Files

VGA Planets Version 4 uses these special files:

*.RST VGA Planets Result file: This is the file that is produced by the Host program. This file is transferred from the host person to the player. The file can be transferred by Email, FTP, Web site scripting file server or by BBS download using one of the many VGA Planets door front ends. The version 4.0 RST file is compressed internally using a PKZIP algorithm, so there is no need to PKZIP a version 4.0 RST file. You can rename a version 4.0 *.RST as long as you do not change the RST file extension. Planets 4 can read any RST and figure out which race and game the file came from and automatically decompress and unpack the file.

*.TRN VGA Planets Turn File: This is the file that is produced by the player ' s program ( Planets4.exe ). The TRN can be renamed to anything as long as the TRN extension is maintained. The TRN is the file that continues all the new player commands for host to read. The host is expecting one TRN file from each player. If some players neglect to send in their TRN file host will still be able to run without the missing TRN. If you miss a turn you can not make it up, you must skip the missed turn and use the latest RST file to produce a new TRN. An old TRN from a past RST is referred to as a stale TRN. Host can not read a stale TRN, they are rejected and host logs an error in the host log file.

*.LOG: When host runs it records any important events in the host log file. The log file can then be reviewed as an aid in finding out what went wrong, what errors took place and if the players TRN files were okay.

*.WAR: A war file is produced on the players machine and stored in the war sub directory when a RST file is unpacked. All the data this player can read for this turn is stored in that file. After the player makes and sends in a new TRN file the WAR file can safely be deleted by the player. When unpacking a RST file, the PLANETS4.EXE program will delete any older WAR files that have matching game ID ' s and are from a past turn.

*.YIG: The game universe. The YIG file is made by MASTER. Host reads the YIG file during its host run. If you want to save a backup of your game universe all that you have to save is the YIG file. The file is a compressed file to save as much space as possible.

*.YOG: You will only see one of these if you are watching the directory during the host run or if host crashes. To insure maximum safety during a host run the host program makes a YOG file which is a copy of the YIG file and does all its actions on the YOG file. If the host is successful and there were no crashes during the host run the old YIG file is deleted and the YOG file becomes the new YIG file.

*.MAP: A compiled map file. Used only by MASTER to make a new universe.

*.VPS: VGA Planets Script file. Used only by MASTER to make a new universe.

*.RCE A Race pack. Holds one race. Contains data on what a race can do. Has the race leader picture, race symbol, fighter pictures and ground combat pictures. All races have a race pack number, the Federation has a race pack ID number of 101. The Federation will always have the race ID number of 101. The Lizards will be 102. Numbers above 100 were used to avoid confusing the race pack ID number with the player races number (1 to 30). Every race pack has a version number so that the race can be updated at a later time. When master makes a new universe and it finds more than one race pack with the same race ID ( two Federation Race Packs, for example ) the MASTER will use the race pack with the highest version number. Once master locks a certain race pack version number into a game, it can not be changed. The players will be required to have that race pack on their machine in their races directory. It does not matter what the race pack is named as long as the RCE extension is maintained. You could end up playing in 3 games that each use a different version of the Federation race. You would end up having race packs named something like: r101.rce, r101a.rce, feds.rce and feds2a.rce. All 4 are race pack ID 101, but have different version numbers. When planets4.exe opens the WAR file it will find and use the required race pack, if for some reason you are missing a required race pack it will let you know and you can go and download it and add it to your races directory.

*.SPK: VGA Planets Ship Pack. All the ship statistics and ship pictures are stored in this file. These files also have a version number and ship pack ID number. When a game is mastered the required ship packs ID numbers and version numbers are locked into the game ' s YIG file and can not be changed. The players are required to have the same ship pack on their computer in their own ships directory. The SPK files can be renamed to any name you wish as long as the SPK extension is maintained. You might end up with many ship packs with the same pack ID, but with several different version numbers. As long as their file names are different you will not have any problems. You can delete old ship packs that you are no longer using if you wish. RCE files are linked to SPK files. A RCE files will require one or more SPK files to be present. For example, the Federation RCE file requires that you have Ship Pack ( SPK ) IDs 101 and 102. Many different races are going to use Ship Pack ID 102, because it contains all the commonly used ships, such has freighters. When master puts together the YIG file it first checks the RCE files being used for what SPK file IDs are required. MASTER then links the YIG file to the highest version number of that SPK ID that is found in the ships directory. All RCE files will work with the highest version SPK files that are found.

STANDARD.DAT: Used by Master only. The file that contains all the standard data about all objects in the VGA Planets universe. When you run master the data in this file is embedded into the YIG (universe) file and can not be changed for the life of the YIG file. All the data in the STANDARD.DAT file is passed on to the players in their RST files.

The Program Files:

MASTER.EXE A 32 bit Visual Basic 5 Program, used to make new game universes (YIG files)

HCONFIG.EXE : A 32 bit Visual Basic 5 Program, used to configure the YIG universe at any time.

HOST.EXE: A 32 bit Console Program, This program reads in all the incoming TRN files plus the YIG file. The host then outputs all the players new RST files. It even outputs new RST files for players that did not turn in a TRN file. Once host runs and makes a new set of RST files, only these new RSTs can be used by the players to make the next set of TRN files for the host. All TRN files made using older RST files will be rejected. This program command line program does not use any of the Visual Basic run time libraries (It was not written in Visual Basic). It uses the DLL Compp32.dll, the files in the ships directory and the files in the races directory. Host also uses the files V4resx.dat and V4ResY.dat in the vpsys directory. Host does not use the massive ( 7.6 meg ) Plan4.pln file.

PLANETS4.EXE: A 32 bit Visual Basic Program. The players client program. It unpacks RST files making WAR files. It loads and reads WAR files and takes player command input. When it is all finished it produces a TRN file containing all the new command that is sent back to the host to be processed with all the other players TRN files at the same time by the HOST.EXE program.

VCR.EXE: The Visual Combat Recorder. The program will play back any VCR file. It will load combat files when ordered to by the PLANETS4.EXE program.