Table of Contents

In-Game Modules

In-Game Modules (IGMs) are separate DOS programs that add places to LORD's Other Places menu (O in the town square). All versions of LORD FP run LORD 4.06 IGMs, listed in 3RDPARTY.DAT in the game directory.

Version How IGMs run
DOS As in LORD 4.06: LORD writes INFO.<node>, OUT.<player> and DO<node>.BAT, then ends with errorlevel 254; START.BAT calls DO<node>.BAT and starts LORD.EXE again, which puts the player back where they were.
Linux Under dosemu2, started by the game itself with the caller attached (see DOS IGMs from Linux).
Windows In DOSBox-X, with a FOSSIL driver (see the Windows version and DOS In-Game Modules).

3RDPARTY.DAT

Two lines per IGM: the DOS command line (* is replaced by the node number), then the name players see, with LORD colour codes. Lines starting with ; are comments. 

;-=-=-=-= LORD'S INTERNAL 3RD PARTY SOFTWARE OPTION =-=-=-
E:\LORDF\IGMS\VAULT\VAULT.EXE * E:\LORDF\ 1
`0The `@Dragon `0Vault
E:\LORDF\IGMS\PAWN\PAWNSHOP.EXE /N* /GE:\LORDF\
`@THE PAWN SHOP `0v3.40

lordcfg's O (Other Places) screen adds and removes entries. @LADY <event> <file> entries run a LADY script event (see LADY scripts).

What the game does for an IGM

On Linux and Windows, for each visit the game writes the LORD 4.06 files an IGM expects into the game directory:

It runs the IGM, and then brings back whatever the IGM changed: player stats, the fairy, MAIL<account>.DAT, new Daily Happenings lines, Violet's marriage, and an OUT.<account> “QUIT” or “stay here” request. Only the fields the IGM changed are brought back, so other players' moves meanwhile aren't lost.

An IGM may change PLAYER.DAT, the FAIRY and time lines of INFO.<node>, MAIL<n>.DAT and LOGNOW.TXT, and put QUIT or its own command line on the second line of OUT.<player>, as described in LORDSTRC.PAS.

Installing an IGM

  1. Make a directory for the IGM inside the game directory, for example igms/pawn, and unzip it there.
  2. Run the IGM's install or setup program under de (Synchronet on Linux) or at the DOS prompt, from the IGM's directory. Most ask for LORD's directory: give the DOS path of this game, such as E:\LORDF\ or E:\LORDFP\.
  3. Check 3RDPARTY.DAT: the installer usually adds its entry. Remove any older entry for the same IGM.
  4. If the IGM needs daily maintenance, check that MAINT.BAT runs it exactly once.
  5. Test it: go to Other Places, enter the IGM, and quit back to LORD.

One game per IGM install. IGMs keep their own configuration naming LORD's directory. If two games share one IGM directory, they share and overwrite its data. Give each game its own copy.

MAINT.BAT

After LORD's own daily maintenance, the first login of the day runs MAINT.BAT from the game directory, if there is one, as LORD 4.06 does. IGMs put their upkeep there. On Linux and Windows it gets the same LORD 4.06 files as an IGM, and what it changes is brought back. The day it last ran is kept in LORDFPM.DAT (DOS).

FOSSIL drivers

Some IGMs only talk through a FOSSIL driver. Without one they show a blank screen, or LORD shows “HOLD ON..” and nothing after it.

Example: The Pawn Shop 3.40

  1. Unzip pawn340.zip into /sbbs/xtrn/lordf/igms/pawn.
  2. Under de: E:, CD \LORDF\IGMS\PAWN, then PSETUP /C. Press I to install, and give E:\LORDF\ as LORD's directory and your BBS name. It writes PAWNSHOP.CFG and PSLIMITS.CFG, adds its line to 3RDPARTY.DAT and adds PSETUP.EXE /M to MAINT.BAT.
  3. Check that MAINT.BAT has PSETUP.EXE /M only once.
  4. The Pawn Shop needs a FOSSIL driver (above).

The Pawn Shop's documentation warns that PSETUP /M has crashed some older LORD versions at maintenance with a “player.dat is corrupted” message. Watch the first daily maintenance after installing it.

IGMs known to work

The Dragon Vault, Barak's House, The Pawn Shop 3.40. Over a thousand LORD IGMs are in the LORDIGM file area on the Kalgoorlie Retro BBS.