Every Windows machine running VGA Planets version 3.5 requires its own registered copy of VGA Planets. If you install the same program (same serial number) on more than one machine the players using the same registered copy will be destroyed by something called The Tim Continuum
All the computers must have the planets player files installed in a directory. One computer must act as host and have the host files installed. You can use a network to transfer RST and TRN file back and forth or you can use a pair of floppies.
Using a pair of floppies:
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Label floppy one "RST result files".
Place the "RST result files" floppy into the host computer and copy all the RST files from the Planets directory onto it.
Pass the floppy around to each player so that they can copy the file that belongs to them into their Planets directory.
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AN EXAMPLE:
Player 2, the Lizard player, has the game installed in
directory c:\PLANETS
The Lizard places the "RST result files" floppy into drive a:
copy a:\player2.rst c:\planets
The Lizard player then passes the floppy along to the next
player who hasn't yet gotten their RST file yet.
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Players must run UNPACK to decode the RST into data files. The players may then run PLANETS and play the game. After finishing their turn they exit the game and run MAKETURN that generates a new TRN file.
Label floppy two "TRN the players turns".
Pass "TRN the players turns" around to each player that has finished their game turn and ran MAKETURN already. The players then copy the TRN file in their game directory onto the floppy and pass the floppy along to the next player.
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AN EXAMPLE:
Player 1, the federation player, has the game installed in
the directory c:\PLANETS
The fed player places the floppy "TRN the player turns"
in drive a:
copy c:\planets\player1.trn a:
The fed player then passes the floppy along to the next player.
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After all the TRN files are gathered, they are all copied into the host's data directory from the floppy "TRN the players turns".
The game administrator will then run HOST. This will decode all the TRN files and generation brand new RST files.
The whole cycle repeats . . .
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