Atari BBS List

[+DarkLord]

We had a pile of damage .. garage door opener, all our telephones (and the wirign in the walls), router, wireless, PCs .. everything hooked up to the phone lines (like ADSL.. argh!) was toast, along with some things on the power lines etc.

 

My acrtual BBS went down sometime int the 90s (I was a 'support bbs' for BBS Express, not to mention developer of a bunch of junk), but I brought it up back around 2000 or 2001 online as the worlds only.. but its new menus and much more limited than my original BBS as the hard drive fried and most of my floppies have gone bad over the years.. so its mostly a museum and 'hang about', and I've been trying to collect BBS software online so it doesn't get forgotten. (Sent some over to Jason Scott of course

 

If you've got _any_ BBS software for the ST, from games to utilities to BBS software itself, you want to send it over? I'll put my archive back online (just need to break it down into subdirectories again, since the lightning toasted the original ) and if you've got anything.. it'd be that much better.

 

If you need any basic hacks done to BBS Express, let me know.. Rich kindly gave me a copy of the source, so I could modify it a little to be better for my telnet needs. My version doesn't have 'slow pauses' between characaters since no modem is involved.. it just spits out full speed, for instance. You're running on an actual modem, so you'd still need that, so maybe no need for changes for you

 

Let me know if you've got any files (I could make you an ftp section and let you push over whatever you like, or somesuch) and I'll get my bbs back up in a bit and you can have anythign you see there if you need.. though doubt you need much from the looks of it

 

jeff

930032[/snapback]

 

Oh man, thats bad. You must have took a direct hit. :-(

 

You met Starlord? He lurks around comp.sys.atari.st - he was like us, another BBS Express! ST sysop. BTW, anyone been able to get in touch with Rich Sanchez? Last time I talked to him, I told him I was interested in getting DarkForce on the Internet via Telnet. He told me if I ever did to let him know. I'd like to do just that.

 

I've got multiple games online with DarkForce right now. From AFL Football to Reanimator II, to Thieves Guild and more. I've got the 2 floppy disk set for the original Express! ST - when it was still in Keith Ledbetters hands.

 

Umm, there seems to be some confusion here - My BBS is running on the original Atari hardware and software - 4 gig HD, CD-ROM, Mega ST4, etc, etc,...I don't have a modem. DarkForce is available by telnet at 24.177.23.74. The "pauses" are delay commands in the scripts I or others wrote. I just have to cut them down in length:

 

DEFINE DELAY

FOR DELAY = 1 TO 5000 DO

ENDFOR

 

(off the top of my sleep deprived head) stuff like that. :-)

 

I'm using the Lantronix UDS10 serial to LAN converter. Its only serial port speed fast, thats part of the problem - but its rock-solid and works with Express! ST almost out of the box - I did have to change my modem command files, but it was easy stuff. The guys from comp.sys.atari.8bit helped a lot with the actual settings on the UDS10 itself.

 

As far as hacks go, I'd certainly appreciate anyone rewriting the communcation part of Express! ST so that it looks for an actual telnet session instead of serial port connections. I've got Rorys EtherNEC which works great. However, Express! can't find any calls from it (obviously), as is. I've a registered version of BBS Express! ST 1.98a.

 

We've got quite a few files in our download section, but to be honest they are probably

quite old now.

 

Well, gotta go get some sleep (work 12 hour night shifts).

 

See ya later! :-)

 

PS Login some time and check us out. :-)

[skeezix]

There. After much hacking and system modifying, I've got the bbs back up I think. (New host OS for the main server, needed to modify the heck out of things to support it.. things've changed over the years in unix-land..)

 

Try telnet to shadow.skeleton.org and it should prompt you; login is 'bbs' with no password.

 

It should send you right into the BBS.

 

Let me know how it goes

 

jeff

[+DarkLord]

There. After much hacking and system modifying, I've got the bbs back up I think. (New host OS for the main server, needed to modify the heck out of things to support it.. things've changed over the years in unix-land..)

 

Try telnet to shadow.skeleton.org and it should prompt you; login is 'bbs' with no password.

 

It should send you right into the BBS.

 

Let me know how it goes

 

jeff

931640[/snapback]

 

Worked great, very fast too. Especially comparted to my setup.

 

So...since you obviously have BBS Express ST working, not accessing the serial port, can you help me to do it as well? I'd love to have DarkForce at those speeds.

 

Thanks!

[skeezix]

That was I referred to earlier -- I've modified the BBS to have no delay between characters. (ie: If the BBS is talking to a 2400 bps modem, versus a 19200 modem, it delays between characters so as to not flood over the limit.. rather than depend on XON/XOFF or RTS/CTS.) Since mine is running via telnet, I hacked it to not have such a delay and just spew full tilt.

 

I can zip up and send over the modded Express version if you like; I don't recall what else I did to it, but made it a little happier with y2k and some other minor things.

 

If you've got any online BBS games, I'd love to have them for both my archive and my setup. ie: I'll post up all the files I've got soon, now that that machine is back in order.

 

jeff

[+DarkLord]

That was I referred to earlier -- I've modified the BBS to have no delay between characters. (ie: If the BBS is talking to a 2400 bps modem, versus a 19200 modem, it delays between characters so as to not flood over the limit.. rather than depend on XON/XOFF or RTS/CTS.) Since mine is running via telnet, I hacked it to not have such a delay and just spew full tilt.

 

I can zip up and send over the modded Express version if you like; I don't recall what else I did to it, but made it a little happier with y2k and some other minor things.

 

If you've got any online BBS games, I'd love to have them for both my archive and my setup. ie: I'll post up all the files I've got soon, now that that machine is back in order.

 

jeff

931853[/snapback]

 

 

Okay, I think I understand what you mean about the delays now. Thanks.

 

Please do send me the modded Express version! I'm assuming that I should be able to just drop it in, replacing my old version and it should run friom there? I mean of course, after changing out my UDS10 for Rorys EtherNEC. My e-mail address is:

 

dark_lord@charter.net

 

and I can take anything up to 2 megs or so, which should handle anything related to Express. :-)

 

While I was on your BBS I looked over some of the games you have. We have some of the same games. Here is a list of what I've got online right now:

 

Adventure Creator

AFL Football

Assassin

Biograph

Card Sharks

D+D ST

Final Frontier

Ghostown

Hackers2 ST

Hangman

Hollywood Squares

Iron Bomber III (doesn't work right - needs a reported baud rate)

James Bond

Jeopardy

Magic Phrazes

Reanimator II

Thieves Guild

Trivia

 

Let me know which ones you want, and I'll zip up what I've got and e-mail them to you (include your e-mail address as well)

 

Thanks ever so much!!!! :-)

[skeezix]

I've uploaded my hacked bbs express runtime here:

 

http://shadow.skeleton.org/~skeezix/misc/b...ress-hacked.zip

 

Give it a shot and let me know if it works at all; I did most of the mods to it years ago and never expected anyone to need them, so no idea what they are anymore Hopefully it works.. it at least isn't dangerous. (I've also got versions 1.70 and 1.98 kicking around if you need them)

 

If you've got zip/lzh/arc etc of all those games.. could you email them over to skeezix@skeleton.org?

 

Thanks mate!

 

Maybe we can bring back the ST BBS scene

 

jeff

[+DarkLord]

I've uploaded my hacked bbs express runtime here:

 

http://shadow.skeleton.org/~skeezix/misc/b...ress-hacked.zip

 

Give it a shot and let me know if it works at all; I did most of the mods to it years ago and never expected anyone to need them, so no idea what they are anymore Hopefully it works.. it at least isn't dangerous. (I've also got versions 1.70 and 1.98 kicking around if you need them)

 

If you've got zip/lzh/arc etc of all those games.. could you email them over to skeezix@skeleton.org?

 

Thanks mate!

 

Maybe we can bring back the ST BBS scene

 

jeff

933476[/snapback]

 

Got it, I'll backup my current v1.98 copy and give it a try here in awhile.

 

I looked, I don't have the original archives of those games. What I can do is zip them up, e-mail them to you. You'll probably have to change paths 'n stuff where I've got them set for my BBS, but it really shouldn't be too hard to adapt them.

 

Bring back the ST BBS scene - now there is a worthy thought! I'm with ya bro! :-)

[doctorclu]

I've uploaded my hacked bbs express runtime here:

 

http://shadow.skeleton.org/~skeezix/misc/b...ress-hacked.zip

 

Give it a shot and let me know if it works at all; I did most of the mods to it years ago and never expected anyone to need them, so no idea what they are anymore Hopefully it works.. it at least isn't dangerous. (I've also got versions 1.70 and 1.98 kicking around if you need them)

 

If you've got zip/lzh/arc etc of all those games.. could you email them over to skeezix@skeleton.org?

 

Thanks mate!

 

Maybe we can bring back the ST BBS scene

 

jeff

933476[/snapback]

 

Got it, I'll backup my current v1.98 copy and give it a try here in awhile.

 

I looked, I don't have the original archives of those games. What I can do is zip them up, e-mail them to you. You'll probably have to change paths 'n stuff where I've got them set for my BBS, but it really shouldn't be too hard to adapt them.

 

Bring back the ST BBS scene - now there is a worthy thought! I'm with ya bro! :-)

933481[/snapback]

 

This is just too cool!

 

Ok, so if I wanted to start a BBS on my TT030, I could drop that program in for the BBS express, and then after that what kind of setup hardware and software do I need for getting the BBS on telnet?

[skeezix]

That modified Express isn't for telnet oper se; it just has a fwe fixes and changes that make it better for telnet, but it still doesn't natively do telnet in and of itself. Maybe I'll get an ST ethernet card and work on it, but time is always tight (I work some 50-80 hours a week

 

The modded one I made just has no delays in writing out to serial.. so it doesn't care if your 2400bps or 19200bps, it writes at full speed.. which is good for telnet usually I'm running the BBS inside of an ST emulator I crafted, that maps serial to TCP/IP for telnet usage.

 

If theres sufficient interest, perhaps I'll modify Express itself to work with TCP/IP directly, with STing, and then it'd be a snap.

 

jeff

[+DarkLord]

  This is just too cool!

 

    Ok, so if I wanted to start a BBS on my TT030, I could drop that program in for the BBS express, and then after that what kind of setup hardware and software do I need for getting the BBS on telnet?

934394[/snapback]

 

Well, unfortunately, I have to report that it did not work. I misunderstood what Jeff was telling me. He is running a version of BBS Express that he modified - but only for Y2K issues, and speeding up the serial port routines - not for actually using it with something like STing and the EtherNEC. :-(

 

His BBS is running under emulation. He's done a great job to get it to work like he has.

 

Now, you can do what I did - use the Lantronix UDS10, which converts serial port signals to the LAN and back. Thats what I'm using to get DarkForce available by telnet. It works great. Only downside is that it is serial port speeds. In the case of my Mega ST, thats 19.2k or so. You might be able to get faster with a TT030 or a Mega STE with their enhanced serial ports, if Express could use it.

 

Sorry if I got your hopes up... :-(

 

PS If you haven't logged onto DarkForce lately, you should try it again and see if you can tell as small speed (increase) difference using Jeffs' modified version. It feels like it has a little more "snap" to me... That should give you an idea of what to expect with a UDS10.

 

See ya...

[doctorclu]

Ok, currently trying to get the Atari BBS's on the BBS Banner Exchange so we can draw in some diehard BBS'ers onto the Atari BBS's. Basically you put the link on your website advertising your BBS, and your BBS banner will be shown on other BBS's.

 

I have a simple banner for Darkforce working so far, as we can modify as we go.

 

Ronald, if you could add this script to your website...

 

<!-- Begin the BBS Xchange Code -->

<BR><P><CENTER><A HREF="http://bbsx.thebbs.org/cgi-bin/bbsx/x.pl?member=darkforce;banner=NonSSI;page=01" TARGET="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://bbsx.thebbs.org/cgi-bin/bbsx/x.pl?member=darkforce;page=01" WIDTH=440 HEIGHT=40 ALT="the BBS Xchange" BORDER=0></A><BR><SMALL><A HREF="http://bbsx.thebbs.org" TARGET="_blank">the BBS Xchange</A></SMALL></CENTER>

<BR><!-- End the BBS Xchange Code -->

 

And add that to maybe the Darkforce webpage...

 

http://www.darkforce.org/index2.html

 

I will make the corrections after that, and from then on, people will be directed to that site, and then can telnet to the BBS from there!

[skeezix]

Hey, check this out:

 

http://www.quantum-link.org/

 

Specifically this link:

 

http://www.jbrain.com/pub/xplatform/serial...er4j-2.0rc6.zip

 

Thats a java based serial<->tcp proxy; I didn't run it, nor am I sure if its made specifrically for this Quantum Link application or not.. but it could be what you need.. a simple serial to TCP redirector. (Theres also a linux build)

 

Thats essentially what I do in emulation.

 

jeff

[skeezix]

I thought about it a bit, and the EtherNEC costs a fair amount (I'd need the external one likely, so some $80USD or so). I do a lot of this sort of ad-hoc development (porting emus and games to GP32, PSP, Palm OS, Pocket PCs, etc) and I can't keep up with all the new gadgets coming out that I'm interested in. One community just pooled together and is buying me a new gadget (sequal to the GP32) so I can continue development there. (I have been through a lot of gadgets, but gotta tighten the belt these days a touch).

 

So I think my shot at modding Express to talk direct to STing/etc for TCP is low since no way for me to test :/ (or wait, can the emulators like STeem support STing? That might make it doable!)

 

If I need the hardware to test, perhaps folks can pool to help out buying the card? Or loan me one for awhile?

 

I was pretty tempted there, but with my BBS modded to run in telnet via emulation already, its sort of .. too much extra cost for no gain for me, though being an ST nerd means I'll help out anyway I can afford

 

jeff

[+DarkLord]

I thought about it a bit, and the EtherNEC costs a fair amount (I'd need the external one likely, so some $80USD or so). I do a lot of this sort of ad-hoc development (porting emus and games to GP32, PSP, Palm OS, Pocket PCs, etc) and I can't keep up with all the new gadgets coming out that I'm interested in. One community just pooled together and is buying me a new gadget (sequal to the GP32) so I can continue development there. (I have been through a lot of gadgets, but gotta tighten the belt these days a touch).

 

So I think my shot at modding Express to talk direct to STing/etc for TCP is low since no way for me to test :/ (or wait, can the emulators like STeem support STing? That might make it doable!)

 

If I need the hardware to test, perhaps folks can pool to help out buying the card? Or loan me one for awhile?

 

I was pretty tempted there, but with my BBS modded to run in telnet via emulation already, its sort of .. too much extra cost for no gain for me, though being an ST nerd means I'll help out anyway I can afford

 

jeff

934974[/snapback]

 

Jeff, if you are serious about it and think you can find the time, I'd be perfectly willing to loan you my EtherNEC for as long as you needed it. :-)

 

Just lemme know buddy!

[skeezix]

That'd take your BBS down

 

I guess the real question is.. does the Pascal used (Personal Pascal? I forget which it is) have the necessary hooks to talk to STing and do TCP/IP; if it does, we could be in bidniz.

 

jeff

[+DarkLord]

That'd take your BBS down

 

I guess the real question is.. does the Pascal used (Personal Pascal? I forget which it is) have the necessary hooks to talk to STing and do TCP/IP; if it does, we could be in bidniz.

 

jeff

935370[/snapback]

 

Uh no, remember I'm running on the Lantronix UDS10 serial port to LAN converter. I merely got the EtherNEC working with my Mega ST and all the STing apps like CAB, Newsie, etc, etc,...

 

Currently, the EtherNEC is doing nothing.

 

I'm not qualified to answer about which Pascal was used. I don't even have the source code to Express. I think from one of your past messages, and since you modified it, you do have it, correct?

 

What about this though, even if it doesn't have the "hooks", can it call a c, c++ or any other language module/app/program, use it, and still run gracefully?

 

Many C and C++ programs do that, right? For example call an assembly language sub routine or whatever.

 

Thanks!

[Kirkman]

Ahh!! Hope it will come back up in the future!

 

So Space Empire, is that like Baron Realms Elite?

 

I found this thread because I am an old FANSI user (though I never registered, sorry Eric). I was just getting into ANSI screens and could only make them by using TheDraw through PC emulation on the Atari. It was VERY slow. Anyhow, FANSI was cool, and though I was never an "artist," I did enjoy making menus and ads for BBSes

 

Anyway, just wanted to reply and say that Solar Realms Elite (SRE), the PC game by Amit Patel was based on the Atari version of Space Empire Elite. SEE came first, then SRE. Amit's brother Mehul later wrote Barren Realms Elite (BRE) as a multiplayer derivative of SRE.

 

I first got into this whole genre of online game through the Flash BBS here in St. Louis, which ran FoReM ST software and had SEE. That was a fun game, though I have to once I discovered SRE on other PC BBSes, I grew to enjoy SRE more.

 

Anyway, hope to see ya'll at the Grove.

 

--Josh

[+DarkLord]

I first got into this whole genre of online game through the Flash BBS here in St. Louis, which ran FoReM ST software and had SEE. That was a fun game, though I have to once I discovered SRE on other PC BBSes, I grew to enjoy SRE more.

 

Josh, if you like those games, do yourself a favor and come play Final Frontier II at my BBS.

[Kirkman]

I will check it out today... I finally found a decent ANSI terminal emulator for MacOS X, called SyncTerm. I'm trying to build a list of good telnet BBSes (Atari and PC) to visit regularly.

 

BTW - Any of you SEE/SRE fans might want to check out a web port of SRE called "Solar Imperium"... it's at http://imperium.mrgtech.ca The game is still in active development, but it's quite good.

 

--Josh

[+DarkLord]

I will check it out today... I finally found a decent ANSI terminal emulator for MacOS X, called SyncTerm. I'm trying to build a list of good telnet BBSes (Atari and PC) to visit regularly.

 

BTW - Any of you SEE/SRE fans might want to check out a web port of SRE called "Solar Imperium"... it's at http://imperium.mrgtech.ca The game is still in active development, but it's quite good.

 

--Josh

 

Don't forget the ST Guild BBS as well. Sniperstorm has just recently

resurrected it. You can reach it at:

 

68.106.151.246

 

Thanks for calling, and have fun!

[Kirkman]

 

Don't forget the ST Guild BBS as well. Sniperstorm has just recently

resurrected it.

 

I have added it to my list. However, I do have one question... I have not yet found any BBS running "Space Empire Elite." Anybody know of an Atari BBS that has it going? (Or will any of you sysops install it?)

 

--Josh

[+DarkLord]

 

Don't forget the ST Guild BBS as well. Sniperstorm has just recently

resurrected it.

 

I have added it to my list. However, I do have one question... I have not yet found any BBS running "Space Empire Elite." Anybody know of an Atari BBS that has it going? (Or will any of you sysops install it?)

 

--Josh

 

I'll look and see, but don't know for sure. Thanks!

[+DarkLord]

 

Don't forget the ST Guild BBS as well. Sniperstorm has just recently

resurrected it.

 

I have added it to my list. However, I do have one question... I have not yet found any BBS running "Space Empire Elite." Anybody know of an Atari BBS that has it going? (Or will any of you sysops install it?)

 

--Josh

 

Hmm, was looking around and almost forgot about The Assassins Grove BBS. Its another

reincarnated Atari BBS from the 80's. Its got a good list of games, including "Space Trader

Elite"... I'm not sure if thats the one you're talking about or not? Check it out at:

 

http://www.skeleton.org/bbsindex.html

 

I've talked to the Sysop Jeff Mitchell on a couple of occasions. He's a really nice guy, very

helpful.

 

Have fun!

[Kirkman]

I have added it to my list. However, I do have one question... I have not yet found any BBS running "Space Empire Elite." Anybody know of an Atari BBS that has it going? (Or will any of you sysops install it?)

 

Hmm, was looking around and almost forgot about The Assassins Grove BBS. Its another

reincarnated Atari BBS from the 80's. Its got a good list of games, including "Space Trader

Elite"... I'm not sure if thats the one you're talking about or not? Check it out at:

 

http://www.skeleton.org/bbsindex.html

 

 

Yes, I have been on the Grove for a while now... Space Trader is a similar game (with a similar name), but it is not SEE.

 

SEE was very popular on FoReM ST / Fnet boards and was inter-BBS capable. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Empire_Elite

 

--Josh

[+DarkLord]

 

Yes, I have been on the Grove for a while now... Space Trader is a similar game (with a similar name), but it is not SEE.

 

SEE was very popular on FoReM ST / Fnet boards and was inter-BBS capable. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Empire_Elite

 

--Josh

 

Okay, thanks for the info. Well, Jeff (the Groves' Sysop) and I had exchanged some files, but I've not

had much time recently to go through them all. It *appears* that I have a copy of SEE. Give me some

time and I'll see if I can get it up and running on my BBS.