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                   LUCKY-7 JACKPOT DOCUMENTATION 
                  

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:



           Copyright Notice............................. 1

           Credits & Disclaimers........................ 2

           Requirements................................. 3

           Operating Notes.............................. 4

           Author's Address............................. 5



1.0  COPYRIGHT NOTICE:

     Copyright (c) 1990 by Bard L. Kallestad  All rights reserved.

     This program and all associated files are copyrighted material.
     They are released as Share-ware for evaluation purposes.  You
     may freely download, copy or upload these files in their entirety.
     All files must be present including the documentation file.
     If you like the program and continue to use it, please send
     your license fee to the author.  The registered version of
     this program will have all the latest updates and features.


2.0  CREDITS AND DISCLAIMERS

     DISCLAIMER:
     The author has written this program in good faith and believes it will
     operate as advertised.  Extensive debugging has taken place and though
     no program is perfect, the program should operate in a satisfactory
     manner.  Any suggestions or constructive criticism will be taken into
     consideration.

     For registered users:
     The author warrants that the physical disk is free from defects in
     materials and workmanship for a period of 90 days from date of purchase.
     If notification of physical defect is received within the warranty period,
     the author will replace the defective disk.  The remedy for the breach of
     this warranty will be limited to replacement and will not encompass any
     other damages, including but not limited to loss of profit, and special,
     incidental, consequential, or other claims.

     The author specifically disclaims all other warranties,
     express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties or
     merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to
     defects in the diskette or the programs therein contained.


     CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE:
     Many people have contributed to the present look and feel of today's
     slot machine.  It is a composite of borrowed ideas from many people
     and companies.  The first slot machines were created in the late 1800's.
     The creativity and craftsmanship used to build some of these machines was
     remarkable.  Today, these antiques are valuable collectors items.

     The Liberty Bell was the first 3 reel machine with an automatic payout.
     It was invented in 1905 by Charles Fey from San Francisco, California.
     The overall function of the machine has not changed much through the
     years.  He protected his secrets by not selling any of his machines and
     by running his own route and doing his own maintenance.  However, it
     wasn't long before the Mills Novelty Company owned by the Chicago Tycoon,
     Herbert Mills, had somehow acquired one and made it's own version, the
     Mill's Liberty Bell (circa 1909).  This machine even had the same symbols
     on the reels as Fey's machine.  In 1910 Mill's brought out the Operator's
     Bell which had the now familiar fruit symbols on the reels.  Another not
     so obvious difference was the number of positions or "stops" on each reel.
     Fey's original machine had 10 stops per reel creating a possible 1,000
     combinations (10x10x10).  Mill's machines had 20 stops/reel making for a
     possible 8,000 combinations (20x20x20).  Mill's and other companies have
     made improvements through the years, but most were cosmetic.  The basic
     function and feel of the game remains the same.  In fact, about 1910 a
     competitor copied Mill's machine and brought out the Caille Brother's
     Liberty Bell slot machine.  Several companies did like-wise, getting in on
     the action and the profits.

     A cloudy past:
     Remember, until recently gambling was illegal in all states but Nevada.
     The use and operation of slot machines was gambling.  Many ruses and
     disguises were used to try to circumvent this fact.  Some machines even
     dispensed gum or mints.  Others supposedly paid off in trade of one kind
     or another.  Free cigars and drinks were the most common rewards.  Some
     machines carried signs describing exotic profit-sharing schemes.  During
     the 1930's the manufacturer's and distributors of slot machines sold
     devices called safe-tables.  It was a metal cabinet on which to place a
     slot machine.  At the first sign of trouble a button on the table was
     pressed and the slot machine disappeared down inside the safe-table and
     the top recovered itself.  Presto, no slot machine!  During times of
     political reform the slot machine was an easy target.  Many met their
     demise in a raid at the end of a sledge hammer.  Only a small percentage
     of these early machines have survived.  Many ended up on the scrap heap
     while others found sanctuary in private homes.  Today these machines are
     quite valuable.

    Some of the companies who have made slot machines during the past century:
         Bally Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, Ill.
         Caille Brothers Company, Detroit, Mich.
         Charles Fey & Company, San Francisco, Calif.
         Clawson Manufacturing Company, Booton, N.J.
         Mills Novelty Company, Chicago, Ill.
         O.D. Jennings & Company, Chicago, Ill.
         Pace Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill.
         Watling Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill.

     For those who have an interest, check out the public library for
     some of these books on the subject of slot machines:
         The Facts of Slots by Walter I. Nolan
         Drop Coin Here by Ken & Fran Rubin
         The Gamblers (Old West Series) by the editors of Time-Life Books




3.0  OPERATING REQUIREMENTS:

     GRAPHICS:
     This program requires an EGA or better (VGA VGA+)
     graphics adapter.  The graphics are all done on a
     640 x 350 format.

     CLOCK SPEED:
     Performance is best if run on a CPU operating at 10 MHz
     or faster.  The program automatically compensates for any
     CPU speed.  However, clock speeds under 10 MHz will show
     degraded performance due to slow graphics updating.  In
     plain english, the reels will turn slower!

     DISK ALLOCATION:
     The program and associated files will occupy about .5 MegaBytes
     of disk space.  Best performance is obtained on a hard drive.
     Any drive that can accommodate the decompressed files will work.

     FILE TAMPERING:
     All files except the README.BAT & DOC-L7.TXT files must be present in
     the same directory as the L7.EXE file.  Do not rename any files.
     Renaming any of the associated files will cause the EXE file to abort.


4.0  OPERATING NOTES:

     The program is Lucky-7 Jackpot.  It is a video slot machine.

     Short of taking a trip to Nevada or shelling out $1000 for a used
     machine, this program should provide the thrill of the real thing.

     Operating the machine is very intuitive.

          Pull the Handle (Play):       Enter key or Space-bar
          Increase the bet:             Plus key  (+)
          Decrease the bet:             Minus key (-)
          Help (Winning combinations):  F1
          Cash-in (Quit):               ESCape

     The Lucky-7 Jackpot slot machine was detailed to simulate a real
     mechanical slot machine.  To offer more screen area for graphics
     detail the handle was left out.  This allowed for a close-up view
     of the functional part of the machine.


     On an expanded keyboard, all play can be handled with the right-most
     keys on the key-pad.  The minus, plus and enter keys are all close
     together.  You can play with one finger.

     Joy-stick players can play from the first game port.  Pull back and
     release the stick to play.  Joystick play allows the long-pull or the
     delayed release.  Proportional pull is also available.  If you pull the
     stick all the way back you get a longer spin than you would if only pull
     the stick part way back.  Also, bets can be incremented from the joystick
     button.  A little added realism for gamers.
 

4.0 -Continued-


     This is a quarter machine.  Each time you pull the handle, you have
     bet a quarter.  You can increase your bet by hitting the plus key.
     Each time you hit the plus key you bump your bet up a quarter.  The
     maximum bet is $10.  A jackpot on a $10 bet would payoff at 75:1 or
     75 times the bet or $750.  This type of machine is known as a multiplier.
     That is, it multiplies whatever your bet is by the reward factor.  You
     can decrease the bet by hitting the minus key.  Obviously, you can't bet
     less than a quarter.

     When you cash-in...  the exit screen will tell how much you have won
     or lost.  You can settle up then or just put it on-the-tab!  A possible
     future feature will be a running-tab file for each player.  This would
     automatically keep track of rising or falling fortunes.

     The Share-ware version has a pay-back rate of 100%.  This is a long term
     average.  So, some people will win and others will lose.  If you play the
     machine several thousand times consecutively, you should break even.
     In other words, the house-take is zero (0%).  This is more fun because
     we win more often.  However, it is a bit deceiving.  A real slot machine
     takes a percentage for the house.  This is the profit or the house-take.
     The registered version of Lucky-7 Jackpot has a selectable house-take.
     You can run your machine with a house-take of 15% or let the kids run it
     for fun with no house-take.

     The registered version also has other features.  One of which is not
     having to look at all those Share-ware screens.  For those statistic
     minded or curious people, a high speed automatic mode is available.
     It allows the machine to play itself in high speed.  At the end of this
     cycle it will display a complete set of statistics: pay-off percentage,
     how many times each winning combination occurred and the percentage of
     error from the theoretical values.  It is interesting to watch the pot
     rise and fall as the quarters do a high speed dance on the simulated
     counters.

     Good luck!


5.0  AUTHOR'S ADDRESS:

     You may contact the author by writing to:

                                                      Bard L. Kallestad
                                                      Ravenwood Systems
                                                      20234 Raven St NW
                                                      Cedar, MN.  55011

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