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MechWar
Version 1.0
Klaus Breuer, 1992
Dedicated to:
Simone du Toit
Legal Notice: This text is full of trademarks, most of them
probably belonging to FASA Corporation. The others belong to
their respective owners.
1 Very quick start
Hi! Just for those of you who hate reading .DOC files (like me),
here's a short introduction:
Unzip all files into a single Subdirectory. Make sure you used
the -d Option, like this: PkUnzip -d Mech10.
If you didn't, create a subdirectory called SPRITES and copy
these files into it: *.NFO *.CSP
Start the MechDesigner by typing MDESIGN. Press [F1] to get help,
look around, have fun.
Then come back here, because MechDesign just a small part of the
package...
2 Legal Stuff
Well, what can I say. I have written to FASA Corporation for
permission to use their names (I simply don't know if there is a
TradeMark on terms like 'Mech, Marauder, and so on), but haven't
received any reply yet.
Since I'm not going to sell this program, or ask any money for
it, I hope it's ok. Please tell me if I'm doing something illegal
(gasp), then I'll go about changing names, and the like.
Thus I don't even have a Copyright on the program. I do, however,
have a Copyright on the code itself :-)
3 What you'll need
Computer You'll need an MS-DOS computer. I don't know how
fast it should be; after my trusty 286 died, I
scimped and saved until I've finally got a 486/50
-- great for program development, but I don't know
how fast the program runs on your machine.
I do know that loading all 159 Mechs into the
selection list can take 10 seconds on an AT, thus
keep as few Mechs in your datafile (MECHS.DAT) as
possible. You can load more Mechs in later using
the READMECH Program (see below), or reading them
in one by one with the Import/Export Functions of
MechDesign. A disk buffer can really work wonders,
by the way.
The loading of the graphics title screens can also
be a little slow -- feel free to delete the .GIF
files, the program won't miss them.
RAM You should be ok with 640KB, I haven't tested it
with 512Kb yet. Deleting the *.GIF files frees up
- 2 -
some RAM for you, if necessary (also see the SetUp
utility further on).
EMS is supported by the MechWar program. Simply copy
MECHWAR.EMS to MECHWAR.EXE. Using EMS will enable
you to run the program in less RAM. Make sure that
no other program (disk buffer, etc) use the EMS...
EGA is required for GroundDesign, ConflictDesign and
for MechWar (see below).
Hard Drive You might just be able to run the whole package on
a 720Kb Floppy, but that would be reeeaal slow.
MS-DOS Personally, I'm using MS-DOS 5.0. It should work
with all versions of DOS (maybe even 2.11),
though.
If anyone of you runs into trouble with his configuration, please
tell me about it so I can either do something about it or at
least warn others in the manual, ok?
4 What's MechWar?
1
Some time ago, FASA Corporation brought out a game by the name
of BattleTech. The game centers about 12m high humanoid robots
packed to the brim with all kinds of destructive weapons, trying
to stomp each other into the ground.
I know this sound a lot like the Transformer Junk, but believe
me, it's lots of fun. Evidentially I'm not the only one who
thinks so: the game is a huge success and is now also available
as a role playing game.
The only disadvantage, in my eyes, is that you need other people
to play it, and they might not be prepared to spend 15h per day
on it...
Also, I wanted to find a quick way of testing new Mechs and new
strategies, and thus I started looking for a computer version.
I found several, but they were either Role Playing Games
(Infocom) or Arcade Games (Activision). Thus I decided to write a
straight translation of the board game.
The MechWar package consists of several modules:
MechDesign The second most important module, it allows you to
design every possible Mech, also giving you
information like Damage Curves, Maximum Heat
Buildup, Combat Efficiency Factor, Cost, etc. It
_________________________________________________________________
1. FASA Corporation, P.O. Box 6930, Chicago, IL 60680, USA
- 3 -
can also print out a Mech List or a Record Sheet.
Filename: MDESIGN.EXE
WarriorDesign Here you can put together your own Mechwarrior.
Only a small subset of the capabilities of the 1st
edition are supported, as I'm going to rewrite it
completely for the new edition (which I only got
just now). Filename: WDESIGN.EXE
GroundDesign allows you to create a 26x16 playing map, complete
with buildings, mines, water, hills, forests and
so on. Filename: GDESIGN.EXE
ConflictDesign Here you put together a war scenario for MechWar
itself. You merely state which Map to use and
place the Mechs on it.
MechWar This is the most important part: it allows two
people to play the game against each other. As
this is the most Beta in the whole package, it's
probably still full of bugs (sigh). Filenname:
MECHWAR.EXE
Convert This small Utility allows you to convert your
Mechs designed with earlier Versions of
MechDesign. Note that newer Mechs with the same
name will be overwritten. Filename: CONVERT.EXE
ReadMech This imports the new *.me1 and *.me2 files
(created by the Export function of MechDesign into
your MECHS.DAT file. The only reason I have
included it is that it supports wildcards, so you
can read in lots of Meachs in one go. Filename:
READMECH.EXE
SortMech This will sort your MECHS.DAT file. Caution! On a
standard AT this can take ages. I don't know why -
it runs in 8s on my computer, and so I didn't
notice it till just now -- I'll work on it.
Probably a bug in the writing routine... :-)
Filename: SORTMECH.EXE
SetUp In this small utility you can change three things:
The message delay (pause after each message in ms)
Sound (toggle the beeps on and off)
GIF Titles (toggle the GIF titlescreen)
Mechs I have included 158 Mechs (all I could find from
3025, including all 'officially' known variants)
in here, so you can immediately get ready
modifying them (which -- in my eyes -- is most fun
of all). Note that MechDesign can slow down quite
a bit when confronted with so many Mechs, so you
might want to build your own file using the
- 4 -
Import/Export function of MechDesign. Filename:
MECHS.DAT
Maps I have included a few maps, many of which were
written by others (see below). I will add any
other maps I get into this archive. Thanks, Guys!
Filename: MAPS.ZIP
- 5 -
5 Technology Base
For those of you who know the game (or plan to buy it): I'm using
the 3025 technology. Yes, I know, I have been asked by several
people already to include the 3050/3055 technology, but frankly,
I don't like it and none of the modules was designed for it.
It'll come in a later version, ok?
However, I have included some nice ideas from the Inner Sphere,
like the Anti Missile System or the Pulse Lasers. Also, I have
included a massive, heavy Gauss Rifle (meant as alternative to
the Arrow IV Artillery System). Look below for more info...
6 MechDesign
This Module is rather straightforward.
Just type MDESIGN, press any key as soon as the title screen
appears and you'll see that Main Screen, where most of the
information is located.
Generally, using the program is easy: use the highlighted key to
select an option, use the cursor keys to cycle through
information, press the space bar to confirm an action or [Esc] to
abort it.
Pressing [F1] will pop up a short help screen.
I suggest loading a Mech (use the [F3] key to select one), and
just fiddling around with it, until you get the general idea.
6.1 A short overview of the displayed data
If you have trouble with any of the displayed information, look
it up here:
6.1.1 Name
The Name of your Mech. It will be used to reference it in the
game itself, and thus should be definite.
For example: MAD-3R Marauder.
On all the example Mechs, I have included the code of the Mech as
well (MAD-3R in the above example), so the different variants can
be recognized.
6.1.2 Max. Weight
The weight class of your Mech, in steps from 10t to 100t. The
primary characteristic of your Mech, it determines (amongst other
things) the strength of your internal structure.
- 6 -
6.1.3 Current Weight
How much your Mech currently weighs. You're not allowed to save
the Mech if this exceeds the maximum weight.
6.1.4 Reactor size
The size of the fusion reactor powering your Mech. The bigger
this thing is, that faster you Mech will go -- usually.
6.1.5 Walking
The walking speed of your Mech (in hex per turn). This is
determined by the current weight and the engine size.
6.1.6 Running
A direct function of your walking speed.
6.1.7 Jumping
If your Mech is equipped with Jump Jets, shows the maximum
distance (in hex) he can jump.
You can never jump further than you can walk.
6.1.8 Heat Sinks
The number of Heat Sinks of your Mech. They control the heat
generated while moving or shooting.
Heat is the biggest enemy of a Mech - heat up too much and your
aim worsens, your speed drops, your Mech shuts down, your ammo
blows up...
Every engine has 10 free Heat Sinks built into it, so you can't
2
go below that value .
Since the program distributes the Heat Sinks for you, I suggest
you leave them till last.
6.1.9 Gyroscopes
Every Mech has a Gyroscope to keep it upright. Its weight is a
function of the engine size -- bigger engines need bigger Gyros.
6.1.10 Cockpit
That's where you sit. Every Mech has one, and it always weighs 3
tons.
_________________________________________________________________
2. I know, I was told this morning that this is not quite correct
-- it'll be fixed in the next version.
- 7 -
6.1.11 Jump Jets
The number of Jump Jets you have. These allow you to fly short
distances (building up quite a bit of heat in the process,
though). They can only be mounted in the legs and torso.
Since the program distributes the Jump Jets for you, I suggest
you leave them till last (just before you enter the Heat Sinks).
6.1.12 Armour Value
The amount of armour your Mech carries around. Your weight class
determines how heavily the internal structure is armoured, and
you can only bolt on twice that much as external armour.
Only the head is always allowed nine external armour points.
The torso can additionally have armour on the rear (so 9/4 would
mean 9 points on the front and 4 on the back).
Each point of armour weight 500kg, and the total weight of the
external armour is shown in the right top of the screen.
6.1.13 Max. Heatbuildup
The heat generated by your weapons if you fire a full salvo while
standing still. A good indication of how many heat sinks you'll
need...
6.1.14 Offensive Range
The distance at which your Mech can cause damage, shown as min--
max. Note that the minimum range of all weaponary is actually 1
(adjacent hex), but some weapons will have problems shooting at
such close ranges, and thus their minimum is displayed.
(For example, a PPC has a minimum range of 3 and a maximum range
of 18, so a Mech armed with only PPCs would show 3--18).
6.1.15 Price
The exact price of your Mech in C-Bills. You can get an accurate
breakdown by pressing [B] for Bill.
6.1.16 Combat Efficiency Factor (CEF)
This is something I'm still playing around with (meaning it'll
change in the next version). It is an approximate measure of how
good the Mech is, taking into account things like size, heat
efficiency, jump capability, etc.
I have adapted it from the magazine BattleTechnology, which I can
highly recommend (even if I can't find its address at the
moment -- sorry, I'll include it in the next release).
- 8 -
6.1.17 Weapons/Ammo
A list of the equipment carried by your Mech. Currently, you can
3
only fill 20 slots (one piece of equipment will fill one slot) .
It is, however, sufficient for every Mech I've come across, even
the STK-3F Stalker needs only 14 slots...
6.2 A short command summary
6.2.1 [*] -- Max Out Armour
A quick way to build Mechs from scratch, this option sets the
external armour to maximum. Note that the rear armour is set to
zero -- you'll have to decide yourself how much to take from the
front and paste onto the back :)
6.2.2 [Ins] -- Add Weapon
With the [Ins] or the [W] key you can add a weapon or a piece of
equipment. The program will show the weapon just above your
equipment list in the following format:
<Name> <Heat> <Damage> <Minimum> <Range> <Weight> <Slots>
Name The name of the weapon (a shorthand is used in
most of the game, for example LRM-10 instead of
Long Range Missile (10))
Heat The Heat generated when firing the weapon.
Damage The maximum damage caused by it (if you hit).
Minimum The minimum effective range. Note that you can
fire all weapons at targets below their minimum
range, but the accuracy suffers as a result.
Range The Short, Medium and Long range for this weapon,
written as S/M/L.
Weight The weight in tons.
Slots The number of slots taken up in the Mech (not the
number of slots taken up in your Equipment List -
that's always one slot per piece of equipment or
ton of Ammo).
Using the Cursor keys, cycle through the weapons until you find
one you like. Then press [Space Bar] to select it.
_________________________________________________________________
3. That also puts an end to those 30MGs Mechs :)
- 9 -
The program will ask you where to place this weapon in the Mech
itself; again, use the cursor keys and the space bar to select a
mounting place.
Note that some weapons can only be mounted in certain places (a
Hatchet must be in one of the arms) and need enough space (the
Autocannon/20, for example, requires 10 free slots).
You can mount a weapon to the rear (Torso and Head locations
only) by answering the pop-up question with Yes.
6.2.3 [A] -- Add Ammo
Here you select ammunition for those weapons needing it (like
Autocannons and missiles). Note that some weapons can fire
several types of ammunition - for example, the Short Range
Missile Launcher (2) can fire both normal and Inferno missiles.
6.2.4 [Del] -- Remove Weapon/Ammo
Similar to the Add Weapon option, you first select which weapon
in the equipment list to remove. Then you select, from where in
the Mech it is to be removed (for example, do you want to remove
the laser in the left arm or in the right torso?).
6.2.5 [PgUp] -- View Damage Chart
This gives you the Damage Distribution Graph for your Mech. Range
is shown at the bottom, while the bars represent maximum possible
damage at this range.
This is useful for determining 'holes' in your defense.
Note, also, that below-minimum weapon range is not counted, thus
a PPC would only register as causing damage in the range from 4
to 18.
Weapons mounted in the rear are not counted in this display.
Pressing any key returns you to the Main Screen.
6.2.6 [PgDn] -- View Mech Load
This will show you where each weapon is mounted on the Mech. Note
that some slots are already filled with rather important things
like engines and your cockpit.
Press any key to return to the Main Screen.
6.2.7 [B] -- View Bill
This displays the bill for your Mech so far. This information can
be rather useful if you're role playing the game.
It will be even more useful in future version of this game, as
you'll initially have a limited budget...
As usual, pressing any key will return you to the Main Screen.
- 10 -
6.2.8 [D] -- Delete Mech
This option will permanently remove the current Mech from the
MECHS.DAT File. Note that the Program searches for the name given
in the upper left -- make sure it's really the one you want to
delete...
6.2.9 [I] -- Import/Export Mech
This pops up a Menu where you can import and export the current
Mech:
Save MechFile This will create two files, <name>.me1 and
<name>.me2, containg all information on the
current Mech. Useful for swapping Mechs, or
uuencoding them and sending them over the Net.
Load MechFile This will pop up a selection window, where you can
read in the files created with the Save MechFile
option. Note that Mechs in your datafile having
the same name will simply be overwritten.
Mech To List After entering a filename (the usual 8
characters), the program will generate a one-line
description of the current Mech, appending it to
the file if it already exists. This option is
useful for discussing designs over the Net, or
just creating a quick-reference list of your Unit.
Record Sheet This will print out a complete Record Sheet for
the current Mech. The printer must support the IBM
extended character set (little lines and corners),
otherwise your Record Sheet is going to look a
little weird.
6.2.10 [F5] -- Toggle Left Hand
This option will add/remove the left hand of your Mech. Some
weapons require a hand, and physical attacks are so much easier
if you actually have a fist...
6.2.11 [F6] -- Toggle Left Lower Arm
This option will add/remove the lower left arm of your Mech. With
it, you can mount a hand (with all its advantages), without it
you can flip your arms back and fire into your rear arc.
6.2.12 [F7] -- Toggle Right Lower Arm
Same as [F6], but for the other arm.
6.2.13 [F8] -- Toggle Right Hand
Same as [F5], but for the other hand.
- 11 -
6.2.14 [F1] -- Help
Pops up a short help window, if you're stuck.
6.2.15 [F2] -- Save Mech
Saves the Mech into your datafile MECHS.DAT, if it is not too
heavy.
6.2.16 [F3] -- Load Mech
This will pop up a selection window with all the Mechs in your
datafile. Select a new Mech with the cursor keys, load it with
the space bar.
Since it can take up to 10 seconds to load 158 Mechs into the
selection list, I suggest keeping as few Mechs as possible in
your datafile unless you have a disk cache or (even better) a
fast computer.
6.2.17 [F4] -- Test Mech
So far, this option only tests if the Mech is within its weight
allowance -- it will probably be used for diagnostics in later
versions of the game.
6.2.18 [F10] -- New Mech
This starts you off on a clean slate (after confirming, of
course).
6.2.19 [Esc] - Leave Program
This option returns you to your operating system.
7 WarriorDesign
This program is used in exactly the same way as MechDesign -look
there for more information or press [F1] for help.
Note, however, that you can't 'resell' Skill points - these can
only be increased.
I will upgrade this program to the new edition of the role
playing game soon, then the whole generating process will change
(yes, I'll also include packages like University).
7.1 A short overview of the displayed data
7.1.1 Name
The Name of your Warrior. Try to keep it short, as the program
will reference you with it.
- 12 -
Currently it is possible to use the same warrior in all eight
Mechs, but that will change in future versions...
7.1.2 Experience
The experience gathered by your character. Not currently used.
7.1.3 CP
Your Character's Character Points. You can use these to purchase
Attributes and Skills.
7.1.4 Attributes
You can increase and decrease the attributes freely - by
decreasing them, you'll gain CPs, while (obviously) you'll pay
CPs to increase them.
Body The strength and endurance of his body. Used in
the game to determine how much damage the warrior
can take before dying.
Dexterity Influences the following Skills: Driver,
Gunnery/Mech, Piloting/Aerospace and
Piloting/Mech.
Learning Influences all Skills except Driver.
Charisma Not used so far.
- 13 -
7.1.5 Skills
These Character Skills can only be increased, so choose wisely:
Driver Not used so far.
Gunnery/Aerospace
Not used so far.
Gunnery/Artillery
Used in Artillery bombardment, like the Arrow IV
weapon.
Gunnery/Mech Used to determine your accuracy with your Mechs
weapons.
Piloting/Aerospace
Not used so far.
Piloting/Mech Determines how good you are at avoiding falls and
avoiding damage to yourself.
Tactics Used to determine initiative at the start of each
round.
Technician Not used so far.
8 GroundDesign
Typing GDESIGN will first load the title screen (yes, you can
delete GDESIGN.GIF if the delay bothers you), and then load the
sprites. This can take a few seconds if you don't have a disk
cache.
Once all the Sprites have been loaded (takes a few seconds), you
can move the marker using the cursor keys (for turning and moving
forward).
Use [+] and [-] to choose your terrain (displayed in the top left
corner of the screen), and use [Space Bar] to drop it.
The default file loaded by ConflictDesign is called DEFAULT. Try
it and see.
8.1 A short command summary
If you didn't get enough Help from the [F1] Key, read on...
8.1.1 [Cursor Keys] -- Move about
Move the small arrow marker using the cursor keys. The keys turn
the marker left and right, as well as moving it forward.
- 14 -
8.1.2 [+]/[-] -- Select Hex
These keys select a hex from the many possibilities. The name of
the hex is displayed in the top middle of the screen, while the
hex itself is shown on the top left.
8.1.3 [Space Bar] -- Drop Hex
The [Space Bar] will drop the hex displayed in the top left
corner of the screen on the position currently occupied by the
arrow marker.
8.1.4 [L] -- Toggle Light Building
This will add/remove a Light Building at the current hex.
8.1.5 [M] -- Toggle Medium Building
This will add/remove a Medium Building at the current hex.
8.1.6 [H] -- Toggle Heavy Building
This will add/remove a Heavy Building at the current hex.
8.1.7 [R] -- Toggle Reinforced Building
This will add/remove a Reinforced building at the current hex.
8.1.8 [X] -- Toggle Rubble
This will add/remove Rubble (a broken building) at the current
hex.
8.1.9 [1]..[5] -- Toggle Minefield
This will add/remove a minefield of varying strength at the
current hex:
[1] Equivalent to the Thunder-5 (5 points)
[2] Equivalent to the Thunder-10 (10 points)
[3] Equivalent to the Thunder-15 (15 points)
[4] Equivalent to the Thunder-20 (20 points)
[5] Equivalent to the Arrow IV FASCAM (30 points)
8.1.10 [F] -- Toggle Fire
This will add/remove fire at the current hex.
At this time it is not possible to add a fire to a building, but
later versions will rectify that.
- 15 -
Note that if you burn a wood, it will keep burning for the whole
game. If you add fire anywhere else, it is assumed to be the
result of an Inferno Missile and will only burn for 3 turns.
8.1.11 [S] -- Toggle Smoke
This will add/remove smoke at the current hex. Note that smoke is
automatically produced by fires, and doesn't go away.
8.1.12 [F1] -- Help
This displays the Help Screen. Press any key to return to your
map.
8.1.13 [F2] -- Save Map
Saves the current map to disk with the extension .MAP. Don't add
the extension.
8.1.14 [F3] -- Load Map
Loads a map from disk without the benefit of a selection list -
thus you must know the names by heart (sorry, will come in later
versions).
Again, do not enter the extension.
8.1.15 [F4] -- Generate Random Map
This will create a random map containing some mountains and
water. In later versions, the program will add forests, roads,
rivers and buildings. You will also have more power over the
parameters used in creating the map (Jagginess of the mountains,
etc).
8.1.16 [F10] -- New Map
Wipes the current Map clean, resetting everything to Grass (after
confirming with you, of course).
8.1.17 [Esc] -- Leave Program
This will return you to your operating system (after confirming
with you).
9 ConflictDesign
Here is where you design the War Scenarior for MechWar.
After starting the program, wait for it to load all the sprites.
As soon as it beeps, press any key to go on.
Firstly, you will be asked to select a map from the current
directory.
- 16 -
Then you can enter commands (see below) or press [F1] for a Help
Screen.
Here are the commands in detail:
9.1 Command Summary
Press the keys [1] to [8] to select the appropiate Mech. All
Mechs on the Blue Side have odd numbers (1,3,5,7) while the Red
Mechs use the even numbers (2,4,6,8).
If the Mech hasn't been loaded yet, you will be asked to enter
the name of a Mech in your datafile. Note that this entry is case
sensitive.
Loading the Mech can take three seconds or so.
Now you can move the Mech about using the [Cursor Keys], dropping
it at the current location with the [Space Bar].
Here is a run-down of the controls:
9.1.1 [Cursor Keys] -- Move Mech
You turn and move the Mech using the cursor keys. This way, you
can position the Mech on any place on the battlefield, using any
heading you want.
9.1.2 [ ] -- Drop Mech
When you are satisfied with the location of a Mech, press the
[Space Bar] to drop it. Now you can select the next Mech, or (of
course) re-select the last one to move it somewhere else.
9.1.3 [Del] -- Delete Mech
This key will remove the current Mech from the Map (after
confirming with you).
9.1.4 [F1] -- Help
Pops up a Help Screen. Press any Key to return to the Map.
9.1.5 [F2] -- Save Conflict
This will save the conflict to disk, from where is can be used by
MechWar, or uuencoded and sent over the Net. When spreading
Conflicts, remember to include the Mechs used (if they are of
your own design), as well as the relevant Map.
You will be asked for a title of the conflict -- you can enter
anything there, as long as it doesn't exceed 50 characters.
Once you're beck in DOS, you should edit the corresponding .MWC
file, as you can enter a storyline for the conflict in there.
The story can have any length.
Use a semicolon (;) in the first column to denote a comment; use
an asterix (*) to center the line.
- 17 -
9.1.6 [F3] -- Load Conflict
This asks you for a Conflict to load from disk. It will, of
course, replace the one you are currently working on.
9.1.7 [F4] -- Load New Map
This Option will load a new Map from Disk.
9.1.8 [F10] -- Clear Conflict
This will remove all Mechs from the Map, after confirming with
you.
10 MechWar
This is the program where it all fits together. The program
itself takes up a lot of RAM -- if you run short, you can try to:
o Remove all your TSR programs
o Delete or switch off the display of the MECHWAR.GIF file
o Use the EMS version by renaming MECHWAR.EMS to MECHWAR.EXE
10.0.1 How to start MechWar
Here's a short guide to the controls:
First start the Program and wait for the Sprites to load.
Then you'll have to select a scenario (which are created by
ConflictDesign) from the displayed list. After reading the
selected scenario, the program will ask you to select Warriors
for the different Mechs. Again you are offered a selection list,
containing all Warriors in the current directory.
Now, the currently active Mech is highlighted, and all possible
Control Keys are displayed in a line at the top, with one
exception: whenever you can use [I] to get Info on a Hex (such as
Distance to your Mech, ground type, Building info, etc), you can
also press [M] for Mech info. Use the Cursor Keys and [Space Bar]
to select the Mech to look at.
Always look at the display line at the top, it'll tell you what
keys are currently available. Note that the [F1] key won't help
you this time, but the next version will change that.
Thus I'll explain the options in detail now:
- 18 -
10.0.2 [W] -- Walk
Causes your Mech to enter Walking mode. There you can move the
Mech about, stand up or drop to the ground. The below for more
information.
Movement is taken according to your individual Initiative (a
combination of luck and your Tactics Skill).
10.0.3 [R] -- Run
Causes you Mech to enter running mode. You now have more movement
points (MPs) to spend, but will build up more heat. Note that if
you have a walking speed of 1, you will need to enter running
mode to stand up, as that action requires 2 MPs.
10.0.4 [J] -- Jump
Causes your Mech to enter Jumping Mode. This makes it easy to
move in difficult terrain, but results in heavy heat buildup.
10.0.5 [ ] -- Wait
Skips the Movement Phase and does nothing.
10.0.6 [I] -- Info
Allows you to select any Hex on the Map using the [Cursor Keys]
to move about and the [Space Bar] to select a Hex.
A small window will pop up in the lower left, giving you
information on the hex such as ground type, distance, wether you
have LOS, weapon fire modifier foe that hex, building strength,
and so on.
If a Mech is standing on this Hex, his data will be shown as well
(see below).
Press [Esc] to stop looking at hexes.
10.0.7 [M] -- Mech Info
Allows you to select a MEch using the [Cursor Keys] to toggle
between the Mechs (note that you can view dead Mechs), and [Space
Bar] to select a Mech.
You will be given the following Information:
No. The Number of the Mech (as shown when you entered
a Warrior for it).
Name The Name of the Mech.
Heat The current Heat
HS The number of operational Heat Sinks the Mech has
available (including the 10 in the engine).
Warrior The Name of the Warrior in the Mech.
- 19 -
Health The Health of the Warrior, written as
(Current/Maximum). Note that the maximum depends
on the Body Attribute of the Warrior.
G/P The Gunnery and Piloting Skills of the Warrior
CEF The current Combat Efficiency factor of the Mech.
This does not yet take into account any critical
hits taken in the Shoulders, Hips, etc.
JJ Number of Jump Jets
Weight Weight of the Mech
Armour The Armour values of the Head, Left Arm, Left
Torso, Center Torso, Right Torso, Right Arm, Left
Leg and Right Leg. The Armour is displayed in the
format Front/Inner/Rear.
Critical Hits This is a list showing the critical hits taken by
the Mech. They are written right next to the
armour location of the relevant part. Shown are
Life Support, Sensors, Cockpit, Shoulder, Arms
(Upper and Lower), Engine, Gyros, Hip, Legs (Upper
and Lower) and Feet. Green Letters mean the the
Item is still ok, red means destroyed.
Equipment List This shows a short list of the weapons, ammo and
equipment carried by the Mech. Green writing means
functional, red means destroyed. Written in
brackets behind it is the location where the
equipment is located (LA meaning Left Arm, etc).
Press [Esc] to stop looking at Mechs.
10.0.8 [Q] -- Quit
Aborts the game, after confirming with you.
10.0.9 [Cursor Keys] -- Movement
Shown in the Movement Phase after selecting either Walking,
Running or Jumping Mode, they allow you to maneuver your Mech
about.
A few notes:
o Each keypress costs you at least one Movement point
(depending on Terrain). Exception: When jumping, you can
turn about as much as you like.
o You cannot run backwards.
o You can't walk up mountains backwards.
- 20 -
10.0.10 [D] -- Drop
Causes your Mech to lie down. This costs one MP, and won't damage
your Mech.
10.0.11 [S] -- Try to stand up
You need two MPs for this maneuver, which requires a Pilot Skill
Roll. This is made more difficule by damage in the legs and hips.
If you fail, your Mech will fall and get damaged.
If you succeed, you can change your heading to any position you
like.
10.0.12 Twist
Twisting (after finishing your movement) will rotate your Arc of
Fire by one direction. The heading of your Mech is not affected,
however. At the begin of every Movement Mode, this rotation will
be reset.
10.0.13 [E] -- Eject
This will (after confirming with you) eject you from the Mech.
You might need that to get out of a bad situation alive, although
the Mech will try to eject you if it dies.
You chances of surviving the ejection are much higher if you are
concious and standing upright, preferably in water.
10.0.14 [T] -- Tag
If you are equipped with Target Aquisition Gear, you can attempt
to target a Mech in your Line Of Sight, which may not be further
than 15 hexes away in any direction.
A tagged target can be shot at by Long Range Missiles and the
Arrow IV Homing Missile, without needing an Line Of Sight.
Note that the Beagle Active Probe will negate any Tags within 8
hexes.
10.0.15 [F] -- Fire
After everyone finishes the Movement Phase, you have the option
of firing at a target, be it a Mech, a building, or even an empty
hex.
First, you will have to select a target, using the [Cursor Keys]
and the [Space Bar].
Then you can select the weapons to fire. Again, use the [Cursor
Keys] to move up and down the list, pressing [Space Bar] to
toggle a weapon (Selected weapons are shown blue, damaged
equipment is shown red, and non-selectable equipment is gray).
The amount of ammunition remaining is shown just after the name
of the ammo.
Press [Return] to fire.
- 21 -
You will now be told what value you need to roll with two dice.
Obviously, the computer does that for you, but it gives you an
idea how likely you are to hit the target.
This value depends on many values, including:
o Your Heat
o Your Actions in the Movement Phase
o Your placement
o The placement of the Target
o The speed of your Target
o Your C3 Computer (if you have one) might improve your
accuracy -- see below.
o Your Targeting Computer will help as well
Press the [Space Bar] to fire, or [Esc] to abort.
Now you will be shown what you rolled in the format have/need to
give you an idea of how accurate you were.
10.0.16 [P] -- Punch
After the Firing Phase, this allows you to punch at a Mech
standing right next to you, if you haven't fired any weapons
mounted in that arm this round.
If you hit, you will cause 1 point of damage for every 10t your
Mech weighs.
Note that you can only use one kind of physical attack per turn
(either Punching, Kicking or Pushing).
10.0.17 [K] -- Kick
This allows you to kick at an enemy, if you have not fired any
leg-mounted weapons this turn and have functioning Hips and Legs.
If successfull, you will cause 1 point of damage for every 5t you
weigh, and might cause your target to fall.
If you miss, you might fall yourself, though.
10.0.18 [U] -- Push
You can push a Mech forward, using both arms, if you have not
fired any arm-mounted weapons this turn. If you are successfull,
you will push the enemy one space forward and advance into his
previous space. He might also fall down.
10.0.19 [C] -- Charge
If you ran straight towards your target and didn't fire any
weapons in the Combat Phase, you can now charge your opponent if
he is straight in front of you.
- 22 -
This causes a lot of damage (1 point of damage for every 10t you
weight, multiplied by the distance you ran), although it also
damages you (1 point for every 10t your target weighs). Also,
there's a chance that you might both fall.
10.0.20 Finishing MechWar
The game is over if all Mechs from one side (or both sides!) are
destroyed. The resulting Victory Screen does not display the
correct values, however -- I'm working on it.
11 Some comments about the available equipment
I have used primarily 3025 Technology, with some Inner Sphere
3050 technology thrown in. Currently, the following items are
supported:
Lasers Large, Medium and Light Lasers
Pulse Lasers Have less range, but are more accurate
PPCs The Particle Projector Cannon, my favourite
LRMs Long Range Missiles, available in the handy 5, 10,
15 or 20 packs
SRMs Short Range Missiles, available as 2, 4 or 6 packs
OS Missiles One-Shot missiles, can be fired only once but
obviously don't require a reload. Not yet
available as SRM-2 Inferno, though (oversight on
my part).
Flamer Doing either damage or heats up the enemy; also
useful for starting fires.
Autocannons Available at AC/2, AC/5, AC/10 or AC/20
Ultra AC Ultra Autocannons (available as U AC/2 and U AC/5)
have twice the ammo consumption, cause twice as
much damage, but can seize up in the middle of the
fight.
LB 10X AC Akin to a shotgun, peppers a Mech with spread out
hits. Has a higher chance to hit, but less range
and usually does less damage.
Machine Guns Why anyone bothers with these is beyond me :-)
- 23 -
4
Gauss Gun Not the Munchkin low-heat-buildup-massive-range,
but a heavy monster, using 12 critical slots and
having the range of the AC/5. Currently it
competes with the Arrow IV.
Hatchet Size and damage depends on the size of the Mech,
hand needed.
Anti-Missile System
Used to automatically shoot down incoming
missiles, but has a very high ammo consumption.
Anti-Personnel Pods
Become interesting as soon as infantry is added.
Arrow IV Artillery
The ultimate range weapon, it needs 12 slots (not
15 as you might be used to, 'cause it wouldn't fit
in otherwise), but causes heavy damage to several
hexes at once.
Beagle Active Probe
To pick up hidden Mechs
3
C Computers Available in Master and Slave version, they allow
Mechs to use each others aiming equipment (meaning
you automatically use the range of the Mech
standing closest to the target).
CASE Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment prevents an
Ammunition explosion from spreading to other parts
of your Mech and doing more harm. Can be mounted
in arms and legs, as well - let me know if you
want this limited to the torso only.
3
Guardiam ECM Jams Beagle Probes, TAG and the C Computer.
TAG Target Aquisition Gear pinpoints Mechs for hidden
LRM or Artillery bombardment - the firing Mech
doesn't need a Line Of Sight to the target
anymore...
Targeting Computer
Big and heavy, it increases your accuracy with
direct-fire weapons.
_________________________________________________________________
4. Yes, it is still my Pet Hate :)
- 24 -
Myomer Whip Can be used to entangle opponents next to you and
cause them to fall. I also got this idea from the
BattleTechnology magazine.
Inferno Missiles
Only available for the SRM-2, they cause the
target to heat up 8 points for the next three
rounds. Also useful for starting fires.
Homing Arrow Ammunition for the Arrow IV Artillery System,
homes in on a single target and does much less
collateral damage.
Minefield Arrow
Ammunition for the Arrow IV Artillery System, it
lays down a big mine field in a single hex.
Thunder Ammo Ammunition for the LRMs, it also lays down a
minefield in a single hex.
11.1 Planned Improvements
I very much welcome any ideas and suggestions, no matter how
outlandish!
o Add a Graphical Damage Chart to MechDesign. This would
show the Mech standing in the middle, with differently
colored hexes showing his damage potential in all
directions.
o Show how the selected weapon would improve your CEF in
MechDesign.
o Print out the Map from GroundDesign.
o Dumping Ammunition in MechWar.
o Death From Above attack.
o Support 3055 Technology (sooner or later I'll have to).
o Support some of the Solaris Rules (as soon as I get them).
o Add Character Development, complete with Salvage, Repairs,
Limited Budget, and so on.
o A bigger Map (scrolling, perhaps?)
o Aircraft
o Infantry
o Vehicles
- 25 -
o Adding a Graphic User Interface (anyone out there know a
good one?)
o Computer Opponents, with varying characters and
strategies.
12 Frequently Asked Questions
I get asked a lot of questions, many of which can be answered
right here:
Q: What happened to the Gauss Gun?
A: The Gauss Gun was heavily penalized by me. I shortened its
range, lessened its damage and increased its size. It is still a
highly potent weapon, but at least the game is now somewhat
better balanced.
Q: Looks like the LB-10X can only fire cluster ammo.
A: That's right. Who would buy an AC/10 otherwise?
Q: Why don't you support all of 3055 Tech?
A: Because I a) don't like it much and b) never planned it
initially, making reprogramming difficult. It will probably be
supported in future versions (some kind soul suggested allowing
only the computer to use 3055 Tech, hehe).
Q: Why isn't Death From Above supported?
A: Because I was too busy to put it in :) It will be included
in later versions.
Q: Why isn't (real good fancy idea) supported?
A: Because you haven't told me about it. Let's hear from you!
Q: Why did you take so long for the bugfix update?
A: It took a week because my neighbours cat insists on sleeping
on my lap while I work, somewhat slowing my typing speed.
Q: I've written some nice Mechs/Maps/Scenarios. How can I send
them to you so you'll include them in the next version?
A: uuencode and mail it. You can also try a floppy in
SnailMail...
Q: Are you going to write an Amiga/Atari/C64/ZX 81/Cray
version?
A: No.
Q: Where can I ftp this game?
A: Well, it's on several ftp servers. You could try
131.188.1.43 in /pub/pc/incoming (Europe)
wuarchive.wustl.edu in /pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS (USA)
I'll also try to feed it into FIDO's SDN network, so it'll show
up on the BBS systems.
- 26 -
Q: I'm running an ftp server. Can I put your program up here?
A: Yes! Sure! Of course! Be my guest! (I wonder why I get asked
this :)
13 Your Input
Wow, I'm quite staggered by all the replys and interest from the
Net. Thanks, everyone! If this continues, I'll have to put this
chapter in its own .DOC file :-)
I am completely dependant on you people to supply me with ideas,
comments and general feedback. Only if you tell me what you want,
what you like and dislike can I really improve the game.
Let's also have your Mech designs and especially your maps. I
need lots of maps!
Given enough input, I might even be able to periodically release
'add-on' packs, containing more Mechs, more Maps, Scenarious,
etc.
14 Supporters
Many people have mailed me with ideas, suggestions and
improvements. While I can't implement tham all immediately, I'm
working on it.
I'm afraid this list is rather incomplete (my list got lost in a
floppy crash, I'm keeping it on paper now). Also, many ideas were
proposed by several people (like the Mech Selection List in
ConflictDesign):
Jens Carlberg y88jenca@und.ida.liu.se
Using subdirectories for the sprites.
Brian Davis bkdavis@eos.ncsu.edu
By far the biggest feedbacker, he added more ideas
than I can shake a stick at, most of which are by
now implemented (I think...)
Christopher Gaeth
cgaeth@brl.mil
Together with his friend Brad Graper, he sent me
very long and exact bug reports and suggestion
lists. Looks like they really spent a lot of time
playing this game :)
Brad Graper graper@amsaa-cleao.brl.mil
The guy working together with Cristopher Gaeth --
plenty of good ideas from that end.
- 27 -
Timothy Hagensick
sntph@acad3.alaska.edu
Sent some good ideas (sound toggle!) and bug
reports.
Scott Hutchens EESAH%umsvm.bitnet@relay.eu.net
Sent in a plea for 3055 technology (Double Heat
Sinks, ugh :), convincing me that I will have to
support them in later versions.
Jim Knepley knepley@cs.colostate.edu
Sent some ideas about graphics, and volunteered
(!) to design the next generation of sprites (once
the GUI is out).
Glen Miller t-glenm@microsoft.com
Sent several short bug reports.
Thomas Müller tsmueller@faui09.informatik.uni-erlangen.de
It's all his fault! Not only did he introduce me
to BattleTech, he also encouraged me to write this
package by pumping me full with ideas!
Wayne Quennell s9000938@cumulus.csd.unsw.os.au
Pointed out some flaws, especially a small nasty
bug in ConflictDesign. Sent me some Maps, which
are included here. (Hi Jacqueline!).
Markku Wachter wachter@cc.helsinki.fi
Send very complete bug reports and pointed out
several incorrectly implemented features. He's
also responsible for about 50% of the maps.
Brett Waldick baw@raz.csc.ncsu.edu
Sent me long, very complete bug reports and
suggestions. I wish everyone would be as specific.
PS: My toughest Mech had 466464.45 CEF (after a
bug :)
The InterNet rec.games.board, rec.games.frp.misc
Plenty of good ideas, both in Mech Designs (which
I will bring out later in a special package) and
general advice.
All the others on the net
As said, I had a list of all the supporters on
disk, and it crashed. Thus many people are
unmentioned, I'm sorry about that! (Who was the
guy who suggested the [*] Max Out Armour option in
MechDesign?).
- 28 -
15 Contacting the Author
I can be reached in several ways:
SnailMail Klaus Breuer
Rudelsweiher Str. 6b
8450 Erlangen
Germany
VoiceMail (09131) 25227 (Telephone Answering Machine)
NetMail kabreuer@faui09.informatik.uni-erlangen.de
(by far the best method)
FIDOmail 2:2400/22.70
EchoMail rec.games.board
rec.rpg.*
JunkMail /dev/nil
16 Registering
Well, registering won't currently bring you much (except for me
to know that I have your support), and it won't give you anything
extra in the future, either.
I am not going to half-cripple this program to get people to
register, and I'm not writing GuiltWare either.
I am, however, writing CardWare.
So, if you like this program, please send me a post card from
your city, so I know where this program is spreading to.
Everyone registered will be added to The Hall Of Heros, to be
displayed at startup of the program.
Note that I release this program as ShareWare, not as Public
Domain. That means, please do copy this program and give it away,
but the code is (C)1992 by me.
17 The Files
Here's a list of all files contained in the distribution Package
MECH10B.ZIP:
CDESIGN.EXE The ConflictDesigner
CONVERT.EXE The Convert Utility
- 29 -
EGAVGA.BGI Borlands EGA/VGA Screen Driver
GDESIGN.EXE The GroundDesigner
HEROS.TXT The list of all people who have registered so far
(how come there's only one name in it?)
MAPS.ZIP Archive containing all the maps, except for
DEFAULT.MAP
MDESIGN.EXE The MechDesigner
MECHS.DAT Mech Datafile, containng 158 Mechs from 3025
MECHWAR.EXE MechWar itself
MECHWAR.CFG This is where SetUp stores its configuration data.
The file will be created if it is not found
initially.
READMECH.EXE The ReadMech Utility
SETUP.EXE The SetUp Utility
SORTMECH.EXE The SortMech Utility
WDESIGN.EXE The WarriorDesigner
*.CSP, *.NFO Sprites. They all belong into the SPRITES
subdirectory. I would love to include them in
their own datafile, but I lost the source code to
my sprite editor, so have patience -- they will be
re-done as soon as the GUI arrives.
*.GIF The title screens. They can be deleted, if you
want.
*.MAP Maps, created by the GroundDesigner
*.MEW MechWarrior Data Files
*.MWC MechWarConflict Files, created by the
ConflictDesigner.
They are actually just textfiles, containg Map
Name, No Of Mechs, Mech Number, Mech Position
(x,y) and Mech Heading, each on a seperate line.
You can easily make quick changes with any editor,
especially as you can include a short story or
mission goal in there.
- 30 -
18 Warranty
I don't know why everyone puts a disclaimer in his software; I
guess there's a legal reason for it.
So here's mine:
No warranty.
At all.
If the program breaks in two halves, you own both halves.
- 31 -
Contents
1 Very quick start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2 Legal Stuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3 What you'll need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
4 What's MechWar? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
5 Technology Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6 MechDesign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6.1 A short overview of the displayed data . . 6
6.1.1 Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6.1.2 Max. Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6.1.3 Current Weight . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6.1.4 Reactor size . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6.1.5 Walking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6.1.6 Running . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6.1.7 Jumping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6.1.8 Heat Sinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6.1.9 Gyroscopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6.1.10 Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6.1.11 Jump Jets . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.1.12 Armour Value . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.1.13 Max. Heatbuildup . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.1.14 Offensive Range . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.1.15 Price . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.1.16 Combat Efficiency Factor (CEF) . . . 8
6.1.17 Weapons/Ammo . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6.2 A short command summary . . . . . . . . . 9
6.2.1 [*] -- Max Out Armour . . . . . . . . 9
6.2.2 [Ins] -- Add Weapon . . . . . . . . . 9
6.2.3 [A] -- Add Ammo . . . . . . . . . . 10
6.2.4 [Del] -- Remove Weapon/Ammo . . . . 10
6.2.5 [PgUp] -- View Damage Chart . . . . 10
6.2.6 [PgDn] -- View Mech Load . . . . . 10
6.2.7 [B] -- View Bill . . . . . . . . . 10
6.2.8 [D] -- Delete Mech . . . . . . . . 11
6.2.9 [I] -- Import/Export Mech . . . . . 11
6.2.10 [F5] -- Toggle Left Hand . . . . . 11
6.2.11 [F6] -- Toggle Left Lower Arm . . 11
6.2.12 [F7] -- Toggle Right Lower Arm . . 11
6.2.13 [F8] -- Toggle Right Hand . . . . 11
6.2.14 [F1] -- Help . . . . . . . . . . . 12
6.2.15 [F2] -- Save Mech . . . . . . . . 12
6.2.16 [F3] -- Load Mech . . . . . . . . 12
6.2.17 [F4] -- Test Mech . . . . . . . . 12
6.2.18 [F10] -- New Mech . . . . . . . . 12
6.2.19 [Esc] - Leave Program . . . . . . 12
7 WarriorDesign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
i
7.1 A short overview of the displayed data . 12
7.1.1 Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
7.1.2 Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
7.1.3 CP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
7.1.4 Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
7.1.5 Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
8 GroundDesign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
8.1 A short command summary . . . . . . . . 14
8.1.1 [Cursor Keys] -- Move about . . . . 14
8.1.2 [+]/[-] -- Select Hex . . . . . . . 15
8.1.3 [Space Bar] -- Drop Hex . . . . . . 15
8.1.4 [L] -- Toggle Light Building . . . 15
8.1.5 [M] -- Toggle Medium Building . . . 15
8.1.6 [H] -- Toggle Heavy Building . . . 15
8.1.7 [R] -- Toggle Reinforced Building . 15
8.1.8 [X] -- Toggle Rubble . . . . . . . 15
8.1.9 [1]..[5] -- Toggle Minefield . . . 15
8.1.10 [F] -- Toggle Fire . . . . . . . . 15
8.1.11 [S] -- Toggle Smoke . . . . . . . 16
8.1.12 [F1] -- Help . . . . . . . . . . . 16
8.1.13 [F2] -- Save Map . . . . . . . . . 16
8.1.14 [F3] -- Load Map . . . . . . . . . 16
8.1.15 [F4] -- Generate Random Map . . . 16
8.1.16 [F10] -- New Map . . . . . . . . . 16
8.1.17 [Esc] -- Leave Program . . . . . . 16
9 ConflictDesign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
9.1 Command Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
9.1.1 [Cursor Keys] -- Move Mech . . . . 17
9.1.2 [ ] -- Drop Mech . . . . . . . . . 17
9.1.3 [Del] -- Delete Mech . . . . . . . 17
9.1.4 [F1] -- Help . . . . . . . . . . . 17
9.1.5 [F2] -- Save Conflict . . . . . . . 17
9.1.6 [F3] -- Load Conflict . . . . . . . 18
9.1.7 [F4] -- Load New Map . . . . . . . 18
9.1.8 [F10] -- Clear Conflict . . . . . 18
10 MechWar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
10.0.1 How to start MechWar . . . . . . . 18
10.0.2 [W] -- Walk . . . . . . . . . . . 19
10.0.3 [R] -- Run . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
10.0.4 [J] -- Jump . . . . . . . . . . . 19
10.0.5 [ ] -- Wait . . . . . . . . . . . 19
10.0.6 [I] -- Info . . . . . . . . . . . 19
10.0.7 [M] -- Mech Info . . . . . . . . 19
10.0.8 [Q] -- Quit . . . . . . . . . . . 20
10.0.9 [Cursor Keys] -- Movement . . . . 20
10.0.10 [D] -- Drop . . . . . . . . . . . 21
10.0.11 [S] -- Try to stand up . . . . . 21
10.0.12 Twist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
10.0.13 [E] -- Eject . . . . . . . . . . 21
10.0.14 [T] -- Tag . . . . . . . . . . . 21
10.0.15 [F] -- Fire . . . . . . . . . . . 21
10.0.16 [P] -- Punch . . . . . . . . . . 22
10.0.17 [K] -- Kick . . . . . . . . . . . 22
10.0.18 [U] -- Push . . . . . . . . . . . 22
ii
10.0.19 [C] -- Charge . . . . . . . . . . 22
10.0.20 Finishing MechWar . . . . . . . . 23
11 Some comments about the available equipment . 23
11.1 Planned Improvements . . . . . . . . . 25
12 Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . 26
13 Your Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
14 Supporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
15 Contacting the Author . . . . . . . . . . . 29
16 Registering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
17 The Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
18 Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
iii