home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
ftp.wwiv.com
/
ftp.wwiv.com.zip
/
ftp.wwiv.com
/
pub
/
DOOR
/
ASNPC110.ZIP
/
ASNSYSOP.INS
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1995-01-12
|
13KB
|
321 lines
ASSASSIN (C) Copyright 1995 by Kevin MacFarland
MasterTech Software ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
SYSOP INSTRUCTIONS
This file contains all the information that is needed to setup and
run Assassin PC on a Bulletin Board System(BBS) or as a standalone
game.
NOTE:
If you are upgrading from version 1.08, run TO109.EXE to update your
data files.
If you are upgrading from a version prior to Assassin 1.08, Version
1.10 will require a complete re-initialization of your game. Read
the instructions below for Setup, Initializtion, and Registration
information.
*** If you will be running Assassin on a Multi-Node BBS, please set the
file attributes of ASNPC.EXE and ASNUTIL.EXE to READ-ONLY. This
MUST be done or a sharing violation can occur. See the Q and A
section later in this file.
System Requirements...
The minimum requirements needed to run Assassin and its utility are
fairly simple.
* IBM PC or compatable with at least 512K of memory.
* MS-DOS version 3.1 or later
Multitasker Support...
Assassin directly supports Desqview and Windows multitaskers.
Command Line Parameters...
Assassin supports a large number of command-line parameters. These
are used to tell Assassin the user and system information it requires.
/Local -- Ignore Dropfiles, Local Login
/Drop=filepath -- Full Path and Filename of Drop file
This take priority over drop file types in the
ASNPC109.SET file (See Below)
/Node=# -- BBS Node number for dropfiles other than
30+ line DOOR.SYS, Spitfire SFDOORS.DAT and
TriBBS TRIBBS.SYS.
/User=username -- Full User Name
/Port=# -- Comm Port Number (0 = LOCAL)
/Baud=# -- Baud Rate (0 = LOCAL)
/Base=### -- Hex Base Address of Comm Port if Serial Port Comm Type
is selected
/IRQ=# -- IRQ line of COMM Port
/Time=# -- Number of minutes left
/Help or /? -- Help Screen
NOTE:
One of the most important things here is the Dropfile. If you do
not give a full filepath on the command line to the type of drop file
you select (See Setup Menu), Assassin will search through the Assassin
Data directory and your computer's ENVIRON path (As set by the
DOS SET PATH= command) for the Drop file.
Local Sysop Keys...
These keys will allow you, the sysop, to directly affect the operation
of Assassin and the User that is currently playing it.
ALT-Q Exit Assassin. This will close all game files, remove the
ALT-X Inuse flag, and returns the user to the BBS.
Alt-L Exit Assassin with Fake Line Noise.
Alt-H Hang Up on User. Same as above, but drops carrier on the
user so they are logged off the BBS.
Alt-C Built-in Chat Mode. Self explanitory. Either the Alt-C or
ESCAPE key can be pressed to exit chat mode.
Alt-S Status Bar Display. Pressing this will toggle the display
of the status bar on the local screen.
Alt-D Jump or Drop to DOS
Alt-J
Running The Utility...
The actual utility functions are broken down by menus. The options
on each menu are fairly self explanatory.
Main Menu Commands
S) "Setup Menu"
This will give you a menu that lists the parameters you need
to set up for ASSASSIN.
R) "Registration Info"
This will ask for your for the serial number and the passkey that
we provide when you register.
I) "Initialize Files"
This will create the game files:
ASNGUILD.DAT (Guild Data File)
ASNPLYR.DAT (Player Data File)
ASNNEWS.LOG (List of all news)
MESSAGE.IDX (Index of Assassin Message Base)
MESSAGE.DAT (Data for Assassin Message Base)
and a few others.
Use this after you have Set the parameters with the "S" option above.
P) "Player Editor"
This will allow you modify information in the player data file
such as Endurance, Turns left, and Activity. Please though, use it in
discretion only.
(You are NOT suppose to be a divine being controlling the lives of the
players, their actions and the computer should be the ruling forces in
this game.)
M) "Message Base Editor"
This will allow you to view and edit every message in the Assassin
Message database.
L) "Location Info Editor"
This option will let you change the names of the guilds to suit your
tastes, or to remove an offending name that a user gives to a guild.
You can also set Guild Initiation and Delay fees in this menu.
If the game is registered, you can even change the name of the city.
C) "Color Editor"
This editor will let you set four of the colors used in Assassin and
ASNUTIL. You can set Menu Text Color, Menu Selection Colors (hilited
selection characters), and the color of text used by Local and Remote
users in the Chat Mode.
A) "Add More Players"
This will increase the maximum number of players (up to 50 total)
in case you under estimate the interest of the game. This will not
modify the game in any other way.
Q) "Quit"
This of course will return you to DOS or wherever you called ASNUTIL
from.
SETUP Menu
(The commands are in order of appearance, however you don't
necessarily have to do it in this order.)
D) Type of BBS Drop File
This option allows you to set the type of dropfile that Assassin reads
from your BBS. A dropfile is a file created by a BBS to pass System
and User information to an external program, such as Assassin.
The currently available Drop File types Assassin recognizes are:
0: "No Dropfile - Use Command Line parameters"
1: "DORINFO#.DEF"
2: "Wildcat or Generic DOOR.SYS (31-53 line version)"
3: "Remote Access DOOR.SYS(6 line version for RA version before 2.00)"
4: "Wildcat CALLINFO.BBS"
5: "Genesis CALLINFO.BBS"
6: "WWIV CHAIN.TXT"
7: "Spitfire SFDOORS.DAT"
8: "TriBBS TRIBBS.SYS"
C) Type of Comm Handler
This option allows you to set the type of Modem Communication used
by Assassin. The available types are FOSSIL driver, DigiBoard multi-
serial port card, or Serial Interrupt via the Comm Port.
NOTE: Serial Interrupt for COM1 - COM4 have default values. If you use
Non-standard Base addresses or IRQs or above COM4, run Assassin
with the correct command line parameters.
The selections available in this option are:
0: Auto Detect (Checks for Fossil, then DigiBoard, then Serial)
1: Serial Interrupt
2: FOSSIL Driver
3: DigiBoard
F) Assassin File Path
This is where the program will put Player files, Guild data,
message bases and a few other files. This is also the place
where the instruction files and, if registered, your registration
key must be placed.
This is a DIRECTORY, not a filename.
N) News Path and Name
If you want this file to be readable from a Text section, you can
set the FILENAME into that directory. This IS a full FILENAME,
not just a directory or folder. Reason why we emphasize FOLDERS and
FILENAMEs is to help you make it work the first time.
S) Score Path and Name
If you want to show a short screen with player names and ranks,
in a text section, fill in the info just like the news (Different name
of course). If you don't want this option, type 'NONE' as the
FILENAME.
G) Guilds
This is a number between 5 and 15. Unless you really need to
conserve memory, you should set this at a minimum of 10. You will
NOT be able to change this once the database files are initialized.
P) Players
This is the number of players you will allow to play Assassin.
It can range from 10-50. If you don't wish to use a lot of memory,
it is safe to start at 10 since you can always A)dd players later.
E) Maximum Endurance for New Players
This will allow you to set the amount of damage your characters
can take before they are killed when you first begin. Its value can
range from 50-250. (100 is recommended)
M) Initial Money for New Players
This will allow you to set the amount of money each player starts out
with. Its value can range from 50-1000. (100 is recommended)
K) Skill Point to Training Sessions
This will allow you to set the number of skill points that are used
for each training session. Its value can range from 5-15.
(10 is recommended)
T) Daily Turns
This is a number from 10-50. Turns are removed for certain
things i.e. an assassination will expend approximately two turns.
10 allows very little progress, 50 allows a lot of progress, some times
too much progress. A good number to set it at is 20 or 25.
B) Backlog of News and Messages
Backlog for news and messages can be individually set. This
holds all old news for a certain amount of days. It also affects
messages, specifically public messages in the Pub and the Guilds.
I would say no longer than a week should be stored.
A) Message Anonymity
Setting this to TRUE will allow your users to leave anonymous
messages in the Pub, Inn, or Guild.
H) Handles or Assumed Names
Setting this to TRUE will allow users to play with assumed names
in the game. Setting it to FALSE will force users to play under their
BBS name or handle. On OTHER type boards, the name they sign the
register with is the name they will use.
I) Inactivity of players
This will allow you to set the number of days of inactivity
before your players are auto-deleted. This applies to both the living
and the dead. With this option, both days can be set individually.
Once you exit the set-up, if you have modified any of the above options,
ASNUTIL will ask you if you wish to save the SET file. If you want to save
the changes, enter Yes. Otherwise, the options will return to the current
SET file settings (or defaults if no options have been set).
After the FILES ( and Assassin directory if necessary ) have been
created, place the files ASSASSIN.IN1 to .IN4 into the Assassin Data
directory you specified in the setup screen. This will enable your players
to read the instructions on how to play ASSASSIN before the game starts.
FOR REGISTERED SYSOPS:
Rename the ASN???.KEY file to ASSASSIN.KEY and place it in the same
directory as the Assaassin File Path you entered above in the Setup
menu to make your registration valid.
You must still enter the serial number and passkey into the
Registration section of the utility and save this new SET file.
Now ASSASSIN is ready to be played by you and your users.
Questions and Answers...
Q: I run Assassin on a multi-node BBS. When another user trys to
run Assassin while it is being played, I get a sharing violation error.
A: If you are going to be running Assassin on a multi-line or
multi-node BBS, set the file attributes of ASNPC.EXE and
ASNUTIL.EXE to READ-ONLY. This can be done using the DOS ATTRIB
function as follows:
ATTRIB +R ASN*.EXE
This will take care of a Sharing Violation Error generated by DOS's
SHARE.EXE. This error is caused when a BBS shells out to a door game
and SHARE locks the file with DENY READ/WRITE access which allows only
one copy of a game to be run. With the READ-ONLY file attribute set,
SHARE will lock the file only with DENY WRITE, allowing the game to be
run many times.
Q: Assassin says that it can't find a data file.
A: Run the utility before you play the game, set the game options("S"),
and initialize the files ("I").
Q: Assassin or the Utility says "Assassin is currently in use by another
player", and I know that this is not true.
A. Just go into the Assassin Data directory and remove the file
ASNINUSE.FLG, which is a one byte semaphore file. If you have a
repeated problem with this, please put "DEL ASNINUSE.FLG" in the batch
file that runs Assassin and report the circumstances to me.
Q: Assassin works fine locally, but my remote users don't see a thing.
A: Check the Status of the Fossil driver, or install one if you don't
have one running already.
PLEASE also read
README.1ST ( For important information for this release )
UPDATE.TXT ( For a list of new features and fixes )
README.NOW ( For general info regarding ASSASSIN )
DISCLAIMER...
I (Kevin MacFarland) do not assume any responsiblity for any damage
to equipment or loss of data that may occur to your system. You are free
to distribute this archive as long as none of the files are changed or
omitted, and you can not charge for distribution of this archive except for
reasonably incurred media and transmission costs.