Dino Wars Moderator's Manual This manual tells you how to operate and referee "Dino Wars". For best results, take a couple of minutes to briefly skim over this manual before reading it more closely. Setting up the system A. Setting up directories: it is assumed that the hard disk is drive C:. On the root directory make a directory named "DWARS". Off this directory make sub-directories called "PRINT" and "TEXT". You can always use your own names for the directories, these are only suggestions. 1. In the DWARS directory unzip "dino.zip". 2. Move the DINOTXT.# text files into the TEXT directory. 3. Note: don't rename any of the files after they are transferred to your system. That may confuse the turn-processing program. 4. To play the game, each player must have a couple of the player's help program "DWARS". Setting up a game A. Preparation: 1. Go to the DWARS directory and run DINOE.EXE. Use 0 (Zero) as the game number. 2. Go to the "Defaults" menu option and fill out your address, telephone number etc. The "Print Directory" is the directory when the print files and data files for the help program are hold (ie. C:\DWARS\PRINT\). The "Text directory" is where the text files are hold (ie. DINOTXT.??). The "Internal Accounting" should be set to "N". If you want to use my accounting system please advise and I will send you a copy. The "date format" should simply be set to whatever suits your country. Press to continue.. 2. The next option gives you the ability to change the details of each species of dinosaurs. Any changes made here will affect all games. I suggest you forget about this option for now. 3. The "Change text for titles" option allows you to alter the text that is printed when a player receives a title. You can also edit the files (DINOTXT.??) direct with any text editor. 4. Select "Setup". Type in the new game number. The "starting hex type" should remain at 7 (Grassland). I suggest you keep the number of dinosaurs per hex (at the start of the game) set on 3. The "starting prestige" is the amount of prestige each player will start the game on (suggest 50 to 100). In the "main dinosaur" and "sub dinosaur" fields use the species type you whish player to start with (see attached list). You can start with 1, 2 or 3 dinosaurs (one must be the main dinosaur). All players start with the same species of dinosaurs. 5. The next page asks for the total number of each terrain type on the map. The default settings are a good start. Once you have 152 numbers of terrain selected the program will starting making the map. 6. When the map is displayed you have the option to keep rejecting the map until you see one you like (for now take little notice of the starting hex positions for the players). Try to keep areas on the map at the same terrain type (except lakes and volcanos that should be set at groups of 1 or 2 only). Remember you must have places to start all ten players evenly placed on the map with the same type of nearby terrain (normally grassland). Once you happy if what you see, press "Y" (and press ) to continue. 7. Now you can edit the map. Type in the hex you want to edit and press . You can then change the terrain type (as per the list on the right-hand side) and also move the starting locations of each player around. Spread the players evenly around the map and make the nearby terrain around each starting hex the same. Once you are happy with the final map, type in SAVE to continue. At this stage you can also type "QUIT" to return to the main menu without any changes been made. 8. The program will now write the data files for the new game and then return to the main menu (you will notice that the game number has now changed at the top of the main menu). 9. Now go to the "Account Menu". By using the "Review Details" option you can see that the program as created 10 players. Use the "Change Details" to type in the name and address etc. for each player. The "Mode" field is "P" for PostScript printing, "D" for play-by-Disk/Modem or "B" for both. The players will be ask when they want the game to end on their first turn. For now leave the "End Game" field to 18. To change any player to an NPC simply use the "Review Details" option and change the "End" field for that player to "Y" (you can always change this back again to "N" if you find a new player). Now you are ready to print the first turns for the new game. Printing Turns 1. The program DINOP allows you to print turns using a PostScript printer. To obtain a copy of this program, simply contract us. If you don't have a copy of this program, jump to step 6. 2. From the "DWARS" directory run DINOP.EXE. 3. Use the "Write Files" option to write the PostScript files for the players. The program will ask what type of paper you are using 1 sided, 2 sided (ie. print all of one side first and feed the pages back in to print the other side) or 3 for duplex (only useful you have a duplex printer). Simply place a "Y" beside each player you which to print. The fields shown are Player's name, game name, normal print mode and End game indicator ("T" = completed the game this turn). The program will now write the PostScript files to the directory you had set via the "Defaults" menu option. This may take some time. 4. Once the files are created use the "Print PS File" option to simply send the files to the printer. All what this does is sends the files to PRN (the default printer port). If you are using 2 sided paper (but not duplex) print all of one side first and then the computer will prompt you to reload the paper to print the other side (be careful you reload the paper the right side up for the second run - whatever way is right for your printer). 5. To print the dinosaurs illustrations change your printer to HP format and run PRNTPIC.EXE. You will see a number of options but the only one you should need to take notice of is "F3 - Player". Press to select what player you want. Take the first page of the printout for that player and feed it into the printer. Use the "Screen" option to see what the picture will look like or "Print - Screen Dump" to download the picture to the picture. Each picture should take no more than a minute (on a 486) to print. You can use the other options to try different types of printers if you like. The program will print a picture of the player's main dinosaur. If you come across better graphic files of dinosaurs types, I will be happy to receive copies so I can update my graphic file (some of the pictures I currently have are not too hot). I would be very interested in any 256 colour pictures you may find. Naturally you can save time by not using this program. 6. To write the data files for those players using the help program. Run DINOE and use the "Write Data Files" option. The files will be written in the "PRINT" directory. For more details on the help program see the READ.ME file that comes with the program. Inputting Orders. 1. Run DINOE.EXE. Go to the "Orders Menu". Most of the menu options here are self-explanatory. 2. When adding orders for disk players you must first copy the O???????.WIZ file for that player into the "PRINT" directory. 3. To briefly explain the options: "Delete All" will simply delete any messages current recorded. "Add New Orders" gives you the option to add orders via keyboard or disk. "Message Menu" beings up a list of all messages. To add a new message, got to the bottom of the list and press the down arrow (you will see appear in the top right corner of the screen) and simply type in the message. The "Playerno" field is use to show what player you want the message to go to. Use 0 (zero) for all players. "Battle Report" simply gives you a list of battle actions from the last turn. "Treaties" allows you manually alter the status between two players (you should only use this option if there is a problem). "Hex Data" allows you to edit the terrain type and current owner of a hex. "Change Details" gives you the option edit details on the dinosaurs. I suggest you be very careful when using these two options and only do so to correct GM errors. "Status List" will being a list show what orders have already been inputted. Updating a Turn. 1. Load DINO.EXE from the "DWARS" directory. 2. Make sure you backup the files first. You can use the backup option in the programme or use you own system. The backup option will simply run the file DWARBACK.BAT from the current directory. You can alter this to suit your own system. 3. Select "UpDate Menu". Answer two simply questions and wait for the program to update the game (should only take a few minutes). Miscellaneous. 1. Always backup your data before running a turn. 2. If a player does not send in a turn for two turns in a row, the computer will prompt you to change the position to an NPC. You can change them back by using the "Review Details" option and changing the END field to "N". 3. Remember to use the "File Maintenance" option (on either main menu) about once per month to re- index the files. 4. Some of the files needed to run the game have the same name as those needed for the players help program - do not confuse the two they may be different files. 5. The system will prompt you when a game is completed, writing messages to all players about the final outcome. You have the option to add to or edit these messages before printing. There are some other options available in the system. However, with a little trail and error you will be able to find out what they all do. ********************************************************************************************************* Dino Wars is copyright (c) by Peter Catling. Roma Games, PO Box 1171, STAFFORD QLD 4053 AUSTRALIA. Dino Wars is SHAREWARE and as such can be freely used by anyone. However, no files may be altered in any way, nor can any part of Dino Wars be sold to another person.