Program: Alien Breed II
Author: James Vernon (Jimsoft Software)
Version: 1.1
Description: Shoot-'em-up game
Machine: TI-83
Language: Z80 Assembly Code
Released: September 1999
Size:  Aurora     - 12898 bytes, excluding ABII backgrounds
       AShell/SOS - 12870 bytes
       Normal     - 12871 bytes, excluding ZASMLOAD

**Version History**
v1.0:
- First version
- Not too many bugs
- Compatible with: AShell, SOS and the TI-OS

v1.1:
- Guardians easier on "Easy" & "Medium" difficulty levels
- Now up to 5 bullets can be shot in a row!
- Fixed small bug on Level 7
- Code totally optimised!
- Updated code documentation

**Features**
- Compatible with Aurora, AShell, SOS and the standard
   TI-OS!
- Alien Breed II background Pics for Aurora
- 3 Difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, Hard)
- 8 Stages with increasing difficulty
- Artificial Intelligence!
- 3 Queen Aliens

**Included Files**
   - ab2.83g       (program files)
   - readme.txt    (this file)
   - zab2.z80      (source code)
   - jimsoft.inc   (Jimsoft Include File)
   - Pic*.83i      (Background Pics for Aurora)

**Setup**
  Aurora Users:
     Send the file ab2.83g to your calculator. Run Aurora
   and select ABII.

  SOS/AShell Users:
     Send the file ab2.83g to your calculator. Run SOS/
   AShell and select "Alien Breed II v1.1".

  Non-Shell Users:
     Send the file ab2.83g to your calculator. Run the
   program "AB2".


**Background**
  You are a space hardened marine sent on a mission to
investigate a loss of contact with a Space Station far,
far away. You instructions are to eliminate any alien
forms you find and destroy the Space Station if deemed
necessary...

**Controls**
MAIN MENU:
  [Up]+[Down] - Toggle selected item.
  [2nd] - Select item.

IN-GAME:
  Keypad - Move your marine.
  [2nd] - Shoot.
  [Alpha] - Look (Only turn when you press arrow keys,
           instead of moving as well)
  [Mode] - In-game menu.
  [Math] - Teacher key, turns calc off. When you turn
          the calc back on, it's Paused.

PAUSED:
  [Up]+[Down] - Toggle selected item.
  [Enter] - Select item.

ENTER PASSCODE/NEW HIGH SCORE:
  [Up]+[Down] - Change letter.
  [2nd] - Select letter.

MISSION INFO:
  [2nd] -  Continue

**Notes about playing**
  In each level you will be required to do something.
Some levels, such as Level 1, only require you to find
the Deck Lift to the next level, although some levels
have a Queen Alien to be destroyed. On levels that have
an objective for you to fulfill, a destruction sequence
will begin when you have completed the objective. You
will then have a certain amount of time to make your
way to the Deck Lift.
  In the Pause menu, you have the option to continue or
retreat. Your energy, score, keys, ammo, number of
aliens killed is also displayed.
  If you are having trouble, I can give you assistance.
Feel free to e-mail me (jimbob_v@hotmail.com) and tell me
what level you're on and what the problem is that you are
having and I help you.

**Future Versions**
  This is the second version of Alien Breed II (apart
from the preview). Here are a few things I'm thinking
of putting in future versions (if I can be arsed):
- Level Editor:
This would require a different program to play the
levels made with the editor
- Sound?
- Better compression, which means maybe more levels!
- Two Players?
- Deathmatch Alien Breed?
- Different aliens for different levels
- More than one gun
- Intex Computer System just like the original games
for Amiga had!
- Animations!! (such as aliens blowing up when you kill
them)
- Ion compatible

**The Source Code**
  I have released the code for AB2 in hope that it will
aid people wishing to learn ASM. I've commented most
lines (except for bits that are similar to other bits
I've already explained) and attempted to explain it all
properly. If you can't understand parts of the code,
e-mail me!

**Known Bugs**
  It's hard to say.. here's a list of weird things that
have happened at some time or another:
- Sometimes an alien might appear in space.. I don't know
why!
- The Aliens Killed counter has started at 11000 or
thereabouts (once, this continued to happen until I
reset my calculator)
- On the SOS/AShell version, the killed counter might
start in the 50000 area constantly.. I don't know why!
- It's common for the bullets to not display properly.. so
don't stress if you are shooting and only 1 or 2 bullets
appear!
  I think that's it.. if you find anything else, please
e-mail me straight away so I can try and fix it before
the next version, although I can proudly say that Alien
Breed II hasn't crashed my calculator!

**Disclaimer**
  Due to this program being in ASM, it does low level
stuff to your calc, therefore it could make it crash,
but it shouldn't. Just in case, make sure you have a
backup of the contents of your calculator before you
put Alien Breed II on there, and if you do think that
my program has done something to your calc, feel free
to e-mail me at the address below.

SPECIAL THANX TO:
- Ian Graf for the invert_area routine taken from "Slopes"
- Whoever made ZASMLOAD
- Hannes Edfeldt for Devpac83
- Bill Nagel for Pic83, AShell
- Jareth Software and Bill Nagel for Aurora
- James Matthews for ASMGuru v4.0
- Ahmed El-Helw for the fast_vputs idea
- Joe Wingbermuehle for the optimisation tips on his
   website and for SOS
- Jimmy Mardell and Florent Dhordain for the teacher
   key routine
- Damian Green for his ideas
- Nich Constantinidis for his ideas
- Craig Stonehouse for his ideas
- Assembly83 Mailing List
- Everyone who releases their source code
- Team 17 for the original Alien Breed games for Amiga!
- And anyone else I forgot to mention!

GAME TESTERS:
- Myself
- Damian Green
- Craig Stonehouse


You may add Alien Breed II v1.1 to your webpage, but be
sure to not separate this readme from Alien Breed II!

If you have any bug reports, comments or suggestions,
or if you wish to port this game to another TI calc,
feel free to e-mail me at: jimbob_v@hotmail.com
I'm always looking for ways to improve my programs.

Alien Breed II v1.1 for the TI-83
Copyright 1999 Jimsoft Software