Gambler 2/GAMBLERCD_2.bin/stargene/sgdemo.z/README.TXT

Text File | 1996-10-12 | 13KB | 289 lines

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                           Star General
                           Demo (v 1.1)
                   Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI)
                *************************************

STAR GENERAL README.TXT FILE TABLE OF CONTENTS:

SECTION 1:      SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
SECTION 2:      INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
SECTION 3:      GAMEPLAY NOTES
SECTION 4:      DESIGN NOTES
SECTION 5:      FEATURES NOT IMPELMENTED IN THIS DEMO
SECTION 6:      TROUBLESHOOTING
SECTION 7:      KNOWN BUGS IN THE DEMO VERSION
SECTION 8:      CREDITS

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SECTION 1: SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
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Star General requires:

Windows 95 Version:
Pentium-90 or faster
16 MB RAM
Windows 95
Direct X II (included with this demo)
2X CD ROM Drive
1MB SVGA Video Card
Win 95 Compatible Mouse

DOS Version: (NOTE: A DOS version is not included with this demo)
486-66
8 MB RAM
DOS 6.0 or higher
Microsoft or Logitech Mouse
2X CD ROM Drive
1MB SVGA Video Card

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SECTION 2: INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
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Open the Star General folder Double-click on the SETUP.EXE file.
Follow the on-screen prompts.

NOTE: Star General requires Microsoft Direct X II.  During the
Star General installation process you will be prompted if you
wish to install Direct X II. Follow the on-screen prompts
to install Direct X II.

To start the game, double-click on SGDEMO.EXE.

NOTE: Star General may not work on your system if you have a
previous or later version of Direct X other than version II.
If you have a previous or later version of Direct X II, you should
choose to "Reinstall Direct X" during the installation process.

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SECTION 3: GAMEPLAY NOTES
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Following is a quick tutorial to get you going:

When you first enter the game you will be in the tile screen. This screen
will be where the Introduction Cinematic is viewed. Select the Green Check
Mark to continue, and the Red X to exit.

You will be brought to the scenario "Battle" selection screen. There are 4
demo scenarios available to play. Each scenario features two of the seven
races included in the game. By selecting one of the scenarios and then
hitting the green check mark you can continue. Each of the scenarios are
described in the center of the screen. On the far right are two arrows,
one up and one down. In the full version, this will cycle through the
available scenarios. On the bottom of the screen are several buttons. The
green check is the continue, the tank takes you to the "War" selection
screen (disabled), the computer is the networking button (disabled), the man
with an arrow pointing to the dollar sign is a conversion button. When
highlighted, and a scenario is selected, this function will convert all of
the starting troops in the scenario into resource points, so that you
can play the battle on the specific scenario map with your preference
of buys, and strategic placement. (recommended for varied two player
play). Finally, the Red X exits back to the intro (title) screen. In
the bottom center of the screen are the two races involved in the
currently selected scenario. As you select different battles (above),
these change. When you select either race icon, its individual
briefing comes up in the above center briefing box. The two sliders
below the race icons are used for the AI player, and are difficulty
sliders. One gives the AI more resource points, and the other affects
the AI's experience and skill.

Once you have selected a scenario and gone on, you will be prompted through
a couple of screens to the actual scenario. Each of the demo scenarios
starts you off with some ships, and possibly some building facilities.
In order to buy troops it is necessary to have an MI complex (on the ground)
and/or a Space Dock (out in space). The pre-requisite to purchasing these
is to own 1 Biodome, 1 Mine, 1 Factory, and 1 Plant. These are also
required to own a Technology Facility (used for upgrading units). Note
that on planets, only two structures can be built next to each city;
therefore, on a planet with one or two cities, you can not purchase
a Military Industrial Complex (or a dock), while on a planet with three
cities, you could buy a mine, biodome, plant, and factory so that you can
purchase an MI Complex. That would leave you space for a building of your
choice.

Command table:
Goto a planet           Left-Click on the planet.
See a unit's stats      Have the unit active, then select the unit info
                        button in the unit menu on the right.
Attack another unit     If the unit is in your range of attack, a targeter
                        will appear of the unit you wish to attack.
Resupply a unit         Click on the supply button on the unit menu (on right)
                        (out of fuel or ammo)
Transport (pick up)     Have transport active, select go to planet on unit
                        menu on right, while on planet select landing site,
                        grab units (note you can place and grab as you like)
Transport (drop off)    Friendly Planet: Select a place to land, place units
                        where you like.
                        Unfriendly: You must select a landing zone, then
                        place your troops in the two hex radius of the zone.
Buy troops (Space)      You must first own a space dock (adjacent to a
                        planet). Select the $ button on the right main menu,
                        click on a unit in the purchase menu, click on the
                        space map (on the left) and the unit will be bought.
                        (# next to unit in this screen is the tech level: For
                        each Tech Facility you own, this number can be raised
                        1 to a maximum of 6)
Buy troops (Ground)     You must first own a Military Industrial Complex.
                        Select the $ button on the right main menu,
                        Click on a unit in the purchase menu, click on the
                        ground map (on the left) and the unit will be bought.
                        (# next to unit in this screen is the tech level: For
                        each Tech Facility you own, this number can be raised
                        1 to a maximum of 4)
Asteroid Mining         When adjacent to an asteroid, Transports and Recon
                        ships can mine it by clicking the mine asteroid
                        button on the right unit menu.

Smart Text
While playing the game, Smart text will appear (generally at the bottom
left or top middle of the screen). When passing over buttons, this informs
you of the nature of the button.

Transports
When a transport is adjacent to a planet, a button to land on the
planet is available. Press this button, and then select a landing
site on the planet. By selecting on various units on the ground,
they will be loaded into the transport, and when the exit button
is selected, the transport will go back out to space.

NOTE: MILITIA UNITS CAN NOT BE TRANSPORTED. THEY ARE NATIVE AND
EXCLUSIVE TO THEIR PARTICULAR PLANET.

To drop troops onto other planets, your transport has to have
at least one move point left, and select 'go to planet' button.
At this point, you will have to select an actual landing zone
(Circle, Square, or Triangle with flashing lights) to land on
(unlike on an uncontested planet where you just select any old
site to pick up troops). Your troops can be dropped of any where
within two hexes of the landing pad.

Save/Load
After typing in a save name. Hit the enter key and then left-click
on the save button.

HotKeys
F1          Changes back and forth from the Strength numbers to tech level.
SHIFT-F8    Dumps the screen to a pcx file.
Quit Button Found in the disk menu in the options menu, this quits the game.
SHIFT-F12   Exits the game (even when the AI is playing the AI)

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SECTION 4: DESIGN NOTES
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Star General is a space strategy game where you take command
of one of seven races and conquer the universe. The game
can be played in one of many pre-set scenarios, or you
can set up a random universe and play your own custom game
(NOTE: the random universe setup option is not included in this
product demo). Battles take place in space with your fleet,
and on planets with your ground troops.

Each race has its own advantages and AI controlled tactics. The
difference between Star General and most if not all other
Space-Strategy games, is that Star General is played on two
levels. You start with a home world or group of worlds under
your control. You build up your troops both on the planet
surface, and out in space. Troops from the surface can be
transported from one planet, through space, to invade other
races' worlds. In general, the objective is to conquer everything
and every one, but the different scenarios in the final version
will have specific objectives to accomplish.

Star General also contains a Resource Management element.
Key facilities must be built/purchased on the planet surface
before you can produce military units in space or on the ground,
or before you can upgrade the technology level of your forces.
Production facilities can be built which provide additional
resource points from turn to turn.

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SECTION 5: FEATURES NOT IMPELMENTED IN THIS DEMO
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Sound/Music: Music is not implemented in this version of the game.
Full Redbook audio tracks will be provided in the final version.
The sound effects currently used in the game are considered
placeholder as well and will be shortened to speed game play.

Cinematics: The cinematics for the game are not included with
this version.

Unit Encyclopedia: A 3D rendered animation library which displays
the statistics for all the spacecraft in the game will be
included in the final version of the product. This feature is
not included in the demo due to disk space constraints.

Diplomacy: A full diplomacy model will be included in the
final version of the game (Keep those pesky AI aliens off your
back!)

Scenarios: The tutorial scenario, as well as the other scenarios
which will ship with the game have not been included.  The four
scenarios provided are exclusive to this demo version.

Hotkeys: The final version of the game will be replete with
hotkeys.

Multiplayer support: multiplayer support is currently planned
for the production version of the game.

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SECTION 6: TROUBLESHOOTING
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If the game sound does not work when game starts, exit the game
and delete the prefs.dat file in the /log directory and
restart the game.

If the game crashes, make sure that the following files are in
your LOG folder: STARGEN.OUT, DEBUG.OUT, and COMBAT.LOG. You
also need to make sure that these files are set to READ/WRITE.
You can change their attributes at the DOS prompt by
typing: ATTRIB -r [FILENAME]

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SECTION 7: KNOWN BUGS IN THE DEMO
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If you capture all the enemy cities on a planet surface and then
allow 3 space turns to pass, all enemy ground units will be
destroyed. This is per design. However, after you press the button
"Go Back To Space", all buttons on the main game screen will be
blank and you will not be able to continue the game. You
will need to destroy the remaining enemy forces on the ground
if you wish to continue playing the game after capturing all
enemy cities on the planet.

Some unit data is incorrect and will be corrected in the final
version of the product. These bugs will manifest themselves
in attack and defense resolutions.

The race statistics screen displays garbled text at times in the
upper left corner of the screen. Additionally, the class name
of the ships overwrite the displayed data.

The dialog box which notifies you that you have won a scenario
displays for only a moment.

The text "AI Running" mistakenly displays at times on the main
game screen.

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SECTION 8: CREDITS
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Star General is published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) and
developed by Catware.

For additional information on Star General, you can visit
the SSI website at: WWW.SSIONLINE.COM

SSI can be reached on CompuServe at: GO SSI.
The CompuServe e-mail address is: 76711,250

SSI can be reached on AOL at: STRATSIM (GO SSI)

The Catware website is: WWW.CATWARE.COM