The Game Master (3rd Edition)

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Text File | 1989-09-01 | 12.8 KB | 260 lines

RRSWITCH: RAILROAD SWITCH CHALLENGE Version 5.0,(c) 1982-89, Fred Miller ------------ INTRODUCTION ------------ RAILROAD SWITCH CHALLENGE is a PC program designed to chal- lenge the best of the armchair wayfreight train crews. The game objective of RRSWITCH is to move railroad freight cars along simulated tracks to industry locations, and subse- quently assemble a departing freight train on the mainline track. The program and it's "layout" is loosely patterned after John Allen's TIMESAVER. RRSWITCH was originally written in 1982 to run on TRS-80 Model I PCs. Since that time the program has been modified to take advantage of better graphics and color. This version has been prepared to run on MS-DOS based PCs with CGA or bet- ter color graphics. Although it will operate on the original IBM PC (or TANDY 1000), the higher speeds of later PCs pro- vide for better graphics movement. The program will operate on DOS 2 or better on a machine with at least 256K. The program requires three files: RRSWITCH.EXE, RRSWITCH.OVL, and RRSWITCH.DAT to operate, and optionally RRSWITCH.TAB for saving scores. This file, RRSWITCH.DOC, is not necessary for program operation but it should be included whenever the other files are copied. ---------------------- OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS ---------------------- Note: An abbreviated version of these instructions is always available "on-screen" with a key press from the pop-up menu. Randomly generated switching assignments must be accomplished in a minimum of moves and with a minimum of demerits within a prescribed time limit. Moves are counted for each change in direction of the engine. Demerits are accumulated by running off the end of a track, by hitting (or trying to push) a car not coupled to the current train/engine, or by running a track switch not appropriately set to the train route. New (or repeated) switching assignments are generated and displayed in the upper left of the track layout screen. A running total of moves and demerits is displayed in the upper right portion of the screen, along with the time expended. Guidance messages are displayed on the bottom. +---+---+---+ The numeric keypad (keys as shown ->) is used | 7 | 8 | 9 | to control all train action. One hand, touch +---+---+---+ control becomes second nature after a few | 4 | 5 | 6 | trial runs. (Note that the NUMERIC LOCK and +---+---+---+ CAPS LOCK modes are automatically set and re- | 1 | 2 | 3 | leased by the program.) +---+---+---+ Routes are set by first selecting a switch with KEY-7, then setting the upper route with KEY-8, or the lower route with KEY-2. Couplers are set by first selecting a coupling position with KEY-9, then uncoupling with KEY-1, or coupling with KEY-3. The engine is moved Westbound by KEY-4, and Eastbound by KEY-6. --------------- THE POP-UP MENU --------------- KEY-5 is used to access a pop-up menu displayed in the cen- ter of the screen. Current game action may be continued after executing the various menu options. The pop-up menu functions and mode options are selected by pressing the designated key, or by moving the hi-lite bar to the selection, and then pressing [ENTER]. The selections available are: [N] = start a NEW switching assignment, [R] = RESTART the same assignment from the beginning, [C] = CONTINUE the current assignment, [P] = manually POSITION the cars on the layout to set up a specific assignment, [L] = LIST previously saved scores, and optionally select a previously recorded assignment to rerun, [D] = run automated DEMONSTRATION (continuously until stopped), [H] = display the five HELP panels, [E] = change ENGINEER's identification, [G] = display the scoring GOALS set for current assignment, [S] = toggle the SAVE Scores option ON or OFF, [M] = toggle the MUSICAL note emphasis ON or OFF, [T] = toggle the elapsed TIME game termination ON or OFF, [Q] = QUIT the program and return to DOS. -------------------- STARTING THE PROGRAM -------------------- RAILROAD SWITCH CHALLENGE is started from DOS by typing 'RRSWITCH'. Various command line options may also be set at start-up. The following run options can be included on the command line by typing the parameters in any sequence: C = use more attractive colors available through TANDY's CGA and IBM PCjr, V = also better colors for EGA or VGA (but still 320 x 200), NH = suppress display of help panels at initial program load, NR = suppress randomized switch assignments (recycle through the same assignments each time program is loaded), NM = suppress musical emphasis at demerit or end of game, (starts program with music toggled OFF), D = start program with an automated demonstration assignment, P = start program ready to manually position cars, S = start program with Save Scores option toggled ON, NT = suppress the timer option (start program with the game abort Timer OFF) Note that upper or lower case can be used and that no punctu- ation, (commas, spaces) is necessary. For example, a DOS command of 'RRSWITCH C NH D' would start the program in auto- matic demonstration mode using the TANDY colors, skipping the HELP screens. The command line entry of 'rrswitch cnhd' would give the same results. An additional command line option is provided to set the time- per-car timeout. The syntax is T=nnn where nnn is the number seconds per car (including caboose.) A default value of 60 seconds will be used if this option (T=) is not specified. Note that the 'NT' command line option and the 'T' Pop-up menu toggle will determine whether game assignments will be terminated at the end of the elapsed time regardless of the time-per-car setting. The elapsed time will always be displayed in the upper right screen, clicking away in 5 second increments, re- gardless of the NT or T toggle settings. At initial start, the program will ask for the engineer's initials. (DEM will be used for DEMO mode.) Three non-blank keystrokes are required. The engineer's identification will be displayed on the screen and also posted in RRSWITCH.TAB with the game description and scores, if the save option is toggled ON. The engineer's ID can be changed at anytime from the appropriate menu selection. --------------------- ASSIGNMENT GENERATION --------------------- A number of alternative approaches to generation of each new switching assignment are possible. The default at startup (or selection from the pop-up menu) is NEW, a completely random generation of car placements. In addition, a previous assign- ment may be selected for replay from the RRSWITCH.TAB file through use of the LIST/SELECT option on the menu. And still another alternative is that of manual specific car placement by use of the <P> POSITION option on the menu. The DEMO mode also generates a fixed assignment for automatic operation. Whichever assignment generation approach is used, the car placement can be immediately regenerated either during or immediately after completion by using the <R> RESTART option on the menu. ----------------- RRSWITCH.TAB FILE ----------------- When the Save Score option is toggled on, the final results of each switching assignment will be written to a file named RRSWITCH.TAB. The contents of this file can also be displayed at any time from the pop-up menu. The file can also be edited with any ASCII text editor to delete entries, etc. If the file does not exist, a new one will be created if scores are saved. The format of each record (line) of the RRSWITCH.TAB file is: Positions 1-3 = Engineer's Identification Position 4 = "|" Positions 5-12 = Date stamp Position 13 = "|" Position 14-16 = Total score Position 17 = "=" Position 18-22 = Score evaluation Position 23 = "|" Position 24-32 = Starting car locations, e.g., 240000005 means car 1 at location 2, car 2 at 4, and car 9 at 5. A '0' location means the car is not placed. Position 33 = "|" Note that the Starting car locations are described in the same format as would be called for in using the manual car positioning mode ("P" on the pop-up menu) ----------------- VERSION 4 CHANGES ----------------- The following summarizes the significant changes in RRSWITCH, Version 4: - Pop-up Menu providing easy selection of options, - Manual positioning of cars as optional mode of play, - Saving and later display of game and scores, - Some enhanced graphics presentations, - Enhanced algorithm for evaluating scores, - Several obscure bugs and typos removed (hopefully without adding additional ones.) ----------------- VERSION 5 CHANGES ----------------- - The time elapsed for each assignment is shown on the screen, - The TIMER option was added to terminate the assignment if more than 1 minute per car was used, optionally any value of seconds per car. This timing option can be active or disabled. - The assignment scoring goals (TIME/MOVES) displayed at any time through the pop-up menu selection. - DEMO mode can be terminated at any time. If not terminated, the demonstration will continue to recycle the same assign- ment over and over. (GREAT FOR SHOWS!) - Additional minor bug fixes and added conveniences. ------------------- NECESSARY LEGALEEZE ------------------- This program is donated to the PUBLIC DOMAIN, for NON- COMMERCIAL use. The program including this file may be freely copied for such use without any restrictions. However COMMERCIAL use or distribution without prior written consent of the author is PROHIBITED. The program is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of mer- chantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to results and performance of the program is assumed by the user. Should the program prove defective, the user as- sumes the entire responsibility for necessary servicing, repair or correction. ----------- CONCLUSIONS ----------- If you enjoy using this program, the author would like to hear from you. A small donation of $10 will get you on a mail- ing list and pay for subsequent improved versions. Regardless, comments and suggestions would always be welcome and may be forwarded to the author at CompuServe address 72207,3273, or: FRED MILLER 7 TEMPLAR WAY PARSIPPANY, NJ 07054 Enjoy!