For an M system, there is only one task build configuration possi-
ble for PLAYER , MTREK. This is with disk-resident overlays. Each
task in this case will use between 24 and 32KW each. Therefore,
the memory requirements for an M system with x users playing will
be;
TRKCOM - 4KW
UNICOM - 32KW
MTREK - 28KW
PLAYER - 32KW per user
so for x players, the memory requirements will be 64KW (overhead) +
32KW * x for the player tasks.
For M+ V2.0, there are a few more possibilities allowed.
Using FCSFSL as common code, drops the PLAYER task down to approx.
29KW. Under 2.0, since the task is overlaid I/D space cannot be
used. Without I/D space there is not enough room to make the task
multi-user. If multi-user is attempted without I/D space support,
the task will build, but there will not be a free APR for PLAYER to
map to the universe common.
For M+ V2.1, the possibilities expand. Not only can the task
be built I/D, but also multi-user, if and only if FCSFSL is used in
super-mode. With this combination, the read-only segment of code
is 4KW, and is shared by all PLAYER tasks. Also, with memory resi-
dent overlays, the actual size of the player task gets to be ap-
prox. 60KW if all segments are accessed. Using this combination,
the actual PLAYER memory map looks like;
ROOT - I space 000000-024000 APR 0
D space 000000-044000 APR 0-2
UNIV - D space 060000-100000 APR 3
R/O seg - I space 160000-177777 APR 7
D space 111000-161777 APR 4-7
FCSFSL - super 000000-020000 APR 0 (super-mode)
2.0 Utility tasks TRD,MDA
Two utility tasks are provided with MTREK-Plus. TRDEMO, is the
display/alter program to change parameters during actual playing.
It provides many different display screens, 1) to alter ship char-
acteristics, 2) to alter game parameters and black hole movement,
3) a universe display to show where ships are and some ship parame-
ters, 4) an individual ship/black hole display to show the position
PAGE 3
of any single black hole/ship, 5) a full ship display which shows
most of the dynamic parameters of all active ships, 6) a system
parameter display, which has a few problems updating. Also, built
within this utility is a verification process, which can be run
during normal playing to verify the universe data structure with
the known locations of objects as defined by the data common
TRKCOM.
MDA is the MTREK-Plus utility similar to the systems CDA, or
DECNet's NDA. If any unusual things happen during the course of a
game, this utility should be used to analyze the current universe
structure. If this utility is used during game play, all tasks
will stop, and the player task will display the message that a dump
is in progress. The complete, full dump shows the entire universe
structure, and all ship characteristics. On the universe map,
bases will not be decoded as enemy or friendly, since all ships
will be included. Using this utility, the universe data base may
be "captured" at any point in time.
3.0 Known bugs
The biggest known bug at this time, is that if a universe ex-
tends above 160000 in the universe common, some type of overlap oc-
curs, and ships moving into that section may "dissappear". A dump
of a universe in this configuration may turn up extraneous ships,
ships in universe 1 that where in the highest universe, or garbage
characters in the universe. We have not determined the cause of
this error. For the time being, no universes should extend above
the somehow imposed 160000 limit.
We have sometimes seen, but have no idea why, that occasional-
ly a user will notice that an enemy starbase turns into a black
hole. Sometimes vice-versa. Universe verification at the time
this happens, shows that all data structures are intact. We cannot
determine if this is a conceptual problem, or a real bug. Due to
the nature of the game, another users action may destroy a black
hole, place it near the ship seeing the problem, and swap places
with the base , which is all normal.
There is a bug in TRDEMO, as noted before. The only problem
is with the system parameters diplay which will be corrected in a
future release.