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READ.ME
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1995-04-12
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GURPS Star System Generator V1.0
**********Smashed By KiD************
GURPS is a registered trademark of Steve Jackson Games.
Welcome to the GURPS Star System Generator. This program is freeware. You
may distribute it as much as you like, as long as this file is included
and is unchanged. If you like it, send a postcard to
Tim Cain
180 East 21st Street, #D-2
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Any reasonable suggestions for improvements will be welcomed. Any
unreasonable suggestions will be shown to my friends, and we will laugh.
REQUIREMENTS
The requirements for this program are:
8086 (80386 or better recommended)
465K conventional memory
VGA (uses 640x480, 16 color mode)
Mouse recommended
The program will run off floppies or a hard drive. When the program is
executed, it will read a file of 3D transform data (globe.ini) that is
used to rotate the globe on the title screen. If missing, this file is
created in the current directory and will make subsequent executions of
the program much faster.
SPECIFICATIONS
This program implements all of the rules from GURPS Space, 2nd Edition,
Chapters 10 (Stars and Worlds) and 11 (Planetary Civilizations), with the
following exception: multiple star systems are supported but no planetary
data is generated. The rules for creating planets in such systems were
too incomplete to code into a coherent program.
Great care has been taken to be as faithful to the rules in these two
chapters as possible. Please drop me a note if you think a rule has been
ignored, or you are seeing results that are inconsistent with those rules.
HOW TO BEGIN
To begin the program, type STAR. Select (using the mouse or keyboard
arrows) the TL which is considered "modern" for your campaign (this
information is used when generating civilizations). You will then be
presented with a spiral galaxy and a globular cluster. Select the cluster,
the galactic core, or a spiral arm as the location of the sector in which
you want information. You will then see the sector displayed as a 2D map.
SECTOR MAP
Using keyboard arrows or the mouse, move to an object on the map. The
space bar or left mouse button will reveal more information about the
object. If the object is a star system, then you will go to the system map
(see below). Otherwise you will get a text window describing the object.
Optional: you can use the right mouse button to determine the distance
between two objects on the map. Right click on the first object. While
holding the right mouse button down, move to the second object. Release
the button and the distance will be displayed in parsecs.
While viewing a sector, you can save or load sectors from disk, go back to
the galactic map, search for particular kinds of systems within the
sector, find those systems outside of this sector, or exit the program.
Use the mouse or a number key to select the appropriate icon. Most of
these options are pretty self-explanatory, but I'll explain searching and
saving in detail.
To search a sector, click on the search button or press 2 on the keyboard.
A list of items you may look for will appear. Selecting one will cause any
star with that item to be highlighted with a purple box. You may perform
searches for multiple items by searching repeatedly for different items.
The items will be listed at the bottom of the screen. If there is not
enough room to display all of the search items, you will see a "..." at
the end of the list. To clear the search parameters, select "Unmark all
stars" as a search item.
You may also search for systems outside of the current sector by clicking
on the "Find" icon or pressing 3 on the keyboard. This search is made
using the currently selected parameter(s) used for searching within
sector. Only sectors in the selected area (sprial arms, core or cluster)
are searched. The search continues until a sector with at least one system
matching the search parameter(s) is found, or you stop the search by
pressing any key or a mouse button. Note that some searches can take a
LONG time, e.g. searching for a civilization around a white dwarf.
To save a sector, click on the upper disk icon (the one with the big
yellow arrow pointing TO a disk) or press 4 on your keyboard. Note that
saving a sector will save all of the star systems in that sector, as well
as the other stellar objects. Therefore, saving a sector is a VERY
economical way, in terms of disk space, of saving a lot of planetary
systems. Sectors are saved into text files with the extension .MAP and can
be given a 60 character description. Sector files (and star system files,
see below) can be viewed with any text editor and may be printed for use
in your GURPS Space campaign.
As an extra bonus in this version of the star generator, you can directly
enter the catalog number of the sector or star system that you want to
see. Just type 8 on the keyboard (sorry, no mouse icon is available),
followed by the catalog number.
SYSTEM MAP
The star system is displayed as the central sun(s) surrounded by planets,
if any. Suns are displayed based on color and size, while planets are
displayed based on type (gas giant, terrestial, etc.), size, and special
features (such as a gas giant's rings). The color of the planet's orbit
will be red, green, or blue, depending on whether the planet is inside,
at, or outside the sun's biozone, respectively.
More information on suns and planets can be seen by mouse clicking on the
object or by typing the letter or number displayed. Stellar information
includes the star's type, brightness, color and any special feature.
Planetary information includes the planet's type, diameter, density,
gravity, and mineral content, as well as information specific to kind of
planet. All of the information is displayed in the one window, with one
exception: if the planet has a civilization, you must select that planet
again to see the civilization information. This information will include
lifeform type, TL and CR ratings, government type, main starport and any
installations on the planet.
While viewing a star system, you can save or load systems from disk, go
back to the sector map, or exit the program. Use the mouse or a number key
to select the appropriate icon. Star systems are saved into text files
with the extension .SUN and can be given a 60 character description. NOTE:
if you load a system from a different sector, you will still return to the
original sector when you select Icon 1, the sector map.
CREDITS
Programmed by:
Timothy Cain
Artwork by:
Timothy Cain
Scott Everts
Special thanks for ideas and suggestions to:
Jeremy Barnes
Scott Everts
Floyd Grubb
Mark Harrison
Chris Taylor
Best portrayal of a neurotic cat as herself:
Kiddles the Butthead