Dungeon Master Forum

Can anyone confirm if there is a virtual game timer and if it can be reset?
I'm running a version of Dungeon Master, can't recall where I got it. The executable is CSBwin12_100.exe and it says it is translated from the Atari machine language. Paul Stevens is mentioned as having original C++ code.

Anyway, I have been training my team for some time now on and off and have reached a particular issue. If I load my game save and leave it doing nothing it will eventually go dark as normal but from this point on a MON power light spell only provides light for a few seconds before fading to darkness again. Everything else appears to run at normal speed. A few minutes later I get a pop up window with the message:

'System Error 0
50000 timer events in 1/6 second.
That seems excessive.
Please contact your friendly dungeon designer'

The version of DM has a TimerTrace debug on it and it looks like the game has hit some kind of timer:

First trace sample:
ffffef timer Process 008 08 DLY=0000 20 f6 19 02 08 cd 6ac6 b60d6c4b
ffffef timer create 008 08 DLY=0004 20 f6 19 02 04 cd 6ada eb676b3a
63789173456390 250 Increment virtual game Time
SmartDiscard - Mode Count
fffff0 timer Process 007 09 DLY=0000 3c 00 03 1d 99 05 6aaf eb676b3a
fffff0 timer create 007 09 DLY=0005 3c 00 03 1d 99 05 6adb eb676b3a
fffff0 timer Process 000 00 DLY=0000 35 cd cd cd cd cd 60e7 eb676b3a
fffff0 timer create 000 01 DLY=ff00012c 35 cd cd cd cd cd 6adc eb676b3a
fffff0 timer Process 000 01 DLY=ff00012c 35 cd cd cd cd cd 6adc eb676b3a
fffff0 timer create 000 01 DLY=ff00012c 35 cd cd cd cd cd 6add eb676b3a

Second trace sample:
ffffef timer Process 003 08 DLY=0000 20 f6 1a 02 07 cd 6a65 0de3813e
ffffef timer create 003 08 DLY=0004 20 f6 1a 02 03 cd 6a7f 709b6bf1
63789176871235 67 Increment virtual game Time
SmartDiscard - Mode Count
fffff0 timer Process 011 09 DLY=0000 3c 00 03 1d da 05 6a57 709b6bf1
fffff0 timer create 011 09 DLY=0005 3c 00 03 1d da 05 6a80 709b6bf1
fffff0 timer Process 007 09 DLY=0000 3c 00 03 1d 99 05 6a58 709b6bf1
fffff0 timer create 007 09 DLY=0005 3c 00 03 1d 99 05 6a81 709b6bf1
fffff0 timer Process 000 00 DLY=0000 35 cd cd cd cd cd 60c7 709b6bf1
fffff0 timer create 000 01 DLY=ff00012c 35 cd cd cd cd cd 6a82 709b6bf1
fffff0 timer Process 000 01 DLY=ff00012c 35 cd cd cd cd cd 6a82 709b6bf1
fffff0 timer create 000 01 DLY=ff00012c 35 cd cd cd cd cd 6a83 709b6bf1
fffff0 timer Process 000 01 DLY=ff00012c 35 cd cd cd cd cd 6a83 709b6bf1

Both of these traces run indefinitely without any further mention of the game timer and the error message is displayed.

Is anyone aware of a virtual game timer and can it be reset?

Game files can be access here - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xd9soqawpgqt ... 3IOza?dl=0

Save game B which has a shield on the right side of floor will show the bug within a few minutes.

Indeed, you have played this game so long that the
virtual time has overflowed. There is a 24-bit timer
that counts one-sixth second intervals. That is
16,777,216 intervals or 2,796,202 seconds or
46,603 minutes or 776 hours or 32.4 days.

In that time you have moved the party 23,679,874 times.
Hmmmmmm......Are you sure you are not a robot?

However, you will be happy to hear that the most recent
version of CSBwin has extended this virtual time to 32 bits:

http://dianneandpaul.net/CSBwin/CSBwin_ ... 0190702.7z

Put the executable in your DM folder and use it in place of the
executable that is already there and continue your game.

Unfortunately, the same error is going to happen after
about 22.7 years. I think. I did not test it. Let me know
if you have any trouble. I'll try to help. I'll be 103 then and
I may or may not be available to extend the timer to 64-bits
which will work well for 80 billion years.

Awesome dedication Paul!

Lol, apparently the most fun is in threads you wouldn't expect it to be

That did the trick Paul. So it looks like I have another 22 years of game time, that should suffice!

Appreciate the quick response and the solution.