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BASSTOUR
Version 4.0
The Ultimate fishing tournament game
By Dick Olsen
A Few Words About ShareWare....
BASSTOUR is made available to the general public under the
concept of ShareWare. As such, you are free to copy it and
distribute it to others provided that all accompanying files are
distributed intact and unmodified, and that no fee is charged.
The author retains ALL rights to the program. You are encouraged
try the program for a reasonable period of time to see if you
like it. If it proves to be enjoyable, please consider supporting
the efforts of the author by sending a small contribution to the
address shown below. Once you have done so, you are considered
"registered", and can expect a prompt reply to correspondence.
Once registered, you will also receive the latest version of
BASSTOUR if the version you have is not the newest. In any
correspondence regarding BASSTOUR, please be SURE to specify the
following information:
* What version of BASSTOUR you have
* What brand and model computer you have
* How much memory your machine has
* The disks your machine has (hard, 2 floppies etc.)
* What kind of video card your machine has
* Any other type of cards your machine has
To register your copy of BASSTOUR, send a $10.00 donation
along with the registration form at the end of this document
to the author:
Richard Olsen
68 Hartwell Ave.
Littleton, MA. 01460
Introduction
BASSTOUR is a fishing tournament game in which you have
complete control of a fully rigged bass boat. You control where
it goes, and how it gets there. Your bass boat has all of the
latest accessories, including a trolling motor, LCD chart
recorder, a rod box containing six different fishing rods, and a
fully stocked tackle box we would all be proud to own. The object
of the game is to catch the heaviest five fish limit on each of
three days of the tournament. The fisherman with the highest
total weight wins the tournament. As in real fishing, it's not
always easy! Each day of the tournament allows you to fish for
six hours. Just about everything you do takes time. Changing
lures consumes time. So does turning on your LCD recorder. Moving
your boat takes longer if you use the trolling motor than if you
use the outboard motor. On the other hand, the outboard motor
consumes gasoline while the trolling motor uses battery power.
You make the trade offs. You must bring your boat back to the
weigh in area before the six hour fishing day has elapsed and
have your fish weighed in.
Here is a brief explanation of the situation:
You are a professional bass tournament fisherman. You have
complete control of a fully rigged bass boat. You control every
aspect of the boat, just as if it were real. You face the same
problems a real fisherman encounters during a bass tournament. If
you're not careful, accidents can occur that cost you time,
possibly some cash, and if severe enough, the tournament. You
decide where you will fish, what type rod you'll use and what
kind of bait. Fish the open water with a crankbait or work the
stumps with a plastic worm. Locate a drop off with your LCD graph
and rip a Rat-L-Trap if you want. Maybe you'll win the daily
lunker award or set a new record for the lake!
What You Need To Run BASSTOUR
BASSTOUR requires an IBM PC or compatible computer with at least
512k of memory. BASSTOUR will run with either an EGA, CGA or
Hercules compatible video system. You can run BASSTOUR from a
floppy disk or from a hard disk. If you are lucky enough to have
a VGA card and monitor, BASSTOUR will run fine on it also. If you
have a mouse on your computer, you can use it to play BASSTOUR,
although it is not necessary. It is highly recommended that you
make a backup copy of your BASSTOUR diskette. Use the backup
copy, and store the original diskette in a safe place. Beginning
with version 2.0 of BASSTOUR, one command line option is
supported. This command line option allows you to force BASSTOUR
to run in one of the four video modes: VGA, EGA, CGA, or
Hercules. In most instances, you will not need to specify which
video mode since BASSTOUR can detect what kind of video system
your computer has. There are a few types of EGA cards that
BASSTOUR cannot detect however. If your computer has an EGA card,
but BASSTOUR will not detect it, you can force it to run in EGA
mode anyway. To do this, use the command line shown below when
you want to run BASSTOUR:
BASSTOUR -e
You can also use a -h for Hercules or a -c for CGA. If you simply
type BASSTOUR, the program will choose the best mode it can. If
you have a VGA display, BASSTOUR can be forced to use the 256
color 320 x 200 MCGA mode. Running the program in MCGA mode
requires the use of a -m command line option. For example, to run
in the 256 color 320 x 200 mode of your VGA, type BASSTOUR -m
when you start the program. Simply typing BASSTOUR will cause
your VGA display to run in the 640 x 350 16 color EGA mode.
Since BASSTOUR requires a large amount of FREE memory, be sure
that you do not have memory resident programs loaded before
running BASSTOUR. Ramdisks, printer buffers, menu programs and
other TSR's occupy large amounts of memory in your system, making
it unusable by BASSTOUR. BASSTOUR may appear to run normally, but
if there is not enough available memory, the program will halt.
If this happens, a message will inform you of the fact that there
is insufficient memory available for BASSTOUR. In this situation,
BASSTOUR will not run properly on your system until you remove
the offending software from memory.
How To Run BASSTOUR From A Floppy Disk
If your computer does not have a hard disk, at the DOS prompt,
insert the distribution diskette into drive A: and simply type
BASSTOUR <enter>. After a few seconds, the title screen will
appear. You will be asked to answer a few questions before the
game starts. If your computer does have a hard disk, but you
still want to run BASSTOUR from your floppy disk, insert the
distribution diskette into drive A: and type A:<enter> at the DOS
prompt, then type BASSTOUR <enter>. Be sure that you leave the
diskette in the drive while you are playing, and that it is NOT
write protected. If you get real lucky, and catch a record sized
fish, BASSTOUR will try to save your record catch on the disk. If
the disk isn't there, or if it's write protected, BASSTOUR may
halt, waiting for the disk to be available.
BASSTOUR will allow you to save a game so that you can finish
playing it at a later time. If you are running BASSTOUR from your
floppy disk, there may not be enough disk space to save a game.
To avoid "insufficient disk space" errors, it is suggested that
you delete this file (BT.DOC) from the disk you are using. BE
SURE THAT YOU HAVE MADE A COPY FIRST!!! If you attempt to save a
game on a disk with insufficient space, a message will appear to
notify you that the game was not saved due to lack of disk space.
How To Run BASSTOUR From A Hard Disk
To run BASSTOUR from your hard disk, first it must be installed.
The distribution diskette has a batch file on it called
"BTINSTAL.BAT" that will do this for you. To run this
installation file, first insert the distribution diskette into
drive A:. Then type A:BTINSTAL. The installation file will create
a directory on your hard disk called BTOUR. Then it will copy all
of the files from the floppy disk to the hard disk. After all of
the files have been copied, the message "installation
completed..." will appear on your screen, and BASSTOUR will
automatically run. BASSTOUR can be run at any time thereafter by
just typing BT<enter>.
The Program
BASSTOUR has four levels of play; Novice, Intermediate, Pro and
Practice. In the first three levels, you are a professional bass
fisherman participating in a three day tournament. Each of the
days represents six hours of fishing, and you must weigh in your
fish at the designated weigh in area before the end of the day's
fishing. If you fail to weigh in before the six hours have
elapsed, all of the fish in your live well are released, and you
receive no credit for them. The total weight of your fish is
accumulated at the end of each day of the tournament, and the
current standings are posted. At the end of the third day, the
final standings and the winnings are posted. In Novice level, the
fish are very easy to catch, and it's easy to finish in the
money. Intermediate level requires a bit more searching and lure
experimenting to fill your live well with decent sized fish. Pro
level is just plain tough! The fish are more selective and harder
to locate. In Pro mode, just as in reality, it can be pretty hard
to catch your limit. In fact, it's not unusual to fish an entire
day of the tournament without catching a legal fish. You'll need
to be more alert to your current situation. The weather is
important. Your boat may drift if it's windy, and you may end up
stuck somewhere preventing you from making the weigh in time.
Each fishing area has a record for the largest fish caught at
that area. If, during the course of the tournament, you catch a
fish that is larger than the current record, a small ceremony
will ensue and you will be established as the new record holder
for that particular lake or river. The records are kept in a file
called LAKERECS.TXT on your disk, and the current record fish for
each of the fishing areas can be viewed at any time. In another
file on your distribution diskette, STRINGER.TXT, BASSTOUR keeps
records of the 10 heaviest stringers. A stringer is considered to
be the accumulated tournament weight for the three days of the
tournament.
The fourth mode is Practice. This mode was added at the request
of users. In Practice mode, there is no time limit, gasoline is
assumed to be unlimited, and battery power lasts forever.
Practice mode forces the Pro skill level. In Practice mode, you
can fish to your hearts content, and you can still weigh in your
fish just as if it were a tournament. Lake records can still be
set in Practice mode, but heavy stringer records cannot.
The Boat
Your boat is equipped with a trolling motor, an LCD chart
recorder, 20 gallons of gasoline, batteries, a rod box, a tackle
box, various emergency and safety devices, a live well, an anchor
and of course a powerful outboard motor. As with a real bass
boat, you need to exercise care and good judgment in the use of
this equipment. Time is your biggest enemy, with the constant
threat of obstacles such as stumps and rocks, running out of
gasoline or killing your batteries contributing to your problems.
As if all of these things weren't enough, there are other boats
in the area to contend with. As in a real fishing situation,
these other boats sometimes seem to be piloted by inconsiderate
people; they hog fishing areas or crowd you. Sometimes they spook
fish or even cause accidents!
The Fishing Areas
Included on your BASSTOUR disk are six different bodies of water
that you can fish. When the title screen appears, the names of
the six fishing areas will be listed. To pick an area, just enter
the corresponding area number. Once you have selected the area,
it remains selected throughout the three day tournament. Each
fishing area is unique in itself. Every time you start a new day
of fishing, the location of the fish will be different, and their
sizes will vary greatly. Additionally, every time the game is
started, the depths on a particular lake will vary. When fishing,
it is wise to keep a check on the time remaining, the charge
level of your batteries, and how much gasoline you have left. You
must weigh in your fish before the time has expired. In order to
weigh in your fish, you must be close to the weigh in area. The
weigh in area on each lake is signified by a yellow flag, usually
near where your boat is placed when the tournament begins. If
your computer has a CGA or Hercules video system, the weigh in
area will be signified by a flag with a black X in it. On EGA
systems, your boat is the light blue (cyan) colored boat, while
in Hercules or CGA systems, your boat is the solid colored one.
If you are running in the MCGA mode of your VGA display, your
boat is the bright pink one. In all cases, your boat starts each
day of the tournament adjacent to the weigh in flag.
The Fish
After the lake has been drawn on the screen, the program decides
where fish should be placed. As in real fishing, bass seem to
like to be in or near some sort of cover. Stumps, rocks, lily
pads etc. will usually hold the most fish. Fish also seem to
congregate along humps or drop offs elsewhere on the lake. Boat
docks, moored boats and weeds are also good places to look. Fish
can also be caught in the middle of the lake. Each fish has its
own unique personality, which determines how easy the fish is to
catch. Fish have an aggression factor assigned to them, as well
as lure type and color preferences. If a fish is very aggressive,
it will usually strike almost any type or color of bait. Mildly
aggressive fish are more selective. Sometimes fish will cluster
in an area, so it's a good idea to cover an area of the lake
thoroughly because several fish can be caught in the same place
at times. If you catch a decent fish in an area, it's wise to
make several casts to the same general area since fish of similar
size often stick together. In Intermediate and especially Pro
modes, lure choice and color are important. You can cover an area
completely without catching any fish, then change bait types or
colors and catch fish after fish in the area you just covered.
The program typically places about 2000 in a lake. If your
computer is an XT type, it may take several seconds for the fish
to be placed. When the small timer window appears, you're ready
to start. The potential exists to catch an 18 lb. plus fish on
each lake.
In each lake, there lurks a GIANT bass called Lulu. She is very
finicky, and will only strike a bait if it is the exact type and
color she wants. To catch Lulu is truly a magnificent feat. If
you catch her, you will be given the opportunity to print a
special certificate (assuming you have a printer connected)
which, if sent to the author together with the exact weight of
Lulu, will earn you a nice surprise.
The Opponents
In any of the skill levels, you are fishing against 30 of the top
names in bass tournament fishing. Although it's quite easy to win
the tournament if you are fishing in Novice or even Intermediate
mode, Pro mode is quite another story. These guys you're fishing
against are the best. They got to be the best by being
consistent. In Pro mode, it's not unusual to weigh in 18 or 20
pounds of fish, and not make the top ten!
The Equipment
* Trolling Motor ( F2 or T )
The trolling motor is raised or lowered by pressing the F2 key or
by pressing 'T'. If the trolling motor is down, pressing F2 (or
T) will raise it. If the trolling motor is up, pressing F2 (or T)
will lower it. Starting the outboard motor will automatically
raise the trolling motor if it is down. Likewise, lowering the
trolling motor automatically stops the outboard motor. If you are
using a mouse, first bring up the command list by pressing the
left mouse button. Then point to the trolling motor command in
the list and press the left button again. The command list can
only be displayed if you are not in the cast mode. The trolling
motor uses more time than the outboard motor to move your boat,
and it also consumes battery power. Once you have fished a few
tournaments with BASSTOUR, you will begin to remember what keys
to press and find that you rely on the command list much less.
Mouse users can always use the keys if they wish. The trolling
motor can be raised or lowered while in the cast mode.
* The Outboard Motor (alt-F9 or O)
Pressing ALT-F9 (hold down the ALT key while you press F9) will
start the outboard motor. Pressing 'O' will do the same thing.
The outboard will NOT run if you are out of gas. If you have the
sound enabled, you will hear a buzz that indicates that the motor
is running. Remember that any time the outboard is running, you
are consuming gasoline. The outboard motor can also be started by
first bringing up the command window (by pressing the LEFT mouse
button or by pressing F1) then pointing at the RUN/STOP OUTBOARD
command with your mouse. Remember that you cannot bring up the
command window if you are in cast mode. There are two other
things to be aware of when using the outboard motor. First,
tournament rules state that when moving your boat under power of
the outboard motor, you must wear a life jacket. Failure to wear
your life jacket may cost you a fine or even cause you to be
disqualified. The life jacket usage is discussed later in this
document. The second thing to be aware of when using your
outboard motor are zones designated "NO WAKE". These areas are
found on most lakes, and are indicated by the presence of a
floating sign. Sometimes, you will be given a citation if you
pass through these areas with your outboard motor running at a
faster than allowed speed. If you pass through a NO WAKE ZONE at
idle speed, you will not get a citation, nor will you if you are
using the trolling motor. Receiving a citation not only costs you
money, it costs time as well. You cannot start the outboard if
you are in cast mode. The outboard motor has five speeds. To
increase the speed, press the INS key. To slow down, press the
DEL key. The faster you run the outboard, the more gas you
consume. On the other hand, moving the boat at a fast speed uses
less time to travel long distances. As you increase or decrease
the speed of the outboard motor, the sound will vary in pitch and
a short note will appear to verify the change in speed. Each time
you press the INS key, your outboard speed is increased until you
are at maximum RPM's. Likewise, each press of the DEL key slows
down your motor until it is at idle speed. If you run your
outboard motor at the highest speed, be careful. If you hit an
obstacle, your outboard may be damaged and out of service for
that day of the tournament.
* LCD Chart Recorder (alt-F1 or G)
Pressing ALT-F1 (hold down the ALT key while you press F1) will
turn on the LCD recorder if it is off, or turn it off if it is
on. Pressing 'G' will do the same thing. If your boat is in the
left half of the screen, the LCD recorder will appear in the
upper right corner of the screen. If your boat is in the right
half of the screen, it will appear in the upper left corner. If
you have the LCD recorder on, it will move to the opposite side
of the screen from where your boat is. The LCD works almost like
a real one. It's screen will show fish directly under the boat in
the center of it's screen, fish to the port side of the boat are
on the left of it's screen, and fish to the starboard side of the
boat appear on the right side of it's screen. To select the LCD
when using a mouse, first bring up the command window by pressing
the left mouse button. The command window will only be displayed
while you are not in the cast mode. Point the mouse cursor at the
LCD command then click the left mouse button to turn on or off
the LCD recorder. The LCD recorder is continuously updated as you
move the boat around the screen. It uses battery power, so use it
sparingly. As with other commands, mouse users can also use the
keyboard to control the LCD.
* Rod Box (F9 or R)
Your bass boat has a rod box containing six different types of
rods. Each of these rods has certain advantages or disadvantages.
For example, a spinning rod with 6 pound test line will allow you
to cast your lure farther than a flippin rod (saving excessive
boat moving) but the light line may cause you to lose a few fish.
Some of the differences are obvious, others are not. You start
each day of fishing with no rod selected. Before you can begin
casting, you must select a rod. You can change rod types at any
time. The F9 (or 'R') key allows you to select a rod. You cannot
select a rod while in cast mode. Once you have the rod box window
on the screen, the up and down arrow keys will cause the hilite
bar to move up or down highlighting the rod selection. After you
have the hilite bar positioned over the rod you'd like to use,
press the ESC key to return to the move mode. If you have a
mouse, first bring up the command window, then point at the
SELECT ROD command. Point the mouse cursor at the rod you would
like to use, then press the left mouse button which will cause
the hilite bar to move to the rod you have selected. If you are
satisfied with your selection, press the right mouse button to
resume the game. If you change your mind after clicking on a rod
type, just point to the rod you want and click again.
You can "load up" all six rods with different baits, then change
rods thus changing baits quickly, just like in real fishing.
* Tackle Box (F10 or B)
At your disposal is a six drawer tackle box containing a
selection of lures we all wish we had. Many lure types and colors
are there for your use. You can select lures from the tackle box
at any time except when you are in cast mode. Pressing F10 (or
'B') will give you access to the tackle box. If you are using a
mouse, select the tackle box from the command list by pointing to
the tackle box command and pressing the left button on the mouse.
If you are in cast mode (you'll see the cast instruction line at
the bottom of your screen), you will have to exit cast mode
before you can access the tackle box. The Tackle Box consists of
three windows. The first window allows you to choose which
drawer to look in. Each drawer is neatly organized (I wish MY
tackle box was this neat) into bait types. For example,
crankbaits are in one drawer, spinnerbaits in another, plastic
worms in another etc. Use the mouse to point at and click on
which drawer you want, or use the UP or DOWN arrow keys to move
the highlight bar to where you want it. After that, the drawer
contents will appear in another window next to the first. In this
window, you select the specific bait you want to use. Once you
choose your bait, a third window will appear that lists the
available colors for that particular lure. After you select the
color, the tackle box windows will disappear. If you forget what
bait you are fishing with, the STATUS command will tell you. Use
of the LIST STATUS command is discussed later. Over 2300 lure
type and color combinations are possible with BASSTOUR.
* Live Well (F3 or L)
Your boat contains an aerated live well that holds all of your
legal (12 inches or better) fish. You can examine the contents of
your live well at any time, including while in cast mode. While
examining the live well contents, you also have the option of
turning on or off the aeration system. The aerator will save your
fish if you run it enough, but it does use battery power. Failure
to use your aerator enough may cause some of your fish to die,
costing you a one pound penalty for each dead fish weighed in. On
the other hand, the live well aerator consumes battery power. The
live well will hold a maximum of five fish. Every legal fish you
catch will be added to the live well until it contains five fish.
After that, if you catch a fish that is larger than the smallest
fish currently in the live well, the smallest fish will be
released, and the fish you just caught will replace it in the
live well. This way, the live well always contains the five
largest fish you have caught. To examine the live well or to turn
on or off the aerator, just press F3 (or 'L')on the keyboard. If
you are using a mouse, first bring up the command window by
pressing F1, then point the mouse cursor at and click on the LIVE
WELL command. Then press the left button on the mouse. A window
will appear on your screen that shows how many fish are currently
in the live well, what the total weight of those fish is, and
gives you the option of turning the aerator on or off. If you are
using a mouse, simply click on the ON or OFF command in the live
well window. If you are using the keyboard, press the F7 or F8
key to control the aerator. To resume fishing, press the ESC key
or the right mouse button. Examining the contents of your live
well uses time, but no energy is consumed.
See the ALT-F command listed under Miscellaneous Commands.
* Life Jacket (alt-F2 or J)
You must wear a life jacket any time you are moving the boat with
the outboard motor. Failure to do so may cost you time and a
citation with an associated fine. It may also cause you to be
disqualified from the tournament on that day. Wearing your life
jacket is a bit of a nuisance since it restricts your casting
distance a little. The life jacket is selected by pressing ALT-F2
or by selecting the appropriate item with the mouse. Taking off
your life jacket uses a little time, as does putting it on. If
you are wearing your life jacket when you make this selection, it
will be removed. If you are not wearing it, it will be put on.
Pressing 'J' will also execute this command.
* Anchor
The anchor is of no use unless you are fishing in Pro mode. In
Pro mode, the anchor will prevent your boat from drifting. Don't
forget to raise the anchor before trying to move the boat.
Pressing F7 lowers the anchor, pressing F8 raises it. If you are
using a mouse, just select the item from the command list by
pointing the mouse cursor at the command you want to execute and
then click the left button of the mouse. As with most things in
fishing, raising or lowering the anchor takes time. There are no
alternate keys assigned to this command.
* Paddle (alt-F3 or P)
Although the paddle can be used to move the boat at any time,
most of us think of it as a last resort. The paddle uses quite a
bit of time, but could be used to get you to the weigh in area
before the allotted time has elapsed if both your battery was
dead and you were out of gas. ALT-F3 selects the paddle from the
keyboard, and you can select it with the mouse also. As with the
trolling motor or the outboard motor, selecting the paddle turns
off any other form of propulsion that may be active. Pressing 'P'
will also cause you to start paddling.
The next section explains how to move the boat, scroll the screen
and make casts:
* Moving the boat
Boat positioning is crucial to fishing success both in reality
and while playing BASSTOUR. Beginning with version 2.1, you can
move your boat at any time. Previous versions only allowed the
boat to be moved if you were not in cast mode. If you are in cast
mode, the Q, W, E, A, D, Z, X, and C keys will move the boat. The
Q key will move the boat to the upper left, the W key moves the
boat straight up, the E key moves toward the upper right, the A
key moves to the left, the D key moves to the right, the Z key
moves to the lower left, the X key moves straight down, and the C
key moves the boat toward the lower right. This change allows to
move the boat along a shore line and cast at the same time. If
you are NOT in cast mode, eight keys on the numeric keypad
control boat movement. The left, right, up, and down arrow keys
cause the boat to move in the direction indicated by the arrow on
the key. Additionally, you can move diagonally by pressing the
HOME key to move the boat toward the upper left, the PG UP key to
move the boat to the upper right, the END key to move diagonally
toward the lower left, and the PG DN key to move toward the lower
right. The arrow keys will not move the boat while you are in
cast mode. Instead, they are used to position the cast if you
are not using a mouse. Conversely, the Q, W, E, A, D, Z, X, and C
keys will not move the boat if you are not in cast mode. Instead,
they are used to execute various commands. Each time you move the
boat, time is consumed. There is one other key you should know
about when it comes to moving the boat. The '-' key will cause
the boat to back up. If you are using the trolling motor, battery
power is also used. The outboard motor uses less time to move
your boat, but also consumes gasoline. The paddle uses the most
time of all, but obviously uses neither battery power or
gasoline. The boat cannot be moved off the screen. It should be
noted here that the arrow keys will not work if the NUM LOCK
light on your keyboard is ON.
* Rotating the boat
The left and right arrow keys, if pressed while holding down the
CTRL key will cause your boat to rotate either clockwise or
counter-clockwise while maintaining it's current location on the
screen. Rotating the boat allows for optimum cast positioning and
also uses less battery power, gas and time. The boat may be
rotated whether you are in cast mode or not. Obviously, to either
move or rotate your boat you must have the outboard motor
running, the trolling motor running, or be using the paddle.
* Scrolling the screen
When BASSTOUR first draws the lake on your screen, what you see
is really only about one fourth of the lake. The initial screen
represents the upper left corner of the lake. You can scroll the
screen (the 'lake') to the right, left up or down to give you
access to the whole lake. Press SHIFT-LEFT ARROW to move the
screen to the left, SHIFT-RIGHT ARROW to move the screen to the
right, SHIFT-UP ARROW to move the screen up, and SHIFT-DOWN ARROW
to move the screen down. Scrolling the screen does not uses any
battery power, gas or time. The arrow keys on the NUMERIC KEYPAD
are the ones you should use to scroll. Make sure too, that your
NUM LOCK is not on.
NOTE: Some computers only have the four cursor (ARROW) keys.
Others have these keys plus a numeric key pad with cursor (ARROW)
keys. If you have one of these computers (i.e. PS-2 model 25),
pressing SHFT and one of the four separate cursor keys will not
cause the screen to scroll. To scroll the screen on one of these
computers, use the 2, 4, 6, and 8 keys. Pressing 2 will scroll
the screen down, 4 will scroll it left, 6 will scroll it right,
and 8 will scroll it up. When scrolling in this manner, it is NOT
necessary to use the SHFT key. Some models of Tandy computers
also exhibit scrolling problems. If you have trouble scrolling
the screen, using the 2,4,6, and 8 keys on the main keyboard will
usually work.
* Casting (F5 or C)
To make a cast, first you need to have a rod selected. Once a rod
has been selected, each cast you make will assume the same rod is
being used. Once you have selected a rod to use, you will not
need to select another unless you want to. Cast mode is entered
by pressing F5 ('C' will also work) or by selecting the 'start
casting' command with the mouse. You can easily determine if you
are in cast mode because the bottom line of screen will contain
some brief casting instructions, and will disappear when you exit
cast mode. If you are using the mouse, move the mouse cursor (the
white arrow on the screen) to the place you want the cast to go.
Then, press the left button on the mouse. A line will appear on
your screen between the boat and where the arrow is pointing. If
the sound is turned on, a squirt noise will accompany the line on
the screen. The distance that you can cast will vary depending on
the type of rod you have selected, and whether or not you are
wearing a life jacket. The skill level you are playing at also
helps to determine the maximum cast distance. A novice cannot
cast as far as a pro. You cannot cast toward the rear of the
boat. If you are not using a mouse, a small, + symbol will
appear somewhere near your boat when you enter cast mode. Use the
up, down left and right arrow keys to then position your cast.
You can also move the cast marker diagonally by using the HOME,
PgUp, END, and PgDn keys. Once you have positioned the cast
marker (the + symbol) where you want it, press either the space
bar or the F10 key. If a fish strikes, the message FISH ON! will
pop onto your screen, followed by other information windows about
the fish. These messages will stay on the screen for short time,
then disappear. They will disappear immediately if you move the
mouse or press a key while they are displayed. This is to speed
up the game if you desire. Casting too close to land will
sometimes cause your bait to snag. Casting at stumps, docks,
other boats, lily pads, rocks, etc. will normally not cause you
to snag. While you are in cast mode, you can move the boat using
the Q, W, E, A, D, Z, X, or C keys as described under the MOVE
BOAT instructions.
* Weighing In Your Fish (alt-F8 or W)
Weighing in your fish is almost as important as catching them in
the first place. If you don't weigh in some fish, you can't win
the tournament. Each lake has a weigh in area signified by a
bright yellow flag (or a flag with an X on monochrome systems).
In order to weigh in, you must proceed to the weigh in area and
dock your boat as close to the flag as possible before for the
six hour time limit has expired. When you think your boat is
close enough to the flag, press ALT- F8 (or 'W') to begin the
weigh in procedure. If you are not close enough to the weigh in
area, a message will appear to let you know. If you are within
the weigh in area, the message "Are you sure you want to weigh in
now?" will appear. A "Yes" reply will start the weigh in
procedure, any other reply will abort the weigh in process. You
cannot weigh in if you are in the cast mode. Fish can be weighed
in at any time, but once you do, you are done fishing for that
day of the tournament. A message will appear on your screen that
say's "Beginning weigh in...". After a few seconds, your
statistics for the day will pop onto the screen. Once you have
looked at your statistics for the day, press any key to view the
current tournament standings. If you are one of the top ten
fisherman, your name will appear in red. After you have examined
the tournament standings, press any key to start the next day of
the tournament. The tournament is over after you weigh in for
the third day. It is a good idea to allow yourself plenty of time
to get to the weigh in area. You never know what might happen on
your way back! If you are weighing in on the last day of the
tournament, before the game ends, you will have the option of
listing the standings for the entire field of competition.
If you have a printer connected, you can make a listing of the
day's fishing results, the daily tournament standings, the final
tournament standings and the standings for the entire field. Just
press P when so instructed to get your print out.
Miscellaneous Commands
* Contour Map (M or m)
Pressing 'm' will display a small contour map of the lake you are
fishing. The contour map can only be displayed if you are not in
the cast mode. The map consists of shaded areas that represent
the various depths in the lake. Shallow areas are indicated by
the lighter colors while deeper areas are indicated by the darker
colors. The weigh in area is shown as a bright yellow square and
the current location of your boat is represented by a blinking
black/blue square. On monochrome displays, both the block
indicating the weigh in area and the block indicating your boat
position will blink. Consulting the contour map does not use any
time or energy. The contour map can also be displayed by making
the proper selection with the mouse when the command list is
displayed.
* Sound ON/OFF ( F4 )
This command is executed by pressing F4 while the command list is
displayed, or by clicking on it with your mouse. There are no
messages announcing whether or not the sound is on or off. If the
sound is on (the default at the start of the tournament),
selecting this command will turn it off. If the sound has been
turned off, this command will turn it back on. It can be changed
any time during the tournament, and will remain in effect
throughout the three days of the tournament unless you change it.
When the sound is on, a 'squirt' noise will be heard as you make
each cast, and a buzzing sound will be heard when the outboard
motor is running. When you hook a fish, another distinct sound
will be heard.
* List Status (alt-F10 or S)
This command is executed by pressing ALT-F10 (hold down the ALT
key while you press F10), or by clicking on it with the mouse
while the command list is displayed. A window will pop up on your
screen with lots of information pertaining to the rod you have
selected, the lure type and color, time remaining etc.. It costs
you no time, battery power or gasoline to execute this command.
Pressing 'S' will also cause the status to be displayed.
* Add Fish Formula to bait ( F )
When you are in cast mode, you can add Fish Formula to your bait
by pressing the F key. A short message will appear on the screen
to notify you that Fish Formula was used. Each time you add a
shot of Fish Formula, it costs you ten seconds in time.
Sometimes, adding Fish Formula seems to have a great deal to do
with your success. You'll have to be the judge! Each shot of Fish
Formula lasts for about 6 or 7 casts.
* Weather Report
This command causes a weather report to appear on your screen. It
is executed by pressing ALT-F4 while the command list is
displayed or by clicking on it with the mouse. The weather is of
little interest unless you are fishing at the Pro level. Wind
speed and direction are important in that your boat may drift if
the wind is strong enough. The boat will drift in the direction
that the wind is blowing. Be aware that it is possible to drift
into rocks or other obstacles that can cost you some kind of
penalty. It is also possible that your boat can become stuck as a
result of drifting. If you get stuck, it is sometimes (but not
always) possible to run your boat in the opposite direction from
that which is was moving when it became stuck. If you become
stuck, and cannot get out, keep trying. There is no alternate key
to access this command.
* Quitting the Game
Pressing "Q" will give you the option of ending the game,
continuing the game, or starting the tournament over from the
beginning. You cannot quit the game while in cast mode. If you
start the tournament over from the beginning, the same lake will
be used. In order to change lakes, you must exit from the game,
and then run it again.
* View Record Catches ( V )
Pressing the V key will display the current record sized fish for
each of the fishing areas. A total of 20 fishing areas exist for
BASSTOUR, and the biggest fish caught at each of these areas will
be listed along with who the angler was, and the date the fish
was caught. The standard BASSTOUR distribution disk is supplied
with six different areas to fish, although an additional 14 areas
are available (see order form at the end of this document).
BASSTOUR will also work with lakes created with Nels Anderson's
program, BassMap (see the credits at the end of this document).
Up to a maximum of 50 fishing areas can be used with BASSTOUR.
The listing of the record fish will remain on your screen until
you press the V key again, which will display the 10 heaviest
stringers (the most weight weighed in) on record. When you have
finished viewing the heaviest stringers, press any key to
continue what you were doing. If, during the weigh in, it is
determined that your total weight qualifies you for one of the 10
heaviest stringers, your name, total weight, date, and the name
of the lake or river will be saved, and your record will become
one of those to beat! The big fish records and the heavy stringer
records can be printed when you see them displayed on the screen.
To do this, first make sure your printer is ready, then press P.
* The - (minus) Key
Pressing the '-' key will cause the boat to go backwards.
* ALT-S Saving a Game
You can save a game and continue playing it at a later time. This
can be done at any time by holding down the ALT key while you
press the "S" key. The current status of the game will be saved
on your disk in a file called BTOUR.SAV. This file occupies about
60k of disk space so be sure that your disk has enough room for
the file. If you have saved a game, it can be restored by
selecting "R" when you are asked what area you would like to fish
on the title screen.
Do not try to save a game in a particular video mode and later
try to restore it in a different video mode than what you were
playing when you saved it. This will cause your computer to hang,
and may require that you turn the machine off and then back on to
recover. For example, if you save the game while in EGA mode,
then attempt to restore it by forcing CGA mode (with the -c
option) your computer will probably hang up.
* List Fish in Livewell (ALT-F)
This command will display a list of the fish currently in your
livewell. Up to five fish are listed, showing their weights.
* BOSS Mode (ALT-Z)
This was not my idea! Many people requested it so here it is. You
know what to use it for. When you press ALT-Z, the lake map
disappears and is replaced with a dummy disk directory listing.
The lake map will reappear and the game will continue when you
press any key.
NOTE: If you ARE a boss, you cannot use this command!
SUPPORT CATCH AND RELEASE!
A Few Choice Words....
* Wear your life jacket at all times. Put it on at the start of
each day of fishing. (good advice in real fishing too!)
* Start the live well aerator as soon as the first fish is
added to it. This will usually save you a penalty at weigh
in time.
* Work a likely spot thoroughly. Make several casts to the
same area. Applying Fish Formula sometimes helps.
* If you're not catching fish, try another bait or change
colors. Often, a totally different type of bait will produce
results.
* Allow plenty of time to return to the weigh in area.
* Use the ROTATE keys. They use less time and energy than
moving the boat.
* If you run into rocks, stumps etc. back your boat out in the
opposite direction.
* Learn to recognize areas that might cause you to snag. Lost
lures cost you time and money.
* Use the contour map. It will help you find the deep holes,
and make it easier to get back to the weigh in area.
Credits:
* Nels Anderson for allowing me to use some of his marvelous
programming tools. Without him, BASSTOUR could not have been
written. Nels is the wizard that brought us MAHJONGG and EGA
TREK. You haven't seen an EGA program until you've seen one of
his! Nels has a program available called BassMap, which allows
you to create your own lakes for use with BASSTOUR. His address
is: Nels Anderson 92 Bishop Drive Framingham, MA 01701
BassMap costs $10 plus $2 for postage. It can also be
downloaded from the Xevious BBS mentioned below.
* J.R. Mead, my 8 year old nephew for his tireless play
testing of BASSTOUR. At the age of eight, J.R. has caught
more and bigger real bass the most fisherman ever will.
* Jodi Mead, my 11 year old niece for her play testing of
BASSTOUR. She holds the big fish record in BASSTOUR with a
10.4 pound lunker.
* John Mead, my brother-in-law and dedicated fishing partner.
They don't come much better!
* Bob Lovelace, my tournament partner and valued friend. He
has been a play tester for the whole six months of
development.
* My brother, Pete Olsen. He created 'Pete's Pond', one of the
lakes on the distribution disk. He also did plenty of play
testing and had lots of suggestions.
* My sister, Pinki (Mrs John Mead) for putting up with all of us
throughout the test period and during the fishing season.
Good Fishing!
Dick Olsen
Be sure to try the )(evious BBS system in Framingham, MA. The
newest version of BASSTOUR is always available there first! You
can also leave me messages there. Leave notes to Dick Olsen,
then check again in a day or two for a reply. The number for
)(evious is : (508)-875-3618.
PROBLEM REPORT FORM
If you encounter a problem with BASSTOUR, I'd like to know about
it. Please take a few minutes to fill out the following form, then
mail it to me. I will do my best to correct the problem. If a new
version of BASSTOUR is created as a result of the problem you have
reported, I will send you the new version with the problem
corrected.
Your Name_______________________________________________________
Street Address__________________________________________________
City, State, ZIP________________________________________________
Day time Phone #________________________________________________
Evening Phone #_________________________________________________
Best time to call_______________________________________________
What version of BASSTOUR do you have?___________________________
Where did you get it?___________________________________________
What brand of computer are you using?___________________________
What Model of computer__________________________________________
How much memory does your computer have?________________________
What brand of video card does your computer have?_______________
If EGA, how much memory is on the EGA card?_____________________
What other cards are in your computer?
___________________________________________________________________
Are you using a mouse?___________________
Does your computer have a hard disk?__________More than one?_______
Describe the problem. What were you doing when it happened? What
mode were you operating in? Were you out of gas or was the battery
dead? Was the LCD recorder on? Was the sound on?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
REGISTRATION FORM
Dear Dick,
Enclosed please find my check or money order for $10.00. Please
register me as a BASSTOUR user and send me the latest version if
the version I currently have is not the latest.
Thanks!
YOUR NAME________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS___________________________________________
CITY, STATE, ZIP_________________________________________
COUNTRY__________________________________________________
BASSTOUR Version you have________________________________
COMMENTS_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Other programs available from the author:
LAKES #1......A collection of 7 new fishing areas you can
add to BASSTOUR. Installation instructions
are included.
LAKES #2......Another seven fishing areas to use with
BASSTOUR. Use of both LAKES #1 and LAKES #2
will bring the total number of fishing areas
to 20. Includes installation instructions.
FISHBASE ][...A fisherman's data base/statistics program
for color or monochrome systems
BASSTIPS......A collection of valuable fishing tips. A
program is provided to pop the tips onto your
screen, or add your own tips. Over 100 tips.
TIKLER........A simple, quick reminder program
for color or monochrome systems
Available for $10 each. Plus $2.00 to cover postage and
materials. Please specify what you want.
Mail TO:
Richard Olsen
68 Hartwell Ave.
Littleton, MA. 01460
