print for unpack 'n N Z* C Z* C', 
    "\x01\x01\x04\x03\x02\x01The first string\0\xffThe second string\0\xff";;
257
67305985
The first string
255
The second string
255

##</code><code>##

package This::Packet;

sub new {
    my( $class, $bufRef ) = @_;
    my( $ping, $rate, $name, $ctpos, $clantag, $isbot ) 
        = unpack 'n N Z* C Z* C', $$bufRef;
    my $nPacket = 2 + 4 
        + length( $name )+ 1 + 1      ## string + null + ctpos
        + length( $clantag ) + 1 + 1; ## string + null + IsBot

    # ... validate

    substr( $$bufRef, 0, $nPacket, '' ); ## remove this packet from the buffer
    return bless { 
        ping => $ping,
        rate  => $rate,
        name  => $name,
        cpos => $ctpos,
        clantag => $clantag,
        isBot   => $isBot,
    }, $class;
}

## accessors go here