The current release, v2.2.4, makes changes to the TaskMaker application. The preferences and player character files remain fully compatible with the previous versions.
It is recommended that all users switch to this latest version of TaskMaker. There is no cost for registered TaskMaker v2.x users.
CONTACT ADDRESS ***** WE MOVED IN JULY 1995 *****
Storm Impact, Inc.
316 Nottingham Avenue
Glenview, IL 60025-5022 USA
Email: support@StormImpact.com
Web: http://www.StormImpact.com/
Fax: 847-729-2667
------ CHANGES FROM v2.2.3 TO v2.2.4
Friday, January 17, 1997
Ñ All player files and preferences are now checked for resource structure damage before opening. Damaged preferences are automatically thrown away, and damaged player files won╒t be opened.
Ñ The preferences have gained a more accurate checksum routine to detect external changes.
Ñ When in the background, TaskMaker no longer centers the cursor or checks the network.
Ñ Previously, hitting a creature could temporarily leave some visual residue on the screen.
Ñ A zombie with bad grammar has been corrected.
Ñ Moved the Technical Support menu item above the Product Information and Register menu items in the File menu.
Ñ The retail version of the register dialog included a ╥How Do I Order╙ button by mistake.
Ñ Storm Impact╒s internet address and web site have been added to the contact information.
Ñ A slight improvement to the compression algorithms reduced the size of the pictures by 3K.
Ñ Updated list of Macintosh model names.
------ CHANGES FROM v2.2.2 TO v2.2.3
Monday, July 29, 1996
Ñ After choosing Other Spell To Invoke or Edit Place Description, later dialog boxes would include extraneous text such as ╥What Other Spell To Invoke?╙. Thanks to Steven A. Tolbers.
Ñ The ╥watch╙ object had the wrong image number, causing it to look like something other than a watch, and also causing it to blink. Thanks to Noah Desch for taking the time to report it.
Ñ ResEdit fans couldn╒t add their own Magic Mouth 'TEXT' messages without causing the build-in virus protection to trigger. Thanks (again) to Noah Desch.
Ñ Somebody disassembled and posted an Other Spell To Invoke which was reserved for technical support. We wish the spell had remained a secret, and we kindly ask you not to type a spell which begins with ╥starlight╙.
Ñ Added product and vendor strings which can be read by help programs.
Ñ Updated list of Macintosh model names.
------ CHANGES FROM v2.2.1 TO v2.2.2
Tuesday, April 9, 1996
MISCELLANEOUS HARDWARE EXCEPTION ERROR #11
Ñ A handful of PowerPC 601 users reported that TaskMaker crashed with system error #11. This bug had been present since v2.2, but we believe we╒ve found it! It turns out that TaskMaker was temporarily changing a ╥read-only╙ memory location and then changing it back.
For most users, the ╥read-only╙ memory location was actually in writable memory, so no crash occurred. But, for a few users, the ╥read-only╙ memory location was on disk, and definitely ╥read-only╙, so the processor crashed with the highly generic bomb message ╥Miscellaneous hardware exception error #11╙. Not that we╒re shirking complete responsibility, but we would have caught this much sooner if Apple╒s bomb message had read ╥Read-only violation╙, ╥Write to code in virtual memory╙, or something like that.
Special thanks to Tony Martin at Connectix Corp. The biggest problem in catching this bug was that we couldn╒t get TaskMaker to crash at Storm Impact. Several users had reported conflicts between TaskMaker and Speed Doubler, and even though Tony Martin couldn╒t reproduce the conflict at Connectix, he sent copies of RAM Doubler and Speed Doubler for Storm Impact to try. The combination was just enough to force the ╥read-only╙ memory to disk, causing the crash, which made finding the bug easy. For the record, TaskMaker v2.2.1 was at fault, and TaskMaker v2.2.2 works just fine with Speed Doubler and RAM Doubler.
TEXT
Ñ Josh Juran pointed out that Pentamerous contained a spelling error. Our APOLGIES. Also, Thoreau breathes after his own fashion, not breaths, especially in Enitsirhc. Thanks Josh!
Ñ Cure Disease, in the Spells menu, has been changed to Heal / Cure Disease.
Ñ In the product information text, ╥40-page manual╙ has changed to ╥printed manual╙ since we've moved the registration pages from the manual to a cover letter.
Ñ We╒ve removed the text regarding the TaskMaker v1.0 upgrade from the order form, although the upgrade is still available. It confused a lot of new users, and less than 1% of our orders were upgrades from v1.0.
Ñ In the future, we may be distributing our software by CD-ROMs (in addition to floppies). That choice has been added to the order form, along with a few other minor changes.
TASKS
Ñ You can now receive a replacement ╥head╙ from the Head Rebel even if he╒s already in a happy mood. Thanks to Mike Montgomery.
Ñ For the Island Prison, ╥You╒re not strong enough to enter.╙ has been changed to ╥You cannot enter until the TaskMaker allows you to do so.╙
MASTER
Ñ Unpausing by keyboard now works even when the Master menu option ╥Keyboard Changes Floor╙ is selected. Thanks to Joe Ansingh.
Ñ If a Master picks up a ╥task╙ object, but the TaskMaker doesn╒t want it for the current task, you will no longer get the message ╥This is the item the TaskMaker wants!╙.
Ñ If a trap or exit was connected to an destination outside the current place, the confirmation message would incorrectly state that the connection was in the current place.
OTHER
Ñ Previously, a guard or local person would not become alerted (angry) if that person was last in memory. Also, it appears people in viewing range of an attack were not being selected properly to determine if they should get angry.
Ñ When the AppleTalk code takes over for a few seconds, and the watch cursor is centered in the window, the cursor will not be returned to the original location if you have subsequently moved the cursor.
------ CHANGES FROM v2.2 TO v2.2.1
Thursday, February 1, 1996
EXPIRATION DATE
Ñ TaskMaker v2.2 mistakenly contains a timer which deactivates the entire application after a certain date. The timer was supposed to be for pre-release (beta testing) versions only. Unfortunately, the public version of 2.2 shipped with the timer still active. Thanks to Richard Pastore for having the wrong date set on his Mac, so the bug was caught before affecting most users.
MISCELLANEOUS HARDWARE EXCEPTION ERROR #11
Ñ A handful of PowerPC 601 users have reported that TaskMaker crashes with system error #11. Despite considerable effort on everyone╒s part, the actual source of the bug has not been found. A few tweaks and a new version of the compiler may eliminate the problem, but David would still like to know the actual cause or at least be able to reproduce the crash in Storm Impact╒s labs.
Tweak: Don╒t fill, paint, or frame any rectangles that have a left side greater than the right.
Tweak: Dispose of text before closing the Product Information dialog.
Tweak: Zero out a few AppleTalk variables at startup, just in case.
Compiler: Recompiled using Code Warrior 8, which refers to a bug fix regarding alignment of PowerPC structures.
WEAR/WIELD
Ñ Clicking very quickly within the Wear/Wield screen should no longer move the window or flash the menu bar. Thanks to Bill Mayes╒ insistence that it was NOT the result of a tiling or window layering system extension.
MASTER
Ñ Masters can now pick up beds, toilets, stains, etc.
Ñ Masters using Enhanced Examine should now consistently be able to see special attributes immediately after they are installed, removed, or connected.
TEXT
Ñ Restored the end of the Player Info sentence ╥Task x: Return to Castle Hall ╙ by adding ╥to speak with the TaskMaker.╙
Ñ Trying to place a ship in Castle Hall using the ship creation spell now results in the message ╥We do not tolerate that here.╙
Ñ Josh Juran discreetly pointed out that the TaskMaker doesn╒t really want his items removed ╥discretely.╙
OTHER
Ñ When the AppleTalk code takes over for a few seconds, the watch cursor is centered in the window.
Ñ The hand cursor now appears briefly after TaskMaker has finished loading, which indicates that the user can click to immediately dismiss the startup screen.
Ñ Mute will automatically be turned off if the sound file was missing the last time TaskMaker was played, but is now present.
------ CHANGES FROM v2.1.2 TO v2.2
Saturday, January 20, 1996
ADDED FEATURES
Ñ You can now use the mouse for player movement by clicking on the tile in the direction you wish to move.
Ñ Doubled maximum score from 1,000,000,000 to 2,000,000,000.
Ñ If there aren╒t people or objects in the way, Examine will now indicate the player╒s horizontal and vertical tile location.
Ñ Examining a town or village now displays the actual name of the town or village rather than the generic name of the floor.
Ñ All compartments can be used to store things (space is allocated for the item on the fly).
Ñ Wishing for a key adds to the number of keys owned, instead of creating a key in your pouch. (Even still, it is an incredible waste of a wish.)
and....
MASTER MENU╒S NEW FEATURES!
Ñ The Master menu has a lot of new features: Keyboard Changes Floor, Edit Place Description, Remember Destination, Teleport To Destination, Connect Destination To Trap, Town, Or Switch.
Ñ Masters can now Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear. Holding down the option key while choosing Clear will erase the special attributes at that location, but not the floor.
Ñ Masters who Change Floor to a Magic Mouth and also have a 'TEXT' resource (of the same ID as the 'LAND' resource) with sayings on each line can choose which line the Magic Mouth says.
Ñ Masters who Change Floor to a ╥counter╙ (i.e. a shop counter) can associate the counter with a shop.
Ñ Masters who enable Enhanced Examine are now told the details about any special attributes at that location when examining. Also, marks are displayed to indicate a remembered destination, all traps, switches, towns, teleports, and compartments.
Ñ Masters who are ethereal are no longer prevented from getting objects and doing actions (i.e. switch switches).
Ñ You must be registered to use and see the Master menu. No duh. But the code to insure that was the case wasn╒t added until now.
GENERAL BUGS SQUASHED
Ñ The player now receives money for items sold in Quietwater (bug appeared in v2.1.2). Thanks to Peter Aarestad for reporting the bug.
Ñ Sometimes TaskMaker would hang on a PowerMac w/PCI while saving, which should no longer be the case.
Ñ Fixed a bug which could cause crashes at startup or after the About Box was closed. David is very embarrassed to reveal that his code has been calling DisposeWindow instead of CloseWindow. It was a juvenile programming mistake, and he apologizes.
GOODBYE SYMANTEC
Ñ TaskMaker is now compiled using Metrowerks CodeWarrior!!
COMPARTMENTS (graves, sand, floor safe, throne, and stone compartment)
Ñ If there isn╒t enough room to uncover a buried object, you╒ll be told ╥You need to recycle or sell an object before you can dig up anything else.╙ instead of ╥You can╒t find anything.╙ Additionally, the compartment cover won╒t open or the hole won╒t be dug (but it will still take strength to try).
Ñ Attempting to bury an object in a place that another object was stored in would mistakenly delete the object that wouldn╒t fit. This bug is fixed, even though there wasn╒t really a way to actually get it to happen.
VISUALS
Ñ The disembodied head required for a task had a screen image that looked like diamonds (image #70) rather than a head (image #170).
Ñ Renamed TaskMaker Colors to TaskMaker Color Art.
Ñ Show the watch cursor whenever checking the network serial number.
Ñ Adjusted tiny icon to make it look less like the TaskMaker is tilting his head. Hmm, nope, he still looks like he╒s tilting his head.
Ñ The Sound Manager version information in Technical Support now shows the minor and bug update numbers, not just the major update number.
Ñ A single tiny pixel is no longer missing from the lower right corner of the B&W ╥intellect╙ bar.
Ñ Updated copyright and version information.
SPEED
Ñ Magic Mouths (especially prevalent in the Tutorial) should speak without delay on slower Macs.
Ñ Talking to happy people and attacking fearful monsters before they move away is now easy on fast Macs. To speed things up on slow Macs, people and monsters are still allowed to ╥borrow╙ from their next turn while you think about moving your player.
Ñ Going into recent dungeons and villages should require less disk access as they are allowed to stay in memory if there╒s room. Also, all land now tries to follow an internal numbering pattern.
Ñ Startup is faster for slower Macs. Fast Macs are too fast to notice any difference.
MEMORY
Ñ The original B&W cursor (a hand) no longer hangs around, wasting memory, since it is used only once.
Ñ In some early Systems, it was possible to get very ╥colorful╙ dialogs because the color tables were released from memory while the dialog was still displayed. The color tables for dialogs are now non-purgable.
Ñ Memory may be stacked a little better at the beginning of TaskMaker, making it more available while the game is in progress.
SUPPORT
Ñ Improved the instructions for ordering TaskMaker and added a ╥How Do I Order╙ button to Registration dialog.
Ñ Moved Product Information, Technical Support, and Register from Play menu to File menu.
Ñ Removed the Advertisement menu item.
Ñ Changed the area code of all phone numbers to 847. Special thanks to the phone company for playing fast and loose with peoples╒ area codes. Also removed all non-fax numbers.
