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1990-06-02
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SFWHOTRV
Version 1.0
by JOHN & MARY BUTLER of
TWILIGHT Software
INTRODUCTION
------------
SFWHOTRV is a fast paced trivia game designed to run as a door feature
within the SPITFIRE Bulletin Board System Version 2.9. Which makes this
file share compatable. A data file containing 300 trivia questions is
randomly accessed and displayed to the screen. With each question that
is displayed, four multiple choice options are provided from which the
player may select their answer. SFWHOTRV allows the player ten seconds
to read the question and respond with the number corresponding to the
answer they believe is correct.
SFWHOTRV SETUP
--------------
To set up SFWHOTRV to be executed as a door, it is recommended that
a separate directory be set up for it. For explanation purposes, let's
assume the directory DOOR1 is created for use with SFWHOTRV. The following
files must then be placed in the directory:
SFWHOTRV.EXE The actual game program.
SFWHOTRV.DAT The data file containing the trivia questions.
SFWHOTRV.TOP This is a listing of the top ten players. SFWHOTRV.EXE
will create this file if it is not found.
The Sysop will then need to use a text editor to edit the SF.BAT file
as illustrated below:
:DOOR_1
COPY SFDOORS.DAT C:\SF\DOOR1
SFWHOTRV
ERASE SFDOORS.DAT
GOTO LOOP
You will notice that the commands needed to execute SFWHOTRV are placed
between the :DOOR_1 and GOTO LOOP command lines. These are entered in
place of the existing REM Place Program Name Here. The following will
briefly explain each of the commands which were set up within SF.BAT to
run SFWHOTRV as a SPITFIRE Door program:
SFDOORS.DAT is created automatically by SPITFIRE when a user enters a
door. It contains information about the user such as name and password.
SFWHOTRV requires access to the information within SFDOORS.DAT. Therefore,
before executing the program it must be copied to the directory in which
SFWHOTRV is running.
SFWHOTRV is the program name and executes the game program from within
the door program.
Once the user has terminated the game play of SFWHOTRV the SF.BAT file
erases the SFDOORS.DAT file.
SFWHOTRV SETUP AS A SYSOP CONFIGURABLE COMMAND
---------------------------------------------
SPITFIRE has a sysop configurable command for the Main, Message and
File menus. The sysop configurable command is executed through a
batch file which corresponds to the menu it is being run from. In
other words, SFMAIN.BAT runs the sysop configurable command from
the Main Menu, SFMESS.BAT runs the one from the Message Menu and
SFFILE.BAT the one from the File Menu. The commands necessary
to execute SFWHOTRV can be set up in the batch file which corresponds
to the menu you wish to have SFWHOTRV run from.
The first thing you will need to establish is which of these menus
you wish to use to run SFWHOTRV. For this purpose, let's assume that
it is going to be set up so it can be run from the Main Menu. (It
should be noted the set up procedure is the same regardless of which
Menu you are running SFWHOTRV from.).
Next, you will need to decide what you wish to name the command
option and establish what security level will be required for
users of your system to be able to access this option. Once this
is determined you will need to modify the SFMAIN.MNU file using
your favorite text editor, as long as it saves in ASCII format.
(Refer to the SPITFIRE manual for further documentation on this
if needed. It should also be noted that if SFWHOTRV were being
set up to run from the File Menu, you would need to modify the
SFFILE.MNU file and if it was being set up to be run from the
Message Menu you would need to modify the SFMSG.MNU file.)
Examining the default SFMAIN.MNU file, you will notice the sysop
configurable command appears as:
<K>............. Add Your Own,,1000,@
This will need to be replaced with a Command Character that will
be used to select the option from the menu. It is ASOLUTELY IMPERATIVE
that the Command Character must not duplicate an existing Command
Character for another menu option. You will then need to include
a brief description of the Wildcat door program you are running, two
commas, the security level required to access this feature, and another
comma followed by the a @. The @ must not be changed! (For more detailed
information on modifying your SFMAIN.MNU, SFMSG.MNU or SFFILE.MNU refer
to your SPITFIRE manual.)
<K>.... Brief Program Description,,10,@
Now you will need to modify the corresponding batch file, SFMAIN.BAT,
so that it can be executed from the Main Menu. Do this using your
favorite text editor, as long as it saves in ASCII format. (Again, it
should be noted that if SFWHOTRV were being set up to run from the File
Menu, you would need to modify the SFFILE.BAT file and if it was being
set up to be run from the Message Menu you would need to modify the
SFMESS.BAT file.)
Place the SFWHOTRV.EXE file in the directory you wish to run the
program from. SFWHOTRV will create its own player score file,
SFWHOTRV.TOP, if does not already exist.
The commands set up in the SFMAIN.BAT file are very similar to
those used for executing the game through a door in the SF.BAT file.
For instance, if you were running SFWHOTRV from the main SPITFIRE
directory your SFMAIN.BAT file might look like this:
ECHO OFF
BRK OFF
SFWHOTRV
BRK ON
(BRK is not included in the SPITFIRE package because it is written
and copyrighted by Solid Systems, 1985, but can be downloaded from
our board TWILIGHT BBS (515)-284-1418, The Mother Board BBS and Buffalo
Creek's BBS as well as a number of other BBS systems. BRK is not
required to run SFWHOTRV, however, it is recommended since it will
prevent a user using the CTRL BRK command to terminate the batch file,
gaining access to your system at the DOS level.)
If you wish to set SFWHOTRV up in a separate subdirectory from
SPITFIRE, for instance, a subdirectory named SFWHOTRV, your batch
file might look like this.
ECHO OFF
BRK OFF
COPY SFMAIN.DAT \SF\SFWHOTRV
CD \SF\SFWHOTRV
SFWHOTRV
ERASE SFMAIN.DAT
CD \SF
BRK ON
When SFWHOTRV is executed, from either the door with the SF.BAT file
or from the sysop configurable command through a menu with the
corresponding batch file, it will first look for the SFMAIN.DAT file,
then the SFMESS.DAT file, then the SFFILE.DAT file and lastly the
SFDOORS.DAT file. It will look for each of these files until it finds
it and the commands required for its execution. If none of these
files are found, SFWHOTRV will halt its execution.
LOCAL PLAY OF SFWHOTRV
---------------------
It should also be noted that a Sysop can play SFWHOTRV locally by
entering the following command at the DOS prompt:
C:> SFWHOTRV /L
DTE LOCK FEATURE
----------------
SFWHOTRV automatically detects if the DTE is locked at 19200 baud. If
SFWHOTRV detects that the DTE is locked, then SFWHOTRV opens the serial
port to the maximum baud rate of your system. If SFWHOTRV does not
detect that the DTE is locked, then the serial port is opened to the
baud rate of the caller.
SYSOP FEATURES
--------------
With the release of Version 2.8 several enhancements were added
which give the sysop additional control over the door game play on
the BBS system. First, a status line is now displayed on the BBS
monitor that provides information concerning the caller's name, baud
rate of the caller and the security level of the caller.
A SFWHOTRV.LMT file has now been incorporated which allows the
sysop to establish a time limit for door play according to the security
level the caller has on the system. To modify the accompanying
SFWHOTRV.LMT file, use your favorite text editor to represent the
various security levels you have available on your system, a comma
then the corresponding time you wish to allow for that particular
security level in minutes. For instance, it might look like this:
10,15
25,20
50,25
999,30
Each security level should begin a new line and you should have a
setting for each security level you have available on your system.
If you do not have a time limit set for a particular security
SFWHOTRV will default to the level 10 security level setting.
Pressing the Shift Key and the F1 key simultaneously will
terminate game play of SFWHOTRV and return the caller back to the
BBS. Pressing the Shift Key and the F9 key simultaneously will
terminate game play of SFWHOTRV and log the caller off of the BBS.
If the Shift Key and the F9 key are pressed together, logging the
caller off the BBS, SPITFIRE will recycle and return to the
SPITFIRE Ready For Caller Prompt.
With SPITFIRE 2.9 a file share has been added to allow for multi-
node playing of this game.
SFWHOTRV EXECUTION
------------------
When first executed, SFWHOTRV will display a list of the Top Ten high
score players and the percentage of correct responses they acheived
while playing SFWHOTRV. Initially, this will be a dummy listing with
ten lines that display:
0%...............YOUR NAME COULD BE HERE
However, as the game is played, this will fill with the name of the
players and their percentage ratings.
NOTE: At least twenty questions must be attempted before SFWHOTRV will
will figure the percentage rating for the player.
To keep things interesting...the Sysop can erase the file which contains
the top ten listings SWHOTRV.TOP on a routine basis to give additional
players a chance to have their name added to the list.
As the top ten list is displayed, at the bottom of the screen is a
question which prompts the user whether they want to have ANSI Graphics
(y/n)? available to them during game play. If the user responds with a
y (for yes) the game will display in color and if the user responds with
a n (for no) the game will display in monochrome.
PLAYING SFWHOTRV
-----------------
Immediately after pressing any key (other than <Q> for Quit) from
the Top Ten listing the game screen is displayed. The screen will
look like the following:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
╔═══════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ >>>>>>> SFWHOTRV <<<<<<< ║
║ Version 1.0 ║
║ WHO'S WHO Trivia Game For SPITFIRE Doors ║
║ Shareware by TWILIGHT Software ║
║ All Rights Reserved ║
║ Copyright (C) BY John Butler ║
║ UNREGISTERED VERSION! ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════╝
RIGHT: 0 WRONG: 0
QUESTION:
The assorted trivia questions will be displayed
here.
<1> Choice 1 <2> Choice 2
<3> Choice 3 <4> Choice 4
Enter Answer: [ 1 2 3 4 <Q>uit]?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The first randomly choosen trivia question is selected from the data
file and is displayed to the screen.
The player makes his selection by entering the corresponding number.
As the game progresses, SFWHOTRV will provide a running total of the
correct answers and also of the wrong answers the user has selected
during the game play.
If the ten second timer should elapse before you respond, SFWHOTRV
will count this as a wrong response and add an incorrect answer to
the total WRONG answers obtained so far.
EXITING PLAY
------------
When you are ready to exit the game, simply select press "Q" for
<Q>uit. If you qualify as one of the top ten players to date,
SFWHOTRV will congratulate you for becoming one of the top ten scorers
and add your name to the Top Ten listing. You will once again see the
Top Ten list displayed with your name added to the list.
If you exit the game before you have completed the twenty
questions required for eligibility to the Top Ten list or if you do not
qualify as a Top Ten player, the Top Ten listing will be displayed and
you will be prompted to press any key to return to SPITFIRE.
DISTRIBUTION
------------
Please feel free to share SFWHO.ZIP with others. However, it must
be distributed with SFWHOTRV.EXE, SFWHOTRV.DAT, SFWHOTRV.TOP and the
SFWHOTRV.DOC in the SFWHOTRV.ZIP distribution package. These files must
not be altered in any way or by any means.
SFWHOTRV.ZIP is distributed as "FREE" software. You are free to
try SFWHOTRV, and have fun with it. We Would like to hope our program is
worth something to you so a donation of $10.00 if you like it would be
much appreciated. We are giving all the money to our children's college
fund. So help Us help them and Enjoy.
If you feel inclined to donate you will also get special privileges
on my BBS. Send the money to the following. With name and password for
the BBS support.
John Butler
543 Haventree
Hazelwood Mo. 63042
DISCLAIMER
----------
JOHN OR Mary BUTLER shall not be held responsible for any damage
incurred by the user to hardware, software, or peripheral devices
while running SFWHOTRV. All responsibility belongs to the user of
the software.
Many thanks are indeed owed to Mike Woltz of Buffalo Creek BBS (515)-
225-8496 for his assistance. Without his help this program would not
have been possible.
SFWHOTRV and other SPITFIRE programs are available for download from:
Buffalo Creek BBS The Mother Board BBS
Sysop - Mike Woltz Sysop - Jacque Shipley
(515) 225-8496 (515) 986-3445
19200/9600/2400/1200 9800/2400/1200
TWILIGHT BBS
Sysops -John & Mary Butler
(515) 284-1418
19200/9600/2400/1200/300