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Text File | 1995-04-25 | 25.7 KB | 594 lines

Gladiator version 3 Readme.txt file. [0] Installation information Gladiator has a simple 'glad.cfg' file which it references for the location of graphics and other files. If you wish to use it, rename 'old.cfg' to 'glad.cfg.' Then, if you install everything into one directory, edit glad.cfg with a text editor or simply delete the .cfg file completely. If you wanted to put the pix (graphics) files in a subdirectory called graphics, for example, change that line in glad.cfg to graphics=c:\glad\graphics\ (or whatever yours is) Don't put spaces around the "=" character, please :) (we're not good at parsing) IMPORTANT NOTE: At the last minute, we were unable to compile our sound code correctly in real mode. This means that this version of Gladiator is running in protected mode, and without sound. We're working to get our sound code working again, and hopefully we'll release a quick-fix update very soon. [1] Keyboard Controls GENERIC CONTROLS ---------------- P : Pause game F9 : Reset color palette for windows users F10 : Toggle color cycling on or off Numeric +/- : Increase or decrease game speed up to max for your machine ESC : Exit Gladiator or picker ONE PLAYER MODE --------------- Arrows : Cardinal movement Numeric keypad : All movement, including diagaonals Insert / Numeric 0 : Attack with ranged or melee weapon 7890 : Select special if more than one is availible Enter / Return : Invoke special Numeric 5 : Call your team to organize around you Backspace : Switch control to next team member Right-Shift+Backspace: Switch control to next TYPE of team member TWO PLAYER MODE --------------- RIGHT PLAYER: SAME AS ONE PLAYER CONTROLS LEFT PLAYER: Q-W-E : All movement, including diagonals A-*-D Z-X-C 1234 : Select special, when more than one is availible Insert / Numeric 0 : Attack with ranged or melee weapon Alt : Invoke special ability 1234 : Select special if more than one is availible S : Call your team to organize around you Tab : Switch control to next team member Left-Shift+Tab : Switch control to next TYPE of team member [2] Overview Gladiator is a gauntlet style real-time arcade game where you (red team) must set out to destroy all other teams in a variety of scenarios. Use the picker (picker.exe) to select a scenario to play. Each scenario gives you access to a variety of character classes, some with interesting special abilities. Your goal in each case, destroy all your opponents with as few team losses as possible. Gladiator features 320*200 256 color graphics, soundblaster compatible sound, independent AI control of over 100 characters, and high speed animation :). [3] How to play A) The Picker When you first start a game of Gladiator, you actually run the 'picker' (short for "Team Picker") instead of glad(iator) itself. The picker's main menu gives you several choices: Begin a new game, continue with your current or saved game, or exit. For now, select New Game. The next screen of the picker allows you to save or load games (not too useful yet), edit your current team, view your team, or, finally, buy new members for your squad. Since you don't have any team members yet, the first thing to do is "Buy Guys". Choosing the "Buy Guys" menu takes you to a screen which will display the name/type of a new recruit, his statistics, and the cost to purchase him, along with your current cash, which for a new game begins at 5000. From this point you may buy this character, raise his stats (and cost) in various amounts, or, using the "NEXT" and "PREV" buttons near the top, see what other characters are availible. In the unregistered version of Gladiator, the availible troops are: * Soldier: Your basic grunt, can absorb and deal damage and moves moderately fast. A good all-around fighter. * Elf: Elves are small and weaker, but are harder to hit. Elves throw stones, sometimes more than one. * Archer: Archers are fleet of foot, and their arrows have a long range. Although they're not as strong or healthy as fighters, they can also be a good squad backbone. * Mage: Mages are slow, nearly defenseless, and horrible at hand-to-hand combat, but their magical energy balls pack a big punch. All mages, regardless of level, posess the ability to teleport out of (or into!) danger, providing they've saved enough magic. * Cleric: Clerics, also, are slow, but have a stronger hand- to-hand than mages. Clerics have the unique ability to plant trees which their teammates can pass through, but which foes must hack down to pass. Clerics also posess the ability to heal teammates who are standing next to them. * Thief: Theives are fast and stronger of constitution than the magic-wielders, though not so potent as the soldier. A thief, in addition to throwing daggers, can plant a bomb which can take out even the strongest opponent. Beware, however -- unlike an archer's arrows, bombs do not discriminate in who they destroy! In general, each character has at least one 'special ability,' and some have more than one, although it sometimes requires gaining several levels before these other special abilities become availible. You will also come up against other foes -- undead such as skeletons and ghosts, magical beings such as elementals and faeries, and others, but these types are not availble for purchase in this version, although some may join your team at certain times. The statistics from which you can choose to modify here are: * Strength: Strength affects your melee (hand-to-hand) combat, as well as things like your weapon range. * Constitution: Constitution increases your hitpoints and rate of healing, and also affects other combat-related skills. * Dexterity: Dexterity helps improve your ability to dodge, your weapon's accuracy, your speed, and other related skills. * Intelligence: Intelligence controls the amount of 'magic' power you have, how fast this power regenerates, and the success of your special abilities. * Armor: Armor is like shielding; the more you have, the less damage you will take from a given blow. * Level: Your character's level is determined by his experience (currently 0), visible on the right of the screen. Level affects all stats, and affects what special abilities your character can perform. While it may look very expensive to buy a level for your character, it can be useful when you're "almost there" and want the increase, as the cost decreases the closer you are to the next level. So, from the "Buy" menu you may purchase whatever type(s) of men you choose. You can edit their stats before you buy them, or, if you prefer, switch to the "Edit" menu instead. The edit menu appears similar to the purchasing menu, but the NEXT and PREV buttons will take you through your already purchased men. When you use the "LESS" and "MORE" buttons for changing their stats, notice that you do not actually pay (and thus make your changes permanent) until you click the "ACCEPT" button; this will purchase the changes, provided you have the funds, and record your character's stats. When picking a team, only about the first 25, at most, will appear in a scenario; the others are not lost, but will show up on the next level. Thus, it is generally best to limit your team to 10 to 20 characters, which is normally quite sufficient. After you have purchased and edited your team, or any time during this phase, you can choose to "VIEW TEAM." This will display a screen listing the number of each type of character you have, and what "scenario" number you will be attempting next (currently 1). This screen also contains a "GO" button: this will start that scenario. Before hitting go, this time, press (or click) "ESC" several times until you get to a point where you can save the game. Don't worry if you go out to the main menu; simply press "continue game" from there; all your team members will still be there. When saving a game, you have a choice of 5 slots. Your current game is always saved by the computer as game number 0, and is loaded each time you enter the picker. After saving your game, you're ready to go! Find the "GO" button (such as from the "VIEW TEAM" menu), click it, and you're off! B) The Scenarios You've just hit the "GO" button from the picker. After Gladiator loads, you'll see the main screen, which consists of a viewport area, where the action takes place, and a grey score panel, which lists various important information. When the level first begins, another button with introduction text should appear in the center of the screen. This text will often tell you about the current level, and may list any special goals or hints. You can use the arrow keys or the page up/down keys to scroll through the text. When you are done reading it, hit ESC to continue. The score panel lists several important items. At the top should be listed the name or designation of your current character, such as "COMMANDER." Below that are numbers and bar graphs indicating your current hitpoints and spellpoints. Be careful -- when your hitpoints go to zero, you're dead! Below these numbers should appear "SC: 123." This is your score for the current level, which will start at zero and go up as you wreak havok. The word "CHARGE" which appears beneath this simply tells you that you're in normal combat mode; GUARD would imply you were just hanging out. The numbers following "TEAM" and "FOES" are the number of members left alive on your team, and the number of foes left, respectively. Finally, "EXP" or "LEVEL" will list your current experience or level. After hitting ESC to exit the introductory text, the game will begin. Gladiator uses an angled, mostly overhead view. You will see your character standing on a field of grass or dirt, perhaps with some trees, cobblestone, or water nearby. Everybody on your team is wearing red; the bad guys will wear a variety of colors depending on their team (the blue team, the yellow team, etc.). Normally, when you fire, your shots will pass over your teammates and hit your enemies; use this to your advantage! When you begin Scenario 1, you are a young recruit in a small band of warriors. You, personally (at the keyboard) however, will be controlling "Commander." Commander is an NPC (Non-Player-Character), which in this case means that although he is on your team, you are not able to buy stats for him or examine him when you are in the picker, and he may choose to leave at any time. There are pro's and con's to having NPCs in your group: they are often somewhat stronger than your men, and can help keep you alive against the odds, but they DO NOT EARN EXPERIENCE, and will not go up levels, nor can you buy their stats up. For this reason, it is often good to let the NPCs control themselves, and go off hunting experience with your own men. You can tell you are controlling an NPC rather than a normal character because the score panel will display his level rather than his experience. For this scenario, switch characters (press BACKSPACE) several times until you get out of the officers and into the enlisted ranks -- your personally bought men. Try out your ranged attack, if you have one, by pressing the fire key (INSERT), while staying away from enemies. Try hitting your special key (ENTER) and see what happens. Later, when you have more special abilities, you can select them with the number keys (7,8,9,0). Finally, if you've mastered the art of moving around and firing, head up north and look for the nasty elves who have been killing the local travelers. Don't be too upset if all your men are slaughtered and you lose the scenario. There's NO penalty; all that will happen is that you will be returned to the picker. From here, choose "CONTINUE GAME," and then just hit the "GO" button to try it again. Assuming you're able to overcome the odds and kill all the bad guys (the "FOE" count will drop to zero), it's time to look for the exit to the next level, which in this scenario is near the top. Exits look like four glowing arrows pointing at each other. Stepping on an exit while there are still enemies left won't help you, but if you've completed the scenario, a small window should appear asking if you'd like to go on to the next level. Hitting "Y" will save your game and take you to the picker, where you can spend some more hard-earned cash before continuing to the next level. A "N" response will let you stay on the level. It's often good to check a completed scenario level to see if there are any hidden treasures -- such as gold bars or food -- left around. On the first scenario, you might notice another exit in the lower left corner of the map; taking this exit will jump you to level 10, in case you know all about the game and don't need the introductory levels to get you started, but it's NOT a good idea to take it when you've just started out! C) Continuing the cycle That's it! Every time you complete a scenario successfully, your current game will be saved and you'll head back to the picker. Sometimes there will be places you can pass back through levels you have already completed. There won't be any enemies or treasure here, but they can serve as passages and rest-stops between areas you've been and areas you're going. Once you've learned the basics of Gladiator, try two player! To toggle the number of players, just click the appropriate button on the main screen. It won't look like it does anything, but it really will, trust us :) The Gladiator two-player system is cooperative (you're both on the same team), although racing for experience is fun. Score is shared between the team, while experience goes to the character who earned it. The unregistered version has 15 scenarios to try out; if you'd like more scenarios, plus the other benefits, check out the section on registering below. [4] Hints and Tips A) Two-player mode can really help make things easier. Frozen by a faerie? Get your friend to fry him from the side. B) Clerics may feel weak at first, but they're great for healing wounded team members. They're also great for building a 'wall' of trees to block onrushing foes; call your teammates to you while you build a fortress! C) Don't forget to use your special! If you've got the magic to burn, it's almost always worth it. [5] Registering Gladiator (do it do it do it do it) We don't want to beg, but .. please, please PLEASE!! If you think our game was at all interesting, at least send us mail with your comments and feedback! You can send email to: tricket@ucsd.edu or mikes@ictv.com Of course, if you have any shred of mercy for the four poor starving college students who have slaved away over hot computers making Gladiator, we'd REALLY be your bestest friends, and for just $10.00, you get: * Lots more scenarios (take your guys to incredible levels!) * More special abilities (up to four for each character) * More types of characters, and the ability to purchase all of them for your team, including: FIRE ELEMENTALS (you see a couple on the last castle level) DRUIDS (with cool lightning bolts, and summoning of tree golems) FAERIES (freeze your foes!) SLIMES (reproduce over and over, and overwhelm your enemies) ORCS (an even more powerful grunt) GHOSTS (FEAR, fly through walls) SKELETONS (really fast!) * Access to the nifty cheat codes. (unlimited money!) Feel FREE to send cash in the mail; we don't care! (But the post office doesn't reccommend it) Heck, we'd even take Visa if we knew how. Send your payment to: Tom Ricket (heh heh, I'm typing this, so I get the address) Gladiator v 3.0 12645 Cambridge Drive Saratoga, CA 95070 Regardless of whether or not you register, PLEASE take the time to let us know what you think. Our best ideas so far have come from our testers (radar, diagonal movement, lots of cool stuff), and it's a pretty sure bet that whatever you suggest will be implemented. In fact, if you send us money, we can practically guarantee it! (unless it's really, really lame!) So now that we've made our plea, you can read on for the credits and revision history of glad ... [6] Credits Programmed in Borland C++ 4.02 with Powerpack for Dos by: (In alphabetical order, and not in any way implying order of importance) -- Chad Lawrence -- Doug McCreary -- Tom Ricket -- Mike Scandizzo Testing by: -- Lara Kirkendall -- Lee Martin -- Karyn McCreary -- Doug Ricket -- Stefan Scandizzo -- Loki, Ishara, and Mootz (well ... they tested the keyboard, anyway) :) [7] Revision history Since release 2v: (04/20/95) * Implemented 'exit' objects into the picker, scenario editor, and Gladiator :) * Modified Save game format to allow NPC's to have names * Made the 'XXX KILLED' display use an NPC's name, if appropriate * Re-coded radar::draw for better speed & readability * Improved the smoothing in the scenario editor, and added final tree edges Since relase 2u: (04/18/95) * Added 'myself' pointer to walkers to help trace down GPFs * Fixed walker::transform_to() to correctly remove itself from the object map before changing size; apparently helped fix bugs :) * Added screen::damage_tile() to give ability for tiles to be broken. Tested by having thief bomb damage grass. * Added virtualized weap::animate() to weap to allow for faster weapon animations, and to fix GPF when ani_type was somehow getting set to non-zero (2, in this case) * Fixed stats::hit_response() to stop weapons (any non-livings) from responding .. * Added druid as real character * Added magic and invulnerability potions * Added walker::center_on(target) to center us on target .. * Added screen::find_foes_in_range(), and used it to improve the AI.. * Fixed display bug in magic-point display bar * Added 'level' display to non-guy walkers * Added living::set_difficulty(whatlevel) to more intelligently set the difficulty of non-guy walkers * Adjust damage weapons inflict based on their owner's level * Set walker's damage to an int instead of a char Since release 2t: (04/17/95) * Fixed bug with eating treasures * Added 4th level cleric spell: resurrect team members * Added 'effect' object for special effects.. * Added 'scare' effect for ghosts * Added 'bomb' effect for thieves + explosion effect * Overloaded screen::add_ob() to take a ,1 as the last argument, specifying add to TOP of the list (so object displays below everything else on the oblist layer) Since release 2s: (04/15/95) * Added help system and added glad.glp * Modified scenarios to version 3, which includes scenario text (edit with T), and display at the start of glad * Guys now automatically attack when you bump an enemy * Removed bloodspots for ghosts and skeletons, and made the cleric summon ghosts or undead based on special level Since release 2r: (04/13/95) * Added help system with 'h' (reads glad.hlp) * Glad takes parameter ("1" or "2") to determine number of players * Added number of players selection to picker. * Added 'current_special' and made specials level-dependent * Added experience to guys and made levels dependent on this Since release 2q: (04/10/95) * Added death() function to walker * Made slimes die to smaller slimes, removed blood spot for fire elem. * Modified dying (generate_bloodspot) to move walkers to the fx layer, and mark them as bloodspots * Used new system to allow clerics to 'raise dead' from any bloodspot (temporarily removed healing option) * Added new terrain types (paths, cobblestones, etc.) * Made fire elementals explode upon death * Set shrinking bloodspots to not collide * Converted walker class to derived types (living, weapon, treasure) * Fixed food-eating problem with treasure objects * Made score panel display guy name * Added gold and silver bars * Added magic potions, ie flight Since release 2p: (04/07/95) * Re-added the floating text to viewscreen(s) * Multiplied graphics size by four times .. * Improved graphic display window to allow for non-integer viewport display width/height Since release 2n: (04/05/95) * Added animation for large slime splitting * Fixed HP/SP color bar color problem Since release 24: (04/01/95 Interim release) * Added multiple viewscreens for multi-player mode * Added mapped keyboard controls for use in multi-player mode * Broke the screen object into a graphics, screen, and viewscreen modules * Added 'right-hand-rule' based movement for AI * Added transformation function (ie, for slime) and associated cheat-key * Reworked slimes and set up full-cycle of growth/replication Since release 2L: (3/25/95) * Added NO_RANGED bit-flag, and used it to make the small slimes have no ranged attack (needs to be fixed) * Add new bit-flags INVINCIBLE, can't be hurt :) (+ cheat key) * Added default and current weapon types, and commands set_ and reset_ weapon .. used this to get flaming arrows for the archer's special * Added 'armor' to the gameplay (subtracts damage done to you) * Made magic regeneration based on intelligence * Added hitpoint regeneration based on constitution * Added treasure 'food' item; can be eaten for hitpoints * Added gamma correction (ALT + NUMERIC PLUS, MINUS, & ENTER for default) * Integrated with picker better To do: since 2k (03/23/95) * Recompiled in protected mode for bug-fixing * Ignore (normal) keyboard input if command-queue exists * Find what is crashing glad sometimes (appears to be a NEW, not old bug) (apparently was deleting a non-existant radar) * Put guy/object display on radar (though not to 'scale') * Make the radar bigger (50x50?) (40x40 looked better) * Make a nifty graphics border for the radar * Add slimes eventually; they have a slime ball ranged attack * Make loader use the team list.. - Now loads a GTL (saved game) file! At last! :) * Added colors.h for easy color reference * Added Win and Lose cheat keys * Winning a level now saves game to savetemp.gtl * Put in slime specials: small => medium => large Since release 2i,j: (3/19/95) * Improved movement -- better baby-stepping, diagonals * Implemented command 'queue' for better AI * Added specials to archer and footman * Implemented radar (background only) * Implemented full-turning system with single keystroke * Implemented fire 'cost' (of MP); can see for mage's fireballs * Added diagonal graphics for mage Since release 2g, h: (3/10/95) * Speed enhancements to various graphic routines * Code integration of main files with picker, scenario editor * Fixed up 'yo' to have delay; deal with foes better * Ready for transfer to Mike for now :) Since release 2f: * Made game speed adjustable using numeric PLUS and MINUS Since release 2e: * Faster walkputbuffer * Fixed shove bug * Optimized auto-walking * Cleaned out old error detection code * Corrected most warnings Since release 2d: (3/07/95) * Rounded MP/HP display * Added slime-type guy (not pictured here) Since release 2c: * HP & Magic point bar display * More cheat codes (Flying, Magicpoints, Hitpoints) * 'Incremental' movement when blocked Since release 2b: * Can now only push members of same team * Implemented slippery walls :) * Replaced red flash with fast blood splash * Improved speed of screen redraw by about 30% * Improved AI on diagonals * Added 'yell' command to summon teammates (Y) Since release 2a: * Fixed 'Unknown Blaster Option X' line * More 'circular' weapon range Improvements since Release 2.0: * Number of foes remaining display * Pause key (P) * Red-shifted palette during menus * Sped up system (faster horizontal movement) * Guys rotate through turns * Red flash to indicate damage to controller Improvements since version 1 * diagonal movement * improved keyboard response * larger viewport (with faster rendering) * floating text for information * more opponent teams * new character classes * improved maps and scenarios * blood splots ;) (it's gorier than doom) * animated tiles (flowing water, flickering torches) * improved AI * better scoring system * improved stability (we found some bugs ;) * nifty cheats (try and find them) * more colorful palette