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Text File | 1992-04-24 | 14.9 KB | 339 lines

SFANTRV2 Version 2.0 by Lynda Kendrick Ganas The LABOR of LOVE BBS In Alva, Florida INTRODUCTION ------------ SFANTRV2 is a fast paced Animal / Creature game designed to run as a door feature within the SPITFIRE Bulletin Board System. It can also be installed as a sysop configurable command from the Main, File or Message menus of SPITFIRE. A data file containing over 600 PLUS Trivia questions is randomly accessed and displayed to the screen. With each question that is displayed, four multiple choice options are provided from which the player may select. SFANTRV2 allows the player ten seconds to read the question and respond with the number corresponding to the answer they wish to select. SFANTRV2 SETUP AS A SPITFIRE DOOR --------------------------------- To set up SFANTRV2 to be executed as a door, it is recommended that a separate directory be set up for it. For explanation purposes, let's assume the directory DOORA is created for use with SFANTRV2. The following files must then be placed in the directory: SFANTRV2.EXE The actual game program. SFANTRV2.DAT The data file containing the trivia questions. SFANTRV2.TOP This is a listing of the top ten players. SFANTRV2.EXE will create this file if it is not found. The Sysop will then need to use a text editor to edit the SF.BAT file as illustrated below: :DOOR_A COPY SFDOORS.DAT C:\SF\DOOR_A SFANTRV2 ERASE SFDOORS.DAT CD\SF GOTO LOOP :DOOR_B You will notice that the commands needed to execute SFANTRV2 are placed between the :DOOR_A and GOTO LOOP command lines. These are entered in place of the existing REM Place Program Name Here. The following will briefly explain each of the commands which were set up within SF.BAT to run SFANTRV2 as a SPITFIRE Door program: SFDOORS.DAT is created automatically by SPITFIRE when a user enters a door. It contains information about the user such as name and password. SFANTRV2 requires access to the information within SFDOORS.DAT. Therefore, before executing the program it must be copied to the directory in which SFSNTRV2 is running. SFANTRV2 is the program name and executes the game program from within the door program. Once the user has terminated the game play of SFANTRV2 the SF.BAT file erases the SFDOORS.DAT file. SFANTRV2 SETUP AS A SYSOP CONFIGURABLE COMMAND ---------------------------------------------- SPITFIRE has a sysop configurable command for the Main, Message and File menus. The sysop configurable command is executed through a batch file which corresponds to the menu it is being run from. In other words, SFMAIN.BAT runs the sysop configurable command from the Main Menu, SFMESS.BAT runs the one from the Message Menu and SFFILE.BAT the one from the File Menu. The commands necessary to execute SFANTRV2 can be set up in the batch file which corresponds to the menu you wish to have SFANTRV2 run from. The first thing you will need to establish is which of these menus you wish to use to run SFANTRV2. For this purpose, let's assume that it is going to be set up so it can be run from the Main Menu. (It should be noted the set up procedure is the same regardless of which Menu you are running SFANTRV2 from.) Next, you will need to decide what you wish to name the command option and establish what security level will be required for users of your system to be able to access this option. Once this is determined you will need to modify the SFMAIN.MNU file using your favorite text editor, as long as it saves in ASCII format. (Refer to the SPITFIRE manual for further documentation on this if needed. It should also be noted that if SFANTRV2 were being set up to run from the File Menu, you would need to modify the SFFILE.MNU file and if it was being set up to be run from the Message Menu you would need to modify the SFMSG.MNU file.) Examining the default SFMAIN.MNU file, you will notice the sysop configurable command appears as: <K>............. Add Your Own,,1000,@ This will need to be replaced with a Command Character that will be used to select the option from the menu. It is ASOLUTELY IMPERATIVE that the Command Character must not duplicate an existing Command Character for another menu option. You will then need to include a brief description of the Wildcat door program you are running, two commas, the security level required to access this feature, and another comma followed by the a @. The @ must not be changed! (For more detailed information on modifying your SFMAIN.MNU, SFMSG.MNU or SFFILE.MNU refer to your SPITFIRE manual.) <K>.... Brief Program Description,,10,@ Now you will need to modify the corresponding batch file, SFMAIN.BAT, so that it can be executed from the Main Menu. Do this using your favorite text editor, as long as it saves in ASCII format. (Again, it should be noted that if SFANTRV2 were being set up to run from the File Menu, you would need to modify the SFFILE.BAT file and if it was being set up to be run from the Message Menu you would need to modify the SFMESS.BAT file.) Place the SFANTRV2.EXE file in the directory you wish to run the program from. SFANTRV2 will create its own player score file, SFANTRV2.TOP, if does not already exist. The commands set up in the SFMAIN.BAT file are very similar to those used for executing the game through a door in the SF.BAT file. For instance, if you were running SFANTRV2 from the main SPITFIRE directory your SFMAIN.BAT file might look like this: ECHO OFF BRK OFF SFANTRV BRK ON (BRK is not included in the SPITFIRE package because it is written and copyrighted by Solid Systems, 1985, but can be downloaded from The Mother Board BBS and Buffalo Creek's BBS as well as a number of other BBS systems. BRK is not required to run SFANTRV2, however, it is recommended since it will prevent a user using the CTRL BRK command to terminate the batch file, gaining access to your system at the DOS level.) If you wish to set SFANTRV2 up in a separate subdirectory from SPITFIRE, for instance, a subdirectory named SFANTRV2, your batch file might look like this. ECHO OFF BRK OFF COPY SFMAIN.DAT \SF\SFANTRV2 CD \SF\SFANTRV2 SFANTRV2 ERASE SFMAIN.DAT CD \SF BRK ON When SFANTRV2 is executed, from either the door with the SF.BAT file or from the sysop configurable command through a menu with the corresponding batch file, it will first look for the SFMAIN.DAT file, then the SFMESS.DAT file, then the SFFILE.DAT file and lastly the SFDOORS.DAT file. It will look for each of these files until it finds it and the commands required for its execution. If none of these files are found, SFANTRV2 will halt its execution. LOCAL PLAY OF SFANTRV2 --------------------- It should also be noted that a Sysop can play SFANTRV2 locally by entering the following command at the DOS prompt: C:> SFANTRV2 /L DTE LOCK FEATURE ---------------- SFANTRV2 automatically detects if the DTE is locked at 19200 baud. If SFANTRV2 detects that the DTE is locked, then SFANTRV2 opens the serial port to the maximum baud rate of your system. If SFANTRV2 does not detect that the DTE is locked, then the serial port is opened to the baud rate of the caller. SYSOP FEATURES -------------- This door program contains several features which give the sysop control over the door game play on their BBS system. First, a status line is displayed on the BBS monitor that provides information in regard to the caller's name, baud rate of the caller and the security level of the caller. A SFANTRV2.LMT file allows the sysop to establish a time limit for door play according to the security level the caller has on the system. To modify the accompanying SFANTRV2.LMT file, use your favorite text editor to represent the various security levels you have available on your system, a comma then the corresponding time you wish to allow for that particular security level in minutes. For instance, it might look like this: 10,15 25,20 50,25 999,30 Each security level should begin a new line and you should have a setting for each security level you have available on your system. If you do not have a time limit set for a particular security SFANTRV2 will default to the level 10 security level setting. Pressing the Shift Key and the F1 key simultaneously will terminate game play of SFANTRV2 and return the caller back to the BBS. Pressing the Shift Key and the F9 key simultaneously will terminate game play of SFANTRV2 and log the caller off of the BBS. If the Shift Key and the F9 key are pressed together, logging the caller off the BBS, SPITFIRE will recycle and return to the SPITFIRE Ready For Caller Prompt. SFANTRV2 EXECUTION ----------------- When first executed, SFANTRV2 will display a list of the Top Ten high score players and the percentage of correct responses they acheived while playing SFANTRV2. Initially, this will be a dummy listing with ten lines that display: 0%...............YOUR NAME COULD BE HERE However, as the game is played, this will fill with the name of the players and their percentage ratings. NOTE: At least twenty questions must be attempted before SFANTRV2 will will figure the percentage rating for the player. To keep things interesting...the Sysop can erase the file which contains the top ten listings SFANTRV2.TOP on a routine basis to give additional players a chance to have their name added to the list. As the top ten list is displayed, at the bottom of the screen is a question which prompts the user whether they want to have ANSI Graphics (y/n)? available to them during game play. If the user responds with a y (for yes) the game will display in color and if the user responds with a n (for no) the game will display in monochrome. PLAYING SFANTRV2 ----------------- Immediately after pressing any key (other than <Q> for Quit) from the Top Ten listing the game screen is displayed. The screen will look like the following: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ╔═══════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ >>> ANIMAL AND CREATURE TRIVIA <<< ║ ║ Version 2.0 ║ ║ ANIMAL/CREATURE TRIVIA Door for Spitfire! ║ ║ GANAS The Labor of Love BBS (813)728-2132 ║ ║ In Cooperation With Buffalo Creek Software║ ║ Copyright (C) by Lynda Kendrick 1992 ║ ║ UNREGISTERED VERSION! ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════╝ RIGHT: 0 WRONG: 0 QUESTION: The Animal/Creature trivia question will be displayed here. <1> Choice 1 <2> Choice 2 <3> Choice 3 <4> Choice 4 Enter Answer: [ 1 2 3 4 <Q>uit]? ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The first randomly choosen trivia question is selected from the data file and is displayed to the screen. The player makes his selection by entering the corresponding number. As the game progresses, SFANTRV2 will provide a running total of the correct answers and also of the wrong answers the user has selected during the game play. If the ten second timer should elapse before you respond, SFANTRV2 will count this as a wrong response and add an incorrect answer to the total WRONG answers obtained so far. EXITING PLAY ------------ When you are ready to exit the game, simply select press "Q" for <Q>uit. If you qualify as one of the top ten players to date, SFANTRV2 will congratulate you for becoming one of the top ten scorers and add your name to the Top Ten listing. You will once again see the Top Ten list displayed with your name added to the list. If you exit the game before you have completed the twenty questions required for eligibility to the Top Ten list or if you do not qualify as a Top Ten player, the Top Ten listing will be displayed and you will be prompted to press any key to return to SPITFIRE. DISTRIBUTION ------------ Please feel free to share SFANTRV2.ZIP with others. However, it must be distributed with SFANTRV2.EXE, SFANTRV2.DAT, SFANTRV2.TOP and the SFANTRV2.DOC in the SFANTRV2.ZIP distribution package. These files must not be altered in any way or by any means. SFANTRV2.ZIP is distributed as Shareware software. You are free to try SFANTRV2, and if you find it to be a program you use please send the required $10.00 fee to: Lynda Kendrick P. O. Box 835 Alva, Fl 33920 DISCLAIMER ---------- Lynda kendrick shall not be held responsible for any damage incurred by the user to hardware, software, or peripheral devices while running SFANTRV2. All responsibility lies in the user of the software. Many thanks are indeed owed to Mike Woltz of Buffalo Creek BBS (515)- 225-8496 for his assistance. Without his help this program would not have been possible. Also, Dia Spriggs of Pet Place BBS (305)624-2190, Mike May of The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry in Webster, N.Y. Plus Jean Prophet and the rest of my friends & sysops of Fidonet/371. But mainly my family = Mom,Sharon,Kim and Nikki plus Gizmo,Tommie,Sparky and Miki and ALL the rest of the members of Ganas The LABOR of LOVE BBS! SFANTRV2 and other SPITFIRE programs are available for download from: Buffalo Creek BBS Ganas The LABOR of Love BBS Sysop - Mike Woltz Lynda Kendrick (515) 225-8496 (813) 728-2132 19200/9600/2400/1200 2400/1200 ================ E O F ==================