History File for Real-Time Checkers =================================== Version 2.6 ----------- This version also works with MOST fossil drivers.. QBserial which is used in DoorFrame had a new release and door was recompiled to have this new version. NOTE: Ted Freeman originally wrote this door program.. he died on July 13, 1993 and he had asked that I continue his programs should something happen to him. This door along with a few others have now joined the Livewire Collection of fine doors. Version 2.5 ----------- (06-22-93) It's here at last! This version now works with PCBoard/M. According to the current info I have, it also works with the Wildcat! IM version as well. let me know if you run into any problems on either of these two systems. Version 2.4 ----------- (03-14-93) Tweaked the ANSI detection routine some so hopefully those messages about no ANSI detected when it is actually there will go away. (02-09-93) Finally got around to expanding the COM port range. COM 0 thru 15 is now supported. (01-07-93) That old problem with the time expired when the Display was toggled off in PCBoard popped up again! Fixed one more time (gotta quit changing things). Version 2.3 ----------- (11-01-92) This Door now offers support for FOSSIL drivers! This new feature makes it compatible with most multi-port boards. If you wish to use a Fossil driver, rather than the standard COM ports, just put /FD on the command line when running the Door. For example: CHECKERS CHECKERS.CNF /FD Version 2.2 ----------- (10-10-92) Had reports of conflicts when using non-standard IRQ's on Novell/Netware systems. Seems Novell also uses the / character on the command line so something went screwy somewhere. So I added the * (asterisk) which may be used instead of the / in case of a conflict. In other words, /%IRQ% and *%IRQ% will both work and are interchangeable. (09-30-92) Added the option to abort while the 'Waiting on the other player' timer is counting down. (09-25-92) Fixed a problem where you have your choice of two jumps. If you hit ENTER it would generate an Illegal Function call. It appears that different installations of PDS produces different versions of the BRT71EFR.EXE run-time module which aren't compatible with each other. Therefore, this Door is now compiled stand-alone. You no longer need to have the run-time module for this Door. (09-23-92) Fixed a bug when restoring the screen after Chat or Drop to DOS. It would generate an illegal function call whenever it hit a blinking character. We now have support for the 30-something line DOOR.SYS file as well as the 52-line one. Corrected some errors in writing the SFDOORS.DAT file. Specifically the COMPORT% and DAILY.BYTES.ALWD& variables. (09-11-92) Finally installed the screen restore when coming back from Chat or a Drop to Dos. It will now put the screen back like it was including anything typed at an input prompt. If you had entered anything before the interruption, that is restored and you can pick up right where you left off! Version 2.1 ----------- (09-04-92) You should notice a marked improvement in speed while displaying boxes and ANSI graphics. (08-27-92) This version is mainly a maintenance release to take advantage of new features and bug fixes in the DoorFrame door utility library that is used in compiling this door. Version 2.0 ----------- Added direct support for the TriBBS software. TRIBBS.SYS is both read and written. Version 1.9 ----------- (05-25-92) If you are running under Wildcat!, this door now returns an Error Level of 1 when exiting and an Error Level of 62 for all other systems. Hopefully some of you can utilize these Error Levels when returning to the BBS. (05-15-92) We now have support for GT Power systems. The .CNF file is a little different for GT. The COM port goes on line 5 and the Node number goes on line 6. If you are a registered user of Checkers then your registration number goes on line 7. Version 1.8 ----------- (04-18-92) If you are using a non-standard IRQ, you may use an environment variable instead of specifying the actual IRQ number. Syntax is: CHECKERS CHECKERS.CNF /%IRQ% Version 1.7 ----------- (03-19-92) The door will now recognize the PCBoard %PCBDRIVE% and %PCBDIR% environment variables. For example, if your path to PCBOARD.SYS is C:\PCB\PCBOARD.SYS, you can use %PCBDRIVE%%PCBDIR%\PCBOARD.SYS instead and the door will substitute the drive and directory. This allows multi- node systems to use just one .CNF even if the paths are different for each node! Version 1.6 ----------- (03-05-92) Fixed an oversight where I was trying to kill a file and neglected to check to see if the file was actually there! Fixed a bug that produced an Error 5 if the player entered illegal characters like $, *, etc. Made the time when waiting on the second player Sysop configurable. Just stick the number of seconds on the command line. For example: CHECKERS CHECKERS.CNF WAIT:90 would make it wait 90 seconds on the other player to enter the game. If you do not specify a wait time it defaults to 60 seconds. Accepted range is 30 seconds to 180 seconds. Version 1.5 ----------- Changed from Quickbasic 4.5 to the BASCOM 7.1 compiler. Make sure you have a copy of BRT71EFR.EXE in your path! Version 1.4 ----------- 10-14-91 Added the Time Left to the input prompt. Would you believe I neglected to include the option to view the Top Ten Bulletin when leaving the game!?! Rectified. Fixed a problem where one node occasionally would not pick up the name of the other player. The game will abort now if it can't determine both players names (they are needed for the Bulletin and game saves). Version 1.3 ----------- 09-20-91 Fixed a problem with a lost carrier. If either player dropped carrier the other node would not know it and sit there dumbly waiting (that was a sticky one!). Modified the opening screen so it wouldn't take so long to display on lower baud modems. Had one Sysop report that the game didn't recognize when he had lost the game (i.e. no checkers left). Fixed. (Thanks, Greg!) 09-18-91 Added comment facility which allows the players to send messages to each other. Limit of 75 characters per comment. Version 1.2 ----------- 09-16-91 Fixed a problem with the double jump. Seems when you had a jump which placed you in the King Row and had another jump coming out, it wouldn't make the second jump until the next move. Made the board display a little speedier by printing only those checkers that were moved instead of the whole board. 09-12-91 Added the Save Game option. If a player chooses to Q]uit before the game ends, he is asked if he would like to save the game in progress. Whenever those same two players enter the game again, the saved game is loaded automatically. There is a maximum of 100 saved games. Version 1.1 ----------- 08-30-91 Fixed a bug that would take ALL existing jumps for the player instead of just one. 09-01-91 Fixed a bug that allowed a king to jump to any open square on the board. Version 1.0 (08-13-91) --------------------- Initial beta test. Not released.