
   
                                                   The Vulcan Embassy BBS
                                                              version 2.0
                                         Copyright 1990, Timothy M. Garay

   
                                VEGAMES.TXT
                               =============

   
          This is an explanation of the requirements for an on-line game 
   program to be compatible with The Vulcan Embassy version 2.0.  I 
   encourage any and all people who are programmers to use this doc file 
   to write your own imaginative on-line game programs and make them 
   available to all sysops of The Vulcan Embassy version 2.0 programs.  
   If you do write one then let me know, I am very interested!!  Or you 
   can contact me at the original VE BBS  at (216)-365-7702 24hrs, 
   7days/week, 300/1200/2400 baud.  Write to:
   
   Timothy M. Garay
   729 Thornwood Blvd.
   Elyria, OH  44035
   U.S.A.
   
   Thank you!!
   
   REQUIREMENTS:______________________________________________________
   
   #1.  It must be a stand-alone program.  Nothing that requires a 
   secondary interpreter.  Also, nothing like TTP programs that require 
   command input from a shell.  Please don't make it HUGE!!  Remember, 
   some people will have a memory restraint as this program will be run 
   from within the main VE.PRG.
   
   #2.  It must be written to handle when a user's time is up, they do not 
   respond in a given period of time, or they hang up.  This should be 
   done to prevent crashing the system when any one of these happen.
   
   #3.  It must accept input in the following format from the data file 
   called A:\VE_GAME.DAT.  This file will ALWAYS be in the root directory 
   of Drive A.  This file will hold the format of:
   
   HANDLE$
   CREDITS$
   TIME REMAINING$   ('-1' means unlimited; no time constraints)
   GAME DIRECTORY$
   SYSOP$  ('Y' means they have sysop access, 'N' means they don't)
   COL%   (either 79 or 39 columns)
   LOCAL$  ('Y' means local connect (no modem), 'N' means thru modem)
   
   That is the format that the VE program will create the file when it 
   calls the on-line game program.  The '$' symbol means standard 
   character strings and the '%' symbol means a number.
   
   #4.  The program must re-create the A:\VE_GAME.DAT file when it exits 
   back to the main program.  It should be in the same exact format with 
   the exception of the SYSOP$.  The SYSOP$ should be 'Y' if the main 
   program should log them off (ie. they hung up, timed out, or ran out 
   of time....) or a 'N' if it should not log them off.  The main program 
   will ignore all the data retrieved from that file upon return except 
   for CREDITS$, TIME REMAINING$, and SYSOP$.  It is good housekeeping to 
   make all the data correct anyway.  Obviously the order is very 
   important in the file (standard sequential access).  The order should 
   always be as listed above.
   
   #5.  Don't do anything weird with the memory or anything like that.  
   It might crash the main program.  Remember, the on-line game is being 
   run from within the main program, when returned to the main program 
   all variables should remain intact with their original values.
   
   #6.  You may use the disks/files as needed.  All I/O lines are closed 
   when the on-line game is run and re-opened when it comes back.  Make 
   sure all the I/O lines in the on-line game program is closed before 
   returning to the main program.
   
   #7.  Please put all on-line game support files (data files, etc...) 
   in the GAME DIRECTORY$.  That string contains just the path that all 
   files should be in (ie. A:\VEGAMES\ ) so you can just append the 
   necessary filename to the end of it.
   
   
           I hope this spurs the interest of the many talented on-line 
   game programmers out there!  Thank you!!
   
   

