Return-Path: Date: Wed, 1 Dec 93 15:37:56 EST From: mlm@FUZINE.MT.CS.CMU.EDU (Michael Mauldin) To: lpb@ccs.neu.edu Subject: Old NEWS items from Islandia Aug 1990 ------------------------- May 18, 1990 19:41 EDT ---------------------- New flags: Tinker(T) Replaces Wizard, same function Junkpile(J) Replaces Temple, same function Robot(B) Enables OUTPUTPREFIX/SUFFIX Constructor(C) Replaces Builder, but won't be enabled here OUTPUTPREFIX has been re-enabled. But you will have to request the Robot(B) flag be enabled to get this feature. The intent is for silicon- and carbon-based life forms to live together in the separate-but-equal fashion now enjoyed by smokers and non-smokers. Only a Tinker is able to set/clear the robot flag on players, but anyone can set Robot(B) on links, rooms, and things that they control. Robots cannot traverse links, enter rooms, or pick up objects with the 'B' flag. All changes are upward compatible, and require no changes of the database on your part. The default state will be no 'B' flag...you must request Robot status for a player from a Tinker, and all current and new objects will be accessible to robotic players by default. The only visible changes will be the 'J', 'T', and 'B' letters after some object id numbers, and the replacement of the words 'Wizard' & 'sacrifice' by 'Tinker' and 'donate.' Robots must now register, and must correctly answer the question "Who is your owner" at least 20% of the time (without giving any any incorrect names). Random's "page name = msg" mod has been added, so name changes just to send messages are now frowned upon. Name limit is now 16 chars. There are two new commands: @count and @recycle: @count @count @recycle @count summarizes objects owned by a player, and gives numbers of entrances and exits for a room. @recycle destroys the information in an object and gives it to player Recycler, teleporting it away if it is an object. We will periodically extract Recycler from the database, freeing up the old objects. -------- Warnings -------- Attacks on other players by repeated pages or whispers are not allowed. If I get complaints, I will @boot or @bobble you. You may get only a single warning. -------- Recycling -------- On May 28, we successfully recycled 7804 objects...that means most object numbers changed. If you lost your character in the shuffle, you have my apologies...if you lost a large amount of work you'd like back, we have your stuff backed up, and will be able to extract your belongings as of May 25, 1990. Contact Tinker for details. Note too that since recycling will likely take place once or twice a month, your objects may change numbers often... --- Memory limitations of TinyMUD: The real poop --- This morning's test showed empirically that there is no 32meg limit on Fuzine. After talking with a local Mach/NeXT expert, I found out the following: there are two calls for memory allocation, malloc() and vmalloc(). Malloc() uses Unix sbrk(), which has a 32meg limit. Vmalloc() does not have this limit. On the NeXT, malloc() just calls vmalloc(), so (the payoff): there is no limit on virtual memory...Islandia can grow as big big as Fuzine's disk (111meg free). Date Dump, bytes Memory Objects ------ ---------- --------- -------------- TinyMUD (cl) Apr 29 13,349,607 (32.0meg) 132,156 objects Islandia May 11 7,505,394 May 25 8,732,032 (29.3meg) May 28 8,658,813 (28.9meg) 63,578 objects May 28 8,186,313 (28.2meg) 55,774 objects max size Jun 1 14,119,669 (35.1meg) 76,061 objects current Jun 1 8,421,506 (28.6meg) 57,875 objects Dump is size of database dump on disk Memory is virtual memory as reported by 'ps ux' Objects is number of objects. Most objects in the June 1st test used 500 to 1000 bytes each. ------------------------ June 3, 19:41 EDT --------------------------- DB extraction policy: you may request a dump of all your objects in DB format (suitable for loading into netmud), subject to the following conditions: (1) You own more than 100 objects (possibly across several characters). Any less, and you can use the @find and @examine commands to list what you own. (2) I may recycle you and all your objects after mailing you you your DB file. If you are afraid of losing your stuff in the recycling center, just log in more than once a month and move your character out. Remember, I am keeping the May 25th dump though at least December, so just being gone during the summer is not sufficient cause for a DB extraction. To request a dump, use the GRIPE command from the player to be extraced, giving a valid InterNet address. Allow up to 2 weeks for your request to be processed. Please do not request a DB extraction of only part of your stuff, or for your player to be left afterwards, or just for backup purposes. ------------------------- June 6, 1:20pm EDT --------------------------- We are now running the same code as TinyHELL...with Random's new mods. There is now an unwanted flag (U). Any player may transfer ownership of an unwanted object to themselves, if it is not locked against them. Type @chown = me. To mark an object unwanted, type @set = unwanted. Recycled objects will now be marked unwanted. Whispers and pages to disconnected players now give an error message. Players may set their own objects DARK if they are being carried, but you cannot drop a DARK object in a room that you could not link it to. The ABODE flag now governs drop-tos. Thus you cannot link a room to another room (drop-to) unless you control the destination room or the destination has ABODE set. ------------------------- June 9, 4:35am EDT --------------------------- We are now running with Virus' Concentrator code. Although the concen- trator has been tested in other MUDs, it was modified slightly to mesh with Islandia's version of TinyMUD. Please be on the lookout for strange behavior. Please report any bugs using GRIPE or by mail to fuzzy@cs.cmu.edu. --Tinker ------------------------------------------------------------------------