Genesis Forums

velicus wrote:The problem is Armageddon is an improvised design to deal with what is effectively a large-scale memory leak.

Wrong. Armageddon is designed to clear the memory when it is full. Memory leak might cause that memory is filled too soon as well.
But actually it is because the application (Genesis server), with help of wizards and players, can create infinite number of objects that use memory.
If my calculations are correct, infinite number of object that use memory would require infinite memory on the server machine.

velicus wrote: Ideally, Armageddon would never be necessary.

This is possible, providing that you can control number of objects created by the game.
So when the memory would get filled objects have to be removed from the memory.
This is implemented to some degree: we see corpses decay and dissapear, messages blow with the wind, etc.
But lets suppose that after ten years monks managed to gather 789713242253311082326323672037 armours in their droproom.
We need some of them removed - but monks wont like it.

sharn wrote:But actually it is because the application (Genesis server), with help of wizards and players, can create infinite number of objects that use memory.

Right. This is effectively a large-scale memory leak.

sharn wrote:This is possible, providing that you can control number of objects created by the game.
So when the memory would get filled objects have to be removed from the memory.

This is obvious. What might not be so obvious is the number of quests, rooms, items, etc. that assume Armageddon will happen in a reasonable amount of time and won't reset on their own. These are what would need to be found and fixed. And there might be a lot.

velicus wrote:

sharn wrote:But actually it is because the application (Genesis server), with help of wizards and players, can create infinite number of objects that use memory.

Right. This is effectively a large-scale memory leak.

Wrong.
Memory leak is bug in the code that causes the application loose track of the pointer to fragment of memory
therefore making that fragment of memory impossible to release by the application.

Creating objects by the application is intened behaviour and not a memory leak (which is not intended).

Example:
If the weapon in the racks dissapears and is completely unusable by the application (wizards and players) but still uses memory it is a memory leak.
If the weapon stays in the racks and is usable - it is intended and designed and not a memory leak.

Ahh, the ever scary presence of malloc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malloc#Memory_leaks

I guess I have the name for my next character ^_^

velicus wrote:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effectively

Sorry, no. I would like to say that effectively or virtually you are right, but not even that.
Lets call it effective milk spill, would be more accurate.

sharn wrote:Sorry, no. I would like to say that effectively or virtually you are right, but not even that.
Lets call it effective milk spill, would be more accurate.

Excellent point. Spills and leaks are in no way effectively the same when you're just worried about cleaning up the milk. You have once again proven that no one else knows what they are talking about. Also, I'm sure your dad could beat up my dad.

Come on all! Don't you realize that Armageddon is just a way the Administration uses to kick out all the players and and eat the old stale donut then quickly replace it with fake one before anyone notices.

velicus wrote:You have once again proven that no one else knows what they are talking about.

I am not talking about someone or anyone else, but you, here.
I usually try not to engage in the mess like that.
If you feel offended, which was not my intention, you have my apology.

The reason I stand by my point is:
If you say that the application has large scale memory leak, you actually say that we have poor coders here.
I do not think it is fair, even if would be true.
And it is either a memory leak or not. No virtually, no effectively.

velicus wrote:Also, I'm sure your dad could beat up my dad.

Again, if you feel offended, which was not my intention, you have my apology.

But...Sorry, no

velicus wrote:The problem is Armageddon is an improvised design to deal with what is effectively a large-scale memory leak. Ideally, Armageddon would never be necessary. But to move in that direction, we need to make things independent of Armageddon, from quests to item drops to resetting rooms. Good luck finding anyone willing, able, and with permission to do so.

Exactly. Everything that Armageddon achieves could be achieved in much more elegant ways. And ways that are more roleplay-compatible too.