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1997-08-23
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187 lines
Time Travel - EPM CODING INFORMATION
(C)Copyright 1996-97 Sunrise Door Software
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
ALL data files are stored in the main Time Travel directory. TTDAT.DAT is
created in this directory as well.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Here is a list of files that should be included with TTCODE.EXE
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
TTDAT.DAT - Sample of the TTDAT.DAT drop file created for player
information.
TTCODES.TXT - List of all color codes which can be used on description
line at the [J]ump To Other Places Menu.
DOORSYS.TXT - Sample Time Travel created DOOR.SYS file.
DHDAT.TXT - Format of daily happenings data file.
JUMPS.DAT - Sample EPM data file.
EPMCODE.DOC - This text file.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Time Travel creates 2 files called:
TTDAT.DAT
DOOR.SYS
when a caller uses an EPM. These files can be used by 3rd party programmers
to create their own add ons for Time Travel.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
THE DOOR.SYS FILE
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Basically what Time Travel does is copy the DOOR.SYS file it is using to
the main Time Travel directory. At the time that the EPM is run it copies
the DOOR.SYS file over and changes the amount of time the user has left to
the CURRENT amount of time left as opposed to the amount of time left when
the user first entered Time Travel. The format for the DOOR.SYS file is
EXACTLY as any door programmer has been accustomed to because of this. It
is the standard 52 line DOOR.SYS file. NEVER READ THE DOOR.SYS CREATED BY
THE BBS...ONLY THIS ONE WHICH WILL RESIDE IN THE MAIN TIME TRAVEL DIRECTORY.
Think of the main Time Travel directory as the BBS drop file directory. If
you DO NOT read THIS DOOR.SYS file, then the users time will not be adjusted
properly.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
THE TTDAT.DAT FILE
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The TTDAT.DAT file does NOT contain information that your EPM may need
to actually "operate." This file contains all of the info of the players
record who is using the EPM.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The TTDAT.DAT file makes it a snap to write EPM's for Time Travel! All
of the players information is contained in this text file for you!
-> Setup a routine in your EPM that reads the players info from
the TTDAT.DAT file, and a routine that writes any changes that
your EPM makes to the players info, back to the TTDAT.DAT file,
so that Time Travel can make the appropriate changes if any.
If changes are made, you will ADD to the totals in the TTDAT.DAT
file. ie. Players Time Jumps as written in the TTDAT.DAT file
when Time Travel shells out to run your EPM is set at 10 and
you somehow give the player an extra 5 jumps, the value written
back to the TTDAT.DAT file would be the original amount plus
your amount [15].
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
How it works:
------------
When running an EPM, Time Travel creates the 2 files described above.
After gathering the COM port info, and/or whatever other info you may
need to operate your EPM from the DOOR.SYS file, you need to read in the
player info from the TTDAT.DAT file and save the values to your own
variables.
After your EPM is finished, just before exiting back to the game, your EPM
MUST rewrite the TTDAT.DAT file, using the new values (if any). When Time
Travel reloads, it reads the TTDAT.DAT file, and saves all of the values
therein to the players record. You MUST change line 1 in this file to
"YES" if you want Time Travel to record the changes in this file to the
players record!
If there are NO changes to be made to the players record, then you don't
have to even touch the TTDAT.DAT file. If the first field still contains
NO when Time Travel swaps back in, then the file will be ignored.
Things to keep in mind:
----------------------
1) You MUST change line 1 to read YES if you have modified the TTDAT.DAT
file in any way. If it reads NO, Time Travel will IGNORE the entire
file.
2) You MUST write ALL of the info back to the TTDAT.DAT file! Even if you
only make changes to a few values! When Time Travel reads info from
the TTDAT.DAT file, if it finds ANY problems in the format (strings
where numerals were expected, etc.), then it will completely IGNORE the
info contained in the file.
3) BE CAREFUL! Inserting the wrong value in an improper line number of
the TTDAT.DAT file when your EPM finishes, can have unpredicted
results (if Time Travel accepts the mistake for some reason). For
example, putting the users amount of Money in the bank on the line that
is supposed to contain the players fights left for the day...be careful
not to do things like this. Try to make sure you follow the exact
format shown in the example TTDAT.DAT file when writing your values
back to the file.
4) Do NOT use commas in your large amounts! If you do, then ALL of the
info in the TTDAT.DAT file will NOT be the proper value. For example, if
the player leaves your EPM with $200,120 , write it to the TTDAT.DAT file
as 200120, not 200,120. Time Travel will see the latter amount as $200
dollars because the field will be truncated at the comma!
5) At this time, Time Travel is NOT multinode. So making your EPM
multinode is NOT neccessary. There are NO immediate plans for a
multinode version either.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
WHAT YOUR EPM HAS TO HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED AN EPM:
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
1) It MUST have an easy to use INSTALL program. It should place the name
of the EPM and the BATCH file in the JUMPS.DAT file automatically. The
Sysop should not have to do this manually. Make it so it creates the
neccessary BATCH file and places it in the main Time Travel directory
for them or at least include a sample BATCH file for the Sysop. It MUST
also have an UNINSTALL program. This program should delete all of the
files from their hard drive, take out your EPM information in their
JUMPS.DAT file and delete the BATCH file from their Time Travel
directory.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
1) Don't charge more for your EPM than the purchase price of Time Travel.
If you want to make your EPM FREEWARE...Great!
2) Don't give HUGE amounts of anything to the player. It's no fun if the
player has 5,000,000 dollars!
3) If you would like my official endorsement for your EPM, then send me
a registered copy of the EPM to test thoroughly. I will release a
list of EPM's that I suggest the Sysop obtain and where to get them.
Only those who have followed the above will make it on this list.
4) Try to keep it simple. The simpler the EPM, the quicker the game and the
more apt the users are to stay interested. An EPM that takes as long or
longer than the main game to play is not an accent to the game..it IS a
game!
5) Take a long look at the overall game so you can get a feel for the way it
operates. Your EPM should not be EXACTLY like the game, but similarities
in the way it works will help the user feel comfortable.
6) Be creative. The overall theme of the game lends itself to just about
anything you can think of when it comes to time travel. The things that
could be explored are just about limitless.
7) Test your EPM thoroughly. Make sure it works before releasing it. Do
all the strange and weird things you think the user might do and then
do some more even weirder things. It's amazing what trouble a user and
even a Sysop can get into!
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
That should be about it. Make sure you read ALL of the information provided
in the files contained in this archive. It took awhile to put this package
together and it is all here for a reason.
Most of all...Have fun! I know I tend to take programming a little too
seriously...I mean, look at these doc's, right? Remember, Time Travel is
a GAME and your EPM is one too!