LORD UPDATE NEWS

Okay for the folks who have been wondering what has been added in the last 3 updates that brought LORD v3.55 up to LORD v4.05p, here they are. And rather than trying to describe them in detail, I'll just list what is in each version's WhatsNew.txt file.

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*** NEW STUFF IN 4.00a FROM 3.55 ***

  * New command line options added:

  NOEMS - Disabled EMS memory usage completely.
  NORIP - Disabled the RIP check.
  ANSI - Forces ANSI regardless of what the drop file tells us.

  Example of usage:

  CALL START 1 NOEMS ANSI

  NOTE: Always put your node # as the 1st parm!!!!

  * Fixed a local only repeating number that was happening when seth_wait()
  was called... I have NO clue how this got in the source, that writeln
  was NOT there when I tested it an hour before releasing.. (4.00a)

  * Turned range checking OFF, so roll-around #'s would be enabled again.
  Better than a runtime error it turns out... (4.00a)   (this was also
  in 3.55 but not in 4.00)

  * Can turn statbar completely off.   A unix guy asked for this feature, it
  only half worked before.   Edit the NODE?.DAT file and change STATUS ON
  to STATUS OFF to activate it. (do this for all nodes)

  * Took out some extra line feeds on some menus such as the town square. (it
  just looked ugly to me)

  * Changed the <MORE> prompt to be offset two, and be multicolored.

  * The opening menu screen now has a default of [E] to enter the realm.

  * Changes a few other cosmetic things to make it look more like my MBBS/WG
  version in the LORDTXT.DAT file.

  * Fixed problem with the fossil initted comport 1 unexpectedly.   This
  bug has been in my DDPLUS source forever, but I only recently fixed it
  for LORD2, so now it is fixed here too. (I just stole LORD2's comio.pas)

  * Took a REALLY nice BlackJack game that Shawn Teal made for his IGM
  Wizardstone (he has scrapped the IGM since) and made it a random event
  in LORD.   I recolored some stuff to make the color scheme fit and changed
  a few small things in it.

  * Took out the annoying "Play the new SCIFI game New World" ad.   Of course
  I replaced it with something else... ;>

  * LORDCFG will now create the 3rdparty.dat file if it doesn't exist.   (LORD
  already did this)

  * When returning from an IGM, it will check the armour, weapon and your
  name for illegal ` chars.   (this alone will stop a LOT of IGM cheating)

  * When a negetive value occurs in player gold, bank or exp it will be
  set to 0 instead of 2 billion, making IGM's that let you go negetive
  harmless. (fixed in another place also in 4.00a from 4.00)

  * Am not including the RIPICON pack.   No one needs it, if you really do
  get it from www.rtsoft.com's file section.

  * Didn't fix or change any RIP stuff, not enough people use RIP for this
  to matter too much.

  * If MAINT.BAT does not exist, it won't run it at 'newday'.   Before this
  caused a runtime error.

  * If a player who is in an account over 128 marrys Violet, the game will
  not magically runtime error forever after.   Don't ask me why I used a
  signed shortint for this before..

  * A little tip:   If you you want to make a CUSTOM Other Places menu, (for
  instance, you have like 90 IGM's and it's the only way to fit them all on
  one screen) create a file called 3RDALT.TXT in the LORD dir, this will be
  displayed instead of the one LORD dynamically creates on its own.

  That's about it.   Not really enough to deserve to be 4.0, but what the
  hell.

  -Seth A. Robinson.   (sethable@rtsoft.com)

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*** NEW STUFF IN 4.02 ***

In all honest truth, this release is a "cosmetic" release. ..

* updated all copyright notices, documentation, etc

* started work on optimizing the game.. when this is done, the game will
  run significantly faster.. Not to mention, it helps me learn the code..

* i know, i know.. not really enough "work" done to call for a new version.
  however, its been awhile since there was a release, and there needs to be
  one with the new owner's name, Metropolis, name on it.

- Michael Preslar

---------------------------------

Note: I try to log stuff step by step.. If anything, Ill at least know what
I spent all day doing.. ;> Ill also try to log which things were requested,
and by who first..

*** NEW STUFF IN 4.05 ***

* fixed the jenny bug (only in 4.02)..
* fixed a bug with the registration routines (only in 4.02)..
*** Completely rewrote Lordcfg!
* Lord will now work with comports 10 and higher (max 255) IF you have a
  fossil and your bbs software supports it.
* Added one jennie code, and took one out.. and no, im not telling! <g>
* optimized code:
  - main menu           - the trainer
  - jennie codes           - dark cloak tavern
  - abdul's armor           - the healers
  - king arthur's weapons
  - the bank
  Which means if you notice anything funny in these sections, let me know.
  Otherwise, everything else should work exactly the way it used to, since
  Ive not touched it..
* Up until this version, you could ALT-C (forced chat) several times, which
  would force you to ESC out of each of them. Not anymore.. Only one chat
  allowed now..
* some cosmetic work.. new menu screens and whatnot..
* new option: enable or disable the talkative NPCs in the inn (req. G. Pope)
* mail now has the date written on it
* added player descriptions (req by lots of people) .. look for the old
  man in the DCT..
* there's a use for fairy lore now - and no, im not telling. You'll
  figure it out soon enough.
* added resurrection limit (req from Gameport's message board)
* if you were on the entrance menu, and hit 'Q', it wouldnt exit until
  you hit enter.. fixed..
* Now, if you "twit" someone, Lord will knock them out of the game, AND
  add their name to LOCKOUT.DAT
* In turn, I added ALT-K .. "Kill User".. This just 'hangup' on the user..
* Divorcing someone now drops charm 50% instead of to 50.. This goes for
  Violet and the Bard as well..
* Which added a new mail code: `* .. `?<num> marries that player to <num>
  `* will divorce them and take away 50% of charm
* You can no longer divorce someone and then marry on the same day. This
  goes for Violet and the Bard too.. (req G. Pope)
* speaking of mail codes, the `V code has been killed. did the same thing
  as `E..
* Changed the "play blackjack game" key from 'A' to 'G'..
* If you have a horse, you won't stumble onto the DCT.. (Req. M. Lacey)
* You can no longer marry both Violet AND Seth.. (sorry George <g>)
* lots of other little things that were potential bugs

New stuff within Lady - quite a bit hasnt been logged.. soo..

commands
* added @choice
* added @case.. itll handle "response" (from @choice) and &N vars..
  - added ID numbers to case statements. will now safely run as many
    nested case's as you like :)
* added the prompts command
* added the promptn command
* added math functions +, -, *, / and !
* @displayfile was already there. now itll do regular .ans files, and
  sansi style databases..
* added @label and @goto
* added @set
* took some work, but got if/then/else's for &B's, &N's and &P's..
  - added nested if/thens.. you can haveup to 256 of them..
* added @runsub

vars/misc
* added 38 player variables!
* added &F and &L
* added &time
* added the string vars &S1 through &S40
* added the number vars &N1 through &N40
* added the boolean vars &B1 through &B40
* added `l
* added "smart" comments.. any text after a ; will be ignored
* added &nick
* added &ver
* added `k
* added &rnd<num>

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Okay, so there you go. Essentially, let me say that, as a player and a beta tester for LORD v4.02 and LORD v4.05p, that Lord has changed a lot since v3.55, and it's definately worth upgrading your game. I just hope that Michael Preslar keeps working on Lord and makes it as good as it can be. Of course, he is supposed to be working on Lord 2 and TEOS also in the future, and I can't wait to help him beta test those also. :)

Bobby Queen
Former host of the OFFICIAL Lord II IGM Archive, and Kiteria's Korner! sites.


What's New in LORD v4.06: (Added to web-page 11/12/2001.) The "Give the Hag a Gem" bug is fixed. Donald.

*** Fixed during public beta testing (March 16, 2000+) ***
* The Alt-I info screen.. since, oh, 3.55 the box around it hasnt fit the words.. Fixed.
* Alt-C ("chat with a higher being") no longer says "No.", and it wont work for local.
* lordcfg: moving from side to side on the main menu remembered what item you were on. I made this default to the first item.
* Forgot to change the copyright info in lordcfg.. oops.
** May 14th * the fairy garden doesnt exit to the main menu
* forgot to trim spaces off of a name after editing it in lordcfg. fixed.
* the fairy garden doesnt allow for funny ` codes anymore. just colors.
* some of the mail codes werent working (namely `e and `v) .. fixed.
* there were quite a few other things, but i cant remember them all. Red LORD Barline

LORD v4.07 beta Notations:

Added to file 09/24/2002. This is a summary of the primary, publicly discussed, changes to LORD that are in v4.07. To obtain your own copy of BetaLord.zip, send an Email message to: e_maus@covingtononline.com. Subject should be: "send me lord". To get LORD2 beta, use "Send me Lord2". To get TEOS beta, use "Send me TEOS"; without the quotes. The archives will be sent within an hour usually by Michael Preslar's auto-responder email system.

These are the primary changes made to date: (1) CPU usage is at all all-time low. 100% cpu usage is gone on most machines.. Dos/Win32/Desqview are great, Win98 is good with my personal testing, and I am told that XP does good too. (DGT: LORD is reliable used under Windows ME also.) (2) All LORD code is continually worked on to make it run faster and more reliable for BBS game play. (3) The forest monsters and dragon increase in power each time a game is won. (4) LORD now does checking to prevent multiple logins in a BBS game. E.g. if player Xavier is ON NOW using Node 1, he/she can't call in on a separate phone line and play LORD using Node 2. (5) Various tweaks made to improve game handling in the Forest, Town Square locations, Master Fights, Dragon Fight, and so forth. (6) Players no longer are allowed to automatically win a dragon fight simply because their Horse gets killed. (7) The bug in LORD 4.06 that ate text from the left side on local screens is gone. (8) LORD now does automatic checks when player (a) enters the game, (b) exits a LADY Script in the forest, (c) finishes a forest fight/event, (d) or returns from an IGM, to ensure that if player has dropped to Zero Hitpoints (or below) they will be automatically declared dead. (9) Various work done since January 2002 on the LADY script engine and script language. For other info, get a copy of LORD 4.07 beta, read its whatsnew.txt file, and then start playing. Contact Michael Preslar at mpreslar@mailcity.com if you need help with LORD. Red LORD Barline

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Updated on: January 12, 2003 at 06:58 pm.