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//              Multi-Platform RPG Coded by Mike Farrell (__Kain__)        //
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------------------------------Contention's Spawn v0.32b----------------------
Authored by Mike Farrell (__Kain__) AKA (Concavator)


//----------------------------------Diclaimer-------------------------------\\
  I will not be responsible to any destruction or damage my game does
to you or your computer.  In other words by double clicking the cspawn.exe,
linux cspawn executable, or windows Contention's Spawn.exe
files or by running them from the prompt you are running it at YOUR OWN
RISK.  With that said, I assure you that no intentionally harmful effects
come from my programs :).

//-----------------------------------Source---------------------------------\\
	Upon completion and copywrite of this, game I will release the source...
yaaaaaaaaay! :)

//------------------------------------News----------------------------------\\
  Finally, support for Windows and Linux has arrived.  Enjoy which ever
version you choose to run..

//---------------------------------Requirements-----------------------------\\
This game really has no requirements but here are my suggestions.

*Pentium 200mhz or faster
*32 mb of ram
*Sound blaster or compatible sound card
*Fast video card (like 2mb of vram)
*Jason hockey mask (just kidding)

The Linux version of this game was compiled and statically linked under:
SUSE Linux 7.0 kernel 2.2.16

//----------------------------------Controls--------------------------------\\
Controls for Contention's Spawn are as follows

-(Field)-
Esc                                                - Quit game
Arrow Keys or Joypad                               - Move Mike
Enter or Joypad button 3                           - Confirm
Backspace or Joypad button 2 or (Esc - menus only) - Cancel or
Left Alt or Joypoad button 5                       - Menu
F10                                                - Screenshot

-(Battle/Menu system)-
Esc or Backspace (depending on my mood :)) - Back out of menu
Arrow Keys or joypad                       - Move around menus
F10 (not in menu)                          - Screenshot

//---------------Video Mode Issue---------\\ //---Emulation mode added!!!---\\
  Now Contention's Spawn supports and emulation mode for 640x480 video
mode!!  However this mode is not as well tested as
the default 320x240 mode so bugs will arise. This will at least give all of
you who couldn't run it before, due to the video mode error, a chance to
play my game.  If there are any bugs you want to bring to my attention about
this video mode, then email me with the topic 'emulation mode bug'.


//-------------------Screen full of numbers?? (Platform Specific)-----------\\
  If you run my game and all of a sudden you see a window or a screen with
nothing but numbers and a message like "Exitting due to signal....",
"page fault", "general protection fault".  This is a DOS style of an
Illegal operation.  Don't worry nothing is damaged but it simply means
I made a mistake somewhere.  If this occurs email me with a description
of EXACTLY where the program crashed so I can fix it.  (in the
windows version of Contention's Spawn, this will appear as an
"Illegal operation" or the program will just quit without warning.  In the
Linux version, this will appear as a 'segmentation fault' or the program will
just exit.....

//-------------------------------Joystick issue-----------------------------\\
  As of now Contention's Spawn requires a 4 button joystick.  If your
joystick does not work initially.  Then change the joystick type in the
Options menu.  If it still doesn't work, then email me.

//Command switches (ALL PLATFORMS)\\
Use these for any purposes you like (cspawn [-switch])

-nojoy  :  Very important if my game reacts strangely and the cursor moves
           when you don't touch it.  This removes any joystick support.  Don't
           select a joystick from the options if you use this switch.
-mute   :  Turns all sound support off.  Use this in the Linux version if
           the game won't run due to no sound card support.  Also
           if you want to play my game and listen to mp3's at the same
           time :).
-showcoords : Debug purposes mostly...
-forcemu : For those of you that actually want to do this, this forces
	         the game to run in 640x480 emulation mode.  Reasons you might
           want to do this include, Linux windowed drivers,
           where you don't want to squint to see the screen, and you want
           a bigger window...

//---------------------------Platform Specific Issues-----------------------\\
Since I didnt' make a seperate readme for each version of cspawn, here you go,

DOS - Ahh, yes good old DOS.  This is where allegro and cspawn were both born.
      There should be MINIMAL problems under this platform due to the fact
      that this is where I actually work on the game.  However here are some
      DOS pitfall(s):

      *If you are using joystick, then turn screensaver off.  This way, you
       don't get interrupted by that annoying Windows which is jealous that
       you are playing a game under an OS besides it's self :).
      *What the fish!  Lol sorry.  I don't know why, but on certain computers
       the timer routines flake out and the game freezes or goes so slow,
       that you can't play it...If this happens, use another version of
       my game (Windows (Peh!) or Linux (Yeah, baby!))

Windows/95/98 -
          Support this OS?  Bah!  Well I figured since allegro is so easily
          portable, I would shell out a version for this OS as well.
          Pitfalls:

          *Very loud sounds.  I made this for soft sounding DOS, so some
           sounds in this version might be a little too loud for one's taste.
          *Direct X 3.0 required.  If you don't have this version or higher,
           then you are not a gamer...
          *X button on the upper right often doesn't work.  This is something
           allegro might need to improve on.  As for now, just stay away from
           the X button and pretend it is full screen..
          *Can't get game to run in full screen?  If your video card
           does not support 320x240x16 video mode, the game will not run in
           full screen.  Instead it will run in a 320x240 window.  This
           can be changed in the future if I get enough complaints.
           FIXED THIS - Now if this happens, just use the forcemu mode and
                        you SHOULD get fullscreen play...

Linux - Ahh the friendly Pengiun has come to play a game....Pitfalls:

        *Most windowmanagers mean business with that X button.  I strongly advise you
         not to click the X button on the upper right if my game runs in a
         window.  It is unlike Windows 9x that won't respond, it will plainly
         kill the app and memory will be lost.  (Linux guru's correct me
         if I am wrong).
        *Root permissions are required for alot of video modes.  I suggest you
         just log in as root to use these modes, or else you are stuck
         in a window.  To play my game full screen do the following:
           at any desktop (X server):
           * (Ctrl+Alt+F1) log in as root,
           * cd to the directory where my game exists
           * ./cspawn [-switches]
           * have fun playing my game
           * Alt+F7 to return to the X server
				*Prompt only.  Because of my current and limited linux experience,
				 Simply clicking the cspawn program will not work under the KDE.
				 You must run this game from the terminal either full screen or
				 inside a window.  (simply open the folder where cspawn is stored,
				 hit ctrl+t, and type 'cspawn')

Windows 2000/NT - ...........seriously just get out.. Close this file
                  and get out.........

//-----------------------------------Bugs-----------------------------------\\
  If you find ANYTHING (not mentioned) wrong with this game then email me at
__kain__@excite.com
In the meantime here is a buglist:

  ---------Emulation Mode---------
  *Some art near the beginning of the game (slashes from drakian soldier's
   sword's), are misplaced.
  *Glow dust item is misplaced.
  *Changing the gfx driver in the options in this mode will cause some display problems.

  ----------Normal Mode (and or emulation mode)-----------
  *If -mute switch is used, changing the options may cause program to exit with error message.

  ----------Windows only bugs (go figure)-----------------
  *When running the windows version, the program will occasionally crash on exit.  This occurs
   after all the memory is freed so the ram leak is minimal.  I believe this to be a bug
   in allegro itself but I could be wrong....DirectX is a flaky api.....

//---------------------------------Credit-----------------------------------\\
  Since I have not yet built a credit section for the game, here it is.

DJGPP - DJ Delorie - The great Guru of this GNU Compiler

Allegro Game Library - Shawn Hargreaves - Cool dude

Tilemap Editor and Routines - Henrik Stokseth (Great guy :))

Art on Charlie and great ideas; my best pally - Ian Sharp

Beta Testing - Terri Campbell, Zokeseh Labala, Bobby Mcmillan, Wes Dukes,
	       Zachary Bowman.

Music - Due to the early stages of this game, I haven't been able to come up
with much music.  I play to get some from a friend who emailed me who
does midi compositions.  In the meantime I take my hat off to the wonderful
composers that made the music I carefully selected to temporarily be in
my game and I assure them that it will not be in the completed
version.

//-----------------------------------Contact--------------------------------\\
  Mike Farrell (__kain__@excite.com)
  Home address - .......what do you think I am, stupid??  :)

