Tank Wars Release 3.0 Copyright 1990, 1991, 1992 Kenneth Morse All Rights Reserved ----------------------------------------------- NOTE: This game requires a VGA or MCGA video system to operate. Your computer must be capable of 320x200 resolution with 256 simultaneous colors. DESCRIPTION: This is a game for 1 to 10 players. Opponents attempt to destroy each others tanks by firing various weapons at them. There are also 7 computer intelligences available to compete against. FILE NAMES: This program was written under the working title of BOMB, as the files are still called. However, due to the fact that there was already a game of that name, I have changed the name to Tank Wars. Since Tank Wars has been out for over a year with no complaints, Tank Wars will remain named Tank Wars. The files will continue to be named BOMB for convenience of previous users. REQUIREMENTS: This program runs in 320x200x256 color mode. It requires that a VGA or MCGA monitor is connected, and is running as the current monitor. A mouse is not required, but utilized if present and 100% Microsoft compatible. (I have had some troubles with Genius Mice.) SHAREWARE: TANK WARS is distributed as Shareware. You are free to try the game and make copies for others. If you continue to use the game, however, you are required to pay the author a registration fee of $10. Please include any comments you have. Registered users will be added to my mailing list, and will be notified of major new releases of this program. FILES: The following files are included in this package: BOMB.EXE: Main File BOMB.OVR: **** REMOVED, NO LONGER USED **** BOMB.TXT: This File BOMB.DOC: Documentation REVISION.HST: List of changes BOMB1.RAW: Graphics file BOMB2.RAW: Graphics file BOMBCFG.EXE: Configuration Program BOMB.ICO: Icon file for Windows 3.0 users. BOMBCFG.ICO: Icon file for Windows 3.0 users. BOMB.ICP: Icon file for OS/2 users. BOMBCFG.ICP: Icon file for OS/2 users. BOMBCFG.HLP: On-line Configuration Help All previously listed files are Copyrighted and may not be modified in any way for any purpose without the author's written consent. If the file BOMB.CFG was included with the package you received I suggest you erase it immediately. This will prevent you from starting up with somebody else's options, which may not be optimum for your system. SUPPORT: Currently electronic support will be provided to everybody. I can be reached on Prodigy at TGTM35B, and on Compuserve at 76427,3305. Internet users can reach me at my CompuServe address. My mailbox address is listed at the end of this file. Written (non electronic) questions will be answered for all registered users, and currently for non registered users who provide a self addressed stamped envelope or CIS or Prodigy ID so that I can respond at minimum cost. Policy regarding non registered users is subject to change at any time without notification. (Just a legal precaution, I don't expect to.) TECHNICAL INFO: This program has been tested on very few machines. It was designed on a 16Mhz PS/2 65SX, with 12MB of memory. Thus it is almost sure to work on another 65SX. Previous versions have become widespread, with few or no problems, and I expect this to continue with V3.0. I have had some problems with Genius Mice, and Tandy Keyboards, and I am looking into the cause. GRAPHICS FILES: It is not necessary to have BOMB1.RAW and BOMB2.RAW to play the game. If you need the disk space, delete BOMB1.RAW. This will cause the program to only load BOMB2.RAW and the title screen will be less spectacular. Deleting BOMB2.RAW causes the title screen to be skipped altogether. MICROSOFT WINDOWS & OS/2: Currently Tank Wars will run adequately under Microsoft Windows 3.0, 3.1, and OS/2 GA release. Under these environments the game may appear slow and sluggish, and the background may jerk along instead of scrolling smoothly. If you can, I advise you run Tank Wars in straight DOS, not in a multitasking environment. If you feel you must run under Windows, you MUST set it up to run Full Screen, and Exclusive is highly recommended. Also you may wish to disable background palette rotation to smooth things out. As to OS/2, I have been told that it will run, but nothing more. If you have problems, disable background execution (from DOS Settings) and run it with as few other applications open as possible. You also may wish to disable background movement, as I am not sure how OS/2 handles Vertical Retrace and Palette interrupts. EXTERNAL SOUND SUPPORT: I am currently working on support for MIDI compatible systems. In fact, I did have my MIDI code in Tank Wars, and it did work on my system. The problem is that this code crashed every other system it was tested on. I have currently commented out that code to decrease the code size for version 3.0. As soon as I get the code bulletproofed I will uncomment it for the next version. As there are many different MIDI systems available, I would appreciate your help in making Tank Wars as universally compatible as possible. I currently have the specs for only two systems, my IBM PS/2 with a Roland MPU-IMC card connected to a SC-55 SoundCanvas, and thanks to Ronald Lepper I have info on the Roland LAPC-1. These two will definitely be supported. For any other system I will need more information about the device. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could provide to me, either over CompuServe or through the US Mail information on the device they have. This is the only way to guarantee that Tank Wars will in the future support your card. As to the ever popular Sound Blaster, I will consider supporting it as soon as Creative Labs gets its act together and comes out with its promised MCA Sound Blaster Pro so I can test it on my system. I will support the Adlib portion of the SBP if someone will provide me with the necessary information. EXTENDED KEYBOARD SUPPORT: Previous version of Tank Wars provided the command line switch /X- or the option in BOMBCFG to disable extended keyboard access. You will note that this option has been removed in version 3.0. The Extended routines are now required for Tank Wars to work properly. The reason for this omission is that it was taking an incredible amount of code to support both methods, (Every function had to be coded twice, one for each method) and that was translating into a larger filesize and slower program. If you have a computer that required the disabling of the Extended Keyboard Handler, please first try V3.0. The routines have been cleaned up a bit, and may work on your system. If Tank Wars fails to work, first try removing all TSR's. I currently know of no TSRs that interfere with Tank Wars (although Tank Wars may disable some TSRs) but it pays to be sure. If you find that the cause was a TSR, please send me a note telling me the name of the TSR and where you got it so I can either try to make Tank Wars work with it politely, or detect its existence and post a warning. If the problem is not a TSR send me a note stating the problem (in detail) and the system you are running on, and I will look into the situation. VIDEO CARD ACCESS: The background palette movements you (should) see during the game may require some fine tuning. You only need to read this if the background does not move, its movement slows down the rest of the system, or the movement causes fuzz or black bars on the screen. There are various options in BOMBCFG for adjusting the way which Tank Wars interfaces with your video card, and the description of each option can be found in BOMBCFG by pressing F1 on the appropriate menu. In general, (less technically) this is what each option will do. The following three options are mutually exclusive: Video Retrace Interrupt - Tank Wars will work with your video card to move the background. When the video card begins a vertical retrace, it will tell Tank Wars, and Tank Wars will change the background. This option is the fastest and smoothest of the two, and tends to keep all interference off the screen. The only possible problem is that many computers do not have a Vertical Retrace Interrupt. Timer Interrupt - Tank Wars will work with your system timer to move the background. Every 18.2 seconds the timer will signal Tank Wars to move the background. When this is set the interference could happen anywhere on the screen, and the palette will move more slowly. On some computers selecting this may cause your system clock to be off when you exit Tank Wars. Not Active - The backgrounds will not move. Select this if your computer does not have a Vertical Interrupt, and if selecting Time Interrupt unbearably messes up your system clock. The remaining options are On/Off toggles: Direct Video Port Manipulation - This tells Tank Wars whether to use its own routines to move the background, or your computer's. When unchecked Tank Wars will use BIOS which is usually slower, and tends to create moving black bars across the screen. When checked Tank Wars will use its own routines, which tend to be much faster, and cause less interference, at most only a bit of roaming snow. Crude Palette I/O - This tells Tank Wars whether or not to let any interference fall where it may, or try to lock it at the top of the screen. When this option is unchecked, Tank Wars will lock any interference at the top of the screen, significantly slowing down the game. When this option is checked, the interference will roam the screen. Note: Unless you completely understand what I have just said, or you have a problem, you should leave the above two options checked, and Interface set to Vertical Retrace. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I would like to thank Borland, for without Turbo Pascal, this program could never have been written. I believe that Borland has the best technical support of any company in existence. They continue to help, even when you get on their nerves. I would also like to thank Microsoft, for I could not have written this so easily without a multi- tasking environment. I also would like to thank WordPerfect Corp. for WordPerfect with which I wrote these files. I would like to thank Chris Sparks and Brett Moseley for their endless hours of beta testing and contributed ideas. Also I would like to thank all the users who have contributed ideas, and helped in testing Tank Wars. Special thanks to Aaron Johnson who aided in solving the ATI bug and Robin Rudge who provided the equations for Wind Master. This program is distributed as Shareware. It is not free software. You are free to try the game and make copies for others. If you continue to use this game beyond a reasonable trial period, you are required to register it with the author. In return you will be notified of all major releases, and will own a legal copy of the program. Send Registrations to: KENNY MORSE 11800 SILENT VALLEY LANE GAITHERSBURG, MD 20878 Please include your registration fee of $10, and if you have one, a Compuserve or Prodigy ID at which I can contact you. Also tell me what version you have, and where you got it from. I don't require it, but I would also like to know your age, and what kind of system you are running on. I will currently answer questions from anyone via CIS or Prodigy. I can be reached at TGTM35B on Prodigy, or 76427,3305 on Compuserve. (Internet users can reach me at my Compuserve Address.) I will currently answer written (non electronic) questions to the above address only if the asker includes a method of reply, such as a self addressed stamped envelope, or Prodigy or Compuserve ID. If you reside outside the United States please pay the registration fee with a cashier's check or money order payable IN US FUNDS. Canadian residents may send personal checks but please adjust for the difference between US and Canadian currencies. After registering you will become the legal owner of your copy of Tank Wars, and will be placed on my mailing list. Whenever a new version is released, you will be notified of its release, its new features, and how to obtain it. In addition to your $10 registration fee you may include at the time of registration an extra $3 to obtain the current version of Tank Wars at that time. (Please specify disk size, 360KB, 720KB, or 1.44MB.) If you prefer you can replace the $3 with a self addressed, stamped, floppy disk mailer containing a blank disk and I will place the current version of Tank Wars on it and drop it back in the mail to you. Once registered, you are to treat this software exactly as a commercial package that you had purchased. The software and the disks on which it is contained are licensed to you, for your own use. This is copyrighted software. You are not obtaining title to the software or any copyright rights. You may not sublicense, rent, lease, convey, modify, translate, convert to another programming language, decompile, or disassemble the software for any purpose. Any copy made of this program for any person other than the registered user this copy is licensed to is to be treated as a shareware copy, and should be evaluated and registered accordingly. I apologize for the capitalization, but the Uniform Commercial Code [UCC] states that implied warranties cannot be disclaimed unless the disclaimer conspicuously uses specific words. All capital letters is commonly accepted as conspicuous (and rude, but that's another matter). This software is provided as-is. There are no warranties, expressed or implied. KENNETH MORSE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES RELATING TO THIS SOFTWARE, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND ALL SUCH WARRANTIES ARE EXPRESSLY AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMED. NEITHER KENNETH MORSE NOR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, PRODUCTION, OR DELIVERY OF THIS SOFTWARE SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE SUCH SOFTWARE EVEN IF KENNETH MORSE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR CLAIMS. IN NO EVENT SHALL KENNETH MORSE'S LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES EVER EXCEED THE PRICE PAID FOR THE LICENSE TO USE THE SOFTWARE, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF CLAIM. THE PERSON USING THE SOFTWARE BEARS ALL RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE. Some states do not allow the exclusion of the limit of liability for consequential or incidental damages, so the above limitation may not apply to you. This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Maryland and shall inure to the benefit of Kenneth Morse and any successors, administrators, heirs and assigns. Any action or proceeding brought by either party against the other arising out of or related to this agreement shall be brought only in a STATE or FEDERAL COURT of the competent jurisdiction located in Montgomery County, Maryland. The parties hereby consent to in personam jurisdiction of said courts.