Version 3 is the ability to specify a path to where the data files for the game are stored. All VGA Planets DOS programs will accept a path. If you do not specify a path the programs will look for the data in the current directory.
master dirname
Where "dirname" is the name of the directory where this VGA Planets game's data files are to reside. If "dirname" does not exist, MASTER.EXE will create it if it can. It is recommended that an empty directory be used for new games of VGA Planets.
In case you are hosting more than one game of VGA Planets, you should know that the data files for each game MUST be kept in separate directories! If you run MASTER.EXE and specify a directory containing a VGA Planets game-in-progress, the game-in-progress will be lost, overwritten by the newly started game.
MASTER.EXE allows the host to control several key game parameters:
- which races will be participating?
- whether or not each race will have a starting password.
- whether friendly codes on planets will be randomized.
- range of starting distances between homeworlds.
- mineral richness of all homeworlds.
- the starting population of the planet
- starting engine tech level for all homeworlds' starbases.
These parameters cannot be changed without destroying the game and starting over.
You don't really need to use the path option unless you are running more the one game. By using the path option you can have many games running at once on your machine and use very little extra disk space.
When you run MASTER with a path all the data important to a game will be moved to the game data directory.
You can zip up all the files in the game data directory and move them to another computer, if you should ever need to move a game to another computer.
All the EXE programs will look for game data at the path given and they will also look for the static data files in the current directory. The static data files are installed on your hard drive when you install the game.
Example: ( INSTALLING THREE GAMES )
You have installed the game on your hard drive at C:\PLANETS
c:
cd \planets
mkdir game1 <- you make the directory for the game
master game1 <- make the game universe
host game1 <- make the first set of RST files
----------------------
< Time out while you play your turn >
RUN WINPLAN
-----------------------
< START A SECOND GAME >
mkdir game2
master game2
host game2
< START A THIRD GAME >
mkdir game3
master game3
host game3
< you now have three games going >
____ game1
|
c:\planets\-+---- game2
|
---- game3
Example: ( MOVING GAME ONE TO ANOTHER MACHINE )
cd \planets\game1
pkzip game1.zip *.*
give game1.zip to the other sysop