Music Composition - Revision history

Adam ant at 17:30, 6 November 2026

2026-11-06T17:30:02Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:30, 6 November 2026
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	=== Music Recorder ===		=== Music Recorder ===
	The Music Recorder ~~captures~~ a ~~Razor performance~~ into a composition book, ~~making~~ it ~~easier to~~ edit ~~than pasting scripts manually~~.		The Music Recorder writes a song into a composition book while you perform it. Play your song once, the way you already play it (a Razor script, or typing [play lines and lyrics yourself), and the recorder writes every line into the book, with the pauses between them. You get a composition you can edit, preview, and transcribe into [[Sheet Music]], without copying your script into the book by hand.

	~~# Enter [MusicRecorder start.~~		'''You need:''' a music composition book in your backpack (bards sell them). The recording replaces everything in the book, so use a new one or one you don't need.
	~~# Play~~ your ~~Razor script~~.
	~~# Enter [MusicRecorder stop.~~
	~~# Target~~ a ~~blank composition book~~.

	A script ~~might contain~~:		# Enter '''[MusicRecorder start'''. You are now recording.
			# Perform your song: run your Razor script, or type your [play lines and say your lyrics.
			# Enter '''[MusicRecorder stop'''. You are asked to target a composition book.
			# Target the book. Open it to see your song.

			'''What is recorded'''
			* Every [play line you play, as <code>say '[play ...'</code>.
			* Everything you say, as lyrics: <code>say '...'</code>.
			* The time between two lines, as <code>wait</code> (in milliseconds, rounded down to the nearest 100; pauses under 100 milliseconds are left out).
			* Your settings at the top of the book: instrument, Prefetch, NewTimer, Timer, Tempo and ConcertMode. If you change one while recording (for example [play instrument lapharp), the book gets the new setting.
			Only your own lines are recorded, not other players' music or speech.

			'''An example.''' Recording this Razor script:

	say '[play -e 0.21 -fs b +eh 0.22 -e +eh 0.21 -g b +eh 0.21'		say '[play -e 0.21 -fs b +eh 0.22 -e +eh 0.21 -g b +eh 0.21'
	say '♪ Take my money,'		say '♪ Take my money,'
	wait 1400		wait 1400
			say '[play -e 0.21 -fs b +eh 0.22'

			writes this into the book (with the default settings):

			# Instrument: Harp
			# Prefetch: False
			# NewTimer: False
			# Timer: Classic
			# Tempo: 100
			# ConcertMode: False
			say '[play -e 0.21 -fs b +eh 0.22 -e +eh 0.21 -g b +eh 0.21'
			say '! Take my money,'
			wait 1400
			say '[play -e 0.21 -fs b +eh 0.22'

	~~The recorder captures [play~~ and ~~spoken lyrics~~, ~~and estimates waits rounded down to the nearest 100 milliseconds. Recording keeps~~ the book~~'s full size~~, ~~leaving the remaining pages blank for edits; a recording longer than the book is cut off~~, ~~with a message~~. ~~Review recorded~~ waits before publishing. If ~~waits~~ are consistently ~~excessive~~, try another client or assistant; Razor bundled with the Angel Island Launcher has generally been responsive.		Then add <code># Song:</code> and <code># Author:</code> lines at the top, [[#Preview Without Using Paper\|preview]] the book, fix anything you want, and transcribe it.

			'''Good to know'''
			* Recorded waits are as your client and assistant sent the lines, so check them before publishing. If they are consistently too long, try another client or assistant; the Razor bundled with the Angel Island Launcher has generally been responsive.
			* A ♪ in a lyric is written as ! (some clients crash on ♪ in a book).
			* A book holds 96 pages (768 lines). A longer recording fills the book, the rest is left out, and you are told. Songs that long are better written with [[#Advanced Composition: Sections and Repeats\|sections and repeats]], or across [[#Songs in Several Books\|several books]].
			* A recording over 1,024 lines is stopped.
			* [MusicRecorder start again starts a new recording; the one in progress is discarded.
			* Target the book when asked: the recording ended with [MusicRecorder stop, and targeting anything else loses it.

	=== Sheet Music ===		=== Sheet Music ===
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	=== Music Box ===		=== Music Box ===
	~~[[File~~:musicbox1.png~~\|thumb\|Music Box]]~~		https://game-master.net/images/wiki/musicbox/musicbox1.png

	The [[Music Box]] is a luxury music player for homeowners. It supports spoken commands and lets players sample, purchase, and enjoy compositions by other musicians.		The [[Music Box]] is a luxury music player for homeowners. It supports spoken commands and lets players sample, purchase, and enjoy compositions by other musicians.

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	[play cl 0.1 d 0.1 e		[play cl 0.1 d 0.1 e

	~~[[File~~:musicbox14.png~~\|thumb\|Timing illustration]]~~		https://game-master.net/images/wiki/musicbox/musicbox14.png

	Tempo determines the default note spacing. Prefetch controls whether an explicit pause begins without adding the default delay. Thus you can play closely spaced notes with Prefetch enabled:		Tempo determines the default note spacing. Prefetch controls whether an explicit pause begins without adding the default delay. Thus you can play closely spaced notes with Prefetch enabled:

Adam ant at 16:54, 4 November 2026

2026-11-04T16:54:27Z

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Adam ant at 20:36, 2 November 2026

2026-11-02T20:36:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:36, 2 November 2026
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	== Composing, Recording and Sharing ==		== Composing, Recording and Sharing ==
			=== MidiToAIMS — Convert MIDI Files ===

			'''[[MidiToAIMS]]''' is a free Windows tool that converts MIDI files into AIMS compositions. Instead of transcribing every note by hand, musicians can start with an existing MIDI file and refine the resulting arrangement in a music composition book.

			MidiToAIMS handles the initial transcription, instrument selection, timing, and division into composition books. Musicians remain in control of the arrangement, with options to adjust instruments, tracks, octaves, and note density.

			Once imported, the composition follows the same process as any other: preview it, edit it, transcribe it to [[Sheet Music]], and publish it through the [[Music Box]].

			'''[[MidiToAIMS\|Download MidiToAIMS and learn how to use it]].'''
	=== Music Recorder ===		=== Music Recorder ===
	The Music Recorder captures a Razor performance into a composition book, making it easier to edit than pasting scripts manually.		The Music Recorder captures a Razor performance into a composition book, making it easier to edit than pasting scripts manually.

Adam ant at 12:11, 31 October 2026

2026-10-31T12:11:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:11, 31 October 2026
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	wait 1400		wait 1400

	The recorder captures [play and spoken lyrics, and estimates waits rounded down to the nearest 100 milliseconds. Review recorded waits before publishing. If waits are consistently excessive, try another client or assistant; Razor bundled with the Angel Island Launcher has generally been responsive.		The recorder captures [play and spoken lyrics, and estimates waits rounded down to the nearest 100 milliseconds. Recording keeps the book's full size, leaving the remaining pages blank for edits; a recording longer than the book is cut off, with a message. Review recorded waits before publishing. If waits are consistently excessive, try another client or assistant; Razor bundled with the Angel Island Launcher has generally been responsive.

	=== Sheet Music ===		=== Sheet Music ===
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	== Advanced Composition: Sections and Repeats ==		== Advanced Composition: Sections and Repeats ==
	Sections and repeats let you write a musical passage once and reuse it throughout a composition. They are especially helpful for verses, choruses, accompaniment, and songs approaching the ~~100~~-page ~~composition-book~~ limit.		Sections and repeats let you write a musical passage once and reuse it throughout a composition. They are especially helpful for verses, choruses, accompaniment, and songs approaching the composition book's 96-page limit (see [[#Songs in Several Books\|Songs in Several Books]]).

	Section markers are comment lines in the composition book. Razor and ordinary [play commands ignore them, so the musical lines remain Razor-compatible. AIMS expands the arrangement before previewing or transcription.		Section markers are comment lines in the composition book. Razor and ordinary [play commands ignore them, so the musical lines remain Razor-compatible. AIMS expands the arrangement before previewing or transcription.
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	* Sections and repeats may be nested, including sections that play other sections, up to eight levels deep.		* Sections and repeats may be nested, including sections that play other sections, up to eight levels deep.
	* Repeat and play counts range from x1 to x99.		* Repeat and play counts range from x1 to x99.
	* A composition may expand to at most 20,000 lines once its sections and repeats are written out.		* A composition may expand to at most 2,000 lines and 64 KB once its sections and repeats are written out (the longest songs written so far are about 250 lines and 17 KB).
	* Each marker must occupy its own line; do not append one to a say line.		* Each marker must occupy its own line; do not append one to a say line.
	* Unrecognized # lines remain comments, such as # Verse 1, # Play softly here, and # End of verse.		* Unrecognized # lines remain comments, such as # Verse 1, # Play softly here, and # End of verse.
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	=== Transcribing and Troubleshooting ===		=== Transcribing and Troubleshooting ===
	Transcription still works as before: double-click manuscript paper and target your composition book. AIMS expands sections and repeats into the full arrangement on the resulting sheet. The compact composition and the same music written out in full have the same song identity (hash). Older books without section markers continue to transcribe normally.		Transcription still works as before: double-click manuscript paper and target your composition book. The song is named by its # Song: and # Author: lines, or, without them, by the title and author written on the book itself. AIMS expands sections and repeats into the full arrangement on the resulting sheet. The compact composition and the same music written out in full have the same song identity (hash). Older books without section markers continue to transcribe normally.

	If AIMS finds a structural mistake, transcription stops without consuming the paper. Up to five errors appear in red, followed by a count of any remaining errors. Messages identify the page and line and may suggest a correction:		If AIMS finds a structural mistake, transcription stops without consuming the paper. Up to five errors appear in red, followed by a count of any remaining errors. Messages identify the page and line and may suggest a correction:
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	page 37: '# Play: Brige' - no section named "Brige" (did you mean "Bridge"?)		page 37: '# Play: Brige' - no section named "Brige" (did you mean "Bridge"?)

	The checks include unknown or duplicate sections, missing or mismatched endings, unmatched repeats, sections played before being closed, self-references, invalid counts, malformed marker placement, excessive nesting, and compositions that expand beyond 20,000 lines.		The checks include unknown or duplicate sections, missing or mismatched endings, unmatched repeats, sections played before being closed, self-references, invalid counts, malformed marker placement, excessive nesting, and compositions that expand beyond 2,000 lines or 64 KB.

			=== Songs in Several Books ===
			A composition book holds at most 96 pages. This is a limit of the game client, not of the server: the client draws an entire book as one image, and a book much larger than 100 pages crashes the client when it is opened. Sheet music itself has no page limit, so a song too long for one book can be written across several books and transcribed into a single sheet.

			This is optional. A song that fits in one book needs nothing new, and sections often make a long song fit in one book.

			To split a song, begin every book with the song's title and the book's place in the song:

			# Song: Lanterns at the Hearth
			# Book: 1/3

			The second book begins with # Song: Lanterns at the Hearth and # Book: 2/3, and the third with # Book: 3/3. Then:

			* Keep all of the books together in your backpack or in one bag.
			* Target any one of them with manuscript paper, [play preview, or the book's context menu: AIMS reads all of the books in order and makes one song.
			* Put the song's settings (# Author:, # Instrument:, # Timer: and so on) in book 1. Later books need only # Song: and # Book:.
			* A section can be played from any later book. A useful pattern is to make book 1 your library of silent sections (verse, chorus, riffs) and write the song itself in the following books as # Play: lines. Because a section must be written before it is played, the library goes in the first book, not the last.
			* A song may span up to nine books.

			If a book is missing, appears twice, or the books disagree on the count, AIMS says which book and transcribes nothing. Mistakes inside the books name the book and page:

			book 3, page 1: '# Play: Chorsu' - no section named "Chorsu" (did you mean "Chorus"?)

	== Player Settings and Commands ==		== Player Settings and Commands ==

Adam ant at 23:43, 30 October 2026

2026-10-30T23:43:25Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:43, 30 October 2026
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	== Getting Started ==		== Getting Started ==
	Anyone can use [play — no Musicianship or other skill is required. No physical instrument is required either: AIMS supplies a virtual harp, lap harp, or lute. Sound effects (the + numbers) require ~~1000 music karma~~; type [play musickarma to see yours.		Anyone can use [play — no Musicianship or other skill is required. No physical instrument is required either: AIMS supplies a virtual harp, lap harp, or lute. Sound effects (the + numbers) require 1,000 Music Karma; type [play musickarma to see yours.

	The basic command is:		The basic command is:
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	* Define and close a section before using # Play on it.		* Define and close a section before using # Play on it.
	* Sections and repeats may be nested, including sections that play other sections, up to eight levels deep.		* Sections and repeats may be nested, including sections that play other sections, up to eight levels deep.
	* Repeat counts range from x1 to x99.		* Repeat and play counts range from x1 to x99.
			* A composition may expand to at most 20,000 lines once its sections and repeats are written out.
	* Each marker must occupy its own line; do not append one to a say line.		* Each marker must occupy its own line; do not append one to a say line.
	* Unrecognized # lines remain comments, such as # Verse 1, # Play softly here, and # End of verse.		* Unrecognized # lines remain comments, such as # Verse 1, # Play softly here, and # End of verse.
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	# Enter [play preview.		# Enter [play preview.
	# Target the composition book in your backpack.		# Target the composition book (in your backpack, or within two tiles).
	# Enter [play preview again to stop.		# Enter [play preview again to stop.

	Preview plays the expanded arrangement just as sheet music would, without consuming manuscript paper. While a preview is active, other [play commands explain how to stop it. On shards with ~~book~~ context menus, single-click ~~the~~ book and choose Start ~~Preview~~; while ~~playing~~, ~~choose~~ Stop ~~Preview~~.		Preview plays the expanded arrangement just as sheet music would, without consuming manuscript paper. While a preview is active, other [play commands explain how to stop it.

			On shards with context menus, single-click a composition book in your backpack and choose '''Start''' to preview it; while it plays, the menu offers '''Stop'''.

	=== Transcribing and Troubleshooting ===		=== Transcribing and Troubleshooting ===
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	page 37: '# Play: Brige' - no section named "Brige" (did you mean "Bridge"?)		page 37: '# Play: Brige' - no section named "Brige" (did you mean "Bridge"?)

	The checks include unknown or duplicate sections, missing or mismatched endings, unmatched repeats, sections played before being closed, self-references, invalid counts, malformed marker placement, ~~and~~ excessive nesting.		The checks include unknown or duplicate sections, missing or mismatched endings, unmatched repeats, sections played before being closed, self-references, invalid counts, malformed marker placement, excessive nesting, and compositions that expand beyond 20,000 lines.

	== Player Settings and Commands ==		== Player Settings and Commands ==
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	==== Classic ====		==== Classic ====
	Classic is the original Angel Island timer (2006). It uses a fixed 100-millisecond tick. Notes written together play sequentially, giving a strummed rather than simultaneous-chord effect. Pauses are rounded to 100 milliseconds. Classic is suitable for simple melodies, manual play, and older compositions. It ignores Tempo and Prefetch.		Classic is the original Angel Island timer (2006). It uses a fixed 100-millisecond tick. Notes written together play sequentially, giving a strummed rather than simultaneous-chord effect. Pauses are rounded up to the next 100 milliseconds. Classic is suitable for simple melodies, manual play, and older compositions. It ignores Tempo and Prefetch.

	[play timer classic		[play timer classic
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	=== [play Reset ===		=== [play Reset ===
	Resets the player to its defaults: Harp, Classic (NewTimer False), Prefetch False, Tempo 100.		Resets the player to its defaults: Harp, Classic (NewTimer False), Prefetch False, Tempo 100, Chatter True, ConcertMode False, Volume 20. Your macros are kept.

	=== [play + (Sound Effects) ===		=== [play + (Sound Effects) ===
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	=== [play Chatter ===		=== [play Chatter ===
	[play chatter ~~true~~		[play chatter false

	Enables or disables the ''~~Plays~~ a tune'' emote. Default: ~~False~~.		Enables or disables the ''plays a tune'' emote when you begin playing. With Chatter on, the Classic timer also warns you about repeated notes that may not play. Default: True.

	=== [play ConcertMode ===		=== [play ConcertMode ===
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	== Volume, Music Karma and Composer Titles ==		== Volume, Music Karma and Composer Titles ==
	=== Volume ===		=== Volume ===
	Place vN before a note or group of notes to change volume. The ~~original examples demonstrate~~ volume ~~steps with macros:~~		Place vN before a note or group of notes to change volume. Volumes run from v0 (quietest) to v20 (loudest); higher values play as v20. The default is v20. [play volume N sets your default volume.

	[play ~~macro part1=v0 1 a v1 1 a v2 1 a v3 1 a v4 1 a v5 1 a v6 1 a v7 1 a~~		Volume steps are heard only in ConcertMode: enable [play ConcertMode True and every listener hears the volume you set, regardless of distance. Without ConcertMode, volume steps are ignored and listeners hear normal distance-based volume.
	~~[play macro part2=v8 1 a v9 1 a v10 1 a v11 1 a v12 1 a v13 1 a v14 1 a v15 1 a v16 1 a~~
	~~[play macro part3=v17 1 a v18 1 a v19 1 a v20 1 a v21 1 a v22 1 a v23 1 a v24 1 a~~
	~~[play macro part4=v25 1 a v26 1 a v27 1 a v28 1 a v29 1 a v30 1 a v31 1 a v32 1 a~~
	~~[play %part1% %part2% %part3% %part4%~~

	~~Enable~~ [play ~~ConcertMode True if you want other listeners to hear these volume differences; otherwise their playback uses the normal distance-based volume.~~		This example ramps from quietest to loudest:

			[play concertmode true
			[play macro part1=v0 1 a v1 1 a v2 1 a v3 1 a v4 1 a v5 1 a v6 1 a
			[play macro part2=v7 1 a v8 1 a v9 1 a v10 1 a v11 1 a v12 1 a v13 1 a
			[play macro part3=v14 1 a v15 1 a v16 1 a v17 1 a v18 1 a v19 1 a v20 1 a
			[play %part1% %part2% %part3%

	=== Music Karma ===		=== Music Karma ===
	Musicians earn Music Karma through ~~publishing~~ and ~~selling~~ compositions. At 1,000 Music Karma, ~~they~~ may use non-musical sounds from the game client with [play~~. An approved composition added to the [[Music Box]] global repository earns 100 points, and each purchase earns another 100 points~~. See [[Sound List]].		Musicians earn Music Karma through their published compositions: 100 points for each approved composition in the [[Music Box]] global repository, 100 points for each copy sold, and 100 points each time one of their compositions is played. Karma is recalculated periodically, so a new sale or play may take up to 15 minutes to appear. Type [play musickarma to see yours.

			At 1,000 Music Karma, musicians may use non-musical sounds from the game client with [play. See [[Sound List]].

	=== Composer Titles ===		=== Composer Titles ===
	Join the NPC Bards Guild to work toward the Composer profession title, progressing from Neophyte to ~~Grandmaster~~. Progress comes from publishing, sales, plays, and use of [play, with bonuses for advanced features. [play usage counts only after joining the guild; publishing, plays, and sales before joining are credited when you join. Published works can also earn ordinary Karma and Fame.		Join the NPC Bards Guild to work toward the Composer profession title, progressing from Neophyte through Grandmaster to Elder and Legendary (120). Progress comes from publishing, sales, plays, and use of [play, with bonuses for advanced features. [play usage counts only after joining the guild; publishing, plays, and sales before joining are credited when you join. Published works can also earn ordinary Karma and Fame.

	== Algebraic Macros ==		== Algebraic Macros ==
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	[play instrument harp		[play instrument harp
	[play %bassline% 0.2 %bassline%		[play %bassline% 0.2 %bassline%

			Macro names use letters and digits only. [play list shows your macros, and [play macro name= (with nothing after the =) deletes one. Macros are kept when you use [play reset.

	=== Transposing ===		=== Transposing ===
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	[play f 0.2 a 0.2 c 0.2 dh		[play f 0.2 a 0.2 c 0.2 dh

	Use [+n] or [-n]. Notes outside the supported cl-to-ch range are dropped.		Use [+n] or [-n]. Notes outside the supported cl-to-ch range are dropped. Notes written with an instrument offset (such as +a or -c) are not transposed.

	=== Reversing ===		=== Reversing ===
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	Or a Pachelbel-inspired progression:		Or a Pachelbel-inspired progression:

	[play %maj[+12]<2>% 0.2 %maj[+7]<2>% 0.2 %min[+9]<2>% 0.2 %min[+4]<2>% 0.2		[play %maj[+12]<2>% 0.2 %maj[+7]<2>% 0.2 %min[+9]<2>% 0.2 %min[+4]<2>% 0.2
	[play %maj[+5]<2>% 0.2 %maj<2>% 0.2 %maj[+5]<2>% 0.2 %maj[+7]<2>%		[play %maj[+5]<2>% 0.2 %maj<2>% 0.2 %maj[+5]<2>% 0.2 %maj[+7]<2>%

			A pause change needs an operator (+, -, * or /); without one, such as <2>, the pauses are left unchanged.

	Many thanks to Galois for contributing the algebraic macros material.		Many thanks to Galois for contributing the algebraic macros material.

Adam ant at 22:41, 30 October 2026

2026-10-30T22:41:42Z

Show changes

Adam ant: /* [play NewTimer */

2026-10-27T14:18:40Z

[play NewTimer

Show changes

EvilManfred at 00:25, 26 February 2023

2023-02-26T00:25:41Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:25, 25 February 2023
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	position:absolute;		position:absolute;
	left:0;		left:0;
	-webkit-transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;		-webkit-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out;
	-moz-transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;		-moz-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out;
	-o-transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;		-o-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out;
	transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;		transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out;
	}		}

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	position:absolute;		position:absolute;
	left:0;		left:0;
	~~-webkit-transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;~~
	~~-moz-transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;~~
	~~-o-transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;~~
	~~transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;~~
	}		}

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	left:1;		left:1;
	bottom:0;		bottom:0;
	-webkit-transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;		-webkit-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out;
	-moz-transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;		-moz-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out;
	-o-transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;		-o-transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out;
	transition: opacity 0,2s ease-in-out;		transition: opacity 0.2s ease-in-out;
	}		}

EvilManfred at 20:17, 23 February 2023

2023-02-23T20:17:33Z

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EvilManfred at 20:16, 23 February 2023

2023-02-23T20:16:54Z

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