Crossfire 0.98.0 has been released.  
Once again, unless serious bugs are detected, this will be the last release
before
1.0.  It seems that that lots of bugs get reported off releases of official
versions and not from CVS snapshots.

Main changes:
Mostly just a bunch of small bug fixes.  List is at the end of the file.

NOTE TO MIRROR SITES:  The primary site (ftp.scruz.net) has limited download
bandwidth per day.  You can also get this release off of sourceforge.net.

Files released for this version:

sums (bsd)  filename
13320  1549 crossfire-0.98.0.arch.tar.bz2
23828  1832 crossfire-0.98.0.arch.tar.gz
39314  2789 crossfire-0.98.0.maps.tar.bz2
46406  4017 crossfire-0.98.0.maps.tar.gz
17403  2683 crossfire-0.98.0.tar.bz2
62663  3012 crossfire-0.98.0.tar.gz
33843   239 crossfire-client-0.98.0.tar.gz

Sums (md5)
b633eba0e53234710c6d15ad4b04d8be  crossfire-0.98.0.arch.tar.bz2
f004c95912e3ab0b71692f63a01db24c  crossfire-0.98.0.arch.tar.gz
075ee95d823ea78f965867d6313ece42  crossfire-0.98.0.maps.tar.bz2
ae7cf5c6c6d554b647a1cf0a9e8014ce  crossfire-0.98.0.maps.tar.gz
00000bab0b2e114e80d7f9c19fc87986  crossfire-0.98.0.tar.bz2
06b91c418538c06d8ec5a195bb105c0b  crossfire-0.98.0.tar.gz
95c07464cfbc980ec8eccffeb4834259  crossfire-client-0.98.0.tar.gz

crossfire-client-0.98.0 is the client (X11) distribution - standard
X11 and gtk interfaces are provided.

crossfire-0.98.0.tar.{gz/bz2} contains the server code with prebuilt
archetype and image files. 

crossfire-0.98.0.arch.tar.{gz/bz2} contains the unpacked archetype changes.
This is not needed if you only want to compile the server and play the
game.

crossfire-0.98.0-maps.tar.{gz/bz2} contains the maps.  This is needed 
with the server distribution.

FOR FIRST TIME USERS:  You will only need the appropriate server, map
and client file.  You do not need the arch file.  If you are a first time
user, you may want the doc file unless you are using a web based player
referance.

If you just want to play the game at some remote server, you need the client
and perhaps some version of the doc file.

Crossfire is avaible on the following ftp sites

Primary:
    
     ftp://ftp.scruz.net:/users/mwedel/public
      (165.227.192.254)
    
     ftp://ftp.sourceforge.net:/pub/sourceforge/crossfire
      (64.28.67.101)
    
     ftp://ftp.ifi.uio.no:/pub/crossfire
      (129.240.64.44) 

Secondary:
    
     ftp://ftp.real-time.com/pub/games/crossfire
      (206.10.252.12)
    
     ftp://ftp.cs.city.ac.uk:/pub/games/crossfire/
     
     ftp://ftp.sunet.se:/pub/unix/games/crossfire
      (130.238.127.3)
    
     ftp://ftp.cs.titech.ac.jp:/pub/games/crossfire
     
     ftp://mirror.aarnet.edu.au/games/roguelike/crossfire/
     
     ftp://crossfire.futt.org//pub/crossfire
     

I uploaded this version to just ftp.scruz.net - it should be on the
other ftp sites in a short time.

Mark Wedel
     mwedel at scruz.net
     

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Changes:

Client:

Changes for 0.98.0:

item_types,item_types.h: Change matching for sword - hopefully this should
fix problems with dancing sword spellbooks.  MSW 2001/04/06

gx11.c, item.c: move animations of the look window to the client.  All
the necessary was already being sent to the client - it was just needed
for the client to use this information.  Also remove some
#if 0 code from gx11.c.  MSW 2001/03/28

item.c: set_item_values - only resort items based on name if the name
   has changed.  This fixes a problem with items moving around in the 
   inventory if you lock/apply/unapply/unlock them.  MSW 2001/03/23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Server:

Changes for 0.98.0:

server/skills.c: Modify inscription so that when inscribing cleric spells,
    it reduces grace.  Before, reduced mana no matter the type of spell.
server/c_object.c: Fix bug in pick_up where it was not using the right
   count for picking up objects if the player did not specify one.  This
   allowed players to put objects into containers that should not really
   fit.
server/player.c:  Don't let players shoot arrows at themself.  Also,
   minor changes to use new_draw_info_format.
server/swap.c: If recycle temp maps, don't save out random maps to
   get recycled.  MSW 2001/04/07

PeterM  2001/04/06:  
include/libproto.h common/object.c server/apply.c server/spell_util.c
Added a new function:  instead of stacking many burnout or firetrail
objects, only 1 per square is added.  Real reduction in server overhead.
No reduction in cosmetic effect.

common/porting.c: Fix compile warnings/bugs introduced by Win32 changes.
server/time.c: Modify move_player_mover so that it determines direction
   of the mover and then process accordingly, as well as formatting
   changes.
server/c_object.c: modify examine so that it properly shows info about
    magic bullet spell books.  MSW 2001-04-05

common/item.c: Modify identify function to clear the NO_SKILL_IDENT
   flag so objects will now merge.  Also, once the object has been
   identified, the no_skill_ident doesn't have meaning anymore.
   MSW 2001-04-03

server/c_object:  Modify examine command to only be able to examine
   valid objects, and not whatever is on top of the space, which may be
   insivisible.  MSW 2001-04-01

include/sproto.h, server/c_wiz.c server/main.c server/player.c socket/loop.c:
Modify leave function to take a second parameter that determines if it
should print a message about the player leaving the game or not.  Proper
use of this prevents duplicate XXX left the game messages.  MSW 2001-03-29

common/image.c, include/define.h, include/global.h: Add empty_face structure
   and appropriate code to initialize it.  This is used for the server side
   look selection.
include/newserver.h: Add NUM_LOOK_OBJECTS to control number of look objects
   to send at any one time.  add look_position field to the newsocket
   structure.
server/move.c: clear look position as player moves.
server/player.c: initalize look_position element in structure.
socket/item.c: modify esrv_draw_look to sne NUM_LOOK_OBJECTS at any one
   time, and to also send pseudo objects that lets the player scroll up and down
.
   modify ApplyCmd so that if it detects the application of one pseudo objects
   to adjust the look_position.
MSW 2001-03-29

common/readable.c: Name spellbooks based on level of spell, and not
    just randomly.  Patch by Preston Crow, applied by Mark Wedel 2001-03-29

configure, configure.in, include/autoconf.h, includes.h: add check for
   time.h and include it if we find it.
socket/item.c: esrv_move_object - have it check to see if the object is
   already on the ground before we try to re-drop it.  Likewise, check
   to see if it is already in players inventory before we try to pick
   it up.
common/object.c: Don't send face updates to the client or make
   the space as needing to be redrawn.  Client now deals with animation 
   of the look window on its own. 
utils/(metaserver.pl crossloop add_throw.perl crossloop.pl) 
lib/(Makefie.in, checkarch.pl collect.pl xpmtopix.pl) - - deleted
   from CVS - '.in' versions of these files now exist and the real
   versions are created as part of the configure process.  Update 
   Makefile.in to reflect this change.
MSW 2001/03/28

common/object.c: have update_position just update the flag that the
   server needs to send the look window to the client and don't send the
   item at this point, as sending the look will do that.
server/main.c: process_players1: Remove call to draw (which updates
   the client map) - the handle newclient in socket/loop.c already
   does this and there is no reason to send multiple instances of the
   same map.
MSW 2001/03/23

server/c_object.c: drop_object function: send delete item to client as
   item is dropped.  This fixes a problem of phantom objects in the
   inventory.  Unrelated change to not call esrv_send_item for objects
   that are dropped - esrv_draw_look will get called later on and will
   update this at that time.  MSW 2001/03/23

server/c_object.c: Update the return value for some matches - they
   function was returning immediately when it got a match, but did not give
   them a high match value, so searching for 'key ring' used to return a
   match value of 6 or so on the key ring, but a 14 on a key.

common/object.c: Modify find_free_spot to call arch_out_of_map so that
   it properly deals with multipart objects.
server/main.c: Fix enter_map so that we first use the golem (and not player)
   when calling find_free_spot.  Also, modify code so that it properly
   updates coordinates of the multipart golem.
MSW 2001/03/20

server/skills.c: Fix orate so that we check for a positive chance (and just
not nonzero chance) for successful oration.  Due to adjustments, at low levels,
the oratory chance can be negative.  MSW 2001/03/20

server/spell_effect.c: Change cast_change_attr to find an enemy (and not
friend) when casting the curse spell.  MSW 2001/03/20

server/apply.c: Increase size of buf to be a HUGE_BUF to very
long item names don't cause a stack overflow.  MSW 2001/03/20

common/object.c: Modify update_position so that we don't show invisible
players to other players.  MSW 2001/03/20