CLOK BBS

Hello everyone.
I'd like to announce the release of the Clok soundpack for MIPMud version 2.5.
If you use VIPMud, you can obtain it in the following ways:

Dropbox
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/114 ... pack25.zip

BTSync
This key will give you access to the folder where I update the Clok soundpack.
BLYXLSWXS77QXS37GRKLFJQNC4TU32JCY

SendSpace
https://www.sendspace.com/file/y06ly5
as always7

, please read the updates.txt file, found in the archive.
The latest version changes and additions are always at the top of the file.


Enjoy.

Clayton

Users of the soundpack, please be aware that it does the following:

- Gags/squelches various messaging.
- Alters various messaging to be different than what it would usually say.
- Makes you automatically perform some actions based on what's going on around you. Be prepared to defend yourself when it suddenly happens in an inappropriate situation, or the resulting actions offend someone. Nobody's required to forgive you for overzealous third-party auto-actions.
- Makes your character say/do unnecessary things. It's kinda goofy to see people saying "Let's start sawing up some planks!" so often as they work.
- Adds various aliases, some of which are particularly dangerous - a few times now people have typed k target accidentally, intending to Look at them but typoing the L as a K. The soundpack alias for k is attack;battle, so with a simple single-letter typo you're attempting to murder that NPC you just wanted to look at. We're not particularly forgiving of this, because people could easily use it as an excuse to get out of trouble. There's a reason attacking a target takes several keystrokes - to prevent accidents just like this.

We've had a number of bug reports that have in fact been due to squelches/text alteration/aliases that are part of the soundpack, so please try to be aware of just what the soundpack is doing/changing. CLOK staff is not responsible for (nor forgiving of) resulting issues, and we don't feel we're responsible for keeping up on what third-party macros/scripts/etc. do.

Really, this advice applies to any scripts or macros, not just those in the soundpack. If you start attacking someone and blame it on a script or macro, we're sorry - keep better track/control of your scripts and macros. We can't accept it as an excuse to get out of trouble.

If anyone is wanting the mostly clean and just as functional version of this soundpack, contact me.
I took the time to remove a lot of the substituted text and aliases and a few other things that tend to get people in trouble.
If one chooses to continue using the soundpack, I highly suggest getting a hold of someone that knows of the functions that are triggerable so one doesn't get themselves in trouble.

I'm glad a GM is aware and took the time to give us a warning. Thanks Rias!

Rias wrote:
Users of the soundpack, please be aware that it does the following:

- Gags/squelches various messaging.
This was done in a lot of cases to cut down on spam.

- Alters various messaging to be different than what it would usually say.
It says the same thing, only with fewer words, again, cutting down on spam.
Remember that most of the people who probably are using this soundpack are using their ears and not their eyes, and if a lot is happening all at once, something will be missed a lot easier if it's not heard, than it would be if it were being seen.

- Makes you automatically perform some actions based on what's going on around you. Be prepared to defend yourself when it suddenly happens in an inappropriate
situation, or the resulting actions offend someone. Nobody's required to forgive you for overzealous third-party auto-actions.
------------------
What is an example?
In one of the very early versions of the pack, your char would sit down when you got exhausted, but we quickly realized that it would be a bad idea to do that in the midst of battle. That wasn't the original intention behind putting that in, but as I said, it was just as quickly removed. No one got that particular version.


- Makes your character say/do unnecessary things. It's kinda goofy to see people saying "Let's start sawing up some planks!" so often as they work.
-----------------------------------------
Yeah, that was taken out just recently. The latest version, which is 2.5, doesn't do that anymore.


- Adds various aliases, some of which are particularly dangerous - a few times now people have typed k target accidentally, intending to Look at them but
typoing the L as a K. The soundpack alias for k is attack;battle, so with a simple single-letter typo you're attempting to murder that NPC you just wanted
to look at. We're not particularly forgiving of this, because people could easily use it as an excuse to get out of trouble. There's a reason attacking
a target takes several keystrokes - to prevent accidents just like this.
----------------------------------------------
This is a very valid point and I'm familiar with one case this happened with.

We've had a number of bug reports that have in fact been due to squelches/text alteration/aliases that are part of the soundpack, so please try to be aware
of just what the soundpack is doing/changing. CLOK staff is not responsible for (nor forgiving of) resulting issues, and we don't feel we're responsible
for keeping up on what third-party macros/scripts/etc. do.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is why it's very important for the user of the soundpack to read any help files that come with the soundpack.
I try to keep up with the additions if there are any new aliases/shortcuts, or audio script commands so people are aware of what's in the pack.
I can't control whether they read the help system or not.
There's an updates file also included and is updated on any new additions.
Anything people want to have added, or modified can write me outside of a tell by sending email to agent_smith at detrolife dot com.

Really, this advice applies to any scripts or macros, not just those in the soundpack. If you start attacking someone and blame it on a script or macro,
we're sorry - keep better track/control of your scripts and macros. We can't accept it as an excuse to get out of trouble.
--------------------------------------
I agree with this final statement completely.

That's the nature of soundpacks everywhere.
Mine isn't the first and it definitely won't be the last to have this kind of stuff in it.
Myself and others are continuing to try to make this a good soundpack for everyone. Suggestions are always welcome, and if your idea is used in the soundpack, you will certainly be given credit.
Thanks for reading, and thanks for your feedback Rias!

I disagree on the substitutes being less spammy; however, that is personal preference.

One thing I do feel it necessary to bring up is the lag that all of those substitutes cause to the client. I’m not saying it’s the most well done thing ever, however, when VIPMud is attempting to handle that many substitutes for a majority of text within the game, the client will cause some user lag. I know. It’s stupid. Most of the user lags on clock, in my opinion and due to a couple of tests I’ve run, is unfortunately from this soundpack. Allow me to demonstrate. I know this is not a fool proof way, and may not be anything conclusive what soever; however, it’s my attempt, lol!

The following is a simple lag checking trigger I have set up. It is extremely minimal; however, it will serve my purposes for this example

#trigger {you can't do that in absolute darkness!} {#unalarm lag;#say {@lagcheck}}
#alias ll {look;#var lagcheck 0;#alarm lag -0.01 {#math lagcheck {@lagcheck + 1}}}

So, for those who do not understand, the timer set up in the ll alias will run every 0.01 seconds until it is told to stop by the room description in my character’s current area. Fortunately, I have it easy because he’s in darkness, however, I digress. :p.
So, it will return the number of 1/100th of a second that has passed, so, with my current setup, let’s get some results.

Ten samples here:
look
6
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
3
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
2
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
4
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
2
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
3
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
1
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
7
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
22
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
9
You can't do that in absolute darkness!

Ooo. We got 22 in there. SO again for those that can’t figure it out the numbers are the amount of hundredths of a second lag I get when standing in a dark room looking. And now, with the 2.5 soundpack, we will run the same tests:

look
10
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
13
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
11
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
9
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
2
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
1
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
6
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
7
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
2
You can't do that in absolute darkness!
look
9
You can't do that in absolute darkness!

Laying them out next to each other (my setup is the one first; clok v2.5 is the second we get all 20 numbers as):
6, 10
3, 13
2, 11
4, 9
2, 2
3, 1
1, 6
7, 7
22, 2
9, 9

Even with the monster lag spike in my setup showing 22 1/100ths of a second, averaging both sets out we get 5.9 for mine, and 7 for the soundpack. In order not to clog any more than I already have, I’ll spare everyone by saying I’ve done the tests a couple of times and the averages usually come out consistently around that mark – mine just a hare shorter.

Keep in mind too that this is looking only. I’m not actually playing the game – just having my character keep looking over and over. If I were to do something that would matter, the lag would be a bit more due to the text being retrieved from the server, ran through the client’s scripting language and processed according to the instructions there in, and returned back to the user on the screen. In my opinions and observations, some of the extreme lagginess observed by the playerbase would in fact be due to some of these reasons. Jilliana. You have said that you have taken out a lot of the substitute’s etcetera. Have you noticed a general lag decrease since that time? The two people I have given my current setup to have noticed an overall decrease in lag – a noticeable one.

I do understand that some behind the scenes stuff may be going on that over time may have lowered the lag server side and given me the illusion that what I was doing may have not been as affective as I hoped, however, running these tests concludes that there is still a minimal lag increase by the soundpack itself. Few. Sorry for the long post…but I’m not done!

IN my personal belief, in playing a text based game, messages should only be gagged/substituted if it is extremely necessary and will be a hindurence to playing the game. Another example – although this one might be a bit more ficticious, however, still could be a valid point. In the soundpack as it is now, when someone is digging an area in the room with mining, the game text looks something like, “Bob continues digging with An Awesome Pickaxe.” With the soundpack, the only thing that is seen is, “Bob continues digging in the area.” In a roleplay situation, I might have a crappy pickaxe, and have meant to go and get a better one or, honestly, may just like Bob’s better. I wouldn’t know – without looking at him anyway – that his pickaxe was cooler than mine. With the game’s text itself, I would see the axe he is using – which to me makes logical sense, and be reminded that I did want a cooler one and be able to ask him, “Hey bob, where did you get that awesome pickaxe?” So what I’m saying is to me, having half the flavor text cut out really makes the game a bit more dull and makes the RP at times possibly feel a bit less imersive.

From what I remember, the helpfile only lists some general help on game activities and how to interact with the soundpack, not that 90 percent of the triggers alter the text of the game.

I feel it’s important to point out that I’m not attempting to slander or discredit any of the work done, however, I do feel it important to bring up some of these points, and I do find Rias to be mostly in the right here – personal grievences and dislikes from the soundpack aside. If I went into what I feel needs to be changed/removed/taken out, I could turn this into a book! 

Last night I realized that looking at my own soundpack I revised a bunch of things.
Some time today I'm working on the 2.5 pack for those of you who want the cleaner version.
Apologies for the delay!

Here is the revised version of the 2.5 VIPMUD soundpack. I decided not to remove the aliases but did remove over 90 percent of the substituted lines and a few gagged lines that aren't supposed to be gagged for informational purposes.
The aliases weren't removed because I didn't see or couldn't find any that were particularly disrupting to gameplay. Just be aware that if you decide to automate this stuff, don't be surprised if you get an AFK scripting penalty.

Things that are particular importance that a player should know are as follows:
* You can turn the automated scripting on and off using the f4 key. This automates things like forging, fishing, the saw mill and that sort of thing. It no longer automates accepting lessons/things.
* Having gag activated keeps things from being read by the screen reader but note that you may scroll up in your output window to look at the gagged text. Also note that you may toggle it on and off by typing autogag. One may have to go into the files manually since not all things would be considered gag-worthy or the other way around.
* Typing autobox triggers being able to grab loot NPCs drop. I highly recommend not using it as people do tend to get in trouble in character.

I'm probably forgetting a few things, but this should work a bit better. If anyone suggests removing something, do let me know.

I also feel the need to point out that some of us do appreciate the soundpack that Clayton and company took the time to make, but some things do need to be changed; thus my revisions.

Here's the link! Enjoy!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/325 ... evised.zip