June 1, 1997

SPACE FX version 1.0 Build 07

OVERVIEW
--------

SPACE FX version 1.0 is an animation program which
can generate up to 1000 animation frames of 320x200
or 320x240 24-bit TGA true colour images.

SPACE FX will enable you to use planets, comets and
spacecraft images and combine them into an animation
completely automatically.

A program such as DTA (Dave's Targa Animator) is then
used to convert the "frames" to a FLIC animation.
Other programs are available to convert to AVI, MPEG
or even GIF, PCX or BMP images.

There is no need to limit yourself to astronomical themes.
SPACE FX can happily animate all kinds of graphics.

You don't even have to make animations. Use it to make a
single image composed of objects or bitmaps.

Use your imagination!

I'm sure you can come up with a really nice piccy
to illustrate your web page...

FEATURES:

Menu driven graphical interface with online help.

Use a smoothly rendered coloured backdrop or your favourite
BMP or PCX image.

Plot a realistic starry background, compiled from a genuine
star catalogue (not just random dots).

Add a rotating planet or two. You can edit almost any
parameter such as rotation, phase and illumination.

Put in a comet or a halo around the Sun.

Add any BMP, PCX or TGA image of spacecraft, even your own
creations!

Specify movement for ANY object and the program will
calculate its new size, position and scale FOR EVERY FRAME
and then generate up to 1000 frames - completely automatically!


Before using this software, please read the legal nonsense at
the end of this document. It's a shame that we live in a world
where such mumbo-jumbo seems necessary but that's the way things
are these days.

SPACE FX is shareware. Please register soon!

The shareware version is complete and not crippled in any way.
True, the planetary database is limited but this reflects
the state of the data at the time of release, (16 planets/moons)
and a desire to keep the whole thing on a 1.44Mb floppy.

Since I keep adding planets and moons, I expect that there will
be at least 30 objects in the expanded database by the time you
read this!

REQUIREMENTS
------------

SPACE FX requires a 386 or better processor and at least 580k of
free memory. This version does not use EMS or XMS memory, so
it should run on any old 386.

It runs on my old 386 clunker with dignity ie, slowly.

A CPU with a coprocessor is a distinct advantage...

An ordinary VGA card and colour monitor with a 320x200
256 colour screen.

About 2.5Mb hard disk space.

A mouse is handy.

An operating system clever enough to run plain old DOS.
Will this be getting hard to find soon?

DOCUMENTATION
-------------

SPACE FX includes on-line help that covers most
aspects of the program.

Documentation in a slightly expanded form is included
in a plain text format as SPACEFX.DOC

A HTML version of the manual is also included as
SPACEFX.HTM for those of you who prefer web browsers.

INSTALLING SPACE FX
-------------------

You will need to have a copy of PKUNZIP.EXE to unzip the archive.

Simply copy the ZIP file to a directory of your choice
and run PKUNZIP. There are no other directories created,
nor does SPACE FX fiddle with autoexec.bat or INI files.
No environment variables are needed either.

Then, delete the ZIP file (after making a back-up)
and read this file and browse through the documentation.

Run the program SPACEFX.EXE!

If you are a beginner, these commands will suffice:

First, copy spacefx1.zip to a floppy as a backup, then....

C:
cd \
md spacefx
cd spacefx
pkunzip a:\spacefx1
spacefx

UNINSTALL
---------

Just delete all the files, man!

PACKING LIST
------------

    CARGO.TGA   Sample spacecraft (used POVRay raytracer)
     DEMO.CFG   Demonstration config file for demo animation
 FLIC-DTA.BAT   Bat file to use DTA to generate the FLIC
  JUPITER.BMP   Menu background file (produced by SPACE FX)
  JUPITER.GIF   Animated GIF for HTML docs (SPACE FX helped here too)
   README.TXT   Read me please! (your doing it now)
     SHIP.TGA   Sample spacecraft (used POVRay raytracer)
  SPACEFX.BMP   Intro image (produced by SPACE FX, fonts by THG/FX)
  SPACEFX.CFG   Default config file (same as demo.cfg as shipped)
  SPACEFX.DAT   SPACEFX Data file
  SPACEFX.DOC   SPACEFX plain text manual
  SPACEFX.EXE   Executable
  SPACEFX.GIF   Required for HTML docs (produced by SPACE FX)
  SPACEFX.HLP   Online help file
  SPACEFX.HTM   SPACEFX HTML manual
  SPACEFX.TOP   SPACEFX planet topology database
  SPACEFX.TUT   Quick tutorial of the DEMO animation
 STARCATS.BIN   Star catalog
  SUNRISE.GIF   Sample image produced by SPACE FX
  WARBIRD.TGA   Sample spacecraft (used POVRay raytracer)

PLANET DATABASE as at 1st June 1997.
---------------

1.  MERCURY    Full map  cratered surface from a mercury probe.
2.  VENUS      Half map  shows the cloud-bands.
3.  EARTH      Full map  cloudy map from JPL.
4.  COMMSAT1   Full map  communications satellite, from a solar panel.
5.  MOON 1     Half map  contrasty map of moons familiar side.
6.  MOON 2     Full map  from JPL. made from various spacecraft images.
7.  MARS       Full map  from Hubble images I think.
8.  PHOBOS     Full map  from JPL.
9.  DIEMOS     Full map  ficticious cratered surface.
10. ASTEROID   Full map  another fiction.
11. CERES      Full map  yet again. Same, only different.
12. JUPITER    Full map  from the voyager probes I think.
13. IO         Half map  ditto.
14. EUROPA     Full map  same here.
15. GANYMEDE   Half map  and me.
16. CALLISTO   Half map  me too.

Full map:   A complete wrap-around planet map.
Half map:   One hemisphere only (sunlit face)

Half maps cannot be rotated freely since the other side is missing!

GENERATING AN ANIMATION
-----------------------

Use the bat file, and generate an FLI animation
with DTA (Daves Targa Animator)

1. Put your copy of DTA in the directory of your choice.

2. Edit FLIC-DTA.BAT to match your chosen directories.

3. Decide on a project name. We'll use the default 'SPACEFX'.

4. Generate your images with SPACE FX  ie. SPACE001.TGA SPACE002.TGA etc.
   (the first 5 letters of the project file are used.)

5. Run FLIC-DTA.BAT with SPACE as a parameter. ie. FLIC-DTA SPACE

6. View the animation with AAPLAY or similar animation FLI player!

NEW FEATURES IN 1.0  Build 07
-----------------------------

There aren't any really, just tweaking a bit.

 EDGE ADJUST was adjusted in the OPTIONS menu to
    minimise the pasted-on look of scaled down bitmaps.
 SPACEFX.HTM added for browsers to view. This is generated
    automatically at the same time as the manual.

REGISTRATION
------------

SPACE FX is not free software.  It is released
as shareware, which provides the opportunity for
program evaluation before contributing for it.

Users desiring to register the product (gasp!)
should contact Anthony M. Hugo and arrange a
suitable method of payment.

Internet:  http://www.winshop.com.au/hugo/

Email:     hugo@winshop.com.au

Mail:      Tony Hugo
           PO Box 145
           North Tamborine
           Queensland 4272
           Australia.
           Phone 07 5545 3004

Contribution levels:
--------------------

(Within  Australia : in AUS $)
(Outside Australia : in USA $)

To register your use of version 1.0 ........ $10:00
   (now you can sleep peacefully)
   I'll also send the latest shareware
   patch if the build number you have
   is an old one. Please give me an email
   address or add $2:00 for floppy and postage.

To obtain the expanded database and update.. $20:00
   Registered versions will have at least 30
   planets/moons. It will use more memory
   to enable larger file sizes. (640x480)

To obtain the utilities package as well .... $30:00

The utilities package enables the user to
create or modify the planet database/topology
files to include additional planets etc.

THAT'S TOO MUCH!!
-----------------

To encourage the shareware concept, if a user so
desires, I am willing to divide any contributions
sent with a local charity of MY CHOICE.

So send $10, $20 or $30 and $5 or $10 will be sent
to a local worthy cause (NOT my family!).

Even if you decide not to register, send a postcard anyway.
I will respond to genuine constructive comment.

SOFTWARE LICENSE
----------------

It is a shame that we live in a world where this kind of
gibberish is required, but here goes:

Non-licensed users are granted a limited license to use
SPACE FX on a 30-day trial basis for the purpose of finding
out whether it is suitable for their needs.  Further use
of SPACE FX, except for the initial 30-day trial, requires
a contribution.

Animations or images created with this product are the sole
responsibility of the USER.  There are no restrictions on
personal or non-commercial use of such derived material.
Using such animations or derived images for commercial use
or in promotions requires a contribution.

Users are advised that external images MUST BE FREE of any
copyright restrictions. They are further notified that the
internal planetary database may require credit to be given
to NASA/JPL/Hubble for their planetary data.

No one may modify or patch the SPACE FX executable or other
files in any way, including but not limited to decompiling,
disassembling, or otherwise reverse engineering the program.
I doubt that anyone would want to do this but there you are.

A limited license is granted to copy and distribute SPACE FX
only for the trial use of others, subject to the above
limitations, and also the following:

  1) SPACE FX and all of its release files must be copied
     in unmodified form, complete with this license information
     in the original ZIP file format received.

  2) No fee, charge, or other compensation may be requested or
     accepted, except for the cost of media and handling.

  3) SPACE FX may not be packaged with other software involving
     modified loaders or headers without specific permission from me.
     It may be freely included on BBS's or by general distribution
     shareware companies and on CDROMs.


DISCLAIMERS AND OTHER NONSENSE
------------------------------

  EXCEPT AS PROVIDED ABOVE, THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL
  WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
  LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
  FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE
  PRODUCT.  SHOULD THE PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, THE
  PURCHASER ASSUMES THE RISK OF PAYING THE ENTIRE COST OF
  ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION AND ANY
  INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.  IN NO EVENT WILL
  ANTHONY M HUGO BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER
  (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF
  BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS
  INFORMATION AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR THE
  INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT EVEN IF THE AUTHOR
  HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

  Use of this program for ANY period of time constitutes
  your acceptance of this agreement and subjects you to its
  contents.

  So there!

End of Readme.txt

