WORLD CONQUEST by Wisisoft Beta Release v0.8 02.02.1994 The development: **************** 28.01.1992 - Started trying to program a game like Peter Merill's STATEGIC CONQUEST for Apple MacIntosh computers on my good old 1040ST. March 1992 - First playable but in fact extremely buggy version (0.1) completed. April 1992 - Put version 0.1 on a local mailbox. - running in ST low only - playable only on one computer without computer enemies June 1992 - Put version 0.26 on some mailboxes. - first version with computer enemies (though they behaved very stupidly) - first really playable version 17.07.1992 - Stopped to program as I went to Berlin on hollydays and afterwards had to spend my days learning as I had to pass examinations at the FSIT. October 92 - Bought a second hand TT. 28.10.1992 - Passed the examinations and continued writing COST which I had begun coding between tests. I postponed to continue on WORLD CONQUEST. November 92 - Started to program on 0.3 versions which should include a direct datalink mode using the RS 232 interface and a possibility to use alternate scenarios. December 92 - Started to write the WORLD EDITOR. - Put version 0.3a on the AFN. - first version running in TT med as well as ST low - first version including a working direct datalink mode - first version including the >load scenario< feature - Started to work on the 0.4 versions which should include the possibility to play by modem with remote adversaries. January 93 - First registered user of the WORLD EDITOR (Hi Tommy!) - Sent version 0.4e to Sweden. - first version including the possibility to play by modem - Started to work on the 0.5 versions which should be able to read WORLD EDITOR v0.2 scenarios and have some sound effects. - Sent version 0.5 to Sweden. - first version including a >Save Settings< feature - Put version 0.5a on a local mailbox - only minor changes to version 0.5 February 93 - Started to work on the 0.6 versions with two main goals: - better computer enemies - ensuring compatibility to FALCON F030 and if possible MultiTOS April 93 - Tried to get Version 0.6d on the AFN. Unfortunately I failed. - Got MultiTOS v1.00 and tried to get WORLD CONQUEST to work with it. May 93 - Started to work on version 0.7. The goal was to get the game to work with graphic boards. July 93 - Put the version 0.7b on the AFN, which I consider to be the final version for now. - Discovered a very strange bug that partly destroys the overview map on computers with older TOS versions (1.00 - 1.02 at least) - can't figure out what's wrong. So now I knew... v0.7b wasn't to be the final version... August 93 - Stopped programming activity to concentrate on learning in order to pass SFIT-tests in fall. - Tested v0.7b on a Falcon F030 - it worked in all 16 and 256 colour modes - though it didn't run with 16-bit graphics. However, I postponed to take care of that, as I just lacked spare time. - Tested the phone-play mode with a USR DS to Zyxel 14400 bps V32bis/V42bis connect - it worked, spent 2 1/2 hours on-line to see my troops being crushed by my friend of the other end of the town. - Coded D-CODE. October 93 - Lost my FIDONET Point ....... arrrggghhhhh... If you have unsuccessfully tried to contact me by Netmail.... sorry... :-( - Passed the tests and went on hollydays, celebrating wildly. - Nearly froze to death.... :-) - Nearly rammed a stag with my motorcycle... (%-) November 93 - Fixed some minor bugs and changed some input routines to make the playing more comfortable especially on slower STs. - Version 0.7c released through local mailbox. - All of a sudden several WORLD EDITOR orders are coming in. - Reports are coming in that WORLD CONQUEST has been put on cover disk of ATARI USER'S MAGAZINE December 93 - Started work on version 0.8. - Discovered two nasty bugs that make datalink games crash: In the versions 0.7 to 0.7e you can't use the >Scrap Unit< feature when playing a datalink game. Also moving units using the keyboard is not possible. I'm very sorry for that... - Planned to post a bugfixed update (v0.7f) in the AFN and NeST. - Sent v0.7g to Roland Tobler's mailbox Paradize in Lucerne to post it in the AFN. Merci Roli.... :-) - Optimized a v0.8 routine from 10^44 years down to 8 seconds... Unfortunately that was still too slow.... ;-) - Players report that articles about WORLD CONQUEST have been published in the magazines ST FORMAT and HIDDEN MOVEMENT. January 94 - Read Brian Douglas' article published in the HIDDEN MOVEMENT magazine. Thought about raising registration prices in consequence.... :-) (just kiddin') - Hurried to finish Version 0.8 as the threatening shadow of some final examinations in spring began to loom over me. February 94 - Decided that version 0.8 should be quit fit to be distributed. - Updated the english and german game manuals. - Thought about terminating work on WORLD CONQUEST in order to start on a new project, which should be a kind of tactical multiplayer - multicomputer - simultaneous movement simulation of either some game similar to gaelic football or of a children's game known in Switzerland as the "ribbon-war" or a combination of both placed either in some fantasy environment or in real world... Well, we'll see... March 94 - While testing some graphic concepts for the new game project I found a way to speed my GFA BASIC programs up by a considerable degree. In consequence I was able to more than double the speed of the graphic output in WORLD CONQUEST. Version 0.8a will first include this feature. Changes since v0.5a ******************* 0.5b - New savegame format incompatible to earlier versions. - Bug fixed: entering foreign installation after battle without conquering it. 0.6 - Computer enemies not available (only temporary due to major changes in that part of the program). - All LineA commands removed (slowed the Program down a bit). - Program now works in all graphic modes that use 4 up to 15 Bitplanes as it doesn't matter what resolution is being used. - WORLD CONQUEST now has become a proper GEM Application, which should also run with MULTI TOS (I hope). - An additional data file CONQUEST.INT has been created. 0.6a - New savegame format (again incompatible to earlier versions) due to use of standard VDI graphic format. - New scenario format due to same reason (use WORLD EDITOR v0.8 to convert old scenarios.) - v0.8 EDITOR scenarios can optionally include non crossable map borders. - Use of standard VDI graphic format. WORLD CONQUEST should therefore run in every graphic mode on every graphic board using more than 3 bitplanes (at least 16 colours). Though I haven't had the possibility to test it yet. - Due to above changes new data files have been created: CONQUEST.GRF TITEL.GRF WISISOFT.GRF - The following data files are not required any more: CONQUEST.ART ICONS.ART WISISOFT.ART - Damaged units can be repaired by putting them asleep in cities. - Radically changed behaving of computer enemies with an adjustable skill level. (Still very much beta - please send reports and suggestions about that!) - Airborne infantry units won't be harmed any more by firing artillery while being carried by bombers. 0.6b - Computer ennemies will surrender when finding themselves in a hopeless situation. - Bugs fixed: - some problems with computer ennemies - some other graphic problems 0.6c - Further computer enemy bugs fixed: (eg) - anti aircraft unability to shoot - No random damage of shots by computer - deployement of computer enemy units in neutral cities - Other bugs fixed: - airborne infantry units harmed by released bombs - Faster unit movement: because of the use of slower VDI routines to plot the game tiles, optimizing these routines has become inevitable. 0.6d - Surrender condition for enemy computers changed as it made the computer enemies give up too early when playing in low skill levels. - Some minor bugs fixed. - New game tile plotting routine fixed, as it didn't display the computer enemies' units at their turn. 0.6e - fixed the scroll routine, that didn't show the units at the game window's borders any more since v0.6c 0.7 - Created an own DESKTOP Background, as due to the changing of the first 15 VDI colors the GEM DESKTOP of AES 4.x looks rather ugly when running the game with MultiTOS. - Adapted the game for use with MultiTOS. Though you better play it with a single-task TOS, as with MultiTOS it runs awfully slowly. Please note that you have to turn off the sound in the >Settings< menu if you are using MultiTOS. In addition, if you want to play a datalink game, you have to turn the ALERT.ACC inactive. It is possible, that there are some further problems, so I can't guarantee WORLD CONQUEST to run with MultiTOS at 100%. - Removed the Intro. However you can still watch it and listen to the great music if you start the INTRO.PRG. ;-) - Removed some further inproper GFA BASIC commands from the source. In consequence it is now very likely to work on a FALCON F030. Though I still haven't had the possibility to test it yet. - As a new feature the units colors can now be changed. Use >Unit Colors< in the >Settings< menu. - The path of the scenario file belonging to a saved game can now be changed if it can't be found when the saved game is used on an other computer. - fixed the wild "jumping around" of the info-windows when the left mousebutton was pressed. - Fixed all GEM dialogs and panels for use with LET'EM FLY. 0.7a - Bugs fixed: - Infantry units carried by bombers won't be destroyed in combat now until the bomber itself is destroyed. - Units carried by bombers or transports that are inside cities or other installations are now also killed if the city or installation is being destroyed - so they don't remain there as invisible units any more. - New feature: - >Scrap Unit< in the >Move< menu or pressing the key [J] (for Junk Unit) will scrap a unit you don't need any more and puts half of the raw material needed to produce this kind of unit back in the stocks. This feature has become neccessary as the unit limit of 300 (including weapons, cities, installation, ressource sites) can easily become a problem when playing against computers in a high level. - Inproper mouse location inquiring fixed. - Changed styling of selected item in the >game mode< menu. - Removed all XBIOS commands concerning screen memory handling. - Fixed all vro_cpyfrm calls for use with graphic boards. - WORLD CONQUEST now checks the command line when being started, if a saved game should be loaded like every other GEM application does. 0.7b - Some minor bugfixes - Fixed some problems with the menu that occured when running the game with TOS 1.02. 0.7c - Keyboard shortcuts for the >File< menu added. - Included possibility to move the units by pressing [SHIFT] together with number pad keys or arrow keys. - Some further bugs fixed * Not fixed yet: - the map bug - The intro isn't part of the package any more. 0.7d - Added a debugging routine that should interfere with the map bug and repairs the map again after the bug occured. This feature is only of importance if WORLD CONQUEST is run on a ST with an older TOS (1.00 to 1.06). 0.7e - Fixed the "Shoot and Run"-Bug that I "created" in the 0.7c update. 0.7f - Fixed the bugs that made datalink games crash in the earlier 0.7 versions: - Inproper >Scrap Unit< function - Inproper Moving-using-keyboard feature - Improved the map debugging routine in order to work also in datalink mode. 0.7g - Fixed some graphic problems 0.7h - Eliminated the major bugs still remaining in 0.7g that I fixed during my work on the version 0.8 (see below). I published this version because I finally found the reason for the remaining keyboard-movement problem at a time when version 0.8 was not yet fit to be distributed. - Bugs eliminated: - keyboard-movement-datalink problem - Placing of ressource sites and installations outside the map - misscalculated computer-invasions 0.8 - Coded a new intro that is GEM-compatible and therefore should also run on the FALCON 030. - Included continous scrolling over western and eastern game map border. This unfortunately caused a little loss of speed. - Fixed some problems concerning the window handling. - Changed the >Weapon Range< and the >Movement Range< features in order to show exactly the squares that are concerned, not just a general range. Note that sea squares are also shown as being reachable to ships if the way to them leads over a city or harbour. The game however doesn't check wether this city or harbour does really belong to the player using the >Movement Range< feature. - Fixed an error concerning the computer controlled enemies that mislead their invasions. This could considerably increase the general difficulty of the game. - Made the computer controlled artillery, battleship and anti aircraft units a bit more clever in order that they check distances more exactly and do not get trapped. In addition they now also seek to destroy first the more dangerous units of yours. - The contents of the data file CONQUEST.INT have been changed. So be sure to use the new CONQUEST.INT as else the game will crash. - Removed a bug that placed cities outside the map (y coordinates > 107, x coordinates > 149) and in consequence led to a crash. Watch out for city zones with illegal border coordinates in scenarios created with a WORLD EDITOR version less than 1.2. You though don't need to alter these scenarios, as the game now checks if the coordinates are not correct. - Added the >City List< feature to the >Info< menu. It will list all cities, their location, what they are producing and how many turns it still takes them to finish it. By clicking on a city's entry you can change it's production. - Added the >Sleeping Units< feature to the >Info< menu. It lists all sleeping units their location and how many turns it would take them to fully recover from their damages when being put asleep in a city. Clicking on a unit's entry will wake it up and move the game window to it's location. - Changed the movement order principle. You can now scroll the game window to all places on the map using the scrolling bars. In consequence the current unit does not necessarily need to remain within sight. You now can make every unit become the current unit by just doubleclicking it (using the left mousebutton). - Fixed all bugs that allowed a unit to leave the game map and provoque a crash. - Added possibility to abort a game during the computer controlled players' turns. - Fixed wrong usage of GRAF_SLIDEBOX in some GEM panels. - Fixed a minor bug concerning the >Detect Unit< feature. - As the game (or your computer) is just too slow to use large windows, the game window size is now limited to a maximum size of 41*45 squares. (Which is the maximum size when playing the game in a resolution of 640*480 pixels) - New feature: [5] on the decimal keypad will center the current unit within the game window. - Finally fixed the keyboard-movement-datalink bug that created a deadlock when EVNT_MULTI detected another event besides the keystroke. (It took me weeks and a lot of nerves to find out the reason for that malfunction!!!!) As a consequence the "move-and-scroll" feature isn't available any more. - Changed placement of ressource sites and installations. Nothing will be placed now adjanct to something of the same kind. - Found out what is being written into the map buffer when the "mysterious map bug" is occuring and what procedure is responsible for it. However, I don't have the slightest idea, why this can happen. Must be a GFA-BASIC malfunction. Changed the procedure affected. Don't know however if the bug is now eliminated. - The infobar of the game window won't state any more the remote player's conquerings. - Removed a bug, that dropped land units in the sea, when they unsuccessfully attacked a unit from a transport. They now will again be within the transport unit after an unsuccessful attack, as they should. - Fixed the a bug that decreased a player's unit counter once to many when one of the units was destroyed during an attack and which resulted in some units losing a turn. 0.8a - Doubled the speed of graphic output. Still to come: ************** - Hopefully I will be able to totally eliminate the "mysterious map bug". - Open Movement mode (for the slower STs) - Random events option (storms, floods, earthquakes ..) - Explore mode (only see the map, where you've already been) - Situation Editor - Larger map buffer, to stuff the whole map into to gain more speed (for people with more than 1MB). - .. Please keep reporting bugs to: Alois Felber Feerstrasse 17 5000 Aarau Switzerland Internet: hubba@ezinfo.vmsmail.ethz.ch To registrate and get the EDITOR and the additional scenarios please send SFr 20 or something about the same value in your national currency in cash (no cheques please) to the address stated above or remit SFr 20 on my Swiss postal cheque account: 50-98596-1. As I am just a "poor" student, every additional support will gratefully be accepted. A. Felber