Night Owl 6

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Night Owl 6 / Night Owl's Shareware - PDSI-006 - Night Owl Corp (1990).iso / 034a / bgame33.zip / BGAME33.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1990-07-31 | 21KB | 409 lines

============================================================================== Backgammon Door Version 3.3! A Multiplayer Door for PCBoard Version 14 Registration is only $10.00! Written by: Gerry Freymann R.R.#1 Baltimore, ONT K0K 1C0 The Phantom BBS (416) 342-3734/3766 USR HST (416) 342-5573 Hayes Ultra ============================================================================== Brief Update History: ==================== 1.0 - Initial release 1.1 - Updated to work with either PCBoard 12 or 14 2.0 - November 1988 =================== * Sorry gang, but I didn't have alot of help testing this one out. Several HUGE bugs slipped through in the previous releases, which I hope are now gone. First, it wouldn't allow a player to enter NO MOVE in certain cases - which in effect locks the game until they got a roll they liked. Also, they could keep entering the game over and over until the roll produced suited their liking. This has been fixed also - they MUST use the roll now. Also the OFF command wouldn't work for Player 2! Geez! Many, many, many thanks to Howard Hartman of The Firehouse BBS, 301 942-5616 who was very helpful when it came time to fix these things! His reward for helping out? A free Registered copy! 3.0 - December 1, 1988 ====================== Well, three more things were fixed up. Some good cheaters found another spot where you could press <RETURN> and return to the menu without making a move. You could then go back into the game and get a new roll. Fixed. Player 2 could place a chip that was on the bar ANYWHERE on the board! Fixed. When a game was completed the index file and Bulletin didn't recognize it. Fixed. Also rewrote the code in Quickbasic using Clint Labarthe's Door Patch code. Many thanks to Clint for making such a great set of routines available. Ver 3.0 only works with PCBoard 14.0 now! 3.1 - January 18, 1989 ====================== The authors of Door Patch updated their code and forced me to recompile all of my Doors using DORPCH35.EXE! Also added was an option to pick and choose what Bulletin file (if any) you wanted. Substitute the word NULL on the line(s) of the path/name of the Bulletin file if you don't wish to have them produced. Also changed the way the Hall of Fame is added to the Bulletin at the end of program. The old SHELL COPY command was causing problems for those with a limited amount of memory. Added a carraige return at the end when the program says creating the Bulletin. Looks nicer now. Also fixed the problem with the NDX file getting mysteriously set to zero! Every now and then you could have a batch of games going and when somebody entered the door the program thought NO games were underway. All you found in the .NDX file was the number 0. This has been fixed. 3.2 Official release October 11, 1989 ======================================= - The Index file has been changed to a Random Access File. The program will read this file at various points throughout the Door. The index file will only be updated IF a new game is added, a player completes his move or a player joins a game waiting for a player. It also only updates the RECORD in the .NDX file as opposed to rewriting the entire file. This will fix the mixed up .NDX file problem on multi-node systems. - All game files have been changed to Random access files and are opened with File Locking syntax. - The opening and closing screens have been changed in favour of quicker log-ins and log-offs. - The opening where the program searches for the Players' name has been updated. The program now tells the user it's his move in game 1, 2, 3, etc.. The program also lists the game numbers of games which need a second player. - The Sysop maintenance program [BGKILL.EXE] has been updated to 3.2 and has also been rewritten in QuickBasic. Very FAST! - An option to allow the player to withdraw from the game has been added. Option 9 - a Sysop only command has been removed. If you really want to delete a game just DEL BGAME.0?? and run the BGKILL program. - If you don't specify a configuration file after the BGKILL name, Bgkill will now open BGAME.CFG by default. Bgkill does require a .cfg file to be passed onto it, but if one isn't, BGAME.CFG will be used. - Stopped displaying the Hall of Fame (if one exists) upon exiting the door program to speed up exits. If they want to see the Hall of Fame they can read the Bulletin! - added an option to disable the Page the Sysop for Game mode. If you don't want the game to automatically play the User then delete all comments in your .CFG file(s). If those 'comments' do not exist the Page Sysop for A Game mode is disabled and the user will see a comment saying "Sorry, the Sysop is unavailable for a game!" - If for some reason the MainMenu gets lost on the users screen, if they enter ? or H the program will remind them option 6 displays the help file and then the Menu will be reprinted. - Added Option #9 to the main menu - Scan Player Status. This will scan through the index file and report the user's status in the games. - Fixed the counter display while in game. It was always at 0 no matter what. - Fixed the main module so it now recognizes when either player has men on the bar. My new method of fixing the PL2 problems created a real sneaky problem. Also added more code to BGKILL to fix some values in games that have been previously affected.. meaning, if you had games where players had chips on the bar and they weren't being acknowledged by the game, BGKILL will help to make sure they are seen. - Also fixed the program so it realizes a game has been completed. It now correctly announces the winner during game play, in the Bulletin an in the .NDX file. - Now that the main program realizes a game is complete, it wasn't setting a flag that told BGKill to remove it. This has been fixed. - Added a field that will keep track of the DATE of the last move. - Changed the way you enter commands during game play. This makes most of the options available all the time, like Leave Message, Redraw Board, Give Up, Roll.... - In case it was not previously stated, the maximum number of games that can be going at one time is 100. You can specify any number in your .CFG file but if it's over 100 the game will set the max. # to 100. - Did some more work on Page the Sysop for A Game. Made a few spots like OFF BAR and NO come out like it was typed letter by letter instead of magically appearing as one long keystroke! - You should be able to leave messages in Upper and Lowercase letters now. However, it is limited to 78 characters. Like it says, a ONE LINE comment. - Changed the Ctrl-K Aborts Page prompt to just (K) aborts. Works well. I can't get any Ctrl codes to filter through with Door Patch. - Cleaned up more code in the Page Sysop for a Game module. More to come. - Fixed some of the timing in Page Sysop module. Think it's done. - Added a Color (Ansi Graphics) on/off toggle on the command line during game play. - Fixed error when a player used the G)ive Up command. If it was Player 2 the Bulletin said the player who gave up won by default. I thought I had fixed this earlier but I guess not! Sorry! - July 17 saw 12 bytes added to each game file. Forgot to add that to BGKill. Changed BGKill to conform. - Added Expert Toggle for those who love to play Backgammon! - BGKill wouldn't rename files. Fixed. - When the game lists the players in either Option 3 or 5 it will now stop and ask if you want to see more every 20 lines. - When you make a move in your game and decide you are finished, the game will ask you to confirm this. - You can stack commands.. like make a move in game 7 by entering 1-7. However, it only worked for games from 1-9. Fixed. Will now handle up to game 100. - Fixed the Page Sysop Mode! It is in working order and I even polished it up again. - When the program scans for the user's name in the index file it will now say "Searching..." instead of just sitting there. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.3 - added necessary code to work with Register program (see DOCS) - added a colour graphics toggle to Main Menu - Added a question mark at the end of the Main Menu command line - put in the current date to the game file when player2 joins a game. - justified the game numbers from 1-9 when listing games - This version will also place comments in your caller log to let you know if the user is using the page sysop option. - Updated the Bgkill program -now creates a Bgkill.LOG file (overwrites each time) -automatically deletes games that have not had a move in them for 45 days or longer UPDATING INSTRUCTIONS: Follow in order if upgrading from old old versions --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Updating from previous versions to 3.1 - IMPORTANT!!!!!!!! ========================================================== Version 3.x produce an ANSI version of the Bulletin and ASCII version. In your .CFG file you must specify the full path and file name for BOTH versions of the Bulletin. If you were running a version of Backgammon LOWER than 3.0 are now updating then you must change your .CFG file before running the program! See the section on the .CFG file later in this document. Updating to 3.2! ================ After making any necessary changes to upgrade to 3.1 you must now run the convert program [BGCNVT.EXE] to change your game files into the new format. PLEASE MAKE A BACK-UP FIRST!!!!! If you were running a previous 3.2 Beta no changes are needed. Just replace your Bgame.Exe file. If for some reason the convert program does not work for you, then please log onto The Phantom BBS and request access to upload your game files. I will then convert them myself and you can download them. Updating to 3.3! ================ Simply replace your current bgame.exe with BGAME33.EXE and carry on! OVERVIEW OF BACKGAMMON DOOR --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to multi players Backgammon for PCBoard Version 14. This program was originally written in Turbo Basic. I had varied success with that language. The programs just wouldn't work on ALL computers. With the release of Ver 3.0 I have switched to QuickBasic, and use the Door Patch code produced by Clint Labarthe. That means that this file will only work with PCBoard Version 14.0. It also means you will need two more files in the same directory you are running this door or in a directory that is in your PATH statement. Those files are DORPCH35.EXE and BRUN30.EXE. Read over SYSOP.DOC for more information. This door is an authorized adaptation of Commodore Backgammon by Jeff Vavasour and Geoff Rideout appearing in Compute's! Gazette, Nov/85. One of the new features in this game is the option for the user to Page the Sysop for a game. Sounds nice eh? But how about having the computer make the moves for you, at anytime of the day or night, and let the user BELIEVE that it's really you? Sound interesting? Well, that is how it's done. The User will most likely believe he is in fact playing the Sysop but it's actually the computer! You'll have to watch it to believe it!! Stacking of commands in some places is also allowed. To make a move in game 3, all you have to enter at the Main Menu is 1-3 <RETURN>. Beats entering 1 <RETURN>, then 3 <RETURN>. When you enter the Backgammon Door you have the following options from the Main Menu: 1) Make a move in a Game that you are in 2) Start a brand new game and wait for a Player 3) See a Game that is already underway 4) Become Player 2 in a Game waiting for a Player 5) List the current Games, Players & who's move 6) Complete instructions for Backgammon Door 7) End program and Exit to the BBS 8) Page Sysop for a Game 9) Scan your Current Status X) Toggle Expert Mode G) Toggle Graphics Mode On/Off Guesses are entered as two letters. Like A-F. If the move is illegal the program will give you a message and make you enter it again. There are also some options available to the players, like leaving a message to their opponent, redrawing the grid, Draw, and just plain No move. The players are colour coded as Yellow and Cyan in graphics mode or as "0" and "O" for Cyan and Yellow respectively. When a user exits the Door the program will write a Bulletin that you can add to your system containing the names of the Players and their opponents, who's turn it is, if the game is over, how may guesses have been made and if some games have been completed, the "Hall of Fame" appears at the bottom of the Bulletin. The "Hall of Fame" is contained in a file that is called BGAME.SCR and will appear once a game has been completed and should remain there until you deem fit to 'reset' the Hall of Fame scoreboard. The program actually copies BGAME.SCR to your Bulletin so deleting BGAME.SCR will erase any completed game history. FILES NEEDED FOR DOOR OPERATION --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following files are included in your ARChive. If you have any doubt about the integrity of these files, feel free to download them directly from my BBS in Baltimore, Ontario Canada (416) 342-3734/3766 USR HST and (416) 342-5573 Hayes Ultra. *BGAME33.EXE <<--The main program * BGAME.CFG <<--A sample configuration file BGAME <<--A sample file to run the whole thing * BGAME.INS <<--The instructions the user will see BGAME33.DOC <<--I luv this part - You're reading it right now! * BGKILL.EXE <<--Sysop Maintenance program, use in your Event.Sys BGCNVT.EXE <<--Converts GAME and NDX files to new 3.2+ format LICENSE.DOC <<--You must read, understand and agree to this! REGISTER.FRM <<--Registration form only SYSOP.DOC <<--Important set-up instructions FLYER.DOC <<--Information on other programs available from me Files created by the program after running it: * BGAME.SCR <<--Hall of Fame is held in here once a game has ended * BGAME.0?? <<--Games currently underway, ?? equals 01 to 100 * BGAME.NDX <<--Quick index off all the Games -------------------------------------------------------------------------- *--> files marked with the "star" must be in the directory you are running this program from. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Files needed for Door Patch operation: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- DORPCH35.EXE BRUN30.EXE I would have included them in this ARChive but since Clint's Door Patch is becoming the standard, I felt most Sysops would have them anyway, and it also keeps the size of the ARChive down! If you don't have these I have them available to you on my Board. More Comments: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- If for some reason the program doesn't seem to be reading the list of games and says that none are underway (even though there are!) delete the .ndx file and run BGKILL. BGKILL.EXE - Sysop Maintenance Program - UPDATED! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This program can be called up from DOS or added to your Event.sys file. It's purpose is to delete any games that are completed and move all other games up. Games are stored as BGAME.001 for game 1, BGAME.002 for game 2 etc. The program reads these files sequentially from 1 to the end and should you delete a game in the middle it will not see any game past that point. Therefore you should run BGKILL to delete unwanted finished games. It will automatically delete expired games and rename the remaining games from 1 to end, update the Bulletin and index file. Also, if for any reason your index file becomes inaccurate, simply run BGKILL and it will be updated. BGKILL actually reads in each data file of all the games and read the Player's name and who's turn and all that important stuff. It kinda double checks everything and sets it right. BGKill requires the name of a configuration file after it. If one isn't provided it will attempt to open [BGAME.CFG] by default. ** As of Bgame v3.3 the Bgkill program will now automatically delete games that have not seen action for 45 days or more. Bgkill also creates a log file called BgKILL.LOG which will let you know what games have been deleted and why. The Log file is overwritten each time the program is run so you don't have to worry about it growing and growing. The .CFG File should contain the following information: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- C:\PCB\PCBOARD.SYS <-NAME AND LOCATION OF PCBOARD.SYS The Phantom BBS <-NAME OF YOUR BOARD Gerry <-SYSOP FIRST NAME Freymann <-SYSOP LAST NAME 20 <-MAX NUMBER OF GAMES YOU WANT - up to 100 C:\PCB\GAMES\GBLT1 <-PATH AND NAME OF ASCII BULLETIN | NULL if not needed C:\PCB\GAMES\GBLT1G <-PATH AND NAME OF ANSI BULLETIN | NULL if not needed NEXT 25 LINES <-ONE LINE COMMENTS YOU ENTER, THE COMPUTER WILL RANDOMLY PICK ONE WHEN THE USER CHOOSES PAGE SYSOP FOR A GAME. YOU NEED THEM ALL! AND YOU SHOULD CHANGE THEM ONCE IN A WHILE OR THEY'LL CLUE IN THAT IT'S A FAKE! Omit these if you don't want the Page Sysop feature. Final Acknowledges: =================== My thanks to the following Sysops who helped a great deal reporting problems, making suggestions and generally making things easier during the Beta period for version 3.2. All were rewarded with a free Registered copy of the door. Drew Lorent, Sysop The Token Ring BBS, Bloomfield, NF 201 546-1468 Lance Williams, Sysop Kadet PCBoard, Camden New York, 315 245-3815 * Tom McDermet, Sysop The Odyssey, Morris Plains, NJ, 201 984-6574 Howard Hartman, Sysop NETWORK East, Rockville, Maryland, 301 942-5616 ** Matthew Lewis, Sysop Media Shack PCBoard, Toronto, Ontario 416 699-1846 ( * Already Registered user copy of Bgame) ( ** Previous Beta Tester given Free Reg'd copy) Support the Shareware concept... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- To Register, please print out and return the REGISTER.FRM in the Zip file. With the release of Bgame 3.3 I have made a slight change to the register process. Now, when you register, you will be given a small program called BGAMEREG.EXE which you run in your door subdirectory. This program will create a file called BGAME.REG which will instantly register your existing copy of the door program, and any and all future versions as well. This means that any future releases you find will automatically continue to say registered to you, without the need to come back to me. I hope you'll appreciate this new system. You should be able to call The Phantom BBS and make your initial call, wait until I receive your payment, and download this small utility without spending alot of time on the phone. Or, for an additional $5.00 per order, I can send you the whole package on disk using the postal service. The choice is yours. I'll also be creating a Door so Registered Sysops may download their *.REG files and/or the *REG.EXE programs. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for your support!