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From: creps@silver (Steve Creps)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d,rec.games.hack,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Good version of PC NetHack 2.2 at simtel20
Message-ID: <1741@silver.bacs.indiana.edu>
Date: 11 May 88 08:43:25 GMT
Sender: creps@silver.bacs.indiana.edu
Reply-To: creps@silver (Steve Creps)
Organization: Indiana Univ Comp Sci Dept
Lines: 80


   [ I'm including comp.sys.ibm.pc because this discusses something
	other than a posting to comp.binaries.ibm.pc, and follows up
	to previous articles. ]

   Due to the problems with PC NetHack 2.3, I have uploaded my last
version of 2.2 to the simtel20.arpa archives. There was another version
of 2.2 (which I had previously put there), but it had a few annoying bugs,
although not fatal for most people. This newer version of 2.2 has had
all reported bugs in 2.2 fixed, and I have not received any bug reports
on it. Also, the runfile for it is under 360K.

   I understand that simtel20.arpa is also accesible from bitnet through
LISTSERV@RPICICGE.BITNET, but don't ask me how; I don't know.

   If you don't know what NetHack is, it's a visual display adventure
game (some say like D&D) derived from Hack. The original such game
was called Rogue.

   My relationship to this game. I'm not in charge of distributing the
source for this. That task belongs to Mike Stephenson, who takes code
improvements, modifications, and fixes from people all over the net, and
integrates them into the game. I have volunteered to get a working version
of the PC executable to the net whenever new releases of the source come out.
When I get ahold of a new source distribution, it hasn't yet been tested
for the PC, since the development work is done mainly on Unix systems.

   About the buggy 2.3 version that was on simtel20 for a while. Sorry
about that one. Sometimes freaky things happen when testing things. The
freaky thing that happened was that I kept leaving my dog behind when I
went down into the dungeon levels, and not one problem came up over a
couple hours play. Now I've discovered that the bugs seem to appear only
when I take the dog with me. If you have that buggy version and want to
play it, I'd suggest leaving the dog on the first level.

   I'll try to get that bug fixed as soon as possible, but it's not always
easy with other people's code. I don't put these bugs in here, I just try
to take them out. Right now I have over 120K of context diffs on this
program for various fixes and improvements, but not one of them fixes the
main problem with the game crashing.

   Finally, about requests for sending source code to people: please don't.
I am swamped with requests like this, and don't have time to even reply to
say, "sorry, no" anymore. Sending this code to someone via e-mail is not
impossible, but I won't do it when it's 1.4 megabytes of files that would
have to be packaged up for each person who requested it. PC NetHack source
is in the same files as the Unix version. You should get the source when
it's posted to comp.sources.games, like I do, or else ftp it from an archive
site, such as uunet.uu.net. All the changes I make to get it working on the
PC will be sent back to Mike, and eventually be posted with other fixes to
comp.sources.games (or .bugs). It's a major effort for me just to get
all the files off the net, so just think what it would take to have to
mail them to someone.

   For those of you unable to get the files by the net, I usually am
willing to handle floppy disks, but not during the period in which I am
still debugging. When I have everything ready, I will post some kind of
announcement giving details on where to send what. That way I don't have
to write the same set of instructions over and over again.

   Bug reports are welcome (although I don't say "All right! A bug!" :-) ).
Bug fixes are even more welcome, but it would also be a good idea to post
them to comp.sources.games.bugs or send them to Mike. Ideas for new features
would best be posted to rec.games.hack or maybe comp.sources.d. New code
won't get as far with me as it would if posted or sent to mike@genat!genpyr.
The same things I have said about not requested me to send code have also
been said by Mike, so don't ask him to send you code either.

   I guess what I am saying here is that when I am ready to make things
available I will, but not before. I think I am already putting more than
my fair share of effort into this project by just making the executable
available to people. Please don't try to take advantage of this. I have
to get my own work done sometime.

-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Steve Creps, Indiana University, Bloomington, home of the "Hoosiers"
	creps@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (192.12.206.2)
	{pur-ee,ihnp4!inuxc,rutgers,pyramid}!iuvax!silver!creps
	creps@iubacs.bitnet (forwarded)
"To dream... the unlintable dream..."