May 17, 1996 ------------ Iron Ox v. 3.00 for DOS and OS/2 Special thanks this version to: Jim Chapman, Albin Gersich, and Dan Kane for superb suggestions and feedback, Randy Culler for very helpful feedback on game performance, and David Hasbrouck for taking over the load of coordinating Ox League 277 and freeing me up for more work on the game. I'd also like to give special recognition to the testers on The Dreaming City, some of whom have faithfully banged on this game for over three years now. Kudos to Greg and Angela Allen, Jessie Martin, Debi Owens, Vince Pangelinan, Isaiah Surbrook, and Jason Golden. Every door author should have such intelligent and loyal support on the home front. :-) [û] Add programmable drones to work the land and fight in real time. [û] Implement Harvester (land work/improvement) drone. [û] Implement Deinonychus 3000 (attack/sabotage) drone. [û] Add hooks for four other drone classes for later release. [û] Add hooks for player-designed drones for later release. [û] Allow drones to be launched from BBS to BBS in a league. [û] Make dynamite available to everyone, easier to get. [û] Change screen, shrinking map to make room for real-time messages. [û] Add detailed plot information pane. [û] Add "Attack" to main menu (rather than a submenu) and display who's here on main screen on each move. [û] Display aliases (not real names) in chat, messages, etc. [û] Fix problem with "disappearing mutts." [û] Add hidden genetics lab for contest -- see IRONOX echo for details! February 18, 1996 ----------------- Iron Ox v. 3.00wb3 for DOS and OS/2 Special thanks this version to: Tom Barstow for lots of league and LC-specific feedback, to Herbert Bushong for PCBoard information, to Bob Juge and Stewart Gay for Binkley information, to David Hasbrouck for excellent suggestions on improving the packet system, to Brad Formaker and Bob George, and to Albin Gersich and Jim Chapman for a mess of excellent feedback and bug reports. Great job, guys! [û] Add IBBS logging options to help track down league problems. [û] Change to IBBS packet-naming system compatible with BRE/FE. [û] Add code to append to existing packets when possible. [û] Add code specifically to support the Binkley mailer and .FLO files. [û] Reawaken the bulletin code, keyed to IRONOX /BULLETINS. [û] Add four new interBBS-specific bulletin types. [û] Add support for PCBoard bulletins. [û] Include recon date in IBBS high score listings. [û] Improve control of/feedback from interBBS attacks! [û] Increase the importance of forts in IBBS battles. [û] Improve RIP graphics and icons. [û] Add automatic icon transfer for RIP users. [û] Allow successful IBBS attacks to steal land. [û] Add interBBS news about important events. [û] Improve IBBS spying/sabotage system. [û] Improve land report. [û] Make dynamite (somewhat) easier and less tedious to get. [û] Disable the beta cheats menu this time. (Oops...) [û] Fix a number of other glitches and defects. December 1, 1995 ---------------- Iron Ox v. 3.00wb2 for DOS and OS/2 MAJOR RELEASE (Yes, we've packed in two just during wide beta! ) Special thanks this version to: Dan Hunt, the ZC of Dragon Net, and all the members of Dragon Net Iron Ox League 277 who have helped me make the interBBS code work! Particular thanks also to Dan Shore, whose work promoting the game and working on a player's FAQ has been a big help, and Jim Chapman, whose experience as an interBBS LC helped me avoid some nasty pitfalls. Greg Allen's enthusiasm back here on The Dreaming City has also made a huge difference. [û] Add support for interBBS league play. [û] Implement recon and message system. [û] Implement interBBS attacks and group attacks. [û] Implement interBBS spy and sabotage operations. [û] Support up to 100-BBS leagues. [û] Update OxConfig for easy interBBS setup. [û] Add new ranking system appropriate for interBBS play. [û] Add scoring rewards for good land work, improvements, and attacks. [û] Allow Sonic Cannons to fire at incoming IBBS attacks. [û] Add routines to return attacks lost in transit. [û] Add support for automatic nodelist updates. [û] Support packet transmission through Fido or UUCP (internet). [û] Add new playability features like the transporter and bicorder. [û] Encrypt data files and packets to discourage cheating. [û] (At least) double the speed of maintenance. [û] Add "map modes" highlighting road and product concentrations. [û] Add Ctrl-Z "Advisor" to help out new players. August 3, 1995 -------------- MAJOR RELEASE Iron Ox v. 3.00wb1 for DOS and OS/2 Special thanks for this version to RogueMoonRips and Sandy Chidester for providing *fabulous* RIP art for the game. Sandy was too shy to want her name on the game welcome screen, but she deserves credit for her terrific work! [û] Added new "plot-oriented" movement and menu system; eliminated "Gods-eye" view of the map. [û] Removed support for multiple simultaneous games; added support for more players, longer games. [û] Added complete combat system with cybermutts. [û] Added support for real-time multiline interaction and combat. [û] Added full support for RIP graphics, including local DOS graphics. [û] Added land improvement system reminiscent of Civilization. [û] Added option to "work the land" for products. [û] Added maintenance costs for improvements and cybermutts. [û] Eliminated the "one game entry per day" restriction. [û] Added forts for defense of territory. January 12, 1994 ---------------- Iron Ox v. 2.01 for DOS and OS/2 [û] Fixed problem that was causing 2.00 to crash with "Can't lock user index" when purging inactive users. [û] Increased the speed of various sections of the program, especially the AI player routines. [û] Fixed "printf: floating point formats not linked" when editing store data under OS/2. [û] 2.00 wasn't always finding DORINFOx.DEF, even when the DORINFO sysop was following directions perfectly. Should be corrected. [û] Fixed a number of other minor glitches. December 16, 1994 ----------------- MAJOR RELEASE Iron Ox v. 2.00 for DOS and OS/2 Special thanks for this version to Andrew Crispen, who almost single-handedly alpha tested the AI player code for me. He deserves tons of credit for the parts of the AI code that work well, and no blame for any parts that don't. New Features [û] Computer-controlled players; support for "mixed games" between humans and AI's as well as one-player games against the computer! [û] Player-selectable game difficulty level. [û] Variable-sized map (up to eleven times larger than in 1.x). [û] Multinode messaging and chat under DOS version of the game. [û] Spy database. [û] Option to join game midway by replacing AI players. [û] Option for AI players to take over the characters of AWOL players. [û] Lower memory requirements (by about 75k). [û] New terrain types (desert and swamp). [û] Option to hide products on unowned plots of the map. [û] Depletion of heavily-mined squares. [û] Spoilage when player holds a large surplus of any product. [û] Option to explore map to collect information and look for products. [û] Many new configuration options, including "Total turns per day." [û] Support for Wildcat 4.00's SYSINFO.DAT file. [û] "Paper-saving" electronic notepad for players and communes. [û] Option to "catch a ride home" (concede) with sysop-configurable penalty. [û] Much more! June 17, 1994 ------------- Iron Ox v. 1.11 for DOS Bug Fixes [û] Fixed defect in prize processing function that was causing incorrect on some systems and sporadic lockups on at least one. [û] Fixed problem that sometimes caused "abnormal termination" of conversion utility. [û] Editor corrupted screen when sysop set plot owner to "No One." [û] "Change game length" feature in the editor wouldn't accept all valid numbers. May 27, 1994 ------------ Iron Ox v. 1.10 for DOS Competitive Features [û] Players may now play their first turn *AS SOON AS THEY START OR JOIN A GAME*; they do not need to wait for other players. [û] Added complete team support, with pooled scoring and mutual access to inventory. [û] Added Sheriff's Office as countermeasure to stealing. [û] Added option to order pizzas for other players. [û] Caper's vacations are now keyed to boredom. Player must "keep Caper entertained." [û] Players may summon the luxite pirates to cause a luxite shortage. [û] Added option to bribe newspaper reporter. [û] Added "Trojan Ox" as countermeasure to sabotage (registered-only). [û] [û] Player may choose game length within sysop-selected limits (registered-only). Playability Changes [û] Added option for player to specify min and max players in game. [û] Added small individual "presents." [û] Added trade deal menu with option to skip, edit, and delete deals. [û] Added option to review already-received messages. [û] Players may now claim an extra plot of land when they miss a turn. [û] Game now makes note of records in the planetary newspaper. [û] Added limit on the number of oxen the factory can make each month. [û] Added option for player to (V)iew a Game when not his/her turn. [û] Gave player option to "go home early" when everyone else is dead. [û] A player may now resume turns interrupted by lost carrier so long as he/she is the next person into the game. [û] Players who don't play for several turns are now declared AWOL. February 11, 1994 ----------------- Initial release: Iron Ox 1.00!