Version: 0.93b
I. Installation
II. New functions
III. What more ?
EXPLORE
Welcome to Explore, a freeware utilty to enhance Vga-Planets !
I. Installation
1.) Copy Explore.exe in your Vga-Planets host directory.
2.) Ensure that the following two files are in your gamedir:
planet.nm and race.nm.
3.) Run Exsetup.exe and enter your desired configurations.
NOTE: The defaults have been carefully tested and work fine most
of the time.
You require 70 KB of free host _shell_ memory for Explore. Examine
host.log in any game directory and look for the line "XXX KB memory
free". If it is less than 70 KB, Explore will not work. This is very
unlikely, but if you encounter this problem please contact me.
Explore.exe will create a Explore.log file, Exsetup.exe creates exbrain.hst
and a explore.cfg file. explore.cfg is the actual configuration.
exbrain.hst stores all external informations about known planets and
exbrain.hst stores informations about unowned but known planets - while
Explore.log is only a log file for debugging purposes. If all messes up,
deleting exbrain.hst and starting setup will allow continue playing with
Explore but all data will have been erased. Explore.log contains no valuable
data, but for debugging purposes it can be helpful to send me the
explore.log file.
IMPORTANT: Explore needs the following files in your vga-p hosting
subdirectory: planet.nm and race.nm. If these files are missing, renaming
planets and racenames in remote control will _not_ work.
For the explore map option you need xyplan.dat in your host (sub-)directory.
VERY IMPORTANT: At the moment, Thost has a bug - it can only scan ~40
messages to the host. If you use more than 40 rename function, host
__WILL__ crash! Tim is working on a solution. Your host is likely to
host the game without your turn to continue the game so don´t spoil
your game this way!
II. Explore´s new functions
(i)
Setting one or more planets to the friendly code "con" and no planet to
"noc" will Explore send you it´s configuration and version number.
(ii)
You can now change your racename in remote control! Just send a "message
to the host" in winplan, with the following message body :
CRL to change your long race name, CRS to change your short race name
and CRN to change your personal race name. after the CRx type the new
race name; 30 characters for CRL, 20 characters for CRS and 12 characters
for CRN. Since you have an option in winplan which always overwrites race
names with data from host, this will have an immediate effect (It is a phost
feature I liked, so I included it). For each renaming you need a seperate
message (unlike Phost). The "sendmess" button in winplan will not light
up BUT your message to the host will be delivered!
(iii)
You can also change the name of any planet you own in remote control.
Just send a "message to the host" in winplan, with the following
message body:
CPN xxx New_Name , where New_Name is the new name of the planet with
the #ID xxx. For example, to rename planet #1 to 'Freedom planet'
send a message with the body CPN 001 Freedom planet. Each planet has
a maximum of 20 characters. Use a different message for each renaming.
NOTE: Both features above are disabled for dos users and both features
can be turned off by the host. Both features only work if host has local
race.nm & planet.nm in the coressponding gamedir ! To see the effect of
the later, rename planet, host needs to send planet.nm every turn.
(iv)
Explore will send you a list of planets which you recently visited, but
have not colonized so far. The list has 20 slots, and as soon as all
are filled the oldest will be thrown away to include the new (first in-
first out principle). The informations you will get every turn is the
last information YOU had about the planet, theres no guarantee the planet
will still look like that if you return some turns later ...
(v)
Like the well known Exploremap addon, Explore can make xyplan??.dat files
which the host must send his players every turn instead of the xyplan.dat
file. This way all players only get to know planets nearby, and exploration
becomes a more important part of the game. Together with the new friendly
code Xv?, this is for allied games: Xv? makes you send your known planets
to race ? (Xv1,Xv2,...XvB) if this race has agreed on a planet exchange.
You and your ally will have each others planet in the next xyplan??.dat file.
(vi)
Ships scan randomly after new planets nearby. They also have a certain
core range for 100% detection. By default, hyperdrive ships and gravitonic
accelerator ships have a reduced chance to randomly scan a new planet, and
they have a lower "core" range in which 100% detection works. This was done
to even the explore game up.
Ships will only scan for new planets if they have the "EXPLORE" mission set.
NEW: Ships which are cloaked but no gravitonic-type ship will scan at the lower
"core" range (=gravitonic), but with the normal chance to scan% a planet.
So all you gorn/romulan/klingon freaks stop flaming me ;)
(vii)
Planets scan randomly after new planets nearby. They also have a certain
core range for 100% detection.
III. What more ?
(c) 2000 by Wolfgang Merkel
If you like this program or have any questions, please mail to
wmerkel@gmx.net. You can also have a look at my webpage:
http://switch.to/Unity
There are some more addons you might like, as well as updates:
UNITY - a giant addon which gives every race tons of possibilities to rain
destruction on their enemies.
ABHOST - Ahost is quite buggy and unsupported, so here are the most important
functions of it. Capable of taking existing Ahost data over!
Mblank - a blank programm, but this actually works and has an ally mode so
your allies score is still visible.
Soon to come: A Cplayer ... which is *really* good ... called WCP (WAR C-PLAYER)
This program is freeware, and you should not have paid a sinlge buck for it.
-> Please note: you use this program on your own risk! <-
NO WARRANTY
BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS LICENSED FREE OF CHARGE, THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE PROGRAM,
TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN WRITING THE
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ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS
TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE PROGRAM PROVE
DEFECTIVE, YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR CORRECTION.
IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO IN WRITING WILL ANY
COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO MAY MODIFY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE THE PROGRAM
AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE
PROGRAM (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR
LOSSES SUSTAINED BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM TO OPERATE WITH ANY
OTHER PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY
OF SUCH DAMAGES.
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geocities.com/timessquare/arena/7676) (
geocities.com/timessquare/arena) (
geocities.com/timessquare)