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KINGDOM
Version 1.00
** SYSOP Documentation **
Last Revision: 03/28/92
Find support at for Caliber Software at:
ProTem University BBS
(816) 429-1751
1:280/71 Fido Net
75:7816/2 Door Net
Contact me at: Caliber Software
C/O Ben Vegiard
1406 Kingswood
Fulton, MO 65251
KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
╔════════════════╗
▓░▒║ INTRODUCTION ║▒░▓
╚════════════════╝
Kingdom is an old classic computer game brought to the world of
BBS door games. It is a simple economics game where the user
rules a Kingdom for 50 years. The player starts off with a small
amount of bushels (the food and money of the game), land to plant,
and peasant workers and must manipulate these variables to produce
and thriving Kingdom. It is actually quite a simple game, but I
have added a few new twists and some nice graphics to make things
more interesting.
As with all Caliber Software, Kingdom is simple to configure, run,
and maintain. It uses up a minimum of hard drive space, and is
configurable to your tastes.
╔══════════════════════╗
▓░▒║ WHAT YOU WILL NEED ║▒░▓
╚══════════════════════╝
- IBM Compatible Personal Computer
- Approximately 35k Free RAM space
- BBS Software that supports either DORINFOx.DEF or DOOR.SYS.
- Some systems may require the use of a fossil driver such as X00
or BNU.
╔═════════════════════════════╗
▓░▒║ FILES INCLUDED IN ARCHIVE ║▒░▓
╚═════════════════════════════╝
READ.ME : 'Where to go first' file.
KINGOM.EXE : Main executable file.
KINGDOM.CFG : Configuration file.
INSTRUCT.KNG : Player instruction.
WIZARD.KNG : Random Wizard announcements.
SYSOP.KNG : This documentation
UPGRADE.KNG : Instructions on upgrading from Beta Version 1.0
KING_UP.EXE : Upgrades data files from version 1.0 Beta
format to the current 1.0 (proper) format.
FORM.KNG : Ready to mail Registration form.
CALIBER.TXT : Listing of all available software from Caliber.
╔═════════════════════════════════╗
▓░▒║ FILES CREATED BY THIS PROGRAM ║▒░▓
╚═════════════════════════════════╝
SCOREDTA.KNG : Contains score information
LOCK.KNG : This file lets kingdom know not to access data
files while other nodes are using them.
Bulletins : Kingdom creates ANSI and ASCII player bulletins.
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KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
╔═════════════════╗
▓░▒║ CONFIGURATION ║▒░▓
╚═════════════════╝
It's simple. Type up a file using you text editor by the name
KINGDOM.CFG (or just alter the one that is included) and put in
the following parameters:
Line 1: BBS NAME
Line 2: Path and name to ASCII winners listing. For example:
C:\BBS\BULLETIN\BULL14.TXT
Be sure to put the filename and DO NOT LEAVE THIS LINE
BLANK!
If no path is specified then OBSESSION will write the
bulletin in the same directory where the executable file
resides.
Line 3: Path and name to ANSI winners listing. For example:
C:\BBS\BULLETIN\BULL14.ASC
Be sure to put the filename and DO NOT LEAVE THIS LINE
BLANK!
If no path is specified then OBSESSION will write the
bulletin in the same directory where the executable file
resides.
Line 4: Path and name of desired door drop file. For example:
C:\BBS\DORINFO1.DEF, or C:\DOORS\KINGDOM\DORINFO2.DEF, or
C:\BBS\NODE1\DOOR.SYS. KINGDOM supports DORINFOx.DEF and
DOOR.SYS.
Line 5: Level of difficulty. 1 = Easy, 2 = Medeum, 3 = Hard!
0 = Let the player choose their own level
See OTHER NOTES for more details.
Line 6: Number of minutes the player is allowed to play in one
day. If this is set to 0 then the player is allowed as
much time as he/she has left on the BBS
Line 7: Use fossil driver. Place a 'Y' here if you wish to have
fossil routines activated. Most systems will work without
the fossil, but some seem to require the aid of a fossil
driver such as X00 or BNU.
Line 8: Registration Number.
If you register your copy of KINGDOM is registered, place
your registration number here EXACTLY as it appears.
If you have not registered KINGDOM (yet (G)) place a 0
here.
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KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
╔════════════════════════╗
▓░▒║ LET'S RUN THIS PUPPY ║▒░▓
╚════════════════════════╝
Simply set up you batch file along these lines:
CD \BBS\DOORS\KINGDOM
KINGDOM KINGDOM.CFG
CD \BBS
BOARD
and that should do it. There are no mandatory command line
parameters to mess with. Just be sure your config file is in the
same directory as your executable file or you supply a path on the
command line.
Alternate configurations can be called from the command line. For
example, to use a config file by the name KNGNODE2.CFG call
KINGDOM by the statement KINGDOM KNGNODE2.CFG
Kingdom may also be called from DOS. Use KINGDOM KINGDOM.CFG /L
to run from a DOS prompt, or to force local mode from a batch
file. See COMMAND LINE SWITCHES below for details.
NOTE: If no configuration file is specified then Kingdom will
default to KINGDOM.CFG as the config file name.
If you experience difficulty with the carrier routines (won't
send data to the remote user, won't read remote users keys, etc)
and you are not activating the fossil routines (in the config file
or by using the /F command line switch), I would suggest you do
so. To take advantages of these routines you must have a fossil
driver such as X00 or BNU installed. If you have installed and
activated these routines are still having problems then please
contact me!
╔════════════════════╗
▓░▒║ MULTI-NODE USAGE ║▒░▓
╚════════════════════╝
KINGDOM is multi-node aware in the sense that it creates a
temperary file (LOCK.KNG) everytime it writes to the disk. Before
anything is written to the disk KINGDOM checks for this file. If
the file is present then it waits a until the KINGDOM game running
on another node finishes up what it is doing. If it has to wait
too long the game aborts, assuming the game on the other node has
crashed for whatever reason.
This little trick helps to avoid file sharing conflicts and allows
two games to run simultaneously on 2 different nodes in peaceful
harmony.
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KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
╔═════════════════════════╗
▓░▒║ COMMAND LINE SWITCHES ║▒░▓
╚═════════════════════════╝
A number of command line switches are supported by Kingdom. Below
are the details of each switch. All switches must have a
backslash (/) or a dash (-) in front of them. For example:
KINGDOM KINGDOM.CFG /L would run kingdom in local mode (as
described below) Command line switches ARE NOT case sensitive.
F Force use of Fossil driver. Whether or not you have your
fossil driver set in your config, this switch will force
KINGDOM to use the fossil routines.
H (or ?) displays a short help screen with all command line
options and brief descriptions.
L Local mode. Using this switch forces KINGDOM will ignore
sending or receiving characters from the comport. When called
in this manner KINGDOM will not need the use of door files
(DOOR.SYS, etc) but DOES need a config file setting. The
program will prompt you for your name and whether you want
graphics or not, all other settings (such as time left, etc)
will default to internal settings.
NB No Status Bar. This switch will tell KINGDOM to default to
having the status bar turned off upon log-in. This switch is
useful for getting a better feeling of what the user sees
without the 2 line status bar at the bottom, or in conjunction
with the NS switch will complete clear the screen.
NS No Snoop. This switch will turn the snoop feature off (blank
the screen while the user is in the door so you don't see what
the user is up to.)
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KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
╔══════════════╗
▓░▒║ SYSOP KEYS ║▒░▓
╚══════════════╝
Various key combinations have been included in this program.
Following is a brief description of what they are and what they
do.
ALT-F1: Display help. This will give a summary of the available
SYSOP keys along the bottom of the status bar. As soon as the
next minute rolls around the normal status bar will appear.
ALT-B : Toggle Status Bar ON/OFF. Using this function will turn
the status bar ON/OFF. This comes in handy if you wish to have
more of an idea what the user would be seeing (without the 2 line
status bar at the bottom of the screen) Used in conjunction with
ALT-S it can be used to completely blank a screen.
ALT-C : Chat Mode. This key combination toggles chat mode. When
chat is entered the screen is quickly memorized and re-drawn when
chat is exited. This memorization only occurs if the user has
ANSI graphics enabled. The re-draw feature helps the user to pick
back up where they were before the chat. Time IS lost during
chat. Use ALT-C again to exit chat mode.
ALT-D : DROP TO DOS. This function allows the SYSOP to drop to
DOS to do whatever. The user will see nothing, and cannot
activate this function so the door is 'hack proof' Be aware that
this program does not perform a memory swap before dropping, so a
minimum amount of memory is required. This amount varies from
system to system, largely due to the type of software being run.
If you do not have enough memory then you will simply be returned
to the program.
ALT-S : Toggle Snoop ON/OFF. Some SYSOPs prefer not to watch what
a user is doing while in a door for whatever reasons. Using this
function will clear the local screen and nothing will be written
to the local screen until ALT-S is pressed again, or until the
door is exited. Note that the status bar will remain on unless it
has been toggled off. This allows you to see who the user is, how
much time is left, etc.
ALT-<UP ARROW>: Adds one minute to users time in the door (not
added to BBS time limit!)
ALT-<DOWN ARROW>: Deducts one minute from the users time in the
door (not deducted from BBS time limit!)
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KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
╔═══════════════╗
▓░▒║ OTHER NOTES ║▒░▓
╚═══════════════╝
- A FILE NOT FOUND error message will appear when viewing a top
rankings file before anyone plays. Kingdom doesn't create the
bulletin until someone plays a game. It is attempting to
display the bulletin that hasn't been created yet.
- INSTRUCT.KNG and WIZARD.KNG may be edited, by a text editor, to
meet your needs.
- KINGDOM has three levels of play, easy, medium, and hard. The
level setting is displayed to the user on the opening screen.
Easy simply means that it's not too hard to stay alive, but you
still need to work to make your kingdom better, Medium becomes a
struggle to keep afloat at first, and hard a almost impossible.
By placing a 0 in the config on this option you allow the player
the option of choosing their own level. If players choose their
own level then their final score is adjusted by the level of
difficulty to reflect how well they played relative to other
levels.
╔═══════════════════╗
▓░▒║ HOW TO REGISTER ║▒░▓
╚═══════════════════╝
See the bottom of this section for what registration will get you.
Registration is simple. Fill out the inclosed ready to mail form,
pop in a check or money order made out to Ben Vegiard for $10.00
(U.S. Funds) and send it to the address written on the form.
Also, comments and questions are welcome at the same address.
Please support shareware so that programmers will continue to
produce quality software.
If you have "lost" the form then send $10.00 (in U.S. Funds) to:
Caliber Software
C/O Ben Vegiard
1406 Kingswood
Fulton, MO 65251
Please include your BBS name (as it appears in your config file)
your BBS phone number(s), your address, your voice phone
(optional) and where you got KINGDOM (friend, BBS, etc) If you are
FIDO compatible then please include your Net/Node number.
WHAT YOU GET FOR REGISTERING: Registration will entitle you to the
latest version of KINGDOM (if you are not already using it), a
registration number for your config file that will work on all
updates and upgrades of this programs, and of course full credit
on the opening screen, and beside the castle during play.
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KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
╔════════════════╗
▓░▒║ LEGAL NOTICE ║▒░▓
╚════════════════╝
This product is licensed "As is" without any warranty of
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, performance, or
otherwise. All warranties are expressly disclaimed. By using this
program you agree to that Ben Vegiard will not be liable to you or any
third party for any use, or inability to use, or performance of this
program for any damages whatsoever whether based on contract, tort, or
otherwise, even if I am notified of such possibility in advance.
You may not reverse-engineer, disassemble, modify, decompile or
create derivative works of this program. Piracy has been investigate
by the FBI and prosecuted under federal statutes. Applicable law
provides for damages and recovery of attorney's fees. Distribution,
in any medium, without its accompanying documentation is an
unauthorized modification. That is a theft of intellectual property.
╔══════════════════╗
▓░▒║ SPECIAL THANKS ║▒░▓
╚══════════════════╝
I would like to thank Larry Burton of the IDEATE BBS for his help in
Beta testing KINGDOM, and for the solid ANSI suggestions. I would
also like to give him credit for the ANSI graphic of the castle
displayed during play.
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KINGDOM Sysop Documentation Ben Vegiard
╔═══════════════════╗
▓░▒║ RELEASE HISTORY ║▒░▓
╚═══════════════════╝
- 01/15/92 Beta Release.
- 03/28/92 Version 1.0:
Fixed : 2 of the disasters did not subtract the penalties.
Fixed : Local screen scrolled on 'Sleeping' disaster.
Fixed : Redraw of screen workd properly after end of chat.
Changed: Some of the formulas on Easy and Hard levels to
reflect more even scores.
Changed: (and enganced) Manu of the error messages.
Changed: Sysop and User Documentation.
Changed: Line 3 of the Config (Door drop file path) to help
support multi-line operation better.
Added : More natural disasters (including some GOOD ones...)
Added : Improved command line support including the /L, /F,
/NS, /NB, /H, and /? switches.
Added : The Top Scores bulletin now adds in the dates when
the scores where obtained.
Added : Screen length support when reading instructions if
using the DOOR.SYS door drop file.
Added : The option to (S)top reading instructions in the
middle of them.
Added : Colors to the instruction screen and lightened the
general color to accomodate monochrome users eyes.
Added : Toggle snoop and status bar ALT keys and updated help
line (ALT-F1) accordingly.
Added : File locking for multi-node operations.
Added : KING_UP.EXE file to the archive.
Added : Wizard events on years 10, 20, 30, and 40 to make the
game more 'interesting.'
- 07/10/92 Version 1.1
Changed: Some of the spacings and colors, nothing major.
Changed: Software label name from Beeenware to Caliber.
Fixed : ANSI bulletin now correctly show the propper dates.
Added : New ANSI system which will hopefully speed the game
displays up a bit.
Added : Graphics toggle on main menu
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