RETURN TO SWITCHBOARD |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12A. Asteroid |
|
12K. Teleport |
Return to Add-On Sub-Menu |
|
12B. Jump
Gate |
|
12L. Machines
of Yore |
1. Introduction to VGA Planets |
|
7. Minefields
Sub-Menu |
|
12C. Raceplus |
|
|
2. Race Information Sub-Menu |
|
8. Combat
Sub-Menu |
|
12D. Starbase
Plus |
|
|
3. Friendly Codes Sub-Menu |
|
9. Ion Storm
Sub-Menu |
|
12E. Tachyon |
|
|
4. Planet Information Sub-Menu |
|
10. Misc.
Information Sub-Menu |
|
12F. Fortress
Host (Fhost) |
|
|
5. Starbase Information Sub-Menu |
|
11. Strategy and Strategy Guides |
|
12G. Nemesis |
|
|
6. Ship Information Sub-Menu |
|
12. Add-on Information |
|
12H. Gryphon |
|
|
|
12I. Jupiter |
|
|
|
12J. Banzai! |
|
|
ASTEROID ADD-ON: |
|
|
Asteroid v2.0
(Shareware) for VGA Planets 3.5 |
|
|
Copyright (C) 1995-1996
Dave Killingsworth - All Rights Reserved |
|
|
VGA Planets is a
trademark of Tim Wisseman |
|
|
Overview |
|
|
Asteroid
is an add-on utility for VGA Planets 3.5 that takes advantage of the
AUXHOST |
|
|
features found in HOST
3.20. This Addon provides the
capability for Players to capture |
|
|
Asteroids and tow them
to Planets for added Mineral resources and the ability to gather |
|
|
Quadbenium (a new
Mineral) from the surface of the Asteroid and use it as a super fuel. |
|
|
Four
new Friendly Codes are introduced with this program. They are case sensitive, the (N) |
|
|
represents the Asteroid
# (not the ID#) and they are as follows: |
|
|
IAN |
Intercept Asteroid number
N |
|
|
TAN |
Tow Asteroid number N |
|
|
GQN |
Gather quadbenium from
Asteroid number N |
|
|
QJN |
Quadbenium jump (N * 10)
light years (0=10) |
|
|
With the added spacelane
activity comes some risk. Each time an
Asteroid is generated there |
|
|
is a chance that it
might strike a Planet. These Asteroids have no minds and wander blindly |
|
|
throughout the Echo
Cluster. If they strike a Planet, damage will result. |
|
|
Contents |
|
|
Asteroid contains two
programs: |
|
|
ASTEROID.EXE |
|
|
ASTCONFG.EXE |
|
|
Place these programs in
the same directory that the Host normally runs from. Asteroid requires |
|
|
access to the VGA
Planets database (HULLSPEC.DAT, BEAMSPEC.DAT, ect) as well |
|
|
as the Host database
(SHIP.HST, XYPLAN.HST, etc.) |
|
|
New Game Setup |
|
|
Before
Asteroid can be used the configuration program ASTCONFG.EXE, must be
run. |
|
|
ASTGONFG accepts one
command line parameter, the DOS path to the game directory. |
|
|
For example; to
configure a new game in E:\PLANETS\NEWGAME type: |
|
|
ASTCONFG E:\PLANETS\NEWGAME |
|
|
When ASTCONFG starts, a
configuration dialog will be displayed. Notice that the DOS path |
|
|
provided on the command
line is displayed in the path to game directory edit box. |
|
|
ASTCONFG E:\PLANETS\NEWGAME |
|
|
Default values are
automatically provided. Change them to
suit the requirements of the game. |
|
|
Each value has valid
ranges and all changes must be within the valid ranges. |
|
|
Select the OK button
when all changes have been made. The
following file will be written to |
|
|
the game directory: |
|
|
ASTCONFG.HST |
|
|
After the configuration
file is saved, a confirmation dialog will be shown at which time, if YES is |
|
|
selected the Asteroid
database will beinitialized. Additionally, the UFO database will be updated
as |
|
|
as Asteroids program
generates Asteroids and puts them into play.
These files are written to during |
|
|
initilization: |
|
|
ASTEROID.HST |
|
|
UFO.HST |
|
|
The configuration
program will create and update all necessary
files needed to run this
program. |
|
|
Asteroid Generation |
|
|
The
number of Asteroids that are allowed in the game is between 1 and 9, and
depends on the |
|
|
ASTCONFG.EXE
setting. Asteroid generation is based
on the percentage chance of appearing |
|
|
that you set in the
ASTCONFG.EXE. The type of Asteroid is
based on the following table |
|
|
(once an Asteroid has
been determined to have been generated the program refers to the following): |
|
|
Mass |
|
Warp Velocity |
%Chance of Type Appearing |
|
|
5000 KT |
|
8-10 |
|
1-5% |
|
|
4000 KT |
|
7-9 |
|
6-15% |
|
|
3000 KT |
|
6-8 |
|
16-35% |
|
|
2000 KT |
|
5-7 |
|
36-60% |
|
|
1000 KT |
|
5-6 |
|
61-100% |
|
|
Intercepting an Asteroid |
|
|
If
a ship has a Friendly Code of IAN selected (where n is the Asteroid Number)
its waypoint will be set to |
|
|
the location of the
Asteroid and it will move towards the Asteroid as Host runs. As long as the IAN |
|
|
Friendly Code is
selected the ship will keep intercepting the asteroid, as long as the Ship
has fuel. |
|
|
Asteroids move about the
Echo Cluster under their own power.
They contain a mineral called Quadbenium |
|
|
that
allows them to absorb energy from space and use it for propulsion. Asteroids move at warps |
|
|
speeds
ranging between 5-10. The exact range
for each Asteroid depends on its mass, the |
|
|
higher the mass the
higher the average warp speed of the Asteroid. |
|
|
Towing an Asteroid |
|
|
To tow an Asteroid a
starship needs to be at the same point in space as an Asteroid and select the
Friendly |
|
|
Code of TAN. This will
cause the Asteroid to be "towed" by the ship. This process requires no fuel |
|
|
expenditure by the ship,
due to the Asteroid's self-propulsion. |
|
|
Towing an Asteroid Into a
Planet's Orbit |
|
|
If an Asteroid is towed
into a planets orbit it will immediately impact onto the planet's
surface. This will |
|
|
cause
damge to the planets surface. Damage
means that colonists and natives will die (a % of them and |
|
|
lose 50 happiness
points), also, mines, factories and defense outposts will be destryoed. The
percentage |
|
|
of this damage is
determined by the ASTCONFG damage multiplier setting: |
|
|
ASTCONFG Damage
Mulitplier *(asteroid mass/1000) |
|
|
Asteroid mineral yeild
is equal to a range between 1/2 of the Asteroids mass up to its mass plus 500
KT. |
|
|
This
is the yeild from an asteroid impact for EACH mineral (N, T, D, M). So a 1000 KT Asteroid could |
|
|
yield
1500 of each mineral onto the planet (if a max yield happened). The impact will place 1/2 of the yield |
|
|
on the planet's surface
and 1/2 into the ground. |
|
|
Gathering Quadbenium |
|
|
To
gather Quadbenium you need to be in the same point in space as the Asteroid
and towing it (the gather |
|
|
code will still equal
towing of the Asteroid). If you meet these criteria and set your friendly
code to GQN. |
|
|
The
N is the Asteroid number you are towing.
Your ship will gather Quadbenium from the surface |
|
|
of
the Asteroid. The amount of Quadbenium
on the Asteroid is determined by its mass. |
|
|
The
mass divided by 10 will tell you how many micrograms of Quadbenium are on the
surface of the |
|
|
Asteroid (assuming that
none has been removed before you gather). (i.e, 5000 KT Asteroid has 500
micrograms |
|
|
of Quadbenium on the
surface). |
|
|
Starships
can only hold so much Quadbenium. This
amount is determined by the engine tech.
The max |
|
|
amount
of Quadbenium able to be stored in the Warp Core at any one time is (Engine
tech / 2)*100. (i.e., |
|
|
Transwarps {tech 10} can
hold [10 / 2 ] = 5 * 100 = 500
micrograms of Quadbenium.) |
|
|
Quadbenium Jumps |
|
|
The
only thing Quadbenium can be used for is Quadbenium Jumps. To perform a Quadbenium Jump you need
to |
|
|
have
at least 100 micrograms of Quadbenium in your warp core, a heading and a
friendly code of QJ(n). Where |
|
|
N equals the number
light years (mulitplied by 10 with 0 =
10*10) you wish to jump. |
|
|
If
these requirements are met your ship will perform a Quadbenium jump before
host runs. So yes it is possible |
|
|
to
Jump before Rob, tow or any other missions.
When the jump occurs you move along your preset heading, |
|
|
if
you have no heading you will still burn Quadbenium, but stay at the same
point in space. |
|
|
A
Quadbenium Jump of any length ( 10 - 100 Light years) burns 100 micrograms of
Quadbenium. |
|
|
The Quadbenium burn does
not depend on the length of the Quadbenium Jump. |
|
|
If
you are using WINPLAN (Planets v3.5) you can set your waypoint at a distance
longer than the length of the Q-jump. |
|
|
If you do this and havea warp setting you
will move normally after the Q-jump has been completed. (i.e. You set a |
|
|
181 LY Waypoint. You set Friendly Code to QJ0 - you quad
jump 100 light years and then the Ship moves normally |
|
|
at warp 9 for another 81
light years). |
|
|
HOST Sequence |
|
|
Asteroid |
|
|
AUXHOST 1 |
|
|
Load Asteroids |
|
|
Verify Asteroids |
|
|
Gather Ship Friendly
Codes |
|
|
Tag Asteroids being towed |
|
|
If QuadJumps Allowed |
|
|
Do QuadJumps |
|
|
Gather Quadbendium |
|
|
Move Asteroids |
|
|
Gen New Asteroid |
|
|
Intercept Asteroids |
|
|
AUXHOST 2 |
|
|
Load Asteroids |
|
|
Verify Asteroids |
|
|
Gather Ship Friendly
Codes |
|
|
Tow Asteroids |
|
|
Impact Asteroids |
|
|
Send Quadbendium Status |
|
|
Credits: |
|
|
Asteroid for VGA Planets
3.5 |
|
|
Design: Dave
Killingsworth & Dan Gale |
|
|
Special Consulting: Tim
Wisseman |
|
|
Programming: Dan Gale |
|
|
Documentation:
Dan Gale & Dave Killingsworth |
|
|
BMP Artwork: Mark
Stewart & Kenneth Wisseman |
|
|
|
Copyright ( 1995 Dave
Killingsworth All Rights Reserved No
part of the program or documentation |
|
|
may be copied, in part,
or in whole, without the written
permission of the copyright holder) |
|
|
|
************************************************************************ |
|
|
HOSTS---- You need to give a copy
of this TXT file to your players !!! |
|
|
************************************************************************ |
|
|
You also need to give
them copies of all BMP files you find in the ZIP file you got this program
from. |
|
|
Tell them that they need
to place the BMP files in the sub directory (labeled BMP) under their WINPLAN |
|
|
directory. This will
give them the BMP's they need to see the bmps linked to the messagign
system. Give |
|
|
them the BMPS.exe
program and have them run itin the BMP dir mentioned above. |
|
|
REGISTRATION INFORMATION: |
|
|
This
is a shareware copy of this program.
It will only allow type 1000-2000 KT asteroids to be |
|
|
generated. It will also send a shareware message every
10 turns or so. It will also only yield 1/4 the minerals |
|
|
to the surface of the
planet and 1/2 into the ground and 1/4 into the ether. |
|
|
Registration
of this program will get you a registered copy of the program mailed to
you. This copy |
|
|
will allow all types of
Asteroid masses tobe produced and remove the please register message. It will |
|
|
also cause 1/2 of the
yield to go on the surface and 1/2 into the ground. |
|
|
Registration information
is available in the ORDERFRM.ZIP file that was included in this ZIP file. |
|
|
There
is a message conference that is carried on the Tim Continuum and this will be
for feedback, support |
|
|
and general help with
the Addons. The conference will originate from Warp Speed BBS of Chico,
CA 916-345-6447 |
|
|
(Will
be a shared BBS with Dan and Dave's BBS). You can reach me, Dave
Killingsworth by E-mail there or Via |
|
|
internet at
capstern@aol.com |
|
|
Thank you for your
interest. |
|
|
Dave Killingsworth |
|
|
Sysop Of Dan and Dave's
BBS 916-345-6447 |
|
|
Co-sysop of Warp Speed
and Tim Continuum |
|
|
contact us via the
internet |
|
|
capstern@aol.com |
|
|
dangale@aol.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|