______________________________________________________________ WAR BOATS _____________________________________________________________ DESCRIPTION: A battleship like game where players hide their 5 boats of various lengths on a 10x10 grid. Players then take turns trying to hit and eventually sink their opponents boats. Play is player .vs. computer or player .vs. player. One interesting option allows the players to take 1,3, or 5 shots per turn, or 1 shot for each of their boats not sunk. Another outstanding feature is the computer's style of play. It not only plays an interesting and winning strategy (Contrary to popular opinion the game is not all luck) it EXPLAINS the easy to learn strategy in a 22 screen help description. Other interesting optional features include Help, Sound, (Sound card not required) Graphics and Amusing messages." Written in Visual Basic 2.0 for Windows **************** SPECIAL NOTE about VBRUN200.DLL ***************************** All programs written in Visual Basic 2.0 for windows including WARBOATS REQUIRE the file: VBRUN200.DLL to run. Microsoft gives general permission to distribute this file. Since it is a LONG file, you may or may not have received it with your package. If you received this program from a BBS then you can probably download that file from the same BB. If you received this program from a DISK VENDER then the file has probably been included on your disk. If not contact them about this file. _______________________________________ COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS --------------------------------------- Warboats requires an IBM/Compatible computer running Microsoft Windows 3.0 or better in standard or enhanced mode. The file VBRUN200.dll is also required (see special note on this file.) ___________________________ REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS --------------------------- There is NO requirement for registration but $1.00 ***One dollar *** is requested from users if the game is enjoyable. The program has not been "disabled in any way" and is free of "beg messages" except in the "ABOUT" and "HELP" sections. --------------------------------------- GETTING STARTED RIGHT AWAY. --------------------------------------- The problem with many shareware programs is that they contain elaborate installation procedures just to get the program ready to run. After you install and try them you often decide that you don't like them. We have included this section to allow the user to load the program quickly onto their Hard disk and try the game out. If you like the game you can then set up a window Icon for starting the game quickly. It is assumed in this discussion that you have the proper files needed on a floppy or you have at the files dearced. (See special note on the file VBRUN200.DLL) Step 1. Make a directory. You may call this new directory WARBOAT (or another name). From your main directory use the Dos command: MKDIR WARBOAT [ENTER] or use the window's file manager. Step 2. copy the *.doc *.exe & *.bmp files into this new directory. Step 3. copy the file VBRUN200.DLL to your WIN\SYSTEM directory Step 4. Start windows and get into FILE MANAGER (see windows manual if you need help) Step 5. Choose the directory WARBOATS on the left side of file manager. On the right side of file manager you should see the file: WARBOATS.EXE Double Click this file. If you find that you want to keep this game on your system you may add an icon to run the game from a group. Consult your Window's manual for instructions on how to do this. ------------------------------------------------ PLAYING THE GAME ________________________________________________ When the game starts you should see the main menu taking up the entire screen. You have 3 options. HELP for information, START to start the game, or EXIT program to get back to windows. Click START on the main menu this displays a window Box with several options: [PLAYER .vs. PLAYER || ] or PLAYER .vs. COMPUTER. This is the most important option of all. Obviously it decides whether the game will be played between a computer and a human or between 2 humans. The names of the player(s) can be typed into the boxes. To replace the names: PLAYER1 and PLAYER2. Typing in the player's names is the only place that you need to use the keyboard (The mouse can be used for everything else.) [NUMBER OF SHOTS PER TURN] This option chooses the number of shots each player gets each turn. There are 4 options: 1 SHOT EACH TURN 3 SHOTS EACH TURN 5 SHOTS EACH TURN 1 SHOT for each boat not sunk Most of the other options are self explanatory. You can choose SOUND AND/OR GRAPHICS. GRAPHICS displays a sinking boat or sub when appropriate. SOUND gives an incoming missile sound when a boat is hit or sunk. AMUSING MESSAGES displays messages at the bottom of the screen at random times. These are just for entertainment and are not needed to play the game. After the user chooses his or her options they click the BIG GREY BUTTON to begin the game. The first thing the player(s) must do is hide their boats. If the game is being played between 2 humans then a message box appears BEFORE each player gets to see his HIDING screen. The opposite player is asked to leave the room. A screen appears showing 5 boats (Actually 4 and a sub) Their lengths are 2, 3, 3, 4, and 5. The player moves his boat by DRAGGING it with the mouse. To rotate a boat 90's the player DOUBLE CLICKS the boat. When all boats have been hidden to the player's satisfaction, he clicks the BIG GRAY BUTTON. The other player (if a human) is called by back into the room to hide his boats. If the other player is the computer, the boats are hidden automatically. The program next moves on to the battle stage. Two grids appear. One for each player. The player taking his turn sees an open grid with his name below it. The player waiting his turn see's a covered grid. The player clicks on each of his shots on the grid and (if he gets more than 1 shot) a yellow "?" appears. After all shots are taken the yellow symbols change colors. White for a miss. Red for a hit on a boat. Purple for a SUNK boat. The number inside a red or purple circle identifies that boat by length. 2 for 2 length boat, 4 for 4 ect. The "U" for "underwater" indicated the SUB which has a length of 3. The first player to sink all 5 of the other player's vessels wins the game. After winning the game. The player has the option of seeing where all the boats were hidden. If the player answer's NO the program goes back to the main menu. If the player does want to see those hidden boats he must hit "QUIT" when finished to get back to the main menu. The HELP SUB MENU has a feature which explains the computer's method of play. CLICK this from the main menu and a 22 screen explanation of this will unfold before your eyes. This strategy is easy to learn and you can then use it against an unsuspecting human next time you play. Please distribute this program widely. Please include all the files. (The file VBRUN200.DLL may optionally be left out.) For more information see the file VENDOR.DOC We would like to hear from you regarding this program: Please E-mail to GEnie Account: J.CUNNINGHAM Thank you for your support! LIMITED WARRANTY AND DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY THIS SOFTWARE AND ACCOMPANYING FILES (INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE) ARE PROVIDES "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. FURTHER, Jim Cunningham DOES NOT WARRANT, GUARANTEE, OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE, OR THE RESULTS OF USE, OF THE SOFTWARE OR WRITTEN MATERIALS IN TERMS OF CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, CURRENTNESS, OR OTHERWISE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS ASSUMED BY YOU. IF THE SOFTWARE OR WRITTEN MATERIALS ARE DEFECTIVE YOU, AND Not Jim Cunningham ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION. THE ABOVE IS THE ONLY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, THAT IS MADE BY Jim Cunningham, ON THIS PRODUCT. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY Jim Cunningham, or his DEALERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AGENTS OR EMPLOYEES SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY OR IN ANY WAY INCREASE THE SCOPE OF THIS WARRANTY AND YOU MAY NOT RELY ON ANY SUCH INFORMATION OR ADVICE. YOU MAY HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE. NEITHER Jim Cunningham NOR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CREATION, PRODUCTION OR DELIVERY OF THIS PRODUCT SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE SUCH PRODUCT EVEN IF Jim Cunningham HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. This Limited Warranty shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio.