___ . . ._. . . _ ._ . . . _ ___ _ ._ ._. __ | |_| |_ |\| |_| |_) |\| | |_| | |_| |_) |_ (_ | | | |_. | | | | | \ | | | | | | | | | |_. __) You don't have to wait until 2013 for the truth to come out from us! ====================================================================== **** From Tash, comments dated March 10, 1993 **** I went digging through my archive of Narnia email, back from the days when the MUSH was new. There's some pretty amusing stuff in there, and here's some posts from Coriakin I think everyone might get a chuckle out of. [my comments in these things] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Okay Josh the current db is to stay (I hope). [Ooops! We lost it a couple of times in those days.] [Ever wonder where weather came from?] I think going with an object that just sets it in the desc with No evaluation will save overhead. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [And our oh-so-famous building guidelines? This is what got 'em started!] Perhaps, I would like to see quality before volume (easier on the db, and more fun to be able to know your way around). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [I betcha y'all didn't know who I was gonna be at first, did ya?] You character Reepicheep is still #10 and his password is now ********** Unless you are dead set on Reepicheep being a Wizard, I'd like to give you Bacchus (password *********). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [Then, there's Coriakin's reaction when I told him I'd rather be Tash than Bacchus...] Tash? Good God man, I never knew you had it in you. Sure :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [This dates from just before the last time we lost the DB...] I thought I would tell you about some stuff. First for some interesting stuff in the db... Foyer of the MouseTrap(#31RJ) -Great Bar and social place! [Its now #11, as we lost that DB!] Guest(#29P) -Yes we have a guest character! [Poor old faceless Uncle Andrew!] weather(#8I) -It is coming along! [One object! Zowie! Its got a whole slew now!] Current Wizards: Job: The_Emperor(#1PWOc) Game Upkeep, hacking, observer Jadis(#2PW) News upkeep Tash(#3PW) Programmer Extrordinaire Aslan(#4PW) (not active) Pattertwig(#21PW) Building Guidelines Ramandu(#22PW) Conflict Guidelines [TE's still around, but a generic God character, not played any more. Tash is #4, Jadis isn't a wizard character any more, I have no idea what happened to Pattertwig, Aslan STILL has yet to be seen, but at least Ramandu is still around to keep us sane.] [Tash - Aug 21/93: Pattertwig became Emma] Opening day: I would like to open the game when: weather works and we have a few working rooms with it we have some building guidelines we have some sort of resolution scheme should there be conflict [Looking back at things like this, its amazing how far we've come.] Neat idea: I hit upon the idea of a +sniff command. It could tell you who has been in that recently. If it rains then the scent would be removed. The scent could also be on exits for tracking and you would only know the scent if you had sniffed that person. Humans would not be able to smell quite so good as animals of course. What do you think? [I'd forgotten about this one. Coriakin, still feel like coding it up? ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hope you enjoyed that. :) Joshua Tash(#4)/Reepicheep(#10) ====================================================================== **** From Coriakin, comments dated March 10, 1993 **** Perhaps not as interesting as Josh's but here is the first post I put out about Narnia back on August 21: > I just read all the Narnia books, watched all the Narnia movies, and bought > all the McDonald's Narnia Happy-Meals (I am like that). Anyway, I thought > I would look up NarniaMUSH and found it missing (presumed dead) and I thought > I might start up a new NarniaMUSH. > > The MUSH is 2.0 and is up and running now. But I just wanted to get an idea > of the level of interest first. So, write me and tell me what you think. > Since nothing has been decided at all yet, I suppose now would be a good time > to say, "Hey I want to be in on this can I be >?". This was one of the many responses: > Were you joking about Narnia Happy Meals? ====================================================================== *** From Emma aka The Emerald Witch. Comments dated March 11, 1993 *** Well, what can I contribute here... Yes, this is probably all funnier to those of us that were there... Jadis wants a mail system, Reep. Reepicheep could have fun with the delivery system. "Moles scurrying up, fauns or dryads, perhaps birds, or beavers." [well, looks like you got that (this is before the mail re-write mind you.) little did I know what I was about to get myself into, but yes, this is the quote that inspired me.] You whisper "Ok, should I be a human or animal?" to Reepicheep. Reepicheep whispers "Animals have more fun. :)" Reepicheep goodies! and gets to be Tash. :) You say "Tash?" Reepicheep says "Evil god-thing on Narnia. He's the god of the Calormen to the south, who are loosely based on the cults of India." I make a note to remember that, "Evil god-thing." > Okay Josh the current db is to stay (I hope). I thought Reep was going to commit murder, I really really really did. > [And our oh-so-famous building guidelines? This is what got 'em started!] > > Perhaps, I would like to see quality before volume (easier on the db, > and more fun to be able to know your way around). Well, my favorite building quote is still the one that's in the guidelines: I hate seeing Castles so large you can find a toilet with an interesting description, but nothing to flush it with. Though, I think this one is good too... each character who so desires to build, build one room representative of an area from the books. :grins, "One room???" The funny thing is, after the last player cleanup I did about a week ago, we *still* have more players than rooms! :) > [This dates from just before the last time we lost the DB...] > > Current Wizards: Job: > Pattertwig(#21PW) Building Guidelines > > [TE's still around, but a generic God character, not played any > more. Tash is #4, Jadis isn't a wizard character any more, I have > no idea what happened to Pattertwig, Aslan STILL has yet to be > seen, but at least Ramandu is still around to keep us sane.] Hey, Pattertwig also had to change forms at becomming a wizard, just like Reepicheep, the old flightly Pattertwig is now a rather green enchantress named Emma. :) :) And thank Alsan for Ramandu. I found this relic from the old DB: We're up to dbref#15, with the following breakdown: #0 Lamppost in the Woods #1 The_Emperor #2 Jadis #3 Tash #4 Aslan #5 Wulfe #6 Culdarin #7 Peter #8 weather #9 foo #10 Reepicheep #11 Spare Room/Birthplace #12 Back Through the Trees (#0->#11) #13 Wardrobe (#11->#0) #14 BirthLock #15 Rapier Foo? Foo?!?! Ed, are you hoarding dbref#s already!?!?!?! And do you all remember this the first time we started over: (This came from one of the db losses, a real early one, not the big one that lost the tavern. TE had to bring it back up from a remote spot with a flakey keyboard.) Big thanks to Ed for fighting with it over 300 baud, without the ability to type '1'. > > Neat idea: > > I hit upon the idea of a +sniff command. It could tell you who has been in > ... > [I'd forgotten about this one. Coriakin, still feel like coding > it up? ] Laugh! I remember that one! :) Though, when TE was first hashing out weather, the comment from Jadis was: Why do we have all those choice on the weather setter? Everyone knows that the only proper choice is snow, ice, freezing temperatures. :) Then of course started the beginnings of TE's adventures into the world of MUSHhacking... and all the function proposals... When we first started out, there wasn't much building done. We had the lamppost, and the tavern, and the meadow with the weather, but most of us were of the mood to let the players do most of the building. As a result, in the very early days before we opened up officially, we all spent together in one room. I seem to recall, about two weeks of that, was all spent in The Emperor's bed. Who said this was a G rated MUSH? :) :) :) Its been, all in all, a most interesting 6 months. :) Emma and don't forget the sweet & oh-so-snuggly Peepiceek. :) ====================================================================== **** From Coriakin, sent Aug 23, 1992 **** Hi guys, Hope you didn't find the info sheet too restrictive. I don't want it to be restrictive, but then I do not want chaos either. The god password is ****** (append an exclamation point to that, the 'one' key does not work on this old terminal). I trust you guys. [Tash - Aug21/93: For a long while, everything Coriakin did had to be calculated around not being able to type "1" - made for some amusing situations.] Jadis, you have my eternal thanks for doing the News. Reep, the combat system is a nice idea. I think to have everyone have those attribs you want we will need a birth room that would make people choose and then it would register them in certain locks (up to you). [Tash - Aug 21/93: Combat is *still* in limbo. :) But this did lead to the creation of the Spare Room registration thingy. It USED to ask for Name, Species, Alignment, Color, Height and Weight!] Feel free to build, but keep in mind less is more. If the db gets over 20 meg, I shall have to buy a drive and that would be expensive. Also, better building is done if growth is slow. For example, if some were to build Aslan's country, why should it be more than four rooms? Or rather, why not one with many interesting things in it? In there first book I noticed about 26 representative areas from the story. Perhaps, I would like to see quality before volume (easier on the db, and more fun to be able to know your way around). Culd, talk to Reep about stuff to do if you want something to do. Reep, don't burn yerself out. :') Reep, if Jelara is interested make her a wiz. [Jelara@PernMUSH is aka Emma@Narnia] I am moving my stuff out [...], so I won't be around for a few days. Jadis can re-start the mush if need be. Have fun you guys... ====================================================================== **** From Coriakin, dated Sept 30, 1992 **** Subject: Narnia opens Well according to the calendar icon at the bottom of my screen, Narnia opens tommorow. All that means is that I sent out a post to rgma and Narnia should be listed in the next mudlist. I expect we should have a fun following (I have liked everyone I have met so far immensely). Reep, could you do something about that foyer in the tavern? I keep having to answer that there is no armory. And maybe the tavern should be set off of the meadow and the meadow should be linked in? [Tash - Aug 21/93: See? The Armoury has never been open! :)] ***** has said he would like to be Aslan (after I prodded him several times). He wants to keep it a secret. So do not mention it to anyone please. I doubt he will be around much, but Aslan should not be in Narnia every day (neither should The Emperor... I am working on that). I think you all know it is bad to tell anyone who someone is RL (other than yourself). [Tash - Aug 21/93: Aslan has never had an active player. If you see him on, its likely me, Bacchus, or The Hermit using him for a TP.] If any newbies ask what is there to do? Some answers are: building terrain, coding fun stuff, coding an IC transport system, coding a lodge or rest area, helping Ram with Narnian law, helping Emma with building inspections, helping Reep with combat, helping me with weather, etc etc. If someone asks for money ask why. If you like the reason give it to them. Same with quota. I am sorry the @admin is not avaiible to wizards, but I will change that soon. [Tash - Aug 21/93: money == Code Credits back then, called florin.] Do not be afraid to make a decision on your own. I may not always agree, but I will respect it (promise). The more I think about it the more I think Amberyl is correct about the JUMP_OK, ie everyone should be able to set it. I will change that back unless anyone has any objections. fun fun fun, Edmond. ====================================================================== *** From Coriakin, comments dated March 11, 1993 *** Rilian sent me a few questions and requested that I post them here. Rilian wrote: > Hello. Out of curiosity, where is sadira.gb.nrao.edu? Just trying to > visualize it all. [Tash - Aug 21/93: NRAO was our old site, run by Coriakin] The whole gb.nrao.edu subdomain is located in Green Bank, West Virginia. NRAO is the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. I work as a programmer at NRAO. Why have a serious scientific insitution in the mountains of West Virgina isolated from everything? It is simply to isolate the radio telescopes from errant electro-magnetic radiation that is usually found hovering about major population centers. We do have permission to be here, but only from the local sysadmin. The deal is, as long as we do not interfere with any work in progress we may stay. With the abundance of Sun workstations, I do not see this happening soon at all. > I'm also a bit curious as to the origins of the MUSH . . . things like Josh's > mistakenly-placed comments from the days of yore that I missed. Maybe it'd be > appropriate to put such things on the mailing list. The wizards of NarniaMUSH are all friends who met on PernMUSH. Most of the wizards have even met face to face (due mostly to a wild party I held just over a year ago). A year ago I was engaged to a lovely lady I met on PernMUSH and with whom I lived with. Sadly, things were not working out. The future prospects of both my love life and job were dim. So I obtained a position at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. It was isolated, but then I felt I needed to get away. I noticed many new Sun SPARC workstations were coming in. Some were very idle, too idle. One programmer even maintains gcc here (a free c compiler that MUSH most easily compiles with). Now, I had never run a MUSH, but I had this idea for weather rumbling around in my head for over a year and I wanted a place to try it out. The most recent fiction I had read was Narnia and it seemed a perfect match. Now all I had to do was figure out how to get a MUSH up, running and stable. It was a harsh process of trial and error, the harshest point was when we lost the db after Reepicheep had just finished the tavern (now we have automatic backups everyday). After I had a MUSH up and running I posted this blurb to the net on August 21st of last year: |> I just read all the Narnia books, watched all the Narnia movies, and bought |> all the McDonald's Narnia Happy-Meals (I am like that). Anyway, I thought |> I would look up NarniaMUSH and found it missing (presumed dead) and I thought |> I might start up a new NarniaMUSH. |> |> The MUSH is 2.0 and is up and running now. But I just wanted to get an idea |> of the level of interest first. So, write me and tell me what you think. |> Since nothing has been decided at all yet, I suppose now would be a good time |> to say, "Hey I want to be in on this can I be ?". This was one of the many responses: |> Were you joking about Narnia Happy Meals? NarniaMUSH began in August and did not officially open until around October. We kept registration (disallowing character creation by anyone) for a bit longer until it was decided that more growth was wanted. Incidently, Bacchus, our newest wizard is from the old NarniaMUSH, as is Coyote. Both are from the stone age of MUSH and can relate many interesting anecdotes. Hmm, I should explain that Bacchus was chosen to be a wizard not because he was a wizard before (though that helps), but because he was around a lot, knew MUSH extremely well and has contributed positively to NarniaMUSH. The same happened with The Hermit. Both players were not known by the current Wizards when they started, but have made themselves known by their contributions to the MUSH. [Tash, Aug 21/93 - Our current Wiz roster is: Coriakin - Founder Tash - Founding Wiz Emma - Founding Wiz Ramandu - Founding Wiz The Hermit - Got a wizbit in Jan '93 Bacchus - Got a wizbit in Jan '93 too Achelous - Got his bit in April '93 Frank - Got his in Jun '93 ] Currently, we have one of the smallest, but perhaps one of the most progressive MUSHes in terms of building and code. The Weather system, though it can be hard to work with, it helps give you sense of time and change. Tash has come up with many good ideas which have been implemented here on one our MUSH server first and then come out in the next MUSH standard. The first modification I made to the MUSH server was the function phoon() with returns the pahse of the moon given a time string. I still get kidded occassionaly about it. [Tash - Aug 21/93 - I still make light of the phoon() function, even tho I think its a wonderfu addition to Narnia. :) ] Subsequent changes included UNFIND on rooms, JUMP_OK for objects, the addition of floating point/trig and some handy math functions, filter() fold() and map() (Tash's best idea to date), room(), ldelete(), replace(), sorting for dbrefs, and so on... It has been quite an education, watching MUSH grow into a more usuable language. You can only wander what the next steps will be .... internetworked MUSHes, where you can page people on other MUSHes and talk to them in "common shared rooms" perhaps even walking through portals to the next MUSH carrying your objects with you, or maybe even graphics. Considering how much MUSH has changed in a year it is not unrealistic to say that by next year MUSH could have any or all of those. -- Coriakin@NarniaMUSH, wizard, fallen star, Ruler of the Dufflepuds, fun guy ====================================================================== **** From Coriakin, dated Dec 12, 1992 **** Subject: Narnia duties [This went to the wizards] Okay here it is, your responsibilities on Narnia, spelled out clearly, okay? Amberyl: [snip] Her duties include, logging in once in a while and saying "hello". Aslan: I had hoped ***** would take an active part in Narnia, he was unsure. As it turns out, he does not wish to MUSH like he used to at all. I am hoping that someone may decide that he or she would like to play Aslan. It requires a gentle megalomania with a subdued personality to play. As I think Joshua makes an excellent Reepicheep, I also think Paul might be a good Aslan. I think I make a good marshwiggle (I'd [Paul = Ramandu] also do a good Shift, I think). Coriakin / The_Emperor: The_Emperor is a God character, I still log onto him for that thrill of ultimate power. :) With in the game of NarniaMUSH is presence should not affect the roleplaying going on. Ie: He won't be attending all the big parties in Beruna. It is my job to make sure the backups are performed, the code is running and the site is running. If it is not type 'wizhelp contact' for information to contact me. As Coriakin I take care of the globals. I have Coriakin because he is more approachable than the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea, and all the globals work for him. [...] Emma: Emma was originally the building inspector, this responsibility was handed to Kirra. Emma's knowledge of coding is very advanced. Her work on mail more than proves that. Her responsibility, will be to maintain the +mail system. This should keep her more than busy. Jadis: Jadis was taken on as a wizard to upkeep news. She did edit and add to it back in September when we were first starting. Recently she has been somewhat scarce. I have taken over doing the news, I would rather she do it. If she will not I would like her to be replaced. This raises the question, "How are wizards replaced?" [Tash - Aug 21/93: We got "rid" of that Jadis rather soon after, and got Bacchus and The Hermit instead.] Kirra: Kirra is in charge of Building. She will keep track of who is building what. She will also be responsible for ensuring that proposed areas meet the building requirements for NarniaMUSH as written by Emma before being linked in. We can say and do what we want with building, but Kirra is ultimately in charge of it. Kirra may, if she wants, organize people to help her with building inspections (as the work load can be over bearing). [Tash - Aug 21/93: On a sad note, Kirra's gone now too.] Ramandu: If there is a conflict, Ramandu shall organize the method of its resolution. He may modify this scheme as he sees fit. Should someone have a conflict with him, an impartial wizard will take over his duties for that one specific case. Ramandu may rewrite the guidelines as he sees fit. Tash: Code wizard. Tash may not know anything about the server, but his imaginative use of MUSH combined with his unusual ability at ascii art, makes him perfect for this. His work on the Ocean, Birthroom, and the initial globals have all been greatly appreciated. In addition to his usual ambitious projects he will be responsible for the birthroom. [Tash - Aug 21/93: "unusual ability at ascii art" - I love it. :) ] [...]