R O B O T   R O B B E R Y   v 0 . 7

(c) 2000-2001 KeiProductions

Email: robotrob@keithkosh.com
  URL: robotrobbery.keithkosh.com
URL 2: keikorner.cjb.net/robotrob (In case the first one doesn't work)

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S E C T I O N S

1. Frequently Asked Questions
2. New in Version 0.7
3. Final version info
4. Questions or comments

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1. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I play the game?

A: Unzip Robotrob.zip, hopefully into its own directory as there are a fair
   number of files in the zip file. You must have any version of QBasic on 
   your computer. Simply start QBasic and click on File, Open. Select the 
   correct directory and then ROBOTROB.BAS should appear in the file list 
   box. Double-click on it to open it, then press Shift-F5 or select the Run,
   Start menu to start the game. When the game ends just select File, Exit.

Q: What's the point of collecting CDs? Is it just for points?

A: In the final version of the game, trust me, you'll find out. In this demo,
   well, it is just for points. Oh, well.

Q: The robots seem smarter in the title screen than in the game - they just
   walk back and forth mindlessly in the game. Why?

A: In the final version of the game...did I just write this? Anyway, you'll
   find out soon enough...

Q: Why is there an extra Robot in the title screen? It doesn't appear in the
   game. Will it be in the final version?

A: No. I'm slowly finding QBasic's graphical limits, and one of them is
   array storage...too bad, though. The specific stand-up robot is, I guess,
   a sort of preview of what I could have added to the game...if I make a
   Robot Robbery 2, I will probably put that robot in it.

Q: Will the level editor going to be included so I can code my own levels?

A: No. It's not very user-friendly, it doesn't let you edit tilesets (you
   still have to know the format of the tilesets to edit them), and, well,
   I guess that's two good reasons right there...again, if I make a Robot
   Robbery 2, I would love to include the level editor so you can create
   external levels.

Q: Are you going to make a Robot Robbery 2?

A: *Bashes computer in with hammer* Seriously, though, I do believe I will,
   and it will most likely be in QBASIC 4.5 or 7.1 (PDS)...maybe even in C++,
   but that's not very likely. I already have ideas for all these things I
   would love to put in Robot Robbery 2. If I can get Robot Robbery finished,
   v1.0, without giving up on it, I would like to keep the series going.

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2. New in Version 0.7

- New directory setup! Now you can install Robot Robbery to its own directory
  and upon running it for the first time, just type in the full directory
  you installed the program to. Robot Robbery will save the directory and
  load it each subsequent time you run the program.

- New custom masked font that doesn't erase the background. Sort of a "Robot"
  type font...supports different colors too.

- Way-cool hand drawn title screen! As a whole it's just completely better
  than what was in the previous version. I plan to keep it right through to
  the final version with little changes, too. Why change a good thing?

- The nice intro with my logo shining is totally new as well. Cool.

- Menu system has been redone, now the little animated arrow follows your
  selected menu item around; overall I'm happy with the end result.

- New demo level. I must be crazy to write totally new levels each time I
  put out a new version. This level is just the best level I've made yet!
  The only problem is that it's a little bit dark, and QBasic doesn't have a
  lot of dark colors in its palette, so there aren't a whole ton of colors
  used. But it's designed so it hardly looks tile-based and there is still
  room in the tileset for extra tiles. The shadows I put in work real well.

- Gameplay: About the only difference is that the character's jumping has
  been tweaked. You can't hold Shift any longer and expect Jeff to jump,
  land, jump, land, over and over and over. You have to press Shift multiple
  times to get him to jump multiple times, as in most platformers.

- I might have added other things, but they are either minor, or just code
  that doesn't outwardly affect the game. 

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3. Final Version Info

The final version is slowly but surely approaching...after all, this Version
0.7 release is the last release that is availible until the final version
comes out. All I really have to do now is code levels, cinemas, and add a
few more tidbits like text effects and in-game special items (such as extra
lives and the like). I would like to have these main features in the final
version, though:

- 8 levels throughout 4 worlds. A city world and an ice world will probably
  be two of the most likely, with a future world and a desert world still
  being considered. Each world will have its own tileset for some very
  nice varied graphics.

- Cinemas! There will be an opening cinema, of course, detailing the plight
  of our hero, Jeff, and why he goes on this daring platforming mission. 
  In between each different world there will probably be a connecting cinema,
  and at the end, expect a very big cinema that is sure to be the highlight
  of the game...these cinemas will have lots of visual puns, and overall be
  very funny....

- End boss. I'm starting to waver on this, a lot. Especially since QBasic has
  limited graphical storage...especially QBasic 1.1. There may be an end
  boss, there may not. If I put in the giant robot at the beginning he will
  be an end boss at the end, otherwise there will just be a nice cinema at
  the end.

I also plan to put in a few easter eggs and cheats, to do things like perhaps
change colors, remove enemies, or the like. Fun stuff. =)

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4. Questions or Comments

If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or the like, I'm always
just an e-mail away: robotrob@keithkosh.com. You will most likely get a
response within a couple of days, and I really hope to get some feedback!
If you have a good question that I haven't answered in the FAQ I will be
sure to add it. Or just send me a few suggestions, realizing that I DO only
have QBasic 1.1 and therefore:

- No, I can't make the game scroll pixel by pixel.

- No, I can't add CD Quality sound! No, I can't even use the Soundblaster or
  the speakers!
  (Well, technically I could, but I'm trying to keep a reasonable speed
  in-game as well.)

- No, I can't make a cooperative two player mode with split screen and expect
  to keep out flicker (and keep a decent speed). (Wait for RR2...)

- I will (90% sure here) make an EXE of the FINAL VERSION. If you want to 
  play a demo version you will have to have QBasic. The final version will
  (most likely) have source and EXE.

- No to any other questions with answers as some of the above. =)

So send that e-mail today!!! I hope to hear from you.

KeithKosh