Toyland Readme File ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-10-95 -------- Version 0.43 Tried to fix the reported bugs. See versions.txt for more information. Files are the same as before (Toyland.zip = hicolor, Toyland-256.zip = 256 colors, Sound.zip, Data.zip) 10-10-95 -------- Version 0.42 Just improved the 256 color version and added a rude speed control. This will be improved AFTER the public demo release. 08-10-95 -------- The new version is 0.41. Some major features have been added. The game now knows players and puppets to rescue. You have to login. Toyland will keep track of the finished levels, your times / moves / restarts. When you finish a level the first time these values are stored - when you leave an unfinished level they will be stored as well. The level infor- mation dialog now has the best time / best moves added. The options are written to an ini file (a local ini file - Toyland won't change your system files!) You may no longer skip unfinished levels - I created a player - T(r)oy - who has rescued the first puppet (Sharee Ware) so you can select these levels when using that player. I tried to create some fairly good high- scores (i.e. not perfect but also not too lame) with T(r)oy. Please test this version for the following features: - Add players - Player statistics - Correct level assignment Toyland seems to mix up puppet / level connections sometimes - please watch it carefully - do things I never expected someone to do. Sometimes my level was set to the one I left when leaving puppet Sharee Ware while the puppet was set to Xan Beta. Please watch out for such problems!!!! The *delete* button does not work yet in the login dialog - but when you delete all player*.toy (including players.toy) ALL players (including T(r)oy will be deleted. Make sure you don't delete the state*toy files - or you won't be able to play any non self-made level! You need Toyland.zip and Data.zip - if you have a previous version you don't need Sound.zip. I will upload a Toyland-256.zip (256 color version) on Tuesday. The two puppets are the well known levels in Sharee Ware (guess which levels will be in the Shareware version ;-) and Xan Beta - the levels by the beta testers - well the levels by Wim. Hope I will get more for this puppet soon :-) YES - I will use bitmaps instead of those ugly buttons to select the puppet - but I need some testing input so I did it fast. YES - There will be a finished state graphics - but (see above). PLEASE test this version as hard as you can - I need as much input as possible befor releasing the public demo!!!! 23-09-95 -------- The new version is 0.37. But there are still some known bugs - please watch them carefully so you can tell me when they appear and when they don't - this would help me solve the problems. From now on the game will be split in two major files: - toyland.zip has the executable - sound.zip has the sounds Since there is no change in the sound you don't have to download this file. Simply copy all of the .wav to the dir of this release or copy this release over the old one (although I don't think that is the best idea ;-) you never know the *features* of a new version. The major new features are: 256 color should work now and some configuration. The known bugs (which are in the game since 0.355) are: - Undo in CHESS will not repaint the previously moved figure (although it will be updated - the graphics won't) - Some figures in CHESS will not correctly be redrawn in some cases. One example: When moving a rook and then moving to the square it occupied before the rook will not be redrawn after UNDO. I hope you can help me find out when it happens and when not. The options notebook only displays the first letter of the option (sound, control) - if anybody knows what I need to do to get the whole title in the tabs please tell me. Please test: - run the game in 256 colors - start other apps (I know some will reduce the colors in the game). Does it work for you - are there still some effects like the yellow / purple one in the previous version? What do you dislike about the new colors (of course they look poorer than the hicolor version). - test the options. Try running the game when your sound device is blocked. This version is supposed to switch off the sound in that situation so it should no longer hang. - stress test the program - one tester reported crashes after about 2 hours of game play - maybe you can keep the program in the background and play or edit once in a while - be careful with what you do: Since this is still a beta it might be no good idea to do critical / unsaved work while testing the game. I hope the mailing list will soon be available so we can discuss some features for the demo release. A release with some more bug fixes / enhancements will soon be released and will either be 0.38 or 0.37b. That version will probably be in hicolor. 26-08-95 -------- The new version is called 0.355 which means it even has some known bugs. Known bugs: - graphic different when repainting <-> when moving - Undo in CHESS will not repaint the previously moved figure (although it will be updated - the graphics won't) - Some figures in CHESS will not correctly be redrawn in some cases. If you find such cases please tell me what happened - The rooks' movement is ugly somehow Expected bugs: - King movement: Please try to edit some levels in CHESS and put the king(s) in different positions. It is supposed to go the shortest way to the goal as long as that way is free or move to any free square if there is no way to the goal. Please test difficult situations - there may be more than one king so there are xxxxx different situations and that's one of the things the beta test is for ;-) If you find more bugs, please report them - if you find out more about the bugs listed above report as well. Please remember that I will be in Sweden until Sept. 11th - you can mail me any time you want (so you don't have to remember later on) and I will take care of the reports when I'm back. The updated html files from my site (text only) come with this version again so look there for a short *manual*. 18-08-95 -------- I just added a few fixes. See versions.txt for details. The MMOS/2 problem is still not fixed see 15-08-95. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15-08-95 -------- I sent you all information by mail - so I didn't make any changes here. Just remember to make sure MMOS/2 is available... I will keep the old readme if you want to chack anything again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 08-08-95 Warning: This release ONLY supports hi-color - the templates won't work in 256 colors yet (at least on my machine) which leads to funny effects. So switch to hicolor in your system settings!!! A 256 color version will (probably) be available later! Welcome to the pre-Beta stage of Toyland. I hope you will have fun testing this game and be helpful for further development. Pre-Beta means this game has only be tested on my own machine and I am doing a test witch only few users to get more information on compability, playability and collect ideas. It is most important that you DON'T SPREAD THIS RELEASE!!! This is a closed test and I stay in mail contact with you. You can report any error and problems to me so I will be able to find a solution. If this release would become public most people would not recognize it to be a pre-Beta and were no longer interested in the first official release. Since I assume you want more OS/2 games (just as I do) please accept this restriction. If you know anyone whom you think to be a suitable beta tester you may give him / her my email address so he / she can contact me. Please leave it to me to decide who may join the pre-team (I will most likely accept anohter tester but want to keep track of who is testing the game so I can stay in contact with all testers). Most information on the game can be found in the .html files in this release. They can be found in the /html directory. Simply use WE's Load File on Toyland.html. They are the same as my homepage at http://www.uni-koeln.de/~a0085/Toyland.html Check this site for updated information. It will keep track of each new version of the game. This page will be announced in comp.os.os2.games soon to see if people are interested in the game (and to do a little advertising). This beta currently features 1 state with 6 levels. The first one is just an introduction to the items of the state. There are no obstacles between you and the goal. This level has the purpose to introduce the objects of the world. Each state will have such a level. The next pre-release will have more levels (so you'll have more to play). What you need to do: - Unzip Toyland.zip to any directory - If you don't have a runtime or full version of the emx.dll get it from Hobbes or Leo and put it in any dir pointed to by your LIBPATH. - Change to the Toyland directory and type Toyland... or - Create a program object. WARNING: This game currently doesn't write its own ini information so it has to be started from its directory so be sure to set the Working Directory as Well as the Filename! The current features include: - Play Mode (normal mode) with toolbar. Just move the mouse over a button to see (in the statusbar) its function. - Edit Mode with toolbar. Click on an item to make it active. Click right on the buttons with the red triangle to get more obstacles - warning: this won't press the button but only select the active element for that button. You can change the level as you like HOWEVER YOU CAN NOT SAVE IT. But if you leave edit mode, restart will restart your level (not the original) - so you can play around with it - and you will be able to export it. If you happen to create a level that is funny or challenging or simply good export it (file will be export.dat) and email it to me. I will write an import function for my version soon - so I can play some levels, too .-). Since any level keeps the author information, I will put the best levels in the release. So mail me your levels! - Keyboard (cursor keys) and mouse control (see arrow for direction) - Free choice of level with next / previous (this will be password dependent in the release version). So you can test any level. - Undo last move (hope this one works... I just wrote it) Features still to come: - MMOS2 - Joystick - DIVE ????????? - 3D look - Export function which puts your level in 7-bit plain ascii format which can be emailed (do so!!!). The final release version (the registered of course) will have the import function so users can email each other their private levels. This feature already worked - but failed after building this release... - this function will be included in the next version which will be released by the end of this week. - more states (chess, circuits, maybe trains, ????). If you have any great ideas mail me. - more graphics (the altar of lost souls etc.) - MAYBE some videos (.avi, .mpeg or .fli) - secret levels ??? - EMAIL ME and tell me what you'd like to see in this game. - Bugfixes - a silly bug has made is way to this version. Some strings seam to overlap - producing the export error and sometimes defect dialog entries. If you are able to reproduce this error - or if the program crashes on your machine - please tell me how and when! So enjoy the game - and tell me what you think of it. --------- Final Note: Since I spent most of the time to get a more or less reliable version this readme was done quick and dirty - so plEazE XcUse naY TYPoSS ;-) if you have further question, mail me at menge@rrz.uni-koeln.de Oh - and each level has a solution (I just tested them again). This is the only thing I guarantee for ;-) - Rainald Menge