you guys?

11

General Chat / Homepage

« on: January 22, 2008, 03:32:49 pm »

dub dub dub dot google dot com slash ig all the way

12

General Chat / Bus Mogul

« on: January 22, 2008, 03:21:26 am »

And how will you calculate route distance? Great circles won't do...

13

General Chat / Train System

« on: January 20, 2008, 01:32:03 pm »

The MTR (merged) is a great system. True, the map has gotten rather colourful after the merger, but I get 0.1 off every trip CWB to ADM , which I do every often with a Student Octopus. Used to be 2.4HKD per trip, it's now 2.3 Lol.

Anyways, I find that the merger was a sad one, since the two companies will never be able to run interchangeable trains between the two old systems unless they do a complete rail and train remodelling.

The former KCR track runs with 1435mm standard guage and a higher electrification wire. The former MTR rail runs a stupid 1432mm guage. 3mm. Ugh.



The first two trains from left are the EMUs for the former KCR lines (East Rail, West Rail, Ma On Shan), and you can easily see the higher pantographs. The third (M-stock: 8 cars) and fourth (K-stock: 8 cars) EMUs run on the MTR metro lines, with the fourth one only available (currently) on the Kwun Tong (green) line. The fifth big grey one is a high-speed commuter EMU for the Tung Chung Line (8 cars). The blue stock (8/10 cars) runs the Airport Express (some Bombardier model...) fitted with some real seats, and the last one is a modified M-stock running in 6-car config for the Disneyland Resort Line.

And for those of you who have yet to discover what a really packed metro system looks like, here's two videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_OB7w6bJoY

This one outlines a typical day at the Admiralty interchange station, which is one of three stations on HK Island which allows people to switch trains to Kowloon - Admiralty being the busiest of all three. The trains are also time-coordinated, so when one line leaves, one line arrives, taking the transit pax with it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlfD8oMMqVA

This one shows Central station (sorta like the metro version of Waterloo in London, Grand Central in New York, Union in Toronto, etc...), which historicially was two different stations, in a full crowd-control situation: the hoisting of a No. 8 Typhoon Signal, (equivalent to a Hurricane Warning, up from Watch). Enjoy.

14

General Chat / Train System

« on: January 19, 2008, 02:51:33 pm »

I only took the KCR until Shatin. Never been to the boarder between HKG and China, I think that's Lo Wu. KCR or MTR or What ever it is are great especially on MTR where you get to speak on you phone even if you're under water. Connection between the lines are fast and efficient. Although the only one that seems a little bit far to walk. (HKG standard) is between kowloon tong with the KCR and the greeen Line.

KLT isn't that bad compared to Tsim Sha Tsui and TST East...that's a loooooong way to walk. And if you've heard anything about how they plan to extend the Ma On Shan extensions all the way down to Wanchai until Central has 4 lines going through it.....whoa......

15

General Chat / Train System

« on: January 19, 2008, 01:35:38 pm »

Hong Kong by itself, very good...single system operated by the Mass Transit Corporation. They do both metro rail (subway and "regional") as well as intercity express trains to cities as far as Shanghai and Beijing.

I'm not sure about the ontime performance of the intercities (they run every 2 days or so, and 50% is owned by China's State Rail company, which sucks so bad they don't even mention departure times anymore), but the metro rail comes so frequently there is no need for a timetable. However, I did once need to ride the first Airport Express train 0550 and it was about 10 seconds early Anyways, on top of every station there are signs relaying information about how much time remains before the next train arrives - this is always accurate because data is transferred from one station to another. Nearing arrival of one station, the train trips a switch on the rail and a message telling people a train is arriving is broadcast on the platform.

Regarding China state rail....let's just say I took it once and will never do so again. I won't even comment about on-board services, especially CLEANLINESS. Here's a simple run-through the boarding of a train.

A man dressed in what looks like a PLA General's uniform walks into the "waiting" room - a giant room with about a million people in which you stand. There are no seats.

He says, "Train no. 64 heading to Guiyang, please proceed to platform", in rough and highly northern accented Chinese (obviously reminescent of Communist times - this was a station in southern Guangdong, near HK). He uses nothing but a loudspeaker and a 4-foot tall ladder.

Two miniscule doors open and the million passengers file out.

People start shouting, drowning the man's pathetic attempts at Cantonese. The train was scheduled to depart at 1512. It departed at 1549. It was on-time.

You get the point