CircleMUD 3.00 README file

Welcome to CircleMUD 3.0!  I hope you enjoy your stay.

Use of this software in any capacity implies that you have read, understood,
and agreed to abide by the terms and conditions set down by the CircleMUD
license contained in the file license.doc.

Also, out of courtesy if nothing else, please keep the 'credits' file intact.
You can add your own credits on top of the existing file, but I'd appreciate
it if you would not simply remove it and all references to the word "Circle"
everywhere in the MUD.

Jeremy Elson
jelson@jhu.edu

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

CircleMUD for UNIX QuickStart Guide

If you are an experienced MUD implementor and you know what you're doing,
you can probably get up and running with this README file alone.  Be aware
that there's a wealth of other information in the doc directory, though, and
if you have problems or questions, that's the first place you should look
for answers.

If you're using OS/2, read the file README.OS2 first.


1)  Make sure you have the latest version of CircleMUD.  You can always
    find the latest version at the following anonymous FTP sites:

        ftp.cs.jhu.edu:/pub/CircleMUD
        cambot.res.jhu.edu:/pub/CircleMUD

    You can also find information at the WWW site:

        http://www.cs.jhu.edu/~jelson/circle.html

    Note that as of Version 3.0, the basic CircleMUD distribution only
    runs under UNIX.  CircleMUD users have ported it to the Amiga and
    OS/2, but it currently cannot run under Microsoft Windows, DOS, or
    the Mac.

2)  The archive is offered in two formats, one which ends in .tar.Z and
    one which ends in .tar.gz.  The files have the same contents but have
    been compressed using different programs.  If you have the .tar.Z
    version, type:

        zcat circle30xxx.tar.Z | tar xvf -

    For the .gz version, type:

        gunzip -c circle30xxx.tar.Z | tar xvf -

    This will uncompress the archive and then break it down into all of
    its component files.

3)  Next, build the CircleMUD server.  From Circle's root directory, type:

        ./configure

    The 'configure' program automatically detects various features of your
    computer and sets up CircleMUD appropriately.  This can take several
    minutes if you're using a slow computer.  Next, type:

        cd src; make all

    This will build CircleMUD proper as well as its 10 or so ancillary
    utilities, which can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour depending
    on the speed of your computer.  Note that in the future, when you need
    to recompile Circle as you make changes to the code, it is NOT necessary
    to run 'configure' again (it should be run only once).

4)  Back in Circle's root directory, type 'autorun &' to start the server
    running in the background.  A file called 'syslog' will start growing
    that contains Circle's log messages (and boot messages).

5)  Wait until the line 'No connections.  Going to sleep.' appears in the
    syslog.  This indicates that the server is ready and waiting for
    connections.  It shouldn't take more than about 30 seconds for the MUD
    to reach this state, though performance will vary depending on how fast
    your computer is.

6)  Type 'telnet localhost 4000' to connect.  The first person to log in
    will be made an implementor (level 34) with all powers.

7)  Make sure to read the CircleMUD license before doing anything else.


Other Documentation
-------------------
If the 7-step-guide above isn't enough to get you running, there's a lot
more information available.  All documentation (other than this file) is
in the /doc directory.

The README file in the /doc directory describes each documentation file
in detail, but there are several main files which should be of interest.
For the administrative side of mudding, running.doc gives an overall
description of how Circle works, how to get it to compile for the first
time and get it running, and hints on maintenance and day-to-day
administration.  For the coding side, coding.doc dives into Circle's
code and describes how to add new commands, spells, skills, socials,
classes, and whatnot.  For the builders in your group, building.doc
describes how to create new worlds, including rooms, objects, mobiles,
and shops.


Getting Help
------------
If you have strange problems -- and you can't figure out the answer by
reading the docs -- fear not, there are many other resources you can
turn to.  The best is probably the CircleMUD Mailing List, which you can
subscribe to by writing mail to "majordomo@pvv.unit.no" with a message
body of "subscribe circle".  If you want to write mail to the list, address
it to "circle@pvv.unit.no".  Over 200 CircleMUD imps read that list
regularly, so chances are you'll get help quickly.

If that doesn't work, you can always contact me directly by writing to
jelson@jhu.edu.  Or, take a look at the CircleMUD Home Page which is
at http://www.cs.jhu.edu/~jelson/circle.html, which may eventually
have some on-line documentation for Circle.

Finally if you have USENET access and are very brave, you can try posting
to the newsgropus rec.games.mud.diku or rec.games.mud.admin.

If you write mail asking for help, either to the mailing list or to me,
make sure to include the following information:
  -- The exact version of CircleMUD you're using (type "version").
  -- The exact text of any error messages, compilation errors, or the like.
  -- The exact type of hardware, operating system, and compiler you're using.
  -- A description of ANY changes you've made, no matter how small, that
     might have contributed to the error.

Note, messages that look like this: "Hi I need some help with CircleMUD.
I tried compiling it on my system but I got all sorts of errors, and when
I type bin/circle like it says in the manual it doesn't work." are likely
to be ignored because they contain no information useful for solving your
problem.

Good luck, and have fun!

Jeremy Elson
aka Ras/Rasmussen
jelson@jhu.edu

Version 2.20 release: November 17, 1993
Version 2.11 release: September 19, 1993
Version 2.10 release: September 1, 1993
Version 2.02 release: Late August
Version 2.01 release: Early August
Version 2.00 release: July 16, 1993


USE OF THIS SOFTWARE IN ANY CAPACITY IMPLIES THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD,
AND AGREED TO ABIDE BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET DOWN BY THE CIRCLEMUD
LICENSE.