ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 Shareware Freeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng)

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ ProfitPress Mega CDROM2 …eeware (MSDOS)(1992)(Eng) / ProfitPress-MegaCDROM2.B6I / BBS / DOORS / SEAMINE.ZIP / SEAMINE.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1991-07-06 | 16.2 KB | 333 lines

SysOp Documentation for SEAMINE by Chris Allen version 1.30 ABOUT THE GAME SeaMine is a BBS game where the players control submarines and move around in an underwater world filled with rocks, ore mines, and other players. The goal is to locate mines, then retrieve and sell precious ores. This creates competition with the other players economically and directly in combat. More about the game is in the accompanying SEAMINE.INS file. INSTALLATION Steps for installation: 1. Make a directory in which you want to store the program 2. Extract all the program's files into that directory 3. Run the SEAMAKE batch file. This batch file automatically runs the other customization programs. Or you can run each manually. The list of customization programs is: a. SEACFG customizes colors, default communication parameters, and playing characteristics such as playing-board dimensions and ore names. b. MAPMAKE creates the initial map data file. It asks for average depth and maximum rock spread up and down. You can use the default values by pressing Enter, for a reasonable map. You can change this file as you want before continuing with the next step. c. SECMAKE generates the game's actual playing board. SECMAKE reads the text file MAP.DAT which MAPMAKE generates. These new data files can be edited with the Sector Editor, which is described later in this documentation. To run a fast setup using default values, type: seamake default (all lower case) To customize for your own board specifications, such as a different board size or other than the default values, type: seamake custom (all lower case) 2 4. Optionally, you can run SEAEDIT, the SeaMine Editor, to customize the map now, or later after players have started using the game. 5 . Install the game in your BBS (see next section) Running From DOS To run SeaMine from DOS, enter SEAMINE 0 0 x <first> <last> where x is the maximum amount of time to give to the player, and <first> and <last> are the first and last names of the player. However, the program also recognizes names that are other than two words. Leaving off all parameters causes the program to abort. Note that the player name is CASE SENSITIVE, meaning the game can tell the difference between upper and lower case. An example is: SEAMINE 0 0 1000 Chris Allen BBS Installation SeaMine will run on a WWIV, QBBS, or compatible system. There are basically two methods you can use to install SeaMine, because of ongoing development of BBS compatibility. Method 1: The first method is to put in the command to execute SeaMine, whether in a menu editor, chain editor, or whatever, enter: <path>SEAMINE.EXE <file type> [filename] where: <path> is the full path to the SeaMine directory <file type> is based on your BBS software, as follows: 1 : WWIV system 2 : QBBS system [filename] is optional, the file to read for caller information. If left off, the default filename is CHAIN.TXT for WWIV and DORINFO1.DEF for QBBS. Method 2: The second method is left to maintain downward compatibility with the first versions of SeaMine. 3 For QBBS Installation: Run Menuedit, and either load the menu which will show SeaMine, or create a new menu and add it to the appropriate menu. In the menu item to run the program, specify menu type 7, with the optional information as follows: Name of the game, with the full path to reach it Modem comm port (1-4) Baud rate User's time left this call User's first and last name The format for this with QBBS is: path\SEAMINE.EXE x *B *T *F *L where the x is your modem's comm port, generally from 1 to 4. An example would be: C:\QBBS\SEAMINE\SEAMINE.EXE 2 *B *T *F *L for a COM2 system, where the SeaMine program and data files are located in the directory "c:\qbbs\seamine". SeaMine knows to look in the directory from which it is called, so you can keep your other directories less cluttered. For WWIV Installation: Go into the external program editor, and add a program. In the line for the name of the program, include the full path to SeaMine, since the program uses this to locate its data files. After the program name, add a "%1" to pass the name of the data file written by WWIV, which SeaMine reads for communications information. An example of the program-name line would be: C:\WWIV\SEAMINE\SEAMINE.EXE %1 Once SeaMine has been installed into your BBS, it should now be ready for play. I suggest that you, the Sysop, run the program first, since the first player (player number 0) has unlimited time per day. Also, this player slot will potentially be open to receive other features in later versions of the game. Running the game yourself is a good way to check to make sure that it is properly installed and works fine. 4 CUSTOMIZING AND MAINTENANCE SEACFG SEACFG is the SeaMine Configuration program. The main menu explains the categories of items to customize, including colors, default communication parameters, price control in the Port, and miscellaneous options, such as board dimensions, number of ores, the names of the ores, and a variety of player time limits, controlled by the Sysop. When you quit out of SEACFG and save the data, it writes to the file SEAMINE.CFG. SEAEDIT All the editor functions for SeaMine are in one program, SEAEDIT.EXE. SeaEdit contains the player editor and sector and mine editor. The SeaMine Editor lets you: - Adjust where rocks and ore mines are located - Choose the number of mines, ores, and production levels - Create "floating" mines to increase player difficulty and overall ore production - Create tunnels, caverns, and underground mines - Edit a player's location, time, credits, ores, fighters, etc. The editor components are each described below: Player Editor The Player Editor allows you to select an existing player with the cursor keys, or add a new player with the 'A' key. Once the player is chosen, a screen with all of that player's attributes is displayed, and you can again use the cursor keys and type changes. On fields with more than one character, only changes ended by pressing Enter are saved. When you are finished editing, press Escape and it will save the player and return to the player-selection screen. Pressing F1 from either screen will display an appropriate help screen. Sector Editor After you select the Sector Editor, you will be in movement mode, and it will display the status for coordinates 1,1,1. Use the arrow keys and the + and - keys to move the current coordinates, just as in the game. The normal numbers on the numeric pad move just as in the game, including diagonals. Sector 1,1,1 is in the southwest corner of the top (surface) level. Press F1 in movement mode for a complete list of movement keys. The basic keys are listed at the top of the help screen. Once you choose the sector you want to edit, press Enter to enter edit mode. You may then edit the various fields. If you 5 change the "Mine in sector" field, the lower half of the screen will either add or remove more fields, regarding the mine in that sector. Press F1 for more extensive help about the different fields. When you are finished editing, press Escape and the program will save the sector information and return to movement mode. SEAPACK SEAPACK is a cleaning program. After you flag players to be deleted, running SEAPACK actually deletes them from the player file, and removes all their fighters from the playing board. Currently there is no expiration check for the age of a player's record, so an inactive player will remain until manually deleted, killed, or the game is reset. This expiration-date checking will be added in an upcoming version. Other Files SeaMine keeps an error log, under the filename ERRORS.LOG. This contains the dates and times of certain errors, such as carrier loss, necessary files not found, etc. You might want to periodically check this log to make sure that important files such as the player instructions file or mine data file can be found, though I'm sure the frequent and new players will tell you this on their own, too. OTHER GAME INFORMATION A feature in SeaMine itself is the Chat mode, Alt-C. The Sysop can enter Chat mode at any time. This causes the game's key buffer to be emptied into chat mode, though, which may set players back who use macros or script files. To leave Chat mode, simply press Escape, and the player will be returned to the point at which Chat mode was originally entered. The amount of ore in storage in the mines increase each day by the productivity in each ore. The game increments this at the first call of the day, when it recreates the LASTON.DAT file and moves the prices in the port through their 30-day cycle. The cycle can be reset at any point simply deleting the PORTINFO.DAT file, which will send all prices back to those at the first day of play. If you delete the LASTON.DAT file and run the game, then all the mines will have their storage increased by their productivity, and the PORTINFO.DAT file will be updated, moving the prices through the cycle, just as if the program was being run for the first time of the day. The game is designed to support up to 32,768 players, so there should be no problem with number of players who would want to play. One feature that has not yet been added to the game is time- out detection. At a prompt in the game, a user has unlimited 6 time to answer. However, if their time has expired by the time they finish answering, they will be returned to the BBS to be disconnected. Built-in time-out and hangup will be added in an upcoming version. FILES The following is a list of the programs and data files that exist in the SeaMine directory after the game has been run, and whether SeaMine generates the file itself ("gen") or requires that it already exists ("req"): Filename Gen/Req Purpose ------------ ------- ------- SEAMINE.EXE N/A the game itself SEACFG.EXE N/A configuration editor, generates SEAMINE.CFG MAPMAKE.EXE N/A creates initial map file SECMAKE.EXE N/A generates SECTORS.DAT and MINES.DAT SEAEDIT.EXE N/A the combined editors SEAPACK.EXE N/A cleaning utility for purging deleted players SEAMAKE.BAT N/A batch file to help with setup SEAMINE.INS req player instructions for the game SEAMINE.DOC N/A SeaMine game documentation README.1ST N/A quick-installation file REGIST.FRM N/A registration form for SeaMine SECTORS.DAT req sector data file, the only data file that MUST exist MINES.DAT req mine data file, must exist to use mines, but the game CAN run without it PLAYERS.DAT gen player data file LASTON.DAT gen file containing last date the game was played PORTINFO.DAT gen file containing port prices and current stage in the price cycle SEAMINE.CFG req file containing game customizations MAP.DAT N/A map file created by MAPMAKE and read by SECMAKE SCORES.SEA gen scoreboard text file, generated by SEAMINE ERRORS.LOG gen error log file made by SeaMine REGISTRATION If you enjoy this game, have not registered, and would like to see the additional features which have been added since this version, please print and fill out the accompanying ORDER.FRM file and send it and a check for $20 to: 7 Chris Allen SeaMine Registration P.O. Box 19765 Raleigh, NC 27619 You will receive a disk with the most current commercial version, and will be added to the list to receive notices of significant new features. New features I have in mind for an upcoming version include additional lesser ports where players can sell their ore, the built-in time-out check, and rogue or pirate fighters. Registered users will also receive support on problems with the game, so please include your registration number with problem reports for faster response. If you have ideas for other features to be added, feel free to send them to me at the address above. The beta testers and I have enjoyed creating and testing this program, and hope you enjoy it, too.