PC Gamer 10/1995-09_Disc_10.iso/patches/ocpatch.zip/PBEMREAD.ME

Text File | 1995-06-06 | 12KB | 256 lines

Crusader MACINTOSH LOADING


INSTRUCTIONS CHANGES:

System Information

Supports: LC, Performa, Mac II, Centris, Quadra, Power PC and Color
Powerbooks.

Requires: Minimum 4MB RAM free, Hard Disk with 7 MB free space, Mouse and 14" (minimum) Color
Monitor with 256-Color Graphics, High Density (1.4MB Flobby Disk Drive (for
installation only).

Large Monitors:
-- in the last sentence, the numbers should be: 4400 (for 16") Monitors
or 5000 (for 18" or larger Monitors).

Installing OPERATION CRUSADER

1. Ensure that you have at least 7 MB of free space on your hard drive.

Keyboard Equivalents

Command
Enables all units to plot hex-by-hex movement; enables targeting mode for
defending Artillery units.

=======================================================================================================================
PBEM INSTRUCTIONS

Crusader can also be played via electronic mail (PBEM), enabling two
human opponents to compete on two different machines.  Each time you plot
a turn, your unit's orders and other supplementary information are put
into a file, which you may then compress and send to your opponent.  In
addition, your moves are backed up so that in the event of a problem, you
may restore your game at any given point.

If you're planning on starting up a PBEM game of Crusader, you are
strongly advised to read the following sections thoroughly before starting.
Not only will it ensure that you have fewer problems, it will tell you what
to do should problems arise!

Note:  players of the World at War game, Operation Crusader are strongly
advised to read this section thoroughly, as the PBEM system in Crusader
is very different from its predecessor!

The first section describes the files the game creates to keep track of
each PBEM game.


This is followed by a walk-through of the PBEM process, and a sample PBEM
session.

PBEM Files created by Crusader_________________________________________
1) The Game File

This file is easy to identify because it adds a .PBM extension to the game
name.  It contains the regular Save Gamen information and game settings.

2) The Move Files

Each time you select Execute from the Phase Menu, the game will write your
plots for that turn out to a Move file (Exception:  if you start a game,
your moves will be written to the Game File.  See the next section for
details).  Moves files have either a .GER or a .RUS extension to the game
name, depending on whether you are playing the Axis or Allied side.  Move
files need to be in the same directory/folder as their corresponding Game
file for the program to find them.

3) The Backup Directory/FolderTo facilitate play, Crusader creates and
places other files related to an individual PBEM game in a directory/folder
with a .BAK extension to the game name.  This allows the program easy
access to these files, while at the same time, reducing clutter.  Remember:
if you move your Game and Move files to a different directory/folder, you
need to move the Backup directory/folder and its contents to the same place.
4) The Turn Backup FilesAs noted above, these files are stored in the
Backup directory/folder created for your game. Each time you select Execute
from the Phase Menu, the Game file, and Move file for that turn (if one
exists) will be backed up for you automatically. To make it easier for you
to identify the files, they have numeric extensions corresponding to the
turn (Example: the backup file for the 9th turn of the PBEM game titled
GATES will be named: GATES.009).

5) The Backup Key FilesWhen you startup a game, or receive the first-turn
Game file from an opponent just starting up a game, Crusader will create
a Backup Key file in the appropriate Backup directory/folder.  When
playing the Allies, it will have a .RK extension, Axis, .GK.  If at some
point during play, you and your opponent determine that you need to restore
from a previous turn, you will need to exchange Key files to enable the
Restore From Backup process.


Before You Start____________________________________________________
Before jumping into a new PBEM game, it's always a good idea to verify that
you've got at least 500K bytes of free disk space.  Although the space
required for the Game, Move and Backup files varies from Scenario to
Scenario, this is a good starting point.  Also keep in mind that as the game
progresses, the space for Backup files will increase accordingly.

It's also a good idea to create the directory/folder you plan on putting the
PBEM game and its files in now, before starting.  This will save you the
trouble of having to move files and directories/folders once the game has
been created.

Finally, verify that both you and your opponent have compatible
file-compression software before starting.

Starting a PBEM Game_______________________________________________

a) From Crusader's Initial Options screen, select the Scenario, Variants,
Options, Victory Point Adjustment, and Side desired.  Then select "PBEM
Opponent" from the Opponent Option box.

b) Select "Begin New Game."  You will be asked to name the game and select
a destination directory/folder.  You may either Cancel at this point, or
select Save to continue the process.  If continuing, Crusader will create
a Game File, a Backup Directory and a Backup Key file.  Note: if these terms
are unfamiliar to you, please read the previous section,  PBEM Files...

Notes:

1) For the sake of these instructions, we will name the game "SNOW," and
assume you are playing the Allies.

2) Macintosh players should keep in mind that the characters allowed in a
Mac file name are different from those allowed under DOS on IBM-compatible
PCs.  If you're starting a PBEM game with a PC opponent, limit the name to
at most, eight characters, and use only the characters 'a' through 'z'.

Plotting your First Move______________________________________________

c) Plotting moves, saving and resuming PBEM games works just as in
Crusader games against non-PBEM opponents.  The one difference is that
when you select "Execution" from the Phase menu, the program will save your
moves for transfer to your opponent.

d) After selecting "Execution," the program will tell you that your
opponent's file for the turn is not available.  Click with the mouse to
proceed.  Once you have selected "Execution" you may not change your moves
for that turn.

e) After saving your moves, the program will tell you the name of the file
you need to send.  In this case, since you're just starting the game, it
will be: SNOW.PBM.  Click with the mouse, and exit Crusader.  As well as
saving your initial turn, the game will create a SNOW.BAK directory/folder,
a Backup Key file (SNOW.RK), and a Turn Backup File (SNOW.001).

Sending Your First Move______________________________________________

f)  Using one of the common compression utilities (Example: PkZip on the PC,
or Compact Pro on the Mac), compress the file you have been instructed
to send your opponent.  In our game, we'll use PkZip to compress SNOW.PBM
into SNOW.ZIP.

g) Start up your favorite communications program.  Example: if both you and
your opponent are CompuServe subscribers, you can use the CompuServe
Information Manager program's Send File facility to send the file.


h) Send SNOW.ZIP to your opponent.

Receiving the First Move______________________________________________

i) After downloading the file you just sent, your opponent should check for
free disk space, and create the directory/folder in which the game will
reside.  Once this is done, he should decompress the file and put it into
the proper directory/folder.

j) To continue the game,  he (your opponent) starts up Crusader and
selects "Resume Saved Game" from the Initial Options screen.  He doesn't
need to set any options--the program will use the parameters set in the file
you sent.

k) Crusader will now ask him to locate the uncompressed file you sent,
SNOW.PBM.  Once he finds and selects the file, the game will look for a
SNOW.BAK directory/folder in the same directory/folder as the SNOW.PBM file.  Since it hasn't been created yet on his machine,
Crusader will prompt him to Continue or Exit.  He should Continue. The
game will then create a SNOW.BAK directory/folder on his machine, along
with a Backup Key file (SNOW.GK--he's playing the Axis).

l) When your opponent has finished plotting his moves for turn one, he
selects "Execution" from the Phase Menu, just as you did, and the game will
also prompt him to send you the file, SNOW.GER. After clicking the message
box away, he will go directly to the Execution Phase.

m) After watching the results of the first turn's Execution, your opponent
can either exit the program, and send you his Move File right away, or else
select "Planning" from the Phase Menu, and exit at a later point.

n) Your opponent will then compress SNOW.GER and send it to you.  After
decompressing the file, place it in the same directory/folder as your
SNOW.PBM file.

Continuing Play_______________________________________________________

From here on out, you and your opponent will be sending just the move files
back and forth.  As you plot a new turn, the contents of the existing .GER
or .RUS file will be overwritten.  When you get a new Move file from your
opponent, just copy it over the existing one.

In most cases, after Executing a turn, you will be able to advance the
game into the following turn's Planning phase, where you may plot moves and
examine your units.  If you do make any plots, make sure and Save the game
before exiting.


Restoring from a Previous Turn__________________________________________

In the event that a problem occurs in a PBEM game, Crusader has the
capability to restore a game from a previous turn.

a) You must first have your opponent send you his Backup Key File for the
game.  Place it in the appropriate Backup directory/folder. In our case,
we'll ask him to send his SNOW.GK file, and we'll place it in our SNOW.BAK
directory/folder, alongside SNOW.RK (our Key file).  Without your
opponent's Key file, the Restore process will not complete.

b) Start up Crusader, go to the File Menu and select "Restore PBEM Backup."
From the first file disalog, select the .PBM file you wish to Restore.
In our game, we'll select, SNOW.PBM.

c) After selecting the game to Restore, a second dialog will appear allowing
you to select the backup file corresponding to the turn you are restoring
to. Since we want to restore to the third turn of our game, we'll naviage
to the SNOW.BAK directory/folder and select SNOW.003.

d) At this point, Crusader will overwrite the contents of your current
SNOW.PBM and SNOW.RUS (you are the Allies) files.  When the update is
complete, a third dialog will allow you to restart the Restored game if you
wish.

Note: If you created the game and you're restoring to turn 1, you will
not have a Move File to restore.e) After exiting the game, send your
newly-restored move file (if one exists--see above) to your opponent.
After exchanging files and executing, continue as before Moving a PBEM
File___________________________________________________



If you need to relocate your PBEM game files on your hard drive, remember
that you need to move the .BAK directory/folder along with the .PBM file.
Each time you resume a PBEM game, Crusader will look for the appropriate
.BAK directory/folder.  If it can't find it in the same directory/folder as
the .PBM file you've just resumed, a dialog will prompt you to Continue or
Exit.  Unless it's turn 1 and you've just received a .PBM from your
opponent, you should Exit at this point and move the .BAK directory/folder
and its contents.