-=============--==============-
-=-===  Elven Revolution ===-=-
-=============--==============-

-===  Source Package ===-

Version: 0.9

Dario ff
Date: 2009-12-22


====================================================================================================



ATTENTION: Due to size restrictions on Christmas Hack '09, the source package of
Elven revolution has ridiculous downsized resources. The Binary package has the real
resources of the game.

YouŽll need to download the """source package""" too because it contains some of the needed dlls
to run the game.
 I had to cut down the dlls from the bin package in order to keep the size of the file down 
to 10 MB.

* You'll need Allegro 4.9.14 dlls!

You can download the dlls(allegro-4.9.14-mingw-bin.zip) from "http://www.allegro5.org/", 
or more specifically

"http://www.allegro5.org/index.php?option=com_phocadownload&view=category&id=9:4914-binaries&Itemid=53"

Sorry for the trouble. IŽll post a Full version with all the dlls in the The Depot in
allegro.cc later.

=====================================================================================================


== The Source Code ==

One thing before you look at the source code. It's a complete mess. Unoptimized, a lot of bad practice,
a LOT of global variables. A weird mixture between C and C++. I don't want feedback on how bad it is,
because I already know what's wrong, and I'll fix it in a next release. The cause of this mess is
because:
- The little time I had made me recycle a lot of really old projects I had and merge them.
- I haven't coded a new and clean framework, and the actual one is just a mixture of my old creations.
- I was just lazy. :P
- I'm still learning.
- I consider myself more of a game designer than a clean coder, and I spent more time on other stuff
than a "nice" code.



== Installation ==

Just extract to your preferred directory. You'll need the dlls I mentioned in the Attention section.

*PLEASE*, Before running the game, open the file "settings.ini" provided, and configure the game as
you please. DO NOT DELETE THIS FILE, IT WON'T BE AUTOGENERATED AGAIN.

The game has been tested and proven to work well in most resolutions, but just in case, I'd recommend
using a 4:3, 16:10, 16:9 Resolution. 5:4 Resolutions get a little cutted off at the edges, so they're
not recommended. The full detail of the game has been made according to a 1024 X 768 Resolution.

So, in conclusion:
Best Resolutions: 1024 X 768, 1280 X 768

Other resolutions might experience some minor graphical glitches(1 pixel black line across the tiles
when moving the camera).


== About the Game ==

This is my entry for Christmas Hack '09. It was based upon 2 of the descriptions I was given:
 * Evil puzzle game, make a puzzle game that is somehow sadistically satisfying.
 * Crowd control, make a game about controlling massive amounts of something or somethings.

Basically, it's a strategy game where you have to beat up rebels and use artifacts like flash
grenades, smoke grenades, toy guards, and call the pacific-evil lord Santa Claus.



== Story ==

Originally, I was going to introduce a storyboard function, but since I had to cut down the size of the
game, I removed it.

- The grinch clan has always tried to ruin Christmas every year, but found nothing than failure
after failure. But one day, they came up with a brilliant plan, the one it would bring Santa Claus
down for once and for all.
  They stablished communication with the elve workers of Santa's Factory. Talk after talk, debate after
debate, the grinch convinced the workers that they were enslaved by Santa, and that they should
fight for their rights, and run the factory themselves. After a month of preparation, a fight over at
the factory between a worker and the guard started a violent revolution.

  You're the Guard Commander of Santa's troops, and you have to control this crazy situation and defeat
the evil Grinch Leaders.


== Saving ==

The game has an autosave feature. You'll be able to start til the maximum level you ever achieved in-game.


== Commands ==

Every command is explained in-game in the Help Screen. You can bring it up by pressing F9, and press
the arrows at the border of the blackboard to switch the pages.


== Known Issues ==

* There is NO PATHFINDING, sorry, I didn't have the time to do it. :(
* Minor graphical glitch with some tiles when moving the camera. On 1024x768, it doesn't happen
too often.
* Units might be able to pass through some diagonal tiles.
* It's heavily unoptimized, so it might not run well on some systems. You should check the Settings.ini
file for some options that might improve performance.
* The units can see through walls. Didn't have time to implement a proper detection.

* A crash when changing level. Luckily, the game is saved first, so you can just start the game again
and continue on the last level.


== Would be great to add, maybe in future releases ==


* Pathfinding :P
* Not Seeing through the damn walls.
* Special Pickups.
* Different Mission Objectives(Levers, Capture, Hostage rescue, Defend the post).
* Molotov Cocktail enemies.
* Randomization in enemy's stats.
* Fire.
* Multiplayer UDP support(Cops Vs Rebels? Great!)



== Technical Information ==

The game only uses Allegro 4.9.14 and its respective addons. You can download the latest Allegro 5
Version from http://www.allegro5.org/. 

The executable in this package was compiled with MingW, and I've also provided the Code::Blocks file
project I used for the game production(ElvenRevolution.cbp)


== Final Words ==

Notice this is just V0.9, because I'm considering of adding some more features and release it as
V1.0 later(and with better quality resources).

This game might seem a little offensive to some people considering the fact that the elven 
workers could reference to general ideas of the communism, and they get brutally beaten by
Santa's troops. I don't have NOTHING AGAINST COMMUNISM, I though it'd be interesting and funny
that this event in the Human History could be represented in various themes(like this famous 
George Orwell's Book :) ).


== About me ==

I'm 16 years old, and I live in Mar del Plata, Argentina. I love to play games, especially the ones
from the years I consider the best games ever were released(1996-2001). I'm a Fallout and Baldur's Gate
total fan.

I started programming in Ruby with RPG Maker XP when I was 10 years old, and got into C++ programming at
13 years old. I discovered this wonderful library, and took part in their community not so long ago.

I'm still learning programming, but I consider myself more of a game designer, and it seems programming
is the only way to go if you want to do something serious.

Just me. :)



                                                  -= Dario ff =-

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new Year!