Adding Years

[awiiya]

Okay, the other day I was thinking of when I planted my Maple seed, and I noticed that I really wish we had Magic Duel years to go along with our Days.

I could use 2009, but I don't really want to. Is this Magic Duel Year 3? Year 4? It would be a great addition.

Awi

[Kafuuka]

I've often wondered how people count the days if the sun doesn't set at a fixed frequency. But if you want years, I vote to call this one the year of the wilderwind. Next year can be the year of the drachorn etc. It keeps more mystery and fantasy feel to it, and you don't have to add a zero point to it, nor 200X.

[Ivorak]

Awiiya, I thought the same thing long ago, before the ancient lore was unveiled as a false history. I even wrote an article on it.

[quote]Marking Time

Measuring time aids in many aspects of life. Without a simple way to measure time, arrangements for any meeting would require great forethought and planning. Luckily, in these realms we have a simple universal system, a clock that tells us the hour in 24 hour time. This solves the problem of measurement for short periods of time, but what about years or even decades?

There is a simple solution. The implementation of a calendar era, or year numbering system, would allow the telling of time in more exact increments, useful when the time exceeds more than a few years. Of course, all calendar eras must have an epoch, the point from which time is measured. So what event should we use as our epoch?

Stormrunner has suggested that each land have its own epoch. Ideally, each land's epoch would be based on a central epoch, which through mathematical manipulation the other epochs could be reached. This "base" epoch could be the time that MagicDuel went online, as suggested by MalichiW.

The lands' own epochs would be points of significance in the history of each land. GlorDamar has suggested that these dates should have occurred long ago, so that at the time of the epoch the occurrence of night and day was expected, giving a basis for the measurement of days and years.

Upon discussing the idea of a calendar era with Renavoid and Logan Marquis, resistance to this idea first became apparent. They have a valid point; this system, while perhaps useful, would be difficult to implement. Its use would have to be widespread, for one, and the translation of different lands' systems would require an expenditure of time. Seeing as one of the purposes of a calendar era is saving time and hassle this is not ideal. It is not quite as simple a solution as it first seemed.

Rather, Renavoid discussed the idea of periods of time, based partly on the chapters of the Adventure Log and partly on major events in the deeper history of the realms. Such a system would add a loose structure to the understanding of the passage of time. It would not be exact, but then again, history is often inaccurate anyway.

Personally, I favor Renavoid's suggestions, but the implementation of a calendar era would also be a joyous moment for me. Let us learn from the past by studying it well, but at the very least, let us not forget it.
[/quote]

Kafuuka, your suggestion is nearly perfect, and I wish I could of thought about it that way long ago.

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Winderwild? Also, this may be something you older players know, how long is a year in MD?

[awiiya]

I assumed it would be 365 days, because that is how long it takes for a person to gain the full age counter limit.

Awi

[Fenrir Greycloth]

Ibelieve we should hold a competition for this... To name the first year. I don't know if we should name the previous years or not... But I am thinking something should identify which age/year we came from. Perhaps a small design on our profile? Where our age markers are since the age marker stops counting at a year?

[Chewett]

[quote name='Fenrir Greycloth' date='31 August 2009 - 05:15 PM' timestamp='1251735326' post='40535']
Ibelieve we should hold a competition for this... To name the first year. I don't know if we should name the previous years or not... But I am thinking something should identify which age/year we came from. Perhaps a small design on our profile? Where our age markers are since the age marker stops counting at a year?
[/quote]

Does that mean i can say i am before time began?

i like something with a number, so i know immediatly how long ago it was

It it was year of the Dracorn i will then have to either look up or remember what year number that is. I prefer numbers to names. Or perhaps we use both

[awiiya]

Yes, I don't see why we can't use both.

Year 3 - Year of the Grasan.

Awi

[Prince Marvolo]

And monthly things... Like uhm... Horoscopes?
Could be fun..

[awiiya]

I thought horoscopes were supposed to be provided by MDNP?

Awi

[Prince Marvolo]

I ment Md-like stuff...

[Kafuuka]

It just occurred to me that it would be puntastic for 2008 to be the year of the jester.
As for horoscopes, you could base them on years or months or something new. The idea of having months in MD feels odd to me though, the way the moon works here.

[I am Bored]

the age counters stop at 2 years not 1 year.

[awiiya]

How would we know, IAB? No one has reached it yet? Unless you do some coding and tricky magic.

Awi

[Chewett]

[quote name='awiiya' date='02 September 2009 - 12:16 AM' timestamp='1251846968' post='40721']
How would we know, IAB? No one has reached it yet? Unless you do some coding and tricky magic.

Awi
[/quote]

Magic, And trust him. He is correct. Iv checked

[Akasha]

As far as i know, the diamond appears when you have 1 year, that means the counter stops there. Or this was not the question? sorry then, my bad

[Chewett]

The topic has degraded a little. So the question is.

What timeline in years do we have?

Do we have Years from the Game started? A Name Year? or Perhaps a combination of both?

[Akasha]

As i remember, this letter confirms , we have years , we are in year 4th :
[b]
"Letter found this morning , day 100 or the 4th year (11 April, year 2009, modern time) on the Loreroot High Council table."[/b]

http://md-archives.com/articles/120/1/LR-vs-GG-War-and-Retirement-of-Knator-Commander/Page1.html


There is also the announcement :

"[color="#cccccc"][2009-04-14 01:39:08 - Alpha 8][/color]
[b]PARTY! PARTY! PARTY![/b]
MagicDuel cellebrates [b]today 4 years[/b] ..well actualy many more since the first plan was put on paper but 4 years since magicduel.com saw the internet first time. We will be cellebrating this for four days, one for every year, so if you are still dizzy from the recent festival, get fresh fast because you are about to party again .
Happy birthday everyone!"

[awiiya]

Oh good! That answers my question. Thank you Akasha.

Would it be too hard to post what year we were in somewhere?

Awi

[Chewett]

[i]That would be much too complicated to do [/i] *cough* scarcasm *cough*

I wonder what would would think. it would be easier to remember older dates.

[Akasha]

err...as the announcement and the letter says : 2009 = year 4th, that means we are on year 4 th

[awiiya]

I realize, but is it possible that we could post it next to the Day Count, so that people who don't read through all the announcements (or have forgotten, like me) would have a quick way of knowing?

Awi

Edited September 4, 2009 by awiiya

[Akasha]

Will ask.

[awiiya]

Thank you Akasha!

Awi

[Fenrir Greycloth]

Incase anyone didn't notice, the Year has been added next to the server time.