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Barbarian, meet Dragon

  • Saturday, January 10, 2004

    SLASH'EM 0.0.7E5 (development)

    Version 0.0.7E5 is the latest alpha release in the current development branch of Slash'EM. We are hoping it will also be the last and that the next version will be our first beta release of version 0.0.7.

    Binaries are available for MS-Windows and RedHat 9.

  • Tuesday, December 2, 2003

    SLASH'EM 0.0.7E4F1 (development)

    Version 0.0.7E4F1 is a quick release to fix a serious build issue under UNIX in 0.0.7E4. This only affects the UNIX platform and only affects building from source. Please continue to use binaries releaseed with version 0.0.7E4

  • Monday, December 1, 2003

    SLASH'EM 0.0.7E4 (development)

    Version 0.0.7E4 is the latest alpha release in the current development branch of Slash'EM. Depending on the number and type of bugs reported against this version we will decide whether another alpha version is called for or whether we can move to beta development.

    Binaries are available for MS-Windows and RedHat 9.

    The MS-Windows binary has now been split into two packages; the game core (including the tty and native gui ports) and the GTK windowing interface. This has many advantages, including the possibility of playing Slash'EM over a network if anyone chooses to setup a Slash'EM server. This would allow bones files and scores to be shared.

  • Friday, September 5, 2003

    SLASH'EM 0.0.7E3 (development)

    Version 0.0.7E3 is the latest alpha release in the current development branch of Slash'EM. We had originally planned on making this the first beta release but, with the recent release of NetHack 3.4.2, we have now decided that it would be better to integrate the changes made in NetHack 3.4.2 into the current development series. This means that we expect version 0.0.7E4 to be the first version to be based on NetHack 3.4.2 and that 0.0.7E5 will likely be the first beta version of Slash'EM Vampire.

    Binaries are available for MS-Windows and RedHat 9.

    The MS-Windows binary has now been split into two packages; the game core (including the tty port) and the GTK windowing interface. This has many advantages but does currently run slower than the old way of doing things. It is hoped that future versions can be optimized to improve this.

  • Monday, July 7, 2003

    SLASH'EM 0.0.7E2 (development)

    Version 0.0.7E2 is intended to be the last alpha release in the current development branch of Slash'EM. It is not really considered playable yet, but is provided for anyone who wants to play with the new ideas. This is an alpha release. If your aim is simply to play Slash'EM then you would almost certainly be better off playing the latest stable version. This release is intended for those who wish to try the new ideas out and report back on any issues found. Bug reports are also welcome.

    Binaries are available for MS-Windows and RedHat 9.

    The MS-Windows binary no longer contains its own copy of the Gtk+ runtime environment; instead it is based on gtk-win. You will need to install version 2.2.1.x of the Gtk+ Runtime Environment.

  • Monday, June 2, 2003

    SLASH'EM 0.0.7E1 (development)

    Version 0.0.7E1 is intended to be the penultimate alpha release in the current development branch of Slash'EM. It is not really considered playable yet, but is provided for anyone who wants to play with the new ideas. This is an alpha release. If your aim is simply to play Slash'EM then you would almost certainly be better off playing the latest stable version. This release is intended for those who wish to try the new ideas out and report back on any issues found (not bugs, which can mostly be left for beta development, but design faults which need addressing before we can release the first beta version).

  • Tuesday, April 1, 2003

    SLASH'EM 0.0.7E0 (development)

    Version 0.0.7E0 is released.

  • Friday, January 24, 2003

    SLASH'EM 0.0.6E8 (development)

    Version 0.0.6E8 is released.

  • Friday, December 6, 2002

    SLASH'EM 0.0.6E7 (development)

    Version 0.0.6E7 is released.

  • Friday, September 13, 2002

    SLASH'EM 0.0.6E6 (development)

    Version 0.0.6E6 is released.

  • Tuesday, April 2, 2002

    SLASH'EM 0.0.6E4F8 (stable)

    Version 0.0.6E4F8 is the last planned release in the current stable branch. Work is continuing on the next development series. Version 0.0.6E4F8 fixes a number of semi-serious bugs in 0.0.6E4F7 including:
    • Bug #528174: having shopkeepers enchant daggers crash.
    • Bug #459699: Oops. add_to_billobjs: obj is timed (refix).

    For the full list visit Ali's stable page.

    All users are advised to upgrade in due course.

    The gnome port is still considered experimental.

    Source code is available now, binaries are expected to follow in due course.

  • UNIX GTK port: Security notice

    If you are planning to run either the GTK or the Gnome windowing ports under UNIX then you need to be aware that this introduces a security risk. In a nutshell, the Gtk+ package that both of these window ports rely on has a facility which enables a malicious user to cause any program using it to run code of his devising under the permissions of the main program.

    Since Slash'EM normally runs either setuid or setgid, this means that a user on a computer that has Slash'EM installed can gain access to that user/group.

    The position of the Gtk+ dev-team is that Gtk+ is not suitable for use in setuid/setgid applications. Instead they recommend the use of suitable setuid/setgid helper programs. Since version 1.2.9 of Gtk+ they have introduced a check which will abort the program if it detects that it is running setuid/setgid.

    Note: Slash'EM version 0.0.6E4F4 is no more secure nor any less secure than previous versions of Slash'EM.

    What we have done:

    • In the short term, we have disabled the Gtk+ dev-team's check so that you can continue to run GTK Slash'EM setuid/setgid if you wish to.
    • In the long term, we are working with the NetHack dev-team to seperate the window interface into a different process from the game core. This will enable the window interface to run as an ordinary user without any problems.

    What you should do:

    • Firstly, never run Slash'EM setuid root.
    • If you are installing Slash'EM on a computer where you can trust all your users, then just carry on as normal.
    • If you are installing Slash'EM on a shared-use computer then ideally create a new group just for Slash'EM and install it setgid to that group. Alternatively, setgid games is nearly as secure as long as group games does not have write access to any executeables (ie., Slash'EM or other games). Finally, it is possible to install Slash'EM without setuid/setgid but any user will be able to read and write save files etc.
Archived News

Site Help

What is This: Description of SLASH'EM. Find out a bit of the history of SLASH'EM, and what the game is about.

What's New: News about SLASH'EM. The most recent developments and information is posted here.

Development: Files, Mailing List, Forums, CVS Repository, Bug reports, etc. If you're looking for binary releases, the source code, want to submit a bug, join a mailing list or discuss the game

News Archives: Old news is migrated here.

Links: Related projects and other associated webpages.

Help: You are here.

Tourist and Her Cat

What's This?

This is my little page for my personal modification and experiment in computer engineering based on the 3.3.1 release of Nethack, combining Tom Proudfoot's SLASH and the Larry Stewart-Zerba's Wizard Patch. From these humble beginnings, a not insignificant number of further changes have been added.

Nethack: From the land before 3DFX, before VGA graphics and DOOM, before the IBM PC, way back in the dark ages of Unixland, there was a game. They called it Rogue. People played it, and found it good. From this basis, Hack was born. Soon Hack became Nethack, because it was developed by many people (and has nothing to do with hacking the internet). And people played this on many machines, from Unices to Macs to PCs, due to the amazing power of Open Source Code.

But the DevTeam, the reclusive masterminds of Nethack, are a rather quiet bunch, gracing the world with new versions as they see fit, and when they see fit. Which is usually a new version every good number of years.

And there was much gnashing of teeth.

But because of the Freely Available Source Code Phenomenon, people began making their own versions of Nethack to tide themselves between magical releases.

SLASH'EM is the (continuing) saga of one such variant...

Credits

J. Ali Harlow has gone above and beyond the call of duty, by cleaning up the side effects of my work in DOS, releasing a "ready for Unix" version of SLASH'EM. In addition to maintaining and extending the Unix side of things, he brings another keen eye to search for bugs hidden in the recesses of the main program itself.

A previous addition to the growing Legion of SLASH'EM Helpers is Kevin Hugo. He is a coder, and has contributed many new features and given the code a much greater degree of stability. He has now found further recognition as a member of the esteemed Nethack DevTeam.

Also recently entering the fold is Robin Johnson who has helped with drawing of tiles, and submission of new code ;B

Yet another ally in improving this variant is Dirk Schönberger, who helped with many tiles as well as the maintenance of the Qt port. I haven't heard much from him recently, but I do know how Real Life can intrude ;B Best of luck, wherever you are, Dirk!

Since I'm using their patches, I owe Larry Stewart-Zerba and Warwick Allison, of Wizard Patch 0.7 fame, and Enrico Horn of SLASH E8, for the excellent patches. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am right now.

Lastly, there's probably some silly guy named Warren Cheung. Rumour has it he has five heads and three tails. But seriously, I don't bite, and if anything's wrong (especially in SLASH'EM), it's probably my fault ;B

Plans/Future Development

Zapping a Mega-Fireball

Links!

Nethack/SLASH'EM Sites

Roguelike Links

The Competition

Programming

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