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S T O R Y M A K E R + Version 1.2 Copyright (c) 1992-1993 Elson Embry PO Box 12035 Santa Rosa, CA 95406 (707) 546-5659 ---------------------------------------- D O C U M E N T S E C T I O N S ---------------------------------------- A - Shareware File Descriptions B - Hardware Requirements C - Disclaimer/Warranty D - Copyright/Registration/Distribution E - Installing or Updating the Program F - Running the Program G - Data File Descriptions and Sources H - Future Enhancements I - Trademarks ------------------------------- A - SHAREWARE FILE DESCRIPTIONS ------------------------------- Below are the files contained in the current version: FILE_ID.DIZ _ Shareware package description README.DOC - Log of current and previous releases STORY.EXE - Main program INSTALL.EXE - Installation utility VENDOC.DOC - Vendor information STORY.DOC - This document REGISTER.FRM - Registration form SETUP.DAT - Program file EDITFONT.DAT - Program file HELP.DAT - Program file PHONEME.DAT - Program file PRULES.DAT - Program file SBINST.DAT - Program file SCREEN.DAT - Program file *.SML - Melody files *.VOC - Digital sound files SAMPLE.TXT - Demo text file DEMO.BKD - Demo story file DEMO.SPL - Demo picture library file ------------------------- B - HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS ------------------------- IBM or compatible computer, at least 10 MHz, 512K RAM memory. Hard drive. Mouse device required. EGA/VGA graphics monitor, at least 256k EGA memory. (128k EGA memory may be enough if the mouse driver is a Microsoft driver - refer to the section on running the program for more information). Optional sound card: Sound Blaster. ----------------------- C - DISCLAIMER/WARRANTY ----------------------- Sorry about the following legal stuff: The software is provided on an "as-is" basis and there is no warranty of any kind, whether expressed or implied. Your use of the software is completely at your own risk. I assume no liability for any damages caused by the direct or indirect use of the software and any of its files. Your use of the software means that you agree to all of these terms. --------------------------------------- D - COPYRIGHT/REGISTRATION/DISTRIBUTION --------------------------------------- StoryMaker+ is copyrighted by the author. All rights reserved. StoryMaker+ is distributed as shareware. With the shareware concept, you are asked to register StoryMaker+ if you decide to use it after an evaluation period. The unregistered version is "crippled" in that it is limited to 50 pictures per book page, and 10 pages per book file. The full-working version has a maximum of 100 pictures per page and 99 pages per file. Registered users are issued access code to "uncripple" the program and are the only ones licensed to have full use of the software. Registered users are also sent the current version upon registering. Updates to the software will also be made available for downloading from BBS boards. Registration fee is from $15 to $35, based on your use of the software and your ability to pay. California residents must add the applicable sales tax. Please add $3.00 for shipping costs if ordering outside the United States, Canada or Mexico. To apply for registration, print the file REGISTER.FRM. Registration fees may only be paid directly to the software author at the above address. Shareware distribution of the software to others is encouraged as long as all the files are included and no file is altered in any way. BBS sysops, vendors or anyone planning to distribute Storymaker+ for a fee, please refer to the file VENDOR.DOC for distribution requirements and restrictions. -------------------------------------- E - INSTALLING OR UPDATING THE PROGRAM -------------------------------------- If you already have an older version of the program, change the current directory to StoryMaker+ home directory. Otherwise create a separate directory for the program in your hard disk. For example: C: MD \STORY This creates the directory. CD \STORY This changes the current directory. Next, copy all files to the directory. You must have the correct decompression software to unpack any compressed files. From example: COPY A:*.* Use your decompression software if needed. Finally, run the installation utility INSTALL.EXE. From example: INSTALL The Install utility creates a number of subdirectories in StoryMaker+ home directory. Picture files, melody files and other StoryMaker+ data files are saved in the special subdirectories. ----------------------- F - RUNNING THE PROGRAM ----------------------- StoryMaker+ looks for the required mouse driver and aborts if it is not found. If StoryMaker+ is configured for the SoundBlaster card, it looks for the SoundBlaster environment variable BLASTER. This is normally added to the AUTOEXEC.BAT in the root directory to specify the current SoundBlaster hardware configuration. The command for setting the environment string has the form: SET BLASTER=Appp Ii Dd Tt where: ppp = Base I/O port i = IRQ number d = DMA channel t = SoundBlaster card version number Example: SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 T1 If it does not find the setting, StoryMaker+ tries to auto detect the card using base I/O port 220h and IRQ 7 as default settings. It is preferable that the BLASTER environment be used to avoid port problems that may cause the system to hang up. If you will be playing CMF files, the CMF file player SBFMDRV.COM must also be in memory before running StoryMaker+. Please refer to your SoundBlaster manual for more instructions on the the BLASTER environment strings and the SBFMDRV.COM driver. To run the program you must be at StoryMaker+ home directory. The command line format is: STORY [/U] [/Rfile] [/B] [/MS] Entries inside the brackets are command switches and are optional. The command switches are as follows: /U Unlock all utilities in the Utility menu. The program does not allow access to some utilities unless this command switch is invoked. /Rfilename Read a story file named in <filename>; the filename extension is not required. This bypasses the main menu and runs the Book Reader automatically. /B Bypass the main menu and allow access to the Book Reader only. /MS Use this only if you have at least 128K but less than 256K EGA memory and the mouse driver is fully compatible with Microsoft driver. Some drivers I tried caused display problem when only 128K of EGA memory was used. Below are some examples of running the program: STORY Run the program but do not allow access to some of the utilities. STORY /U Run the program allowing access to all of the utilities. STORY /B Restrict access to the Book Reader. This prevents changing of data files and is intended for kids using the program. STORY /Rdemo /Rvacation Read the book file DEMO. Read the book file VACATION next. Terminate program when done. STORY /Rdemo /B Read the book file DEMO. Then continue running the program but allow access only to the Book Reader. Note: Do not use program file utilities, such as LZEXE.EXE, to compress Storymaker+'s program files as a modified file will very likely cause program failure. -------------------------------------- G - DATA FILE DESCRIPTIONS AND SOURCES -------------------------------------- This section describes StoryMaker+ data files and their sources. It also covers the 2 ways of creating a story file. 1 - Picture Library Files When creating a story, the background pictures used for sceneries and the shapes used for animations are loaded from the picture library files. The sources of the pictures are the Background Editor and Shape Editor tools of StoryMaker+. The files are located in the program directory GRAPHICS and carry the file extension SPL. To avoid "missing" pictures in the story files, it is important to understand how StoryMaker+ normally adds a picture to a story or book file. StoryMaker+ "saves" a picture in a book file by saving the library name and a reference to the picture; it does not copy the image data into the book file. Moreover, an internal index number is used as the reference, not the picture's name or description. When the program reads the book file, it load the picture corresponding to the index number in the library - it does not check whether the picture or its name has been changed, only that the named library exists and the internal index is valid. If it can not load a picture, the program beeps to signal an error. Because of the use of index numbers, a picture "saved" in a story file and deleted accidentally from the library file can not be replaced in the story file by simply saving a new picture in the library under the same name. The story file additionally must be edited and a picture and its script recreated for its occurrence of the deleted picture. Failure to do this will result in missing pictures, or wrong pictures showing up in the story if the deleted index number has been reused. 2 - Melody Files A melody file adds sound effects to a story file. Melody files are located in the program directory MELODY and carry the file extension SML. The source of melody files is the program tool Melody Maker. StoryMaker+ "saves" a melody file in the book file by saving its filename - actual data are not normally copied. 3 - Text Files A text file adds sound effects to a story file. StoryMaker+ text-to-speech player reads files included in the story. Text files are located in the program directory TEXT and carry the file extension TXT. A limited sized text file may be saved in the program tool Text Editor. StoryMaker+ also accepts larger sized files from regular editors, although these can not be edited in the Text Editor; you must copy or move outside files into the TEXT directory. StoryMaker+ "saves" a text file in the book file by saving its filename - actual data are not normally copied. 4 - Digitized Sound Files Digitized sounds add sound effects to a story file. Sound files are located in the program directory SOUNDS and carry the file extension VOC. Among sources of digitized sounds are BBS boards and shareware outlets. You can also record you own if you have the proper device or equipment. At present, StoryMaker+ will play properly SoundBlaster 8-bit unpacked VOC files only. Any file without the SoundBlaster VOC header will be played as 8-bit raw data with 8000hz sampling rate. StoryMaker+ "saves" a sound file in the book file by saving its filename - actual data are not normally copied. 5 - FM Music Files The last type of sound effects that can be added to a story file are SoundBlaster CMF music files. CMF files are FM synthesized music files that can utilize simultaneouly up to 11 musical instruments. You need a SoundBlaster or compatible card and the CMF driver SBFMDRV.COM to play these files under StoryMaker+. StoryMaker+,as distributed, does not have a CMF file; among sources of CMF files are BBS boards and shareware outlets. You must copy the files into StoryMaker+ directory FMMUSIC if you want to use them in a story. StoryMaker+ "saves" a CMF file in the book file by saving its filename - actual data are not normally copied. 6 - Book or Story Files Story files are assembled in the program's Book Editor and are saved in the program directory BOOKS. The files carry the extension SBK. Pictures and sound effects included in a story are normally "saved" as references to other files. This has the advantage of having a story file that is not excessively large, and also having the ability to edit the referenced files. The disadvantage in using references is the extra care that must be given in managing the external files: referenced pictures or the library file may not be deleted, the library filename may not be changed; the same applies to the sound effects files. Also, giving copies of a story to others requires copying of the library files and all other referenced files. The files must also be copied into the correct program directories, taking care that no file accidentally overwrites another file that uses the same filename. Because of the problems in using referenced files when giving copies of a story file, StoryMaker+ Utility menu offers another method of compiling the file: it requires copying of the actual data into the story file, thus ending up with a single file. This file needs to be copied only into the directory BOOKS. An important thing you must keep in mind in using the single-file approach is that the single-file story is intended for reading only and is not editable. You must retain the file using references if you want to keep the ability to make changes or corrections to the original story file. ------------------- H - FUTURE RELEASES ------------------- Below are some changes that may be included in future releases of StoryMaker+ if users' support warrants additional work on the program: Female voice and an improved male voice. Support of other sound devices. Data import or conversion utilities. Enhancements and additional features as needed. Feedbacks and suggestions from users are helpful here. Occasional updates to fix bugs may also be necessary. -------------- I - TRADEMARKS -------------- IBM is a registered trademark of the IBM Corporation. SoundBlaster is a registered trademark of Creative Labs,Inc. Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.