TADS, the Text Adventure Development System version 2.2 Copyright (c) 1990, 1992 by Michael J. Roberts. All rights reserved. This package was prepared October 30, 1994. This software is being distributed as shareware. You may use and redistribute it subject to the usual shareware rules; see LICENSE.DOC for full details. You are requested to register your copy as described in LICENSE.DOC. Please see ORDER.FRM for information on ordering this and other High Energy Software products. We appreciate the concerns many people have about registering their shareware: authors move or just disappear. This is why we use a post office box (at a REAL US Post Office!) to ensure that our address stays the same indefinitely. We have a big pile of TADS manuals waiting for your order, and plan to be in business for quite some time. Please help us out by taking a manual off of our hands - you'll be glad you did! If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you; see ORDER.FRM for our address. Thanks for your interest! Attention Version 1 Users! -------------------------- TADS Version 2 is intended to be compatible with games written for v1. However, there are a few differences. If you experience any difficulty compiling a game that was working with v1, try using the "V1 Compatibility Mode" options. You can enable full v1 compatibility mode by placing -1 before your game name: tc -1 mygame Most v1 games that have problems with v2 need only rename the new "do" keyword to run with v2; this can be done with these options: tc -1d _do_ mygame Documentation ------------- You should download the TADS Documentation archive, TADS2DOC.ZIP (on DOS) or TADS2DOC.SIT (on Macintosh) [note - these extensions may be changed if the sysop of your BBS or on-line service has repackaged the archive with a different compression tool]. This file contains overview documentation for TADS, as well as the source for "Ditch Day Drifter", a complete sample game. Additional documentation is available to registered users. When you register your copy of TADS, we'll send you the printed TADS Author's Manual, with over 200 pages of details about writing games with the system. The Author's Manual contains numerous examples, and includes an entire chapter devoted to examples of programming common adventure scenarios. Getting Started --------------- To get started on the system, install the executables in a directory on your path, and install the source files (*.T) wherever you please. Compile "Ditch Day Drifter" by typing: tc ditch Be sure that ADV.T is in your current directory. Note that DITCH.T is part of the separate TADS Documentation archive; you should be able to get this archive from the same place you got the archive containing the TADS executables. After you have compiled Ditch, run the game by typing: tr ditch Please read DITCH.DOC for information on playing the game. This file also describes many features of the run-time system, including the parser. Notes for DOS users ------------------- On PC's, you may edit command lines with the arrow keys and other standard editing keys. Review Mode (described in DEEP.DOC) is activated with function key F1. Saved games are stored in standard DOS files, by default in the current directory (the directory from which you start the game), so make sure you have free disk space before you begin playing. If you have limited memory in your PC, you may need to adjust the compiler's memory usage so it fits. If the compiler runs out of memory, it will tell you the amount of memory it is consuming and suggest that you run again with a lower -m option. For example, if the compiler displays a message like this: *** Note for -m option: *** Current cache size is 256000 ditch.t, line 3501: TADS-1: out of memory you can run again by specifying a smaller size with the -m option: tc -m 200000 ditch This tells the compiler to restrict its memory usage to 200,000 bytes, which it does by swapping excess space out to a disk file. If the compiler is forced to swap, you can speed it up considerably by moving the swap file to a RAM disk in extended or expanded memory. If your RAM disk is drive D, you can tell TADS to place the swap file on your RAM disk using the -tf option: tc -m 200000 -tf d:swap.dat ditch DOS Protected-Mode TADS ----------------------- The compiler, runtime, and debugger are available as DOS protected-mode commands. The protected-mode versions are only capable of running on 80286 or newer processors -- they will not work on XT-type machines (which use 8086 processors). The protected-mode versions can access up to 16 megabytes of memory, so they will allow much larger games; because they will not do as much swapping as the normal DOS versions, the protected- mode commands are usually much faster than the normal DOS versions with large games. The protected-mode versions of the executables have the same names as the normal DOS versions plus an "X": Component Normal DOS Protected-mode Command Command --------- ---------- -------------- compiler tc tcx runtime tr trx debugger tdb tdbx The protected-mode commands work the same as their real-mode counterparts, and all command line options and arguments are the same for both versions. The protected-mode commands use the Borland DOS extender software. This software is copyrighted by Borland and cannot be distributed except with Borland's permission. The Borland license allows redistribution of the DOS extender with software created with a properly licensed copy of the Borland tools, which allows us to include the DOS extender software with TADS. The files making up the Borland DOS extender are: dpmi16bi.ovl rtm.exe Before running any of the protected-mode commands, you must have these files in a directory on your DOS PATH. The Borland DOS extender is compatible with most computers based on 286, 386, 486, or Pentium processors, and works properly with most memory managers (such as QEMM and EMM386), and with Microsoft Windows DOS windows when running in 386 Enhanced mode. By its nature, though, the DOS extender software is sensitive to the specific hardware and software configuration of your computer, and may not work with certain computers, peripherals, or resident software. If you experience any problems with the protected-mode versions, try removing any drivers, TSR's, and other resident software from your configuration. Since the DOS extender is developed and maintained by Borland, not High Energy Software, we will not be able to correct any incompatibilities or other problems that are caused by the DOS extender itself. To reduce the size of the shareware archive file, only the normal DOS versions of the TADS commands are included in the shareware distribution. You do not need any additional software to run the normal DOS versions of the commands, and these versions will run on any IBM or 100% compatible DOS PC. For More Information -------------------- If you would like more information, or if you have any comments on our products, please contact us. We can be reached through a variety of electronic means, as well as by mail. Telephone: Credit card orders can be made by calling (415)493-2430 weekdays from 10 AM to 6 PM Pacific Time. High Energy BBS: The fastest way to reach us is through the High Energy BBS. Set your modem to 14,400 bps (or any lower speed), N-8-1, and dial 415-493-2420. The BBS is open to the public -- you don't need to be a registered user of any our products to access the system. Feel free to browse the message conferences and libraries on the BBS; you may be able to find the answer to your question without having to wait for a reply. Address specific questions to SYSOP. PCPursuit users: the High Energy BBS can be reached from the San Jose (CASJO) outdial. Internet: support@hinrg.starconn.com CompuServe: >internet:support@hinrg.starconn.com USPS: High Energy Software P.O. Box 50422 Palo Alto, CA 94303