                            AsteriodsII 0.85

                     Copyright  1992 Mike Seifert

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*                                                                            *
* Permission is hereby granted to distribute this program's archive          *
* containing the executables and documentation for non-commercial purposes   *
* so long as the archive and its contents are not modified in any way.       *
*                                                                            *
* This program may not be distributed for a profit.                          *
*                                                                            *
* Commercial use prohibited without written permission.                      *
*                                                                            *
* This program is not in the public domain.                                  *
*                                                                            *
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First, let me just say that this game was never tested on a 68000 machine or 
machines with 1.3 ROMs.  Since the entire game was programmed using standard OS 
routines and compiled using SAS/C 6.0, asteriodsII should run fine on a stock 
500, 1000, or 2000.  I'll make no such predictions about machines with 1.3 ROMs.
Future AGA revisions are planned, but Ill need to get my A4000 first.  The game
uses around 280K chip memory and 170K fast memory, so it may work on a 512k machine.

Here are the particulars for those interested:

- Programmed in C using SAS/C 6.0, optimized using ASM.
- Tested on an A3000 with both 68040 and 68030 processors.
- Entire game was programmed using OS functions, and should multitask flawlessly.
- All images and sounds are loaded from disk as IFF files, and can be replaced if
  you want to use your own.
- The extended AsteroidsII game is shareware and has been partially disabled to 
  keep the player from going past level 5.  If you would like the fully operational 
  game, just send me $10 (or $5,a disk, and postage--or just $5 if you would like
  it send to you through internet).
  NOTE: The regular asteroids game has not been disabled.
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AsteriodsII Extended Game Additions
-----------------------------------

-Enemy warships will randomly hyperspace into the game.  The enemy warships are
 equipped with both direct fire and seeking weapons.  Each player cruiser
 is equipped with a shield that will provide some protection against these
 weapons, but this shield will not protect a player againt an asteroid collision.

-Enemy fighters will also hyperspace into the game, so dont be alarmed when you see
 these tiny beasties appear.  They do little damage and you only get 50 points for 
 them, so its best just to ignore them (as much as possible).

-Bonus flotsam appears when a player hits an enemy warship or neutral saucer.  
 There are three types of flotsam: life, shield, and technology.
	1) Life grants the player an extra ship.
	2) Shield grants the player 50 shield points.
	3) Technology gradually increases the player's firepower.

-Player cruisers are able to be fitted with greater offensive weaponry.  By 
 increasing his technology level, a player can gradually gain the following:
	1) Double lasers
	2) Double photons       (note that photons do not disappear upon impact)
	3) Scattered photons
 To see each of these, play the game.  
 Player firepower decreases each time a player ship is destroyed.

-An enemy star destroyer appears after every fourth level.  By destroying these 
 massive and powerful vessels, a player can permanently increase his default shield 
 and weapon levels.  Although equipped with a daunting array of offensive and 
 defensive weaponry,  the enemy star destroyers can be destroyed by a quick and 
 well armed warship.

-Random proximity mine fields.  These can be beneficial if you can lead an enemy 
 cruiser through one.  Just dont get too close.
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KNOWN PROBLEMS
--------------
- Fonts MUST be in FONTS: directory, so copy them over or reassign FONTS:
- Key presses are echoed to the any active console windows.  To get around this,
  just make sure all windows are deactivated.
- Although the game reconizes different processors, timing functions may still be
  a bit off.  This results in the game sometimes noticably speeding up or slowing
  down as different ships appear and are destroyed.  I'll correct this as I 
  continue to test it.  I dont know how the game reacts on a 68000 machine, but I
  did allow the player to alter the base delay.  This should make the game playable....
  Time based events would be the best solution, but Im not really eager to add this....
- Joystick routine has been a little flaky, but appears to be working okay.
- Program does not clean up after an error.  If you get an error message, its best
  just to quit the program. (I know this sucks, but I just dont feel like fixing it....)
- I was having trouble with Mungwall, but I think I solved the problem....
- On a related note, late in testing the game did rarely lock up the system.  I was 
  never able to locate the problem, but it hasnt occured for the last 3 weeks, so...
- IMPORTANT!!!  If running the program from the CLI, change the current directory to
                the asteriodsii directory.  The program creates high score files if
                it does not detect them.
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VERSION CHANGES
---------------

(0.80)  FIRST RELEASE VERSION

(0.81)
- Pause function now multitasks.
- Internal list routines slightly optimized.

(0.85)
- Machines without FASTMEM can now run the program.  (I set a stupid compiler flag)
- Option save function added.
- Definable key codes added (with save option).
- Player ship release routine has been improved to eliminate frustrating instant
  deaths.  (Youll still have to deal with the saucer fire, though.)
- Three difficulty levels have been added to make the game easier for the beginner.
  These levels only control the asteroid speeds, and no one should keep the level
  below one.  In future revisions, the high score list will display the play level.

FUTURE ADDITIONS
----------------

-PAL SCREEN  When I eventually get enough loose cash together to buy my 
             RKRM:Libraries manual, I plan to make the default screen PAL for
             the extra vertical resolution.

-THIRD PLAYER  You can never have enough simultaneous action.  This guy will probably
               use the mouse and numeric keypad for control.

-COLOR       I may add a color option, but I dont know if Ill bother.  The graphics
             are what one might call 'functional', and thats all theyll ever be with
             my artistic abilities.

-AGA SUPPORT  If I should opt for an A4000 (instead of joining the PC world), I may
              recode some of the graphics routines to take advantage of the AGA's
              hires sprites and faster blitter.  This would allow for future game
              additions.

-MODEM SUPPORT  This would be the first step in turning this game into an X-pilot
                clone.  I definitely wouldnt attempt it alone....
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CREDITS
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Designed and Coded by mike seifert using SAS/C.  (Thanks to Doug Walker and Michael
                                                  Van Elst for answering my 
                                                  stupid questions.)
Graphics by mike seifert using DeluxePaint 2.0.  (Truly incredible graphics...)

Game sound was from various public domain (hopefully) sources.  I havent the
money for a digitizer.   (I just had to upgrade that compiler to 6.0, and I would do
it again.) If anyone hates the sound, I would appreciate any weapon or 
explosion donations...
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I dont feel like writing any more....  If you have any questions, just send
me internet mail:  seifert@gn.ecn.purdue.edu

Mike Seifert
400 N. River Rd.  apt.816
West Lafayette, IN 47906
(317)743-5999
