home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Between Heaven & Hell 2
/
BetweenHeavenHell.cdr
/
500
/
433
/
notes.doc
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1986-11-30
|
5KB
|
126 lines
*-*=*-*=*-*=*-*=*-*=*-* RANDOM NOTES ABOUT PYROTO *-*=*-*=*-*=*-*=*-*=*-*
Baud-Rates
----------
Pyroto has been tested at 300 and 1200 baud. It has NOT been tested at 2400
baud. PYCONFIG.DAT has provision for 2400 baud, though.
The BOOST spell allows people to adjust their baud-rate on asynchronous
modems. We had a 300-baud modem running (with some glitches) at 550 baud,
but the 1200-baud modem could only do about 1205. Unfortunately, very few
commercial terminal programs allow this incremental adjustment of baud-rate.
Rating the Messages
-------------------
Pyroto analyzes every message that is sent for:
-- Content -- Organization
-- Punctuation -- Spelling
-- Succinctness -- Considerateness
The algorithm that does this isn't very complex, but it does seem to work.
The resulting score is used to determine a wizard's right to advance.
Personalization
---------------
In the PYCONFIG.DAT file, you can specify an eight-line banner that your
users will see at connect time. You can mention the NAME of your BBS in this
banner. The name "Pyroto Mountain" does not appear anywhere in the program
itself, although TSOTL, SERVANT OF TSOTL and the "mountain" analogy are
inextricable.
However, I encourage you to retain the name "Pyroto Mountain". That way, the
only changes you'll need to make (apart from PYCONFIG.DAT) is the address
listed in the INFO.TXT and the STRAIGHT.TXT files.
Zombie Detection
----------------
Pyroto's biggest problem is people who create multiple characters, known as
"Illegal Zombies". They do this to gain additional online time, or some kind
of tactical advantage. If you like detective work, you're going to LOVE
hunting 'em down!
Pyroto has some spells which are designed to facilitate this task. The SCAN
spell can be used in conjunction with TUNE to spot typographical or express-
ive habits. For example, a person may try to mask his true identity, but he
will continually say: Right?
Also, when somebody sends a message, Pyroto reports his low, high and average
typing speed, along with the range between his low and high speeds, and some-
thing called "backspace factor", which shows how much he backspaces. These
factors are hard for a wizard to control.
Acknowledgements
----------------
I'd like to specifically thank the following people for providing invaluable
help in the creation of Pyroto Mountain.
Ron Sharp: Once upon a time, Ron provided me with a serial I/O program.
This eventually evolved to become Pyroto Mountain. Since then,
he has given me lots of handy technical advice, plus game-tuning tips. He
also helped with the drudgery of the initial beta-testing.
Stephen Mitchell: This fellow set up another Pyroto Mountain in Montreal,
which he christened "Mortar Mountain". For the first
time, I was able to play my own game! This was extremely helpful in terms of
spotting problems and inconsistencies in the game design.
I'd Like To Hear From You!
--------------------------
It took me 10 months to create The Mountain. It comprises over five thou-
sand lines of Turbo Pascal source code, plus hundreds of lines of text. The
task of programming, beta-testing and packaging ate thousands of hours of my
time. I am quite satisfied with the results of my effort.
Here in Montreal, the local users pay all of Pyroto's phone, electricity and
repair bills. I am very pleased that they demonstrate their gratitude in
this way. They also send "thank-you" messages from time to time. This kind
of support is always well received.
If you are running a copy of Pyroto, I'd like to hear from you. Drop me a
line and tell me what you think of it.
Support
-------
If you want to stay on top of the Pyroto scene, you can "register" your copy
for $35. In return for this, you will receive:
- Notification of new versions of Pyroto
- Access to our phone-in support line
- The number for Montreal's main Pyroto board
Registered users may also request, in single quantities, the following:
- "The Pyroto Programmer's Guide" ................ Tips for modifying Pyroto
- "The WizOp's Guide" ......................... How to be a successful WizOp
- "The Pyroto Philosophy" ............... The four phases of TSOTL explained
Registered users are also granted special purchase rates on:
- Pyroto utility programs
- New question lists
- Online articles
Send money-order or certified cheque to:
P I N N A C L E S O F T W A R E
P.O. Box 163, Cartierville Station
Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H4K 2J5
Register today, so Pyroto can grow tomorrow!