home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Shareware Overload
/
ShartewareOverload.cdr
/
games
/
sc275.zip
/
SC.DOC
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1990-06-25
|
34KB
|
770 lines
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SECOND CONFLICT (tm) │
│ the Galactic Conflict Continues │
│ by Jerry W. Galloway │
│ and E.R. Markgraf │
│ (c) 1988,1989 │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Background: 75 A.I. (Age of Imperium)
When the first Galactic Conflict was over and the dead
buried, The Grand Admiral and his victorious fleet controlled
the known Galaxy. All enemy formations of effective
military capacity were dispersed or destroyed. Unopposed,
The Admiral assumed governmental control and established
himself as Emperor.
Under the Pax Imperium, trade exploded between the
stars of the Galaxy. Technological and cultural exchanges
spread science, medicine, and economic riches widely. By A.I.
33, fifty solar systems were classed "highly industrialized",
and a hundred more were "industrialized". Healing the scars
of war, planets were rebuilt into comfortable paradises where
science and art could flourish. "Hail the Imperium" was the
call of the day.
Inevitably, social and political systems evolved to create
circles and barriers around the throne. As late as A.I. 35,
common citizens could still petition the Emperor. After the
death of the First Emperor in A.I. 36 , however, all of this
rapidly changed. Emperor Yarbrous, crowned in A.I. 37
after the mysterious death of his elder sibling, immediately
decreed laws restricting the rights and voice of the common
man. Only the wealthy and influential could run for
Imperial office. Bribery became the official method of
procuring assistance from civil servants. A brief public
uprising was quelled by force. In response to public
denunciation of his policies, Yarbrous gave the Imperial
Police direct control of local law enforcement agencies.
Historians mark 39 A.I. as the start of the Age of Repression.
After the assassination of Yarbrous in A.I. 43, four
Emperors held and lost the throne before Selenius ascended in
A.I. 51. Selenius ruled for ten years, and rescinded many
of Yarbrous' (and his "successors") laws. Relative stability
marked the rule of Selenius. One change fosteredby Selenius
was the creation of individual System-controlled military
forces, meant to be a counterbalance to the Imperial Navy
should a
despotic Yarbrous ascend again in the future.
Overshadowing his enlightened rule, these navies would prove
the most lasting legacy of the Emperor Selenius.
Selenius died abruptly in 61 A.I. without an heir,
spawning another chaotic battle for ascension. In A.I. 63,
with systems at the brink of civil war, compromise between
three major factions in the House of Peers placed Magnor on the
throne. Weakly held together, the Imperium was at a low boil
during the following decade. In A.I. 73, Imperial Admiral
Galbraith declared himself Governal-General in the Altair
sector, placing his fleet along the Imperial border to thwart
reunification attempts. A combined Imperial fleet was sent to
smash Galbraith. Galbraith himself was killed in the action,
but several of his Admirals escaped with their fleets.
Systems that had supported Galbraith declared themselves
neutral, free of Imperial or Altarian control. The Combined
Imperial fleet, heavily battered, was forced to withdraw to
the Imperium. The Altarian sector became an independent,
fractious federation of warlords with loose ties to the
Imperium.
The coalition supporting the Emperor was unable to reach a
compromise on the Altairian situation. Each faction saw a
chance to seize the area for itself, and flooded the sector
with agents, money, and arms. The Emperor was almost
powerless to raise the large fleets needed to bring Altair back
into the Imperium. In A.I. 75, The Second Galactic Conflict
began.
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ Second Conflict: The Game │
└─────────────────────────────┘
Units:
There are five types of mobile units in Second Conflict.
These are WarShips, StealthShips, Transports, Troops, and
Missiles.
WarShips are naval vessels designed to destroy other
vessels, one each turn. WarShips cost one point to build.
StealthShips cost three times as much, but make undetectable
Scouts and always fire first when they attack. StealthShips
represent your offensive punch. Transports are units designed
to transport armed men into combat, or carry industrial production
materials. Transports also cost three points to build.
Transports are typically escorted by large fleets of WarShips.
Each Transport can carry fifty troops or 50 points of production
capacity. Troops represent the men and machines needed to wage
ground warfare. Only Troops can capture planets, although WarShips
can bombard from Space.
Missiles are high-speed intelligent guided missiles that are
expended after one flight. They attempt to target enemy defenses
and production capacity.
In addition to the mobile units, you can also build Defenses
within a star system. Defenses destroy two incoming WarShips
each combat phase, and fire before everything except attacking
StealthShips. If defenses are active and missiles are present,
missiles will be launched defensively during an invasion.
Stars and Factories:
Star systems are represented on the map by the first
letter of their name. There are 26 stars in the Altair Sector,
each having up to ten planets. Star systems have Factories
that are used to produce military units or more factory
capacity. These facilities represent asteroid mines, low-
gee workshops and living quarters, large orbiting construction
docks, and other non-planet based industrial capacity.
New Factories cost 5 points for each current production point,
I.E. if your system currently has 5 Factories, it will cost 25
points to build a 6th Factory in that system. Each Factory can
only produce 1 unit each game turn, no matter how many points
you accumulate. High morale will allow additional units to be
built each turn. Note that the 1 unit per Factory production
limit does NOT apply to the player's original home system!
Fleet combat occurs in star systems, but does not automatically
give you control of any planets. Troops may be moved off-planet
onto Transports that are orbiting in the same star system.
Planets:
Each star system may have up to ten planets. Planets also
have "production" values, which are used to produce Troops.
Control of a system does not give control of the planets
therein, they are completely separate entities. Planets must
be invaded with troops before you control them.
Morale:
Every star and planet has a morale rating, which is
based on your current standing. This game factor is probably
the most important of all. Morale is added to the
production value to determine an "actual" production. It also
affects the amount of garrison you need to keep on a planet or
in a system. Normal morale is 1, maximum morale is 5. Morale
changes with your score, or by random events. Civil war or
system revolt will occur at morale levels below -4.
Garrisons:
You must keep a garrison of ships in a system and troops
on each planet to keep your subjects orderly. The required
garrison is three times production, plus three times the inverse
of your morale. This means you need a larger garrison if morale
is bad, and a smaller one when morale is high. For planets, the
Load All command will leave a sufficient garrison. If you
load manually, you are on your own. Garrisoning systems is
up to you. When you have insufficient garrisons, morale will
drop until you reach the revolt level. Note that if random
events are enabled, a morale event may strike a planet that has a
minimum garrison and cause serious problems.
Production:
Production occurs at two levels; in Systems and on
Planets. Production is expressed as a point value. A star
or planet's current Morale rating is added to it's
production value when calculating production points. Star
systems can be instructed to either produce military units
or invest in more Factories to increase production capacity.
If you have leftover points while building units or Factories,
they will be held in that system until the next production
phase. Planets, on the other hand, can only build one type
of military unit: Troops. The cost of the various unit types is
as follows:
WarShips 1 point
StealthShips 3 points
Transports 3 points
Defenses 1 point
Missiles 2 points
Troops 1 point
Wrecking:
Every unit type in the game may be voluntarily destroyed.
Wrecking units returns approximately 70-80% of the construction
value. Wrecking, however, is not allowed when system morale is
poor, I.E. less than zero. The population simply won't allow it.
Even planets may be wrecked, but this has an extremely adverse
affect on the morale of your empire and your military.
Score:
Your score is based on the number of stars, planets,
and Factories you have, and the amount of military equipment you
own. Since uniting the Altair Sector is your goal, the scoring is
weighted so that territory accounts for approximately half of your
score.
The maximum morale you can attain (barring random events, if
enabled) is based on your score. These are the weights:
WarShips 1/5 of 1 point
Transports 3 * WarShip value
StealthShips 3 * WarShip value
Defenses 2 * WarShip value
Troops 1/20 of 1 point
Missiles 2 * Warship value
Star 10 points
Planet 2 points
Factories 1 point each
Combat Ratings:
Each player has two combat effectiveness ratings, one
for naval (Fleet) combat, and one for ground (Troop) combat.
These ratings form the basis for your combat effectiveness. If
you are sucessful in combat, the applicable rating may
increase. When you get defeated, the rating may decrease.
Privateers:
Privateers are planet-based raiders and saboteurs that
appear in systems you don't fully control. Any time there
are enemy-controlled planets in a star system you own,
privateers will appear. Privateers destroy WarShips in an
attempt to lower system morale. The only way to guard against
Privateers is to secure all planets in a star system as soon
as possible. The damage that Privateers do is based on the
number of WarShips you have in the system, and the number of
unsecured planets there. The more of either, the more damage
you can expect.
Scouts:
Scouts are WarShips or StealthShips that have been
stripped of armament to increase their speed.Whenever you
request a Scout mission, one StealthShip or WarShip will be
adapted and dispatched to collect intelligence data on an enemy
star system. When the scout returns, it is restored to
full military capability. Missiles are also highly effective
as scouts, but of course they don't return.
Missions:
When you launch a fleet towards an enemy-held system,
you will be asked what mission the fleet is to perform.
Currently, there are three missions a fleet may perform in an
enemy system: CONQUEST, PROBE, and RESOURCE RAID. Conquest
is a fight-to-the-death mission of destruction. It's purpose
is to occupy and assume control of the enemy system.
A Probe mission's main purpose is attrition. One combat pass will
be made, then the fleet will return to it's place of origin. No
attempt will be made to occupy the system, even if all enemy forces
are destroyed. During this combat pass, however, not all defending
ships get to fire. Only a number equal to the probing fleet will
fire. This occurs because the probing fleet, by manuever, does not
allow a full-fledged combat to start.
Resource Raids are similar to Probe missions in that one round
of combat must be performed. Surviving ships then pack up some
resources and board some enemy vessels before flying back to the
system of origin. It's recommend to send some transports on this
type of mission....
┌──────────────────────────┐
│ Second Conflict: Setup │
└──────────────────────────┘
The shareware release, SCxxx.ZIP, should contain the following files:
SC.EXE the main game program
SCVIEW.EXE the endgame module
SCINIT.EXE the initialization module
SC.SCR a support file
SC.DOC this document
SCVERS.XXX changes and notes about release X.XX - Read 'em!
CONV270.EXE Convert files to version 2.70 format
If your copy has different contents, you can always get a fresh and
pristine copy from the Battlefield BBS, (718) 225-9083. See the
appendix for sign-on procedures.
NOTE: If you have old game save files, you MUST run CONV270.EXE
for them to work with version 2.70 or greater!
To begin enjoying Second Conflict, simply type SC and hit
enter at the DOS prompt. Optionally, you can type SC
<filename.ext> to automatically load a saved game file.
Everything else will take care of itself. If you did not supply a
filename on the command line, you will be asked if you wish to
start a new game or restore a game in progress. If
you wish to continue a saved game, select "O" and enter the name
of the savegame file, or select one from the menu. The other
selections at this level are for the scenarios. The only scenario
available in the Shareware version is "Beginnings".
On some scenarios, including ""Beginnings", you will be placed
in the Game Setup module. You must enter the number of stars (max:26),
players (max:10), and the name and type of each player. Players
can be either Human or Computer.
After you have specified the player mix, you will have the
opportunity to change several options. For the first few games, I
recommend that you use the default settings. After you get a feel
for the game, you may wish to adjust one of these:
Random Homeworlds -- if set on, each player's home star will be
assigned randomly. When turned off, player 1 will start on Altair,
player 2 will start on Beta 2, etc. The default is YES.
Display Level -- this value controls how much information you
are presented with each turn. At the lowest level, you will only
recieve messages about your actions. The map will only show your
stars, and stars you have scouted. Each value above 0 will show you
a little bit more, until you reach level 4 where you recieve
scout, reinforcement, event and combat messages and have a complete
map display to assist you. Levels 4 and 5 are intended for beginners.
At level 5, you even get an automatic Intelligence update "free" each
turn. The default display level is 0, Show Nothing.
Neutral Build -- if set on, neutral planets will produce more
Warships and troops each turn. The default is NO.
Computer Play Level -- this value, which ranges from 1 to 3,
will make the computer harder to beat. 3 is the hardest, and 1 is
the easiest. The default is 1.
Game Length -- this value is the length of the game in turns.
At the end of the game, the final scores are displayed and the
program is placed in VIEW mode allowing you to inspect enemy
positions in detail. The default value is 100 turns. The game
may end sooner, of course, if there is only one active player or
there are no active human players.
Production Level -- this sets the initial production maximums
used to generate the galaxy. LOW production set a maximum of 10,
MEDIUM limits the range to 15, and HIGH sets the ceiling at 20.
The default is MEDIUM.
Ship Speed -- this is used to adjust how quickly WarShips and
Transports reach their destinations. LOW is 3/turn, MEDIUM is
4/turn, and HIGH is 5/turn. The default is MEDIUM.
Random Events -- This selects the basic level of random events.
Turn it on to find out what they are! The default value is NO.
Advanced Events -- This selects a more volatile level of
events. Events can be both good or bad, at either level. This
level includes the basic level.The default is NO.
After you have accepted the game setup options, you will be
shown maps of the Altair sector. Pick one that you like. When you
have accepted a map, actual game play will begin. For your first
game, try to place yourself in a large cluster of stars that is
widely separated from your computer opponents.
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ Second Conflict: Displays │
└─────────────────────────────┘
The main Second Conflict game display consist of four
parts. The Field of Honor shows the Altair Sector map. Neutral
systems appear gray, and systems you have scouted appear bright
white. On monochrome systems, your stars will be shown in reverse
highlight. On color systems, each will have a unique color.
The Stars/Ships window occupies the upper right portion
of your screen. Numbers next to each system indicate the total
number of ships in that system (I.E., WarShips, StealthShips and
Transports). Enemy systems that you have scouted appear white,
and the number will show the number of ships that were there when
your collected the information. Note that this is not necessarily
the number of ships that are there now!
The Player window shows the current player name, the
turn, and the player's current combat effectiveness ratings for
both Naval and Ground combat.
The Menu area occupies the entire width of the bottom four
lines of the screen. All game options are selected here. To
select an option, either type the mnemonic letter of the command
or use the arrow keys to move the highlight over the option and
press ENTER. If you have a standard mouse driver loaded, you can
also use lateral mouse movement to move the cursor and click the
left button to select them. The ESCAPE key will almost always
abort the current command. Be careful, it will also exit a menu,
including the Main menu. Exiting the main menu ends your segment
of the turn, and allows the next player to begin.
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Second Conflict: Sequence of play │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Second Conflict is played in phases; each player has a
movement phase before the program processes the results. All
movement is simultaneous. Combat occurs when movement places
units of different players in the same locale. This is the order
in which the phases are processed:
Player 1 inputs orders
Player 2 inputs orders
Player n inputs orders
Movement is resolved
Combat (if any)
New Production
Random Events (if enabled)
Morale and Revolt Check
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ Second Conflict: Commands │
└─────────────────────────────┘
Second conflict has two main menus; the Main menu and
the System menu. The main menu contains options that are
global to your empire, while the System menu is oriented
toward a single star system. Here is a list and brief
description of each command:
MAIN MENU COMMANDS
A - Top Ten Admirals display
B - Basic statistical information about you empire
C - Change your home system
D - Exit to DOS temporarily
F - Show Fleets in transit
G - Go To a star system you own (enables the System Menu)
I - display your intelligence information
L - Display the results of Last Turn and read messages
M - Send messages to other human players
N - go to Next system and give orders
P - Display production data for all stars you own
Q - Quit the game
R - Restore a saved game
S - Save the current game
X (or ESC) - Exit your phase and let another player go
Z - Ze Score for all players
SYSTEM MENU COMMANDS
A - set up an automatic movement path
B - Use WarShips to bombard enemy planets
C - Change system production type
D - Distance to another star system
E - Attempt to detect inbound Enemy fleets
F - display Fleets and destinations
G - Give a fleet away (presumably to an ally!)
I - display intelligence reports
L - Load troops from planets onto Transports
M - Move a fleet to another system
N - go to another system and give orders
P - toggle the System Display Panel for this menu
R - Recall a fleet (from the fleet display) to this system
S - Send a scout to an enemy system
U - Unload troops onto planets (can initiate invasions)
W - Wreck resources (ships, factories, etc.) for build points
X or (ESC) - Exit back to the Main Menu
┌───────────────────────────────┐
│ Second Conflict: Strategies │
└───────────────────────────────┘
NOTE: See SCVERS.xxx for more information.
The only way to really develop effective strategies is, of
course, to play the game. We can, however, provide you with a
few tips to get started.
Missiles don't attack unles they are the only thing in a
fleet. If there are ships in the fleet, it's assumed that the
missiles are just being carried along for use in the target system.
When you successfully take a system, invade as many
planets as you can. Don't go for just the highest producers right
away. The more planets you control, the fewer Privateers will
attack your fleet.
Troops are scarce. Don't waste them, or leave them on
Transports where they will be lost if your system is successfully
attacked.
Be careful with your garrisons. They are both for
defensive purposes and to prevent unrest and revolution.
Garrisons that are too large will rob you of offensive might,
whereas garrisons that are too small will encourage revolt and
enemy attacks. Remember, there are no "front lines" in space. You
are never safe from attack.
Don't overproduce Transports unless you need them. They
cost three points each to build, and the Wreck command will only
recover about 70% of your investment. Each can carry 50 Troops or
production points, and you will NEVER have as many WarShips,
StealthShips and Missiles as you would like.
The name of the game is OFFENSE, which means StealthShips.
Missiles work well too, but are expensive and are not reuseable.
Defenses are nice, but won't win the game for you. Be sure to keep
a few defense around, of course, to ward off missile attacks and
allow a chance to detect incoming attack fleets. Just don't go
crazy with Defense unless you really have to.
If you are playing with multiple human players,
consider making alliances. These can be short-term affairs, and a
"gift" fleet from an ally can make a Galaxy of a difference at a
critical time!
In general, it is wise to keep your fleets on the move.
The enemy can't destroy what he can't find.
The computer player can be TOUGH at level 3 and fast
movement speed. Choose this setting with care!
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ Second Conflict: Credits │
└─────────────────────────────┘
Second Conflict has been brought to you by the
Sysops of The Battlefield BBS, Jerry Galloway (AKA
Wargamer) and Eric R. Markgraf. The Battlefield is a 24
hour system that can be reached at (718) 225-9083, at
3/12/2400 baud. An on-line version of Second Conflict is
available there, and of course lively discussion and the
latest program versions. If you have suggestions and/or
comments, please feel free to call The Battlefield or
easyplex me on Compuserve (72750,567). You'll probably have
better luck reaching me on The Battlefield, I'm there every
day. See the next section for sign-on instructions.
Special thanks must go to our playtesters, Kenny
Grumer (AKA Fishman) and Perry Markowitz (AKA Satyr). Their
suggestions helped make Second Conflict what you see. Eric
and I also clocked many a long hour at the helm trying to grind
this program into dust. A very, very special thank you must
go to Susan, who put up with my long stints in the computer
room.
If you find a bug or have a suggestion, please call the
BBS or drop us a line via the U.S. Snails (Mail). If you write,
include a check!
That leads nicely to the sales pitch. Second Conflict is
a Shareware program, which means that you can evaluate it free of
charge.
You are licensed ONLY to evaluate and examine the Second
Conflict package for a period of no more than 3 games. After a 3
Game period, however, you must either permanently transfer the
license or register the software.
You are encouraged to transfer the software, provided:
1) You do not modify it the package in any way
2) You include this document in unmodified form
3) You register or permanently transfer the software after
3 uses ("Permanently transfer" means you give a copy of
Second Conflict to ten friends and then erase yours!)
You are MORE strongly encouraged to REGISTER the software!
Second Conflict is a copyrighted work to which we retain all
rights. Be advised that all registration fees will support future
upgrades and enhancements to Second Conflict, and make it all worth
doing!
REGISTRATION INFO:
We've put a lot of work into this package!
- Registration is $20, payable in US funds.
Registered users will recieve the latest version by return mail, and
the Second Conflict GAME EDITOR and SCENARIO PACKAGE. The Game Editor
allows you to change all configurable game parameters, such as
production levels, morale factors, system positions, etc. ad
nauseum. 'Nuff said.
The Second Conflict SCENARIO PACKAGE includes 5 more exciting and
challenging pre-set game positions to test your Admiralship skills!
- Registered users may also request Second Conflict On-line, the BBS
Door version of Second Conflict! You have to ask for it to get it,
though.
Send all registrations (check or money order, please) payable to
Jerry W. Galloway
61-15 218th St.
Bayside, NY 11364
Please include your return address and disk format (5.25 or 3.5")
desired. Remember, if you play Second Conflict more than five
times you are under moral and legal obligation to register your
copy of Second Conflict.
Constructive comments from registered users will be taken VERY
seriously. Second Conflict is growing and changing, but we need
your support to continue.
We hope you enjoy the game!
JW Galloway and ER Markgraf
06/08/90
Keep an eye open for the Microsoft Windows version!
Appendix A: Signing on to the Battlefield BBS
The Battlefield BBS runs on a PC-AT clone with Citadel-86e software. When
you connect, you should type "L" to Login. If this is your first call,
you will be asked to leave registration information about yourself. This
includes all the typical stuff like real name, phone number, etc. All
information is kept in strictest confidence. Your data is safe with us!
Registration is usually updated around 0630 ET each day.
After you are registered, you will have full access to the BBS. The Battlefield
is a general-purpose BBS, with special emphasis on Second Conflict and the new
XSHIP experimental ship simulator. Feel free to do anything you want while
connected. Public-domain or Shareware files are accepted for IBM or Amiga
computers.
Citadel-86e has a somewhat strange command format. Once you get the hang of
it you'll like it a lot, but it can be confusing the first time you use it.
That's the point of this narrative, making your call productive. Many of you
will be calling to get the latest version of SC, or to report a problem
you've had with the software.
To get started, you may want to read some on-line help. Typing ".H SUMMARY"
will give you a nice overview of the available commands. Citadel-86e doesn't
use menus, but a menu-like display can be generated at any time by typing
the "?" key.
If you want to go directly to the Second Conflict areas, you can type
".G SECOND CONFLICT". To list the files in the SC room, type ".D". The
download command is a four-parter:
.RXF <filename> for XMODEM
.RYF <filename> for YMODEM or
.RZF <filename> for ZMODEM
where <filename> is the name of the file you want to download.
To post a message in a public room, simply type "E". To leave private
mail, type ".G MAIL" to go to the E-mail room before typing "E" to enter
a message.
To read messages, simply type "R". If there are a hundred new message (which
is likely the first time you call) you may wish to read only the last
twenty or so. Type ".RL 20" to read the last 20 messages.
When you're ready to log off, please don't drop carrier. That's not polite!
Type ".TQ" to terminate the connection.
