The Best of Select: Games 13/The Best of Select: Games 13.iso/win95gam/magic/readme.txt

Text File | 1995-06-28 | 15KB | 345 lines

                    README.TXT for MtG PBEM Program
                       Version 2.40     6/28/95
                     Released as Shareware 6/28/95

  Permission to distribute, upload or otherwise disseminate this program
  is given provided the entire contents of the zip, as described below,
  are included.

  Version 2.40 is the first version of this program to be released as
  Shareware, previous versions have been Freeware. I've decided to
  make this release shareware so I can get some idea of the number of
  users of this program, and whether my time spent improving it is
  worthwhile.

  If you find the program helpful to you in your email magic play
  and would like to see continued improvements and expansions of its'
  features please complete the Shareware Registration form at the end
  of this file and send it along with any Magic The Gathering card of
  your choice as payment in full for your continued use of the program.

  Any card is fine with me (common, uncommon or rare) as you feel
  appropriate to the level of assistance the program has given you in
  playing Magic The Gathering by Email.

       Thanks!

Howdy,

    There are 17 files included in the zip, they should all be unzipped into
the same directory except for the last 2 files as noted below.

mtg_pbem.exe  -> The program file. This can be double clicked from
                 within File Manager to launch the program.

blkcards.txt
blucards.txt
grncards.txt
redcards.txt
whtcards.txt
artcards.txt
gldcards.txt
lndcards.txt  -> These files contain the texts of the cards for use by
                 the Deck Creation Module. If desired they can be modified
                 using any word processor that can save in ascii format.
                 Be sure to maintain the structure of 1 card per line
                 enclosed in quotes ("card") and "ENDOFFILE" at the end of
                 the list.
allcards.txt  -> This file is for use by the Display Card Module. It
                 contains the complete info on all current cards in MtG
                 (thru Ice Age). It can also be edited if desired by
                 maintaining the format of 1 card per line, with each line
                 containing the following card info:
                     "Card Name", "Casting Cost", Card Type", "Card Desc."
                 The last line must remain "ENDOFFILE"," ", " ", " "

                 <Thanks to Sandy Wible for assistance in creating these
                    files!>

sample.dck    -> A sample Deck file created with the program.

sample.mtg    -> A sample game in progress using the sample deck.

sample.gam    -> A sample of the email text file created by the program
                 for transmittal to your opponent.

readme.txt    -> This file.

magic.ico     -> An icon of the MtG Pentagram

commdlg.dll
cmdialog.vbx  -> These 2 Windows System files should be copied to your
                 Windows/System directory if they are not present there
                 already. They provide access to the Windows Common File
                 Dialogs.

   In addition the file VBRUN300.DLL is needed. This file should be
placed in your Windows/System sub directory. Due to the large size of
this file I haven't included it with the program zip. It is available
for download on GENIE in the Windows RT Library as file #1315. Systems
running Windows 3.1 or later should have this file present already in
the Windows/System directory.


1.0 BASIC INFORMATION

    The MtG PBEM Program allows an email MtG player to play without the
need to use the actual cards. All the info needed to be kept track of for
your side of the game is handled by the program.

    The first screen that comes up is the Game Play Module which loosely
corresponds to the tabletop layout of a live MtG game. The various buttons
are used to move the cards around on the "tabletop".

    The "Draw Card from Library" button will pick a Random card from the
ones remaining in the Library and place it into your hand. This would
equate with drawing the top card from your library in a live game.

   The "Pick Chosen Card from Library" button is used for the Demonic
Tutor type cards. When a card is played that allows you to pick a card of
you choice from your library, use the down arrow to the right of
the library box to access the list of cards remaining and then click the
one you'd like to draw. This will place it into the library box window
and a click of the "Pick Chosen Card from Library" button places it into
your hand.

   There is also a button to return a card from your hand to the Library
if needed. This is for cards that let you reshuffle your graveyard or
hand back into your library. In the case of the graveyard just move the
cards back into your hand one by one and click this button to replace
them into the library.

    There is a place to track yours and your opponents LPs if desired.
The numbers in the 2 boxes can be changed either by using the sets of
arrows below the appropriate boxes or by directly entering the number
in the box.

   You can indicate Tapped cards by double left clicking on them in
the Land and/or Card boxes in your Territory. The status will be saved
when the game is saved. To Untap a Tapped card double left click on it
once again. Tapped cards are indicated by appending "/T".

   You can get the complete text of any card, by clicking on the
"Display Card Text" Button. If you haven't selected one of the cards in
play the program will prompt you for the name of the card you'd like to
view. If one of the cards in play IS presently selected, but you'd like
to view a different card not in play, just click on an empty area of any
card window and the selected card will be unselected.

   Note that Cut and Paste is active in the card description section of
Display Card window so you can copy the contents by highlighting it
with the mouse and typing <CONTROL-INSERT> to copy it to the clipboard.
This is helpful if playing someone without the program so you can give
details on cards in your deck they may not own when they first come
into play.

  The button "Put Token Counter into Play" allows the creation of a Token
Counter. These Tokens can be used for the various cards that create or
make use of them (i.e. The Hive, Spore Flower etc.) or to put reminder
notes after cards in play. (Cumulative Upkeep info, etc)

  The button "Remove Card from Play" can be used to permanently remove
cards from the active game. (Disintegrated, Sword to Plowshared, tokens
no longer needed etc.)

  The remaining buttons are used to move cards around the tabletop and
should be self explanatory.

2.0 MENU ITEMS AND DECK CONSTRUCTION

  The File Menu is used to save and load the game record files. All game
files saved without being given an extension have .mtg added.

  The Deck Menu is used to load in a previously constructed and saved deck
into the Game Play Module. It also gives access to a new screen, the
Deck Creation Module, that allows for the creation of Decks for use by the
Game Play Module. It was designed to make it as visually intuitive as
possible but a few points are worth mentioning.

   The number of cards you'd like to place into the deck is limited to a
range of 40-255. The slider controls this number but can be changed during
the deck creation process if you're original estimate changes.

   The various buttons allow access to the database for that type of
card or to move cards into or out of the deck under construction. Note that
cards can be removed from the deck at anytime, it's not necessary to have
the corresponding color/type card file in the Card Set Box.

   Once complete, the deck can be saved using the File menu, if no extension
is given .dck is added. You may also load in previously saved decks for
modification if desired.

   A new feature in the Deck Creation Module for Version 2.40 is the
ability to get statistics on the current deck loaded. A new window will
come up and give complete information on the number and percentage of
the various Card Types (Summons, Enchants etc.) in your deck.

   Upon exiting the Deck Creation Module the program prompts if you'd like
the current deck to be transferred to the Game Play Module. This allows
you to get right into game play with the current deck if desired.

   The Email menu is used to create a ascii text file that will contain a
snapshot of the current board position in the following format:

<<<>>>

Email Game: Note: The name assigned is the name of the ascii file created

Number of Cards in Library:  #
Number of Cards in Hand:  #

Land:
"A line by line listing of the current cards in the Land Box and their
 Tapped or Untapped Status"

Cards:
"A line by line listing of the current cards in the Cards Box and their
 Tapped or Untapped Status"

Graveyard:
"Contents of the Graveyard"
  Note: to indicate cards in the graveyard unavailable for return to play
        (Disintegrated etc.) put them into the Graveyard in the Tapped
        (/T) state. If desired such cards can be permanently removed
        from the game using the "Remove Card from Play" button instead.

Your LPs: #
Opponents LPs: #

Current Date  Current Time

<<<>>>

   This file can then be pasted into your return mailing to your email
opponent. The email game files are saved with a default extension of .gam.

   A new feature in Version 2.30 is the ability to view ascii text files in
a small window overlaying the program title area. While the resulting
text box is optimized for loading of a *.gam file, that your email opponent
sends to you, it can be used to view any ascii text file that is less
then 30,000 bytes in size. Files created with word processing formatting
codes in them may cause unexpected results and should be avoided.

   Note: The text box is active and the text present may be edited using
the standard Window procedures. Cut, Copy and Paste to the Clipboard
is also active and can be invoked using the keyboard commands, Ctrl-X,
CTRL-INS, and SHIFT-INS as normal. At this time no option to save these
changes are provided so if the text box contents are to used to create your
email file the text should be copied to the Clipboard before exiting
the program by selecting the text and using the Control-Insert keyboard
command. The file can then be pasted as normal into your preferred Windows
word processor.

3.0 GETTING STARTED

   Basically that's all you need to know to use the program. A step by step
procedure for starting a new email game would be as follows.

1. Start the mtg_pbem.exe program under Windows.
2. Choose the Deck Menu, then go to Deck Creation.
3. Create your Deck from the Deck Creation Module, Save it as a deck file
   so it can be used in future games without having to be reentered.
4. Exit the Deck Creation Module, and choose YES when asked if you'd like
   this deck transferred to the Game Play Module.
5. On your first turn, click the "Draw Card from Library" button to draw
   your starting cards and use the other buttons to play them to your
   territory as desired and allowed.
6. Transfer your turn events, (Play Land, Summon Creature, Attack, etc.)
   to the text file you'll send to your email opponent as if you had
   played the turn out using the actual cards.
7. Create and Copy the Email *.gam text file into your mailing which will
   give your opponent a snapshot of your board situation as it was at the
   end of your turn.
8. Choose Save Game from the File Menu to save the current status of your
   territory. The default extension is .mtg


    Your game is now saved and can be returned to once your opponents email
letter is received by reloading the program, choosing Load Game from the
File Menu, and repeating steps 5 thru 7.

4.0 FINAL NOTES & COPYRIGHT NOTICES

   Since the program makes use of the full text of the cards the following
notice is required by Wizards of the Coast.

 This listing is composed of copyrighted material from Magic:
 The Gathering, a product of Wizards of the Coast Inc.  Wizards of the
 Coast{R}, Deckmaster{tm}, Magic: The Gathering{tm}, Magic{tm},
 Arabian Nights{tm}, Antiquities{tm}, Legends{tm}, The Dark{tm},
 Fallen Empires{tm}, and Ice Age{tm} are registered trademarks of
 Wizards of the Coast Inc.

  There, now the legal types can go back to playing Magic{tm}. <g>

   Planned enhancements if interest is great enough are...

1. The ability to create "sealed decks" conforming to the random
   distributions of Wizards of the Coast prepared Starters, 8 card
   boosters, and 15 card boosters.

2. Further expansion of the info given in the Deck Statistics window.
   Let me know what deck information you'd like to see here.

    Please feel free to send any and all comments my way regarding any
aspect of the program.

GENIE address is M.STACHOWSK1.
INTERNET address [e-mail]
USPS address is Michael Stachowski 8817 Heath Rd. Colden NY 14033

I generally respond to my email 2 or 3 times a day. I can also be reached
at 716 941 5716 after 4pm EST.

   Good Gaming!

                              Later, Mike S.


                    SHAREWARE REGISTRATION FORM

   Names and Addresses will be used only to provide updates on new
   versions, card database errata and bug fixes/workarounds. No
   commercial use of the information will occur.

          Mail To:  Michael Stachowski
                    8817 Heath Rd.
                    Colden NY 14033


=======================CUT================HERE========================

                    Version 2.40        6/28/95

Name: _________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________

         ______________________________________________________

EMail Address: ________________________________________________

How did you receive this program?:

<  > Downloaded from GENIE
<  > Downloaded from AOL
<  > Downloaded from MSN
<  > Downloaded from Internet ftp site
          Please list the ftp site     _________________________
<  > Downloaded from WWW Site
          Please list the WWW site     _________________________
<  > Other
          Please list                  _________________________

Would you like to be kept updated on new versions of this program?:

<  > YES!   Specify via  <  > Email Address  <  > Mailing Address
<  > NO

Comments:



=======================CUT================HERE=======================