Version 4.17
08/21 - changed it so that when you increase the number of rooms in
        the game (and consequently, "nowhere" rooms get created
        as place-holders), they are by default flagged as 
        "no-teleport" rooms (so people won't wander in while
        you're creating the area)
08/30 - fixed a problem with Shockwave
09/29 - fixed a problem with door locks 
09/30 - increased the number of available permanant monster and item
        slots to 120 (each)
09/30 - fixed it so that invasions are less likely to start in
        places they shouldn't
09/30 - fixed a problem with the help command
09/30 - added new level 4 CNF option STICKYI. If set to YES, all 
        rooms are sticky as far as items are concerned (items stay 
        on the ground until they are picked up). If set to NO, most
        rooms are not sticky rooms (items vanish when the last
        player leaves). The exceptions being rooms considered
        "safe" rooms (safe havens, banks, mercantiles, guilds,
        etc) - items will still stick around in those kinds of
        rooms. Also, any room will temporarily be a sticky item
        room if a player dies in there (so they can have a chance
        at retrieving their stuff).
        Default setting: YES (items are sticky)
09/30 - continued reworking color use
10/01 - fixed it so you can always use a huntress quest item you
        earned, regardless of your level
Version 4.16
07/30 - changed the "timers" command to display the current
        state of your return spell setting
07/30 - changed the "items" command to only display a
        mercantile/guild catalog if there are no items on
        the ground to display
08/01 - fixed a problem with focii and vigor/restore
08/12 - fixed a GP problem involving players changing rooms 
        while in the middle of a mercantile transaction
08/12 - changed the mercantile menu to allow command-line params
        so that you can bypass the menu alltogether. For example:

        "menu c"       - lists the catalog of items for sale (same 
                         as typing "items")
        "menu i"       - lists your inventory (same as typing 
                         "inventory")
        "menu b"       - buy an item
        "menu b x"     - buy item #x
        "menu s"       - sell an item (or items)
        "menu s x y z" - sell items x, y & z

        You can use macros to simulate the old "buy" and "sell" 
        commands (which people seem to hold so dear). For example, 
        you could set macro "sell" to "menu s" and macro "buy" to 
        "menu b". Then you just type "sell x y z" to sell items 
        from your inventory or "buy x" to buy items.
Version 4.15
07/25 - fixed a problem with sticky items being lost when
        installing new releases and UPDATES=YES
07/25 - added new spell: Alchemy. Converts items to gold.
        The amount of gold you receive is equal to 1/2 the 
        amount you would get by selling the item
07/25 - added new spell: Shockwave. Shockwave is SoC's first 
        (and last) area damage spell. Shockwave generates a 
        gigantic wall of force, targetting all monsters in
        your current location. The total amount of damage done
        by shockwave is calculated using the same formula that
        fireball uses. The damage is then divided equally amongst
        your targets. For example, if your shockwave generates
        100 points of damage and there are 4 monsters in the
        room, you could potentially hit each monster for
        25 points of damage (depending on whether or not
        they dodge). Like Sleep, if any of your targets outreact
        you, the spell does not go off.

        Re the last two spells: Oh boy, get your scripts out!
07/25 - redesigned the main menu
07/25 - removed the SWITCH, OUTLAW, SUICIDE and RENAME commands.
        These functions are now available from the main menu
07/27 - changed it so that the "type menu..." message does not
        come up for unused guilds
07/28 - added hooks to the main menu so that you can go directly
        to the bank, the mercantile, the academy or town square
        (in addition to the old "E" to return to your last
        location). The level 4 CNF options ABANK, AMERC and ANACAD
        determine which rooms these menu hooks connect to. If set
        to 0, the game uses the first bank, mercantile and academy
        rooms it finds in the roomfile.

        Note: there are a few restrictions to these "free rides".
        You cannot zip to say, Town Square, if:
        1- You hung up the last time you were playing
        2- You were in a no-teleport room
        3- You were in jail
07/28 - removed the QUESTS command. The "experience" command now
        displays both active and available experience quests
07/28 - removed the TRAIN and UNTRAIN commands. These functions
        are now available from the Academy Menu. Like selling
        items from the Mercantile menu, you can specify multiple 
        quests (or ranges of quests) to train/untrain at once.
07/28 - added access to private storage closets to all of the
        Elfhelm guild halls
07/28 - changed all of the Boldhome guild halls to be "real"
        guild halls (i.e. item storage and access to the
        guild treasury)

Author's Note: That's it folks, I'm through messing around 
with the game for the time being (apart from bug fixes and
minor adjustments). Hopefully the transition hasn't 
been too painful. If you have suggestions to further 
improve the "improvements", you know where to reach me.
And now, on to "Realms of Chaos"... Watch for it in a
Vaporware store near you.

-Mark Peterson
 Muinet Entertainment

Version 4.14
06/23 - fixed a problem with displaying a player's equipment
        when holding a shield and a focus
06/23 - changed it so that looking at an item will tell you
        what it is worth
06/23 - removed permission #0 - "toggle permission". In order
        to toggle your permissions (or toggle another player's
        permissions) you must have the appropriate SYSOPKEY (as
        specified in level 3 CNF)
06/23 - removed the ability to edit players from GameOp
        permission and made it it's own seperate permission
        (permission #0). As previously mentioned, even if you
        have Player Edit permission you cannot toggle another
        player's permissions unless you also have SYSOPKEY
07/13 - fixed a problem with IDLZAP being circumvented
07/14 - fixed a problem with the contents of containers not being
        colorized
07/23 - changed it so that the "items" command will display a
        mercantile/guild catalog (where applicable)
07/23 - to avoid the problem of accidentally bringing up bank, guild
        or mercantile menus (by hitting [ENTER] when you're really
        not interested in seeing a menu), you now must explicitly
        type "menu" (or "m" for short) in these locations to bring
        up the appropriate menu
07/23 - added new option #3; "don't want to use the 'send' command".
        This functionality (formerly part of option #12, "novice
        mode") makes it so that anything you type that is not a
        command is sent out globally to everyone else playing (mainly
        to help new players communicate with other people right
        away). This option supercedes option #10 (don't want to use
        'say') - if both options are turned on, your messages will
        be sent globally and not locally.
        Removed the previous option #3; "disable flee command".
        Sorry, something had to go and this seemed like the
        likeliest candidate. And do I really need to sanction
        ineptitude anyway? :>
07/23 - changed the "monsters" command to display more detailed
        info about the monsters in your current location. This
        includes whether or not the monster is asleep, bashed,
        mesmerized, aware of your presence and who it's attacking
07/24 - put back the "do you really want to sell" confirmation in
        mercantiles
Version 4.13
06/08 - fixed a problem with too many monsters being added to a
        room
06/08 - fixed a problem with the ogre smith room
06/08 - removed the "finish" command. All combat now proceeds
        on auto-pilot - i.e. when you begin an attack, the game
        will take over for you and fight to the death (or until
        someone leaves). To temporarily interrupt the combat or
        to change your attack method, just type a new command.
        To disable auto-combat, turn option #13 *on*
06/08 - changed it so that when you type a command that you cannot
        immediately execute because of your action timer, the command
        will be remembered and then executed for you when it's OK
        for you to do so. For example, if you try to pick something
        up and your action timer is at 2 seconds, you will receive
        the message "OK, you will do that in 2 seconds". After 2
        seconds the computer will jump in and execute the command
        for you.
06/08 - removed the "Go!" notification - not really needed anymore
06/09 - removed the level 4 CNF option SPELFAIL. There is no longer
        the possibility of spells failing
06/09 - changed the way psychic focus devices are used. Instead of
        simply having it in your inventory, you have to hold it
        to use it (to select a focus to use, use the "use" command).
        As long as you're holding the focus, your spells will be
        enhanced (if you're a cleric, mystic or sorcerer)
06/09 - changed it so that psychic focus devices enhance the affects
        of magic devices. E.G. if you are holding a psychic focus
        and cast a blast spell using a blast device, the blast
        device will do more damage. This applies to all classes.
06/09 - changed it so that a use is not subtracted from a focus
        when you cast a healing spell and no points are healed.
06/09 - changed it so that casting sleep only subtracts one use
        from a focus, regardless of how many monsters are put to
        sleep.
06/09 - changed it so that combat using offensive magic devices
        continues in auto-combat (finish) mode
06/09 - removed the "return" command. To stop using something, just
        use the "use" command. In the case of armor and shields,
        you can simply switch to a new item without un-using
        the old one first.
06/10 - started reworking the use of color in SoC's displays
06/12 - changed the way data files get created on disk
06/18 - changed it so that if one or more monsters are attacking 
        you, you can initiate combat against one of them by just
        entering an attack command (hit, bash, etc) without
        specifying a target. The game will choose a target
        for you.
06/18 - added new command: drag. Using the drag command you can 
        attempt to drag a player or monster out of your current 
        room and into a new room. See "help drag" for more info.
Version 4.12
06/04 - fixed a problem with the impeach command
06/04 - fixed a problem with buying from a guild store
06/04 - changed it so that the guild store menu is not
        available in rooms where there are monsters or
        where monsters can show up
06/04 - changed some of the special permissions and how 
        they work:
        - permission #0 is now "Toggle Permission". This 
          permission allows you to turn your other permissions 
          on and off as needed. This permission is automatically 
          turned on for players who have the correct SYSOP key 
          (as specified in level 3 CNF)
        - permission #1 is now "Super Powers" permission. This
          permission grants a player all of game-play special
          powers previously supplied under the old "Sysop"
          permission (including no weight restrictions and
          unlimited cash). Basically this permission makes the
          game easier to play for people who are administrating
          the game. If you are a "real" player, you should leave
          this permission turned off, as it is basically "cheating".
        - permission #8 is now "GameOp" permission. This permission
          grants a player all of the various special powers needed
          to administrate the game (accessing the gameop menu, etc)
          Basically it consists of all the old "sysop permission"
          powers exluding the ones that are now part of the
          "Super Powers" permission.
        - permission #11 is now "Edit" permission. Removed the old
          EDITKEY and replaced it instead with this permission.
          If turned on, players can edit rooms, items and monsters
          from the gameop menu.
        - removed "Sysop" permission. As previously mentioned, these
          powers have been broken up between the "GameOp" and "Super
          Powers" permissions.
        - removed the "No Weight Restriction" and "Unlimited Cash"
          permissions. As previously mentioned, these are now part
          of the "Super Powers" permission.

        So, why you ask? Well, now you can appoint a GameOp without
        giving them the ability to turn their other permissions on 
        and off at will. Similarly, you can give a player GameOp
        powers without also giving them all of the various "cheats"
        that now make up the "Super Powers" permission.
Version 4.11
05/30 - fixed a problem with announcement files
05/31 - fixed a problem with the new menus and receiving global
        messages
Version 4.10
05/02 - fixed a problem with displaying lengthy announcement files
05/05 - fixed a problem with selecting the GUILD7 filter in the room
        editor
05/14 - removed userid from poobah display, added outlaw status and 
        level
05/21 - increased the amount of information displayed by the "who"
        command
05/23 - removed the "deposit", "withdraw" and "transfer" commands.
        To perform these actions, go to the bank or your guild and
        press ENTER to access the banking menu. Also, if you enter 
        the bank and are carrying cash, you will be automatically 
        prompted as to whether or not you want to deposit your cash 
        into the bank.
05/23 - removed the "quit" command. Just use "X" to exit (like any
        other Worldgroup module)
05/23 - changed it so that you don't have to type "buy" in the
        newsstand to get the news
05/26 - removed the "buy", "sell" and "catalog" commands. To perform
        these actions, go to a mercantile or guild shop (the room
        immediately outside the guild itself) and press [ENTER] for
        the shop menu. From the shop menu you can list the items
        available for sale, list your inventory, buy and sell.
        When selling items to a mercantile, you specify the item(s)
        you want to sell by inventory number. You can specify as many
        items as you like at one time, including ranges of items.
        For example:
        Enter item number(s) to sell: 1 3 5 10-15 18-20
        (Hopefully this will appease the people who don't like menus)

        Note: Selling containers works a little differently now. If
        you specify that you want to sell a container that has items
        in it, only the items will be sold - you keep the container.
        If you want to sell the container itself, sell it again.

        Note: since [ENTER] inside of a guild will get you the guild
        treasury menu, you can only access the guild shop from the
        room outside the guild.
05/26 - cut down on how often the health status line gets displayed.
        Generally, you won't see it if you're just moving around
        burning up fatigue. If you ever want to see it, just press
        [ENTER] at the main prompt.
05/26 - removed user-count licensing. All copies of SoC are now
        unlimited user copies. If you already own SoC, no new
        fees or activation codes are required. To increase the
        number of simultaneous users, just increase the level 4
        CNF option MAXUSER. There is also now one new low
        price to purchase SoC: $199
Version 4.09
04/23 - fixed a GP problem with rescuing the heir
Version 4.08A
04/20 - fixed a problem with reports (WG3 versions only)
Version 4.08
04/13 - fixed a problem with rooms filling up with too many
        monsters (more than 8)
Version 4.07
04/10 - fixed a possible stack problem in the message sender
04/10 - changed restricted items back so that you can pick
        them up, even if you can't use them (now get off my
        back, ya whiners)
Version 4.06
04/08 - fixed a problem with hidden exits becoming un-hidden
04/08 - changed some of the behavior of sticky monsters. They
        will not stay BASH'd, MES'd or SLEEP'd if you bash, mes
        or sleep them, leave the room, and then come back.
Version 4.05
04/07 - fixed a problem with receiving messages while in the full
        screen editor
04/07 - fixed a problem with disconnecting while following someone
04/07 - fixed a problem with follow/ignore where it would say
        "that player is already here" for some dumb reason
04/07 - added two new item flags; CLASS and RACE. So, you can
        restrict the use of an item to a specific class or
        race (or both)
04/07 - added new level 4 CNF option CACHBUFS. This setting
        determines how many internal memory cache buffers SoC
        uses (to increase performance and cut down on disk
        accessing). Feel free to fine tune the setting if
        you want SoC to use less memory. Just remember that
        any memory trade off will increase disk accessing and
        decrease performance
04/07 - added new level 4 CNF option "ANNCFILE". This is the
        path (full or relative) to a text file that you want
        displayed to players whenever they enter the game
        (for announcements and such). If the file does not
        exist, or if you leave ANNCFILE blank, SoC will make
        no attempt to display an announcement
Version 4.04
04/04 - fixed a problem with sticky monsters being able to see 
        invisible players (without having cast see invisible)
04/04 - changed it so that dropping items in a room (with the drop
        command) will not cause old items to be pushed out of
        the room if the room is already full of items. Instead,
        you will get a message that the room is full.
04/04 - added new level 4 CNF option MONLEAVE so that you can
        configure the chances of monsters remaining in a room
        after the last player clears out. 1=100% chance that
        monsters will wander off, 2=50% chance, 3=33% chance,
        4=25% chance, and so on. Setting MONLEAVE to 1 will
        basically disable the sticky monster feature (monsters
        will always vanish when a room clears).
        Default setting: 4 (25% chance that monsters will wander
        off)
Version 4.03
03/28 - removed the "put" command - redundant since it did exactly the
        same thing as "drop".
03/28 - removed the "save" command from the "help commands" display.
        This command is a relic from the bad old days and doesn't
        really serve any useful purpose anymore. However, I'll leave
        the command itself available for those who have grown
        accustomed to using it.
03/29 - added a new special sysop ability to the "follow" command. If
        you attempt to follow a player who is not in the same room as
        you, you will instantly teleport to their current location and
        then follow them (so, you don't have to cast seek and possibly 
        miss someone who is moving around quickly).
03/31 - fixed a problem with the mail menu
04/01 - changed it so that items no longer vanish when the last player
        leaves a room (all rooms are now, in essence, "sticky").
      - in concert with the above change, removed the special room type
        "sticky item room" (all rooms are sticky item rooms by default
        now)
      - changed the way items get added to a room. Instead of slowly
        filling up and then becoming "full", room items will be last-in,
        first-out. I.E. If a room has twenty items in it and a new
        item is added to the room, the oldest item will be pushed off
        the list and the new item will be added. The only exception
        to this is dumping out a container (or having a container
        break). In this case, the old "room is full" method applies
        (so, dumping out a container won't cause you to lose items
        if you have more than 20 items in the container).
      - removed the concept of player "corpses" from the game. Since
        items will remain in a room after players have left, it is
        no longer necessary to keep track of corpses. When you die,
        your items fall to the ground and will stay there until someone
        comes along and picks them up. The only difference being that
        if someone dies in the same room as you died in, their items
        (if any) will push your items out of the room list (last-in,
        first-out)
      - did away with the restriction that you only have one guild
        hall per guild. With the new item setup, this is no longer
        necessary
04/02 - changed it so that monsters will not disappear when the last
        player exits a room. Monsters will (most of the time) stay
        in a room waiting for new players to show up. Monsters have
        a 25% chance of "wandering off", but most of the time they
        will stick around. The only exception being when you get
        killed. In that instance, the monsters will do you the favor
        of clearing off so that you have a chance at getting your
        stuff back.
      - added a new toggleable player special permission - "no stat
        loss on death". If turned on, a player will not have any
        stats decremented when they die.
Version 4.02
03/22 - removed the BET command - if you enter a PVP arena, you will
        be prompted for a bet amount. If you have no money, you are not
        required to place a bet, otherwise you will be required to bet
        a least 1 gold.
03/22 - removed the special exit filter "ARENA FILTER" (no longer needed,
        given the previously cited change)
03/22 - removed the CHANT command - to open a password-operated door,
        simply "go" to it and you will be prompted for the chant.
03/22 - fixed a small problem with the message you get when you cast
        summon in a full room
03/22 - changed the "guilds" command so that you can specify the desired
        menu selection as a command line param and skip the guilds menu 
        alltogether. I.E. "guilds A" to get a turf listing (ideal
        for macros)
03/24 - changed the "offices" command so that you can specify the desired
        menu selection as a command line param and skip the offices menu 
        alltogether. I.E. "offices A" to get a listing of office holders 
        (ideal for macros)
03/24 - removed the ASSEMBLE command. To build an item out of a puzzle
        set, just use the "use" command.
03/24 - removed the level 4 CNF option FEEFCTR and replaced it with a new
        one called FEEFACTR. It works the same as before, with a new
        twist. If the value is positive, base turf fees are equal to
        the number of rooms a guild controls DIVIDED by FEEFACTR (same as
        before). If the value is negative, base turf fees are equal to
        the number of rooms controlled MULTIPLIED by the absolute (minus-
        stripped) value of FEEFACTR. So, you can now drastically increase
        turf fees if that's what you want. 
        Default setting: 2 (base fee = rooms controlled divided by 2)
03/24 - added the ability for sysops to limit which rooms, items and 
        monsters their game editors can access. Each editor may be
        assigned a block of rooms, monsters and/or items that they are
        limited to. These settings are on the player-edit stats screen.
03/25 - removed the MRECEIVE and MSEND commands in favor of a single
        new command IGNORE. To no longer receive messages from (or send
        messages to) an annoying person, simply ignore them (ignore <name>).
        The "where" command will tell you which players you are currently
        ignoring (under the "Ign" column). Use the ignore command again
        to stop ignoring someone.
03/25 - added three new item flags:
        NO REPAIR - item cannot be repaired by talismans
        NO INSTILL - item cannot be instilled
        INFINITE USES - item lasts forever (uses never decrement)
03/27 - removed the POST, CHECK, GPOST and GCHECK commands. These functions
        are now all available from the single prompt/menu driven command
        MAIL.
03/27 - changed the former "guild business" public forum to be strictly
        a public forum (accessed from the "mail" menu). Each guild now has
        it's own private forum to conduct their private guild business, 
        accessed from the "guilds" menu.
03/27 - added to the "mail" command the ability for gameops to 
        selectively delete (censor) messages from the public forum.
03/27 - added to the "gameop" menu the ability to selectively reset
        portions of the Hall of Fame
03/27 - fixed a problem with elections in the WG3 NT/95 version
Version 4.01A (WG3 only)
03/06 - fixed a problem with the help files
Version 4.01
02/18 - fixed a problem with bashing becoming screwy when players and/or
        monsters with extremely high stats are involved
02/18 - changed it so that Magic Devices and items already instilled with
        a spell can be reinstilled with a new spell (or the same spell)
02/18 - fixed the instill/power-factor/item-restrict loophole
02/18 - updated the item report to include whether or not an item has
        STATIC attributes and what room PERM items reside in
03/02 - fixed a problem with special keys getting the wrong spell assigned
        to them
03/02 - changed it so you can't accidentally edit a player's attributes
        to < 1 (can cause crashes otherwise)
Version 4.00
02/10  - Released Worldgroup 3.0 versions of SoC (for both DOS and NT/95)  
       - removed the offline editor from the general release .ZIP file
         (seems not as useful now that full-screen online editing is
         available - if you have a need for an offline editor, contact
         me and I'll get you a copy)
Version 3.99
02/10  - added full-screen on-line editing for items
