JCSM Shareware Collection 1996 September/JCSM Shareware Collection (JCS Distribution) (September 1996).ISO/gamebord/se2v14.zip/README.TXT

Text File | 1995-08-18 | 12KB | 294 lines

SPACE EMPIRES II  Copyright 1995 Malfador Machinations


INTRODUCTION

  Space Empires II is a strategic space conquest game for Windows. You
  design and build your own starships based on the technological level
  of your civilization. 1-4 human players and a slew of computer players
  will oppose you in your reign. Can you bring your enlightened rule to
  the entire galaxy? This is the challenge....


LEGAL JUNK

  Space Empires II is the copyrighted work of Aaron Hall for Malfador
  Machinations. The shareware version may be freely distributed so
  long as no files are changed or omitted.  Malfador Machinations
  retains the right to deny retransmission rights to anybody for any
  reason.

    >>>>>> DO NOT DISTRIBUTE THE REGISTERED VERSION. <<<<<<

  See below for details on how you may obtain the registered version.


INSTALLATION OF SHAREWARE VERSION FROM ZIP FILE

  The shareware version of Space Empires II is distributed as a single
  ZIP file. To install this version, you must:

      1.) Create a new directory (recommended name: se2)
      2.) Copy the ZIP file to this directory
      3.) Unzip the file, using PKUNZIP 2.04g or later
      (usually done by typing: pkunzip se2v14.zip)
      4.) Create a windows program item for SPACEMP2.EXE

  To create a windows program item, run Windows and select "New..." from
  the FILE menu of the Program Manager.  Next select Program Item and
  hit OK. Then use the BROWSE button to get to your new SE2 directory
  and select the file SPACEMP2.EXE. Hit OK to select SPACEMP2.EXE, then
  hit OK again to create the program item. You're all done! (This can
  also be done through File Manager by selecting the file SPACEMP2.EXE
  and dragging it to the program group in Program Manager where you want
  to place it.)


GAME REGISTRATION

  Space Empires II is a game where Technology dictates your ship size and
  the strength of your weapons. The shareware version of Space Empires II
  provides Tech Levels 1-5. If you'd like Tech Levels 6-20, you need to
  order the registered version of Space Empires II. With your registration
  you'll receive the latest version of the registered version of Space
  Empires II. You can also order the Strategy & Hints Guide which provides
  detailed clues on how to win against incredible odds!

  If you'd like to receive a Registered copy of Space Empires II, please
  fill out the Order Form (file ORDER.DOC) and send it in to Malfador
  Machinations. If you don't have the Order Form, use the following:

  $25 - Registered Version of Space Empires II
  $5  - Strategy & Hints Guide

  Make check payable to Malfador Machinations and send it to:
  Malfador Machinations
  Space Empires II Registration
  P.O. Box 471885
  San Francisco, CA 94147-1885

  (Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.)
  (Sorry, only 3.5" disks available)

  If you'd like to send in comments to Malfador Machinations you can
  either mail to the above address, or email us at:
  [e-mail]


WHY REGISTER???

  Here's what's waiting for you in the registered version of Space Empires
  II:

  - Tech Levels 6-20
  - Battle Cruisers, Battleships, and Dreadnoughts
  - Starbases
  - Carriers and Fighters
  - Open and Close Warp Points
  - Destroy Suns
  - Cloaking Devices!
  - Mauler Beam
  - Wave Motion Gun
  - and much, much more.....

  You haven't lived until you've faced a fleet of de-cloaking Dreadnoughts
  preparing to fire their Wave Motion Guns!


THANKS

  I hope you enjoy Space Empires II and please support shareware!

                           - Aaron Hall



COMMON QUESTIONS

1.  I just built ships but they don't move. What's going on?

    When ships are first purchased, they are merely empty hulks sitting
    in space. You must now use your space yards to build (repair) them.
    When a ship is first purchased it will have all of its components
    destroyed (there will be 3 stars next to each of the component names).
    Each turn after that, the space yards in the same sector as the ship
    will repair it. Once the ship has some engines repaired, it will get
    movement points. Remember to not move the ship away too early or it
    may still have components that are not built yet.

2.  What is Armor used for?

    Armor is a hold-over from Tech Level 0. When you get Tech Level 1
    (every empire starts at this level) you attain shield technology.
    Shields render Armor obsolete. You can buy it, but economics say
    its not wise. Shields are cheaper.

3.  What are Hulls used for?

    Hulls are free hits inside your ship. They act like shields in that
    they absorb damage. Other than extra damage points for your ship,
    Hulls serve no useful purpose.

4.  My ship won't colonize a planet. Why?

    There are several criteria that must be met before a planet can be
    colonized. First, you must have a ship in the same sector as the planet
    with movement points remaining. This ship must be carrying an outpost.
    colony, or settlement module. Next you select colonize, and then select
    the ship from the Select Ship list. You're all done!

5.  How are Space Yard 2's better than Space Yard 1's?

    Space Yards will repair 3 components for each level they have. Therefore
    a SY1 will repair 3 components while a SY2 will repair 6.

6.  Does my ship do better in combat with 2 Combat Sensors on it?

    No. Combat Sensor and ECM are not cumulative. The highest level
    component will dictate the bonus your ship gets, and the extra
    components do nothing. There is one advantage however to having 2
    on your ship. If the first one is destroyed, then the second one
    will still give you a bonus.

7.  Turns take a long time. How can I speed up the game?

    You can speed up the game by starting a game that does not have
    neutral players. This can be done when you start a game by going
    into the Game Setup Window and un-checking the Neutral Players
    Allowed option.

8.  How can I be player 2 in a 1 player game?

    Sorry, you can't. When you play with only one human player, that
    player has to be player 1.

9.  How many ships can I have in Space Empires II?

    Space Empires II has a limit of 2000 ships total in the game. This
    is limited by how much memory you have, but most machines can go
    all the way to 2000.

10. I want to have my own class names to pick from when designing classes.
    How do I do this?

    The names that are shown in the drop-down list when picking a class name
    in the Design Classes window is loaded from a text file. The text file
    that the game uses for each player is selected from the Game Setup
    Window. When you start a new game, select Game Setup. In the Game Setup
    Window at the bottom, you will see 4 text boxes that contain the names
    of 4 text files. Just change the text file name to the file you created
    and those names will show up in the Design Classes window.

11. I press the Move ships command button yet the Select Ships window
    does not show any ships to pick from. Why?

    The Select Ships window filters the ships in the currently selected
    sector for the command you are attempting to perform. For example,
    if you press the Move command, the Select Ships list will only
    show ships in the currently selected sector that have at least one
    movement point left. When you press the Colonize command, the
    Select Ships window will only show ships that have colony modules
    and have at least one movement point left.

12. Why does the Load Game window have 10 slots, but the Save Game window
    only has 5?

    The last 5 slots in the Load Game window are reserved for Auto-Save games.
    When you auto-save a game, it appears in slots 6 through 10.

13. How is Maintenance calculated?

    Maintenance is calculated at the end of your turn as 3% of the cost of
    each ship in your empire.

14. Where does the list of Destinations in the Purchases window come from?

    The Destinations list is a list of all sectors that contain space
    yards you own. Since settlements have a built in SY1, your list
    will show every settlement you own, in addition to the location of
    any ships you have that have space yards.

15. How do I make old classes not show up in the Purchases Window?

    If you do not want a particular ship class to show up in the Purchases
    Window, you must mark it as obsolete. Go into the View Classes window
    and select the ship size and class your interested in. Now just check
    the obsolete button and that ship will no longer appear on the
    Items Available list in the Purchases window.

16. Can I delete a ship class?

    No. There is no way to completely delete a ship class in the game.
    You can mark it as obsolete which is effectively the same thing. You
    will not though, be able to use that class name ever again.

17. How do I find out what Tech Level I'm currently at?

    From the Main Window select Empire and then Status. The Empire Status
    Window will show you all of the summary information for your empire
    which includes what Tech Level your at.

18. I gave orders to a ship but it didn't do anything. Why?

    If you give orders to a ship, and then want it to execute those
    immediately, you need to press the Execute Orders button. If the
    ship has movement points left, it will attempt to carry out your
    orders. Orders are automatically executed at the beginning of your
    turn.

19. How is Money calculated?

    Money is generated by all of the colonies you have in the game.
    The real money you get from a planet is calculated as the population
    of the planet times the value of the planet divided by 500. You
    can see the amount at any given time by going into the Info Menu
    and selecting Colonies.

20. How do I find out what ships were repaired in the last turn?

    Select the Logs menu and then the Repair item. The Repair Log window
    will show you a list of all ships that were repaired last turn.

21. How do I find out what ships were purchased in the last turn?

    Select the Logs menu and then the Purchases item. The Purchase Log window
    will show you a list of all ships that were purchased last turn.

22. I was in combat and the game said that I retreated, but I didn't!

    Though the Attacker can manually retreat any time he wishes, the game
    will automatically force the Attacker to retreat at the conclusion of
    combat turn 20.

23. What is Fast Combat?

    Fast Combat should be used when you have large numbers of ships in combat.
    This option will deactivate the display of firing information (the text
    that's displayed in the top left corner when a ship fires). This speeds up
    the firing phase of combat immensely.

24. Are there any quick keys for moving ships around?

    When selecting commands for ships remember the Shift key. When you hold the
    Shift key and press a command, you are telling the game to select all the
    ships available for that command. This means that you will not get the Select
    Ships window and instead the command will just be executed for all the
    available ships. This helps a lot when warping ships through a warp point.
    There's also a quick way to move ships with the Shift key. Select a sector
    that has ships that can move. While holding the Shift key click on another
    sector in that system. All of the ships that can move in the selected sector
    will move towards where you just clicked!

25. I run Space Empires II but the System Display just shows blank white. The
    Galaxy display is fine but where it would show the solar system, I get
    nothing but a blank white space. What's going on?

    Space Empires II will only run in 16 or 256 colors. The problem your
    having is caused by running on a Windows system that is using
    more than 256 colors. Just set your display to 16 or 256 colors and
    everything should be fine.