Fourth Bryan Productions Proudly Presents:

             ChrHack
       
A program for IBM computers and compatables with EGA/VGA graphics
to play NetHack with graphics.

Redefine the symbols of the games like walls, sinks, fountains,
and traps to resemble what they are and not like some text character.

Also define items to look like amulets instead of quotes, rings
instead of equal signs and gold instead of dollar signs.

Change monster icons to resemble nasty things trying to kill
you instead of letters of the alphabet.


ChrHack version 2.3
Written for NetHack 3.1
Copyright(c) 1991-1993 Mike Marcelais
Another Fourth Bryan Production

Changes since version 2.2:
    Added command line support for file loading
    Added icon transfer command in ChrEdit

Changes since version 2.1:
    Fixed Runtime Error 006 (definitely)
    Better Parser in install.
    Nethack.add file.  Contains lines to be added to nethack.cnf for
        people that want to do a manual installation.  Nethack.cnf file
        removed because it would overwrite people's existing file.
    Include nh.bat file.
    Included sample font that has monster graphics
    (Font file is the same between version 2.1 and 2.2 -- No convert needed)

Changes since version 2.0:
    Fixed Rogue Level error
    Convert program to upgrade font from 2.0 to 2.1
    Included sample nethack.cnf file

Features: (* indicates new feature since 1.0)
    Define symbols like walls as graphics
   *Define items like weapons as graphics
   *Define monsters like orcs as graphics
   *Redefine the normal text characters to get a fancy font.
    NOT a TSR, does not use any extra memory
    EGA/VGA required.
   *Install program will write batch file and
      update nethack config file automagically.
    Font editor to customize the graphics used
    Sample graphics file included

IF YOU ARE UPGRADING FROM 2.0
   1)  Run 'convert' which will translate the font file from 2.0 format to
       2.2
   2)  Edit the font file.  Two new symbols were added (under the Rogue
       Menu) that need to be defined.
   3)  Run the install program.

IF YOU ARE UPGRADING FROM 2.1
   1)  If you were having problems with the old install program, then run
       the install program included.
   2)  The font format is unchanged.  No conversion needs to be done.

IF YOU ARE UPGRADING FROM 2.2
   1)  Simply replace the executables.  Everything else is compatable.

Usage:
   1)  Put all of the ChrHack files into your nethack directory.
   2)  Run install to modify your nethack.cnf file.  All old options
       are preserved.  BIOS, rawio, and IBMgraphics options are added
       as well as the commands to redefine the monsters, items, and 
       graphics symbols.  If you have weird results (ie, it stops after
       the first two lines, etc) make sure that you have a DOS style
       text file, not a unix style text file.  (One distrubution
       of NetHack had a unix config file in it.)
   3)  Run nh to play nethack.  This batch file will enable the character
       set and start nethack, passing all arguments through.

To edit the characters:
   1)  Run chredit. The symbols are put into five groups:
         a) Items         Things you can pick up.
         b) Text          Font that messages are displayed in.
         c) Symbols       Things that don't go elsewhere.
         d) Monsters I    A-Z and all special symbols
         e) Monsters II   a-z
         f) Rouge Symbols Things on the rogue level
   2)  Chredit.cnf allows you to define the colors that the editor uses.
       Help on the config file is found within the file itself.  It is
       very similar to the nethack.cnf file.

To use another data file:
   Simply use the name of the file as an argument to chredit or chrset.
   eg.   chredit monsters.dat
         chrset  monsters.dat
   If a name is not provided, chrdata.dat is used.	

Files:

Validate is a small program that will return verification information
about a file.  The Method 1 and 2 columns are the validate checksums
for the files in this archive.

File Name      Size   Date        Method 1  Method 2
chredit .exe   60431   3-29-1993    AF69      05DB   Font editor
chredit .cnf     616   3-29-1993    C92A      15C5   Font edit config
chrset  .exe    7721   3-29-1993    D986      137A   Enable font
install .exe   14555   3-29-1993    9DB3      1EF6   Install program
convert .exe    8940   3-29-1993    967C      14C2   2.0 --> 2.3 font conv.
chrdata .dat    4096   3-29-1993    4646      0AD7   Font data file
monster .dat    4096   3-29-1993    F507      0334   Font /w monsters
nethack .add     252   3-29-1993    C493      0661   Lines to add to config
validate.com   12197   3-29-1993    D5BB      166F   File verification
validate.doc    2415   3-29-1993    1C90      19F9   Doc about validate
readme  .txt    6944   3-29-1993    ????      ????   This file
nh      .bat      73   3-29-1993    0B71      0B09   Created by install


Disclaimer:

Although I think this program has value, you may disagree.  If you do, then
don't use this program.

Although extensive testing has shown that this product will not harm
monitors, hard drives, and computers in general; if it does damage anything
then it is who and not I that is responsible for the damage.

In short, if this program causes you to lose 1 million dollars, then it is 
you who is out the million and not I.

(This is basically the same disclaimer that is written in all software but
I wrote mine in plain english while their's is in legaleze.  :-)

Shareware:

The idea behind shareware is simple.  The program is freely distributable.
Users try out the program for a week or two and if they don't like it, they
erase it.

If they continue to use the program, they should consider paying the author
of the software a small sum to continue to support his efforts.  This price
is much less than commercial software.

If you enjoy using this program, please send $10 to me.  Benefits are
simply:  update notices and a feeling that you made a software author feel
important.  (Helps pay my bills also.)  Registring also increases the
chances that I'll listen to you when you have problems or give suggestions.

       US checks, money orders, cach, etc may be sent to:

       Mike Marcelais
       4109 Livingstone Place
       Durham, NC  27707

       Current E-mail address:  mrmarcel@eos.ncsu.edu
             Alternate address: mrmarcel%eos.ncsu.edu@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu

Credits:

Many thanks to the 'Dev Team' for creating NetHack 3.1

Many thanks to Kris Preacher, Scott Tillman, Alan Olmstead, Scott Starin, and
Adam Majewski for creating the sample font file and testing the program.

Many thanks to Joshua John Buergel for beta testing.
Many thanks to E. Stephen Mack for the monster data file.
