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Bass Class
Version 1.0
A Bass Fishing Tutorial & Game
By Dick Olsen
A Few Words About ShareWare....
Bass Class 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 to 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 registering
your copy of the program. Once you have done so, you are entitled to
telephone support and can expect a prompt reply to correspondence.
Once registered, you will also receive the latest version of Bass
Class if the version you have is not the newest. In any correspondence
regarding Bass Class, please be SURE to specify the following
information:
* What version of Bass Class 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 Bass Class, send $15.00 along with the
registration form at the end of this document to the author:
Richard Olsen
68 Hartwell Ave.
Littleton, MA. 01460
Thank you for supporting my efforts!
Introduction
Bass Class is a fishing game, but it's actually a tutorial as well.
Even if you've never been fishing in your life, you will find Bass
Class both educational and fun to play. The game has three skill
levels from which to choose. In NOVICE mode, helpful suggestions will
guide you, and a full range of help on many fishing topics is only a
mouse click (or keystroke) away. There's even a glossary of fishing
terms built in. If you choose the INTERMEDIATE skill level, the fish
will be harder to find and catch, but you've still got help available.
If you think you're good, give PRO level a try! If you're a PRO,
you're on your own, and the fish can be very finicky.
You've got a modern, fully rigged bass boat at your command. Aboard
the boat you'll find six different fishing rods at your disposal, over
2300 lure/color combinations, a nifty LCD depth finder, a trolling
motor, and lots of other accessories. With the powerful outboard
motor, you can zip to the far end of the lake, or scoot back to the
weigh in area before the six hour time limit expires. Better wear your
life jacket though! If you're good enough (or lucky) you might even
catch a fish big enough to be engraved upon the BASS CLASS HONOR ROLL
PLAQUE where the top ten fish are listed.
Bass Class comes complete with six different fishing areas from which
to choose. Other lakes are available that can expand your choice of
lakes (see the file ORDERFRM.TXT on your disk). If you already own
BASSTOUR, its lakes will also work with Bass Class and visa versa.
What You Need To Run Bass Class
Bass Class requires an IBM PC or compatible computer with at least
512k of memory and an EGA video system. Because of the complexity of
the game, there are no plans to create a CGA version. If all you've
got is a CGA system, then you can still enjoy simulated fishing on
your computer. Another program, BASSTOUR, is available for CGA users.
See the order form at the end of this document or print out the file
called ORDERFRM.TXT on the Bass Class distribution diskette for
information on how to obtain BASSTOUR.
You can run Bass Class from a floppy disk or from a hard disk. If you
are lucky enough to have a VGA card and monitor, Bass Class will run
fine on it also. Bass Class will not run on machines equipped with
MCGA (i.e. PS-2 model 25) which is actually a subset of VGA. BASSTOUR,
mentioned above, will run on MCGA equipped machines. If you have a
mouse on your computer, you can use it to play Bass Class, although it
is not necessary. It is highly recommended that you make a backup copy
of your Bass Class diskette. Use the backup copy, and store the
original diskette in a safe place. Since Bass Class requires a large
amount of FREE memory, be sure that you do not have memory resident
programs loaded before running Bass Class. Ramdisks, printer buffers,
menu programs and other TSR's occupy large amounts of memory in your
system, making it unusable by Bass Class. Bass Class 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 Bass Class. In this
situation, Bass Class will not run properly on your system until you
remove the offending software from memory.
It is suggested that this file, BCLASS.DOC, which is on the Bass Class
distribution diskette, be printed and read completely before playing
the game. In this way, you'll have a more thorough understanding of
what's happening on the screen as well as become more familiar with
the equipment at your disposal. To print this file, insert the Bass
Class diskette into drive A: of your computer and type:
COPY A:BCLASS.DOC PRN:
If you have trouble, read the file called Q&A.TXT. It lists common
questions and problems and what to do about them.
How To Run Bass Class From A Floppy Disk
If your computer does not have a hard disk, at the DOS prompt,insert
the your COPY of the distribution diskette into drive A: and simply
type BassClas <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 Bass Class from your floppy disk, insert the distribution diskette
into drive A: and type A:<enter> at the DOS prompt, then type BassClas
<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, Bass Class will try to save your
record catch on the disk. If the disk isn't there, or if it's write
protected, Bass Class may halt, waiting for the disk to be available.
Bass Class will allow you to save a game so that you can finish
playing it at a later time. If you are running Bass Class 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 (BCLASS.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 Bass Class From A Hard Disk
To run Bass Class from your hard disk, first it must be installed. The
distribution diskette has a batch file on it called "BCINSTAL.BAT"
that will do this for you. To run this installation file, first insert
the distribution diskette into drive A:. Then type A:BCINSTAL. The
installation file will create a directory on your hard disk called
BCLASS. 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 Bass Class
will automatically run. Bass Class can be run at any time thereafter
by just typing BC <enter>.
The Files on Your Disk
The following files should be on your Bass Class distribution
diskette. If you have downloaded Bass Class from a BBS system, they
will probably appear within a single large, compressed file. If you
obtained Bass Class from a ShareWare distributor, there may be more
files than are listed here.
These are the files REQUIRED to run Bass Class properly:
BASSCLAS.EXE The executable Bass Class main program.
MAP.TRN A translate file used to create the lakes.
PROF.PIC The picture of 'Professor Bass' from title screen.
BCMAP.PIC The image file.
BBOARD.PIC The blackboard picture from title screen.
LCD.PIC The Bass Class LCD graph.
BIGFISH.TXT The file of the 10 biggest fish caught.
BIGSTR.TXT The file of the 10 heaviest stringers.
JOLLY.MAP The map of Jolly Creek
FIVEFING.MAP The map of Five Fingers Lake
NINE.MAP The map of Lake Nine Killer
SPECTAC.MAP The map of Spectacle Pond
SABLE.MAP The map of Sable River
ROCKY.MAP The map of Rocky Pond
TIPS.RAN The file containing Dicks Hot Tips
BOATDOCK.RAN One of the HELP files
BRUSH.RAN HELP file
GRASAREA.RAN HELP file
LCD.RAN HELP file
LILYPADS.RAN HELP file
LIVEWELL.RAN HELP file
LUREHELP.RAN HELP file
OPENWAT.RAN HELP file
OUTBOARD.RAN HELP file
ROCKAREA.RAN HELP file
RODHELP.RAN HELP file
STUMPS.RAN HELP file
TMOTOR.RAN HELP file
TULES.RAN HELP file
WATER.RAN HELP file
WEATHER.RAN HELP file
GLOSS.RAN The Glossary of fishing terms used in HELP
BCINSTAL.BAT Batch file to help install Bass Class
BC.BAT Batch file to start running Bass Class
These files are not required to run Bass Class, but they should be on
your distribution diskette, and you should read them:
README.DOC A text file containing last minute stuff
BCLASS.DOC This file you're reading
Q&A.TXT Questions and answers to common problems
ORDERFRM.TXT An order form listing other software available from
the author.
The Program
Bass Class has three levels of play: Novice, Intermediate, and Pro.
In each of the skill levels, 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 the day. In
Novice level, the fish are very easy to catch, and it's easy to catch
a sizeable stringer and to set new records. 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 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.
In all skill levels, if you catch a fish larger than one of the top
ten fish, a short ceremony will ensue and you will be established as a
record holder. The records are kept in a file called BIGFISH.TXT on
your disk, and the 10 largest fish can be viewed at any time. In
another file on your distribution diskette, BIGSTR.TXT, Bass Class
keeps records of the 10 heaviest stringers caught while fishing at the
INTERMEDIATE or PRO skill levels. NOVICE fishermen are not permitted
to set heavy stringer records since the fish are very easy to catch at
the NOVICE level. A stringer is considered to be the accumulated
weight of the fish in your livewell.
After the title screen has cleared, a command window will appear at
the left side of your screen. This window lists most of the commonly
used commands and functions. For many of them, one of the characters
in the command will be highlighted in red. The red character
represents the single character keystroke required to activate the
command. Some of the commands require a function key, or a key press
while holding down the ALT key. If you are fishing at either the
NOVICE or INTERMEDIATE skill levels, help is available at any time by
pressing the H key or the ? key. At the PRO level, most of the help
topics are not available. One of the HELP selections is COMMAND
REFERENCE. Selecting this help item will list all of the available
commands on your screen. This help topic is available at all skill
levels. If you are using a mouse, you can simply click on the command
to invoke it.
Some of the items in the command window will be highlighted in yellow
to signify that they are active. Across the top of your screen are
four groups of digits. These represent the time remaining, the
gasoline remaining, the state of your battery charge, and your
accumulation of points. Points are added when you do something right,
and subtracted when you flub up. The points are just a way to judge
your actions. The REAL measure of your skill (or is it luck?) is in
the total weight of the fish you weigh in.
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.
The Fishing Areas
Included on your Bass Class 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. 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 slightly. 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. To weigh in
your fish, you must be close to the weigh in area. The weigh in area
on each lake or river is signified by a yellow flag, usually near
where your boat is placed when the day begins. Your boat is the light
blue (cyan) colored boat and starts each fishing day 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.
Some fish are more aggressive than others. They also have 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. The potential exists to catch an 18 lb. plus fish on each
lake.
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, just
point at the words TROLL MOTOR in the command window and click on it.
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
times with Bass Class, you will begin to remember what 'short cut'
keys to press. Mouse users can always use the keys if they wish. If
you are using the trolling motor, the command is highlighted in the
command window.
* 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 clicking on the OUTBOARD command
with your mouse. The outboard motor has five speeds. When it's
running, you can increase the speed by pressing the INS key or
decrease the speed with the DEL key. You can also click on the speed
you want with the mouse. 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 and
a citation. 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. 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. 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.
* 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. The LCD works almost like a real one. Its
screen will show fish directly under the boat in the center of its
screen, fish to the port side of the boat are on the left of its
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, just point
at the LCD ON button and click. Clicking on the OFF button will turn
off then LCD. You can also point the mouse cursor at the LCD command
then click the left mouse button to turn on or off. 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. 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 ENTER key to
reselect the highlighted rod. If you have a mouse, point at the SELECT
ROD command and click. When the ROD BOX WINDOW appears, click on the
rod you'd like to use. 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. 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. 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. 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 Bass Class.
* CHK LIVEWELL (F3 or L)
Your boat contains an aerated live well that holds the five largest
legal sized (12 inches or better) fish you have caught. You can
examine the contents of your live well at any time by pressing F3 or
L. If you have a mouse, just click on the CHK LIVEWELL command in the
command window. 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. 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 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.
When you activate the CHK LIVEWELL command, a window will appear on
your screen that shows how many fish are in the live well, what the
total weight of those fish is, and reports the status of 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.
* 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. 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. The status of your life
jacket is indicated by a highlighted yellow block in the command
window. If on, the yellow highlight will appear, if the words LIFE
VEST are not highlighted, it is not being worn.
* Anchor (F8 or N)
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 F8 (or N)
lowers the anchor if it is up or raises it if it's down. If you are
using a mouse, just click on the ANCHOR command. If the anchor is
down, the command will be highlighted in yellow. As with most things
in fishing, raising or lowering the anchor takes time.
* 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 or 'P' 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. If you are using the paddle, the PADDLE
command will be highlighted.
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 Bass Class. 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. Each time you move the
boat, time is consumed. The chart below should help you to understand
boat movement:
^
\ | /
Q W E
<--A D-->
Z X C
/ | \
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.
* 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 the best cast positioning and also uses
less battery power, gas and time. Obviously, to rotate your boat you
must have the outboard motor running, the trolling motor running, or
be using the paddle.
* Scrolling the screen
When Bass Class 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. The boat
cannot be scrolled off the screen.
NOTE: Some computers may exhibit keyboard differences which prevent
scrolling the screen using the method described above. To scroll the
screen on one of these computers, try using the 2, 4, 6, and 8 keys at
the top of your MAIN keyboard, but do not press SHFT with them.
Pressing 2 will scroll the screen down, 4 will scroll it left, 6
will scroll it right, and 8 will scroll it up.
* Casting (F5 or C)
Casting consists of two parts. The cast itself, and the retrieve. 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. Cast mode is entered by pressing ALT-C (F5 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, which will
disappear when you exit cast mode. If you are using a 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
the space bar to make the cast.
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 if you are using an appropriate bait for the type of
cover you are fishing.
* Retrieving your bait
If a fish does not strike immediately after your cast hits the water,
you must RETRIEVE the bait. RETRIEVING is accomplished by holding the
space bar down, or by repeatedly pressing the left mouse button. If
you're using a mouse, you can hold down the mouse button after casting
to quickly retrieve the bait. Fish may strike at any time while
RETRIEVING. Stop RETRIEVING when the bait reaches the boat unless you
want another cast to go to the same place.
* Weighing In Your Fish (ALT-W)
Weighing in your fish is almost as important as catching them in the
first place. Each lake has a weigh in area signified by a bright
yellow flag. To weigh in, you must proceed to the weigh in area and
dock your boat as close to the flag as possible before the six hour
time limit has expired. When you think your boat is close enough to
the flag, press ALT- F8 (or ALT-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. Fish can be weighed in at any time, but once you do, you are
done fishing for that day. 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. 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 have a printer connected,
you can make a listing of the day's fishing results. Just press P when
so instructed to get your print out.
Miscellaneous Commands
* HELP ME! (H or ?)
Pressing H, the ? key or clicking on the HELP ME! command will display
a list of topics for which help is available. Help on subjects such as
fishing around boat docks, in rock piles, or bait selection (to name
just a few) is available. The inexperienced angler will find the
GLOSSARY of FISHING TERMS a great help. Additionally, there is a
COMMAND REFERENCE to remind you of the keys to press for various
things. As a bonus, there is an entry titled 'Dick's HOT Tips' which
will display a randomly selected fishing or boating tip. Selecting the
COMMAND REFERENCE, the GLOSSARY, or the HOT Tips will not cost you
anything, but help on other topics will cost you a few points. You can
click on the help topic with your mouse, or use the Up/Down arrow keys
to move the highlight bar if you're not using a mouse.
If you are fishing in the PRO skill level, only the COMMAND REFERENCE,
the GLOSSARY of FISHING TERMS, and the HOT TIPS are available since it
is assumed that as a PRO, you don't need much assistance. NOVICE skill
level also has suggestions that will appear if Bass Class decides you
need some guidance.
* Contour Map (M)
Pressing 'M' will display a small contour map of the lake you are
fishing. You can also click on the command with your mouse. 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/green square. Consulting the contour
map uses 15 seconds of your time each time you use it.
* Sound ON/OFF (F4)
This command is executed by pressing F4, or by clicking on it with
your mouse. The status of the sound is indicated by a yellow
highlighted box in the command window. If the sound is ON (the
default), 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
at any time. 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), by pressing "S", or by clicking on it with the
mouse. A window will pop up on your screen with lots of information
about 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.
* Add Fish Formula to Bait (F)
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. You must have a rod
selected, and that rod must have a bait attached to benefit from this
command.
* Weather Report (ALT-F4)
This command will display a weather report on your screen. It is
executed by pressing ALT-F4 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 it was moving when it
became stuck. If you become stuck, and cannot get out, keep trying.
You can never tell when someone might come along to help! There is no
alternate key to access this command.
* Quitting the Game (ALT-Q)
Pressing ALT-Q will cause the message "Are you sure you want to QUIT?"
to appear. Answering "Y" will terminate the game, any other key will
allow you to continue playing. Any record sized fish that you have
caught will be recorded if you quit without weighing in, but you must
weigh in to be credited with a heavy stringer record.
* View BASS CLASS Honor Roll (V)
Pressing the V key will display the weights of the 10 largest fish
caught, who caught them, where and when they were caught. After you
have looked at the "BIG FISH HONOR ROLL", press any key to see the
"HEAVY STRINGER HONOR ROLL". This represents the ten heaviest
stringers on record. If you are fishing at the NOVICE level, you can
still set BIG FISH records, but you are not permitted to set HEAVY
STRINGER records. When you have finished viewing the heaviest
stringers, press any key to continue what you were doing.
In PRO or INTERMEDIATE skill levels your total weight may qualify you
for a record stringer. If so, 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 when you
see the honor roll plaque that you want to print.
* The - (minus) Key
Pressing the '-' key will cause the boat to go backwards.
* Saving a Game (ALT-S)
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 status of the game will be saved on your disk
in a file called BCLASS.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 at the
start of a game. Clicking on the SAVE GAME command in the command
window will also save the game for you. Only one game may be saved.
* 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.
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, or use the '-' key.
* Learn to recognize areas that might cause you to snag. Lost lures
cost
you time and money, so choose baits that are appropriate for the
structure
you are fishing.
* Use the contour map. It will help you find the deep holes, and make
it easier to find your way back to the weigh in area.
Credits:
* Nels Anderson for allowing me to use some of his marvelous
programming tools. Without him, Bass Class could not have been
written. Nels is the wizard that brought us MAHJONGG, EGATREK,
SHOOTING GALLERY and SUPER FLY (among others). You haven't seen an EGA
VGA or MCGA program until you've seen one of his! Nels also has a
program available called BassMap, which allows you to create your own
lakes for use with Bass Class. These lakes can also be used if you
have 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.
Good Fishing!
Dick Olsen
Be sure to try the Xevious BBS system in Framingham, MA. The newest
version of Bass Class is always available there first! You can also
leave me messages there. Leave notes to Dick Olsen, then check again
in a few days for a reply. The number for Xevious is (508)-875-3618.
Xevious has 1 gigabyte of disk space (and growing), with HST modems on
most of the lines.
*********************************************************************
* DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY *
*********************************************************************
This software is sold "as is", without any warranty as to performance
or any other warranties whether expressed or implied. Because of the
many hardware and software environments into which this program may
be used, no warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is offered.
The user must assume the entire risk of using the program. Any
liability of the seller will be limited exclusively to product
replacement or the refund of the registration fee.
*********************************************************************
* ASSOCIATION OF SHAREWARE PROFESSIONALS *
*********************************************************************
This software is produced by Dick Olsen who is a member of the
Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure
that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to
resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting
the member directly, ASP may be able to help.
The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an
ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members'
products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at P.O. Box 5786,
Bellevue, WA 98006, USA or send a CompuServe message via easyplex to
ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.
_______
____|__ | (R)
--| | |-------------------
| ____|__ | Association of
| | |_| Shareware
|__| o | Professionals
-----| | |---------------------
|___|___| MEMBER
BASS CLASS PROBLEM REPORT FORM
If you encounter a problem with Bass Class, 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 Bass Class 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 Bass Class 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?_______________
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?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Bass Class Registration Form v1.0
Dear Dick,
Enclosed find my check or money order for $15.00 (U.S. funds). Please
register me as a Bass Class user and send me the latest version if
the version I have is not the latest.
Thanks!
YOUR NAME________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS___________________________________________
CITY, STATE, ZIP_________________________________________
COUNTRY__________________________________________________
Bass Class Version you have______________________________
COMMENTS_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Olsen Outdoors Software Order Form
Enclosed please find cash, check or money order (U.S. funds) for
$___________. Please rush me the software I have indicated.
_____ Copies of BassTour @$15 for 5 1/4 inch disks, $17 for 3 1/2 inch
disks. Similar to Bass Class, but you're fishing a 3 day tournament
against 30 of the top names in bass fishing. Comes complete with six
areas to fish, all different than the Bass Class lakes (they work with
Bass Class too). Works on VGA, EGA, MCGA, CGA, and Hercules graphics
systems. Requires 512k of memory. Mouse support is provided.
_____ Copies of Lakes #1 @$10 for 5 1/4 inch disks, $12 for 3 1/2 inch
disks. This disk contains an additional seven fishing areas that you
can add to your BassTour or Bass Class game.
_____ Copies of Lakes #2 @$10 for 5 1/4 inch disks, $12 for 3 1/2 inch
disks. This disks contains another seven fishing areas for use with
BassTour or Bass Class. Each is different. Use of both Lakes #1 and
Lakes #2 will bring 14 more fishing areas to your BassTour or Bass
Class game, giving you 20 places to choose from!
_____ Copies of FishBase ][ @$10 for 5 1/4 inch disks, $12 for 3 1/2
inch disks. FishBase ][ is a fishermans log book and data base program
that also gives you lots of statistics about the fish you catch. For
color or monochrome systems. Requires 256k of memory.
_____ Copies of BassTips @$10 for 5 1/4 inch disks, $12 for 3 1/2 inch
disks. BassTips is a collection of over 100 fishing tips. Complete
with a tip editor so you can add your own tips. You can configure the
tips to 'POP' onto your screen. For color or monochrome systems.
_____ Copies of TIKLER @$10 each for 5 1/4 inch disks, $12 for 3 1/2
inch disks. TIKLER is an appointment/reminder program that is FAST as
well as easy to use. Reminds you of upcoming events such as birthdays,
meetings etc. You can set how many days in advance you want to be
notified. Handles up to 600 events and has a built in perpetual
calendar. For color or monochrome systems. Requires 256k of memory.
Sub Total $_______________ Mail your order to: Olsen Outdoors
68 Hartwell Avenue
Shipping $2.00 per order Littleton, MA 01460
U.S.A.
TOTAL $_______________
Your Name_______________________________________________________
Street Address__________________________________________________
City____________________________________________________________
State/Province_________________________ZIP Code_________________
