Cream of the Crop 11

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Text File | 1995-12-15 | 19KB | 379 lines

Copyright (C) 1995 DISCLAIMER The author has taken every precaution to insure that no harm or damage will occur on computer systems operating this package. Nevertheless, the author shall NOT be held liable for whatever may happen on your computer system or to any computer systems which connects to your own as a result of operating this package. The user assumes full responsibility for the correct operation of this software package, whether harm or damage results from software error, hardware malfunction, or operator error. NO warranties are offered, expressly stated or implied, including without limitation or restriction any warranties of operation for a particular purpose and/or merchantability. If you do not agree with this then do NOT use this program. LICENSE AGREEMENT The game program, support files, and documentation are copyrighted products of Don Mcniel. Don McNiel reserves all rights to these products. This is protected by the United States of America (USA) and International Copyright Laws. In no way shall the components of the game software package be reproduced or modified in any form or method without prior expressly written permission from Don McNiel. A major portion of this software comes from the DDPlus Door Driver Package and was written by the authors of that package. The DDPlus Doordriver kit has been used for the communications, interrupt handling and some utility functions and that part of the software remains copyrighted by the authors of the DDplus Package. This game is distributed under the Shareware concept. You are allowed to operate this game for a trial period of thirty (30) days. After this trial period, you must register the game or discontinue its usage. Again if you do not agree with this then do NOT use this utility. INTRODUCTION: ------------ In here goes a general description and summary of your door product. Try to keep it to one or two paragraphs only. REQUIREMENTS: ------------ At this point in time the only requirements are FILES=10 (or more) in your config.sys file and ANSI.SYS. SHARE must also be loaded IF you intend to use the game in a multi-node environment OR under DesqView. The util is RIP aware but NOT a RIP util at this time. A FOSSIL is NOT required to run the game, although one will be supported if it exists. Automatic time slicing support is provided to most common multi-taskers as well. Files Included -------------- Below is a listing of all files for the this Game. If you are missing ANY of these files (except for the DOC and FRM files), the game will NOT function. Feel free to give out copies of the ENTIRE archive package of this game but please make sure all the files below are in that package: FILE_ID.DIZ - Ascii Description File for BBS Sysops on GOC HISTORY.DOC - Remote Directory Version History information file SYSOP.DOC - This text file you are reading BUGRPT.FRM - Preprinted bug report/suggestion/comment form and mailer. ERROR.LOG - Created by main program if error occurs 7. In order to run the game program online the following parameters may be used. "/Bxxxxx" This tells GAME.EXE to lock its baud rate at xxxxx. In order to get the most efficiency out of a high speed error correcting modem (9600 baud or above), you may lock the baud rate to a speed higher than what the caller is actually using. By locking the baud to say 38,400, the modem can compress text data that is being sent and achieve a baud rate much higher than the actual transmission rate. This will lock the baud rate at the same value for all nodes that use this command line. If you perfer a more selective way to lock baud use 'LOCKBAUD' command in the GAME.CTL file. "/Cx" (where x is 1..4) This specifies a comport number. Some bbs software does not create door information files (dropfiles) that contain the comport number. If your bbs does have a comport listed in the dropfile then there is no need for this parameter. The default is comport 0, local mode. "/E" - Expanded Memory Specification If your machine has over one megabyte of memory, then you may have some available. GAME.EXE can utilize EMS to improve game performance and reduce conventional memory requirements. This command will tell GAME.EXE to use EMS memory to hold its overlay buffer. Otherwise disc area may be used to hold this buffer. This needs a memory manager and when enabled and is compatible with DESQview. Default is NOT to use available EMS. "/F" This is a generic maintenance mode. It logs into the game with the name "SYSTEM MAINTENANCE" in local mode. "/H" This is a generic maintenance mode. It logs into the game with the name "SYSTEM MAINTENANCE" in local mode. "/L" This tells GAME.EXE to load up in LOCAL mode. This is good for testing or when a sysop just wants to "try out" the door without messing with his BBS setup. The "/L" mode will ask the user for his name and run the door in local mode. "/Nx" (where x is 1..9) This specifies a "node number". Some bbs software support multinode environments in which you must know the node number of the drop file to use. For example, RBBS-PC uses DORINFOx.DEF. If you specified "/N2" then GAME.EXE would use DORINFO2.DEF. "/Mx" (where x is up to 2 filename acceptable characters) Used to specify one of Multiple control files. If you have created more than one GAME.CTL file (GAME1.CTL, GAME2.CTL, etc.) for each node or network PC then you can select the one you want by using the /M parm. Example: "/M2" will force GAME.EXE to use GAME2.ctl. "/Pyyy" This specifies the path to the drop files. For example, "/PC:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE1" would tell GAME.EXE to look for the drop file in C:\WILDCAT\WCWORK\NODE1. If this is left out the program assumes the drop file is local. "/R" To force local RIP for the sysop. Used only if the program has RipLink built in and the door supports RIP. Use AFTER the /L parameter if you are using the door in local mode. "/V" This command will tell GAME.EXE not to show any display on the local screen. Only a colored screen and a message will be displayed. The cursor will not move as it will be turned off. Saves a little processing on multi-tasking systems. "/W" This flags the program that a network is present even though no multitaskers are detected. This is useful if the door is run on a network such as Novell that doesn't use multitaskers. COMMON ERRORS 003 File path not found. Check to make sure the game directory is correctly named as GAMEDIR. 201 Files not found. Check to make sure that all required games files are in the GAMEDIR directory. 8. Install the door into your BBS software (see your BBS software documentation for more information). A batch file is normally used to do this. To run the program just have your batch file change to the GAMEDIR directory and run GAME.EXE - Thats all there is to it! Three different batch files sample are included to help you run the game. These are included with the game for editing and your use. Remember when writing the batch routines for my games you must ensure that the game is run from it's home directory AND that the game knows where to find the drop file. Satisfy these two requirements and you should have no problems running the game as long as the other setup criteria has been met. For dorinfo systems try using the following: Sample Batch File ----------------- COPY DORINFOx.DEF \RBBS\DOORS\GAMEDIR\*.* CD \RBBS\DOORS\GAMEDIR GAME x <-=- NODE number !!DO NOT USE "x"!! del dorinfox.def CD \WC30 --> Please note that you replace the "x" with the appropriate node number. Ex: Dorinfo1.def ; Dorinfo2.def ; etc... 9. If you would like a score bulletin just have the game batch file copy the *SCORE.DAT file to wherever you have your bulletins. Example: Copy C:\WC30\DOORS\GAMEDIR\*SCORE.DAT C:\WC30\BULL\BULL11.BBS Please note that NO *SCORE.DAT file will be generated UNTIL a player completes a game and has better then a zero (0) score. If the first player quits BEFORE finishing the game the file will not be created. 10. If you would like the news file to become a bulletin just have the game batch file copy the NEWS.DAT and/or OLDNEWS.DAT file to wherever you have your bulletins. Example: Copy C:\WC30\DOORS\GOC\NEWS.DAT C:\WC30\BULL\BULL12.BBS 11. Surprise! There is NO separate daily maintenance to be performed. The first player of each day will automatically run the built in maintenance routines. WHAT TO DO IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS -------------------------------- Every effort is made to ensure that the game runs correctly before it leaves my BBS as Shareware. If you are experiencing problems please do the following BEFORE calling me: 1. Read ALL the SYSOP.DOC to ensure you have setup the program and have met all the program requirements. 2. Use the B4UASK.DOC as a checklist to ensure that you have not done anything wrong. Multinode use ------------- This game supports multinode use and provides automatic multi-tasker support (time slice releasing) for a wide variety of multi-taskers. Common Problems (Locked Bauds, High Speed modems, etc) ------------------------------------------------------ 1. The game does NOT require a fossil driver to run. 2. If you are running a high speed modem (9600 baud or above), then I suggest you run your bbs/mailer/doors at a locked baud rate. On high speed error correcting modems, locking the baud rate will have a noticeable increase on the speed of text that is sent. It's beyond the scope of this document to discuss configuring your BBS and mailer for a locked baud rate; you may wish to consult those docs for information on that. Here are a few things to keep in mind when setting up GAME with a locked baud rate: a. When using a locked baud rate, I highly recommend using a FOSSIL driver. This game will work at high speeds without one though. BNU is a good fossil driver which can even be loaded and unloaded before and after you run this game. b. If you are using a fossil, then make sure to tell the fossil that the port is locked. For BNU, to lock com1: at 38,400, you would use something like "L0=38400" on BNU's command line. c. If you lock the baud for one program, it must be locked for everything. You can't lock the baud for just this game, but not your BBS/mailer. d. You may need to use the /B switch on the game.exe Command line to specify the locked baud rate. For 19,200 this would be "/B19200" and for 38,400 this would be "/B38400". Please note there is no space between the "/B" and the baud rate. 3. What follows is some information on possible strange situations that may occur: a. Low speed users can play the game, but high speed users get garbage. - If you are not using the DORINFOx.DEF or DOOR.SYS drop file then you may wish to find a converter program to convert whatever drop file your BBS produces to the DORINFOx.DEF or DOOR.SYS format and tell game.exe to use that. Several converter programs are readily available on most BBS systems. CallDoor is a good one if you can find it. I have it on my BBS for download if you need it. b. The game hangs up when a user enters the game. - Sounds like the game is getting the wrong baud rate somehow. Try switching over to the DOOR.SYS drop file method if possible. c. Text and screens are getting cut off. - If you are running with a locked baud, then this could be caused by some sort of FLOW CONTROL problem. Try using a fossil if you aren't already. d. If you're using something other than the DOOR.SYS drop file, then I always suggest trying to use DOOR.SYS if possible. It is the most reliable method and has had the most testing. If that is not possible try DORINFOx.DEF as an alternative. e. A door locks up node 1. This can happen with fossils or the internal communications routines because it uses the default comport of 1 when NONE is found in the dropfile or game.ctl file. To correct this make sure the right port is shown in the dropfile OR game.ctl file. f. ANSI is reflected correctly on the local screen but the user is getting garbage. Assuming the user has ANSI installed then most likely the problem is at your end. First make sure you have configured the game.ctl file to show the correct locked port rate. Second make sure the dropfile is passing the locked port rate INSTEAD of the actual conncet rate. If it is not passing the locked port rate then you may need to use a different dropfile format OR use a dropfile converter program to change the line to show the locked port rate INSTEAD of the actual connect rate. CREDITS: -------- This relatively small section is just to recognize the GOOD people who have made this door a possibility. The DDPlus Team - Thanks to Scott Baker, Steve Lorenz, Bob Dalton, Andy Stewart, Tom Morgan and other contributors for that great turbo pascal door kit. If you ever want to make a door product for use with BBS's then this is the kit to get! DESQview is a registered trademark of Quarterdeck Office Systems. Doordriver kit is proprietary software by Scott Baker. Ripscript & Ripterm are registered trademarks of TeleGrafix Communications. Where to reach me ----------------- I can usually be reached at my BBS system, which should be listed in the section entitled "registration" which is below. I also habitually monitor ALL door related echos in the FIDO Net System. Registration ------------ If you or your users enjoy this game, then please register it. Information on price and how to register is shown on the enclosed REGISTER.FRM. Registration will disable the delay, allow additional options and entitle you to life time support through my BBS. BBS Support includes unlimited free updates and upgrades (not like some door game authors who charge for major upgrades/updates!) through my BBS and access to the game support conference on my BBS. To register this game just print out the registration form (REGISTER.FRM) file included with the game and send it with your check or money order to: HOW TO REACH ME BY MODEM --------------------------- Rad Shak! BBS (USA) (316) 524-8707 (USR v.Everything - 2400 to 28800 baud) (316) 524-0405 (USR v.Everything - 2400 to 28800 baud) Fidonet 1:291/39 Bug Reports/Comments/Suggestions -------------------------------- I have made every attempt to make sure the game is free of bugs, BUT the possibility always exists that one may have been missed by me or the playtesters. If you find a bug, or have a suggestion or comment to make which would make future versions better please print out the BUGRPT.FRM and mailer, fill it out, and send it to me. I read ALL of them and those people that lead me to find a bug or generate a better game will receive credit in the game documentation. PLEASE DO NOT NOTIFY ME OF PROBLEMS AND EXPECT ME TO FIX THEM IF YOU HAVE FAILED TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE BUGRPT.FRM AND OTHER INFORMATION I REQUIRE AS STATED IN THE B4UASK.DOC.