THE LORDS OF MIDNIGHT - v1.01 ============================= Based on the original ZX Spectrum game of the same name, an epic fantasy game combining both wargaming and role-playing. Converted by Gareth Bell. System requirements ------------------- Psion Series 3a, with 85K free System Memory, and 145K of Disk Space (118K without On-Line Help). Note that if installed to the Internal Drive (M:), a total of 230K (203K) of System Memory will be needed to Install & Run. Midnight will therefore fit quite easily onto a fairly empty 512K model, but 256K Series 3a owners will need to install to an SSD. Accelerated and Enlarged graphics options are available in the game to enhance the effect of the 3-Dimensional landscape views. These all increase the required System Memory from the 85K base: 100K - Accelerated graphics (loads all scenery into memory) 110K - Enlarged graphics (full-screen views, superb graphics, but see below) 160K - Enlarged & Accelerated graphics (recommended if you have the space) Enlarged graphics mode produces spectacular full-screen 3D landscape views. The title-screen picture was generated from an actual game screen, and should give you some idea of how much better they are. Unfortunately, to produce them, all the graphics files need to be enlarged and re-saved. This will use up a further 77K of Disk Space, but you can opt to save them to your M: drive if you wish. This will allow their later deletion, without wasting Flash SSD space. Installation ------------ The MIDN101.ZIP file should have contained the following files: read.me - this file midnight.opa - main application midhigh.opo - " " midutil.opo - " " midhelp.opo - optional on-line help file midmap.bin - general data file olde8.fon - a mediaeval style font midchar.fon - font containing character graphics midt*.pic - 32 PIC files containing all the graphics needed for standard view mode, plus the title-screen large view sample install.bat - DOS batch file for automatic installation to specified drive using RFM or similar. If anything else is present, or missing, either the file has been tampered with, or I've added something and forgotten to update this! To install Midnight, copy midnight.opa to any \APP\ directory, and everything else except this file (and the original .ZIP!) to a \APP\MIDN\ directory on your chosen drive. Ensure you use \APP\MIDN\ and not \APP\MIDNIGHT\. The help file is optional, but only minimal instructions are given in this file. Alternatively, the batch file INSTALL.BAT will install to a Psion mapped DOS drive using RFM or similar. Just type INSTALL [drive name], eg. INSTALL D: to install to a Psion drive mapped to D: Install Midnight on your System screen (or sub-group) by using the Apps -> Install option, selecting the drive where midnight.opa was copied to, and then selecting that file. A sword icon should appear, entitled Midnight. Select this, and after a few seconds you should see the title-screen. Press any key to start the game. Good Luck! Troubleshooting --------------- If you have less than 85K free System Memory on start-up, a message will indicate this, preventing the program from running. Try closing some other applications or delete unwanted files from your M: drive. If files are missing from the \APP\MIDN\ directory, you may get a warning message, or you may not. In either case, check that all the files mentioned above are present. Getting Started --------------- Everything you need to know is included in the On-Line help, accessed through the Help key or the Menus. Briefly, the keys used are shown down the left of the screen... 1-8 - Point your present character in the indicated direction (1=North) Q - Move forwards one league (about three miles) E - List special options available R-U - Display information screens about your character W - Re-display the 3D landscape view Good Luck... You'll need it! History ------- v1.00 (03/09/95) First distributed release, available as shareware for œ12 registration (or œ8 before 29 Feb 1996). Several chunks of the original game are missing, but all the main stuff is included. The map is almost identical, but one or two region names are wrong. There are no Wolves, Skulkrin etc. to pester you which makes things a little easier. But the are no horses to replace those lost, which makes things a little harder! There is no Langour of Death, Cup of Dreams, Hand of Dark, or any special Swords, but there is Guidance, Shelter, and the Waters of Life to be found. Pictures of characters immediately ahead are not shown, but if a friendly character is ahead, a message will be given in the lower-right of the screen, and if Doomdark has an army ahead, you will be unable to move forward normally and details of his army will be given instead. There is no Save or Load game option, meaning you must leave Midnight open if you wish to hold your current place. This is first in line to be fixed. v1.01 (08/01/96) Major upgrade fixing everything listed above! Everything in the original Spectrum release is included, the exact map, pictures of character, dragons etc., all the original finds in the original places, etc., etc. Save and Load game facility allowing games to be saved to and loaded from any of eight slots with a short comment to let you know whats saved where. A few trivial bug fixes. Removal of screen-dump option (as I wanted to use Psion-S for Save Game). Help amended and extended to include the new features. Registration ------------ This program is copyright, but can be distributed as Shareware in it's original and un-altered form. Registration costs 12 UK pounds, or 8 UK pounds if registered before the 29th of February 1996. The cost barely reflects the amount of time I have put into writing and testing the program, over 600 hours to date. I totally forbid reverse-translation or other editing of the program or it's data files, if you could afford a Series 3a, surely you can spare a little more to encourage further development of this and my other programs. Instead of reverse translating and hacking it, why not write a program of your own and distribute it, and ask me anything you would like to know about this program. Registration details are included in the game, and after playing for a certain period of time, you will be occasionally reminded you have not yet registered! In return for registering, as well as the registration code, I will include a copy of the original full game instructions & story, which are copyright of Domark software. Disclaimer ---------- This program comes with no warranty of any kind, even when registered, and no responsibility is accepted by the author for any damage or loss caused by the installation, use, abuse, or non-use of this program and related materials. However, if you find any bugs, I'd be very glad to hear about them (although some strange quirks of the program are delibrate copies of how the original game worked). Also, suggestions for improvements would be appreciated, and registration will considerably increase their chance of being written! Other Programs -------------- Two, plus one under development. LOTTERY - another UK National Lottery analysis / prediction program. v1.00 Registration is optional at œ6 or so. BLACKJAK - a full implementation of Blackjack, as played in casinos across v1.01 Britain. Includes full rules and options, up to 6 human or computer players, and (if you create a set of WVE files) speech! Registration is œ6. SOCCER - still under development, a football match result predictor, based Beta on the team's recent form. Ultimately, will become a full Pools predictor. First release will be around April '96 (possibly). A final note ------------ Thankyou for taking the time to try this program, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Domark software for their fabulous PC game Lords of Midnight: The Citadel, the third part in the Midnight trilogy (this is the first). Thanks to Psion for their wonderful organisers. Thanks to Steve Litchfield for his 3-Lib collection, and hopefully including this in it! Finally, thanks to Mike Singleton for his superb Spectrum games, Doomdark's Revenge and Lords of Midnight, still my all-time favourites.