1,000+ Great Games/1_1000 Games.iso/DOSGAMES/DCGAMES4.ZIP/DCWORLD.HLP

Text File | 1995-10-02 | 9.5 KB | 199 lines

!
! This help file contains the text displayed by the DCWORLD.EXE program
! when you press the F1 key under different screens. You may change the
! text, but please do not change the filename or the keyword surrounded
! by '[' and ']'.
!
! Do not use the '[' character as the first character of ANY file.
!
! If you translate this file into any other language, please send me a
! copy and I will include it along with the regular product.
!
! A help section should not be longer than 200 lines (10 screens).
!
[OBJECT]
The TYPE of object defines how the object behaves, and what you can do
with it.  For example, books can be read, weapons can be wielded in battle,
potions can be drunk and vehicle can be driven.

The BLOCK is a graphical representation of the object.  For example, an
object that can be read (book) can be represented by a book or scroll, but
should not be represented as a sword.

The DESCRIPTION is a very important part of an object.  A 'kitchen knife',
a 'short sword' and a 'two-handed sword' are all WEAPONs, and may all have
the same graphics block, but are clearly different objects.

The VALUE is the normal retail value you would expect for that object.  An
adventurer could sell an object to a merchant at 1/2 of retail (it's used)
For chests and gold sacks, the value is the actual contents of the object.
The monetary unit is silver pieces (sp).  There's 10sp to 1 gold piece.

The COUNT is the number of objects.  Used primarily with ammunition.  For
example 30 Silver Arrows.  For AMMO alone, the VALUE is taken to be for the
entire set, as opposed to each individual object.

The WEIGHT is in pounds.  There is a limit to the weight that a character
can carry.  Elements with a weight of 1 and normal (non-magical) food are
not counted.  The type and strength of a character determine the maximum
weight they can carry, and the maximum weight of the weapons they can wield
and armor they can wear.

The CLASS of an object determines the special effects (if any).  Food, Rings,
Amulets, Potions, Staffs, Scrolls and Gems can have magical properties, and
the type of vehicle determines where it can go.

Each item can have up to 5 attributes which vary depending on the type of
object being created.  The names of the attributes are defined in the
DCCTOKEN.DAT file (object modifiers section) and should reflect the usage
of that field.

The END-GAME field indicates that the game will end when the player either
GETS an object (value 1) or GIVES the object to a questor (value 2).

The END-TEXT field indicates (if NON-ZERO) the block of text to be displayed
when the game ends due to this object.  You cannot edit the end-game text on
this screen.  You must use the T)ext option from the main menu.

All objects may have text associated with them. The OBJECT script file will
display the text when you LOOK at the object. This used to be available only
for BOOKS and SIGNS.  Use F4 to enter up to 16 lines of text.

[CHARACTER]
Use this screen to create an instance of a character. You may specify a NAME,
TYPE, CLASS, graphics BLOCK, PCX file (picture), VFL file (voice), SCRIPT
file, TEXT block, etc.

Character types defined in file 'DCCTOKEN.DAT'. The standard product includes
the following TYPES: REGULAR, HOSTILE, MERCHANT, BARTENDER, HEALER, CIVILIAN,
TELLER, QUESTER, BEGGAR, TRAINER, GUARD and PRISONER. Check the file for an
up to date list and brief comments about each type of character.

Each character type defined in DCCTOKEN.DAT should also have a script file
associated with it that controls the behaviour of characters of that type,
so check script file MERCHANT.SCR for information about what a MERCHANT does.

All characters may have a TEXT BLOCK associated with them. Most scripts will
assume that the character's text block contains up to 16 KEYWORDs that can
be used during a conversation.  The first 8 characters of each text line
contains the keyword and the rest of the line contains the 'reply' that the
character will use when that keyword is mentioned during a conversation.

The scripts also handle 'standard' keywords such as HELLO, JOB, NAME and BYE,
so you don't have to waste a line of text with one of these keywords. Again,
see the associated script file for more information on each character type.

A keyword of 'DEFAULT' will be used as a standard reply when no keyword has
matched.

You may create your own scripts and you don't have to use a text block at
all.  You probably want to use the regular scripts + text blocks for the
unimportant characters and create full individual scripts for the main ones,
giving them more comprehensive conversations handled entirely by the
script itself.

The PCX file number, if non-zero, indicates that a file named CPICT###.PCX
should exist which contains the graphical representation of this character.

The picture will be shown inside the world window when the player 'looks'
at the character.

The VFL file number indicates that a file named VOICE###.VFL should
exist which contains digitized .VOC files that were collected using
the MKVFL.EXE utility program.  You can have as many as 32 .VOC files in a
single .VFL file.  When you talk to a character, if you have a SOUNDBLASTER
driver (and card), the digitized voice will be played in addition to the
text associated with the specific keyword. A keyword need NOT be in the
character's TEXT block in order to be played.

[PARAMETERS]
This screen allows you to change some generic parameters for the game
environment.

TIME: You may specify the starting DATE of the game, the duration of action
(# of moves per minute, minutes per hour, hours per day) and the calendar
description (# of days per week, weeks per month, months per year).

RANDOM MONSTERS: You may select the graphics blocks to be used for random
monsters that appear during game play (under script control).  You may set
separate values for land based, water based and cave (or dungeon) monsters
as well as the statistics records to be used for them and for the random
treasures they leave when killed.

The SMART selection allows you to scroll (using +/-) through the blocks
in the graphics file by the 'class' attribute associated with the graphics
block itself.

[STATISTICS]

You are creating character STATISTIC or BACKPACK records. These records
contain a general description of a character, including items being
worn and carried in a backpack (up to 16 in the backpack).

These records may be created for a specific character or shared by a group
of characters.  For example, you can create a record with magical items
in the backpack and use that backpack for sharing by all general 'magic'
merchants (that sell the magic items in their backpacks).

Generic monster statistics are also created here.  By default you should
have 4 records to be used for SMALL, LARGE and WATER monsters, as well as
PIRATE SHIPs.  When you create a monster manually, you can give it one of
these records to define the monster's stats or you can create a specific
statistics record for that monster.

In each statistics record you can specify initial values for each of the
(up to 10) attributes that are defined in the file DCCTOKEN.DAT file. The
default attributes are: Strength, Speed, Dexerity, Aim, Hit Points, I.Q.
and Power.  You can also specify initial experience and level values.

Any items you place in the character statistics body (wielded or worn) or
in the backpack (up to 16 items) will be carried by any character you create
that uses the statistics record.

Note that if a character joins your party, a separate statistics record will
be created for that character (a copy of the one you specified) so that if
it leaves the party it's modified experience, attributes and items being
carried can be saved for the individual.

[WORLD INFO]
There are many world types.  The OUTDOORS represents a world's surface, and
this type of world is usually the largest.  Towns, Castles and the like are
usually large, containing many houses, businesses, and people.  Dungeons
are usually large, and consist of many levels (each level being represented
by a different world!  A single House may be small, consisting of only a few
rooms, and may have more than one floor, or a basement, each again being a
different 'world'.  Each world may have up to 32 doors to other worlds.
Read the documentation for the specific differences between world types.

- The EDGE of the world is the door number to take if you WALK of the edge.

- The LEVEL indicates that the main player must be of the given level before
  being allowed in this world.  Leave at 0 in most cases.

- The BLOCK FILE, if non-zero indicates the use of alternate landscaping
  blocks stored in 'DCBLOCK#.mde' where # is 1-9.

For each door, you may specify whether it's automatic (a trap door), as
well as a text block to be displayed during ENTRY or EXIT through that
world.  The text may be displayed just once (first time) or always.

[TEXT EDIT]
You are creating a block of TEXT.

Use this screen to create a block of text lines used for:

a) Conversations with individuals: The first 8 character of each line are
   used as KEYWORDs for the conversation and the rest of the line is the
   response given by the character when you mention the keyword.

b) Object's Text: Text associated with an object displayed when you look
   at them (under script control).

Under script control you can set and modify the change text block of a
character or object, and you can access the individual lines as variables
S0 to S15.
[END-OF-FILE]