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- Installing NetHack 3.1.0 Binary for the OS/2
- ============================================
- (last revision: Feb 2, 1993)
-
- 1. Unpacking the archive
- ------------------------
-
- The NetHack binary and the auxiliary files required to run the game are
- contained in this archive, NH310OS2.EXE. The original format of this archive
- is a family mode self-extracting archive created by PKZIP version 1.02, but
- it is possible that some other archive format (ZIP, ZOO, ARJ, LZH, ...) was
- used depending on where you got this file. The following unpacking
- instructions assume the original format. Of course, if you have already
- unpacked the thing and are reading this file from the archive itself, they
- needn't concern you :-)
-
- The size of NH310OS2.EXE is 799639 bytes, which means that it does not fit on
- one 720 KB floppy disk. It is assumed (hoped) that no such OS/2 system
- exists that would have a low density floppy drive as its only transferrable
- mass medium. If problems arise with this, however, DOS and OS/2 BACKUP /
- RESTORE commands can be used to split the file on two low density floppies
- while transferring it across systems.
-
- To unpack the archive, create the directory where you want the game to be
- installed and go to that directory. Then type, e.g., "a:\nh310os2", if
- installing from a floppy disk in drive `a'. If you feel suspicious about
- running self-extracting archives (especially in DOS), you can also unzip the
- archive manually by typing "pkunzip a:\nh310os2.exe".
-
- The following files will be created in the game directory:
-
- file: size: synopsis:
-
- NETHACK.EXE 1083671 NetHack executable
- NETHACK.CMD 115 command file for starting NetHack under PM/WPS
- NETHACK.ICO 888 NetHack icon for PM/WPS
- DUNGEON 1646 dungeon file
- *.LEV varies special level files (88 files)
- CMDHELP 4752 help file
- HELP 8627 - " -
- HH 4588 - " -
- OPTHELP 6713 - " -
- WIZHELP 323 - " -
- HISTORY 5056 NetHack history file
- LICENSE 5071 NetHack license
- QUEST.DAT 78632 data file
- ORACLES 6316 - " -
- DATA 26925 - " -
- RUMORS 41189 - " -
- OPTIONS 674 - " -
- NETHACK.CNF 4678 game configuration file
- TERMCAP 5555 terminal configuration file
- GUIDEBOO.TXT 73433 NetHack guidebook in ASCII format
- GUIDEBOO.TEX 61996 - " - in LaTeX format
- RECOVER.EXE 10399 crash recovery utility
- RECOVER.MAN 4575 documentation for the above in ASCII format
- README.OS2 10014 this file
-
- The entire distribution includes 111 files and requires approximately 1.7 MB
- of free disk space.
-
- Since NH310OS2.EXE is a family mode program, the installation procedure can
- be carried out either in DOS or OS/2. However, the binary itself will run
- only in OS/2.
-
-
- 2. Playing the game
- -------------------
-
- The following startup options are available for NetHack in OS/2:
-
- -d dir switch to directory "dir" before starting the game
- -n don't display NEWS file if one exists
- -[ABCEHKPRSTVW] set the player role according to the letter
- -u name set the player name to "name"
- -X start the game in non-scoring explore mode
- -D start the game in debug (wizard) mode (player name
- "wizard" must be supplied earlier on the command line
- or otherwise normal explore mode is started)
- -r don't use RAM disk
- -ibm use IBM character graphics
- -s print out the list of your scores (must be the first
- option specified)
- -? print out help about startup options
-
- When the game is played for the first time, one additional file, RECORD, is
- created for the game's scoring records. If an old record file already
- exists, it will be used instead.
-
- Old saved games (*.SAV) or bones files (BONES*.*) from previous versions of
- NetHack should be deleted, since they will not work with the newest version.
-
- If an environment variable "TERM" is set, NetHack will search the TERMCAP
- file for a matching entry of appropriate ANSI terminal control sequences.
- Otherwise, preset defaults are used. Note that ANSI must be set ON in the
- OS/2 session where NetHack is run.
-
- You will have to edit NETHACK.CNF file to make it reflect your directory
- setup as well as your personal preferences regarding game options. See
- the guidebook for more details.
-
- If you'll be running NetHack from a different subdirectory, you may want to
- do "set HACKDIR=c:\games\nh31" (or whatever directory you want to use). Add
- it to your config.sys, if you'll be playing often. Alternatively you can set
- it in NETHACK.CNF.
-
- You can also create a special NetHack entry in your Presentation Manager /
- Workplace Shell desktop. This will use the included NetHack icon. The
- following is a sample program description for OS/2 1.3 desktop, but it's
- very similar in OS/2 2.0:
-
- Program title: NetHack 3.1
- Path and file name: c:\games\nh31\nethack.cmd
- Parameters:
- Working directory: c:\games\nh31
- Program type: OS/2 Full screen
-
- Naturally you must fill in your own game directory and parameters if you want
- to set any. The program type can be either OS/2 Full screen or OS/2
- Windowed. Note that you should set the executable path to use the command
- file NETHACK.CMD. This file generates an extra pause after the program exit,
- because otherwise you wouldn't get to see the high score list upon quitting
- due to PM/WPS automatically closing the program window. When starting
- NetHack normally from OS/2 command prompt, the command processor starts
- NETHACK.EXE instead, so no extra pause is generated.
-
- If file named NEWS exists in the game directory, it will be printed on screen
- upon startup. This allows the game administrator to distribute game specific
- news and announcements to other players. Although OS/2 is basically a single
- user system, this feature is supported in this binary.
-
- Wizard mode password is "wizard" and the command sequence to enter it is thus
- "nethack -uwizard -D". Note that wizard mode is really intended for
- debugging only, and using it gets boring fast. Standard explore mode should
- be quite sufficient for all game practicing.
-
- In case of game crashes due to segmentation faults or otherwise, the bundled
- game recovery utility RECOVER.EXE is available. See RECOVER.MAN for details.
-
-
- 3. Information about this binary
- --------------------------------
-
- For the technically oriented, some information about the binary: This
- executable is a 16 bit OS/2 text mode window-compatible application, and it
- was created using Microsoft C 6.0A under IBM OS/2 1.3 Extended Edition. It
- has also been tested under IBM OS/2 1.1 EE and OS/2 2.0 using FAT file
- system, but not under any other version. However, it should run properly in
- all existing versions of OS/2 with either FAT or HPFS file system. The
- reason why this executable format was chosen was to maximize portability
- across platforms. Besides, NetHack is one of those programs that don't enjoy
- any real performance boost when compiled into a true 32 bit application in
- OS/2 2.0.
-
- The following flags were used in the compile:
-
- /AL /O /Gs /G2 /Gt10 /Zp1 /FPi
-
- and in the linking:
-
- /stack:8192 /seg:1024
-
- Refer to MSC documentation for explanations. 8087 emulation libraries were
- used (LLIBCEP.LIB), so the game will run with or without a 80x87 math
- coprocessor. As mentioned above, the game is also window-compatible, which
- means that it will run in a text window under Presentation Manager /
- Workplace Shell.
-
- The following game features were compiled in:
-
- POLYSELF, SOUNDS, SINKS, WALLIFIED_MAZE, REINCARNATION, KOPS, ARMY,
- SEDUCE, WALKIES, TOURIST, TUTTI_FRUTTI, MUSE, MULDGN, ELBERETH,
- EXPLORE_MODE, REDO, COM_COMPL, CLIPPING, EXP_ON_BOTL, SCORE_ON_BOTL,
- WIZARD
-
- i.e., everything. The following system features were defined:
-
- NEWS, INSURANCE, VISION_TABLES, MFLOPPY, RANDOM, SHELL, TERMLIB,
- ANSI_DEFAULT, TEXTCOLOR
-
- To find out exactly what these all mean, you'll have to consult the NetHack
- source code. Suffice it to say, they provide for the maximum functionality
- in most cases.
-
- A few critical post-release bugfixes have been applied:
-
- - Polymorphing into a very small creature (like killer bee) produced a
- segmentation fault.
- - Trying to drop all items (by answering 'a' to the prompt) when carrying
- only gold produced a segmentation fault.
- - Kicking a monster while levitating produced a segmentation fault.
- - Throwing Mjollnir at a wall produced a segmentation fault.
-
- Any remaining bugs should be considered features of the initial release. The
- above fixes are naturally also included in the next release of NetHack 3.1.
-
-
- 4. Additional information
- -------------------------
-
- The full source code for NetHack 3.1.0 can be obtained via anonymous ftp from
- ftp.uu.net, gnu.ai.mit.edu, linc.cis.upenn.edu, and from several other
- archive sites.
-
- NetHack 3.1.0 is free but copyrighted - see LICENSE file for details on what
- you may and may not do with this program.
-
- Queries concerning this packaging in particular should be addressed to:
-
- thakulin@hila.hut.fi (Timo Hakulinen)
-
- and the game in general to:
-
- nethack-bugs@linc.cis.upenn.edu (NetHack development team)
-
- Last but nor least: When transferring NH310OS2.EXE either via ftp, kermit or
- whatever file transfer utility, remember to use BINARY mode.
-