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- KINGDOM
- Version 1.00
- ** SYSOP Documentation **
-
- Last Revision: 03/28/92
-
-
- Find support at for Caliber Software at:
- ProTem University BBS
- (816) 429-1751
- 1:280/71 Fido Net
- 75:7816/2 Door Net
-
-
- Contact me at: Caliber Software
- C/O Ben Vegiard
- 1406 Kingswood
- Fulton, MO 65251
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- KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
-
-
- ╔════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ INTRODUCTION ║▒░▓
- ╚════════════════╝
-
- Kingdom is an old classic computer game brought to the world of
- BBS door games. It is a simple economics game where the user
- rules a Kingdom for 50 years. The player starts off with a small
- amount of bushels (the food and money of the game), land to plant,
- and peasant workers and must manipulate these variables to produce
- and thriving Kingdom. It is actually quite a simple game, but I
- have added a few new twists and some nice graphics to make things
- more interesting.
-
- As with all Caliber Software, Kingdom is simple to configure, run,
- and maintain. It uses up a minimum of hard drive space, and is
- configurable to your tastes.
-
-
- ╔══════════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ WHAT YOU WILL NEED ║▒░▓
- ╚══════════════════════╝
-
- - IBM Compatible Personal Computer
- - Approximately 35k Free RAM space
- - BBS Software that supports either DORINFOx.DEF or DOOR.SYS.
- - Some systems may require the use of a fossil driver such as X00
- or BNU.
-
- ╔═════════════════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ FILES INCLUDED IN ARCHIVE ║▒░▓
- ╚═════════════════════════════╝
-
- READ.ME : 'Where to go first' file.
- KINGOM.EXE : Main executable file.
- KINGDOM.CFG : Configuration file.
- INSTRUCT.KNG : Player instruction.
- WIZARD.KNG : Random Wizard announcements.
- SYSOP.KNG : This documentation
- UPGRADE.KNG : Instructions on upgrading from Beta Version 1.0
- KING_UP.EXE : Upgrades data files from version 1.0 Beta
- format to the current 1.0 (proper) format.
- FORM.KNG : Ready to mail Registration form.
- CALIBER.TXT : Listing of all available software from Caliber.
-
-
- ╔═════════════════════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ FILES CREATED BY THIS PROGRAM ║▒░▓
- ╚═════════════════════════════════╝
-
- SCOREDTA.KNG : Contains score information
- LOCK.KNG : This file lets kingdom know not to access data
- files while other nodes are using them.
- Bulletins : Kingdom creates ANSI and ASCII player bulletins.
-
-
-
- Page 2
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- KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
-
-
- ╔═════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ CONFIGURATION ║▒░▓
- ╚═════════════════╝
-
- It's simple. Type up a file using you text editor by the name
- KINGDOM.CFG (or just alter the one that is included) and put in
- the following parameters:
-
- Line 1: BBS NAME
- Line 2: Path and name to ASCII winners listing. For example:
- C:\BBS\BULLETIN\BULL14.TXT
- Be sure to put the filename and DO NOT LEAVE THIS LINE
- BLANK!
- If no path is specified then OBSESSION will write the
- bulletin in the same directory where the executable file
- resides.
- Line 3: Path and name to ANSI winners listing. For example:
- C:\BBS\BULLETIN\BULL14.ASC
- Be sure to put the filename and DO NOT LEAVE THIS LINE
- BLANK!
- If no path is specified then OBSESSION will write the
- bulletin in the same directory where the executable file
- resides.
- Line 4: Path and name of desired door drop file. For example:
- C:\BBS\DORINFO1.DEF, or C:\DOORS\KINGDOM\DORINFO2.DEF, or
- C:\BBS\NODE1\DOOR.SYS. KINGDOM supports DORINFOx.DEF and
- DOOR.SYS.
- Line 5: Level of difficulty. 1 = Easy, 2 = Medeum, 3 = Hard!
- 0 = Let the player choose their own level
- See OTHER NOTES for more details.
- Line 6: Number of minutes the player is allowed to play in one
- day. If this is set to 0 then the player is allowed as
- much time as he/she has left on the BBS
- Line 7: Use fossil driver. Place a 'Y' here if you wish to have
- fossil routines activated. Most systems will work without
- the fossil, but some seem to require the aid of a fossil
- driver such as X00 or BNU.
- Line 8: Registration Number.
- If you register your copy of KINGDOM is registered, place
- your registration number here EXACTLY as it appears.
- If you have not registered KINGDOM (yet (G)) place a 0
- here.
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- Page 3
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- KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
-
-
- ╔════════════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ LET'S RUN THIS PUPPY ║▒░▓
- ╚════════════════════════╝
-
- Simply set up you batch file along these lines:
-
- CD \BBS\DOORS\KINGDOM
- KINGDOM KINGDOM.CFG
- CD \BBS
- BOARD
-
- and that should do it. There are no mandatory command line
- parameters to mess with. Just be sure your config file is in the
- same directory as your executable file or you supply a path on the
- command line.
-
- Alternate configurations can be called from the command line. For
- example, to use a config file by the name KNGNODE2.CFG call
- KINGDOM by the statement KINGDOM KNGNODE2.CFG
-
- Kingdom may also be called from DOS. Use KINGDOM KINGDOM.CFG /L
- to run from a DOS prompt, or to force local mode from a batch
- file. See COMMAND LINE SWITCHES below for details.
-
- NOTE: If no configuration file is specified then Kingdom will
- default to KINGDOM.CFG as the config file name.
-
- If you experience difficulty with the carrier routines (won't
- send data to the remote user, won't read remote users keys, etc)
- and you are not activating the fossil routines (in the config file
- or by using the /F command line switch), I would suggest you do
- so. To take advantages of these routines you must have a fossil
- driver such as X00 or BNU installed. If you have installed and
- activated these routines are still having problems then please
- contact me!
-
-
- ╔════════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ MULTI-NODE USAGE ║▒░▓
- ╚════════════════════╝
-
- KINGDOM is multi-node aware in the sense that it creates a
- temperary file (LOCK.KNG) everytime it writes to the disk. Before
- anything is written to the disk KINGDOM checks for this file. If
- the file is present then it waits a until the KINGDOM game running
- on another node finishes up what it is doing. If it has to wait
- too long the game aborts, assuming the game on the other node has
- crashed for whatever reason.
-
- This little trick helps to avoid file sharing conflicts and allows
- two games to run simultaneously on 2 different nodes in peaceful
- harmony.
-
-
-
-
- Page 4
-
-
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- KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
-
-
- ╔═════════════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ COMMAND LINE SWITCHES ║▒░▓
- ╚═════════════════════════╝
-
- A number of command line switches are supported by Kingdom. Below
- are the details of each switch. All switches must have a
- backslash (/) or a dash (-) in front of them. For example:
- KINGDOM KINGDOM.CFG /L would run kingdom in local mode (as
- described below) Command line switches ARE NOT case sensitive.
-
- F Force use of Fossil driver. Whether or not you have your
- fossil driver set in your config, this switch will force
- KINGDOM to use the fossil routines.
-
- H (or ?) displays a short help screen with all command line
- options and brief descriptions.
-
- L Local mode. Using this switch forces KINGDOM will ignore
- sending or receiving characters from the comport. When called
- in this manner KINGDOM will not need the use of door files
- (DOOR.SYS, etc) but DOES need a config file setting. The
- program will prompt you for your name and whether you want
- graphics or not, all other settings (such as time left, etc)
- will default to internal settings.
-
- NB No Status Bar. This switch will tell KINGDOM to default to
- having the status bar turned off upon log-in. This switch is
- useful for getting a better feeling of what the user sees
- without the 2 line status bar at the bottom, or in conjunction
- with the NS switch will complete clear the screen.
-
- NS No Snoop. This switch will turn the snoop feature off (blank
- the screen while the user is in the door so you don't see what
- the user is up to.)
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- Page 5
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- KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
-
-
- ╔══════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ SYSOP KEYS ║▒░▓
- ╚══════════════╝
-
- Various key combinations have been included in this program.
- Following is a brief description of what they are and what they
- do.
-
- ALT-F1: Display help. This will give a summary of the available
- SYSOP keys along the bottom of the status bar. As soon as the
- next minute rolls around the normal status bar will appear.
-
- ALT-B : Toggle Status Bar ON/OFF. Using this function will turn
- the status bar ON/OFF. This comes in handy if you wish to have
- more of an idea what the user would be seeing (without the 2 line
- status bar at the bottom of the screen) Used in conjunction with
- ALT-S it can be used to completely blank a screen.
-
- ALT-C : Chat Mode. This key combination toggles chat mode. When
- chat is entered the screen is quickly memorized and re-drawn when
- chat is exited. This memorization only occurs if the user has
- ANSI graphics enabled. The re-draw feature helps the user to pick
- back up where they were before the chat. Time IS lost during
- chat. Use ALT-C again to exit chat mode.
-
- ALT-D : DROP TO DOS. This function allows the SYSOP to drop to
- DOS to do whatever. The user will see nothing, and cannot
- activate this function so the door is 'hack proof' Be aware that
- this program does not perform a memory swap before dropping, so a
- minimum amount of memory is required. This amount varies from
- system to system, largely due to the type of software being run.
- If you do not have enough memory then you will simply be returned
- to the program.
-
- ALT-S : Toggle Snoop ON/OFF. Some SYSOPs prefer not to watch what
- a user is doing while in a door for whatever reasons. Using this
- function will clear the local screen and nothing will be written
- to the local screen until ALT-S is pressed again, or until the
- door is exited. Note that the status bar will remain on unless it
- has been toggled off. This allows you to see who the user is, how
- much time is left, etc.
-
- ALT-<UP ARROW>: Adds one minute to users time in the door (not
- added to BBS time limit!)
-
- ALT-<DOWN ARROW>: Deducts one minute from the users time in the
- door (not deducted from BBS time limit!)
-
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- Page 6
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- KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
-
-
- ╔═══════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ OTHER NOTES ║▒░▓
- ╚═══════════════╝
-
- - A FILE NOT FOUND error message will appear when viewing a top
- rankings file before anyone plays. Kingdom doesn't create the
- bulletin until someone plays a game. It is attempting to
- display the bulletin that hasn't been created yet.
- - INSTRUCT.KNG and WIZARD.KNG may be edited, by a text editor, to
- meet your needs.
- - KINGDOM has three levels of play, easy, medium, and hard. The
- level setting is displayed to the user on the opening screen.
- Easy simply means that it's not too hard to stay alive, but you
- still need to work to make your kingdom better, Medium becomes a
- struggle to keep afloat at first, and hard a almost impossible.
- By placing a 0 in the config on this option you allow the player
- the option of choosing their own level. If players choose their
- own level then their final score is adjusted by the level of
- difficulty to reflect how well they played relative to other
- levels.
-
-
- ╔═══════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ HOW TO REGISTER ║▒░▓
- ╚═══════════════════╝
-
- See the bottom of this section for what registration will get you.
-
- Registration is simple. Fill out the inclosed ready to mail form,
- pop in a check or money order made out to Ben Vegiard for $10.00
- (U.S. Funds) and send it to the address written on the form.
- Also, comments and questions are welcome at the same address.
- Please support shareware so that programmers will continue to
- produce quality software.
-
- If you have "lost" the form then send $10.00 (in U.S. Funds) to:
-
- Caliber Software
- C/O Ben Vegiard
- 1406 Kingswood
- Fulton, MO 65251
-
- Please include your BBS name (as it appears in your config file)
- your BBS phone number(s), your address, your voice phone
- (optional) and where you got KINGDOM (friend, BBS, etc) If you are
- FIDO compatible then please include your Net/Node number.
-
- WHAT YOU GET FOR REGISTERING: Registration will entitle you to the
- latest version of KINGDOM (if you are not already using it), a
- registration number for your config file that will work on all
- updates and upgrades of this programs, and of course full credit
- on the opening screen, and beside the castle during play.
-
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- Page 7
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- KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
-
-
- ╔════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ LEGAL NOTICE ║▒░▓
- ╚════════════════╝
-
- This product is licensed "As is" without any warranty of
- merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, performance, or
- otherwise. All warranties are expressly disclaimed. By using this
- program you agree to that Ben Vegiard will not be liable to you or any
- third party for any use, or inability to use, or performance of this
- program for any damages whatsoever whether based on contract, tort, or
- otherwise, even if I am notified of such possibility in advance.
-
- You may not reverse-engineer, disassemble, modify, decompile or
- create derivative works of this program. Piracy has been investigate
- by the FBI and prosecuted under federal statutes. Applicable law
- provides for damages and recovery of attorney's fees. Distribution,
- in any medium, without its accompanying documentation is an
- unauthorized modification. That is a theft of intellectual property.
-
-
- ╔══════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ SPECIAL THANKS ║▒░▓
- ╚══════════════════╝
-
- I would like to thank Larry Burton of the IDEATE BBS for his help in
- Beta testing KINGDOM, and for the solid ANSI suggestions. I would
- also like to give him credit for the ANSI graphic of the castle
- displayed during play.
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- Page 8
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- KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
-
-
- ╔═══════════════════╗
- ▓░▒║ RELEASE HISTORY ║▒░▓
- ╚═══════════════════╝
-
- - 01/15/92 Beta Release.
-
- - 03/28/92 Version 1.0:
- Fixed : 2 of the disasters did not subtract the penalties.
- Fixed : Local screen scrolled on 'Sleeping' disaster.
- Fixed : Redraw of screen workd properly after end of chat.
- Changed: Some of the formulas on Easy and Hard levels to
- reflect more even scores.
- Changed: (and enganced) Manu of the error messages.
- Changed: Sysop and User Documentation.
- Changed: Line 3 of the Config (Door drop file path) to help
- support multi-line operation better.
- Added : More natural disasters (including some GOOD ones...)
- Added : Improved command line support including the /L, /F,
- /NS, /NB, /H, and /? switches.
- Added : The Top Scores bulletin now adds in the dates when
- the scores where obtained.
- Added : Screen length support when reading instructions if
- using the DOOR.SYS door drop file.
- Added : The option to (S)top reading instructions in the
- middle of them.
- Added : Colors to the instruction screen and lightened the
- general color to accomodate monochrome users eyes.
- Added : Toggle snoop and status bar ALT keys and updated help
- line (ALT-F1) accordingly.
- Added : File locking for multi-node operations.
- Added : KING_UP.EXE file to the archive.
- Added : Wizard events on years 10, 20, 30, and 40 to make the
- game more 'interesting.'
-
- - 07/10/92 Version 1.1
- Changed: Some of the spacings and colors, nothing major.
- Changed: Software label name from Beeenware to Caliber.
- Fixed : ANSI bulletin now correctly show the propper dates.
- Added : New ANSI system which will hopefully speed the game
- displays up a bit.
- Added : Graphics toggle on main menu
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- Page 9
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