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27-459: GemStone IV is a text-based game built on Simutronics' proprietary engine, the IFE (Interactive Fiction Engine). This engine is capable of changing nearly any aspect of the game on the fly which allows updates without the necessity for downtime . Due to the use of the IFE, GemStone is rarely taken offline, giving a 24-hour uptime cycle aside from the occasional game crash . The GemStone interface

54-434: A CD-ROM from a CD-ROM drive to a CD-Writer drive. The copy process requires each block of data to be retrieved and immediately written to the destination, so that there is room in the working memory to retrieve the next block of data. When used for encrypted data storage, on the fly the data stream is automatically encrypted as it is written and decrypted when read back again, transparently to software. The acronym OTFE

81-495: A US video game magazine that was published by Imagine Media (now Future US ). It was affiliated to and shared content with the UK's Edge magazine. Next Generation ran from January 1995 until January 2002. It was published by Jonathan Simpson-Bint and edited by Neil West. Other editors included Chris Charla, Tom Russo, and Blake Fischer. Next Generation initially covered the 32-bit consoles including 3DO , Atari Jaguar , and

108-907: A follow-up 1993 review, the reviewer wrote that his sojourn in Kulthea was a rewarding experience. He reported receiving help from both built-in commands and other characters and the ability and opportunity for his bard character to sing. The reviewer concluded that "at last, I know why" the game was so popular. In 1997 Next Generation named it as number seven on their "Top 10 Online Game Picks". At its peak (1996), GemStone III had over 2,000 simultaneous users and 1 million play hours per month, large numbers for its era. In 2020 and 2021, GemStone III inspired retrospectives by Elizabeth Landau in Wired and Gizmodo . She noted its ability to facilitate human communication and its similar nature to later MMORPGs and social media . In May 2010, GemStone IV - Shattered

135-557: A license to use the Rolemaster game mechanics and Shadow World environment from Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE). In 1995, Simutronics and ICE agreed to let the business relationship expire, necessitating the removal of all ICE intellectual property from GemStone . Many of the game changes were simply renaming ICE names, such as changing the world name from Kulthea to Elanthia, and renaming the deities while keeping their previous characteristics. Game mechanics were greatly changed with

162-404: A program while it is still running. In restaurants and other places involved in the preparation of food, the term is used to indicate that an order needs to be made right away. In colloquial use, "on the fly" means something created when needed. The phrase is used to mean: In the automotive industry, the term refers to the circumstance of performing certain operations while a vehicle is driven by

189-442: A user-specific setting of these basic components is made. Accordingly, the requested services are compiled only at the request of the user and then run in a specially designed data center to make the user the functions of the (on-the-fly) created service accessible. In restaurants, cafes, banquet halls, and other places involved in the preparation of food, the term is used to indicate that an order needs to be made right away. This

216-415: Is done by switching from an active window (or an object playing similar role) of a particular software piece to another one but of another software. A computer can compute results on the fly, or retrieve a previously stored result. It can mean to make a copy of a removable media ( CD-ROM , DVD , etc.) directly, without first saving the source on an intermediate medium (a harddisk ); for example, copying

243-401: Is often because a previously-served dish is inedible, because a waiter has made a mistake or delayed, or because a guest has to leave promptly. In ice hockey , it is both legal and common for teams to make line changes (player substitutions) when the puck is in play. Such line changes are referred to as being done "on the fly". Next Generation (magazine) Next Generation was

270-544: Is simply a text stream, and the game can be played with a Telnet interface after authentication. There are several official interfaces to the game, as well as several unofficial ones. The oldest interface for Windows is called the "Wizard Front End" and offers several useful features such as status readouts, macros, and limited scripting abilities. The Wizard has since been superseded with the "StormFront" Front End introduced in 2003, which itself has been rebranded as "Wrayth" in 2022. Wrayth offers several additional extensions to

297-424: Is still driving. Processes that can occur while the car is still driving include switching between two wheel drive and four wheel drive on some cars and opening and closing the roof on some convertible cars. In computing, on the fly CD writers can read from one CD and write the data to another without saving it on a computer's memory. Switching programs or applications on the fly in multi-tasking operating systems means

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324-434: Is typically used. On-the-fly programming is the technique of modifying a program without stopping it. A similar concept, hot swapping , refers to on-the-fly replacement of computer hardware. On-the-fly computing (OTF computing) is about automating and customizing software tailored to the needs of a user. According to a requirement specification, this software is composed of basic components, so-called basic services, and

351-468: The UK-based sister magazine to Next-Gen. In July 2008, Next-Gen.biz was rebranded as Edge-Online.com. Next Generation ' s content did not focus on screenshots , walkthroughs , and cheat codes . Instead the content was more focused on game development from an artistic perspective. Interviews with people in the video game industry often featured questions about gaming in general rather than about

378-404: The ability to switch between native and/or emulated programs or applications that are still running and running in parallel while performing their tasks or processes, but without pausing, freezing, or delaying any, or other unwanted events. Switching computer parts on the fly means computer parts are replaced while the computer is still running. It can also be used in programming to describe changing

405-492: The credit or responsibility for each article and review, even those written by individuals. The review ranking system was based on a number of stars (1 through 5) that ranked games based on their merits overall compared to what games were already out there. Next Generation had a few editorial sections like "The Way Games Ought To Be" (originally written every month by game designer Chris Crawford ) that would attempt to provide constructive criticism on standard practices in

432-557: The de-ICEing (as the period is colloquially named), which required every game character to undergo significant changes. Character racial and class choices were also changed, making any direct translation between the two systems difficult. The end result was that every character was required to "re-roll" their character with the option to change race and skills, but maintaining their old experience level, class, and equipment. GemStone became available on AOL in September, 1995, just after

459-427: The de-ICEing process. It had already become available on CompuServe and Prodigy before that. When AOL switched to flat-rate pricing, GemStone did over 1.4 million customer-hours in a single month and was attracting 2,000-2,500 simultaneous players. Simutronics launched a web portal in 1997, and started phasing customers off of the online services and onto the web interface, although it would take several years before

486-531: The details of the latest game or game system they were working on. Next Generation was first published prior to the North American launch of the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation , and much of the early content was in anticipation of those consoles. Apart from the regular columns , the magazine did not use bylines . The editors explained that they felt the magazine's entire staff should share

513-428: The engine and moving. In reference to four-wheel drive vehicles, this term describes the ability to change from two to four-wheel drive while the car is in gear and moving. In some convertible models, the roof can be folded electrically on the fly, whereas in other cases the car must be stopped. In harvesting machines, newer monitoring systems let the driver track the quality of the grain, while enabling them to adjust

540-529: The environment, but not all, and character records were not maintained over the transition, requiring all players to begin anew. GemStone III evolved into GemStone IV in November 2003, but the game world and character records were maintained over the transition. GemStone III was promoted on GEnie by promising players the opportunity to receive real-life versions of gems found in-game, something that persisted for many years. GemStone originally operated with

567-489: The game, including a "point and click" interface that allows one to click on text within the game and bring up action menus applicable to that portion of text. The Java FE and a browser-based version named "eScape" are less popular alternatives. A Wizard (similar to the Windows version) also exists for Macintosh Classic , while a Front End named "Avalon" is available for Mac OS X . No official Linux client exists. GemStone

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594-470: The last of the online service portals were closed. Computer Gaming World in 1991 stated that Gemstone III was a good example of the best and worst aspects of online play. The reviewer liked the game's community aspect and well-written prose, but criticized the poor parser, "surprisingly empty" game environment and—given the per-minute charge—lack of a free tutorial, and concluded that "the present incarnation of on-line games doesn't quite work for him". In

621-564: The rotor speed on the fly as harvesting progresses. In multitasking computing an operating system can handle several programs, both native applications or emulated software, that are running independent, parallel, together in the same time in the same device, using separated or shared resources and/or data, executing their tasks separately or together, while a user can switch on the fly between them or groups of them to use obtained effects or supervise purposes, without waste of time or waste of performance. In operating systems using GUI very often it

648-410: The then-still unreleased Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn . Unlike competitors GamePro and Electronic Gaming Monthly , the magazine was directed towards a different readership by focusing on the industry itself rather than individual games. The magazine was first published by GP Publications up until May 1995 when the publisher rebranded as Imagine Media . In September 1999, Next Generation

675-571: Was first demonstrated to GEnie in 1987 before Simutronics was officially incorporated. It was only used as a demonstration model and was never available to the general subscribers. GemStone ][ was released in April 1988 to GEnie customers. However, GemStone ][ was very short-lived, and GemStone III went into open beta testing in December 1989, officially launching on February 1, 1990. The transition from "][" to "III" maintained significant portions of

702-433: Was redesigned, and its cover name shortened NextGen . A year later, in September 2000, the magazine's width was increased from its standard 8 inches to 9 inches. This wider format lasted less than a year. The brand was resurrected in 2005 by Future Publishing USA as an industry-led website, Next-Gen.biz. It carried much the same articles and editorial as the print magazine, and reprinted many articles from Edge ,

729-425: Was released by Simutronics. It allows unrestricted player-vs-player combat and has no policy against automated play. On the fly On the fly is a phrase used to describe something that is being changed while the process that the change affects is ongoing. It is used in the automotive, computer, and culinary industries. In cars, on the fly can be used to describe the changing of the cars configuration while it

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