1A. How to Play a Game

1. Introduction to VGA Planets

Playing:

Install the Player files in the directory you wish to play the game from. If using a Registered version, be sure to

install the Registered file. This gives you access to higher technologies and access to more special Abilities and

Friendly Codes.

If the game has been modified by the Host, be sure to get copies of the modified data files to install in your game directory.

When you receive your first RST file:

Place it in your game directory.

Run UNPACK.EXE.

Run PLANETS.EXE and do your turn. When done…

Run MAKETURN.EXE to create a TRN file for your Race.

Send your TRN file to the Host so he can run the host program (HOST.EXE) and generate new RST files to send back to y

When you receive the next RST file, do it all over again.

NOTE: The PLANETS.EXE file is the Registered file. All other files are Shareware,except another file called SHIPS.EXE.

SHIPS.EXE is not needed to play the game. It is a separate utility.

NOTE: There are other third party programs that utilize the PLANETS.EXE file, but have a different user interface.

If you don't like the interface of PLANETS.EXE, use another third party interface such as VPA. Any such third party

program can be downloaded from a various sites on the internet for free.

Player Files:

Unpack.exe: decodes the RST file from the Host. The RST data is split into several DIS data files.

Planets.exe: the client interface which allows a player to issue commands to his/her empire.

Vcr.exe: this sub program can only be run from inside PLANETS.EXE. It allows a player to view Ship combats.

Maketurn.exe: encodes the data into a TRN file ready for transfer to the Host. The TRN file contains all the commands issued b

Resource.pln: contains all the graphics for the game.

Namerace.exe: a program that allows you to change the names of the different Races.

Race.nm: a data file of all the different Race names.

Planet.nm: a data file of all the different Planet names.

*.dat: these files contain all the Player's game data.

*.mof: font files.

*.dis: data files formed by UNPACK.EXE that contain new information received from the Host program.

Sweep.bat: A batch file that erases nonvital data files. DO NOT RUN THIS PROGRAM AFTER UNPACKING A FILE.

ONLY RUN IT AFTER YOU RUN MAKETURN.EXE.