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-
- --- ELITE 128 ---
-
- Version 0.9
-
- by D.Braben & I.Bell (sort of)
-
-
-
-
- This is the second release of a hacked Elite version that utilizes the faster
- CPU of the C128, has experimental SuperCPU support and some more nice
- features.
-
- Here's a list (see below for a list of drawbacks):
-
- - Will run in 2MHz mode on the C128 while outside the visible area of the
- screen. This means that the CPU will run with 2MHz for about 40% of the
- time, giving an increase of 40% in speed.
-
- - Default device is the disk, no need to switch from cassette.
-
- - Switch between fast and slow possible when game stopped. Hit Inst/Del to
- stop the game, then press 'T' (you will hear a beep). Press Clr/Home to
- continue with the game.
-
- - Joystick/keyboard handler changed to allow parallel working of both. No
- need to take your hands from the joystick when accelerating, activating a
- missile or similiar things. The original version did not accept any keys
- when the joystick was active.
-
- - Keep settings when ship gets destroyed or the game is restarted.
-
- - Enabled three previously hidden keys that control music and sound. In
- addition to the 'T' key mentioned above, there are now three more keys
- available:
-
- 'B' --> Allow sounds *and* music. Do you remember your enemies
- killing you because you did not hear them while the docking
- computer was active?
-
- 'C' --> Continous music. The music starts when leaving the station.
- Rather boring but you may give it a try...
-
- 'E' --> Switch between the original docking music and the intro
- theme.
-
- All keys are toggle keys. Press them once to enable the feature, press
- them a second time to disable it again.
-
- * Should detect a SuperCPU, switch it into fast mode and enable the frame
- rate limiter (see next topic) automatically.
- Note: As I don't have a SuperCPU, this may or may not work. If it does not
- work, you may need to manually switch to high speed and enable the frame
- rate limiter.
- Note^2: The SuperCPU must be configured to allow software clock switching
- for this.
-
- * Version 0.9 has code to limit the frame rate. If you have a SuperCPU this
- may enable you to play Elite in fast mode with more or less constant
- speed. If a SuperCPU is detected, the code is enabled (see previous topic).
- If this does not work, or if you don't have a SuperCPU but some other
- accelerator card, you may want to enable it by hand: Hit Inst/Del to stop
- the game, then press 'L' (you will hear a beep). Press Clr/Home to
- continue with the game. This is a toggle key! To disable the function, use
- the same procedure.
- Note: Enabling this feature on a C64 or C128 without an accelerator card
- has no effect since both are too slow and the frame rate limit is never
- reached.
-
- * When saving a commander file, a file with the same name is scratched
- before saving the new one. You don't need to use the dangerous '@'
- feature or constantly change your name.
-
- * Removed the checksum code when saving and loading a commander file.
- This means, you can patch your commander files if you really want to.
- Maybe I will release a commander save file map with the next version.
-
- * Does work with other devices than #8. The device, from which Elite is
- loaded is remembered by the game and used for all other loads and
- saves.
-
-
- (+ = new feature in 0.8, * = new in version 0.9)
-
- There are many more internal changes in version 0.9 that are not reflected in
- new features. Stay tuned!
-
- As you probably know, there's no such thing as free lunch:-)
- So here's the dark side of the new version:
-
- * I used the german version because it had a second music theme. So, all
- text is in german.
- I've descrambled most of the text, so it should be possible to
- retranslate the german version into english, but the text uses two(!)
- rather complex compression shemes, that are difficult to do by hand. I
- will have to write an encoder to make that possible. Maybe a smarter
-