Costum parameters
Global parameters
Changes from HOST.EXE
Intercept & Cloak mission
Ram! mission
The Experimental Cloaking Device
Boarding Parties in combat
Enhanced Borg's capabilities

How install Advanced VCR

The AVCR.EXE program
The VCR.EXE program
The VCONFIG.EXE program
The AVCRSIM.EXE program
The PACKVCR.EXE program
The ROTATE.EXE program
Available localizations

The shareware version of Advanced VCR
The registered version of Advanced VCR
Bugs, questions and suggestions
Thanks
Final notes

News

Now Advanced VCR is compatible with HOST999 3.22.024.003 or higher

Changes

Nothing

Bugs fixed

Fixed a bug in the message system

Description
Advanced VCR is an addon program for VGA Planets 3.x, that allows to resolve battles at higher level of details than HOST.EXE . Other news include Intercept & Cloak mission, Ram mission, experimental cloaking device, boarding parties in combat and support for ship-lists with up to 20 beams, 20 tubes and 20 fighter bays. (See also Changes from HOST section)

Advanced VCR has 52 configuration parameters that affect its operation. This gives the host a great deal of flexibility in how the combats are run. With flexibility, however, comes the price of complexity. Fortunately, all configuration parameters come with default settings. If the host does not wish to learn about the configuration parameters, he/she can simply leave these settings at their default and rest assured that the game will work well.

AVCR's configuration parameters are stored in a file named VCONFIG.HST, which is expected to reside in the game directory. (See VCONFIG.EXE Program for more details).

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Software requirements
Advanced VCR was developed for Tim Wisseman's HOST.
Advanced VCR needs HOST/HOST.SRACE version 3.22.017 or higher, or HOST999 version 3.22.024.003 or higher.

Note for WINPLAN users: If you play VGA Planets using WINPLAN, you must run VCR.EXE from DOS command prompt (See VCR.EXE Program for more details.) to view battles; and have a copy of RESOURCE.PLN installed in the same folder of VCR.EXE.

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Advanced VCR Overview

• Costum parameters

  This section describes AVCR's race based configuration parameters:

  Beam Recharge Rate: this parameter indicates the rate at which beam weapons recharge. A beam weapon is fully discharged when it fires at an oncoming fighter or at the enemy ship/planet. The beam weapon recharges at every step in the battle by a random amount chosen uniformly in the range 0 to this parameter.
  Beam Hit Fighter Charge: this parameter indicates the minimum charge level which a beam weapon must have in order to fire at an oncoming fighter. Beam gauge turns yellow at this value.
  Beam Hit Fighter Range: this parameter indicates the maximum distance at which a ship or planet can fire on an enemy fighter.
  Beam Hit Ship Charge: this parameter indicates the minimum charge level which a beam weapon must have in order to fire at the enemy ship/planet. Beam gauge turns green at this value. A beam weapon will never fire at the enemy ship, regardless of charge level, if the enemy has launched fighters. The beam weapons save themselves for oncoming fighters.
  Beam Hit Odds: this parameter indicates the percentage chance that a beam weapon hits its target. This chance applies equally to fighters and the enemy ship or planet.
  Beam Firing Range: this parameter indicates the maximum ship-to-ship distance at which beam weapons can be used to fire on the enemy. No beam weapons will be fired at the enemy ship/planet until the two combatants are within this range of each other.
  Beam Kill Factor: this parameter controls the amount of damage inflicted on a ship's crew by beam weapons for a certain amount of killing power.
  Beam Damage Factor: this parameter controls the amount of damage sustained by a ship's hull (or by a planet) by beam weapons for a certain amount of destructive power.
  Tube Recharge Interval: this parameter indicates the rate at which torp tubes recharge. A torp tube is fully discharged when it fires at the enemy ship/planet. Tube led is red when need to be recharged. Turn yellow at half recharge, and turn green when fully recharged.
  Torp Hit Odds: this parameter indicates the percentage chance that a torpedo hits its target.
  Torp Firing Range: this parameter indicates the maximum ship-to-ship distance at which tubes can launch torpedoes. No torpedoes will be launched until the two combatants are within this range of each other.
  Torp Kill Factor: this parameter controls the amount of damage inflicted on a ship's crew by torpedoes for a certain amount of killing power.
  Torp Damage Factor: this parameter controls the amount of damage sustained by a ship's hull (or by a planet) by torpedoes for a certain amount of destructive power.
  Bay Recharge Interval: this parameter is used to limit how often fighters can be launched. The bay launch interval is the minimum number of battle steps a ship must wait after a fighter launch before it can launch another fighter.
  Fighter Kill Odds: this parameter indicates the percentage chance that a fighter will fire on and destroy an enemy fighter if both fighters are very near to each other in space.
  Fighter Shields Power: this parameter indicates how many hits a fighter can sustains before destruction. Only enemy fighter hits, not ship's beam weapons, can be stopped by fighter's shields.
  Fighter Min Damage Rate: this parameter controls the amount of minimum damage that a fighter hit can cause.
  Fighter Movement Speed: this parameter indicates how many metres a fighter will move at each battle step. This value should be at least twice of ShipMovementSpeed value.
  Strikes Per Fighter: this parameter indicates the number of hits that a fighter can inflict on the enemy ship or planet before being required to return for refuelling.
  Max Fighters Launched: this parameter indicates the maximum number of fighters that a ship can have launched (either attacking or returning to the ship) at any one time.
  Torps Per Starbase Tube: this parameter indicates the number of free torpedoes a starbase gets in combat for every torpedo tube a starbase has. This option is relevant only if the StarbasesHaveTubes option is enabled.
  Fighters Per Planet Bay: this parameter indicates the number of free fighters a planet gets in combat for every fighter bay a planet has.
  Boarding Attack Factor: this parameter indicates the number of enemy crew members that can be killed by every one boarding party member.
  Boarding Defense Factor: this parameter indicates the number of enemy boarding party members that can be killed by every one crew member.

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• Global parameters

  This section describes AVCR's global configuration parameters:

  Fed Crew Bonus Mass: this parameter indicates a mass to add to any Fed ship in combat if Fed Crew Bonus is ON.
  Fed Crew Bonus Shields: this parameter indicates a shields % to add to any Fed ship in combat if Fed Crew Bonus is ON.
  Fed Crew Bonus Bays: this parameter indicates a number of bays to add to any Fed ship in combat if Fed Crew Bonus is ON. This number of bays is added after all damage limiting is taken into account.
  Fire On Attack Fighters: this option controls how beam weapons are used to fire on enemy fighters. With this option off, a beam weapon will fire on the nearest fighter (like HOST.EXE). With this option on, a beam weapon will first try to fire on the nearest attacking fighter (i.e., coming towards the defending ship). Only if there are no attacking fighters will a beam weapon fire on an enemy fighter that is returning to the enemy ship or planet.
  Count Fighter To Fighter Hits: this parameter indicates if fighter strikes at enemy oncoming fighters must be counted against StrikesPerFighter value.
  Ship Movement Speed: this parameter indicates how many metres a ship moves at each battle step.
  Stand Off Distance: this parameter indicates the distance in metres at which the two battle participants will stop moving towards each other. The combatants will remain separated by this standoff distance for the remainder of the battle.
  Starbases Have Tubes: when this option is enabled, then starbases can fire torpedoes in combat, along with the usual fighters and beams.
  Beam Tech Increase Beams Performances: when this option is enabled, then beams tech level increase Beam Hit Odds, Beam Firing Range and Beam Recharge Rate.
  Torp Tech Increase Tubes Performances: when this option is enabled, then tubes tech level increase Torp Hit Odds and Torp Firing Range.
  Attack Carrier Bonus: this parameter indicates if carriers attacking from left side will start battles with fully charged fighter bays.
  Shield Damage Scaling: this parameter controls the amount of reduction in shields suffered by a ship or planet for a certain amount of destructive power.
  Hull Damage Scaling: this parameter controls the amount of damage sustained by a ship's hull (or by a planet) for a certain amount of destructive power.
  Crew Kill Scaling: this parameter controls the amount of damage inflicted on a ship's crew for a certain amount of killing power.
  Min Crew On Starbases: this parameter indicates the minimum crew, indipendant from number of colostins on planet, on a starbase.
  Kill Bonus To Fighters: this parameter indicates if BeamKillFactor value must be applied to fighter hits also.
  Damage Bonus To Fighters: this parameter indicates BeamDamageFactor value must be applied to fighter hits also.
  Energy Reserve: this parameter indicates the maximum number of battle steps a ship can fight against enemy. When this value is reached the battle ends without a winner.
  Freighters Have Shields: this parameter indicates if freighter ships have shields.
  Intercept And Cloak: this parameter indicates if the Intercept & Cloak mission is enabled.
  Ships Capture Bases: this parameter indicates if a ship can capture a starbase killing its crew.
  E-S Bonus Against Planet: with this option disabled, the engine shield bonus is only applied to ships that fight other ships, not to ships fighting against planets.
  Starbase Fighter Bays: this parameter indicates a number of bays to add to any planet in combat if there is a starbase.
  Borg Collective Bonus: this parameter indicates if borg ships can gain experience by sharing their knowledge.
  Boarding Parties: this parameter indicates if boarding parties must be used in combat.
  Experimental Cloaking: this parameter indicates if the D7 COLDPAIN and the DETH SPECULA ships are refitted with the new experimental cloaking device, that allows to fight while clocked.
  Ram Mission: this parameter indicates ships can ram enemy ships in combat.
  Exp Cloaking fuel burn: this parameter indicates the amount of fuel burned by the Experimental Cloaking Device.
  RAM extended mission: this parameter indicates the "Ram" extended mission number.

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• Changes from HOST.EXE

  This section shows the Advanced VCR behaviour compared to HOST.EXE battles resolution.

  Beams and fighters can miss.
  Fighters have beams equal of those mounted on ship, but they have only 1/30 of power. If a carrier have no beams their fighters will cause only a damage according to FighterMinDamageRate value.
  Ships without beams, but with torpedoes or fighters, will fight.
  If a planet/starbase is conquered (captured) in battle then the planetary friendly code is set the same of the ship that has conquered (captured) the planet/starbase.
  If a planet/starbase finishes a battle with no offensive capability its friendly code (if it is ATT or NUK) is set to a random value. This prevents the planet/starbase from becoming an aggressor for the remainder of combat.
  If a ship finishes a battle with no offensive capability (i.e., no beams, no torps, and no fighters) then its mission (if it is KILL) and primary enemy settings are cleared and the ship can no longer be an aggressor. Its battle order, however, does not change.
  Similarly, if a ship is captured in battle then its KILL mission and primary enemy settings are cleared, again preventing the ship from continuing its role as an aggressor. The battle order of the ship does not change.
  You'll obtain crew experience by capturing ships in combat.
  Number of weapons availables in combat, is now directly proportional to ship damage.
  Ships, planets and starbases owned by Lizard, cannot longer sustain up to 150% of damage; they will explode at 100 % as other races. Lizard bonus was not removed; now weapons do less damage at ships, planets and starbases owned by Lizard.
  Ships will gain additional mass according to crew experience.
  Starbases can also gain more shields power from Engine-Shield bonus (if active). The starbase engines will be determined according to Engine Tech Level of starbase.
  Fed Crew Bonus is also applied to planets and starbases owned by Federation.
  Starbases can be captured in combat by killing their crew.
  "NTP" friendly code is now "intelligent": if, without the support of your torpedoes/fighters, the opponent ship has the power to blast your ship then "NTP" will be ignored.

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• Intercept & Cloak mission

  This mission allows ships with a cloaking device to intercept another ship and stays cloaked.

  To perform this you must set mission INTERCEPT and friendly code "CLK" (or any friendly code beginning with "IC"), and have:

  a ship with a cloaking device

  the necessary fuel to stay cloaked, as set in HCONFIG (Resolute and Dark Wing do not needs this)

  no Lokys in 10 ly radius

  not to be in an Ion storm.(Resolute and Dark Wing do not needs this)

  If this mission is succesfull, then ship's mission will be turned to "CLOAK!".

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How install Advanced VCR
If you are upgrading from a previous version of AVCR remember to setup the game folder using the new VCONFIG.EXE, and then distribute to every player the new VCONFIG.HST created.

FOR HOSTs:

Copy AVCR.EXE, AVCR.PLN, PACKVCR.EXE e VCONFIG.EXE in the folder that contains HOST.EXE.
Setup game folder using VCONFIG.EXE.
Add in AUXBC.INI (or create if not present) this line:
AVCR path , where path it's game folder.

FOR PLAYERs:

Remember to rename PHost's VCR.EXE as PVCR.EXE if you're using it.
Copy VCR.EXE, AVCR.PLN, VCONFIG.EXE, AVCRSIM.EXE, ROTATE.EXE and VCONFIG.HST shipped by your host in the folder containing PLANETS.EXE.
That's all.

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The AVCR.EXE program

This is the main program. This program must run in AUXBC host fase. It use LANG.PLN language module for messages and writes battle informations in HOST.LOG.

When started, it checks for host version. If a wrong ( less than 3.22.017 for HOST/HOST.SRACE or less than 3.22.024.003 for HOST999 ) host version is found, exits doing nothing. If a right version is found, then AVCR performs a backup of all data files used. If an error will occours, AVCR will restore the backup files before exit. Also, when an error occour AVCR writes informations about the error in a text file named AVCRERR.LOG in the game folder. Please include this file in every bug report

AVCR can be also started with /A option. This starts the ALL SHIPS Run Mode: all ships in game are moved at 0,0 coordinates first of combat fase. After combats, the remaining ships are moved back to their original coordinates.

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The VCR.EXE program

This is the program used to view the battles outcome. It must be installed over old VCR.EXE in the same folder of PLANETS.EXE. It can be invocked by PLANETS.EXE, or by DOS command prompt using this sintax:

VCR /X PATH , where X is the race number (can be 123456789AB) and PATH is the path to player game folder

WINPLAN users must always invoke VCR by DOS command prompt to view battles.

This VCR can recognize if a battle was generated by AVCR, HOST or PHost. HOST battles are handled internally by VCR If a PHost generated battle is found, VCR will try to run "PVCR.EXE" to view the battle. If PVCR.EXE is not found, VCR shows a message on screen. You can still view PHost battles in VCR, but probably with different results.

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The VCONFIG.EXE program

Using this program you can modify the options that AVCR reads to resolves battles.
There are 13 tabs. Tabs 1 to 11 show the parameters that can be changed for every player. Tab 12 shows the global parameters and tab 13 shows Host combat options (those contained in HCONFIG.HST). Use TAB or arrow keys LEFT/RIGHT to browse tabs. Use arrow keys UP/DOWN to scroll parameters in every tab. Press ENTER to change a parameter and insert the new value, then press ENTER again to accept new value or press ESC to cancel. "Default" button sets the parameters on displayed tab to default values. In tab 12 and 13, to change the checkboxes, press underlined keys.

When finished press "Ok" to save the new configuration, or "Cancel" to mantain old configuration.
Parameters in tab 1 to 12 are saved in VCONFIG.HST, the remaining in HCONFIG.HST.

VCONFIG.HST must be shipped to any player, to view the battles correctly.

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The AVCRSIM.EXE program

This program allow you to simulate battles between ships, planets and bases.

Advanced VCR Simulator displays two frames: Attacking and Defending
Those frames allow you add/remove object (ships/planet/base) and view/change their properties:

• Switch between frames using Left/Right keys
• Browse the object list of each frame using PgUp/PgDown keys
• Select a property using Up/Down keys and press RETURN to change it
• Press "+" key to insert a new ship
• Press INS key to insert a new object. In the Left frame will add always a new ship, but in the Right frame, if planet/base is not present, will display the Ship/Planet/Base menu
• Press "-" or CANC key to remove the current object.
• Press ALT+CANC to remove all objects.

Advanced VCR Simulator also displays a menu bar: "Options", "Simulate" and "?" (Help).
Click on menu "Options" or press ALT+O to:

• Activate/Deactivate the HOST mode
• Exit Advanced VCR Simulator.
  This option has a shortcut from the main window: ALT+X

Click on menu "Simulate" or press ALT+S to:

• Simulate a single battle between the ship on left frame and the ship (or planet/base) on right frame
• Simulate multiple battles between the ship on left frame and the ship (or planet/base) on right frame
• Perform a statistic simulation listing all possible results of the battle between the ship on left frame and the ship (or planet/base) on right frame
• Resolve the battles between all ships on left frame and the ships (and planet/base) on right frame and put results in a VCR file. Then call VCR.EXE (if present) to view the battles
• Resolve the battles between all ships on left frame and the ships (and planet/base) on right frame and put results in a text file. Then show this text file
• View the text file of the last simulation

Click on menu "?" or press ALT+? to:

• View this help
• View the copyright info

An one vs. one battle can be simulated in three modes:

• Single battle
  This mode allows you to simulate one battle. You may select if view the battle in VCR.EXE (if present) or not.
  Also, you may select to view a specific battle, inserting a "Random seed" value greater than 0. A value of 0 means that AVCR Simulator will randomize the value of "random seed".
• Multiple battles
  This mode allows you to simulate one battle more times. You may select if view the battles in VCR.EXE (if present) or not. Also, you may select how many times repeat the simulation. AVCR Simulator will randomize the value of "random seed" for each battle.
• Statistic battles
  This mode allows you to view all possible results of one battle. You may select if view the battles in VCR.EXE (if present) or not. AVCR Simulator will browse the "random seed" values list to do a real statistic.
  This option produces approximate statistic if you use it in Advanced VCR battles. This is caused by presence of a random additional mass in the Advanced VCR Combat Routine. In Host mode this option is very accurate.

The "All ships" menu cause AVCR Simulator to resolve the battles between two or more ships as HOST (if Host mode is ON) or Advanced VCR does. The "visual" option allows to view the battles in VCR.EXE.

To start a simulation you must have inserted...
... for every ship : Race and Hull
... for planet/starbase : Race

Races in the same frame will be allied. You can't insert the same race in both frame.
Damage limiting and Fed Crew Bonus (if ON) is taken into account in displaying the number of weapons availables.

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The PACKVCR.EXE program

This program is used to pack the vcr data into RST files. Also ally's battles will be packed into your RST file.
Host MUST run this file after HOST.EXE, otherwise players can't see their battles (they can read only messages of those battles).

You may avoid the use of this program adding this line in AUXHOST2.BAT :
COPY %1\AVCR.HST %1\VCR.HST.
Using this method, the players will not view ally's battles.

If started with /NA option only your battles will be packed into your RST (ally's battles will be ignored).

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The ROTATE.EXE program

This program is used to modify the rotation direction of every ship image for use in VCR.EXE. If you find that a ship image is displayed by VCR in a wrong direction, you can run this program to create a ROTATE.DAT file that VCR.EXE reads to displays ships correctly. You must put the ROTATE.DAT file in the same folder of VCR.EXE.

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Available localizations

AVCR.EXE is available in these languages: English, Italian.
VCR.EXE uses language module AVCR.PLN
VCONFIG.EXE uses language module AVCR.PLN
PACKVCR.EXE is available in these languages: English, Italian.
AVCRSIM.EXE is available in these languages: English, Italian.
ROTATE.EXE is available in these languages: English, Italian.
The AVCR.PLN module is now available in English and Italian; or as BASIC source code (to make your costum modules).

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The shareware version of Advanced VCR
To encourage registration, this program will cease to function after turn 20 of the game. This does NOT mean you can start testing at turn 15 and continue for 20 turns; it means only the first 20 turns of the game (1 to 20). In addition, a nag message will be sent to all players every turn. Otherwise, all features of Advanced VCR are enabled.

The software and documentation in the shareware distribution may be used at no charge and may be distributed freely but must always be distributed unmodified and as a unit with all files present, including this file. All copies of the software and documentation must be distributed at no cost, monetary or otherwise, except for a reasonable fee to cover the cost of physical media (if the copies are distributed on physical media) which may not exceed US$3.00 (three US dollars) in value (at current exchange rates, if applicable) per copy.
If this distribution is included as part of a compilation, including but not limited to a CD-ROM compilation, then no cost, service charge, fee, or other form of required payment is allowed for including this distribution over and above the cost of the compilation itself.
Permission is granted to include this distribution as part of a compilation, including but not limited to a CD-ROM compilation, as long as this distribution is included in its entirely and without modification.
As a courtesy, notification of inclusion in a compilation should be sent to the author ( zeross.mauri@tin.it ).

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The registered version of Advanced VCR
This version of AVCR may NOT be uploaded to any BBS or distributed by anyone except the author, Maurizio Benvenuti.

To receive your registered copy, please follow the istructions found in ORDER.TXT (or in ORDER.DOC MS Word file format) and send all to:

Maurizio Benvenuti
Via Galileo Galilei, 133
41100 Modena (MO)
Italy

Note: those who have an e-mail address will automatically get unlimited free updates. Those of you who not have an e-mail address can still receive the updates by the Technical Support Service described in ORDER.TXT (or ORDER.DOC).

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Bugs, questions and suggestions.
This addon has been given a good amount of testing. I am pretty sure it's bug-free, but if you find any, please e-mail me. You'll be the first to receive the fix!
For any bug, question or suggestion please e-mail me at zeross.mauri@tin.it

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Thanks
To Tim Wisseman for his help and for VGA Planets.
VGA Planets official site is www.wilmington.net/vgaplanets

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Final notes
You are NOT allowed to decompile, disassemble or modify by no means the software contained in this distribution.

The software and documentation in this distribution are provided "as is" without express or implied warranty including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will the author of this software be liable for direct, incidental or consequential damages of any kind, even if the author have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

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[All registered marks on this page are property of respective owners.]