BBS Toolkit/BBS Toolkit.iso/doors_1/fant120.zip/FANTASY.NEW

Text File | 1992-02-05 | 11KB | 230 lines

  * * A T T E N T I O N * *

      If you are running version 1.0, or a beta version prior to 1.1.7, you
      will need to use the conversion program FANTUPD.EXE which is included
      in this archive.  See "What's new in version 1.20" below.

      Also, if your system produces a DOOR.SYS drop file, you will need
      to use the /O and /B command line parameters to call FL.  These are
      used to provide the System and SysOp names to FL as specified on
      your program registration form.

      Example:  FANTASY /BMy_BBS /OJohn_Doe

      See FANTASY.DOC (command line parameters) for more information.

      I would like to say THANK YOU to the all the beta testers who put
      Fantasy Land to the test.  Tony Mannino, Bob Norvik, Peter Kling, Greg
      Jansen, Paul Andre and Jim Biggs were the official beta testers for
      this release.  THANKS GANG!  Great job!

What's new in version 1.20:

 ■ DATA CONVERSION REQUIRED: If you are running version 1.0 or a beta version
   prior to 1.1.7, you will need to perform the following conversion:

   First of all, back up FANTASY.DAT and FANTASY.ARE.  Next, run FANTUPD.EXE.
   Once run, I would suggest deleting FANTUPD.EXE.

 ■ At the time of this release, the communications interrupt handler is still
   very unstable.  I am at the point where I am throwing my hands up in the
   air so I will have to do some more research.  For the time being, it is
   recommended that even if your BBS does not use a FOSSIL driver, you load
   one anyway.  It will not interfere with your systems direct communications
   routines and can even be unloaded on the fly.

   NOTE:  When not using a FOSSIL driver, FL will use the new interrupt
          handler.  *BUT* the interrupt handler will only accept a max
          baud rate of 9600 baud.  If your DORINFO1.DEF or DOOR.SYS file
          specifies a baud rate higher than 9600, 9600 will be the set
          baud rate.

          For those not familiar with what a FOSSIL driver is, it is a
          communications driver that replaces the BIOS interrupt 14h
          routines.  FOSSIL drivers insure compatibility on several
          machine types and makes my life a whole lot easier.

 ■ Found and fixed the bug where the history file wasn't being trimmed
   down.  The problem only occurred on systems that defined their fantasy
   land name as anything other than "Fantasy Land".

 ■ Worked on some file access bugs that were causing runtime 5, 162 and 163
   errors.

 ■ If you are running Fantasy Land in multinode mode, you will need to add
   the command line parameter /L to enable multinode operation.  If you are
   running in the 60-day trial period, multinode operation is not available.

 ■ Added support for up to 10... count 'em... 10 encounter text and graphics
   file sets (including the default set)!

 ■ Added WHOSON.EXE utility.  This can be run in a separate DOS partition
   and displays players currently in the game.  Updates about every 5
   seconds.

 ■ Added text file FLSTRUCT.DOC which explains the data file structures used
   in Fantasy Land.  This is for all you third party programmers out there.

        M U L T I - N O D E   O P E R A T I O N   T U N E - U P ! !

Well, it's here.  Fantasy Land now has better built-in multinode functions.
Check it out...

 ■ Fantasy Land now keeps track of how many and which players are currently
   in the game.

 ■ Robots are no longer "processed" if there is more than one player currently
   in the game.  This will avoid robots disappearing before the eyes of
   players and possibly corrupting the area data file.

 ■ The game is no longer restarted at the end of the month if there is
   already a player in the game.  The game will be restarted as soon as a
   player enters the game when no other player is currently playing.

 ■ Players may now encounter one another in the game.  If you are in an area
   and attempt to leave the area while you're being encountered, FL will
   tell you that you are being encountered and will place you in stand-by
   mode until the encounter is finished or stopped.  If you were defeated
   during the encounter, your turn is over for the day and you are returned
   to the main menu.  If the SysOp has make-up days enabled, the player can
   then elect to make up an unplayed day.

 ■ Multinode operation is now only available in REGISTERED mode.  If someone
   is in the game and another player enters, the second player will receive
   a message that the game is currently in use on another node.  All other
   functions are available during the 60-day trial period.  Sorry folks, but
   after over 1000 file requests and only a handful of registrations, I had
   no choice.

 ■ The REVIVE.EXE utility can now be run in multinode batch files.  If
   REVIVE detects that someone is playing the game, it will not process the
   data file, otherwise it will.

 ■ Added command line parameter /P.  This parameter is used to specify the
   number of points it costs players to view the map.  The default is zero
   points (no charge).

   eg:   FANTASY /P50

   Charges players 50 points each time they view the map.

 ■ Added an option in the C>hange Setup routine that allows players to
   disable/enable ANSI pictures that are displayed after encounters.

 ■ Players are now warned when they have less than 3 minutes remaining
   in the game.

 ■ Added command line parameter /* which, when specified, will instruct
   FL to run with Snoop mode OFF unless in local mode.

 ■ Added Sysop-command ALT-D which, when pressed and in remote mode, will
   toggle the current Snoop mode.  Snoop is always on in local mode
   operation.

  ■ When a player is being encountered, and another player attempts to begin
   an encounter with that player, a message will be displayed informing the
   second player to try again in a minute or two.

 ■ Updated utilities REVIVE.EXE, REMOVE.EXE and LISTDATA.EXE to new data
   structure format.

 ■ The REMOVE.EXE utility will now also delete messages "from" the player
   being removed.

 ■ When a new player enters the game, he will be given a last chance to
   bail out without creating a character after all player data has been
   collected.

 ■ Added command line parameter /n.  NOTE:  This parameter is different
   than /N.  The lower case /n specifies 'no shapshot' mode.  When this
   parameter is used, snapshots will not be used during game play.  However,
   snapshot files must still reside in the Fantasy Land directory even when
   this option is used.

 ■ Added command line parameter /M.  This parameter specifies the number of
   make-up days allowed per day.  Fantasy Land now allows the SysOp to
   allow players to make up days that they did not get to logon and play
   for the month.  Valid values are 1-10.  This parameter does not function
   when the game is in continuous play mode.

 ■ Included SEXSTACY.ZIP.  This is an archive which contains a 100-area
   Fantasy Land and an ASCII text file map.  Thank you Greg Jansen!

 ■ During program operation, function keys 1 through 5 provide various
   information displays on the status bar.

 ■ The SysOp may now eject a player back to the BBS via the ALT-E key.
   This key is activated after a player has fully logged into Fantasy Land.

 ■ Fixed a bug where FL was allowing players to enter names with trailing
   spaces.  This lead to problems when other players tried encountering
   them.  This should cure the "invalid player number" problem experienced
   on some systems.

 ■ Added command line parameter /C (continuous play mode).  When specified,
   Fantasy Land will run in continuous mode.  That is to say that the game
   will not reset at the end of the month.  Instead, it will run
   continuously.

 ■ Fixed a bug where if the path to DORINFO1.DEF or DOOR.SYS was not
   specified, it did not always properly default to the current directory.

 ■ Recompiled using JPDoor 3.10.

 ■ Changed naming conventions for messages.  Previously, there was a slim
   chance of a duplicate message name being assigned during multinode
   operation.

 ■ Added command line parameter /O.  This allows you to specify on the
   command line, the name of the System Operator.  This is specified in the
   same manner as the System Name and is intended for those who use a DOOR.SYS
   dropfile.  I neglected to check if DOOR.SYS contained the SysOp name and
   guess what... it doesn't!

 ■ Players may now reply to messages that they receive at the beginning of
   the game.  But, replies are not worth any bonus points.

 ■ Fixed a bug in AREAS.EXE which did not allow an exit to area 100 to be
   entered.  Thanks to Greg Jansen and his 100 area FL for finding this.

 ■ Updated the AREAS.EXE utility to allow the SysOp to define the maximum
   number of items maintained.  This value is selected during program
   initialization but you can now increase or decrease the number of items.
   However, if you change this value, the change will not be reflected
   until the game is manually restarted or until a new month begins.

 ■ You can delete your FANTOPEN.ANS and FANTOPEN.ASC opening screens.  They
   have been replaced by FANT1.ANS/.ASC and FANT2.ANS/.ASC.  FL will randomly
   select one to display when the player logs on.

 ■ Added ANSI graphics encounter picture files.  Thank you to all who worked
   on these.  Players may abort display by pressing S while the graphic is
   being displayed.  Most graphics were provided by Bob Norvik.

 ■ Fixed a bug (hopefully) where; when a user's time limit was exceeded
   under just the right circumstances, the player was not saved in the area
   data file.  The Match-Me computer would say the player was in area number
   'x' but the player was nowhere to be found.  This would be fixed the next
   time that player came into the game.

 ■ Added ANSI animation support.  Here's how it works:

   The selected .SEX file is displayed as always.  Then, FL looks for an
   ANSI file.  If the .SEX file displayed was INTMF.SEX, then FL looks for
   INTMF.ANS.  If the player has ANSI enabled, it is displayed immediately
   after the .SEX file is displayed.  If INTMF1.SEX was selected, then FL
   will look for INTMF1.ANS.  If that file is not found, then FL looks for
   the default of INTMF.ANS.  If found and player's ANSI is set to on, then
   it is displayed.  Otherwise, it is bypassed.  This should allow you to
   develop some ANSI animation screens.

 ■ Corrected some typos that were pointed out.

 ■ AREAS.EXE now allows the SysOp to define a maximum number of turns per
   day of up to 200 instead of 100.

 ■ Larger areas now support more items.  Total number of items supported is
   up to 196 from 140, for an additional 56 items.