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You have made decision to build your own Palace. I must tell you that this is MUCH, MUCH work! But it is fun also. I would like to tell you to get help! Ask friends to help you. With The Palace Server, you will be THE GOD and your friends THE WIZS. I hope you have great time making your Palace, as I do. Getting Around and Getting Started
This guide was written for first time palace owners with a section for new wizards. I assume that when you make the decision to build your own palace, whether it will be private or public, you have some basic knowledge already about how to make rooms and simple doors. This guide will talk mainly about planning, design ideas and management of your palace. There are lots of other sites with HOW TO tutorials and I will direct you to some of them as we reach each topic. The palaces noted as examples are palaces that I have visited over the years I have been on The Palace Chat. None of the palaces or websites that I have mentioned have asked to be included in this guide.
I have been on The Palace for 3 years now, and became involved in building and managing in the last year. My experience is not vast but I have had good teachers. I hope to share with you the lessons that I have learnt in my time in the driver's seat :) I invite any other experienced palace owners/builders out there to correct me on any inaccuracies in this document. Just write to me and tell me what it is.
This guide was not written to take away the fun and spontaneity of creating your own palace, rather it aims to minimize potential problems that can crop up in the future.
GETTING STARTED
Starting your own palace is easy. The tools to build your own palace is incorporated in The Palace Client itself. You will need a server to host the palace, however, and that can be run off your own computer or be hosted through another computer. Most people start with their own private server, running off their computer. In days of yore, when Communities.com roamed the earth, a free 8-person capacity server was offered free to everyone who wished to download it. This came with a free 8 person capacity licence and the full single palace server program. This allowed you to start your own palace off your computer, and people could visit your palace by using your ip address.
In today's palace environment, The Palace Server is still available for download. However, the licence is not. But don't let that deter you! There are spare free 8-person licences if you just ask around. If you want something a little less restrictive, ask around some more!
8 person licences will be more than enough for small private palaces. 25 person, 50 person and unlimited person licences also exist, although these were paid for in the past.
Before you start...
Installing the program is easy, What happens afterwards gets a little tricky. There are a few files that you need to know about to run your palace.
pserver.pref
This has all the information about your palace preferences, from the maximum number of people allowed in your palace at one time, to the directory where images are kept. If you are running palace off your computer, you may use the Palace Server program to indirectly edit this file.
pserver.pat
This is your palace in script form. All the pictures, sounds, interactive scripts, and room information is encoded here in iptscrae format. Iptscrae is the scripting language for palace and don't worry if you haven't got a clue what it is. You will soon find out... You use The Palace Client to indirectly edit this file.
Both these files may be edited directly via Notepad or Wordpad. Make sure you save the text in plain text format.
Common teething problems
Where is the image directory?
The default directory is C:Program FilesCommunities.comPalaceServerpalacemedia
You may change this using the Palace Server program to set a different directory for all your backdrops and overlaid gifs.
What's a template?
The free server came bundled with a few nifty looking standard templates to get you started. You have three choices: Fantasy (Spacescapes), Corporate (Convention Center) or Sea Resort Theme. You will find it easier to use these as starting blocks as they also come with simple greeting messages and sometimes animations. Choose anyone of them, then do your own thing.
Is it a big deal if I share someone elses Palace Licence Code?
In days of yore... when bladiblablah... well... way back then, the Palace Licence Code also served as a unique identity for each palace, and was relevant when each palace had their own customizable webpage hosted by the CC website. Now that the website is gone, this problem of unique identities is no longer an issue. However, ethics remains a raging debate in Palace circles. Does sharing a regcode constitute dishonest behaviour? Or is it acceptable because no one is profiting from it anyway? I leave the choice up to you.
Warning from the Surgeon General
If you intend to launch your palace upon the internet void, then you need to know what you're getting into. Depending on how big or how small you imagine your palace to be, your commitment will vary. But note the keyword here: COMMITMENT. Palace is an all engaging past time and can be very addictive indeed (ahem! ahem!). A successful palace demands a lot of time be spent chatting to visitors as well as working in the background on the graphics, scripts and music. Let's also not forget the running costs that can be expensive if you are having the palace hosted commercially.
Say goodbye to your friends, your family and your social life.
You have been warned...
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VIRTUAL PLANNING- Laying Out Your Palace
Your palace starts off as an empty canvas (well... maybe not so empty if you begin with one of the templates). Ultimately it can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish.
Anyone can put in rooms and link them together. To make your palace stand out, you need to structure it well. Think about:
target audience (age groups/specific fan groups etc)
general aims (informative/educational/entertainment etc)
theme (single/multiple/none)
content
Structure
The first question most people ask when visiting your palace will be, "What's it all about?" or "What is the theme?". You may decide to dedicate yourself to one theme or subject; or not at all.
Single theme
A single theme provides consistency throughout your whole palace. It targets specific groups on palace and (depending on the subject you choose) can provide you with a loyal visitor attendance. Naming your palace after your subject matter makes you easier to find. However, a single theme may become too restrictive as your palace grows in size.
Examples of single themed palaces:
EMPIRE (Adults only)
Theme: New York City
The owners of Empire designed their palace to simulate a virtual tour through the streets of New York City. It is geographically accurate (subways included)!
GILLIGAN'S ISLAND
Theme: Gilligan's Island
This palace is devoted to the TV series that everyone knows (unless you've been stranded on a desert island for all of your life). Gilligan's Island features scenic beach scenes and games cleverly modified to suit the theme.
SASSLANDIA
Theme: Vikings
Sasslandia is a witty palace with prominent emphasis on vikings. The graphics are a mix of photographs and cartoons.
Multiple or No themed palaces:
This gives you the greatest freedom to create and expand. However, this is where good structuring is important otherwise, the palace will be just a collection of randomly linked rooms.
Examples of multiple or No themed palaces:
AUBADE
Aubade is a combination of gags, games and scenic tours. It is divided into different sections, each having its own distinctive look and subject. A clever navigation gate takes people to different parts of the palace. Aubade is enjoyable because it has a mix of rooms to chat in and rooms to explore and play in when no one is around.
DIGITAL EXPOSURE
If this palace had a theme at all, I suppose it would be photography. Every single backdrop you see was created by the owner (from taking the original photograph to the computer enhanced result). What you see is an extremely consistent palace in terms of style and quality. Wandering through Digital Exposure is like walking through a surreal world filled with lots of surprises. From a designer's point of view, it features some very innovative palace designs and scripting ideas.
THE WILD AND CRAZY PALACE
This is a great palace featuring a mix of activities and rooms. You will be struck by the sudden and inexplicable appearance of Steve Martin.
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Rooms with a View
Not every room needs to have a clever script. A palace consisting solely of backgrounds is little more than a sideshow while a palace with elaborate animations and scripts in every room commits the sin: Thou shalt not OVERKILL. As always, a combination of simplicity and special effects make an interesting palace.
Here is a list of rooms you might want to include in your palace:
The Gate will be the most used room in your palace as it is the first room people see when they enter your palace. Choose your gate picture wisely - it is the first impression people get of your palace. Avoid cluttering up your gate with buttons and labels - direct people to inner navigation rooms instead. If you wish to animate your gate, make sure that the animation slices are small in terms of file size, otherwise some visitors may crash while attempting to load the gate.
Some palaces place a neat navigation bar at the gate which provides weblink information, announcements and links to navigation rooms. An example of this great idea can be seen at Edge of Heaven.
Simple chat areas consist of, at the very least, a backdrop and one or more doors. Add privacy to some conversation areas by including locks. Add music to some rooms for atmosphere (see Music & Sound for more information)
Navigation rooms direct people to places of interest and bring structure to your palace. You may use a simple list, a virtual map or thumbnails. Using the Label function in palace (done by creating new doors) kills two birds with one stone and is easy to update. But I have had problems with labels (i.e.: doors getting corrupted) due to inherent bugs in the palace program. Too many labels in one room is also unsightly.
Visit Brigadoon for some great examples of navigation rooms using thumbnails.
Tour Rooms give first time visitors a sneak peek to your palace. These can be linked rooms that are already a part of your palace, or special rooms created for a special occasion for e.g.: Halloween Tour, Christmas Tour etc.
Tour rooms can be linked simply with a symbol or label in one corner of the room or they can be automated with more complicated scripts. Visit Ori's Palace Instructions for an example of an automated tour script.
Optional Extras...
Information Rooms are similar to Navigation Rooms. Extremely handy for displaying weblink information, staff (wizard) details and for 1st time visitors to find out more about your palace in general.
Visit the Library of Dreams for an example of an Information Room.
Links Rooms are absolutely essential in this time of palace decline. With the future of palace being uncertain, and new users getting scarcer, you need strong links with other palaces to survive. If you link to people, people will link to you. Getting listed in a directory is important but not very effective at boosting attendance. Direct linking brings more noticable results (especially if you manage to score a link with a high population palace) as does becoming a member of a palacering.
Visit the Palace Rings Links for more information on palacerings available.
Avatar Rooms can be a boon or a bane to your palace. Avatars attract visitors to your palace thereby boosting attendance to your palace. The downside is that people that come purely for avshopping tend to be interested in just the avs. So the increased attendance doesn't always mean a rise in the number of chatters.
To run a successful avatar collection, you need a good avatar team. I say 'team' because the work generated by a decent sized collection will be too much for just one individual. (After all, palace is all about having fun, not just work)
Aim for quality not quantity. A large collection of poor edits is a waste of time, space and effort.
Prop room backdrops should have simple layouts with clear navigation. Avoid garish backgrounds which obliterate avatars. Most commonly used designs incorporate a light coloured panel and a simple navigation panel over a scenic backdrop.
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CHOOSING YOUR WIZARDS
The Wizard or 'operator' helps with the running of a palace. The wizard does not have full control of the palace and depending on the palace he or she is wizzing at, may or may not have scripting privelages.
Some palaces offer limited wizard privelages as a form of 'membership' but for most palaces, it is with trust and regard that one earns access to the wizard password.
Wizards don't need to be technical geniuses - although that can be a bonus. The Palace is a remarkably lay-person friendly program in which people with no IT background or training (i.e.: me) can run a reasonably interesting palace with basic iptscrae knowledge.
Being a wizard opens up a new dimension in palace. Welcome to the world of allscray, iptscrae and palace politics...
Entering the Circle of Trust...
When you agree to take on the role of a wizard, you must realise that this involves a certain amount of commitment. Even if you think that you are a 'mere social wizard' with no talent or knowledge whatsoever, you are still an important part of the team. (I will explain later that there is no such thing as a 'mere social wizard'.)
All wizards should allocate time to spend in the palace that they wiz at - as is limited by real life time constraints. Some palaces demand exclusivity. This means that while you are a wizard at their palace, you cannot wiz elsewhere. This is a reasonable request as it is difficult to wiz at a few palaces and do it all well. It is unfair to the ones that you are neglecting.
However, some owners do not mind at all and it is just courtesy for you to inform them of any other wiz positions you may currently hold (or may hold in the future). This is just to protect you as the palace gossip machine is an ugly thing indeed and it is always nicer to hear about such information from you yourself and not from a third party.
Having said that though... don't neglect your real life in favour of palace! Palace is an escape from the mundane humdrums of daily life... not a replacement for it.
Daily Palace Schedule
9 a.m. Wake up, turn computer on, brush teeth
9.20 - 11.00 a.m. On duty at the Library
11.00 - 11.15 a.m. Shower break
11.16 -12.00 p.m. Back on duty at the Library
12 - 1.30 p.m. Lunch Break
(Reduce to 15 minutes if you grab a packet of Oreos for lunch and munch in front of the computer)
1.30 - 3.00 p.m. Feel guilty for spending so much time at the Library, go keep vigil at Aubade
3 - 6 p.m. Palace hopping out of boredom
6 - 7 p.m. Dinner break (reduce to 1 minute if you decided to finish that packet of Oreos you grabbed for your lunch)
7 - 11 p.m. Dividing time between Aubade and the Library
11 - 12.30 a.m. Av Editing
12.30-12.45 - Toilet Break
12.45 - 3 a.m - Try and cope with palace, surfing and ICQ all at the same time.
3 a.m. SLEEP
Ladies and gentlemen... this is not a healthy lifestyle!
By the way... in case that's what you're thinking... it's NOT mine.
My day never started before noon.
Blazing Saddles
The wizard is given the unique ability to wear a 'star' before his or her name. The star or asterisk (*) can only be worn by people who have activated their wiz privelages. Owners have the option of wearing two asterisks.
The star or badge has its uses. Firstly, it is a symbol of office. Visitors see the star and know that they can page you for any help. Would-be troublemakers may see the star and be properly subdued.
Secondly, you need to don the star before you can use any allscray commands. Without the star, the commands will not work.
Whether you wear the star or not is a personal choice. Some people wear it proudly for the honour that it bestows. Some people don't like the attention that it attracts and prefer to creep around in annonymity while they go about their business.
The A-Team
A good wizard panel has a mix of talents. Different people excel at different things. Wizard duties should be enjoyable and less of a chore. Find one that suits you and your abilities.
I have listed a few common wizard types below. Even though I discuss them seperately, it is not uncommon for one to be working in two or more of these categories.
social wizards
avatar wizards
security wizards
creative wizards
scripting wizards
If you are a new wizard and you are unsure of what you want to do, or how to contribute to your palace, I hope these descriptions can guide you as to what is expected. If you are a new owner looking to assemble your first wizard panel, I hope these descriptions can guide you in what to look for.
Ultimately, each owner has different expectations of their wizard panel. I advise you, as the owner, to make these expectations clear from the start so as to avoid much mincing about and temper tantrums later.
BLOODY FOREIGNERS...
The biggest division in palace is Timezones. While the largest population of palace users come from the USA, there are also people that log in from Europe, Australia and South East Asia.
If you gather together an international wizard panel, you may be lucky enough to have at least one member of your wizard panel overseeing your palace 24 hours a day. (Assuming they do turn up - ahem ahem...you know who you are...)
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