Super Lemming Progressive Slots
The Multimedia One-Armed Bandit for Excalibur BBS for Windows



Copyright and Trademark:

	This software is Copyright 1995 Virtually Reality, all rights
        reserved.  This software based on SuperSlots/Nochange Copyright
        1988-91 Joe Adamson/Allied Information Services, used by permission.
        Portions of this software are Copyright Design Engineering, Excalibur
        Communications Inc., Microsoft Corporation and Borland International
        Inc.

        This archive is no for general distribution, and may not be traded on
        BBSes, Internet sites or through any means other than those provided
        by Virtually Reality or Design Engineering.

        If you received this file from any source other than the authors or
        an authorized sales location, please contact VR Software at
        feedback@VRLemmings.com or Tel: 405.681.6633 or BBS: 405.681.5445.


Description of Play:

	You are given a batch of coins and a slot machine.  You can deposit
        1-5 coins in the machine.  Pull the handle, and if you come up with
        a winning combination, you win the payoff times the number of coins
        you deposited (Payoff of 5 x 5 coins deposited = 25 coins won). Your
        "score" is shown in pennies.  The number of coins you have available
        is your score divided by the denomination of the coins you want to
        use, that is, 1000 points / $1.00 (100 cents) = 10 coins.  If you
        run out of coins, you will be unable to deposit and will have to
        leave the slot area.  You can always come back, though -- the machine
         will "spot" new players and losers 5,000 points to get on their feet.


How to install this program:

	1. Read through these instructions.

	2. Unzip this archive to your Excalibur directory.

	3. Edit the VRSOFTWR.INI file.  
	
	This file must be present in the local WINDOWS directory of EACH
        machine running Camelot(s).  The paths in the INI file must point to
        the network drive letter of the machine where the Excalibur directory
        is located.

        Example:  Assume a system comprised of 3 computers.  All machines are
running Windows for Workgroups Network.  Machine "A" is the Grail server.
The Excalibur directory on Machine "A" is "C:\EXCAL\".  This is where the
program files go.

Machines "B" and "C" are running 4 Camelot nodes each, and the Windows
directory on each is "C:\WINDOWS\".  However, because "B" has 3 CD-ROMS in
it (drives D through F), its Excal directory is "G:\EXCAL\".
	      
Machine "C" has no other drives in it, so its Excal directory is "D:\EXCAL\".
Put VRSOFTWR.INI in the Windows directory of each machine running Camelots,
and edit the entries as follows:

	      Machine "B":
	      CAMPATH=G:\EXCAL\
	      SCREENPATH=G:\EXCAL\SCREENS\
	      etc...
		
	      Machine "C":
	      CAMPATH=D:\EXCAL\
	      SCREENPATH=D:\EXCAL\SCREENS\
	      etc...

	The trick is to remember that the entries are referencing the SAME
        physical drive, but the letter is adjusted to reflect that drive's
        network (logical) drive letter.

	This must be done to assure that SLP Slots can locate the KEY file
        and the Scoreboard file, and to assure proper file sharing on the
        network while Excalibur is running.

	4. Add a hotspot/button to your desired screen for the game launch.

	5. Place a Plug-in action in the hotspot.  Use SLOTHOST.DLL on the
        first line.

	6. Test each of the game screen buttons to ensure proper function.

	7. Invite everyone to try it out!



-- OPTIONAL TOP 10 SCOREBOARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------

	A. Add a hotspot/button to your desired screen for the scoreboard
        launch.

	B. Place a Plug-in action in the hotspot.  Use SLOTHOST.DLL on the
        first line.  On the second line, put the word SCOREBOARD.  When
        selected, SLP Slots will show the Top 10 list.


Operator's Notes:

	New players begin with 5,000 points (200 quarter pulls).  Players
        that lose to zero are restarted as new.

	Clicking the right mouse button on Deposit Coins inserts the max (5)
        coins.

	Joystick button 1 drops one coin, button 2 drops max coins.

	Slots shows progressive jackpot status in Camelot.

	Clicking the Camelot slot will give you the option to force the
        caller out of the game.

	If you want to reset the scoreboard, delete the file SLOTS.DAT from
        your screens directory.

	For joystick play, the Windows joystick driver must be present.

	When the progressive jackpot is hit, global notification is broadcast
        to all stations.

	After the progressive is hit, the pot is seeded with 100,000 points.

	The "score" is the number of points (equating to 1 penny each) a
        player has.  "Coins" are the points divided by the denomination - or
        amount - of the coin in use, that is, someone with 2500 points would
        have 100 quarters.

	As the player accumulates points, larger coin denominations appear on
        the entry selection; in this way, better players can move to dollar
        machines, five dollar machines and so on.  The player is eligible for
        the next higher level when he has enough points for 100 coins of the
        next higher denomination.  There are .25, 1.00, 5.00, 10.00 and 25.00
        play levels.

	Average "weighting" on the machine payoff is 30% (about 1 in 3.325)
        After much experimentation, this has proven to be the best "balance"
        of play, providing a good general payoff for interest while
        maintaining the feel of risk of a real bandit.

	The MIDI file provided was chosen at random from a number we found on
        the Internet; we don't know anything about it. If you want to use
        your own favorite MIDI file, please feel free to replace VR000001.MID
        with your own file (renamed to VR000001.MID, 'natch).

	We are NEVER going to add "real money" handling to the software for
        gambling purposes.

	The intro sequence is there to look at while we do a lot of set-up
        for the slots software. If it wasn't there, most callers would be
        staring at a black box for 5-30 seconds.  Accordingly, there is no
        bypass or "short-cut" to get around it because, as tiresome as it
        may eventually become to some people, it's better than making your
        callers think your board has locked up.



Future Design Considerations:

	This is a slot machine, so most people can figure it out just fine.
        Even so, we will put out a help file for it, which will include
        most of the material in the operator's notes and other general
        information to help them along.  If you like, feel free to extract
        information from the above section and make your own bulletin out of
        it.

	"Jukebox" handling to keep a variety of MIDI tunes going in the
        background.

	Different "add-on" machines, like 5-wheel, multi-line, multi-coin
        pay optionals, etc.

	Time-scheduled access or definable time limits.

	Global scoreboarding w/ point exchange for time, bytes, etc.



Troubleshooting

	Because you are being supplied with this troubleshooting section,
        support staff will expect you to be familiar with the information
        contained in it, and to have applied it in advance of any tech
        support call or mail.  We don't like to point out that a problem or
        its solution is clearly listed in the documentation any more than
        you like to hear it.  We're more than happy to spend all the time
        required to helping you solve any problems you may encounter, but
        you should always refer to this section first.

	Due to the variety of hardware in use today, you may encounter
        callers who experience (1) loss of video after the title sequence;
        or (2) slow-spinning reels.  Both of these problems are related to
        their video card or video card's drivers.  This is more prevalent
        with certain "accelerated" cards and drivers, particularly those
        based on the S3 chip.  The routines used in SLP Slots were chosen
        to be the most common routines possible, yet some cards simply
        behave badly despite the use of very plain-vanilla Windows video.
        Some callers with these problems are able to solve them by simply
        choosing a different video driver (going to the same driver with
        more or less colors, or one with higher or lower resolution, for
        example).

	As a side note also dealing with this: the speed at which the reels
        spin is a matter of the speed of your machine, bus and video card.
        As these become faster, the spin increases all the way to a blur.
        If you've got a fast box, fast bus, and/or a fast video card and
        have slow reels, look at your driver and video card's functions to
        'tweak' this aspect.  We are monitoring this situation, and are even
        now looking for anything we might do to correct this for the few
        people that experience the problem.

	Sound problems usually fall into one of several categories, which
        are (1) Improper installation or configuration; (2) Mixer volume
        settings are too low (can't hear it) or too high (everything is loud
        and fuzzy); (3) using the PC Speaker as a sound device instead of a
        sound card (forget it); (4) Speakers not connected to the right
        output, or at all; sound card doesn't support MIDI; (5) MIDI patches
        are installed/configured incorrectly; (6) aborted file transfer
        during Slots installation resulted in partially complete sound files.
        If you have successfully transferred the files and your sound card
        is installed/configured properly, SLP Slots will play any sounds and
        music your card will support.  If it does not, go through the check
        list above.  One of those IS your problem.

	SLP Slots requires quite a bit of resource loading to run properly.
        For this reason, your ability to run SLP Slots in local mode while
        operating other software (including your BBS nodes) depends on your
        machine's capabilities.  In general, you should avoid running
        SLP Slots locally on your BBS host computer.  SLP Slots is designed
        to be a client to Excalibur, and does not contain any provision for
        the heavy multi-tasking environment of the host.  Despite having
        said so, we know that some folks just won't listen, so forgive us
        for pointing out the obvious -- how SLP Slots runs in local mode has
        absolutely nothing to do with how well it runs on a caller's machine.


Bugs which may Exist:

        Bouncing jackpot - Under certain circumstances, the jackpot may
        "bounce" from a very little to a whole lot.  We're fixing it, but
        it's pretty involved, so hang with us.  We'll have this one squashed
        pretty quick.

        Odd video -- We've been right on top of every piece of information
        we could get about the batch of worthless video drivers being sold
        to the public.  Between the drivers getting revised, people going to
        Windows 95, and some rewriting on our part, we think we should have
        knocked out as many video problems as is possible at this time.


Warranty and Cost:
	
	There is no warranty, express or implied, for this software, as it
        applies to fitness or merchantability of use.  We guarantee that
        this software will occupy disk space on any storage medium to which
        it is transferred, and that some people are able to operate it in
        such a fashion as to play a game resembling a slot machine.  We
        consider this to be a happy coincidence.  We are not responsible for
        any inability to use this software due to hardware or software
        incompatibility or level of competence.  You are reponsible for any
        use of this software.  If you are unwilling to accept this
        responsibility, do not use the software.  This software is
        considered "Beta" software through the release of Excalibur version
        1.0.  Accordingly, you are entitled to free maintenance releases
        (revisions or modifications made necessary by Excalibur development)
        of this product through version 1.0 of Excalibur, as necessary, if
        available.

	The cost of this software is US$49.00 for an unlimited node,
        single-site license for an individual BBS.  If you run two BBSes,
        you need two licenses, regardless of whether you're multi-tasking or
        networking or free-standing your nodes.  This product is distributed
        by Design Engineering and its designated locations.  You may also
        contact Virtually Reality directly for sales and support.

	We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.



How to contact Virtually Reality:

Virtually Reality
PO Box 892582
Oklahoma City, OK
73189-2582

BBS:	(405) 681-5445
        @vrlemmings.com

TEL:    (405) 681-6633

EMAIL:  info@vrlemmings.com

