Software Vault: The Games Collection 1/software vault.zip/software vault/CDR03/MW19F.ZIP/HISTORY.DOC

Text File | 1993-08-12 | 15KB | 259 lines

        ┌─────────────────────────┐
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        │ MECHWARS Update History │
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        History (Newest to oldest)
        ──────────────────────────
        v1.9F - Released 08/12/93
              I swore that I wouldn't do a "maintenance upgrade".  But... it
              has happened.  I left one minor thing untested in MW, it had
              been tested a LOT, and then I made a small change and didn't
              test it.  Turns out that completely crippled the function.  I
              truly apologize for this, it was quite an honest error!
              BTW- "F" stands for "fool". <grin>

              -> Chat mode was only accepting input locally ... I had a
                 "ReadKey" where "ReadPortKey" should have been.  Funny how
                 a small typo can make all the difference in the world!
              -> SETUP now contains an overlay file.  You do not see a
                 SETUP.OVR, because it is tagged onto the end of SETUP.EXE
                 itself.  This should decrease the memory requirement to run
                 that program, I think you need something like 412k.

        v1.9E - Released 08/09/93
              Now that I am the new programmer and owner, there are not
              that many new "features" per se in this release of
              MECHWARS, but there are quite a few bug fixes.  I don't
              know about the version before this that was floating
              around, but the source code I received from Shane had
              quite a few bugs that needed taking care of.  I have also
              Please be sure to give me your feedback, I can only make
              the game as good as your suggestions!  Also, if you find
              bugs please let me know.  Changes are listed in the order
              that I did them in.

              -> Must have either ANSI or AVATAR to play.
              -> If one buys a device, and tries using it, they will now
                 be able to.
              -> Planet password is now non-case-sensitive.
              -> Team password is now non-case-sensitive.
              -> Recolorized menus.
              -> Began arduos process of cleaning up the "text view-port"
                 display.  It should be a LITTLE cleaner.
              -> Renamed "Black Viper" to "Zraxnos Legion".  Sorry
                 Shane!
              -> Added (W)atch function to (C)omputer.  This allows a player
                 to see how much time they have left and the current
                 time.
              -> Added (P)age the Commander to (C)omputer.  Configure
                 your scroll lock key to work the way you want it to in
                 SETUP.
              -> The logon screen is randomly selected between two possible
                 choices.
              -> Fixed bug in main display.  What was happening is that the
                 "ENEMIES" and "PLAYERS" bar was highlighted in bright-red,
                 indicating that there is an enemy and another player present
                 in the current sector, even if there really wasn't.
              -> The planet name will not spill into another part when being
                 displayed on the main screen.
              -> COMPLETELY rewritten SETUP.  This should be much nicer
                 than the previous one.
              -> Added ability to be either a male or female.
              -> New user sequence makes sure that no duplicate handles exist.
              -> Added "Military briefing" to new user sequence.
              -> (T) from the (C)omputer will now change between AVATAR and
                 ANSI graphics.
              -> All files are now untyped, therefore saving and loading should
                 be faster.  (Probably unnoticable).
              -> Should work well in a multi-node environment.
              -> In order to abort ANSI/AVATAR displays you must now press the
                 spacebar.  Before, it was letting anything pass and therefore,
                 if you were to say hit the spacebar to abort a screen that was
                 immediately followed by a prompt, it would simply re-display
                 because the prompt would read the spacebar and repeat the
                 sequence.
              -> I think I fixed the bug that would allow for 2 Optic and Gator
                 bases.  Let me know if there is still a problem with duplicates
                 concerning Optic and Gator bases.
              -> Fixed bug in anti-cloak device checking.
              -> SETUP now contains full context-sensitive help.  So, if
                 you are unsure as to how to set a specific field, simply press
                 ALT-H or F1 and you will be give help on that topic.
              -> Replaced archaic bubble sort with the shell sort.
              -> If your shields get to zero or below, you will be quit
                 out of the game immediately.  Before, MW was letting you keep
                 on playing even after you had been destroyed.
              -> Rewrote "the kludge that were the team routines".  Please let
                 me know of any problems with joining, creating, quiting teams,
                 etc.  This will not appear different on the surface.
              -> Added (Z) Scan For to (C)omputer.  This allows a user
                 to scan for his/her mines or planets.
              -> Added "credits" screen to main menu. (!) Credits
              -> Added (K)ill Self option to (C)omputer.  This command allows
                 wimps to commit suicide!
              -> Added (Y)our Info option to main menu.  This allows a user to
                 see some of his/her stats.
              -> Wrote a seperate MAINT executable.  This will take care of all
                 maintenance.  If maintenace was already run, it will simply
                 exit without performing any maintenance.
              -> Added "Reset game" option to SETUP.  One can choose between 3
                 difficulty levels:  Easy, normal and hard.  The baddies are
                 tough in hard mode, wimpy in easy mode, and somewhere in between
                 for normal.
              -> MECHWARS should now kill TAG BBS' stupid "John ." type of
                 user name in the dropfile.


        The following is a listing of all of the MECHWARS updates
        previous to when I took over as programmer, and it is in order
        from oldest to newest (Note the difference).

        Shane Chambers' Versions
        ─────────────────────────-
        V 1.0
                First release to test for bugs.
        V 1.1
                I was humiliated at the tremendous bugs found which included
                system hangups, missing files(still are to date), shotty error
                trapping.. To many minor bugs to mention.
        V 1.2
                More bugs reported..to numerous to name.
        V 1.3--1.5
                Lost track of version, so many maintenance releases, sometimes
                2x a day! Tons of ansi.
        V 1.6
                Finally a playable version, I added planets and a few other
                neat functions.  More ansi added.
        V 1.7
                Editor made locally, this way you can call it
                up via ALT-E.  This reduces the hassles that come along with
                typing in a password and the risk of another sysop who DL a
                copy of Mechwars using your game editor.  Major bug fixed in
                the maintenance, it was displaying a file about 2000 times
                (Via modem)!!  Copies must now be registered for $10.00.  More
                ansi files added.  More ansi added.  DL file size shortened.
        V 1.8
                This is it, a total overhaul!  I converted Mechwars v 1.8 to
                a non scrolling door.  This version features faster ansi
                sequences, screen pauses, faster screen updates, a panoramic
                view of surrounding sectors at all times, an anti-user-fall-
                asleep-detection-unit, devices that work, faster attacks,
                modular windows, faster menus, more organized ranks, and much
                much more.  Some of the bugs fixed :
                   No Garbage in the first time Player rank is used!
                   Smaller Enemy file, but still keeping ratio of enemy/sector
                   at 1 enemy to every 8 sectors.
                   In 1.7, if a user died he could re-log back on in the same
                   day...Not in version 1.8 though.
                   Major bug in Attack, after you destroyed so many enemies,
                   you couldn't destroy anymore without thousands of plasma
                   shells.
                   An automatic machine gun for your mech, no need to type
                   in how many shots you want to shoot at the enemy drone.
                   Zillions of more little bugs, I hope this test version
                   works.  By v 2.0 Mechwars should be totally bug free.
        V 1.8B-C
                This was a 12 Hour Maintenance release over V. 1.8.  The
                main screen in V 1.8 had some hidden control codes that was
                causing distortion on the remote end.  I had to fix it so I
                made the main screen internal.  Its a lot faster to display,
                but it took me 2 trys to do it.  Hopefully this version will
                work ok.
                V 1.8 was updating info that did not need to be updated all
                the time, so I fixed it so that only new information needs to
                be updated.
                - I also added an anti-line-noise prompt at the main menu, so
                if line noise garbage arises, then this should take care of
                it.  Just simply redraw screen if the line noise cuts into the
                main screen.
        V 1.8 D
                Well, Finally a playable version, but not to playable.
                If you were running on a 386/486 machine, then it kicked the
                players off to fast.  I was testing it on a 286-12.
                - Lots of bug fixes
                - New Ansi.
        V 1.9
                - This one has been majorly overhaulled.
                - New Screen w/ Info displayed all the time.
                - More Weapons/Enemies...can target up to 6 simultaneously.
                - A Better working attack.
                - Better Sysop Controls
                - Better Editor
                - Compressed the numerous ansi files into 1 big file
                - MECH GARAGE ADDED
                - Took out fortresses, merged them with planets
                - Faster routines
                - Smarter Windows
                - New Ansi, better ansi
                - Mounts that work
                - More Player stats oriented, rather than randomness
                - Working on some new Ideas.
                - Log File Added
                - Zillions of Bug Corrections
                - Gaseous Clouds
                - Better Rank
                - Better Rank and Team Display
                - Improved message subsystem.
                - Faster screen updates.
                - Improved Editor, much easier to use.
                - Upped Mechwars cost by $5.00, but you get a disk due to
                popular demand.
        V 1.95B
                -- Basically a maintenace release.
                - Speed it up by implementing ESC [K as a clear end of line
                instead of the slow add-on-a-space string formatting that
                I was using.  This is the fast as it gets short of
                implemeting a terminal program that I am seriously
                considering..what do you think?
                - Added a diagnostic shop, this will correct negative
                values..a sort of anti-bug fixer until I can track them
                down.
                - Added new doordriver, now sysops don't have to copy over the
                drop file, they can set a path.  Now there is spitfire
                support.
                - Optimized Code more...so tight almost Assembly routines.
        V 1.96B
                - Fixed more cosmetic bugs that were in 1.95B
                - Added "SPACEBAR" abort ansi sequences
                - Optimized code more, added more control on viewing ansi
                sequences.
                - fixed malfunctioning ansi-toggle.
                - Basically just a maintenance release.
                - Tried to fix malfunctioning ansi screen sequences.
                - Now devices actually do something.
                - Ansi screens still twisted--trying to figure out why
                - Fixed planets investments
                - Optimized code..should run a bit faster
                - Bunch o' other junk. (Thanks to Robt A. Maser)
        V 1.97B
                - Fixed more cosmetic bugs
                - Added Zones
                - Added Cargo Ships
                - Added Missile Rack (Thanks to Jonathan Snyder of the Black
                Dragons Lair)
                - Added more ansi
                - Optimized code and screen updates (Less lines, more info)
                - Increased mount size
                - Added bar (Quite primitive)
                - Fixed more bugs (thanks again to Robt A. Maser )
                - Added more devices
                - Devices should work
                - Fixed Join team from team menu...(Robt A. Maser & Mike Stone )
                - Fixed problem with abort ansi sequence.
                - Give me ideas and I will try to put them in.
                - Fixed the sell-your-main-weapon-destroy-everything-cheap bug.
                - Upgraded editor, its really easy to use now.
                - Still can't figure out why the twisted screens are happening.
                - Adjusted animation display frequency rate to less often.
                - Working on faster ansi sequences.
        V 1.98B
                - Minor Bug fixes, program patches...
                - Added market research to Setup.EXE
                - Cleaned up code..

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