===================================================================== SPACE KING * version 5.0 * Notes from the Author. SPACE KING is published by Eternity Zone Gaming. Shareware, registration $10.00 ------------------------------ Here we go again, folks! Welcome to SPACE KING, version 5.0! If you popped a button on your jeans when you played the last version--with its added travel destinations and buy/sell features, its sound/music toggle, its improved graphics, etc--you'll probably pop just about everything for this version. If that is the case, be sure to turn off your digital camera (no one wants to look at an aging man, in his underwear, buying/selling stocks from the planet Yeranus--oh, wait... that's ME)! Below is some of what is new with version 5.0. Immediately after you start the game, you will see--once again--a new loading indicator graphic (that is, if you played the last version of the game). In fact, I think the only changes that I made to the graphics was that loading indicator! Once the game starts, however, there will be something new for those of you who have still not registered the game. ((If you have already registered, skip the next paragraph.)) I thought long and hard about whether or not to disable features such as making it so unregistered players could not save a game, adding nag screens which would pop up every once and a while, or even preventing someone from playing the game after 30 days. I DID NONE OF THIS! I still believe that trusting the conscience and the decency of people is the best way to go here. And, I still know that the good folks will shell out the small $10.00 for the registration. Still, I felt that I had to do something as registrations do not nearly reflect downloads. I almost always get a chuckle when someone (who has not registered) writes to me with suggestions and says that s/he loves the game and has been playing it for some time (I received one of these the other day). While I welcome suggestions from anyone (registered or not), if you continue to play this game and like this game... you should register this game! SPACE KING is still fully- functional and without those industry-standard nags. What I decided to do, however, was to add notification that the game is unregistered. This notification is not a nag and does not interfere with playing the game (in fact it is not present at all on any of the actual game screens, only on the information screens). So, please register and I will tell you how to remove the unregistered copy notification. It also occurred to me (because of the nag-free, in fact... quite unobtrusive, nature of my programming) that many people really did not realize that SPACE KING is, in fact, Shareware. There is now a new, colourful screen that will let you know about the Shareware nature of the game. Registration -does- send a message to me that I should continue to update and improve the game so please register for those reasons... and for your own conscience. Thanks! Now... what is new with version 5.0?? Quite a bit, Charlie, quite a bit! How about I start with even MORE travel destinations? No? Okay... I will start, then, with the game customization screen! You can now play easier or harder games (i.e there are now difficulty levels)! You can even, if you want, customize your own game starting with or without various options (credits, loans, fuel levels, bonds, properties, etc). Cool! NOW how about I talk about more travel destinations? Still no? Hmmm, okay. Well, I decided to remove some more of the dialog boxes. I re-vamped the extras area (it now has its own screen instead of that homely and difficult-to-manipulate dialog box). I also changed the way notification of events/hazards happen when you are travelling (no more dialog boxes there either). I finally gave-in to pressure and decided to add that darn overspend safety to the stock buy/sell screens. If you try to BUY ALL and you do not have enough credits, the game will no longer end (rather you will be told that you cannot proceed as you do not have enough credits). Happy??? Heh heh! Also, an Amount of Change button has been added to the stock buy/sell screens. The AOC button, when pressed, will show by how much a selected stock has gone up or down (in case you want more information than just the green up arrow and the red down arrow); thanks to Kevin for his suggestion! Kevin also suggested that a racing feature be added. The Ship Races is a cool new feature to the game that has you betting on ships as they race to the finish line! So... thank you for that idea as well, Kevin! I am sure you will all love The Ship Races!! Also, the exclusivity of satellites travel has been removed. Just what the heck does that mean? It means that you can now travel to any satellite from any planet! Nice. There is also now a Hall of Fame. There was only one high score possible, but now there are 10! I think that is way-cool, baby!! JUMP UP AND DOWN!! DO IT NOW!!! Okay, stop. Keep reading. If you hadn't noticed, SPACE KING has a primary executable file. In the unfortunate occurrence of a system freeze, while playing the game, files extracted--for use by the game--are not deleted (they usually are after you quit a game). Even after you correct the freeze, run the game, and quit... these files remain, taking up unnecessary room on your hard drive. A new feature becomes aware of these files after you start the game and offers to delete them for you. This new feature keeps the SPACE KING directory relatively clean and should keep the game working at optimum conditions. I'm lookin' out for ya!! Now I am going to talk about having MORE travel destinations whether you like it or not! As if there is not enough to do in the game... I have added more travel destinations in the form of Moons (there are 10 of them) and The Outer Rim. Each Moon contains robots and mines that you can buy to (what else?) mine for precious metals such as platinum; gold; and silver! The Outer Rim contains Mutual Funds which can be bought and sold! Isn't that GREAT??? Yes, ohhhh, YES!! Oh, boy, I just popped something! I better wrap this up! Two quick points... as there are so many new features to this version, (point one) old saved games will not work. Also (point two), realize that your old high score (if you have one) will be deleted as soon as you start a new game as the new scoring levels are not compatible with the old high score file. I just thought that I would mention those two points. While you are reading this, it gives me another opportunity to remind you that SPACE KING is Shareware. If you like SPACE KING and continue to use it, please register the game for only $10.00! Please. You can get more information about registering from within the game. If you are ready to register now, though, feel free to do so via one of the following two links: https://www.regnow.com/softsell/nph-softsell.cgi?item=1543-1 https://www.regsoft.com/cgi-bin/reg_it_offsite.pl?4688 Thank you in advance for your registration, enjoy this update, feel free to write with suggestions, and prepare yourself for 2000!! It it coming! Oh, no, I just popped something else. Ohhh, beHAVE...! --Marcus D. Gregio. 26 July, 1999 =====================================================================