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1989-09-01
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RRSWITCH: RAILROAD SWITCH CHALLENGE
Version 5.0,(c) 1982-89, Fred Miller
------------
INTRODUCTION
------------
RAILROAD SWITCH CHALLENGE is a PC program designed to chal-
lenge the best of the armchair wayfreight train crews. The
game objective of RRSWITCH is to move railroad freight cars
along simulated tracks to industry locations, and subse-
quently assemble a departing freight train on the mainline
track. The program and it's "layout" is loosely patterned
after John Allen's TIMESAVER.
RRSWITCH was originally written in 1982 to run on TRS-80
Model I PCs. Since that time the program has been modified
to take advantage of better graphics and color. This version
has been prepared to run on MS-DOS based PCs with CGA or bet-
ter color graphics. Although it will operate on the original
IBM PC (or TANDY 1000), the higher speeds of later PCs pro-
vide for better graphics movement. The program will operate
on DOS 2 or better on a machine with at least 256K.
The program requires three files: RRSWITCH.EXE, RRSWITCH.OVL,
and RRSWITCH.DAT to operate, and optionally RRSWITCH.TAB for
saving scores. This file, RRSWITCH.DOC, is not necessary for
program operation but it should be included whenever the
other files are copied.
----------------------
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
----------------------
Note: An abbreviated version of these instructions is always
available "on-screen" with a key press from the pop-up menu.
Randomly generated switching assignments must be accomplished
in a minimum of moves and with a minimum of demerits within a
prescribed time limit. Moves are counted for each change in
direction of the engine. Demerits are accumulated by running
off the end of a track, by hitting (or trying to push) a car
not coupled to the current train/engine, or by running a track
switch not appropriately set to the train route.
New (or repeated) switching assignments are generated and
displayed in the upper left of the track layout screen. A
running total of moves and demerits is displayed in the upper
right portion of the screen, along with the time expended.
Guidance messages are displayed on the bottom.
+---+---+---+
The numeric keypad (keys as shown ->) is used | 7 | 8 | 9 |
to control all train action. One hand, touch +---+---+---+
control becomes second nature after a few | 4 | 5 | 6 |
trial runs. (Note that the NUMERIC LOCK and +---+---+---+
CAPS LOCK modes are automatically set and re- | 1 | 2 | 3 |
leased by the program.) +---+---+---+
Routes are set by first selecting a switch with KEY-7, then
setting the upper route with KEY-8, or the lower route with
KEY-2.
Couplers are set by first selecting a coupling position with
KEY-9, then uncoupling with KEY-1, or coupling with KEY-3.
The engine is moved Westbound by KEY-4, and Eastbound by
KEY-6.
---------------
THE POP-UP MENU
---------------
KEY-5 is used to access a pop-up menu displayed in the cen-
ter of the screen. Current game action may be continued
after executing the various menu options.
The pop-up menu functions and mode options are selected by
pressing the designated key, or by moving the hi-lite bar
to the selection, and then pressing [ENTER]. The selections
available are:
[N] = start a NEW switching assignment,
[R] = RESTART the same assignment from the beginning,
[C] = CONTINUE the current assignment,
[P] = manually POSITION the cars on the layout to set up a
specific assignment,
[L] = LIST previously saved scores, and optionally select a
previously recorded assignment to rerun,
[D] = run automated DEMONSTRATION (continuously until stopped),
[H] = display the five HELP panels,
[E] = change ENGINEER's identification,
[G] = display the scoring GOALS set for current assignment,
[S] = toggle the SAVE Scores option ON or OFF,
[M] = toggle the MUSICAL note emphasis ON or OFF,
[T] = toggle the elapsed TIME game termination ON or OFF,
[Q] = QUIT the program and return to DOS.
--------------------
STARTING THE PROGRAM
--------------------
RAILROAD SWITCH CHALLENGE is started from DOS by typing
'RRSWITCH'. Various command line options may also be set
at start-up. The following run options can be included on
the command line by typing the parameters in any sequence:
C = use more attractive colors available through TANDY's CGA
and IBM PCjr,
V = also better colors for EGA or VGA (but still 320 x 200),
NH = suppress display of help panels at initial program load,
NR = suppress randomized switch assignments (recycle through
the same assignments each time program is loaded),
NM = suppress musical emphasis at demerit or end
of game, (starts program with music toggled OFF),
D = start program with an automated demonstration assignment,
P = start program ready to manually position cars,
S = start program with Save Scores option toggled ON,
NT = suppress the timer option (start program with the game
abort Timer OFF)
Note that upper or lower case can be used and that no punctu-
ation, (commas, spaces) is necessary. For example, a DOS
command of 'RRSWITCH C NH D' would start the program in auto-
matic demonstration mode using the TANDY colors, skipping the
HELP screens. The command line entry of 'rrswitch cnhd' would
give the same results.
An additional command line option is provided to set the time-
per-car timeout. The syntax is T=nnn where nnn is the number
seconds per car (including caboose.) A default value of 60
seconds will be used if this option (T=) is not specified. Note
that the 'NT' command line option and the 'T' Pop-up menu toggle
will determine whether game assignments will be terminated at
the end of the elapsed time regardless of the time-per-car
setting. The elapsed time will always be displayed in the
upper right screen, clicking away in 5 second increments, re-
gardless of the NT or T toggle settings.
At initial start, the program will ask for the engineer's
initials. (DEM will be used for DEMO mode.) Three non-blank
keystrokes are required. The engineer's identification will
be displayed on the screen and also posted in RRSWITCH.TAB
with the game description and scores, if the save option is
toggled ON. The engineer's ID can be changed at anytime from
the appropriate menu selection.
---------------------
ASSIGNMENT GENERATION
---------------------
A number of alternative approaches to generation of each new
switching assignment are possible. The default at startup
(or selection from the pop-up menu) is NEW, a completely random
generation of car placements. In addition, a previous assign-
ment may be selected for replay from the RRSWITCH.TAB file