Night Owl 6/Night Owl's Shareware - PDSI-006 - Night Owl Corp (1990).iso/034a/crdfsh35.zip/CARDFISH.DOC

Text File | 1991-10-01 | 16KB | 533 lines

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       Cardfish 3.5
       Copyright (c) 1990, 1991, Mark A. Downing.  All rights reserved.
       -----------------------------------------------------------------






       One of my favorite doors is a game called Card Guppies.  In late
       1989, I discovered that all doors written with the Doorpatch Kit
       would lock up my BBS for no apparent reason.  Card Guppies was
       one of those doors.

       I contacted the author and learned he had no plans to rewrite the
       door to support modems with higher than 9,600 bps.  That's when I
       decided to attempt a version of my own.

       The result is CardFish.  It plays true to the popular TV game
       show, Card Sharks.  However, I've included quite a few variables,
       (some of which are available only in the registered version.)

       After setting up the game on your BBS, many of your callers will
       find it greatly addictive.  (And, I hope you do, too!)


       Mark A. Downing














                                C A R D F I S H
                                          Index







             Overview ....................................... 1

             Setup ........................................ 1-4

             Batch File ..................................... 4

             Other Notes ...................................4-5

             Support ........................................ 5

             Acknowledgements ............................... 5

             Program Fees ................................... 6

             Order/Registration Form ........................ 7

             History ........................................ 8











       Overview
       ----------------------------------------------------------------

       Cardfish is a Card Sharks clone written with Sam Smith's ProKit.
       The rules of the game are simple.  You bet a dollar amount based
       on the card currently displayed -- and what you think the next
       card will be.  For instance, if a seven is showing, you can bet
       $20 the next card will be higher or lower than that seven.  If
       you are correct, you win.  If not, you lose your $20 bet.  It's
       that simple.

       A few twists have been added, most of which can be customized by
       the Sysop. Somewhere in the deck of cards is one or more Jokers.
       Find one, and you're ruined... bankrupt!

       Suits can be considered in the value of a card.  They are valued
       in the ascending following order:  Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and
       Spades.  The Two of Hearts is the lowest card in the deck, and
       the Ace of Spades is the highest.  This feature can be switched
       on or off.

       Players begin the game with $20 (selectable by Sysop,) and will
       be allowed as many plays per day as the Sysop decides.  The
       closing balance for the day will be carried over to the next
       play.  Once the player reaches a pre-selected dollar amount, he
       or she goes into the "Hall of Bank Breakers".

       CardFish is self explanatory.  There's a menu with a help screen,
       a top score listing, "Bank Breakers" listing, and options to
       start the game, exit back to the BBS, or hang up.


       SPECIAL NOTE: Maximum number of plays per day, number of Jokers
                     in the deck, and the dollar amount with which a
                     player begins can be set by the Sysop only with
                     the registered version.





       Setup
       ----------------------------------------------------------------

       Setup is as easy as the rules.  If you've previously setup doors
       using ProKit, you already know how to do it!

       Create a directory for CardFish, and copy all of the files from
       this .ZIP into it.  The program will create all other necessary
       files.

                                        -1-


       Setup (Contd.)
       ==============



       The CARDFISH.CNF file is included.  It can be customized using
       the following guide.




       Line 1         DRIVER

          Example #1:
          INTERRUPT   - The best driver to use.

          Example #2:
          PCBTrap     - Available if INTERRUPT doesn't work for you.



       Line 2         BANKBREAKER FILENAME

          Example:
          CARDBANK    - The name of the CardFish BankBreakers file.
                      This should include the full pathname.


       Line 3         BULLETIN FILENAME

          Example:
          FISHCARD    - The name of the bulletin file.  This should
                      include the full pathname.


       Line 4         MAX NAMES ON SCORECARD

          Example:
          10          - The number of the top scores to display.  The
                      maximum number is 100.


       Line 5         MAX PLAYS PER DAY  (* Registered Feature *)

          Example:
          3           - The maximum number of times a caller can play
                      in one day. If set to 0, the caller can play
                      an unlimited number of times.




                                        -2-



       Setup (Contd.)
       ==============


       Line 6         SUIT SWITCH

          Example:
          ON          - This flag allows you to control the suit values.
                      If you want the suits to have an effect on the
                      play, set to ON.   Otherwise the face value of
                      the card will be used.


       Line 7         MINIMUM FOR BANKBREAKER

          Example:
          5000000     - The bankbreakers minimum value, or the minimum
                      required to break the bank.  The maximum is
                      $999,000,000,000,000. (Note: If the minimum is
                      set below $100,000, the program will default to
                      $1,000,000.)


       Line 8         MAX JOKERS  (* Registered Featured *)

          Example:
          6           - The number of Jokers in the deck.  The more
                      Jokers, the tougher the game.


       Line 9         MONTHLY RESET SWITCH

          Example:
          Y or N      - Delete the CARDFISH.DAT file at the end of the
                      month.  By entering Y, the CARDFISH.DAT, the score
                      card, and BankBreakers files are deleted (reset to
                      zero,) on the first of the month!


       Line 10        STARTING CASH  (* Registered Feature *)

          Example:
          10          - The dollar amount the player starts with when
                      they begin the first time, after they have gone
                      bankrupt, or the beginning of a new month.  The
                      maximum is $50,000.





                                        -3-



       Setup (Contd.)
       ==============


       Line 11        CRC SWITCH

          Example:
          Y or N      - Enable or Disable the CRC check at the
                      beginning of the program.  This might cause the
                      program to run too slow, or cause it not work at
                      all for you! Setting to N will disable the CRC
                      check.


       Line 12        MACHINE TYPE

          Example:
          8086        - Selects the type of machine CPU that you have
                      to allow you to speed up the card shuffling. Will
                      default to 80386 if left blank. Use 8088, 8086,
                      80286, 80386 or 80486 for your specific machine,
                      or just leave it blank.


       NOTE:  The bulletin file feature and the default starting amount
              are only enabled if you have registered your program.
              Just a minor incentive for you!





       The Batch File
       ----------------------------------------------------------------

       The batch file is what PCBoard uses to call CardFish.  It
       should look something like this:

           echo off
           c:
           cd\pcb\doors\cardfish
           cardfish cardfish.cnf c:\pcb
           cd\pcb
           if exist event.bat event       <---- THIS LINE IS IMPORTANT!
           board


       NOTE:  Line 6 is needed due to the ability of the program to
              allow the user to logoff the BBS.


                                        -4-



       Other Notes
       -----------------------------------------------------------------

       Sysop may also wish to delete the standard startup screen and the
       closing message.  You can change both the CRDSTRT file (opening
       screen) and the CARDBYE file (closing screen) to display any type
       of opening and closing messages that you wish.  Use the PCBoard
       ANSI codes for coloring.

       There is no need to run any carrier monitoring programs such as
       Watchdog because of ability of ProKit routines to handle the
       communications functions.

       You can also run CardFish in a local mode without having to load
       PCBoard.  All you need to do is add LOCAL in caps to the end of
       your command line.  Example:

                      CARDFISH CARDFISH.CNF C:\PCB LOCAL




       Support
       -----------------------------------------------------------------

       If you need any help with the setup or have any problems with
       the door, you can reach me via the DOOR-UTL Conference on
       U'NI-net/US.

       Another place to get support, and probably the fastest way to
       reach me, is on The Ledge PCBoard (see number for The Ledge
       PCBoard on page 5.) You can leave a personal message for me
       there as I check in every other day or so.

       Please describe the nature of the problem, the system you are
       running (hardware, software, and version of software,) your BBS
       phone number, and a number where you can be reached by voice.  I
       will get back to you as soon as is possible.


       The Thanks
       -----------------------------------------------------------------

       I must say thanks to Joseph Sheppard of The Ledge PCBoard, and
       Alex Sandor of The 42 BBS III.  They have gone out of their way
       to test this door and help me out with ideas along the way!  I
       also wish to thank Sam Smith of The Tool Shop.  Sam has created
       the BEST door kit in the world!  Without the help of these people
       this program would not have been possible.


                                        -5-



       I would also like to thank Jon Badeaux of The Hotline PCBoard for
       some new ideas, thoughts, and especially for his help with this
       documentation!

            The Ledge BBS        - [phone]
            The Hotline PCBoard  - [phone]




       Program fees
       -----------------------------------------------------------------

       CardFish is not free, it is Shareware.  If you like this program
       and consider it to be of value to you, send a contribution to the
       author.  $20 is recommended.  (Please see page 6.)

       When you register, you will receive a registration file, and you
       will be entitled to free updates as they are available.

       If you would like me to call your BBS and upload the
       registration file to you, please enclose a couple of dollars more
       to cover the long distance phone call.  Please leave me a note
       telling me that you would like me to call you.



       Please send all contributions to:

            Mark A. Downing
            P.O. Box 921808
            Sylmar, CA 91392-1808



       IMPORTANT NOTE:  Checks must be made payable to Mark A. Downing.















                                        -6-


       CardFish Order & Registration form
       CardFish v3.5 - Copyright (C) 19990, 1991, Mark A. Downing
       -----------------------------------------------------------------

                                                    Version     Amount

       (__) CardFish Registration ..............   _________   _________


                                             Total Enclosed    _________


       Please notify me if you'd like me to call your BBS to upload
       your registration file and the latest version of CardFish.
       Please enclose $3.00 to cover the cost of a long-distance call.

       -----------------------------------------------------------------

       Enter the following information as you want it to appear on
       your registration.

       Registered to:

                  ____________________________________________________
                  Example: The Stand BBS


       Your Name  ____________________________________________________

       Address    ____________________________________________________

                  ____________________________________________________

                  ____________________________________________________


       BBS Name and Phone number:

                  ____________________________________________________

       -----------------------------------------------------------------

                Please mail to:            Mark A. Downing
                                           Attn: CardFish Registration
                                           P.O. Box 921808
                                           Sylmar, CA 91342-1808

       You will be able to pick up your registration file and the latest
       version of CardFish from The Ledge PCBoard in Tujunga, CA.  The
       phone number is [phone].  I will be offering support on
       The Ledge for all registered users.

                                        -7-



       History
       -----------------------------------------------------------------

       v1.0 - First release of CardFish                         03/15/90

       v1.1 - Second release of CardFish                        03/20/90

       v2.0 - Third release - mostly cosmetic changes           07/02/90

       v2.1 - Cosmetic fix                                      07/22/90

       v2.2 - Minor recoding                                    07/25/90

       v3.0 - New items for the third official release          11/30/90

       v3.1 - A fix for 3.0 that didn't quite work

       v3.11- This should take care of it

       v3.2 - This is the fix for the fix for the fix for 3.0   12/07/90

       v3.3 - Changed structure of code to allow large numbers  02/20/91





























                                        -8-