     
*************
** B--DASH **
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           ** (C) Copyright 1992 by:              ------      **
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           ** N-A-B-L-A->Productions, Karsten Ballueder       **
           *****************************************************
           ** email: kballued@charon.physik.uni-osnabrueck.de **
           *****************************************************

This is B-DASH, the free B*ulder Dash clone for LinuX.
B-DASH is a simple digging game, originally written for some old
8-bit homecomputers. This version utilizes 256-color graphics and
digitized sounds. As I wrote it first for DOS, this source code
should still compile under TurboC 2.0 and produce a nice working
DOS-executable (but, who needs it?). The LinuX version has been
compiled with GCC 2.4.5 using the libraries version 4.4.2, but
it should also work with older versions of the compiler. If you
want to recompile it, just type make (and ignore the compiler-
warnings ;-) ).

As BDASH uses the VGA-memory directly, it must be run as root, 
or with setuid root (Just type "chmod +s bdash" and trust me.). 

To get a list of the supported parameters, call "bdash -h".

The level definitions (*.lvl) are plain ASCII files, which can be
easily edited. If you like the program, please send me at least one
new level. The levels included are created by my brother Volker. 
Thanks, Volker!

The sound files used are listed in bdash.snd, together with their
sampling rates and their length in bytes.

If you wish to use the digitized sounds, you need the /dev/dsp device.
This can be implemented using a soundcard (just get the kernel patches
with the soundcard driver) or via the internal speaker or other hardware.
If you don't have a soundcard, get the pcsp-device from Michael Beck via 
anonymous ftp from: ftp.informatik.hu-berlin.de. It resides in
/pub/os/linux/hu-sound/pcsnd* .
This driver implements all the functionality of a soundcard by using the
internal speaker or some additional hardware attached to the parallel port.
The quality of the sound is surprisingly high.
B-DASH works without sounds, too, but is much less fun.

To see the options available, call "bdash -h".
                 8
Use the numbers 4 6 to move the player, use ESC to abort.
                 2

As I am still working on this program, there will be improvements like
a highscore table, better graphics/sound and maybe  even a working two-player
mode (there is a two-player mode in the source which worked unreliably in the
DOS-version). If you have created some interesting levels or if you have better
sound or graphic, PLEASE contact me.

Someone asked me for the DOS-version. It should compile directly out of these
sources, but bdash.prj must be updated, as I made some changes to the structure
of the source. 
The DOS-version is be maintained by Jens Toelle, q99558@pbhrzx.uni-paderborn.de
Please feel free to contact him. 

###############################################################################
This software is no public domain, but freeware! It is (C)opyright by
Karsten Ballueder and distributed under the terms of the GNU GENERAL PUBLIC
LICENSE. See file COPYING for details.                 (C) 1993 by K. Ballueder
###############################################################################

If you have any comments, suggestions, improvements, critics, .....
please feel free to contact me:

		kballued@charon.physik.uni-osnabrueck.de
		kballued@jupiter.rz.uni-osnabrueck.de

		Karsten Ballueder
		Lessingstrasse 2
		32756 Detmold
		Germany



