************************************* Star General Demo Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) ************************************* STAR GENERAL README.TXT FILE TABLE OF CONTENTS: SECTION 1: SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS SECTION 2: INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS SECTION 3: GAMEPLAY NOTES SECTION 4: DESIGN NOTES SECTION 5: FEATURES NOT IMPELMENTED IN THIS DEMO SECTION 6: TROUBLESHOOTING SECTION 7: CREDITS ----------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 1: SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Star General requires: Windows 95 Version: Pentium-60 or faster 16 MB RAM Windows 95 Direct X II (included with this demo) 2X CD ROM Drive 1MB SVGA Video Card Win 95 Compatible Mouse DOS Version: (NOTE: A DOS version is not included with this demo) 486-66 8 MB RAM DOS 6.0 or higher Microsoft or Logitech Mouse 2X CD ROM Drive 1MB SVGA Video Card ----------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 2: INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Open the Star General folder Double-click on the SETUP.EXE file. Follow the on-screen prompts. NOTE: Star General requires Microsoft Direct X II. During the Star General installation process you will be prompted if wish to install Direct X II. Follow the on-screen prompts to install Direct X II. To start the game, double-click on SGDEMO.EXE. NOTE: Star General may not work on your system if you have a previous or later version of Direct X other than version II. If you have a previous or later version of Direct X II, you should choose to "Reinstall Direct X" during the installation process. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 3: GAMEPLAY NOTES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Following is a quick tutorial to get you going: When you first enter the game you will be in the tile screen. This screen will be where the Introduction Cinematic is viewed. Select the Green Check Mark to continue, and the Red X to exit. You will be brought to the scenario "Battle" selection screen. There are 4 demo scenarios available to play. Each scenario features two of the seven races included in the game. By selecting one of the scenarios and then hitting the green check mark you can continue. Each of the scenarios are described in the center of the screen. On the far right are two arrows, one up and one down. In the full version, this will cycle through the available scenarios. On the bottom of the screen are several buttons. The green check is the continue, the tank takes you to the "War" selection screen (disabled), the computer is the networking button (disabled), the man with an arrow pointing to the dollar sign is a conversion button. When highlighted, and a scenario is selected, this function will convert all of the starting troops in the scenario into resource points, so that you can play the battle on the specific scenario map with your preference of buys, and strategic placement. (recommended for varied two player play). Finally, the Red X exits back to the intro (title) screen. In the bottom center of the screen are the two races involved in the currently selected scenario. As you select different battles (above), these change. When you select either race icon, its individual briefing comes up in the above center briefing box. The two sliders below the race icons are used for the AI player, and are difficulty sliders. One gives the AI more resource points, and the other affects the AI's experience and skill. Once you have selected a scenario and gone on, you will be prompted through a couple of screens to the actual scenario. Each of the demo scenarios starts you off with some ships, and possibly some building facilities. In order to buy troops it is necessary to have an MI complex (on the ground) and/or a Space Dock (out in space). The pre-requisite to purchasing these is to own 1 Biodome, 1 Mine, 1 Factory, and 1 Plant. These are also required to own a Technology Facility (used for upgrading units). Note that on planets, only two structures can be built next to each city; therefore, on a planet with one or two cities, you can not purchase a Military Industrial Complex (or a dock), while on a planet with three cities, you could buy a mine, biodome, plant, and factory so that you can purchase an MI Complex. That would leave you space for a building of your choice. Command table: Goto a planet Left-Click on the planet. See a unit's stats Have the unit active, then select the unit info button in the unit menu on the right. Attack another unit If the unit is in your range of attack, a targeter will appear of the unit you wish to attack. Resupply a unit Click on the supply button on the unit menu (on right) (out of fuel or ammo) Transport (pick up) Have transport active, select go to planet on unit menu on right, while on planet select landing site, grab units (note you can place and grab as you like) Transport (drop off) Friendly Planet: Select a place to land, place units where you like. Unfriendly: You must select a landing zone, then place your troops in the two hex radius of the zone. Buy troops (Space) You must first own a space dock (adjacent to a planet). Select the $ button on the right main menu, click on a unit in the purchase menu, click on the space map (on the left) and the unit will be bought. (# next to unit in this screen is the tech level: For each Tech Facility you own, this number can be raised 1 to a maximum of 6) Buy troops (Ground) You must first own a Military Industrial Complex. planet). Select the $ button on the right main menu, Click on a unit in the purchase menu, click on the ground map (on the left) and the unit will be bought. (# next to unit in this screen is the tech level: For each Tech Facility you own, this number can be raised 1 to a maximum of 4) Asteroid Mining When a specialized ships (such as a recon) are adjacent to an asteroid, they can mine it by clicking the mine asteroid button on the right unit menu. Smart Text While playing the game, Smart text will appear (generally at the bottom left or top middle of the screen). When passing over buttons, this informs you of the nature of the button. Transports When a transport is adjacent to a planet, a button to land on the planet is available. Press this button, and then select a landing site on the planet. By selecting on various units on the ground, they will be loaded into the transport, and when the exit button is selected, the transport will go back out to space. NOTE: MILITIA UNITS CAN NOT BE TRANSPORTED. THEY ARE NATIVE AND EXCLUSIVE TO THEIR PARTICULAR PLANET. To drop troops onto other planets, your transport has to have at least one move point left, and select 'go to planet' button. At this point, you will have to select an actual landing zone (Circle, Square, or Triangle with flashing lights) to land on (unlike on an uncontested planet where you just select any old site to pick up troops). Your troops can be dropped of any where within two hexes of the landing pad. Save/Load After typing in a save name. Hit the enter key and then left-click on the save button. HotKeys F1 Changes back and forth from the Strength numbers to tech level. SHIFT-F8 Dumps the screen to a pcx file. Quit Button Found in the disk menu in the options menu, this quits the game. SHIFT-F12 Exits the game (even when the AI is playing the AI) ----------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 4: DESIGN NOTES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Star General is a space strategy game where you take command of one of seven races and conquer the universe. The game can be played in one of many pre-set scenarios, or you can set up a random universe and play your own custom game (NOTE: the random universe setup option is not included in this product demo). Battles take place in space with your fleet, and on planets with your ground troops. Each race has its own advantages and AI controlled tactics. The difference between Star General and most if not all other Space-Strategy games, is that Star General is played on two levels. You start with a home world or group of worlds under your control. You build up your troops both on the planet surface, and out in space. Troops from the surface can be transported from one planet, through space, to invade other races' worlds. In general, the objective is to conquer everything and every one, but the different scenarios in the final version will have specific objectives to accomplish. Star General also contains a Resource Management element. Key facilities must be built/purchased on the planet surface before you can produce military units in space or on the ground, or before you can upgrade the technology level of your forces. Production facilities can be built which provide additional resource points from turn to turn. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 5: FEATURES NOT IMPELMENTED IN THIS DEMO ----------------------------------------------------------------- Sound/Music: Music is not implemented in this version of the game. Full Redbook audio tracks will be provided in the final version. The sound effects currently used in the game are considered placeholder as well and will be shortened to speed game play. Cinematics: The cinematics for the game are not included with this version. Unit Encyclopedia: A 3D rendered animation library which displays the statistics for all the spacecraft in the game will be included in the final version of the product. This feature is not included in the demo due to disk space constraints. Diplomacy: A full diplomacy model will be included in the final version of the game (Keep those pesky AI aliens off your back!) Scenarios: The tutorial scenario, as well as the other scenarios which will ship with the game have not been included. The four scenarios provided are exclusive to this demo version. Hotkeys: The final version of the game will be replete with hotkeys. Multiplayer support: multiplayer support is currently planned for the production version of the game (but don't hold us to this if this feature is pulled by the product ship date!) :) ----------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 6: TROUBLESHOOTING ----------------------------------------------------------------- If the game sound does not work when game starts, exit the game and delete the prefs.dat file in the /log directory and restart the game. If the game crashes, make sure that the following files are in your LOG folder: STARGEN.OUT, DEBUG.OUT, and COMBAT.LOG. You also need to make sure that these files are set to READ/WRITE. You can change their attributes at the DOS prompt by typing: ATTRIB -r [FILENAME] ----------------------------------------------------------------- SECTION 7: CREDITS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Star General is published by Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) and developed by Catware. For additional information on Star General, you can visit the SSI website at: WWW.SSIONLINE.COM The Catware website is: WWW.CATWARE.COM SSI can be reached on CompuServe at: GO SSI. The CompuServe e-mail address is: 76711,250 SSI can be reached on AOL at: STRATSIM (GO SSI)