----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOST REALMS v1.25
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 1998-1999 XFLARE SOFTWARE
xflare@emux.net
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONTENTS

1. FORWARD
2. INSTALLATION
3. DESCRIPTION/CONTROLS
4. UNITS
5. SECRETS

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. FORWARD

As the curtains are undrawn on my latest accomplishment, I'm already
sitting back in my chair and feeling compelled to rewrite every last
scrap of code. Why didn't I make use of a multi-dimensional array for
tile recognition? When I asked myself that very same question half a year
ago, when work on Lost Realms had barely begun, my response was that it
would make everything more difficult. More difficult!? Anyway, each
new piece of software I design marks a new step into the wonderful world of 
programming for me, and I can always look back and see my history. On the
bright side, Lost Realms uses good structure (if not quite perfect for my 
new tastes), and has a few solid features (like animated water), making it 
an above average program that is really fun to play. Enjoy, and be sure
to have some cool war-like music going while playing. For myself, I often 
listen to tracks from Warcraft 2: The Tides of Darkness.

2. INSTALLATION

After unzipping all files to the Realms directory (which should not be a 
sub-directory), compile "Realms.bas" into an EXE, and then run it to begin.
If you wish to use a different path, enter "Realms.bas", then find and 
change the PATH$ variable to the correct directory. Though compiling isn't 
really necessary, it is highly recommended. The program runs slowly, but at 
a playable speed on a 33MHZ 486 DX, and works much faster on a Pentium. 4MB 
of RAM should be sufficient, though its minimal trial used 8 MB.

3. DESCRIPTION/CONTROLS

Lost Realms is a two player strategy war game, where each side must construct
buildings to collect gold and buy units. A giant 60 x 60 map means that
there's plenty of room for exploration, and building outposts for attack
or defense against your opponent. The controls for each player are listed
below.

	Player 1:			Player 2:

	Move Left	S		Move Left	Arrow Keys
	Move Right	F		Move Right	"        "
	Move Up		E		Move Up		"        "
	Move Down	D		Move Down	"        "
	Action		A		Action		0 (Num Lock On)
	Switch		Tab		Switch		Enter
	End Turn	Esc		End Turn	Minus Sign

        Menu Commands:

        F1		Exit Program
	F2		Start a New Game
	F3		Save Your Game
	F4		Load Previous Game
        F5              Sound On/Off

As is noticeable, there are very few commands for a game such as this, but 
the action and switch commands have a list of different functions. At the 
start of your turn, the scroll mode is normal, and you can move the cursor 
around. If you press the switch key, screen scroll mode is activated, and 
you can navigate the entire screen. Pressing the key again will restore 
cursor control. To select a unit, position your cursor on that unit's tile,
and use the action command to bring up its status screen. If the unit is a 
peasant, or a certain structure, pressing the switch key will allow you
to select from among a number of options, including building farms, cities, 
and buying additional units. If you decide to select an option, press the
action key again to deselect the unit, leaving it to start/finish the task
at the beginning of your next turn. 

Each player has a military advisor, who's messages appear next to the 
mini-map. Listen to their advice, as it's a great way to see how your
forces compare to that of your opponent, and what wise courses of action
might be beneficial to you.

4. UNITS

There are a combined total of 9 different units and structures in the game, 
Below is a description of each, with costs, special abilities, and other
information.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unit Name   Cost (GP)   Attack   HP   Moves   Special	

Peasant     250         1-2      12   5       Can build structures
Soldier     500         2-5      28   5       None
Scout       900         1-4      16   10      None
Warship     1500        3-7      44   15      Water, Can transport land units

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Building   Cost (GP)    Sight    HP   Special

Wall       350          9        50   None
Farm       1200         9        75   +500 Food upon completion
Tower      2300         49       150  Can buy Soldiers and Scouts
Port       3000         25       200  Can buy warships
City       5000         25       250  Gives 100 GP every turn (each)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To build cities, you must first find a suitable spot, which is beside a gold
mine. This should be your first task, as it allows you to have a source of 
money. Wise players will often save up enough gold for a second city, before 
moving on to any new structures. This is highly effective, as it doubles 
your standard income. Ports must similarly be built next to water, and
farms must be near at least one tree. Towers and walls, on the other hand, 
may be built anywhere. To buy units, you must have enough food, as well 
as gold.

To board a ship, you must first move it to the cost and then select a unit
to move toward it. You cannot board a ship and move again if it is anchored,
or board if the selected unit is resting. Once aboard, you may deploy the 
unit by pressing the switch key, and then moving toward a grass tile along 
the coast. Only one unit may be present in each vessel.

To attack an opposing unit, simply move toward its tile, and you will
do damage dependant upon your strength. A flashing number will appear on 
the unit's status screen, showing how much damage it has done since last 
being selected.

Please be aware that each player can have a maximum of only 60 units, and
that further buying/building will not be possible if you have this many.

5. SECRETS

Huh? Who said anything about secrets... oh fine, here we go. To expose the
entire map during play, type in the word FARSIGHT. If you would like to
edit the positions of units and tiles, enter the "map.dat" file
and use these number codes to switch everything around. I could have 
added more codes, but any good QB programmer can change stuff anyway.

0 = mine
1 = grass
2 = water
3 = tree
11 = player 1 peasant
12 = player 1 soldier
13 = player 1 scout
14 = player 1 warship
21 = player 2 peasant
22 = player 2 soldier
23 = player 2 scout
24 = player 2 warship

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

(All text was written on or before the date of April 18, 1999)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------