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Software Vault: The Games Collection 1
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CDR03
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MW19F.ZIP
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MECHWARS.DOC
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1993-08-12
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┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ MECHTECH Software │
│ Proudly Presents: │
│ │
│ MECHWARS v1.9F │
│ Programmer: Dennis R. Alexander │
│ │
│ Copyright (c) 1991-1993 │
│ MECHTECH Software │
│ All Rights Reserved │
└─────────────────────────────────┘
Part One: Preliminaries
────────────────────────────────────────
Foreward
─────────────────────
Hello! If you are familiar to MECHWARS and are
wondering why it doesn't say Shane Chambers up there, then this
will serve as an explanation to you! Awhile ago I was reading
through the FIDO Pascal Programming Echo when I came upon a
message by Shane himself which served as a for-sale message for
MECHWARS. I was shocked when I saw this, and I remember wanting
to be able to get it. This was in doubt at first, but I managed
to buy the source code and rights to the game from him. What
does this mean to YOU? Well, since he isn't going to let it die
because he doesn't have time to program, the game will live on.
If you are registered, it does not mean that you will suddenly
become un-registered, see section below. With your comments and
suggestions, I hope to make MECHWARS a more enjoyable game for
you and your users to play!
If you would like to see what I have done since I have
taken over MECHWARS, then display the file "HISTORY.DOC". This
text file contains all of Shane's update notes, as well as an
extensive list of what I have done.
Registered SysOps
─────────────────────
As I have stated above, if you were registered with Shane
then you will remain so with me. I have, however, updated the
registration system, so you are going to have to send me your
info so that I may verify it against the list of registered
SysOps I currently have and send you a new code. Vital
information will be any address changes, your real name, your
SysOp name (or name that you want it registered to), your BBS
name (as it is in the configuration file), and your BBS phone
number if you want it listed in the registered SysOps list.
After I have received your information I will send you your
updated code. I have to do it this way because I'm sure boards
have gone down, so I don't want to just send out a code if they
no longer even exist. Also, I don't have BBS names for all of
the registered entries that Shane provided me with.
Warranty
─────────────────────
This program contains no warranty or guarantee. You
must use this program at your own risk, and I will not be liable
for damages to your computer or mental stability. This notice
is for legal purposes, as it is fairly inconceivable that
anything damaging can be done to your computer by this program.
Registration
─────────────────────
If you use this game for more than a month then I ask
that you register it. Registration isn't too painfull, only
$15, and you will never have to pay a registration fee for it
again. You can get the money by saving couch and pocket change,
or getting $1 from 15 of your users. It shouldn't be too
difficult. By registering you will help me to bring you a
better game; programming is not a free hobby: I've in fact had
to register a couple of things just to develop this game.
When you register you will be provided with a
registration and serial code which you can enter in the setup
program. You will then be able to access the following
functions in MECHWARS:
1. An extensive and easy to use game editor, which
currently edits the user file, the enemy file, the
planets file, and the zone file. There will be even
more editing options provided in the future.
In the registered version the editor has an
"Advanced Configuration" area where you will be
allowed to edit the following values:
a) StarVac Start - Controls how many StarVacs a
new player begins with initially.
b) Energy Start - Controls how much energy a new
player begins with initially.
c) Shield Start - Controls how many shields a
new player begins with initially.
d) Metal Start - Controls how many metals a new
player begins with initially.
e) Delete After - Players will be removed from the
game after being absent x amount of days.
f) Cloak Cost - Controls how many StarVacs cloaking
costs.
h) Planet Cost - Controls how many StarVacs it costs
to create a planet.
i) StarVac % - A player's StarVac amount will
accumulate x percent interest in maintenance.
j) Bank % - An active planet's bank fund will
accumulate x percent interest in maintenance.
k) Chat Number - Controls what sound you hear when a
player pages you. There are fourteen available
chat types.
l) SysOp and User Chat Colors - Controls what colors
are used during chat.
2. The mech garage: which enables users to upgrade
their mechs to higher class ratings. (Basically,
one can make their mech more powerfull here.)
3. The zone scanner: a device which provides valuable
information on enemy zones.
4. The missile rack: a weapon which is extremely handy
for attacking enemies.
6. The bar: here a user may get information from Def
Sacre concerning a certain usefull weapon.
As you can see, when you register the game you will be
provided with many options which will enable you to tailor a
game to your specific desires.
In order to register the game all you must do is fill
the ASCII text file REGISTER.FRM and mail it to the address
which can be found in the file itself, or alternately, you may
select the "P" function from the main setup menu in SETUP.EXE.
This will allow you to fill out the data in the program itself
and either print it or save it to an ASCII file.
Packing list
─────────────────────
The following files should have be included in your
MW19F.ZIP (or ARJ, LZH, etc ...) archive:
MECHWARS.EXE : The main game executable.
MECHWARS.DOC : This file; program documentation.
SETUP .EXE : The setup program: Here you can edit
configurable options, and if you are
registered you can edit certain game data
files.
MAINT .EXE : This file performs daily maintenance.
VIEWLOG .EXE : Displays MECHWARS.LOG in color if it
exists in the current directory.
ANSI .GFX : This file contains all of the ANSI
screens.
AVATAR .GFX : This file contains all of the AVATAR
screens.
HISTORY .DOC : This file contains MECHWARS update
history.
INSTALL .BOI : This file contains specific information
for specific BBSes on installing this
game.
INSTRUCT.DOC : This file can be displayed to a user who
wishes to get help on what the game is
about. You should also read it to get a
feal for what MECHWARS is all about.
BASENAME.TXT : This file provides a list of port names.
When a new game is initialized, the
program will seek randomly for port names
from this file. It is a simple ASCII
text file so you may edit it.
REGISTER.FRM : You can edit this text file for
registration purposes (or, go into
SETUP.EXE and do it there).
MWPIC .EXE : A shameless VGA ad for the MECHWARS game.
If you have a VGA monitor then simply
type in the filename and wait a little
while; you will then see a neat VGA
picture. This nifty graphic is an
original by "Knight".
PRODUCT .LST : A listing of all current MECHTECH
Software releases.
FILE_ID .DIZ : Description file for MECHWARS.
The following files are created when a new game is
or during an ongoing game itself:
BASE .MEC : This file contains all data related to
various ports.
CARGO .MEC : This file contains all data on enemy
cargo ships.
ENEMY .MEC : This file contains data on all the baddy
drones that will seek out your users.
INFO .MEC : This file contains data relating to the
game, such as initialization date, etc.
MECHWARS.CFG : This file contains game configuration,
such as sysop name, etc.
MECHWARS.LOG : This is a simple text file log which
keeps track of what players do during the
game.
MESSAGE .MEC : This file contains all message data.
PLANET .MEC : This file contains all planet data.
SECTORS .MEC : This file is the MECHWARS universe.
TEAMS .MEC : This file contains all team/alliance
data.
USER .MEC : This file contains all player data.
WINNERS .MEC : This file contains data on all game
winners.
ZONES .MEC : This file contains all data on enemy
zones.
Part Two: The Game
────────────────────────────────────────
Upgrading MECHWARS
─────────────────────
If you are upgrading from 1.9E then all you need to do
is unarchive the new files to your existing MECHWARS directory,
you do not need to delete the *.MEC or MECHWARS.CFG file.
In order to upgrade from a previous version to 1.9E you
need to delete all previous MECHWARS files and unarchive the new
ones there. There is no conversion utility, so you may want to
wait until your current game gets played out some.
What is MECHWARS?
─────────────────────
MECHWARS is a multi-player door game that was designed
to be played via modem in conjunction with BBS software.
MECHWARS is coded in Turbo Pascal 7.0.
The player plays in a 100 x 100 matrix, totaling 10000
sectors. Contained in the sectors are computer controlled
drone enemies in which the player must destroy to better himself
financially. Upon destroying these drones, the player receives a
bounty and salvages metal to finance his/her missions. The
player can sell these salvaged metals at one of the 1,000 ports
situated throughout the universe. The player not only faces the
menace of these drone enemies, but also other players which in
most cases are the worst. Universal natural forces, and floating
clouds of deadly gas will damage your mech, but in most cases
they do not inflict serious damage. Equipped with a powerful
robot and 6 main weapons, and a few expansion slots, the player
roams throughout the universe in search of something to destroy
or exploit. Players can team up with other players to share
resources or spy for another team.
Not only is sheer force a factor in the players success,
but also his skill level and ability troubleshoot and plan out a
strategy. The universe never gets boring because the enemies are
always moving and ports are always changing. Every time the
player attacks a drone, other drones start to 'home' in on the
action and possibly enter into the sector in which the player is
in. Every so many moves, every enemy in the universe comes after
the player ... and sometimes they scatter.
For more information on how to play the game, consult
text file "INSTRUCT.DOC". This is displayed to new players in
MECHWARS as they log in, so you may want to enter the game and
read that file.
MECHWARS Features
─────────────────────
The following is a list of some of the features that
MECHWARS provides:
*Internal* ANSI and AVATAR emulations
Ten-thousand sectors
Two-thousand maximum enemy drones
Fifty player maximum
Neat looking graphics
... etc ...
MECHWARS was compiled using the excellent BBS Onliner
Interface written by Andrew J. Mead, and hence has the following
de facto features:
Support for 18 different BBS drop files
FOSSIL and internal communications support
Automatic detection of DESQview and Windows:
The game will give up "timer-ticks" to the
multi-tasker when the game isn't doing anything.
Multinode support:
This game has been tested on a two line system,
running a copy of MECHWARS simultaneously with
no apparent problems.
... etc ...
Hardware Requirements
─────────────────────
The following are requirements for the SysOp to run
MECHWARS:
IBM or compatible
Color monitor
At least 640k memory (I haven't tested less than 1 MB)
Some sort of BBS software, and modem, of course.
At least a 1 MB free of disk space
Although MECHWARS supports ANSI and AVATAR emulations,
you will *NOT* need a device driver, i.e. "ANSI.SYS", loaded.
Most online games require this, but not this one.
The following are requirements for the user to play
MECHWARS:
A communications program that supports either ANSI or
AVATAR emulations.
A modem, obviously.
Setting Up MECHWARS
─────────────────────
The first thing you should do is unarchive MECHWARS to
it's own directory, and then run SETUP.EXE. Be sure to go into
the configuration editor and edit everything there. If you got
stuck, press ALT-H and you will be given context sensitive help.
Make sure to add MAINT.EXE to your night event, or if
you don't have one of those simply put it in the batch file that
calls MECHWARS itself.
Make a note of the difference in DOOR.SYS (if you are
going to use this door file format) versions, it is explained in
the excerpt below.
The following is an excerpt from a textfile by Andrew J.
Mead listing all of the command line parameters that games
compiled under the BBS Onliner Interface support:
----------------------------------------------------------------
BBS Drop File Commands
The BOI automatically reads many common drop files, as well as
being able to accept command line parameters directly from the
BBS. Please check the list below for a dropfile created by
your BBS software. See INSTALL.BOI for specific information
and examples.
This list is far from comprehensive, and I encourage any and all
of you to send me samples of your installation, or information
about what drop file(s) your BBS can create.
command dropfile BBS software - Notes
/1 PCBOARD.SYS PCBoard 12.x (see /P)
/2 JUMPER.DAT 2 A.M.
/3 OPUS 1.13 (not available)
/4 CHAIN.TXT WWIV, VBBS, TAG, Telegard
/5 CURRUSER.BBS RyBBS
/6 SFDOORS.DAT Spitfire BBS
/7 AUNTIE.SYS Auntie BBS (same format as /1)
/8 Sapphire BBS (not available)
/9 command line Searchlight, Remote Access, Simplex
/D DOOR.SYS DoorWay to Unlimited Doors, GT
NOTE:This is the "Short" Door.Sys see /S
/F USERINFO.TXT Forum
/G CALLINFO.BBS Genesis (beta)
/H INFO.TXT Phoenix
/M NUMBER.TXT ModuleX
/O LASTUSER.DAT Opus 1.14
/Oxx LASTUSxx.DAT Opus 1.14 where "xx" is the task number
in hexadecimal
/P PCBOARD.SYS PCBoard 14.x (see /1)
/S DOOR.SYS GAP, Force
NOTE: This is the "Long" Door.Sys see /D
/W CALLINFO.BBS WildCat!, Telegard
/R DOORINFO.DEF DorInfo is the most widely used file.
/R# DORINFO#.DEF EIS-PC, FoReM, OLEcom, QuickBBS, RBBS,
Remote Access, TAG, TPBoard, UBBS, and
VBBS. the "#" represents the node number
Communications Directives
Left to its own, the interface will normally detect local play
from the drop file. The override switches (/C, /I, /L) should
only be used with great care.
LOCAL play
The BOI will normally sense local play, but you can force it
command effect
/L Force LOCAL mode. Can NOT be overridden. If
either /c or /i is present the door will exit.
FOSSIL Communications
FOSSIL communications are automatically sensed and used if
present. You can, however, influence, their use. You
should also note that there are NO slashes (/) before these
FOSSIL commands.
command effect
F- Do NOT use FOSSIL (/i command gives same result)
F+ Force FOSSIL use. (ignored if /i command present)
If FOSSIL not found, door will exit.
F@ Deinitialize FOSSIL when through. By default, the
BOI keeps the FOSSIL "hot". This can be combined
with the above option (F+@).
/C:n comport to use (see /C:n below).
Internal Asynchronious Communincations
The BOI contains its own fully functional communciations
library that is very configurable. If FOSSIL is either
disabled or not found, these routines will be used.
command effect
/B Locked BAUD (DTE-DCE) rate. If you are running
your modem with a "locked" baud rate, you will
NEED to add this command to your command line.
The internal routines use RTS handshaking by
default. This switch tells them to use CTS/RTS
handshaking which prevents modem overrun.
/C:n Serial port to use. You can force the program to
use a given serial port. Valid values are from
1 to 8. (NOTE: 5 to 8 are only defined if the
FOSSIL is also used). This command is necessary
if the drop file is wrong, or you are using
command line directives only. If /l or /i is
present the door will exit.
/I:x:nnnn Non-standard IRQ specification. If you are not
using FOSSIL, and you do have a non-standard
serial port configuartion, you can use this
option to specify your IRQ/port address info.
The default settings, would be equivalent to
Com1 : /i:4:03f8
Com2 : /i:3:02f8
Com3 : /i:4:03e8
Com4 : /i:3:02e8
The 'x' is the IRQ number. It is a hexidecimal
value from 0 to f. 'nnnn' is the port address for
communications. It is a 4 digit hexidecimal value
If this command is present, the FOSSIL routines
will not be used. If /c or /l is present the door
will exit.
Additional Communications Directives
command effect
/K Do NOT check for Carrier detect. This should only
be used in dire cases. If this switch is used,
the door may not time out if the remote user hangs
up the phone.
If your modem does not properly maintain a Carrier
Detect signal, the game will automatically abort.
This option supresses this activity. If you are
forced to use this option, you probably are having
hardware problems with the modem, RS-232 connector
(bad pin or broken wire), or modem cable.
Configuration Directives
command effect
/N:... User Name (ie: /n:Doc_Technical)
This option allows you to pass the door the user's name
through the command line. This is handy for BBSes like
Searchlight, or if you are playing locally from DOS.
Underscores are converted to spaces.
/Q Quiet Local Mode
This will prevent all ^G bells from ringing the local
console. (Unless the door author specifically
overrides it). This option will help SysOps get full
nights worth of sleep.
BBS Onliner Interface - SysOp Function Keys
The SysOp is afforded the following SysOp functions.
keypress action
F7 Decrement (reduce) user's time remaining by 1 minute.
F8 Increment (increase) user's time remaining by 1 minute.
F9 Drop Carrier. (Fake line noise). This will disconnect
the current communications and send the user a string of
random characters to simulate line noise.
F10 Force return to BBS. This sends the user a notice
informing them that the SysOp has terminated the session.
It then returns control to the BBS. (Ctrl-Break) will
also exit the game, but not as pleasently.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The following SysOp keys are also supported:
ALT-C : Will enter chat mode.
ALT-E : Will enable local echo.
If you have any problems setting up your game, then
please feel free to send me a letter, or call one of the support
BBSes and seek help from me. I will help you as much as I can!
The final step, and the one that will be *greatly*
appreciated by the programmer, is to go into SETUP and hit
option P, or to fill out REGISTER.FRM manually and send it to
me.
Part Three: In Conclusion
────────────────────────────────────────
The B.O.I.
─────────────────────
This game was compiled under the excellent BBS Onliner
Interface door routines. These routines are for Turbo Pascal,
and if you are interested in writing your own online game or
door then I urge you to use The BOI. In my experience it has
been the door library with the most features, indeed, I had to
remove some of the ones that I didn't need! Full source code is
included so you needn't worry about those terrible "Unit
version" errors. In addition to the below, you may also obtain
the BOI from the MECHWARS HQ.
BBS Onliner Interface
Copyright (C) 1990, 1992 Andrew J. Mead
All Rights Reserved.
Contact:
Andrew J. Mead
PO BOX 1155
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-1155
USA
1@9952 WWIVnet
1@9395 VirtualNet
1:3641/417 FidoNet
75:7919/417 DoorNet
+919 489 9446 - PCP:NCRTP - V32BIS - 24HRS
This interface is currently written in Turbo Pascal 5.5, 6.0 and
can be licensed by other programmers. Contact me for details.
Acknowledgements
─────────────────────
In order to bring this version of MECHWARS, which is
probably the most bug-free to date, many peoples' assistance was
given me. I will *attempt* to list them here and if I forget
anyone, I apologize.
In no particular order: Andrew J. Mead for providing
excellent routines and excellent support, this is a door library
author who *cares*; Shane Chambers, for selling me the game; John
Freese, my trusty beta tester; John Veerkamp, another trusty beta
tester; G. Scott Fuller, a true pain in the ---; Mark Geralds, the
cataloguer; Jason Hilling, for doing up that nifty VGA ad; Jason;
Death Reaper; Joker; Achilles; Psycho; Pantera; the FIDO Pascal
programming echo; and ... ARGH!
This is absolutely impossible. From now on I'll keep a
listing on paper of all the people who've helped me, so that I am
not forced to remember all of their names when DOC writing!
Support Sites
─────────────────────
The following are MECHTECH Software support sites:
AVERNUS
(313) 427-0224
2400 - 14,400bps supported
24 Hours - 7 Days
SysOp - dennis r alexander, LANKHMAR
MECHWARS HQ
Castle Ferenczy
(313) 728-1535
2400 bps
WickedSoft Support
SysOp - John Freese, Janos Ferenczy
The Crossroads
(313) 595-7978
2400 - 14,400bps supported
24 Hours - 7 Days
SysOp - Shadowmaster
The Three Wishes
(313) 522-2865
1200 - 14,400bps supported
24 Hours - 7 Days
SysOp - The Wish Giver/Dr.Deth
I'm finished!
─────────────────────
Documentation writing is truly my absolute least
favorite aspect of programming! I have attempted to present
some fairly usefull documentation for MECHWARS, and I think that
it is perhaps a little better than previous documentation was.
If you have any comments, suggestions, and/or bugs to
report, then please do not hesitate to contact me on my BBS, via
mail, or one of the following networks:
International TeleCommunications Network (ITC)
85:871/454
Door Network
75:7313/300
Role Playing Network (RPG net)
100:1313/503
Thanks for running MECHWARS, and please help out a
starving programmer by paying the meager $15 registration fee.
Have a nifty day!
dennis r alexander, LANKHMAR
