Trade Wars Helper Documentation for the Universe Mapping Feature of Release 8.8 Copyright 1995 Just FUN Software All Rights Reserved As of release 7.0 an additional program module was included in the ZIP file named TWHMAPER.EXE. This module utilized the course plotter of the Crai computer's CIM and a method know as Level Diagramming to assist in creating a map of the TW universe without having to explore each sector. At release 8.0 this module was updated to perform Ether Probe Mapping for the TW2002 Version 2.00 game. You can use either method in a version 2.00 game but only Level Diagramming in a version 1.03 game. The Ether Probe Mapping is discussed further down in the document. At release 8.7 this module was further updated to be able to find the Stardock and class 0 ports in the versions 2.00 game using the Level Diagramming method. This is an extra charge feature requiring a special registration key to activate. It can not be activated by itself without the standard program being registered. Registered users need only send in the REGMAPER.TXT form while unregistered users need to send in both the REGISTER.TXT and the REGMAPER.TXT forms to activate it. As there are no provisions for trying this module before registering, read the following carefully to be sure you want to register it. There can be no refunds once the key has been given out. UNIVERSE MAPPING using the LEVEL DIAGRAMMING method. The universe mapping feature using level diagramming serves two purposes. First is to locate the Stardock in those games where it is not announced on the game status display. Second is to find as many "edges" as possible so Ether probes can be sent to pass thru the maximum number of unexplored sectors. An edge is simply the link between a sector and one of sector it warps to. To use the universe mapping feature in a new game, you would generally enter the /1U command. The program would then run thru it's phases using 1 as the root sector and, when done, produce a list of sectors. In the version 1.03 game the list would be for those sectors with the highest number of potential one-way warps. The Stardock and the other two class 0 ports are generally in sectors with several outgoing one-way warps. You would then move to these sectors to see if any of them are the Stardock. In the version 2.00 game the list would be for those sectors that have the highest number of incomming warps. The Stardock and the other two class 0 ports are generally in sectors with several incomming warps. You would then move to these sectors to see if any of them are the Stardock. If the Stardock was not located in the first pass, or you want to find more edges before sending off E-probes (two to three passes are recommended for probing), enter the /U command again but with a different root sector following the /, for example, /23U. If known, use the Stardock's sector as the root sector. Otherwise use a sector with several warps (one or two-way) that is also some distance from sector one. Those listed after the first pass would be good candidates. Once you've located the Stardock and have found sufficient edges, use your turns to generate credits to buy E-probes. Then go to the stardock, buy the probes, and enter the /6E command to launch E-probes. The destination sector will be chosen so the probe will move through as many unexplored sectors as possible. The more edges found, the more effective the /6E command will be. If the number of new sectors TWH expects to explore frequently differs from the number actually found, then another pass using a different root sector would be advisable. The Stardock should always be used as a root sector before sending off probes. Also available is the /7E command which works much like the /6E command only faster and the TW Computer's I and R commands are not issued after each probe. If you use the /7E commands, you MUST issue the /k command when done probing to update the database with the warp to and port information for the newly probed sectors. You can launch hundreds of probes and then issue the /k afterward. After using the universe mapping module, the many unexplored sectors will appear on the graphics map in the color red. Depending on the number of edges found, many will also appears to be isolated sectors. This can be deceiving since they have not yet been explored and it is quite possible they warp to more than just one sector. Note also the mapping feature will automatically mark orphan sector as inaccessible to the E-probe routines. The universe mapping module will take roughly 10-20 minutes per pass in a 1000 sector universe depending on the speed of the BBS computer. You can interrupt the process at anytime by pressing the SPACE BAR key or if it hangs up for some reason, the ESC key. Just enter /U (without the root sector) to resume at the point where interrupted. If you know where the Stardock is located, doing a single pass using the Stardock as the root sectors is fairly effective. The probing phase will take at least as many probes as there are isolated sectors to map the entire universe. A rough estimate is 350 to 400 probes to fully map a 1000 sector universe although over 50% of the universe will be mapped with the first 100 probes. UNIVERSE MAPPING using the ETHER PROBING method. The Ether Probing method is a very cost effective, allbeit somewhat time consuming, process of exploring the TW2002 version 2 universe. The performance is greatly dependent on the universe generated and the speed of the BBS computer. It is possible to use a single batch of 25 Ether Probes to explored over 1000 sectors in about one and a half hours on a fast BBS machine. On the other hand, in other game setups, the same 25 probes may explore fewer that 500 sectors in four hours a slow machine. The program uses the CIM mode of the Crai computers course plotter and avoids appropriate sectors to create a path for each probe that will explores the maximum number of previously unexplored sectors as possible. The maximum warp path per probe is actually a sysop chosen option selected when the universe is first created. Most often this ranges from 25 to 45 sectors. NOTICE: In the Major BBS version "m" and eariler, Eprobes do not recognize avoided sectors so this method of universe mapping can not be used in those games. This was corrected in version "n' of the MBBS game. You can tell the process to stop at the end of the current probe, but be warned, it may several minutes just to complete the path for the probe. Be sure to have sufficient time available or press the space bar a second time. The time remaining is display on the screen throughout the process and an alarm will sound each minute starting at the ten minute mark. As with any Ether Probing scheme, their effectivness can be limited by the presence of fighters belonging to the Ferrengi or other traders. Thus the cost effectivness will be best early in a game and could become hardly worth it later in a game. This method of exploring the universe becomes less cost effective after about half the universe has been explored. After about 65 percent of the universe has been explored, using the /E or /6E commands will probably be just as effective and certainly less time consuming. Five option are available when you initiate the Ether Probing method. The first one is to use the program after all or most of the universe has been explored in what is called the "search" mode. The second option tells the program not to send probes when fewer than the specified number of new sectors will be explored. Third option limits the maximum sectors in a probe path to the smaller of the value entered and the Sysop specified warp path length. The fourth option is for printing entities (Planets, Traders, Ferrengi, Aliens) found in route on the printer or to a disk file. The last option is only meaningful in the search mode and is used to search the universe again. To initate the Ether Probing method just enter /U. Normally you would be at the Stardock sector so as to easly replenish the supply of Ether Probes. In any case the current sector should be one with at least five outgoing wraps. The program will first avoid sectors that have already been explored. If you want to quit during this process just press the SPACE BAR key. If you have avoided sectors you want to keep track of use the /b or /n commands to note them and then re-avoid them when done using /U. When the process runs out of probes or you've pressed the SPACE BAR key, most sectors will be marked as avoids. If you are just going to replenish the E-probes and/or enter /U again then leave the avoids intact. Otherwise if you need to move around the universe, you will have to clear all the avoids. When you do the /U command later it will have to avoid all the explored sectors again so they do not become part of the path for the next probes sent. Of course you will have to do the /k command when done probing to bring the Trade Wars Helper database up-to-date. This can be done immediatly after returning from the /U command whether or not you clear the avoids. Be sure to do the /k command before moving around the universe. Note: TW2002 V2B5 seems to kick one off every now an then during this process. If it happens press ESC several times until the database is saved.