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Missile Command 83/83+/85 version 1.0
 =====================================

 
-1. Table of contents
  0. License / Disclaimer
  1. About
  2. Requirements
  3. How to install
  4. How to play
  5. Hints / FAQ


0. License

  You can do anything you want with this game, you may copy, edit, delete it
as often you want as long as my copyright notice on the start screen still
appears. I am not responsible for lost data on your calculator as well as
hardware damage (I do not think this game could cause some) or battery waste.
This program is Open Source.


1. About

  The game is programmed by me, Rudolf Polzer, but was originally designed by
some ATARI 2600 company. It is compiled by a C compiler (or better, an alpha
version of one ;-) ) and therefore only the implementation is by me. But, if
you really want to know, my mail address is grauezellen@gibts.net. I was a
contestant at the International Mathematical Olympiad 2000 in South Korea.

Contents of the archive:

MC.TXT                  This file
MC.83P                  TI-83 version (ION)
MC.83X                  TI-83+ version (ION)
MC.85S                  TI-85 version (Rigel)
MISSILECOMMAND.C        Source code


2. Requirements

  You need a TI-83, TI-83+ or TI-85 calculator. If you do not know what this
is, forget this file and get another game. You need a PC-link cable, too;
it does not have to be a GraphLink (but you need software for it!).
  On all calcs you need about 7k of memory. And you need a shell:
    TI-83:  ION
    TI-83+: ION
    TI-85:  Rigel
  All these shells support a feature named 'program writeback' or 'fixed
address relocation'. Both of them enable the game to write highscores into
its own program area so no variable for it is created. If there is a demand,
I could create a TI-83/SOS version (which would work without shell, too), but
IMO ION is better, and without shell you would not be able to store high
scores.


3. How to install

  Just transfer it to your calculator using your link cable! If you do not
have one, but you know someone who has got the same calc and the game he can
send it to you (but then you get his high score...). The programm will have
the variable name 'MC' and will show up in your shell as "Missile Command 83",
"Missile Command 83+" or "Missile Command 85", depending on your calculator
model.


4. How to play

  First you set up the game speed using F1 and F3 (TI83: Y= and ZOOM). Then
you press F4 (TI83: TRACE) to start the game.
  The object of the game is keeping as many cities as possible surviving the
missile attack that comes from above, so you have shoot the missiles before
they destroy your cities. Of course, the number of missiles and attacks will
grow from round to round, so it always grows more difficult.
  Your controls are the arrow keys to aim, the 2ND key to shoot and ALPHA
to speed up your movement.
  When a round is over, the remaining shots are counted and added to your
score, as well as the remaining cities, and the next round begins.
  The game ends, when at the end of a round you have no more cities left. So
you really _HAVE_ to protect them!
  Of course you can send me your high score; just send the program back to your
PC and mail the 83P/85S file to grauezellen@gibts.net. My current high score
on the TI-83 is 66550.


5. Hints / FAQ

Q: Do I really have to shoot all missiles?
A: Of course you don't! But you get 20 points more for shooting a missile than
   for letting it drop on the ground.

Q: Sometimes I get additional shots. Why?
A: Find out yourself! It is not too difficult; it is strongly connected with
   the aim of the game.

Q: I want to improve my scoring!
A: 1. When you cannot do anything more, give up using the MODE key (or
      EXIT on the TI-85). You should do this just before you lose your last
      town to get points for it!
   2. Get an ATARI 2600 to play it using a joystick in color and on a big
      TV screen!
   3. Try to shoot more than one missile at once!

Q: Why is the game more/less difficult on the TI-85 than on the other two?
A: The TI-85 has got a bigger screen, so I had two choices: use always
   96 pixels on both and leave 32 pixels blank on the TI-85 or demonstrate
   resolution-independent programming. I decided for the latter.

Q: How does the scoring work?
A: Check yourself. See MissileCommand.c and look for SetScore. The score is
   multiplied by 10 for displaying (or better: I addded a '0' at the end to
   make it look bigger). You get points for cities left at the end of a round,
   for remaining shots and for hit missiles. Because of the screen width
   differences the scoring between the TI-83 series and the TI-85 is not
   comparable.

Q: The game does not show up in my shell! Where is the problem?
A: TI-85:     download the Rigel shell!
   TI-83/83+: download ION!

Q: The game freezes my calc! Where is the problem?
A: I do not know, there are no known bugs. But if you can reproduce the problem,
   you can of course mail me. --> grauezellen@gibts.net <--

Q: How to compile it?
A: At the moment: no way. The compiler (or better: the library) is in alpha 
   stage and will not be given out until it is ready or at least beta. It will
   support TI-82, 83, 83+, 85 and 86.

Q: Where to get these shells?
A: At http://www.ticalc.org in the File Archive.



 _______________________________________________________________________
/                                 |                                     \
| If you think you have too many  |R                             ****** |
| banknotes, TI-92+s or notebooks,|e                             *    * |
| you can of course send them     |p                             *    * |
| to me (grauezellen@gibts.net)   |r                             * 110* |
| ;) . What I do NOT need are:    |i                             ****** |
| - bombs                         |n                                    |
| - viruses                       |t   Rudolf Polzer                    |
| - 5 1/4" diskettes              |    -----------------------------    |
| - C64's                         |a   Kolpingstr. 5                    |
| - TI-to-TI link cables          |l   -----------------------------    |
| - Netbus                        |l   63110 Rodgau                     |
| - Back Orifice 2000             |o   -----------------------------    |
| - Micro$oft software            |w   Germany                          |
| - useless postcards (like       |e   -----------------------------    |
|   this one)                     |d                                    |
\_________________________________|_____________________________________/
