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/dev/null/nethack Tournament 2001
bakunin writes: "Tonight (Halloween) at midnight Pacific U.S. Time, /dev/null's third Annual NetHack Tournament opens. As with past years, the Tournament is open to anyone who'd like to play. We're also open to anyone who'd like to volunteer to run a game server, since (though we have a T1 hosting the main game server) play can be slow across the transoceanic links." /dev/null is calling for volunteers to run a server; you only need a modest machine but must have good bandwidth. See below for more information.
bakunin continues: "/dev/null is a loose association of networking geeks, unincorporated and noncommercial. We make no money from this; we just do it for giggles.
The prize structure going in, as we're open to suggestions to change this during the Tournament, is:
Prizes
The "standard" prizes will go to:
- Highest Score
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd Highest Score in each class
- Most Ascensions
- Lowest Scored Ascension
Since we'd appreciate volunteer servers to help speed the game play up for folks not near Oakland, California, here's roughly what you need to host:
Server Requirements
Remember, before volunteering, that anyone with admin level access to a game server box is not allowed to compete. So don't volunteer to host if you want to be a contender.
- a multi-user NetHack installation (thus, probably, a Unix of some sort; the /dev/null server is an OpenBSD system)
- sufficient speed/disk/memory to support 250 player accounts and 25 concurrent players (ours is a P133 with 64M of memory and 2.5G of disk)
- a dedicated Internet connection (our is on a T1)
- since NetHack needs real user accounts, we'd recommend that it be a dedicated system (the players will need to be entered in /etc/passwd to play on the box)
I would play, you see, but I was walking along when I put on this strange ring I found, and suddenly I found myself transformed into an acid-slime, so I ate the ring (since it's metal, you know), and then I turned back into a person, but occasionally changed into a golem. While I was a golem, I killed off a monster that would normally turn me to stone, but you know I was stone already, so I picked him up to use as a weapon...
I don't remember much after that; although I slightly recall using my dog to go steal stuff from the supermarket for me...
Of course, there's a better chance at getting some of the better goodies when the difficulty is higher, so it might be worth trying...
"Pinky, you've left the lens cap of your mind on again." - P&TB
"I can see my house from here!" - ST:
Hi,
I'm going to unabashedly karma whore for a second because Nethack is my favourite game ever. I can't tell you the number of hours I wasted playing this (or other rogue-like games, such as rogue, larn, adom, or omega).
Here are some links to get you all started:
Nethack.org
One of the first and best Nethack pages, from the legenday Boudewijn Waijers
another Nethack homepage
A newer Nethack page
QT Nethack
An impressive graphical Nethack
The google Roguelike directory entry
the classic rec.games.roguelike.nethack
Happy hacking!
Most Stupid Death. :)
Given how viciously rich NetHack can be when it comes to getting killed, this ought to be fun. =)
-- B.
This sig does in fact not have the property it claims not to have.
Welcome bakunin the Invoker - More -
.
Be careful! New Moon tonight!
You see here a large webserver - More -
The server appears to be running normally.
You hear some noises in the distance.
Slashdot hits! Slashdot hits! - More -
Slashdot hits! Slashdot hits! - More -
Slashdot hits! Slashdot hits!
X
What do you want to transcribe? f
You read the spellbook of Instant Hardware Upgrade. The spellbook crumbles into dust!
#pray
A Large voice booms: "You have angered me mortal! " - More -
"I demand a sacrifice!"
Q
Do you want your possessions identified? [y/n]?
n
Goodbye bakunin.
You were BSD-aligned.
You were chaotic.
You were ambitious.
You did not survive the Slashdot effect.
--- Hot Shot City is particularly good.