Welcome to Esterian Conquest Helper (PROCESS phase).
Although there is help text for all menu selections only the help text for the Fleet Orders and View Map menu items must be read as they discuss useful features, some of which are not obvious.
If you have not already done so, read at least the first three sections of the README.TXT file before running the INPUT or OUTPUT phases.
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This menu selection contains the submenu items About, COM Port, and Quit.
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This selection displays the version and other information about the program.
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This selection is used to change the communication port designated for your modem. The default COM port is COM2. The communications port must be correctly set before the INPUT or OUTPUT phase is run.
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This selection is used to shell to DOS. You may look at the raw input data file used to creat the data base file by typing: more<input.ech.
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This selection is used to save the data base to the disk. The data base is always saved when you quit the program.
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This selection is used to quit the Esterian Conquest Helper program.
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This menu selection contains the submenu items Reports, Empire Status, and Other Empires.
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This selection is used to list the messages and reports gathered during the INPUT phase. The messages and reports are deleted at the start of the OUTPUT phase.
You can used the Shell to DOS selection to make a copy of the report file by typing copy report.ech reportxx.ech where xx is the Esterian year.
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This selection is used to display the Empire Status listing created by EC.
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This selection is used to display the Other Empires listing created by EC. Various sort options are available.
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This menu selection contains the submenu items List Planets and Build Orders.
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This selection is used to display the Planet Listing created by ECH. It can include all planets, your own planets, or the planets for any owner you specify (include the # symbol in the Id). Several sort options are available. This report is more than 80 columns wide, thus you use the bottom scroll bar to view the right side of the listing.
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This selection is used to enter Build Orders. Several sort options are available. You may also specify the beginning planet by entering the planet name or location.
When in the orders dialog box, you click on the input (blue) area for the unit you wish to have built and then type in the number of units. l
The Cancel button immediately ends the Build Orders selection. No changes are made to the existing order. t
The Check button will check the order for correctness and compute the number of remaining units that can be built.
The View Map button will display the galaxy map. Only the planets will be displayed and the cursor will point to the current planet.
The OK button cause the order to be checked and the orders dialog box for the next planet displayed. The output phase will submit this order to EC even if no change were made.
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This selection is used to change the Tax Rate for the empire.
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This menu selection contains the submenu items List Fleets and Fleet Orders.
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This selection is used to display the Fleet Listing created by ECH. Several sort options are available. This listing is more than 80 columns wide, thus you must use the bottom scroll bar to view the right side of the listing.
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This selection is used to enter Fleet Orders. Several sort options are available. You may also specify the beginning fleet by entering the fleet number or location.
When in the orders dialog box, you click on the input (blue) area for the unit you want to detach or order parameter you want to change and then type in the value. The X and Y Coordinates and Join To parameters can also be changed using the View Map button as discussed below. l
The Cancel button immediately ends the Fleet Orders selection. No changes are made to the existing order. :
The Clear button will clear out (erase) all input areas.
The View Map button will display the galaxy map. All fleets are display at their destination sectors and the cursor points to the fleet currently being ordered. You generally click on a new destination sector for the fleet being ordered and then click on the Return Coordinates box. When you are going to issue the "Join Fleet" order, you click on the host fleet number and then the Return Fleet No. box. If you do not want to return coordinates or a fleet number, click on a Return box.
For the "Guard Starbase" order click on the Starbase Location or Destination box, click on a starbase number and then click on the Return Fleet No. box to return the starbase number as the Join To parameter.
The OK button cause the order to be checked and the dialog box for the next fleet displayed. The output phase will submit this order to EC even if no changes were made.
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This menu selection contains the submenu item List Starbases and Move/Halt Starbases.
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This selection is used to display the Starbase Listing created by EC.
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This selection is used to Move or Halt a starbase. Unlike the planet and fleet counterparts, there is no starting/sorting dialog. r
The Cancel button immediately ends the Move/Halt selection. No changes are made to the existing starbase order.
The View Map button will display the galaxy map. The starbases at their destination sectors are displayed and the cursor will point to the current starbase. You generally click on a new destination sector for the starbase being ordered and then click on the Return Coordinates box. S
The OK button cause the order to be checked and the Move/Halt selection is ended.
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This menu selection contains the submenu items VGA Mode and EGA Mode. The mouse and a EGA or VGA monitor are required to use the Galaxy Map.
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This selection is used to display the Galaxy Map in VGA Mode if a VGA monitior is attached. z
Only the planets are displayed initially but several choices are available to display additional information on the map.
Information about a particular planet can be displayed by clicking on the Describe Planet box or pressing the p key. Information about a particular fleet can be displayed by clicking on the Describe Fleet box or pressing the f key.
Most build orders are entered using the Build Orders selection in the Planet menu. You may however, click on the Build Order box to review or enter build orders for a particular planet.
Likewise, most fleet orders are entered using the Fleet Orders selection in the Fleet menu. You may however, click on the Fleet Order box to enter or change fleet orders for a particular fleet.
Click on a Return box when you are done using the Galaxy Map. The reason there are two of these boxes is to keep a symmetrical look to the screen. They both do the same thing. :
The features of the Galaxy Map that are not obvious are: D
Clicking on any two sector will display the distance between them.
Clicking on a line in the Fleet Content Legend will display the fleets for the selected line only. To display all your fleets, click on the Fleet Content Legend line.
Clicking on an owner in the Planet Owner Legend will display the planets for the selected owner only. To select all planets, click on the Planet Owner Legend line.
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This selection is used to display the Galaxy Map in EGA mode if either a EGA or VGA monitor is attached. The text is larger in EGA mode and may be prefered even when using a VGA monitor. The help information discussed in the VGA section also applies to the EGA mode.
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