WARPATH INSTALLATION NOTES
(c) 1994 Synthetic Reality, Co.
INTRODUCTION
Warpath is a multi-player, real-time Windows space conquest game. It is the
first real-time, multi-player Windows game to be produced by Synthetic
Reality Co. We hope to generate additional titles based on the success
of Warpath, so please encourage us. Our address(es) are given at the
end of this file and we would love to hear your ideas, suggestions, and
even bug reports. We will try to acknowledge all input, but if we can't,
please understand that it isn't that we don't care, it's just that we're
too busy spending your check on the beaches of the French Riviera.
LEGAL STUFF
Warpath is the copyrighted work of Dan Samuel for Synthetic Reality, Co.
The shareware version may be freely distributed so long as no files are
changed or omitted. Synthetic Reality retains the right to deny
retransmission rights to anybody whom we deem is mean to us.
If you are in any doubt, the "About..." selection from the Help menu will
clearly identify whether you are running the shareware or registered version.
>>>>>> DO NOT DISTRIBUTE THE REGISTERED VERSION. <<<<<<
See below for details on how you may obtain the registered version.
INSTALLATION OF REGISTERED VERSION FROM FLOPPY
Registered Version Only
1.) Boot your computer and get Windows 3.1 running
2.) Insert Warpath Install floppy into drive A: (or B:)
3.) Select "Run..." from the FILE menu of the Program Manager
4.) Type "A:\setup" (or "B:\setup")
5.) Press OK, or hit enter.
The installer should do the rest. It will create a program group and items
for both Warpath and the Warpath help file. To play Warpath, just double
click its icon.
INSTALLATION OF SHAREWARE VERSION FROM COMPRESSED ARCHIVE
The shareware version of warpath is distributed as a single ZIP file. To
install this version, you must:
1.) Create a new directory (recommended name: Warpath)
2.) Copy the ZIP file to this directory
3.) Unzip the file, using PKUNZIP 2.04g or later
4.) Create a windows program item for WARPATH.EXE
To create a windows program item, run Windows and select "New..." from
the FILE menu of the Program Manager. Tell it you want to create a
program ITEM. Then use the BROWSE button to get to your new WARPATH
directory and select the file WARPATH.EXE
SHORTCUT
A little-known secret of Windows 3.1 is a simple way to create program
items. Just open the File Manager and find the file WARPATH.EXE and
DRAG IT TO A PROGRAM GROUP. You have to have the File Manager in a
non-maximized state so that you can see a program group peeking out
from beneath its window. Windows will automatically create a program
item for you and select the proper icon and everything. This trick
is mysteriously undocumented in the online help for windows. I'd like
to thank Darrin Bogue for bringing it to my attention (and Tommy Ward
for being the bearer of good news!)
HELP IN PLAYING THE GAME
Well, Warpath, being a sophisticated Windows Application, comes with a
huge on-line help file, so I won't bore you with the exciting details
here. If you used the automatic Windows Setup program, you will have
a program group called WARPATH which will have an icon for the game, as
well as a yellow question mark icon for the help file. You would normally
access help while you were playing the game, by pressing one of the
many HELP buttons, or making a selection from the attractive pull-down
HELP menu.
However, you can also open help directly from the windows Program Manager
just by double clicking the yellow Question Mark. Another seldom mentioned
fact about Windows is that you can turn ANY *.hlp file into a program item
and thereafter be able to open the help file of an application without
first opening the application itself.
GAME CONNECTION BBS
On this diskette, you should find a file called "BBSLIST.TXT". This file
was provided by Sirius Software (whose BBS # is (307) 237 2112) and is a
partial list of BBSs which support GAME CONNECTION games. These BBSs make
it possible for up to four players to take part in a game of Warpath where
each player has just a PC and a modem (no network required).
Full details can be found in the Warpath on-line help file, however all you
have to do is use Warpath's Modem Chat Lobby to dial into one of these BBSs,
log into the GAME CONNECTION section, select LINE MODE protocol and you're
on your way!
GAME REGISTRATION
Uh, well... Warpath is going to bug you a lot asking for money. Ben and I
hope that you enjoy Warpath. And.. well.. we hope you'll send us a check.
It would also be nice to hear your ideas for enhancements, as well as other
real-time multi-player Windows games you would like to see.
If you would like to receive a Registered copy of Warpath, please send us:
>>>>>>>> $19.95 + $3 Shipping/Handling <<<<<<<<
(That's $22.95 total)
and we will mail it to you. If you live somewhere far far away (like Europe),
you'd better include enough extra for international postage. You be the
judge.
We can be reached at:
Synthetic Reality, Co.
1248 Van Dyck Dr.
Sunnyvale, CA 94087 USA
compuserve: 70110,434
internet: 70110.434@compuserve.com
And if you REALLY love Warpath, feel free to send us all the money you have!
We'll start a cult, Just For You!
The help file is loaded with helpful hints as to how you may pay us!
SPECIAL DISCOUNTS
Synthetic Reality offers the following discount structure for multiple copy
orders (if you and your friends want to pool together for a single order,
for example).
For multiple copies of Warpath, please include $14.95 per copy, plus
$3 shipping and Handling for each shipping destination. For example,
If you order 10 copies, all sent to a single address (in a single
delivery), your total cost would be (10 x $14.95) + 3.00 --> $152.50,
a savings of 33 percent! If you ordered those same 10 copies shipped
to 10 different destinations, the total would be: (10 x 14.95) + (10 x 3)
--> $179.5, which is still over 20% off, so pool those orders!
The S/H charge for all international orders is $4 for the Americas,
and $5 for everywhere else.
REGISTRATION VIA COMPUSERVE
If you have a Compuserve account, you may find it easier to order/register
via the Compuserve Shareware Registration Forum (GO SWREG). Warpath can
be registered there with ID 3860. It is unfortunately not possible to
offer the multi-copy discount through this forum (Compuserve just doesn't
know how to handle this complicated transaction), so you might want to
mail in multiple-copy orders.
WHY SHOULD YOU REGISTER???
Well, aside from it being the 'right' thing to do, this is a good question.
On the one hand, it's good for me. I would like to be able to devote more
time to this sort of activity. It's a relatively minor amount of money for
you, and yet could be something substantial for me, if I can convince enough
of you to write checks. If I were to somehow become rich off of this
(not bloody likely, I admit), it would sort of validate the whole Capitalism
Thing and make you feel more hopeful for your own future. So it might be
good for you in that regard, as well.
Although, it probably isn't apparent from my writing, I really am a pretty
decent guy, and probably as deserving of your check as anybody else you
might give your money too. But it's just a game, and fundamentally it is
meant to entertain you. I hope that it does, and that it isn't too much
effort for you to send a check.
But, getting back to the original question, what's in it for you?
Well, the registered version is DIFFERENT from the shareware version. For
one thing, as new features are added, they will be added to the registered
version, so you may get stuff which we can only GUESS at right now.
One big feature missing in the shareware version is support for Network play
over an IPX (Novell) network. Also, the shareware version imposes certain
limits on how many of certain items you can buy for your ship in multiplayer
mode (in SOLO mode, you have no such limits).
This puts you at a small, but significant, disadvantage when playing other
people, who have registered. I.e. you will probably lose. My hope is that
this will be just irritating enough to get you to register. Of course, I
really don't want to irritate you at ALL, so these limitations do not in any
way make it impossible for you to win. In fact, you might enjoy it more
because of the challenge.
And, again, when you are playing by yourself, the limits are gone. But
Warpath is a lot of fun in multi-player mode. You can play it one on one, or
with up to four. You can play it modem to modem, across a network, across
internet (with telnet), or using a multiplayer host (like Game Connection,
from Sirius Software). I hope you'll find it to be an addictive game. I
know it's a hassle to write a check and address an envelope, but Ben and I
would really really appreciate it, if you could find the time.
Thank you for playing Warpath!
Dan and Ben
Synthetic Reality, Co.
Halloween Eve 1994
CD: Alpha Books