
                             -- SYSOP.DOC --

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                  M e g a W a t t s   C o m p u t i n g            
                                                                   
                      O U T P O S T     T R A D E R                
                                                                   
                           SysOp Documentation                     
     Ķ
                              Version  1.01                        
                              July 01, 1994                        
     ͼ

            Welcome and Thank you for trying OUTPOST TRADER!


INTRODUCTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Outpost Trader is an interactive Space Trading / Galactic Conquest door
  game.  You begin play with a meager space faring craft and a little
  cash.  There are multiple alien races and homeworlds.  Over 30 ship types
  are available, bigger and better as your score improves.  There are 15
  different classes of planets to explore and conquer.  Some like Earth and
  others quite hostile.  You can trade, develop planets to produce products
  or wage war!  You decide the style of play you like.  Team up with others
  or go it alone.  Outpost Trader is a very complex game and is best played
  by several players over several weeks time.  It may take a while to learn
  it all (the galaxy is a big place), but Otrader is an enjoyable game with
  lots of player competition, cooperation and surprises and before long     
  you'll have lots of regular players.
    
  Outpost Trader pursues the unique combination of the thrill of competition, 
  cooperation, skill and blind luck that only an online interactive game can 
  offer.  No home computer game can alone simulate the combination of       
  exciting chess like strategy and foolhardy play offered by the varying    
  skill levels of human participants.  This project was begun during a      
  time when it looked as if there would be no new generation of this type of 
  game.  It was created by gamesters for gamesters, out of love for the     
  spirit of the game.  Outpost Trader is only the vehicle to carry forth this 
  spirit.  The spirit is yours, the evolution continues, the legend lives on. 
                                                        
                                                     OT Author, Greg Watts. 
INSTALLATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before you go any further, OTRAD101.ZIP was archived using a registered
version of PKZIP with the security envelope invoked.  The archive should
have displayed '-AV' on each file and ended with 'Authentic Files Verified!
# TRN634 MegaWatts Computing'.  If not, you do not have an original archive.
Please do NOT distribute a non-original archive.  Contact MegaWatts for
the latest available version.  Thank you.

If you are upgrading a current game of Outpost Trader Version 1.00 please
refer to UPGRADE.DOC for specific instructions.

If you are running a BBS, it is assumed that you are familiar with DOS and
Your BBS software.  If not, you may need to refer to other documentation.

1) UNZIP everything in a separate directory somewhere you make for the game.
   You may need up to a Meg of free hard drive space.

2) Create a batch file to call up the door from your BBS.
 
   The following is a sample batch file to run The Outpost Trader.  You
   should include the switch "/DC:\bbs" to tell Otrader where to find the
   "drop file".  This stands for "D"rop File "C:" Drive "\BBS" Directory.
   From Dos use "/L" to invoke "L"ocal Mode. (otrader /l)

   {Sample.bat}
   c:
   cd c:\doors\otrader
   otrader /DC:\bbs
   cd c:\bbs
   exit

   Want to change the color of the status bar?  Add /# (#=1 thru 8)
   like this "otrader /DC:\bbs /8" in the batch file abobe.

3) Create a batch file to run a nightly maintenance event to call Main.exe.

   Currently, this must be done to update the log and advance the game
   features.  It is suggested that this be done at Midnight.  Turns now
   refresh at Mid-night.  

   {sample main.bat}
   c:
   cd c:\doors\otrader
   main
   cd c:\bbs
   exit

   Maintenance is allowed only once per day.  It will abort if run again. 
   If you wish to force it to run anyway, use the "/F" Switch (main /f).

There are two sample batch files included with this distribution, otrader.bat
and main.bat, for operating the game and maintenance respectively.  Just edit
these files with your favorite editor or make your own.

4) Run OTCONFIG and change any of the defaults you wish.  Help included.
5) Run BUILD.

   You MUST run the Build.exe program to start a new game.  Warning!,
   running Build.exe during a game will completely overwrite all data and 
   re-roll the game!  You may wish to include a backup statement somewhere
   (usually in the main.bat maintenance routine) to make copies of the *.out
   files.  These are the files that hold your specific game data.

Mono display may be forced locally using "/M" on the command line.
(ie OTEDIT /M, OTCONFIG /M etc...)

DORINFOx.DEF may be specified using "/Nx" where x is the node number (2, 3
etc...)

REGISTRATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please read this.   I'll keep this short, because I've sat where you are and
read what other authors have whined about.  Why register?  Good question.  I
really get a little bent when I see a program author ask $25 or $40 for
something they wrote some Sunday afternoon.  You know the ones where the doc
file is bigger than the program, say 29K...  Not that these programs aren't
worth that, but let's be reasonable, it makes Otrader a bargain.

Outpost Trader has been in development for about a year and a half and spent
a year in Beta Test.  40,000 lines of code, many sleepless nights for the
author, testers and families.  We have maintained a private long distance
echo for Beta communication, paid for out of our own pockets, throughout this
time.  It has cost a lot more than a Sunday afternoon pizza.

But, still yet, why register?  We have pledged support.  The level of support
we can provide depends on you.  We would like to add a couple of phone lines
for registered user support, and a FAX machine.  We need to purchase new
computer equipment, and software in order to keep pace with the demands that
new technology brings.  We want to be able to offer upgrades and fixes as
often as needed.  This is only possible with product registration fees. 
Besides, think about all the guilt and shame... ok, ok.... EOB (end of beg)

Please consider registration.  To help you decide, we are going to have ways
to win ( $$$ ) computer stuff and will offer discounts on other software
products, but only to registered users!  Look for details to be released.

So, Stay tuned!

Please refer to HOWTOREG.DOC for more information.


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First, thanks to the members of the Traders Guild.  Carol Barela and Page
Lepak for original concept.  Thanks Carol, for making me believe we could do
this thing.  Thanks to Joel Downer and Ted Sone for early on recognizing the
potential of what we had.  Dave Zinman for taking on much of the echo and
file distribution.  (The phone company would like to thank him, too <g>) 
Special thanks to Dan Roseen for OT-TW and ongoing work with OTU.  Also, to
Albin Gersich, bug sniffer extraordinaire, and author of the fabulous
OTASSIST.  Jay Jackson for reminding me what time it was and to Edward
Thorne for his in depth analysis.  Extra Special Thanks to Dan Roseen for
the PR's and long hours of testing!

Certainly most importantly, Lisa my wife (to whom I am *still* married),
my partner and forever, my best friend.

Thanks to all of the Beta SysOps and the many more testers.  Don't go 
away, it ain't over. <g>  Additional contributions by Scott Streitmatter
and B.W. Behling.

Here is the current Beta Site List (next page) as of this date, if you get a
chance, tell 'em thanks...



                           Outpost Trader Beta Site List


Beta #1    The Outpost BBS, Oklahoma City, OK        (405) 677-6737 1:147/1002
           SysOp: Greg Watts

Beta #2 -  The Dreaming City, La Mesa, CA             (619) 462-8406 1:202/704
           SysOp: Joel Downer 

Beta #3 -  The Viking Tradewars BBS, Philadelphia, PA (215) 332-8514 1:273/945
           SysOp: Dave Zinman

Beta #4 -  The Harry Beast, Kent Washington          (206) 859-6157 1:343/102
           SysOp: Albin Gersich 

Beta #5 -  Alternate Reality, Ft Walton Beach FL     (904) 862-6387 1:366/12
           SysOp: Edward Thorne

Beta #6 -  Test Pattern, Mississauga, ON Canada      (905) 890-2531 1:259/524
           SysOp: Jay Jackson 

Beta #7 -  Land of the Gypsy's, Portland, OR         (503) 297-0626 1:105/18
           SysOp: Nancy Porter
                                                           
Beta #8 -  The Hole in the Wall, Denver CO           (303) 841-5515 1:104/651
           Sysop: Mike Fergione

Beta #9 -  Dr. Circuit's Lab, Milwaukee WI           (414) 966-3685 1:154/966
           Sysop: Pat Volkmann

Beta #10 - Money Matter$ BBS, Upper Marlboro, MD     (301) 952-9790 1:109:439
           SysOp: Byron Smith

Beta #11 - The RX BBS!, Groton CT                    (203) 449-8642 1:320/448
           SysOp: Robert Ramsdell

Beta #12 - Camelot, Mississauga ON Canada            (905) 566-9479 169:905/7
           SysOp: Ted Sone

Beta #13 - Look NorthWest, Nelson, Lancs, England   (44) 282-698380 2:250/116
           SysOp: Neil Metcalfe

Beta #14 - Athens IBM PC Users Group, Athens GA      (706) 354-0817 1:370/60
           SysOp: Harold Pritchett

Beta #15 - StarShip Enterprise, Titusville FL        (407) 383-9820 1:374/6
           SysOp: Alex Rose

Beta #16 - The Citadel, Mustang City OK             (405) 376-1610 1:147/3037
           SysOp: Jim Elliott

Beta #17 - Pipeline, Palm Bay FL                     (407) 728-7386 1:374/147
           SysOp: Will Crain

                            ------------------------


BUGS / PROBLEMS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you encounter problems or bugs in the game, please use the form on the 
following page to report the problem them to us.  You may send the report
to any of the listed Beta Sites or directly to The Outpost.  We will attempt
to resolve the problem and respond to the report.  However, this process
may take some time, so be patient.  

The complex nature of Outpost Trader requires lots of play to discover some
of the problems.  Also, the play will evolve over a period of time, as
players learn new and different strategies.  As this evolution occurs game
balance may also change.  It is our pledge to release updates and/or bug
fixes as necessary to maintain the competitive spirit of the game. We have
discovered that this is a painstaking process, but one we remain dedicated
to, we want you to get something for your registration.

Thank you for trying Outpost Trader!


                            ------------------------
Notes:
~~~~~~
     If you are running OS/2 and a Fossil driver... It seems the under OS/2
     that Ray Gwinns X00.SYS works better than his OS/2 version.  I haven't
     checked this out, but if you have problems try X00. 


|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|             Outpost Trader Bug Report      Date ___/___/___
|====================================================================
|
|  Version:  ______   Origin BBS:  __________________________________
|
|  SysOp Name: ______________________ FidoNet Node: _________________
| 
|  Your Name: _______________________ Address: ______________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------  
|      Please include a screen capture of the problem, if possible.
| 
|  PROBLEM: _________________________________________________________
|  
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|  
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|  
|  Your Remarks: ____________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  Suggested Solution: ______________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|  __________________________________________________________________
|
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|                           (for internal use)
|
|  Report Number _________   Status _________  Verified _________
|
|  Corrected Version:  _______________________________  Date __/__/__
|
                           - SYSOP.DOC 07/01/94 -
