ACE-CONTROL
		     for Red Baron & Mission Builder

To install Ace-Control just copy ACRB.EXE to the sub directory where the 
files for Red Baron & Mission Builder are located.  Ace-Control must have 
access to the *.DAT files in order to function.  Then type ACRB at the 
command prompt.

Ace-Control is simple to use.  In most instances all you have to do is use
the ARROW keys to select, then press the ENTER key to choose that selection.
The program will ask you if that is what you want and a yes answer writes it
to the file.  Simple as that.  

The program offers you certain controls over the ROSTER.DAT file.  The 
reason I say certain is because I have tried to observe the basic integrity
of the simulation.  You can't change points or victories etc,.  But....

The main menu offers four choices:

1. Current Roster
    a.) Select the pilot you want to work on and change his name.  I 
        like this feature since I can input numbers, dates, essentially 
        anything the keyboard can type. 
	
    b.) Change each pilots status... You can bring the "Killed in Action" 
	back to life.  
		
    c.) The third choice under this menu allows you to change the 
	pilot's personal aircraft.

	A word of caution:  

	You can change to an aircraft before the game issues it.  However,
	if you switch back to an earlier model while in the game it can 
	cause the program to crash!  Either use Ace-Control to change your 
	aircraft or wait till your current aircraft has been officially
	issued in the game.

    d.) The forth choice under this menu allows you to change the date to
	November 1915.  This choice is only available at the very beginning 
	of the game (Dec. 1915).  It's a small thing but if you start at 
	the beginning of the war this option gives you one more month.

    e.) The last choice under this menu allows you to change your squadron.
	It will display a list of the currently active and available units
	you can join.  It does not display where each unit is currently
	located.


2. Top Aces
    a.) The first choice for this menu allows you to change the names of
	the pilots under Best Careers.  Again I like this feature since I 
	can use dates instead of names to keep track of past missions and 
	careers.

    b.) The second choice for this menu allows you to change the rank of a
	pilot who has achieved at least 81 victories.  James "Jaybird"
	Johnson originally started this policy and I'll adhere to it.  The
	81 count is one more than Manfred von Richthofen achieved and
	represents a fair measure of skill before a pilot is promoted to
	Major or Hauptmann.

3. Best Missions
    a.) This choice basically allows you to change the names of the pilots
	under Best Missions.

4. About Ace-Control
    a.) This choice simply gives basic information about the program.
    

While in Ace-Control notice the bottom message box.  It will tell you what
to do.  It's really much easier to operate then write directions for!

That's it, but later I may post something (if there's interest) to tie in 
Red Baron, AOTP and??? AOE. 


DISCLAIMER:

Dynamix neither supports nor endorses hex editing, patching nor altering 
their executable software and tables.  You do so at your own risk.  If Red
Baron should stop functioning or return error codes after using Ace-Control,
DO NOT CONTACT DYNAMIX. It is not their responsibility to help users 
recover from problems caused by unauthorized altering to their software.  
If problems occur after using Ace-Control, contact the author below.  You 
should save a backup file of Roster.dat in case Ace-Control is not 
compatible with your system.

WARRANTEE:

The Warrantee on this product is exactly what you paid for it.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

Bill "Samurai" Ciciora and James "Jaybird" Johnson for inspiration from 
their work on Red Baron and the Mission Builder Patch Kit.  With special 
thanks to "Jaybird" who has meticulously searched and made available his 
findings on Red Baron codes.

Thanks to Ethan Winer of the MSBasic forum here on CIS, author of "PC 
Magazine's BASIC Techniques and Utilities."

AUTHOR:

Bill "Mac" McNeal 76517,1336

This file is from the Flight Simulation Forum,
CompuServe Information Services