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1991-11-09
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GAMESCAPE (TM)
The incredible program that allows you
to design and distribute your own
adventure games !
Now with Hi-Res Color Graphics !
Copyright 1991 Dennis Drew. Copyright strictly enforced. Gamescape TM
by Dennis Drew. All rights reserved. This manual is copyrighted.
Copying of this manual is expressly forbidden and punishable under
Federal and Civil law. Feel free to copy and circulate the SHAREWARE
version of this program, but NOT THIS MANUAL or the REGISTERED DISK !
Produced by Drew Software
PO Box 101 Joplin, MO 64802
(417)781-4248
Gamescape
Imagine writing your own adventure games! Have your family play
them, give them to your friends, hand them out at computer clubs, or
even sell them and make a few bucks!
Gamescape is the incredible adventure game design system that lets
you do all this. Using simple commands which are thoroughly explained
by an easy-to-understand manual, you can do just about anything you
would want to do in adventure gaming:
* Define rooms, objects, monsters, and actions
* Draw maps using IBM character graphics
* Play music, sound alarms, beep warnings
* NEW ! High resolution color graphics ability !
Gamescape also allows you to do things that no other adventure
system allows. Your games can be of unlimited size and cover multiple
disks! Full random features allow you to perform different actions,
depending on a "throw of the die". Rather than hundreds of pages of
instructions and loads of complex commands, Gamescape has a short,
consise, uncomplicated manual and just a few short but very powerful
and versatile commands. There is virtually no limitation to the
things you can do with Gamescape!
Purchasing this package and registering as an official user gives
you the right to distribute your adventure games without paying any
kind of a royalty fee.
So join the world of adventure gaming today. Gamescape is raw,
unbridled power, in an easy-to-use package.
Produced by Drew Software
PO Box 101 Joplin MO 64802 (417)781-4248
Color hires graphics require an EGA/VGA compatible video system. CGA
hires graphics will be in monocolor.
Gamescape
Copyright 1988-91 Dennis Drew. Copyright strictly enforced.
Welcome to Gamescape, the program that lets you write your own
adventure games AND distribute them for fun or profit!
Important: See the special notice regarding CONFIG.SYS later in
this manual. Otherwise, Gamescape may not work because of improper
configuration on your computer.
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
Please read this manual thoroughly before attempting to develop an
adventure game. This is very important ! It takes time, patience,
and practice to learn how to write good games. Gamescape is not a
system that you can use without reading the instructions. Taking time
to read now will save you weeks of headache later. Don't give up; if
you stick with it, you will soon be writing your own adventure games.
IMPORTANT CONFIG.SYS INFORMATION
The following two lines (with the minimum configurations shown)
must be in your CONFIG.SYS file on your DOS BOOT disk.
FILES=20
BUFFERS=20
If you do not have a CONFIG.SYS file on your DOS BOOT disk, or if
it does not contain at least the above specs, then you must update
your CONFIG.SYS file so that it does. To do this, switch to your
main boot drive (usually either A: or C:) and then enter the following
lines EXACTLY:
COPY CONFIG.SYS + CON CONFIG.SYS (press enter)
FILES=20 (press enter)
BUFFERS=20 (press enter)
(press F6 key)
(press ENTER)
(reboot your computer)
If you are unsure about how to do this, contact your computer
dealer. This computer file is a STANDARD requirement of most modern
computer programs and should be present on every computer system.
DISTRIBUTING GAMESCAPE
When you give copies of Gamescape (abbreviated as GS in some areas
of this manual) to your friends, you must copy only the shareware
version. You may not copy this manual or the registered version disk.
You must not provide them with copies of GSGRAPH.EXE. These things
are copyrighted and bring severe penalties if the copyright is
breached (including fines and prison terms).
Shareware companies must obtain a distribution license from the
author prior to marketing this package. Failure to do so will be
considered breach of copyright.
IMPORTANT NOTICE ON NON-REGISTERED GAME DISTRIBUTION LICENSE
When we first released GAMESCAPE two years ago, we had one, single
rule regarding distribution of games produced by GAMESCAPE: registered
users only!
Since then we have decided to be a little more lenient. You may
distribute your GAMESCAPE adventures without being a registered user,
under the following license requirements:
1. You may not charge for your game in any form, not even a
diskette duplication fee. Shareware companies wishing to market a
game produced with GAMESCAPE must obtain a distribution license from
the author; it is illegal to distribute a game by a non-registered
user without our express written permission. What this means in short
is that you may give copies to your friends, send them to penpals, and
enter them in GAMESCAPE contests, but you may not market them in any
fashion, regardless of profit or non-profit motive, without express
written permission from the author.
2. You may not use advanced GAMESCAPE features. Advanced features
are those found in the REGISTERED version, and include:
LINKing modules >MSGFL command
Hires GRAPHICS (although you may use block graphics as is standard
with the shareware version)
3. You may not present the game as registered. You may not use a
registered version of GAMESCAPE to produce your game (you must use the
shareware version).
4. The SCAPERUN.EXE program must be included (or the game won't
work).
Non-compliance with any of these requirements will, by terms of
our license, void your ownership of your work (in other words, games
distributed against our license requirements become our property).
This is not so much for our benefit as it is to protect those who DO
pay for registration; they deserve the rewards of their payment.
REGISTERED USER NOTICE
The registered version of Gamescape, beginning with version A.3,
now contains HI-RES GRAPHICS ABILITY!!! Yes, you can create your own
B&W or color pictures and add them to your games. This feature is
available on the registered version only as our way of saying "Thank
you for registering!"
If you're a registered user, CONGRATULATIONS! You can just about
do what you want. That's what you paid for. You can use our advanced
functions including high-res graphics. You can charge bucks for your
work. You can distribute through shareware. You don't have to pay
royalties of any kind. You can give your games away or sell them, and
pursue any marketing method you wish. You are fully licensed. About
the only thing we require is standard, forseeable stuff, such as:
1. You must include the SCAPERUN.EXE program when you distribute
your game (naturally; it's the run-time module).
2. You may not alter or misrepresent the GAMESCAPE system in any
manner, or present your games in a manner we would consider contrary
or harmful to our concepts and purposes of GAMESCAPE. That's all;
pretty simple stuff.
The bottom line: if you're an unregistered user, feel free to
give your games to friends and to enter GAMESCAPE contests. Enjoy
yourself; we want you to have fun using this excellent program. But
remember that there's a lot more available to you if you register!
LOADING GAMESCAPE
The Gamescape disk contains the following files:
START.BAT
FLOPPY.BAT These files are all three used to install GS.
HDISK.BAT
INSTRUCT.DOC "Read" file, presented during installation.
Includes a copy of the GS order form and license.
GSCAPE.ARC GS files in condensed format.
UNARC.COM Un-condenser, transfers GS files to your system.
To install the GS programs to your system, enter the command:
START
The computer will then instruct you what to do from that point on.
REMOVING GAMESCAPE
If you sell your computer system or if you decide to sell
Gamescape to another user, you must remove the registered version from
your disk. If you sell Gamescape along with your computer, the
manuals and registered disks must accompany it.
To remove Gamescape, change to the Gamescape directory: CD \GSCAPE
Then enter the command: REMOVER
The REMOVER program will leave Gamescape intact, but will remove
the registered version.
GAMESCAPE FILES
Once the GS system is "unarced", the following files are present:
GSCAPE.EXE Main GS "compiler", turns your adventure into
machine readable code.
GSCAPE.DOC Partial GS manual, for use with shareware version.
GSGRAPH.EXE High resolution graphics development program.
Requires CGA/EGA/VGA.
SCAPERUN.EXE "Run-time module", must be distributed with your
compiled adventure code in order for the code to
work. There is no royalty charge for this module.
PALETTE.DAT Standard palette color file (alterable to suit your
taste in colors)
TABCONVT.EXE Converts tabs to spaces in your adventure files.
FIXWS.COM Converts WordStar and other non-ASCII files to
straight ASCII.
EASY.ADV An easy to understand, simple adventure game example.
TEST.ADV A sample adventure game that tests most GS functions.
STARTER.FIL Startup file that should be used as a basic model for
all of your adventure games.
SAMPLE.ADV Small, fully-developed sample adventure game.
SAMPLE.IN? "Include" files for SAMPLE.ADV.
1.GR0 thru 5.GR6 Graphics files for SAMPLE.ADV
If these files are not present, please contact us immediately with
the name and phone/address of the distributor who supplied the game to
you, and we'll make them rue their existence on earth (as well as
correct the situation).
WHAT IS GAMESCAPE?
Gamescape is an adventure engine. This means that it makes your
adventure go, by providing the "fuel".
An adventure engine allows you to write an adventure game, and
then execute it by feeding it into a distributable "run-time" program
that proceeds to make the game work. This allows the game to be
distributed. Gamescape has no memory limitation, for it pulls its
information from disk. While the disk access takes a tiny bit longer
than a totally memory resident system, it does allow you to write
adventure games limited only by the size of your disk (or in the case
of Gamescape, which allows linking multiple disks, even larger!).
Plus, a single engine will run an unlimited number of adventure games
just by entering SCAPERUN and the adventure name.
GAMESCAPE AND YOUR COMPUTER
As with any development system, the faster your computer, the
better. Gamescape is powerful. It allows you to develop games of
almost unlimited size and versatility. This of course takes
microprocessor, RAM and disk access time. While Gamescape works
properly on a "PC/XT" type machine (8088 microprocessor), it works
much better on faster computers.
8088 systems will work, but will be somewhat slow, especially
those that are floppy-based. This is not a fault of Gamescape, but of
the slow disk and memory access times of those machines. Of course,
using Gamescape is still much faster than trying to write an adventure
game with a standard language compiler. Then too, there is the
benefit that your games are no longer limited in size; you can design
adventure games limited only by the size of your disk. Gamescape
really smokes on a 12mhz 286 with a 28ms hard disk drive; that's the
minimal type of system we recommend for best results from your game
development environment.
But even 8088 disk users will derive value from Gamescape. Just
remember that if you have a slow computer, access will be slow. Be
patient. Realize that the first MS-DOS 8088 based computers were
produced over 10 years ago. While they're by no means dinosaurs, the
industry has come a long way since then. If you plan to write and
distribute adventure games, you might want to move up to a faster
machine.
THE GAMESCAPE INTERFACE -- or how to make the thing work
QUICK START. We know you are anxious to get something going. So
after you have installed Gamescape, enter the following command:
GSCAPE EASY
If you have a single floppy system and no hard disk drive (not the
best in the world for running Gamescape) then just enter GSCAPE and
then switch disks and enter the filename EASY when prompted by the
program. However, we do point out that using Gamescape without a hard
disk drive is like skiing with only one ski. It works, but it's not
so easy and your options are severely limited.
Follow the program instructions. This will compile the EASY
adventure, so it becomes playable. To play the game, exit Gamescape
and then enter: SCAPERUN EASY
NORMAL USE. In order to make Gamescape work, you must first of
all have a text editor (or word processor). The editor must be able
to output TRUE ASCII text (that is, if you create a file named
GAME.ADV and then enter TYPE GAME.ADV, you can actually read it).
PCWrite is one such processor. So is WordStar if told to save in
ASCII format.
We've included with Gamescape a public-domain program called
FIXWS.COM which can correct some ill-behaved word processors (such as
WordStar in normal editing mode). Note however, that if you use FIXWS
or other such programs, any graphic characters (explained later) that
you use in your games will disappear, as these tools remove any non-
standard ASCII characters.
In order to use FIXWS, enter the command: FIXWS filename.ADV
We do not supply a text editor with Gamescape for two reasons.
1- It's reinventing the wheel. There are plenty of good ones
already out there that are easily available and cost little or
nothing.
2- Most people already use a word processor and have preferances
in that area. No need to change your ways just for this one program.
If you don't have a good text editor, you'll probably want to get
one. If you want to do it the hard way, the standard DOS program
EDLIN will serve the purpose. If you don't know how to use EDLIN,
then look through those dozens of books you have that explain exactly
how it works, and learn it. You only have to learn 6 commands:
End/save Quit Insert List Delete and ^Z.
Realize however that EDLIN is cumbersome, non-powerful, and only
works with files 64K in length, so it is very limiting. You can find
a good public domain editor for little or no money, so I encourage you
to go that way if you don't already have a text editor.
If you decide to use EDLIN, be aware of that 64K limit. While
only the very largest of adventure games will exceed that limit, if
you by chance do so, EDLIN has the nasty habit of erasing the
remaining text without telling you. For our purposes, we have found
that very simple ASCII word processors or programming editors are the
best.
The actual adventure database is created using your editor. You
enter the information using a set of guidelines we will present in
this instruction manual. Create your database file using a file
extension of .ADV (ie GAME.ADV). You must use the .ADV extension;
Gamescape will recognize no other.
Once you've written the actual adventure, you use the GSCAPE.EXE
program to compile it. Compilation turns your adventure into a form
that Gamescape can read later when the game is actually played. If no
extension is present, Gamescape automatically adds the .ADV extension.
So to get the system to compile, you enter the command: GSCAPE
filename (you supply the filename)
The compiling function creates six new files with the same name as
your original database, but with the extensions of .GS1 through .GS6.
Then you execute the finished game by typing in: SCAPERUN filename
Everything is automatic from there on. Don't expect your
adventure to work 100% correct the first time; as with any other
computer project, you'll make mistakes. But I've put a couple of
things in the programs to help you locate those errors, so you should
do OK.
Of course, when you distribute your adventure, you have to include
the SCAPERUN.EXE program with it, because that's what makes the thing
work. No problem there; Gamescape was designed with that in mind.
Just read the licensing agreement and you're all set. Remember that
registered users do have extra goodies that they can add to their
games. You will find that I'm very friendly with registered users.
I'll answer questions. I'll answer letters. Invite me to a party,
and I'll probably show up (you pay the travel expenses, o' course!).
TRY OUT THE SAMPLE GAME!
I've included three sample adventure games called EASY.ADV,
SAMPLE.ADV, and TEST.ADV. Try the EASY adventure first. Then try
SAMPLE and finally TEST. SAMPLE contains graphics, and demonstrates
how graphics appear in the Gamescape environment.
This will give you a feel for how Gamescape works, and will show
you how an adventure data file interfaces with the Gamescape program.
Go ahead and do this now before reading any further. SAMPLE is a
relatively easy adventure game. It may take you several tries before
you conquer it, but it only has 5 rooms and will take from 15 minutes
to an hour to play, depending on your gaming experience. Once you've
played it, and read this manual, examine the files thoroughly to see
how Gamescape works.
HOW TO WRITE AN ADVENTURE GAME
There are 8 basic steps involved in writing an adventure game.
These are my concept and you can choose to follow them, alter them for
your own use, or ignore them as you wish. But I've found they work
for me and I feel that if you skip (or skimp on) any one of them, it
will detract from your game.
STEP 1. Start with a theme, a plot that tells what your game is
going to do. For example, with my popular game MAROONED AGAIN the
theme was:
You have crash-landed on an alien planet. But all is not lost;
you have found an alien ship. The crew apparently died from some
strange disease. The ship is still in good condition, but it was not
built for human anatomy to withstand a blast-off.
Fortunately, you have super-strong clones aboard your ship, but
they were damaged in the crash. They now only recognize 1 or 2 words
at a time. Your goal: send them aboard the alien ship, find the
components required to get it to blast off, and send them for help.
See how that works? You need a theme of your own, something to
tie the entire game together.
STEP 2. Once the theme is established, start writing down
individual things you'd like to have happen in the game. For example,
you may find a key that's required to open a door located elsewhere.
Or you may have to fight a robot to gain access to a room. Don't get
too complex. Take my word for it; adventure games get complex all on
their own as you start writing the actual code.
STEP 3. Draw a map. Set up rooms and corridors, or open land
areas, etc., keeping in mind the things in step 2 so you can
incorporate them into your map. Use a big sheet of paper and make the
rooms large (2" square is a good size) because you're going to be
scribbling in details later. The key to proper adventure game writing
is advanced planning. You should have the entire game designed before
you begin writing one line of code!
STEP 4. Number the rooms. Room #1 is always the starting
location of the adventure.
STEP 5. Go through the rooms one by one and make a list of the
OBJECTS in the rooms, and the WORDS that will be required to play the
adventure. This will only be a partial list; as you test the
adventure you'll probably find more objects and words that you'll
need. Try to be as thorough as possible.
STEP 6. Make sure the game is logical. One of the worst problems
with many adventure games is that the things the author requires you
to do don't make any sense. I remember one game I played where I
found an Egyptian statue that would kill me every time I got near it.
I could find no way around this. When I started asking around and
tore the game apart, I finally discovered that a ruby found earlier in
the game (which the game stated was a treasure) was actually the heart
of the statue, and had to be thrown into a lava pit. There were no
clues that this should be done, no hints. Totally illogical. I hate
an adventure game that requires the player to be stupid and do
ignorant and dumb things in order to make the game work (there is a
difference of course, between stupid things and sneaky things). So
ask yourself as you write the game: If I were playing the game, would
this be a logical thing to do, something that I might actually think
of doing? If the answer is "no", eliminate that thing and do it some
other way.
STEP 7. Once you're convinced the game is logical, begin writing
the code. There is a file called STARTER.FIL that should be the heart
of every adventure you write. It includes standard adventure
functions, as well as a few required adventure functions that you'll
need for each game. You can alter it any way you wish; it's just a
guideline to use.
Of course, do not alter STARTER.FIL itself; copy it to another
file: COPY STARTER.FIL MYGAME.ADV
Then use the MYGAME.ADV file to write your adventure.
STEP 8. Writing the game and testing it yourself is called the
alpha stage. Beta test stage is the important one. Call in a friend
who enjoys playing adventure games (not two, because you'll want to
beta test this on several individuals) and let him have at it. Grab a
pencil and notebook and sit by him the whole time. Don't give any
hints; figuring out the adventure is part of the testing. Give hints
and you'll ruin the spontenaity such testing requires. Resign
yourself to the fact that you will most likely need several sessions
to test a game propery. This is the research & development stage; R&D
takes time. Anything worth doing...
As you note errors in the game (and you will) write down the
circumstances and errors that result. Take legible, detailed notes.
But don't alter the game right then unless it is unplayable due to
that error. Let your friend finish playing, all the while writing
down alterations. Also, make notes of things you wish to add to the
game; you'll find lots of things to include that you didn't think of
before.
Once your friend has finished playing (this may take many, many
hours, or even several sessions, depending on the complexity of the
game) then make the changes to your game, and call over another
friend. Go through the same process again. Do this two, three, four,
or five times if necessary, until the game is playable. Don't try to
cover every possible situation that might occur; just make sure that
the things you do allow in your game, work properly.
After this is done, you are now to gamma production stage, which
means that your game is ready to distribute. You may still find minor
bugs in your code as the months go by, but none of them should
seriously affect game play and for the most part everything will be
fine.
THE GAMESCAPE DATA COMMANDS
Following is a kind of reference manual to show you what the
Gamescape commands are like. To get a good idea of how these work,
look at the *.ADV games included with Gamescape. Before you do this
however, make sure you play the sample games to get the feel of how
Gamescape works.
SEGMENTS
Gamescape uses three main code functions:
SEGMENTS IFs DOs.
A segment is a primary command, an instruction to Gamescape
regarding how to handle game play. Segments always begin with a >.
The segment names are:
>LOCAT Location description
>MESSG Message to tell the player what's going on
>OBJEC A "GETable" thing
>WORDS Player commands recognized by Gamescape
>COMND Gamescape internal instruction list
>REMAR Remark. Ignored during game play
>INCLU Include. Attatch sub-module to main module
>ENDIN End include. Exit sub-module
>DONE ! Adventure data file finished. Exit compilation.
Blank lines are allowed in some segments, not allowed in others:
BLANK LINES ALLOWED:
Between segments.
Inside >LOCAT segments
Inside >MESSG segments
Inside >REMAR segments
BLANK LINES NOT ALLOWED:
Inside >OBJEC segments
Inside >WORDS segments
Inside >COMND segments
< TERMINATOR. This indicates the END of of the segment
and/or actions. In >LOCAT and >MESSG segments, it indicates
the end of that segment. In >COMND segments, it means that
no further actions will be performed if the requirements of
that command segment have been met (see IF functions).
SEGMENT FUNCTIONS
>COMND Command. Tells Gamescape what to do when the player enters a
move. (see Command Syntax section).
>DONE ! End of entire Gamescape adventure data file. NOTE: Does not
use a terminator ( < ).
>INCLU
>INCLU
filename.ext File name to be included. 8+3 character max.
The Include segment allows you to divide a game into several code
"modules" and join them together. When Gamescape comes across an
>INCLU segment, it joins the indicated file just as if it were part of
the main adventure file. Used primarily in very long adventure games
with multiple "linked" modules. In our SAMPLE.ADV game, we have
separated the Messages, Objects/Words, and Commands into external
>INCLUde files. Similar to "subprogram" functions in programming
langauges. (See also >ENDIN) NOTE: Does not use a < terminator.
>ENDIN
End inclusion. Returns to main module from sub-module. Has no
extra specifications; as soon as Gamescape sees this command, it exits
the >INCLUded file and returns to the main adventure module. NOTE:
Does not use a < terminator.
>LOCAT
Defines a specific location (ie "room") in the adventure game.
Format:
>LOCAT
X Number of the location (ie room number)
Y Optional. I.D. Number of the graphics files for this room.
NSEWUDNeSeNwSw Exit directions (max 20 characters)
These lines contain descriptions of the location. There are 18 lines
maximum allowed (but 12 to 15 is considered best for game play).
Locations were reduced from 20 to 18 lines with v3.4 due to screen
space limitaions.
< Terminator
EXTRA INFORMATION ON THE GRAPHIC IDENTIFIER
The "Y" option above was introduced with version A.3. It is an
optional line and can be left out if there are no graphics in your
adventure, or if this particular location has no graphics.
Graphics files are always given numerical names (ie 1, 3, 4, etc).
The GSGRAPH program gives them extensions as follows:
.GR0 CGA hires monocolor graphics
.GR1-GR5 EGA hires color graphics
.GR6 Monocolor IBM character graphics.
Ignore the extension and include only the numerical identifier for
the graphics file associated with this location (not the room number.
See the section on GRAPHICS for additional information). NOTE: If you
plan to use location graphics, limit your text to the left side of the
screen.
>MESSG
Defines a specific message which can be displayed in the game
by using the PRINT command. Format:
>MESSG
X Number of the message
Each message may contain up to 5 lines of information at this point.
Anything in excess of 5 lines will likely be ignored. Messages were
reduced from 10 to 5 lines as of version 3.4 because we discovered
that 90% of all messages were 5 lines or less. This greatly reduced
disk space requirements.
< End of message terminator
>OBJEC
>OBJEC
X Number of object (300 allowed). Must be sequential.
Y Starting location of object
ITEM-NAME Description. 20 characters maximum--
Note: No spaces allowed ! Use -- or _ instead.
Does not use a < terminator.
>REMAR
>REMAR
You may enter as many remark lines here as you wish. Remarks are notes
to yourself and are totally ignored by Gamescape. Use lavishly; they
help you keep track of what's going on.
< End of remark
>WORDS
>WORDS
word The main word itself... no spaces !
synonym 1 (optional)
synonym 2 (optional)
synonym 3 (optional)
< End of word list
There are 300 words allowed, each with 3 synonyms (for a total of 1200
recognizable words). For example, you may decide that the main word
is LOOK. But synonyms to that may be L, SEE and VIEW. All of them
will be recognized as equal. Adventure commands take the form of a
verb and noun. Examples: LOOK -- GET ROPE -- SEARCH ROOM -- N S E W
U D (directions) -- HELP -- GO WINDOW -- KILL MONSTER -- CLIMB TREE
etc etc.
The first word is always a verb, the second always a noun.
REGISTERED USERS ONLY
There are special functions which are available only for registered
users, as our way of saying "Thanks for registering."
These are explained below:
(This section present in registered manual only)
END OF REGISTERED USERS ONLY SECTION
SPECIAL LOCATIONS
There are four locations that are recognized by Gamescape as
having special meaning:
301: Limbo (for objects not in use at the current time)
302: The Adventurer
303: Current location ("room")
0 : Special GET function (see the OBJ command)
FLAGS
A "flag" is a variable, an item that can have several different
values. Imagine it to be an invisible "box" that can store many
different items, but only one at a time. You may use up to 100 flags.
For example, imagine in your game that someone has to open the
refrigerator in order to be able to get some food. The logic would be
this:
If the person says OPEN FRIDGE
And the refrigerator is not open
Open the fridge
Do something rotten.
The actual code would be:
>COMND
OPEN FRIDGE Player says to open the fridge.
IF If...
FLAG= (by checking the flag we find)
2 the refrigerator
0 is closed
DO do the following:
FLAGSET change the flag
2 of the refrigerator
1 to be open
PRINT and print the message
5 he's just had milk spilled on him !
<
We have here arbitrarily decided that the flag for the
refrigerator opened or closed is to be flag #2 (and we write it
down... preferrably in a special >REMARk section of our code). If
flag 2 equals 0, the door is closed. If flag 2 equals 1 then the door
is opened.
Flags can be used to indicate many different things. There is
virtually no limit. You can use flags to keep score, to mark things
accomplished/not accomplished, to track adventurer characteristics
such as Strength, Stamina, Accuracy, etc. In fact, with some
ingenuity, Gamescape can be used to write more than adventure games.
You could actually create an entire Role Playing environment!
Gamescape has many flag commands to allow you complete versatility in
flag use.
SPECIAL FLAG RECOGNIZED BY GAMESCAPE:
101 -- number of moves taken.
(See additional flag notes in the special LINK section.)
COMMAND REFERENCE
>COMND is basically an IF/DO list that says to Gamescape: IF one
or more conditions prove to be true, then DO one or more things as a
result. If any of those conditions prove to be false, the command
will not be performed. For example, if the player tells the computer
to GET GOLD and IF the GOLD EXISTS IN THE CURRENT ROOM and the
ADVENTURER IS NOT CARRYING THE GOLD then DO the following: GET THE
GOLD and tell the adventurer he's filthy rich !
>COMND
GET GOLD The player's keyed-in instructions
IF If...
EXIST there exists
3 object 3 (the gold)
12 in location 12 (current room)
GONE and there is missing
3 object 3 (the gold)
302 at location 302 (the player), then...
DO Perform the following:
OBJ Move object
3 3 (the gold)
302 to location 302 (the player)
PRINT and print message number
5 five ("You are filthy rich!")
< End this command segment.
Note that in the above >COMND segment, checking the player to see if
he has gold is likely to be redundant; if the gold is in the room,
it's obvious the player isn't carrying it. However, this might be
valid if the gold is in pieces, and there could be some in the room as
well as carried by the player !
The following pages show the format of >COMND segments. The best
way to learn how these work is to examine the SAMPLE.ADV file for
examples. But be sure to play the SAMPLE adventure before delving
into it, or you will spoil your fun!
>COMND STRUCTURE
SYNTAX R/O DESCRIPTION
>COMND R Command segment indicator
verb noun R Player entry word(s)
IF O Check to see if something is TRUE
conditions O Conditions of IF section
DO R Beginning of DO section
actions O/R Steps to perform (usually required)
< O Indicates END of command sequence
Note: R = required, O = optional
An asterisk * as a verb and/or noun means any word in the word
list. Each line in a >COMND segment is a "line". You may have a
maximum of 16,000 lines in your COMND section. Note that this is a
LOT of lines... enough for a game of more than a hundred adventure
locations, or a bigger game than would fit on a standard floppy
diskette!
MULTIPLE COMMANDS
You are not limited to only one executable command per move. A
single instruction by the player may trigger many differerent
commands, depending on how you have the game set up.
ABSENSE OF <
Gamescape will continue to read commands until it hits a <
(terminator symbol) in a totally fullfilled command (all the IF's are
true). Even if all the IF's are fulfilled, unless there is a <
present, Gamescape will do what that >COMND set says to do, and then
continue on looking for others. This allows you to do many different
things as a result of a single player action, and gives you incredible
versatility in game design.
PRESENCE OF * *
Each >COMND may recognize a single verb, a verb and noun, a verb
and an asterisk, or two asterisks. An asterisk means "whatever word".
So no matter what word is entered, the command will be accepted. For
example, let's imagine you have a command like the following :
>COMND Command segment
* * All verbs, all nouns
DO DO the following
PRINT Print message
72 number 72 which says, "Thank you"
Since this command is performed no matter what verb/noun the
player enters, Gamescape will say "Thank you" following every move.
Since no < terminator was at the end of the command, it will continue
on to see if any other >COMND segments match the actual verb and noun
entered by the player.
"IF" REFERENCE
AT If adventurer is at location X X
AT> If adventurer's current location is greater than X X
AT< If adventurer's current location is less than X X
EXIST If object X is present at location Y X Y
GONE If object X is not present at location Y X Y
NOTAT If adventurer not at location X X
NOTEXIST If object X is not present at current location or on X
adventurer
PRESENT If object X is present at current location or on adventurer
X
RAND If a random number from 1 to X = Y
X (do not confuse with RANDSET, which is a DO function)
Y
"IF" FLAGS
(Important: see additional FLAG notes in the special LINK section).
FLAG= If flag X = the real value Y (100 flags allowed)
X
Y
FLAG<> If flag X is not equal to the real value Y
X
Y
FLAG> If flag X is greater than the real value Y
X
Y
FLAG< If flag X is less than the real value Y
X
Y
FFLAG= If flag X = flag Y
X
Y
FFLAG<> If flag X is not equal to flag Y
X
Y
FFLAG> If flag X is greater than flag Y
X
Y
FFLAG< If flag X is less than flag Y
X
Y
"DO" REFERENCE
SINGLE WORD ACTIONS
CLS Clear screen
DROP Drops whatever object has been specified in the noun
DUMP Drop all objects carried by adventurer, into current location
END End adventure (allows replay option)
INVEN Show inventory carried by adventurer
LOAD Load previously saved game
PRESSKEY Display PRESS ENTER TO CONTINUE and wait
QUIT Quit adventure (allows Continuation option)
SAVE Save current game
SHOW Describe current location and all objects at this location
< Terminator. Displays MOVE # and waits for next player move
MULTI-WORD ACTIONS
FLAGADD Increment flag X by real value Y
X
Y
FLAGSET Set flag X to real value Y
X
Y
FFLAGADD Increment flag X by amount in flag Y
X
Y
FFLAGDEC Decrement flag X by amount in flag Y
X
Y
GOTO Go to location X
X
GRAPH Display a graphics file
X ID number of the graphics file (see GRAPHICS section)
LINK Auto-load additional game modules for super-large games
modname Module name (See special LINK section for more info)
OBJ Puts object X in location Y (used to create or move items)
X
Y
Special OBJ note: If X=0 and Y=302 this will get any object specified
by the adventurer if the object is at the current location and not
already held by the adventurer. Thus, just one of these commands will
allow the player to get any visible item unless otherwise indicated by
other game command sequences.
PAUSE Wait X seconds before continuing
X
PRINT Display message number X
X
RANDSET Create a random number from 1 to X and store in flag Y
X (do not confuse with RAND, which is an IF function)
Y
SHOWF Display value in flag X
X
SOUND Generate a tone of X frequency for Y duration
X (see the special section on SOUND)
Y Allows MULTIPLE X,Y's. The last two must be 0 0
0
0
SOUND
You can generate sounds and even music by using the SOUND command.
SOUND uses standard BASIC language frequency and duration codes.
Notes, frequencies, and durations are listed here:
FREQUENCY CHART (130 is middle C)
Octaves: 1 2 3 4 5
C 65 130 261 523 1046 C
C# 69 138 277 555 1110 C#
D 73 146 293 587 1174 D
D# 78 155 311 623 1246 D#
E 82 164 329 659 1318 E
F 87 174 349 698 1396 F
F# 93 185 370 740 1482 F#
G 98 196 392 783 1568 G
G# 104 208 416 831 1664 G#
A 110 22O 440 880 1760 A
A# 117 233 466 933 1864 A#
B 123 246 493 987 1975 B
REST: 32767
DURATIONS
1/64 note .5 1/4 note 8
1/32 note 1 1/2 note 16
1/16 note 2 Whole note 32
1/8 note 4
The SOUND command can have multiple notes, and must end with two
zeros. As an example, here is the well-known "Charge" tune:
SOUND
130
2
174
2
220
2
261
4
220
2
261
8
0
0
>INCLUde FILES
The >INCLU and >ENDIN segments are very powerful Gamescape
functions. They allow you to exit your main module, load another
segment of code, and then return to the main module again. Note that
this happens only at compile time. All modules and sub-modules are
loaded, compiled, and turned into a single set of Gamescape coded
files (*.GS1 thru *.GS6). The SAMPLE.ADV game gives several examples
of how the >INCLUde segment works.
While the >INCLUde segment can be used with any Gamescape module
you write, it is used primarily in LINKed modules, where several
adventure sections may require the same >MESSG, >OBJEC, >WORDS and
>COMND sections of code. These segments can be written in separate
>INCLUde files and then loaded by the simple commands.
Some people prefer to have separate >LOCAT, >MESSG, >OBJEC,
>WORDS, and >COMND files, then use >INCLU to join them all together at
compiling. this sometimes makes editing your files easier and helps
when your editing program can only handle files of limited length.
LINKING GAME FILES
(LINKing is covered in the registered manual)
GAMESCAPE GRAPHICS
(Graphics are edited and drawn using a registered Gamescape program
not included on the shareware disk)
Gamescape supports several kinds of graphics systems:
MONO. Text and IBM ASCII character graphics. Mono color.
CGA. Text and CGA hi-res graphics mode #2. Mono color. The
other option was 4 colors, but this reduced the resolution of the
graphics by half; it was deemed better to allow the higher resolution.
EGA. Text and EGA hi-res graphics mode #9. 15 colors out of a
changable palette of 64 colors. VGA and above will use EGA graphics,
due to the extreme size of files above EGA (EGA is bad enough).
Graphics detection by Gamescape is handled three ways: Program
direction indicated by you when writing the adventure, auto-detection
when loading the adventure for playing, and manual-override option by
the player at time of game play. In this way, anyone should be able
to play your game regardless of the kind of display system used.
One important note: unless you intend your game to be played on a
specific kind of graphic monitor (ie, EGA users only), do not make
your game rely on graphics hints in order to be accomplished. Because
if you provide a hint on an EGA screen, mono users will obviously not
be able to play it, although all text from the game will appear on
their screens.
MISCELLANEOUS ADVENTURE WRITING TIPS
REQUIRED >COMND LINE
Your adventure source file must always end with the the following
>COMND set:
>COMND
* *
DO
<
>DONE !
This segment handles entry of words that are recognized, but that
don't fit any >COMND requirements. Failure to add this sequence will
cause an error to occur at runtime and the game to stop. If you wish,
you may include a message such as:
>MESSG
1
That doesn't make sense to me. Please try again.
<
and then use the >COMND line:
>COMND
* *
DO
PRINT
1
<
>DONE!
MESSAGE SIZE
Beginning with version 3.4, >MESSG (messages) may use a maximum of
5 lines (rather than the previous 10). Messages take up 400 bytes
each (rather than the previous 800). Do not use < within messages,
because that means "end of message" to Gamescape. If you need more
than 5 lines in a message, print two or more messages in a row. It
will have the visual effect of a single, long message. But don't
print messages too long or you'll scroll off the screen and part of
the message won't be readable. Usually no more than a maximum of 10 -
15 lines is recommended.
>COMND COMMENTS
You may comment your >COMND lines by adding comments out to the
side. I recommend that you comment your game file heavily. Starting
with version 3.0, you can now use commas, quotes, and other special
characters in your comments. For example:
>COMND
GET BOOK
IF IF GET BOOK
EXIST AND BOOK IS PRESENT
1
DO
OBJ MOVE BOOK TO ADVENTURER
3
302
<
Make sure your comments do not begin before column 20, because
Gamescape recognizes the first 20 columns as belonging to the code
generator.
>COMND PLACEMENT AND CONFLICTS
Make sure that one item of code doesn't eliminate another, more
important one. This is hard to illustrate, and even harder to
explain. The easiest way I can describe it is this: let's imagine you
wish to place a "move counter" in the code that stops the player if
too many moves have been taken. It would look something like this:
>MESSG
1
You've taken too many moves ! You lose !
<
>COMND
* *
IF
FLAG=
101 Flag 101 is the game movement
200 counter automatically updated
PRINT by Gamescape. If it = 200, then
1 print the "too many moves" message
END and end the game.
<
Would you place this segment at the beginning or end of the game
file? If you place it at the end, it will never work because the
player will usually do something that will cause the computer to never
reach the end of the file. Movement counters must be placed at the
very beginning of a file, along with any other thing you wish to be
performed every time a move is made.
The first time you can't figure out why a command won't work
properly and finally discover that it's because another command
further up the list conflicts with it, you'll know what I mean. It's
not a mistake you'll likely make twice.
SHOW COMMAND
The SHOW command first of all clears the screen. So if you wish
to take the adventurer to a new room, SHOW him what's there, and print
some messages, you must do so in that order. Because if you print the
messages first, SHOW will clear the screen, and wipe out the messages
you just printed. Graphics will be automatically displayed if you
have used the graphics indicator option in the >LOCAT segment.
FLAG VARIABILITY
There are 100 flags available (which is a bunch, actually) and
each of those flags can have just about any value. But even so, some
folks use flags like crazy; it is conceivable that you might run out
of flags. To conserve flag space, use the same flag for several
things. For example, Flag 1 could be a secret door status flag. If
flag 1 = 0 the door has not been discovered. =1 door has been
discovered. =2 door has been examined. =3 door has been opened. =4
treasure has been found, etc. This will provide you with virtually
limitless flag usage. However, do not use the same flag for two
different things if there is any chance at all that those two things
could conflict with one another at some time during game play.
GETTING ITEMS -- THE GENERIC GET COMMAND
If an item is present in a location, and there are no special
requirements for picking it up, you can handle all GETs by using the
following command segment near the end of your code:
>COMND This will check to see if the item is present, if it
GET * is not carried by the adventurer, get the
DO item and display current inventory for the player.
OBJ This can literally save you hundreds of
0 >COMND lines.
302
INVEN
<
If not for this generic GET command, your GET segments would look
something like this:
>COMND
GET KNIFE Get knife (object 1)
IF
PRESENT If knife is at current location
1
GONE but not held currently by adventurer
1
302
DO
OBJ
1 Move object to adventurer
302
INVEN and show inventory
<
If you had 200 objects, this kind of setup would require a minimum
of 2,800 >COMND lines, just to GET items. However, with the generic
GET function, you can cover all of this with only eight lines !
If you have special GET circumstances (ie, if a flag must be set
or other items present in order to be able to get a particular object)
then place those GET segments before the above segment, and they will
override it.
VERY IMPORTANT! DEBUGGING CODE
Gamescape is a very complex project, and I would be foolish to
imagine that some obscure bug doesn't exist somewhere. If you find a
legitimate bug, I will appreciate you letting me know. However,
please do so under the following guidelines:
#1 AND MOST IMPORTANT: Remember that Gamescape is a programming
environment, and it has been used to generate very complex adventure
games. It is therefore reasonable to assume that most (if not all) of
the bugs have been discovered. Whenever you find what you think is a
bug, realize that it is most likely in your game code, and not a
problem with Gamescape.
Before you report a bug, go over your code with a fine tooth comb.
Whether or not we charge you for examining your code depends on
whether the bug is caused by Gamescape, or by user coding errors. If
we have to spend time hunting for a bug that we find to be user
programming code errors, we will have to bill the user for that time.
This may seem unfair, but A) we will help the user discover the
mistake and thus have rendered a programming service and B) we deserve
to be reimbursed for time/wage/computer expense involved in finding
user coding errors. Even in such a case, our rates are reasonable,
and can be avoided completely if you make sure that a bug report is an
actual bug.
Note that billing will only be done if we feel that significant
time was wasted. We're not going to worry about minor work... that's
just part of doing business and supporting you as a registered user of
Gamescape.
#2: An error message does not mean a Gamescape bug. It likely is
pointing out a problem with your code. Check out the error; you may
find it means something like "printer not on" or "disk full" or
something like that. Or, it may mean you've left out a part of an
IF/DO line which causes Gamescape to return an error such as "Out of
string space" or "Bad record number" or "Illegal function call" (that
happens more than adventure programmers like to admit). Such things
are programmer errors, and are not likely to be a fault of Gamescape.
#3: If you do find what you feel to be a legitimate bug, write us
a letter fully documenting the info. A phone call is allowed as well,
but the phone is mainly for answering questions, not in trying to
trace down a supposed bug. If you can send us a disk with your source
code, that will be appreciated as well (source codes will be kept
extremely private and secured... we will not release or distribute
them under any circumstance. They will be used solely for the purpose
of documenting the bug).
#4: We will not consider any bug report from an unregistered
user. No exceptions. If you claim you have found a bug and we find
you are not registered, we will totally ignore you. Sorry, but that's
what registration means: support. If you are unregistered then you
are not aware of updates, changes, techniques, etc. We will not waste
time with an unregistered user, no matter how legitimate you think
your problem may be. Bottom line: registration is cheap; if you want
the support, then register.
#5: If you do find a legitimate bug, we will send you one of our
nifty adventures free of charge, as well as give you credit for the
bug find in future documentation!
Thanks for your attention to these matters.
GAMESCAPE ERROR CODES
Gamescape is written using Microsoft QuickBASIC 3.0 and uses most
standard BASIC error codes. I am listing them here for your
convenience in tracking down your game code errors. Please note that
an error that pops up does not likely mean Gamescape has a bug; if you
have not yet read the section on debugging code, do so now. It is
extremely important.
1 NEXT WITHOUT FOR
2 SYNTAX
3 RETURN WITHOUT GOSUB
4 OUT OF DATA
5 ILLEGAL FUNCTION CALL
6 OVERFLOW
7 OUT OF MEMORY
8 UNDEFINED LINE NUMBER
9 SUBSCRIPT OUT OF RANGE
10 DUPLICATE DEFINITION
11 DIVISION BY ZERO
12 ILLEGAL DIRECT
13 TYPE MISMATCH
14 OUT OF STRING SPACE
15 STRING TOO LONG
16 STRING FORMULA TOO COMPLEX
17 CAN'T CONTINUE
18 UNDEFINED USER FUNCTION
19 NO RESUME
20 RESUME WITHOUT ERROR
22 MISSING OPERAND
23 LINE BUFFER OVERFLOW
24 DEVICE TIMEOUT
25 DEVICE FAULT
26 FOR WITHOUT NEXT
27 OUT OF PAPER
29 WHILE WITHOUT WEND
30 WEND WITHOUT WHILE
50 FIELD OVERFLOW
51 INTERNAL ERROR
52 BAD FILE NUMBER
53 FILE NOT FOUND
54 BAD FILE MODE
55 FILE ALREADY OPEN
57 DEVICE I/O ERROR
58 FILE ALREADY EXISTS
61 DISK FULL
62 INPUT PAST END
63 BAD RECORD NUMBER
64 BAD FILE NAME
66 DIRECT STATEMENT IN FILE
67 TOO MANY FILES
68 DEVICE UNAVAILABLE
69 COMMUNICATION BUFFER OVERFLOW
70 DISK WRITE PROTECT
71 DISK NOT READY
72 DISK MEDIA ERROR
73 ADVANCED FEATURE
74 RENAME ACROSS DISKS
75 PATH/FILE ACCESS ERROR
76 PATH NOT FOUND
(you probably didn't install CONFIG.SYS properly)
CHANGES TO GAMESCAPE
Ver 1.0: The introduction of Gamescape. One Shareware company was
so impressed, it removed its other adventure designer programs from
its catalog and featured Gamescape exclusively. My head swelled
enormously.
Ver 1.1: Changes to our shareware policy-- the subscription to
GSCAPE NEWSZINE is now included with registration rather than being a
separate charge. Also a couple of minor instruction manual
corrections (minimal update... couple of text files.)
Ver 2.0: Gamescape now encodes your games so that they cannot be
easily deciphered by the players. Even if the user is real sharp and
manages to decode the game, it will not be easy to decipher as a "game
shorthand" is used internally by the program. There are now six *.GS?
files rather than five. The sixth gives the version number. This file
is created automatically at compilation. If during a PLAY session it
is found missing, Gamescape will default to uncoded reading.
Ver 3.0: Game now allows messages of max 10 lines, rather than the
previous 20 and thus uses only 800 bytes of disk space per message
rather than 1600 as before. So 100 messages now take 80K rather than
the previous 160K. This was done because it was discovered that most
messages used by adventure gamers were less than 10 lines in length.
Increased LINK power to allow transfer of flags and objects to
accompanying modules, and removed some bugs from the link section
(example, LINK now prompts for changing of disks for very large
games). Added ability to put blank lines in between segments for
easier readability of game files. A full graphics guide is now
included in this instruction manual... kind of a nice little addition.
Another major change is in the layout of verbs and nouns. Prior to
version 3.0, verbs and nouns were on separate lines. Now they are on
the same line for easier location when using a text editor. Added a
new DO GET function (get any object indicated by the noun if the
object is present and object number indicated in code is 0). A new
DISPLAY function has been added to 3.0. You now have the option of
whether or not to display your source code during compilation. If you
chose to not do so, compilation will be at maximum speed (but if an
error occurs, it will be harder to trace). If you choose to display,
compilation will take up to twice as long, but if an error occurs you
will be able to see the exact portion of your source code that caused
the error. Prior versions of Gamescape allowed only 3,200 lines of
>COMND code. Gamescape now allows 16,000 >COMND lines, which is a
power increase of some 500 percent ! A new >INCLUde segment was
introduced to allow modular writing of code, primarily for the sharing
of common functions between interactively linked Gamescape modules.
Now really large games are much easier to write. Because of major
changes, version 3.0 is not compatible with earlier versions. That's
no problem, since it is a license requirement that the correct version
of GSCAPE.EXE be distributed along with the adventures developed. The
advantages gained are well worth it. You may of course still use
versions below 3.0 to compile previously written games, or you may
update your games to the new version if you desire the additional
power.
Ver 3.1: Added common message file access (>MSGFL).
Ver 3.2: OOPS! Fixed a nasty little bug that was caused by the
brand new nifty feature (>MSGFL) that we'd just added to the program.
Some adventures worked (like the ones we tested)... some didn't (like
the ones we didn't. Never fails, does it?). Made a boo boo.
Fortunately, we only sent out 10 copies before a nice shareware
company pointed out the bug for us (makes me wonder why the others
didn't point out the bug. Grrrr.... ). Our thanks to Rick Macnamara
of GOLD COAST COMPUTING SERVICES, Secaucus NJ for his help (hey Rick,
how's that for a plug?). If any user has version 3.1, please let us
know as we will have to draw and quarter the company that released
copies of it despite our immediate updates and warnings to not release
v3.1.
Ver 3.31: Updated a minor bug in version 3.2 that would cause
problems with some floppy disk users. Updated error notations so that
user-understandable error messages are returned on installation
problems. Minor fix-- but it helps new users of the program. Also
added color! Pretty pretty. Included a new "compile to alternate
disk" so that floppy users can compile larger games. Ability to
easily stop a compiliation in the middle. Gamescape can now be
totally restarted without exiting the program, which saves time in
reloading Gamescape. Now automatically enters play mode if an .ADV
extension is not present on the filename... makes play entry quicker
and easier. Added new features which are documented for registered
users (such as the ability to use abbreviations!). In short, 3.3 is
terrific.
Ver 3.32: A minor fix to an existing function. Very minor change
on screen color. No big deal, but required a version all its own, of
course.
Ver 3.4: Available to registered users only. Expanded the
STARTER.ADV to include more standard info. Altered DROP command in
STARTER.ADV (it eliminated the following SHOW command). Eliminated
unnecessary "beeps" in game. Locations were reduced from 20 to 18
lines... 20 wouldn't fit anyway on a single screen, so we decided to
reduce disk space. Reduced messages from 10 lines to 5 lines. It has
been discovered that 90% of all messages are less than 5 lines in
length. This greatly reduced disk storage requirements! (If you
developed games using earlier Gamescape versions such as 3.3, you will
either need to revise those games, or still hang on to your old
Gamescape copy to update those games). Removed unnecessary space
between OBVIOUS EXITS and ITEMS PRESENT. Compiler now counts words to
let you know how many words you have used. Version 3.4 eliminates the
Gamescape title screen, so it comes up nice and clean right into your
game. The title screen is shown at the end of the game only. This is
a real bonus for people who want to distribute their games. A
terrific reason for registering (which, of course, is exactly why we
did it, heh heh).
Ver A.3. Zounds! Added Hi-res (CGA/EGA) color (EGA) graphics.
First introduction of GSGRAPH graphics editor. Updated SAMPLE.ADV so
that it has graphics examples. Automatic loading and execution system
for new users makes Gamescape much easier to use. Separated compiler
and run-time modules (intruduction of SCAPERUN program). Altered user
license so that unregistered users may distribute their games so long
as they do not charge for them or market through shareware or
commercial companies. Our most incredible update to date...
emphasizes that Gamescape is the most powerful and best adventure
generator ever written !
Please register for Gamescape. Not only does registration provide
you with expanded abilities and privileges, registrations encourage
us to update the program and add even more power, so that your games
can be more impressive than ever before. The more registrations we
receive, the more eager we are to provide regular updates to the
program. Thank you for registering !
GAMESCAPE USER LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
AND USER REGISTRATION AGREEMENT
ARTICLE 1. ACCEPTANCE.
In registering for our programs, the user agrees to abide by all
articles and restrictions of this license. It is the responsibility of
the purchaser to note the items of this license, and decide upon
agreeability of its terms prior to the registration of the program.
ARTICLE 2. LICENSING.
This program is licensed, not sold. As such, the user/purchaser
has the right to use the program on a day-to-day basis, but recognizes
the ownership of the program and all materials as belonging to Dennis
Drew.
ARTICLE 3. COPYING AND MULTI-USER.
This program is USER SUPPORTED. You are encouraged to copy the
SHAREWARE diskette and give it to your friends and acquaintences. You
may use this program freely and distribute it as you wish. However,
the following restrictions do apply:
1. You may not charge a fee for this program, other than for the
cost of duplication.
2. You may not alter the program or supporting items in any
manner, may not add to or remove items from the disk.
3. You may not copy or reproduce in any way the instruction manual
that is available for this program. The instruction manual is provided
to REGISTERED USERS ONLY. Copying of this manual in any form is
strictly forbidden. This program may be used within a network/ multi-
user system, so long as no copies of the instruction manual are made.
If several copies of the manual are required, then a discount is
provided on request.
4. Shareware companies must obtain a distribution license from the
author.
ARTICLE 4. WARRANTY AND LIABILITY.
It is the responsibility of the purchaser to decide upon
usability and application of this program to his/her particular needs.
Every effort has been made to insure the accuracy and reliability of
this program. However, since the success of this program relies a
great deal upon individual use and dedication to the use thereof, and
the fact that this program is user copiable (thus limiting our control
over what the end-user receives), we will not be held responsible for
any results obtained from the direct or indirect use of this program
nor does this program comply to the laws of merchantability of any
state.
ARTICLE 5. TERMINATION.
If the user/purchaser breaks any article of this agreement, all
items pertaining to the program shall be returned to the publisher.
This will not exclude any additional punitive damages incurred
according to federal and civil laws.
ARTICLE 6. CUSTOMER SUPPORT.
We are eager to support our customers. Technical assistance is
available to REGISTERED USERS ONLY by calling (417)781-4248 Monday
through Friday during the hours of 9am to 5pm.
USER REGISTRATION
If your diskette is damaged in any way, return it to us along
with $10.00 to cover cost of replacement. We will rush you a new
diskette.
It is recognized that the purchaser is already bound by the terms
of the LICENSING AGREEMENT enclosed with this package. This
registration form serves two purposes:
1. To emphasize agreement with the terms of the license.
2. To allow us to provide you with timely updates and
information.
Thank you for registering!
end of manual
Gamescape is written and published by:
Drew Software PO Box 101 Joplin, MO 64802 (417)781-4248
