                         **   GALACTIC  ARMAGEDDON  **
                         **  Version 1.2            **
                         ** 01-13-91   Wed. 02:27pm **
                         *****************************

                         Author: Jack Chalker.
                     Co-Authors: Wayne Hyde, and The Adept.
            Additional Mentions: The Mad Planetoid
                                        &
                    ------------  Ronen Magid's  ----------------
                    |     Fossil Driver Support Routines TP 4,5 |
                    |         (972)-52-917663  VOICE            |
                    |         (972)-52-27271  2400 24hrs        |
                    |                                           |
                    ---------------------------------------------

                             -- Alpha Sites --

    -*:Alpha One:*-       -*:Alpha Two:*-      -*:Alpha Three:*-

    Perditions BBS          The Sanctum           Mordor BBS
    (305)-822-4071         (305)-559-4018       (305)-270-9961
  Sysop: Jack Chalker     Sysop: Pack Rat     Sysop: Phantom Rider
    3/12/2400 Bps          3/12/2400 Bps         3/12/2400 Bps
     (WWIV/TREK)            (TeleGard)            (TeleGard)

         -*:Alpha Four:*-               -*:Alpha Five:*-

      Dark Side Of The Moon             S.A.R.C.A.S.M.
        (305)-238-5796                  (407)-394-5308
      Sysop: The Cadaver           Sysop: Flashback Aftermath
        3/12/2400 Bps                  3/12/24/96/19.2 Bps
         (TeleGard)                       (TeleGard)



                             -- Beta Sites --


          -*:Beta One:*-                        -*:Beta Two:*-

      The Software Conspiracy                    Floyd's BBS
        (305)-235-4335                         (305)-827-0458
      Sysop: Sparrowhawk                        Sysop: Alias
         3/12/2400 Bps                          3/12/2400 Bps
             (LSD)                               (TeleGard)


            -*:Beta Three:*-

        -*:Adventurer's Corner:*-

           (309)-452-2838
         Sysop: Shadowspawn
         3/12/24/96/19.2 Bps
              (WWIV)



                            ** GAME HISTORY **

        This game started off as a simple modified version of Chris Sherrik's
Tradewars II online game.  At the time, it was concidered a very hot game and
many a sysop scrambled to get it; despite the numerous bugs that came along
with it, it was worth having.   Soon, however, the game became boring, at
least to me.  So, together with my co-sysops, The Adept and Wayne Hyde, we
decided to embark on the adventure of trying to actually decipher the game's
Turbo Pascal v3.0's source code.  It wasn't easy, due to TP 3.0's limited
amount of memory allowed for compilations, Chris Sherrik was forced to use a
programming technique to squeeze in as much into the game without taking up
too much memory, in the process, he made the game's source code virtually
impossible to follow, making it all the more difficult for us to modify it.
But we managed to do it by first making an editor for the game.  This task was
left up to Wayne Hyde and The Adept.  You have to realize the game came with a
VERY limited editor that only allowed you to edit players and global stats.
Our editor allowed us to edit sectors, ports and planets.  (You have to
realize this was back in like 1987; when online game's just began to make it
big.)  After that, we managed to figure out the way the game worked and
decided to begin modifying the source code, and we did, together, for a while.
Then, one day, me and my co-sysop, The Adept, had a big arguement and split-up
from the trio.  Wayne Hyde soon also split for different reasons, mainly to
pursue his own goals in life....(he decided to make a BBS program...but that's
another story <grin>)  Anyway, this left me with the task of making the game
spiffy.  I decided that the game's data file was too limited and decided to
expand it.  Borrowing an idea that I got from The Adept, I made a
data-file-copier which allowed me to create a much bigger data file and copy
the old data file records to it.  This allowed me to have nearly unlimited
number ranges, and many more variables to work with; something unheard of at
the time.   Soon I began to implement many mods, on an average of about one
big mod every couple weeks.   It was the first TW-Like online game to have
teams, cloaking devices and the first to break the 32767 barrier....this is no
longer a big deal now'days of course.   Anyway, the competition is still
behind in many regards... both quality and quantity of modifications.  Here's
a short summary of just SOME of the mods that this version has that others may
not:

    Teams, 1000 Sectors, Programmable Mines, Programmable Fighters,
Programmable Ship Defensive modes, planetary force fields, Starbases with
defensive capabilities, choosing roles in the game: Federation Trader, Romulan 
Warrior, Klingon Renegade; Solar Sails, Transwarp Drive, Hydrogen Scoops,
InterGalactic Matter Anti-Matter Missles (IGMAM's for short), Galactic
Excursio Modules, Navagation Computers, Trading Computers, Sensor Masking
Deflectors, Being able to create your own ports, starbases, planets, sectors;
Sector Beacons, Planetary Beacons, Anti-Matter Missles, Cargo Bay Extensions,
Phaser Salvos, Photon Torps, Klingon Birds Of Prey, Ferengi Fighters, Ferengi
Attack Cruisers, Klingon Warships, Borg, Dreadnoughts, Heavy Cruisers,
Destroyers, Scouts, Nuclear Warheads, Federation Police Officers, Romulan
Mercenary Forces, Bounty/Hit-Lists, Rogue Mercenary Fighters, K3-C
Interceptors, Romulan Scout Fighters, Port Bars, Asteroid Belts, Military
Troops, Lottery, Escalating War Conditions, Energy Matter Converters,
Cloaking Devices, Anti-Cloaking Devices, Cloaked Planets, Auxillary Power
Units, Full ANSI Graphics Capabilities and Full ANSI Sound FX Capabilities.
XRH-40 Port Destroying Missles, Ship Scanners, Self-Destruct Mechanism, 
Tractor Beam Systems....and much more...

 

 -:%*: Modification/Bug History As Of 11/18/90 :*%:-


        oo Overlay System Added
        oo Registration Security Added
        oo Default Bug for Phaser Attacks  -- Fixed
        oo Anti-Matter Missle Attacks allowed for Alien ships  -- Fixed
        oo ANSI Sound FX fine-tuned
        oo Increase of alien ship bounties
        oo Starbases Added
        oo Cloakable Starbases and Transporter Complex Added
        oo Hitting CR for Starbase PW prompt aborts attempt at dock
        oo Prompts before attempting to override Starbase Security
        oo A clearscreen added before loading
        oo Shows registration information
        oo No transfer of credits while you still have a loan in bank
        oo Bug with countdown of weapons lock  -- Assuming Fixed
        oo Instruction Database
        oo Sectors 1, 505 & 1000 Non-IGMAMable
        oo Sysop-Side controls fine-tuned
        oo Ship Status display fine-tuned
        oo Bug in Ship-Placement Fixer  -- Fixed
        oo TW Lottery Bug -- Fixed
        oo Class 4 port 30% profit  -- Fixed
        oo WarCond.DAT file now expanded to allow changing of
           Trading values  (In this order:  War Condition, Ore Price,
            Organics Price, Equipment Price.  Anything after that
            is disgarded.)
        oo Bug with death before an alien encounter -- Fixed
        oo Cloaking Device bug  -- Fixed
        oo Registration Data File expanded
                !You will need a new one from Alpha-One!
        oo Bug with huge phaser-bank refund on counter-attacks
           with enemy vessels bug  -- Fixed
        oo Bug with destroying Starbases  -- Assumed Fixed
        oo Bug with checking of War Condition  -- Fixed
        oo Bug with 6 digit limit in trading -- Fixed
        oo Improved sensitivity of weapons lock  -- Fixed
        oo Bug in weapons lock causing lockups  -- Fixed
        oo Bug in Trading Computer causing negative
           numbers to be generated.  -- Fixed
        ?? Bug with docking at class 4 ports cloaked
        oo Changed K3-C/Romulan Scout multiple attacks
           for criminals.  Now checks at logon and sends
           cruisers instead.
        oo Added more Sound FX to battle scenerios.
        oo Added command to view Empire PW
        oo Conqering ship with troops altered method of conqering
        oo Added "Y" command to page sysop for chat
        oo Locate a ship bug  -- Fixed
        oo Side-Checking at logon  -- Fixed
        oo Entering "0" exits trading
        oo Running Ship/Sector Ship/Starbase Placement fixer at logon
        oo Team strength lister in team menu changed to real
        oo More Sound FX added
        oo Cloaked Ports bug  -- Fixed
        oo Fighter retreats now are reported in log
        oo Fed/Rom Cruisers attack bug  -- Fixed
        oo One logon per day/next logon only 5 mins long
        oo Support for 9600 + modems ...Fossil driver required!
        oo Increased pay for Federation Officers/Romulan Mercs as
           War Condition increases
        oo Ship Transporters now have a pause for reading information
        oo Chance of cruiser encounter now increased when scanners are
           active
        oo Starbase lock-up bug fixed (again)
        oo "Astral Body's" mysterious display fixed
        oo Federation Police Stations added
        oo Force Field on Starbases limit increased to ten million
        oo Cruisers not appearing when being scanned heavily  -- bug fixed
        oo Shortened return fire sound effect in combat
        oo Increased input limit on crimes for alleged criminal lists
        oo Can't IGMAM sectors 1, 5, 505, or 1000 till Armageddon
        oo Can't deploy fighters in sector 1-9 or 990-1000.
        oo Constant Romulan Warbird attacks  -- bug fixed
        oo Chance of alien encounter adjusts to war condition
        oo Can't dispatch fighters while in sector 1-9 or 990-1000 -- bug fixed
        oo IGMAM retreat bug  - bug fixed
        oo Bounties on figs  - bug fixed
        oo Move port bug  - bug fixed
        oo Starbase ship-retreat bug  - bug fixed
        ?? Baud-lockup bug for 19,200+ - bug assumed fixed
        -- Team Strength meter converted to something more reasonable
        -- Announces to Fed Cops at a police starbase when to vote
        oo Credit limit expanded
        oo 10 player limit taken out for unregistered versions
        -- Takes away EU's after second logon to prevent continuous
           logons to the game
        -- Romulan Mercenary Stations


oo = Added
-- = Will Be In Next Version

-:#%#:-  Future Modifications  -:#%#:-

Priority    Modification
========    ============

I       -- A bugless version  (laugh)

II      -- Weapons Chamber mod

III     -- Empire missions mod

IV      -- Editor with Player, Port, Planet, Global Stats Editor; Sector,
        Planet, Port Maker/Adder, Klingon BOP Editor, Bulletin Editor, and
        Messagefile Editor  all Sysop-Friendly.

V       -- Empire tax/deficit mod

VI      -- And the long-awaited Multi-BBS UpLink.


[End]
