Tele-Arena

dspain · Post by **dspain** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:04 pm

ok for those that know this is old news, for those that don't continue reading.

as most of you know for the past few years i have been working on a new tele-arena, first using constant arrays of data i had to manually add, then on to a btrieve database engine, and now to the newer sqlite engine i finished creating.

problem with most of em is the lack of tis or that caused me to scrap them, well im happy to inform you i have finally finished one, a complete remake of the original engine compiled in borland c++ 5.5.1 using sqlite 3.7.2 and compatible with all worldgroup NT systems.

content is the major thing right now, for testing sake i took the old DBASE V databases from the tele-arena editor version 1.0m and converted them to ms-access databases, then exported all the data to XML files and used navicat-lite to import each XML file into its own table within an sqlite database.

i then navigated each of the records and made sure nothing was referring to message numbers (original tele-arenas databasing method) and wrote from scratch a tele-arena engine that would read the sqlite database.
to preserve the original game itself i decided to port tsgarn-2.c tsgarn-3.c tsgarn-4.c and tsgarn-5.c to WGNT using my new data sets over what was originally used so it would read from my databases with ease, since tsgarn-1.lib was a turbo c++ 3.1 libraqry it was rendered useless, and would be anyhow b/c im not using mcv flatfile databasing so i recreated each of the functions within the tsgarn-1.lib to do things my way which differed slightly from the way it originally handled but at the same time netted the same exact results, and due to the differences in the turbo c++ 3.1 compiler Sean Ferrell used in the 90's and bcc 5.5.1 one i used change isn't always a bad thing.

i decided to stay to the approach of loading all data upon initialization and all changes require a server restart just because its much faster to have the data indexed and ready to go, and so far the engine has been tested with very little issues.

since its using sqlite as the data storage system sysosp can edit their own tables through a gui database editor or the console sqlite3.exe app, and for the developers out there they can just write their own if they choose.

now since Worldgroup is slowly slipping away from us i also decided on making a standalone server, after conferring with Sean Ferrell for over a week he informed me Rick Hadsall purchased the rights to continue development on the mbbs/wg platform with a no competition clause however he definately was interested in pursuing other platform avenues most notably a mobile client and possibly a facebook app.

with that said i have no intention of straying away from wg module development, but i am also engaging in a standalone server which i have already completed the initial socket server nicknamed JavaArena.

this standalone version of Tele-Arena right now is incomplete but you can connect on X port, create your character if you do not already have one, or load your character if you already do, thyen enter the game and sit in the north plaza.

the primary focus on the initial version was socket networking and character creation.

all character data is saved to an xml file called <name>.xml and stored in
a players directory, all game content is stored in an sqlite database, and all configuration options are kept in a file called javaarena.ini

the standalone is developed using the Java JDK v1.6.0_26, sqliteJDBC 0.10, and is compiled under windows 7 32Bit with no issues.

i will either run the test server on my machine or have another sysop keep one online in which case i will let you know.

i still have alot of sysops wanting wg modules while others want to get away from a bbs software and just run doors and games on their own so i got both areas covered now.

all my other wg modules for wgnt will be finished porting to sqlite within the next month and i have all 16 of my own programs ready to ship as well as 4 others i have agreements with original authors ready to begin development (such as Usurper), and even have a new majormud engine for Worldgroup in talks, as soon as i have the DDF files at my disposal i will begin the initial engine and recreate MajorMud until metro tells me not to. so if they don't i won't and we can brinbg Tele-Arena and MajorMud back home where they belong.

pm me any questions you may have or read my information board at arczone (dot) proboards (dot) com

Daniel Spain
ArcticZone Internet Solutions

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 6:36 pm

I have failed to see any info regarding us sysops that are still running WG 2.0, most cases its because of all the modules we have registered over the years thus making the upgrade to WG 3.X not worth it. I dont think it matters to us (Me) if online editting can be done as long as the world can be modified and the barriers of the WG 2.0 version are overcome, example the max number of lairs. I pulled up a quote from another posting.

dspain wrote:
Drex wrote:Well no need for extrawork on my part, I am satisfied with the work around and the module itself.
you didnt get the memo? im a glutton for punishment.

i want all flavors of this product kicking good usage

wg 2.0 is still highly popular cause of module availability.

i got quite a few of my own im about to port down.

dspain · Post by **dspain** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 9:53 pm

Drex wrote:I have failed to see any info regarding us sysops that are still running WG 2.0, most cases its because of all the modules we have registered over the years thus making the upgrade to WG 3.X not worth it. I dont think it matters to us (Me) if online editting can be done as long as the world can be modified and the barriers of the WG 2.0 version are overcome, example the max number of lairs. I pulled up a quote from another posting.

dspain wrote:
Drex wrote:Well no need for extrawork on my part, I am satisfied with the work around and the module itself.
you didnt get the memo? im a glutton for punishment.

i want all flavors of this product kicking good usage

wg 2.0 is still highly popular cause of module availability.

i got quite a few of my own im about to port down.

i may do a wg2 version in the end but what we have to keep in mind is i would have to write from scratch the btrieve database engine for it, then modify the old source to read my new api and it could take weeks, only to fall under fire on why i'm not giving it away.

thats the biggest problem i run into nowadays, i get scrutinizaed for not giving away modules being worldgroup "is too old" and all.

thats why i wrote the new nt engine to use sqlite cause at any time i can move it to a new platform with ease.

like for instance my java version, you setup a module page to use the rlogin client and set the parameters to goto "ip address of the javaarena server" and boom you're running ta under wg1,wg2, dont matter.

to complete a new wg2 one i would need the assistance of the old code or
spend weeks duplicating the missing api.

last year i wrote a tele-arena wg 2.0 engine but i had no content to go with it.

Drex · Post by **Drex** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 1:43 am

dspain wrote: only to fall under fire on why i'm not giving it away.

thats the biggest problem i run into nowadays, i get scrutinizaed for not giving away modules being worldgroup "is too old" and all.

I'm sure any WG 2.0 sysop's would have no problem paying for such a product (for the old system) in fact I have bought a couple things from Rick for 2.0 and I think other have as well. The content of what is being offered out weighs the details of the system (version) it was made for.

dspain · Post by **dspain** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 1:52 am

Drex wrote:
dspain wrote: only to fall under fire on why i'm not giving it away.

thats the biggest problem i run into nowadays, i get scrutinizaed for not giving away modules being worldgroup "is too old" and all.
I'm sure any WG 2.0 sysop's would have no problem paying for such a product (for the old system) in fact I have bought a couple things from Rick for 2.0 and I think other have as well. The content of what is being offered out weighs the details of the system (version) it was made for.

yeah its not as much the money as it is the time, since i converted to sqlite i get emails out the woodwork for custom modules, alot of database stuff, i luckily finished my wgnt tele-arena engine and im working on finding a way to export my sqlite databases to a btrieve 5.xx database so i can easily write a wg2 engine then.
the most time consuming process is writing a btrieve editor to add/modify the content.
if i can manage to export my database to an older format btrieve file i could do a wg2 engine in like 6-7 days.

Franchise_24 · Post by **Franchise_24** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 2:09 am

Ok through all the technical mumbo jumbo I guess it's not very clear to me, but it sounds like you are NOT going to make TA available for WGNT...is this correct? I hope I'm just too tired and read it wrong...

Stoneslinger76 · Post by **Stoneslinger76** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:41 am

dspain wrote:
Drex wrote:I have failed to see any info regarding us sysops that are still running WG 2.0,
[/quote="Drex"]

like for instance my java version, you setup a module page to use the rlogin client and set the parameters to goto "ip address of the javaarena server" and boom you're running ta under wg1,wg2, dont matter.

to complete a new wg2 one i would need the assistance of the old code or
spend weeks duplicating the missing api.

Sounds like I better get the old wg 2 dos bbs fired up for some further testing with Javaarena on the next build of it.
Will let you know if I can get wg 2 to connect to it rlogin Drex.

dspain · Post by **dspain** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:49 am

Franchise_24 wrote:Ok through all the technical mumbo jumbo I guess it's not very clear to me, but it sounds like you are NOT going to make TA available for WGNT...is this correct? I hope I'm just too tired and read it wrong...

no no i already made it for wgnt.

im finding the best way to do it for wg2.

dspain · Post by **dspain** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 7:52 am

Stoneslinger76 wrote:
dspain wrote:
Drex wrote:I have failed to see any info regarding us sysops that are still running WG 2.0,
[/quote="Drex"]

like for instance my java version, you setup a module page to use the rlogin client and set the parameters to goto "ip address of the javaarena server" and boom you're running ta under wg1,wg2, dont matter.

to complete a new wg2 one i would need the assistance of the old code or
spend weeks duplicating the missing api.

Sounds like I better get the old wg 2 dos bbs fired up for some further testing with Javaarena on the next build of it.
Will let you know if I can get wg 2 to connect to it rlogin Drex.
well i already have a wg2 tele-arena editor. basically it uses btrieve and has 25 databases, just like the old windows editor for the game only this runs within wg2.

the databases work solely with my wg2 game engine and what ya do is link the editor to the menu tree log on enter it do all the changes you wanna do, add new rooms, etc....
then ya go to the remote sysop menu and restart the server and boom your changes are there.

the game also has a sysop command '/taedit' that will put ya in the editor and return ya to the game when you're done.

a wg2 version can happen just gonna take longer than an nt one.

Stoneslinger76 · Post by **Stoneslinger76** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 8:02 am

Franchise_24 wrote:Ok through all the technical mumbo jumbo I guess it's not very clear to me, but it sounds like you are NOT going to make TA available for WGNT...is this correct? I hope I'm just too tired and read it wrong...

Its a reality Franchise_24 I have been running Tele56 beta SQLite version for several weeks. The last build has been very good, even upto the point of beating up some monsters in the Arena!

All of what Dspain describes above works, even live character/data edits while the bbs is running (edited character not in the game)
Soon I hope have permition to allow non ISV's into the beta test server soon and open it up to "special beta users" for testing and evalutation.

At the rate Dspain in progressing it will not be to long before he is finished!

Franchise_24 · Post by **Franchise_24** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 10:52 pm

That's great news then! I have money in hand and am ready to buy it. I hope you're hearing that Dan, I want to buy it

I believe you said before it was going to be $50. How soon are we talking, I feel like I have been asking that question for a couple years now LOL

dspain · Post by **dspain** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:22 am

Franchise_24 wrote:That's great news then! I have money in hand and am ready to buy it. I hope you're hearing that Dan, I want to buy it I believe you said before it was going to be $50. How soon are we talking, I feel like I have been asking that question for a couple years now LOL

price isnt concrete, but not far off, using sqlite now for wgnt makes it a very powerful game engine i would have had it done by now but i came down with an outbreak of something so my face got all swollen and shit.

gonna try and push it tomorrow to the finishing point.

keep in mind finishing point just means the initial development, then i gotta go through and walk all the areas, get all the runes, check the feedback from the beta tester then shes ready to go.

which might be good news for you but sucks for me, then i gotta start the wg2 version.

Franchise_24 · Post by **Franchise_24** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:14 pm

Any chance of getting a demo so I can run it on my own system?

Franchise_24 · Post by **Franchise_24** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 6:13 pm

I have it running on my system if anyone wants to check it out.

Telnet to darkside.dtdns.net

dspain · Post by **dspain** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 8:20 am

Franchise_24 wrote:I have it running on my system if anyone wants to check it out.

Telnet to darkside.dtdns.net

anyone running the demo contact me for an updated DLL to resolve picking up items, and giving gold ot other users.

Questman · Post by **Questman** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 2:55 am

Uh. I did not just buy it for WG. I bought the rights to the game.

There is an agreement where if I port the games directly to another platform, Sean gets a royalty unless I've substantially created a new game.

However, I own the rights to Tele-Arena, any trademarks and conventions, and the game.

Therefore - you can not create a separate game engine off Worldgroup unless (a) I agree to it and (b) the finances include a royalty to both me and to Sean.

That is why I keep telling you to contact me, but you keep changing direction and trying to wiggle around me.

dspain · Post by **dspain** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:22 am

Questman wrote:Uh. I did not just buy it for WG. I bought the rights to the game.

There is an agreement where if I port the games directly to another platform, Sean gets a royalty unless I've substantially created a new game.

However, I own the rights to Tele-Arena, any trademarks and conventions, and the game.

Therefore - you can not create a separate game engine off Worldgroup unless (a) I agree to it and (b) the finances include a royalty to both me and to Sean.

That is why I keep telling you to contact me, but you keep changing direction and trying to wiggle around me.

well you need to get in contact with him b/c he feels differently, he said you

[a] cannot use a code seperate from what he supplied
that he owns the IP to the game read quote below
[c] that any non wg related tele-arenap rojects go through him not you

Code: Select all

email quotes&#58;

Daniel,

7 or 8 years ago now, I sold the rights to TA on the MBBS/WG platform. I of course retain the right to do whatever the hell I want otherwise. I work in .net, sql, etc myself now. I wrote a stand alone ansi C version of the server back in the early 90s, so I know it's not that big of a deal. I'd be interested in your plans.

Sincerely, 
Sean Ferrell.

Where to start... Glad you're an adult and old enough to have been involved in the bbs community. Yeah, I actually own the IP and can develop anything outside of MBBS / WG. I agreed I would not compete with him on the old platforms, which I consider dead, anyway. Your approach with credits for items is something we thought of in the early 90s, but never implemented. There are many things we could do. I am interested in a stand alone platform probably for pc and mobile. Where would we get graphical assets initially? This is what has stopped me before.

so as you can see my info comes right from the horses mouth.
if i am misinformed you are mad at the wrong person.

Questman · Post by **Questman** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:58 pm

The sales contract doesn't limit my ownership at all. It has a provision whereby he gets a royalty if I develop the game for other platforms without substantially changing it. Considering the contract has those provisions, I have no idea what he's talking about. It's just Sean being Sean.

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