Welcome to my most humble Home Page. I've been working on it on and off for almost two years now. I've learned a lot. And am eager to learn more. I'm really excited by Javascript. But haven't had much time to read/learn more about it. It seems capable of performing many amazing things without requiring a high level of programming expertise. If you've found something amongst my web pages that has helped or entertained you in some way then I've done what I've set out to do. I'll keep plugging away at the site. Hoping to improve and expand it until it's complete. Yeah Right!
Robert L. Vaessen
This listing is an archive of the What's New entries from 1996.
Mon, Dec 23, 1996
- I had an extra day off. I wish I had one tomorrow off. :-( Working operations shift work is not the greatest. I sure do like my 4 day breaks though! :-) I did get some work done on this free day off. Yes, I do have a life. I don't spend all my free time working on my Home Pages. The main thrust of the changes I made this revision, were to further protect myself from lawsuits by T$R. I'm not at all concerned that I might be sued by some other game companies. Just T$R. Oh yeah; I buy their products. I love the game, I think that most of their products are very well done. But I despise their policies as regards the internet. And I dislike their marketting strategies, and greedy, backstabbing, evil corporate practices in general. I wish they were more friendly towards their true constituency. Us! The people who buy their games. I'd better calm down a bit...
If you would like to find out what all the fuss is about point your browser at one of the TSR Copyright debate pages. I'm sure it will be an enlightening experience.
It's a good thing I have that freeware version of BBEdit lite 3.5. I certainly made extensive use of it while creating/editing my pages. It's extensive find/replace features are awesome!. Haven't used the HTML extensions yet.
- I made some changes to the complete equipment listing armor tables.
- Updated, and corrected some entries on the miscellaneous equipment table.
- Created a new page of rules concerning Defensive/Protective ratings.
- Made a graphic banner for that page.
- Updated the actual Complete Equipment Listing page. To reflect changes with the tables, etc.
- Added some links to the TSR Copyright debate pages.
- Touched up, and corrected a few problems on some of the pages.
Wed, Dec 11, 1996
- I did a little fiddling with my home page today. The neatest thing I did was put an animated gif sequence on my Campaign page. I created the image myself. Which is pretty cool If I do say so. I like it! I also added the gifnote explanation that this link takes you to. I've decided that from now on my WhatsNew page (This page) will have links to what is actually new. (See link to animation above). I also made my first trip to weblint. The HTML Validation/checker. I guess I still have alot to learn...
Sun, Dec 08, 1996
- I completed a large amount of work on a day off. The most significant change was to my Complete Equipment Listing. As you'll note in the previous entry I created a scrollable equipment listing using frames. Well, I wasn't completely satisfied with the framed version of the complete equipment listing. For two reasons. 1. It is only supported by Netscape Browsers, and more importantly; I could not get mutiple columns of the listing to scroll simultaneously. After posting my dilema/question on USENET (comp.infosystems.www.authoring.html) I received several replies, recomendations, and suggestions. The result of all that input led me to realize that I could not achieve what I wanted, by using frames, at this time. So I totally redesigned the Complete Equipment Listing. It is now based on several different tables. Each of which contains a sparate category of equipment. Below is a synapsis of what I achieved this time around.
It's a good thing I have a spreadsheet. I certainly made extensive use of it while creating/editing all those tables.
- Revised/re-designed the Complete Equipment Listing. (see above).
- Changed the graphical banner for the Complete equipment listing twice.
- Altered the wording on the Die rolling rules banner graphic.
- Added an animated gif, and a credits link for it.
- Had lots of trouble with background colors, and images.
- Touched up, and corrected a few problems on some of the pages.
- Added the HTML extensions to my BBEdit lite software.
Mon, Dec 02, 1996
- I managed to get quite a Large amount of work done recently. The most important, and complex addition to my Site was the complete equipment list. Yes that's right, I finally completed that link. There is now a fully functional, scrollable equipment list on my home page. Here's a list of what I accomplished as of this date.
- Completed the Reknown score/attribute page. Including a graphic header.
- Completed the Complete equipment listing. There is now a scrolling framed listing of all the equipment available to players in my campaign. Please take advantage of it. I'm sure you'll find some interesting items in there. A rubber wetsuit?, Parachutes!
- I created and completed a new page. The Guilds page. Complete with graphic header. Added the guilds link to the campaign page.
- Completed the mixed chart saving throw page. Actually it's more than just saving throws. It's a bunch of rules regarding die rolling that any GM would be interested in. I think I'll change the wording on the graphics header at some later date.
- Completed the Player knowledge page. This rule started out as a way to overcome the problem of Player vs Character knowledge when it came to monsters. It turns out the rule could be used for other things as well. The graphics banner has a slight defect which I'll fix later.
- Added a bit about my campaign in general to the realms page.
- Of course I updated my links, and made a few minor changes to some other pages.
Sun, Nov 24, 1996
- Medium amount of upgrades, changes, and additions. I finally figured out how to get background images and colors to work. I don't know why they wouldn't work for me the first few times around. Probably had greater than symbol in the wrong place. Who knows.
In either case, heres the work I got done.
- trimmed my robhdr.gif so it looked pretty with my background.
- Added background image, and color to my front door (index.html).
- Changed the color of links on my main page (index.html).
- Completed the clone page. Including a graphic header. I think i'll change the header a bit though. (something to do later)
Sat, Nov 16, 1996
- Very minor upgrade. All I changed/added was the e-mail to me reference on the index.html page. You can still use the old e-mail address as well. I also added a blurb about what editor I've been using.
Sat, Nov 09, 1996
- More major work completed over this break. I managed to update, or touch upon every page. Specifically I completed the following work.
- Added a graphics header to the calendar pages.
- Learned how to use my browser to perform non-anonymous FTP's to my html directory on my web server.
- Updated the calendar pages.
- Updated the equipment pages.
- Added some graphics links to the equipment page.
- Updated the small map on the peninsula page.
- Added the coins page. Complete rules regarding currency.
- Added the Spell rules page. Large document covering all aspects of spell casting.
Tue, Nov 05, 1996
- Fairly in depth work and corrections were carried out. Thanks to those who pointed out the problems with some documents.
- Added links on the Realms page to maps of Kelvarig Peninsula.
- Corrected problems with the trademark page. (Banner graphic wasn't loading).
- Corrected contextual/mathematical errors in the reagents rules.
- Created a new Rob's world graphics banner for the Realms page.
Sat, Nov 02, 1996
- Major work completed over this break. I managed to update, or touch upon
every page. Specifically I completed the following work.
- Added pop-up java script alerts to the main page, and one other page. Pretty neat.
- Upgraded to a new browser version.
- Added a graphics banner to the Trademark page.
- Added two (or was it three?) new categories to the "Rob's World" campaign page.
- Added & completed the Realms page. Which includes a graphic banner that I'm not particularly happy with. I'll probably change that.
- Bought a hefty HTML "how to" book. I learned most of my HTML expertise on a firewalled LAN back when I was stationed at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. I didn't have abook back then but I had plenty of help sitting right beside me, and a really fast connection to a closed network full of really neat stuff. Now I'm stationed in a out of the way place with very few people, lot's less free time at work, and no personal web page. As a result I've had to buy a couple HTML books. One comprehensive "how to" manual. And one reference.
- Moved some stuff from the calendar page to the realms page.
- Added a complete, indexed, printable calender link to the calendar page.
- Added & nearly completed the complete equipment listing. I still have to add the actual equipment database. I'm sure that will take me a while to figure out. Oh, and i'll have to go into the database and sanitize it so that it is useable in any Fantasy Role Playing Campaign. Thanks T$R! (Like it wasn't already).
- There's a lot of new stuff on that equipment list. Including rules on the procurement of spell reagents. Check it out.
- Completed the currency page/listing/link on the "Rob's World" campaign page. This isn't completely done. I plan to add more information about currency later on. Including images of what the coins in my campaign look like.
- Completed the trade bar page/listing/link on the "Rob's World" campaign page.
- Added this "What's New" Page.
- Did a lot of tweaking and adjusting of alot of pages.
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Author: Robert L. Vaessen e-mail: 
Last Updated: Sun, Dec 31, 2000 8:45 AM