Sunny 1,000 Collection/SUNNY1000.iso/Files/Dos/Chess/MZX102.ZIP/MEGAZEUX.DOC

Text File | 1995-06-13 | 39.1 KB | 971 lines

Megazeux-
        Copyright (C) 1994 by Software Visions
        All Rights Reserved


  REQUIREMENTS:
        IBM PC (186 or higher) compatible computer
          640K RAM
          EGA or higher display adapter
          SoundBlaster or other sound card optional
          Mouse optional
          Dos 2.1 or greater
          Hard drive w/approx. 1 Meg free

  Megazeux is being distributed as Shareware. To register Megazeux,
  send the registration fee of $15.00 + $2.00 shipping & handling in
  U.S. funds ($3.00 shipping/handling outside the U.S.) to Software
  Visions. (make out checks to Gregory Janson or your order will be
  returned)

  Benifits of registration:

  1) The registered version of Megazeux, without any "register" notices.
  2) The additional three game worlds- Chronos Stasis, Forest of Ruin,
      and Catacombs of Zeux, including many new levels, secrets, songs,
     and story twists!
  3) You get an updated catalog (with digitized music)

  See ORDER.FRM for details. Our address:

        Software Visions        Phone: [phone]
          4875 Sunset Ave.        Prodigy:         PJTK93B
          La Crescenta, CA          America On-Line: GJanson
                         91214        Internet: [e-mail] OR
                                                        [e-mail]

  The game package, which MUST include the files listed below, may be
  freely copied and distributed by individuals not charging any fee for
  the copying or distributing.  All other distribution is governed by the
  License in Section II.

  Included files:

  MEGAZEUX.EXE
  MEGAZEUX.DOC
  MZX_HELP.PKG
  TUTORIAL.MZX
  CAVERNS.MZX
  7 .MOD files
  WHATSNEW.102
  FILELIST.DOC
  FILE_ID.DIZ
  ORDER.FRM
  CONTEST.TXT


Megazeux --- Table of Contents

  Section

      I.  Definition of Shareware
     II.  Disclaimer, License Agreement, and Support
    III.  Installing and Starting the Program
     IV.  Playing the Game
      V.  User Interface
     VI.  The Editor- Basics
    VII.  The Editor- More Complex Stuff
    VIII.  The Editor- Robots
     IX.  Megazeux's Sound System
      X.  Known Bugs and Quirks
     XI.  Thanks, Acknowledgements, and Miscellaneous


I. DEFINITION OF SHAREWARE

  Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before
  buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you
  are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some
  request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum
  trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right
  to continue using the software to receiving an updated program with
  a printed manual.

  Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the
  copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as
  stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like
  commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In
  both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference
  is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the
  right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or
  to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permiss-
  ion before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware.

  Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should
  find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's com-
  mercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs
  easier, because you can try before you buy.  And because the overhead
  is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back
  guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it.


II. DISCLAIMER, LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUPPORT

 --- DISCLAIMER ---

  Users of Megazeux must accept this disclaimer of warranty:

  "Megazeux is supplied as is.  The author disclaims all warranties,
  expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of
  merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no
  liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from
  the use of Megazeux"

 --- LICENSE ---

  --- USE AND DISTRIBUTION BY INDIVIDUALS:

  Megazeux is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to
  the user for evaluation.  Feel free to share it with your friends, but
  please do not give it away altered or as part of another system.  The
  essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer
  users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide
  incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products.  If you
  find this program useful and find that you are using *TITLE and
  continue to use Megazeux after a reasonable trial period, you must
  make a registration payment of $15 (plus $2/$3 shipping/handling) to
  Software Visions. The applicable registration fee will license one copy
  for use on any one computer at any one time.  You must treat this game
  just like a book.  An example is that this software may be used by any
  number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to
  another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one
  location while it's being used at another.  Just as a book cannot be
  read by two different persons at the same time.

  You are encouraged to pass an unregistered copy of Megazeux along to your
  friends for evaluation.  Please encourage them to register their copy if
  they find that they use it.  All registered users will receive a copy of
  the commercial (registered) version of Megazeux.

  Site-Licenses and quantity discounts may be arranged by contacting
  Software Visions.

  --- DISTRIBUTION BY BBS'S AND DISK VENDORS:

  Anyone distributing Megazeux for any kind of remuneration must
  first contact Software Visions at the address above for authorization.
  This authorization will usually be granted to BBS's and
  "traditional mail-order shareware distributors". You must still contact
  Software Visions, so we may supply you with the lastest shareware version
  of Megazeux. "Traditional mail-order shareware distributors" are those
  offering disks of shareware programs for little more than the normal cost
  of running such a business (usually no more than $5 per disk), usually
  from a printed or on-disk catalog.  It does NOT include any sales through
  retail locations.

  --- DISTRIBUTION BY ALL OTHER MEANS:

  All other forms of distribution require the express written permission
  of the copyright holder before distribution may begin.  These include,
  but are not limited to, CD-ROMs, racks, bins, and any other forms of
  "retail sales".  If you're interested in distributing Megazeux
  by one of these (or other) means please contact Software Visions.
  We'll be glad to discuss your distribution idea with you.  This
  restriction is to ensure that our software is distributed in fashions
  which we find acceptable to us and our customers.

  --- SUPPORT ---

  Support for products from Software Visions is available via phone, mail,
  and Prodigy email at least until the end of 1996, and very likely longer.
  See the first page of this document for phone number, mail address, and
  Prodigy email address.  Updates for Megazeux are available to registered
  users for a $3 fee to cover costs of labor, materials, shipping, and
  handling.  Bug fixes for major bugs will be shipped free to registered
  users for a period of at least three months after the date of registration.


III. INSTALLING AND STARTING THE PROGRAM

  It is recommended that you install Megazeux in its own sub-directory
  on your hard disk. Do NOT run the program directly from a distribution
  disk, as disks sometimes fail.  Always make a copy and run the program
  from it!

  To create a sub-directory for Megazeux, you might type one of the
  following commands:

          MKDIR \MEGAZEUX
        or  MKDIR \GAMES\MEGAZEUX

  These are only examples, and you'll have to decide upon a sub-directory
  path that makes sense given the structure of YOUR hard disk.  Once the
  sub-directory has been created, you're ready to install Megazeux into
  that sub-directory.  If you received the files on a floppy disk, as
  separate files, you would do something like:

        COPY A:\*.* C:\MEGAZEUX
    or  COPY A:\*.* D:\GAMES\MEGAZEUX
    or  COPY B:\*.* C:\GAMES\MEGAZEUX

  If the Megazeux came as an archive file of some sort (.ZIP, .ARC, .LZH,
  etc), you will need to copy the archive file into the sub-directory
  that you created (using the COPY command), then type something like:

        PKUNZIP MEGAZEUX.ZIP
    or  LHARC x MEGAZEUX.LZH

  Once the program is installed, you can change to that sub-directory at
  any time and run the program.

  Megazeux is started by typing

          MEGAZEUX

  You will then be prompted for an output device to use for all digitized
  music and sound. If you do not pick PC Speaker, you will then be prompted
  for whether you wish PC Speaker sound IN ADDITION to digitized music and
  sound. Then, if you did not pick No Sound for digitized output, you will
  be prompted to pick a mixing rate for digitized music. Lower numbers are
  more staticy and may distort percussion sounds, but higher numbers require
  more processor power. The high end numbers will slow down the game (OK on
  a 386 or 486) or even stop it on a 286 or very slow 386. Experiment for
  the best compromise.

  You will then be whisked to the title screen for the first included game,
  Caverns of Zeux. Press P to play, or L to load another world. Press F1
  for comprehensive help AT ANY TIME. Help is not context sensitive, however.

  When starting MegaZeux, you can use any or all of the following command
  line options by placing them after MEGAZEUX. You must seperate them with
  spaces.

  -keyboard2:Uses a slightly different routine for keyboard code. This is
                mainly here for testing purposes, but may make the difference
                on one or two models. All sources I have seen on keyboard
                interrupt programming conflict, and I've chosen the two most
                used routines. -keyboard2 implements the second choice.
  -bios:    Uses BIOS calls for EGA character updates. This will usually cause
            flicker! Do not use unless your machine locks up or acts strange
            otherwise.
  -nomouse: Do not initialize and use the mouse, even if one is found.
  -ms:      Use soundblaster for digitized output
  -mp:      Use PC speaker for digitized output
  -mo:      Turn digitized output off
  -sp:      Turn PC speaker sfx on
  -so:      Turn PC speaker sfx off
  -m#:      Use mixing rate #, from 7500 to 25000 in steps of 2500.

IV.  PLAYING THE GAME

   After loading up Megazeux, the title for Caverns comes up. Press 'P' to
   begin playing, or 'L' to load another world. If you start Caverns, you
   will find yourself reading the story leading up to the current situation.
   Use the arrow keys to scroll, ESC to stop reading. At many other times you
   will find yourself reading these "scrolls", or message boxes. You can also
   use Enter to select choices from these scrolls. Choices that you can
    select appear with a small arrow to their left.

    Anyways, once the game actually begins, you'll find yourself usually
   represented by a small blue happy face in the center of the screen,
   although your form can change from game to game and even screen to
   screen. Use the arrow keys to move around, and push against things to
   interact or collect items. For example, you can pick up the little
   piles of ammunition and gems lying around on many screens.

   Many of the moving objects you will see are creatures- bears, tigers,
   assasins, and other denziens intent on your desctruction. To attack
   them, you hold down the space bar and press a direction, or hold a
   direction and press the space bar. This will fire a bullet, arrow, or
    other appropriate weapon (depending on the game) in their direction.
   You, of course, must have ammo or some other weapon first...

   To see the status panel and menu, press Enter or right-click using the
   mouse at any time. More detailed help is available using F1 from within
   the game.

V.  USER INTERFACE

    All of the dialog boxes in MegaZeux have a similar look and
   operate in the same way. Use TAB and Shift-TAB to move between
   elements, cursor keys to move between checkboxes and radio-
   buttons within a set, Enter or other keys to edit the contents
    of the currently highlighted item, and press Enter on a button
   to exit the box. Using the mouse to select and edit items is
    also supported.

   There are only a few basic types of dialog box elements.
   Buttons are white and are used to finish a dialog box. They
   usually say either "OK" or "CANCEL". Input fields allow you to
   input strings or numbers via the keyboard. Numeric selectors
   are a row of numbers with a selection arrow beneath them, moved
    with the cursor keys. Color selectors look like this:  ■
   and are changed using either the cursor keys or by clicking on
   it and selecting from a palette. You can also press Enter on one
   to select from a palette. Character selectors have a single
    character which can be changed either by typing a letter or by
   selecting from a "character box" by pressing Enter or clicking.

   Board selectors are used by pressing the arrow keys to change
   the board, or pressing Enter or clicking and then selecting from
   a list. Checkboxes can either be checked to signify ON or TRUE,
   or unchecked for OFF or FALSE. Radio buttons represent a set of
   mutually-exclusive options that can be changed using the cursor
   keys or clicking. Only one radio button in a series can be ON
    (or TRUE) at a given time. Finally, there are numeric selectors
   for larger numbers that display a number and can be changed with
   the arrow keys, PageUp, and PageDown.

    List boxes are used for boards, filenames, and "things"
   within the editor. Simply use the arrow keys or mouse to
    scroll the list and click or press Return to select an item.
   Some fileboxes allow you to select directories and drives in
   the same way. (those loading .SAV or .MZX files)

   Character selection is done by using the left and right arrows
   to move and Enter to select. The mouse is also supported. If
   you hold Alt or Ctrl while moving, you will jump 10 characters
    at a time.

   Color selection is done by using the arrows and Enter, or the
   mouse.

   Input is done in a small entry box. Sometimes the characters
    you can input are limited. Enter finishes input. Backspace
   deletes the last character. Delete clears the entire field.

   Info boxes such as this one are used to display help, scrolls,
   signs, and interaction. Use the arrows or mouse to traverse,
   and press Enter on an option to select it and possibly jump
   to another section.

    Mouse is supported for almost all functions except actual
    gameplay, and is fairly intuitive- Just experiment and learn.
    The right mouse button ALWAYS means "escape", and the left
    button always means "select", "do", or "menu". Note that the
    mouse cursor will disappear after a period of no use. From here
    on, all refrences to "clicking" refer to a single press of the
    left mouse button. To "click" on something, move the mouse
    cursor over that something and press the left button once. To
    "double click", press the left button twice in quick
    succession.

VI.  THE EDITOR- BASICS

   To enter the editor, press E from the title screen. You will be
   presented with a blank world and a menu on the left. For your
   first world, try making a simple, one screen world.

   First, press F3 to bring up a list of TERRAINS, and select one
    with the arrow keys or mouse. Then move around the screen with
   the cursor keys and press SPACE to place copies of the terrain
   you selected. Press on the edges to scroll to the remaining
   areas of the board. You can also click on the board with the
   mouse to place copies of the terrain.

   The current "object" is shown at the bottom of the menu. To
    change the color, press C or click on the color there. Then
   select from the palette using cursors and Enter or by clicking.
   Place some of the new colored terrain.

    Continue to place terrains of different colors until you've
   created a screen that pleases you. You can use F4 through F9
    to select other types of things. If you do so, you may be
    prompted to answer some questions about how you want those
    things to act. Simply fill in the dialog boxes (see User
    Interface for details) and select OK. Avoid the use of things
    in the F10 section; (OBJECTS) these are special and will be
    discussed later.

    After you are finished with the level, move the cursor to the
   starting position and press F10, and select PLAYER. The player
   will be added at that position. Now press S to save the world.
   Enter a name for the world and select OK. To test your game,
    exit the editor with ESC (select OK) and Play it. If you want
   to edit your world, enter the editor and press L for load,
    then select the world from the list you are given.

VII.  THE EDITOR- MORE COMPLEX STUFF

    So you want to go past editor doodling and start to make
    some games with a little more interest and length? Well, you've
    come to the right section! The following keys are arranged by
    order of difficulty and importance.

   Space-Place

    This key places the current object at the cursor position. If
   there is another object there of the SAME type and color, it
    will delete it and leave a blank space. If the object is
   another type or color, then it will replace it. If the object
   is a fake, floor, carpet, or anything else that can go beneath
   another object, then the new object will overlay the old one.
   You can also place objects using the mouse. You CANNOT overlay
   scrolls, signs, or robots using the mouse. (for safety reasons)

   Cursors-Movement

   Use the cursor keys to move around the screen. Any attempt to
   move past the screen's edge will scroll if there is more board
    in that direction. Use ALT or CTRL with the cursor keys to move
   in increments of ten. The cursor will sometimes temporarily
    change the color of the object beneath it to allow you to see
   the object and the cursor. This color change is fixed as soon
   as you move off of the object.

   Del  -Erase

   Press Delete or Backspace to erase the object under the cursor.

   F-3  -Terrains
   F-4  -Items
   F-5  -Creatures
    F-6  -Puzzle Parts
   F-7  -Transport
    F-8  -Elements
   F-9  -Misc.
   F10  -Objects

   These keys bring up a menu of items to select the current object
   from. Some will then require the entry of parameters.

   C    -Color

   Use C to change the color of the current object. Almost ALL
   objects can have their color changed. The exceptions are:
    Energizers, Whirlpools, Lives, Explosions, the Player, Fire,
   and Scrolls. If you try to change the color, only the color of
    the background will be affected, except for the Player and
   Explosions, which cannot even have the background color changed.

   TAB- Draw

   This key toggles the draw state. When draw is ON, you will place
   an object whenever you move. When draw is OFF, you will only
   place objects when you press Space. This greatly simplifies the
   drawing of lines and large, complex areas. The draw state is
   shown at the bottom of the menu.

    PageDown- Next/Prev. Menu

    This key switches between the two different menus in the editor.
   All keys can be used at any time; The menus are just used for
   reference. PageUp will also change menus.

   F1- Help

   F1 brings up this help box. Any questions? Pressed while editing
   robots, this will bring up the robot reference table of
   contents.

   L    -Load World

   Press L to bring up a list of MZX worlds. Select one to load
    it into the editor. If the world is password protected, you will
   be prompted for the password, and the world will only be loaded
   if you enter the correct password.

   S    -Save World

   Press S and enter a filename to save the world. A file extension
   of .MZX is automatically added. If the world is "save-protected"
   with a password, you must enter the password to continue.
   Otherwise a meter showing progress of the save will appear while
   MegaZeux saves your world.

   Alt-Z-Clear Board

   Press Alt-Z to clear the current board and all associated
   robots, scrolls, and signs. You will be prompted for
   confirmation.

   Ins  -Grab

   Press Insert to "grab" the object under the cursor, IE use it
   for the current object. The color is also grabbed.

   Enter-Edit and grab

   Pressing Enter allows you to modify the parameter of the object
    under the cursor (IE, intellegence, text, picture, etc) then
   grab it as if you pressed Insert.

   Alt-M-Modify

   Pressing Alt-M brings up a dialog box with the statistics on
   the objects under the cursor. Select one of the COLOR buttons
   to modify the color of those objects. Select a MODIFY button to
   modify the parameters of an object. Select a GRAB button to grab
   that object and it's color. Select ERASE to erase any object
   beneath the top object. Press OK to finish.

   P    -Parameters

   Press P to modify the parameter of the current object.

   F    -Fill

   Press F to fill an enclosed area with the current object. You
   cannot fill with the Player, Robots, Scrolls, or Sensors. The
   fill doesn't always get the entire area if it is large or
   complex.

   F-2  -Text

   F2 toggles the text mode on or off. The current state is
    displayed at the bottom of the menu. When text mode is on, all
   printable characters generate text at the cursor position, in
   the current color.

   R    -Redraw

   If the screen has some misc. garbage or needs to be updated,
   press R to redraw the entire screen.

   A    -Add Board

    Press A and then type in the name of a new board to add another
   board. You will then be taken to the new board, which is added
    to the list of boards at the first available position. There is
   a limit of 127 boards within a world.

   B    -Select Board

   Press B to bring up a list of boards. Select one to jump to
   that board. The first board is always used for the title screen.
   The last selection, reading "Add new board" allows you to create
   a new board.

   Alt-R-Restart

   Pressing Alt-R will clear EVERYTHING and begin a new world from
    scratch, just as if you had just entered the editor. Press OK to
   confirm your actions.

   ESC  -Quit

   Press ESC to quit the editor and return to the title screen. You
   will be prompted for confirmation.

   D    -Delete Board

   Press D to bring up a list of boards, and select one to delete.
    Once deleted, it is permanetly gone. All other refrences to that
   board are not resolved. (such as passages and exits)

   V    -View

   Press V to bring up a view of how the board will look when you
   actually play it. Use the arrow keys to scroll around and press
   ESC to return to editing. This is NOT a test mode, you cannot
   interact with the board- only look at it.

   Alt-D-Default Colors

   Alt-D toggles default colors on and off. When they are on, a
    "DefC" appears in the upper-right corner of the menu. If default
   colors are on, then the default color for an object is selected
    automatically when you choose it from a menu. EX: If you pick
   "Boulder" from the "Puzzle Pieces" menu, the current color will
   become Lt. Grey automatically. This simplifies use of proper
   colors for beginning game designers.

   Alt-Y-Debug Menu

   Use this key to toggle a small menu in the upper-left corner of
   the main menu. The top line is the most useful because it
   displays the current cursor position and board # in x/y,board
   format. The coordinates are zero-based. The second line displays
    the amount of free memory available. The third line displays the
   amount of robot memory used so far. The fourth line displays the
    amount of robot memory available. The fifth line displays the
   current parameter as a decimal number. The memory lines are also
   very important, because they allow you to see how much room you
   have to work with for robots and scrolls.

   This key also works within a game, displaying the current x/y
   position and board in the upper-left corner of the screen.

   Alt-T-Test

   This key allows you to test the current world, starting from the
    current board. While testing, two special keys are active. Press
   F9 to become invincible and freeze time. Press F10 to get a
    large supply of health, ammo, bombs, and other items. You can
   move to any board during testing, and do anything you can do in
   a normal game, except for saving and restoring. Exit the game to
   return to the editor.

   Note: Since playing the game modifys it, the editor saves a copy
   under the name TEST_$$$.MZX. If you already have a game by that
   name, it will be overwritten, so be careful! After testing the
   editor reloads TEST_$$$.MZX and deletes it.

   I    -Board Info

   Pressing I will bring up the board info dialog box, where you
    can edit information and features specific to the current board.

   G    -Global Info

   Pressing G will bring up the global info dialog box. From here
   you can edit features that are specific to the entire world,
   including choosing characters to be used for internal objects.

   X    -Board Exits

   Pressing X brings up a dialog box where you can select the
    boards to the north, south, east, and west of the current board.
   For example, if you are on the board "Town", and set the board
    to the north to be "Country", then when the player touches the
    north border of "Town", he will be transported to the south
    border of "Country". To have a two-way connection, you must also
    go to the board "Country" and set the south border to "Town". If
    the destination board has a wall covering the entrance on that
    side, the player will "overwrite" the wall, so be careful.

    Alt-P-Board Size

   From this dialog box, you can edit the board's overall size and
   viewport position and size.

   Alt-I-Import Board

   Pressing Alt-I brings up a list of board types you can import.
   Select one and select OK to bring up a list of files to import.
   Select one to import it onto the current board.

   Alt-X-Export Board

    Press Alt-X to bring up a list of board types to export as.
   Select one, type in a filename, and select OK to export the
   current board. You may be required to enter a password to
   enact the export.

   Alt-C-Char Edit

   Pressing Alt-C activates the built-in character editor, used
   to modify the appearance of ASCII characters.

   Alt-B-Block

   Press Alt-B to activate block mode, then move to the opposite
    corner of the block and press Space, Enter, or Alt-B. Select
   an action to perform on the block. If you select Move or Copy,
   you must then move to the upper-left corner of the destination
   and press Space, Enter, or Alt-B. The action is then carried
    out.

    Sh-F1-Show Invis
   Sh-F2-Show Robots
   Sh-F3-Show Fake
   Sh-F4-Show Spaces

   These four commands flash the objects onscreen of the named
   type. For example, pressing Shift and F3 will flash all the
    Fakes, Floors, and Carpets onscreen. Press any key to continue.

   Alt-S-Status Info

    This dialog box has space to enter the names of up to four
   counters (used in Robot programming) to appear on the status
    screen when playing the game. They will have the current value
   of the counter in numeric form, alongside thier name, in the
   lower section of the status screen.

   Alt-A-Select Chars

   Use this dialog box to load in one of three default character
    sets. The MegaZeux default set is the set loaded on startup. The
   ASCII default set is the default EGA character set. The blank
   set is the ASCII set for characters 32 through 126 and 219
   through 255, and blank for the rest.

   *    -Protection

   Pressing * brings up the protection dialog box. (You have to
   enter the password if there is one) From here you can change
   the protection level and password.

   Alt-N-Choose MOD

    This key bring up a list of files. Selecting a mod plays it
   on the current music device if there is enough memory to do so.
   The MOD is also assigned as the default music for the current
   board. Press Alt-N again to end the mod and select no default
    music. The music will always play when playing the level or
   editing it as long as there is enough memory. Warning: If you
    don't have enough memory to load the module within the editor,
   it will NOT be set as the default music- The default music
   will stay at none.

   Warning: Do NOT set default music for the starting screen (the
   screen where the player starts) because a snippet will be heard
   while the title screen is loading...

   Even if you aren't assigning default music, this is a good way
   to test your MODs to see if they are small enough and if they
   sound right.

   Alt-L-List SAMs

   This is a good way to discover how many (and what name) SAM
   files are in the current directory. Selecting one will also
   play it at frequency 428.

VIII.  THE EDITOR- ROBOTS

    Robots are a type of object that is fully programmable. You can
    have them do anything another object can do, plus hundreds of
    other things. They can move, play music or sound, fire different
    types of projectiles, give or take items, keep track of events,
    paralyze or move the player, etc. Any serious MegaZeux game
    designer must look into these in order to program good MegaZeux
    games.

    A Short Robot Tutorial

    First, you need to learn a few robot commands and some general
    syntax rules. There are only a few basic types of PARAMETERS.
    A parameter is information within a command that varies each
    time you use it. For example, in the command CYCLE 5, 5 is the
   first and only parameter, since it can change each time you use
   CYCLE.

    The first type of parameter is a number. Numbers are in decimal
   format and have different ranges depending on the command. X/Y
    coordinates are ranged from -128 to 127. Numbers are displayed
   in cyan.

   The second type of parameter is a "string". A string is a
   series of characters surrounded by quotes. (" ") A string can
   contain any character except a quote. Strings are used to
   represent labels, counters, messages, etc. Strings are displayed
    in yellow. If a string is a SINGLE word (IE no spaces) and does
   not match to any reserved word, you can leave off the quotes.
   Reserved words are any word that is used for anything else
   within a robot command, such as IF, MOD, GEMS (an item) PLAYER,
    or FAKE. (a thing) Examples: You can remove the quotes from
   "hey" and "plop", but not "hey guys" or "ammo".

   The third type of parameter is a character. A character is
   represented by a single character between two apostrophes, like
   so: 'c'. Certain characters cannot be represented this way, and
   must be written as a decimal number from 0 to 255. Characters
   are displayed in white on dark grey.

    The fourth type of parameter is a color. A color is a c
   followed by two hex digits, like so: cE3. Either or both of the
   digits can instead be a ? in certain noted circumstances. Colors
   are displayed just like they appear in the palette box, as a
    square on a colored field.

    The fifth type of parameter is a thing. A thing is the name
   of a Megazeux object, such as SliderNS or MagicGem. The name is
   exactly the same as in the editor menus, without any spaces or
   punctuation. (note that capitalization is NEVER significant-
   Gem, gem, and GEM are all considered one and the same)
   Things are displayed in green.

    The sixth and final type of parameter is a param. This is a p
   followed by two hex digits. They always come after a thing, and
   are entered using Alt-A. Parameters are displayed in dark cyan.

    Megazeux is pretty lenient as far as syntax goes- You can
   insert any number of spaces, commas, and semicolons to seperate
    the parts of your command and make it easier to read. You can
   also insert the following words to make it easier to read,
   without messing up the command: A, AN, AS, FOR, IN, ELSE, THRU,
   THROUGH, THE, TO, IS, OF, BY, AT, and WITH. These are used
   mainly to help you understand commands. Also, Megazeux ignores
   capitalization- Gem, gEM, GEM, gEm, gem are all the same to it.
   One thing you MUST remember is to never insert spaces, commas,
    semicolons, or extra words at the BEGINNING of a line- Megazeux
   can't stand this! Examples of usage- The following commands are
   all EXACTLY the same-

    IF GEM 5 5 "haha"
   IF A GEM IS AT 5,5 "HaHa"
    if gem 5,5 "HAHA"
   IF THE THE THE GEM IS IS IS AT AT AT 5  ,  5  "hAHa"

   When you enter a command within the editor, and go to the next
   line, Megazeux automatically COMPILES it, checking it for
   syntax, inserting optional words, etc. Then it displays the line
   in it's "revised" form, containing default optional words, etc.
    Required words are displayed in white, while optional words are
   shown in lt. grey. Directions are shown in red.

   When Megazeux compiles, it also fixes capitalization, etc. The
    above three lines would all turn into this:

    IF c?? Gem AT 5 5 "Haha"

   Do not worry about the inserted words and such- They do NOT take
   up any extra space. The compiled form (which is how robot lines
   are stored) uses a minimal amount of memory. For example, the
   above line takes only 12 bytes.

    Some basic commands you need to know:
   GO dir num- moves the robot num spaces in direction dir. Dir
     can be any supported direction, including north,
     south, etc.
    GOTO "label"- Sends the current robot to label "label".
   :"label"- An actual label within the robot's program.
    *"mesg"- Displays a message along the bottom of the screen.
   SEND "robot" "label"- Sends all robots named "robot" to label
     "label".
   END- Ends execution of the program. (the robot does not
     disappear, it just stops doing things)
   DIE- Actually gets rid of the robot. (disappears)

    A sample object:

   END
   :"TOUCH"
    *"You touched me!"
   GO NORTH 3
    END

   A pair of syncronized objects:

   ObjectA-
    :"DOIT"
    GO NORTH 3
     GO SOUTH 3
    SEND "OBJECTA" "DOIT"
    END

    ObjectB-
    END
     :"DOIT"
    GO EAST 3
    GO WEST 3
    SEND "OBJECTB" "DOIT"
    END

   Read the command reference and related sections to learn more
    about robot programming. The best way to learn is to try it!
   It also helps to examine other people's programming, or get a
    friend to tutor you.

IX.  MEGAZEUX'S SOUND SYSTEM

    There are two categorys of Music and Sound in Megazeux-
    Digitized and PC Speaker. Digitized sound consists of .MOD
    and .SAM files. PC Speaker is utilized through PLAY and SFX
    commands.

    Many people have asked, "What's a SAM file!?" My response
    is that it is a file used for instruments in a MOD file.
    You can either:

    A) Use SAM files of your own
    B) Use a mod editor to export SAM files from a MOD file
         (Blaster Master by Gary Maddox is an easy way to
       extract samples)
     C) Use a conversion utility to convert RAW, WAV, VOC,
         and/or SND files to the SAM format. A good utility
         for this is CVT2SAM by Jim Dahl.

    See the MOD, SAM, END MOD, END SAM, and VOLUME robot commands for
    using Digitized sound.

    The PLAY, WAIT PLAY, and PLAY SFX robot commands require a string
    of letters to use for notes. The SFX command plays internal PC
    speaker sound effects, and the SAM command plays SAM files,
    overlaying any current MOD. See help within Megazeux for details.

X.  KNOWN BUGS AND QUIRKS

    There are a few quirks known to exist in this version of Megazeux.

    For one, the first save of a game, whether in edit or play, takes
    a rather long time. This is due to the size of the boards Megazeux
    must shuffle around in conventional memory, EMS memory, and swap
    files. Many other delays in Megazeux can also be attributed to
    slow disk access.

    In addition, when importing boards, references to other boards (within
    passages and robots) are NOT resolved- Make sure you fix these, or
    you may get an "Attempt to load a nonexistant board" error!

    Occasionally the keyboard will lock up and stop responding. (Only on
    certain machines) Sometimes this may be solved by tapping the Alt,
    Ctrl, and/or Shift keys a few times. Otherwise, try the -keyboard2
    command line option. If neither of these helps, try to locate exactly
    when the keyboard locks up and what you were doing/typing, and please
    notify us.

    Finally, ZZT imports and fills do not work completely, although they
    are often satisfactory. No plans to improve these features exist. The
    ZZT import would encourage rehashes of old ZZT classics without using
    the new features of Megazeux.

XI.  THANKS, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, AND MISCELLANEOUS

    Programming and Overall Design by Gregory Janson
    MOD Programming by Mark J. Cox

    Included Game Modules by Gregory Janson

    Beta Testing and Special thanks:

    Jason Albanese
    Alek Benedict
    Chris Bromley
    Christopher Christensen *
   Chris Cooper
    Carlos DaSilva
    Jacob Farmer
   Geoff Friesen *
    Tim Gallagher
   Themie Gouthas *
   Jamie Holub
   Carl and Connie Janson (Hi mod, Hi dad!)
   Chris Janson
   Jason Kim
   Dave Kirsch *
    Elbert Lim
    Joe McManis
   Vic Putz *
    Robin Rudge *
    Brian Schweitzer
   Allen Shirvanian
    Tim Sweeny (author of ZZT)
   Tony Vanvranken

   * = Thanks for the public domain code!

   Registration Info

    MegaZeux is being presented as ShareWare, that is, try before
    you buy. The unregistered version is completely intact- All
   features are available. However, if you continue to use it,
    you are still required to pay for it. Your payment not only
    gets you the registered version, including the additional
   three games available by registration only, but it tells us
    that you enjoy getting great games at such low costs.

   If you enjoy MegaZeux and want to recieve all FOUR games in
   the MegaZeux series, send 15 dollars (US) plus 2 shipping
   and handling in the USA, or 3 shipping and handling in all
   other countries, to:

    Software Visions
    4875 Sunset Ave.
    La Crescenta, CA
                  91214

    Make out all checks and money orders to Gregory Janson, or
    your order WILL be returned. Please include a copy of our
    order form or a note stating the desired product.

    If you find a bug in MegaZeux, we want to know! If you have
    found a real (major) bug and you notify us first, you will recieve
    the first fixed copy (registered) of MegaZeux, as well as a coupon
    for one (1) free registered game from Software Visions, of your
    choice.

    For more detailed instructions and help, please see the
   comprehensive help within Megazeux, available by pressing F1 at
    any time.

    Enjoy Megazeux, and I'd LOVE to see the modules you create with
    it, or just hear your comments! This was created with the ZZT
    fan in mind, so have at it! And see CONTEST.TXT for information
    on a world creation contest!

                - Greg Janson
                  ZZT'er at heart