               PC HACK version 3.6 for MSDOS(tm) computers
               --------------------------------------------

                             Oct 22, 1986


============================================================================
Please read the configuration details below before trying to play.

============================================================================
PC HACK 3.6 Overview
	- a bug with hell hounds has been fixed.

	- the console driver NANSI.SYS has been included.  This alternate
	driver is *much*, *much* faster than ANSI for playing HACK.  You
	will almost think HACK is writing directly to screen memory!

	- PC HACK now uses a TERMCAP file which describes the escape
	sequences to send to the console driver to change display modes.
	With TERMCAP, you can redefine the colors HACK uses for display.

============================================================================
PC HACK 3.5 Overview

	Mostly, this is a bugfix version.  The bugs were:

	- Rest_on_space was accidentally removed.

	- The game did not prompt you to put the game disk back in
	after completing a save, so the bones files could not be copied
	back to the LEVELS directory.

	- After saving then restoring a game the object descriptions would
	be screwed up.  You could have two orange potions which did different
	things.

	One new restriction has been added:

	- There must be a copy of COMMAND.COM where COMSPEC says it is for
	the entire game.  This is because the DOS copy command is used for
	moving bones files to and from the RAMdisk.


	This is the complete PC implementation of UNIX version of HACK 1.03.
	There are a few enhancements:

	1) Configuration uses less environment space.

	2) PC HACK can use graphics characters for the dungeon.  This *is*
	   supported on DEC Rainbows.

	3) Floppy, RAMdisk, and HardDisk support.  A RAMdisk makes the game
	   much faster, especially for floppy-only systems.

	4) A bunch of new options.  Pack sorting, confirmation before
	   hitting tame monsters, turning the bell off, whether you pick up
	   everything you step on.  Numeric keypad for moving on IBM BIOS
	   compatible computers.

	5) Protection against disk full problems.


	The documentation HACK.DOC is formatted for 66 line paper in
	case you want to print it out.  The simplest way to print the
	documentation is:

		copy hack.doc prn:

============================================================================
Configuration Details
---------------------

** IMPORTANT **
	PC HACK requires ANSI.SYS or NANSI.SYS to be installed.  You need to
	have a line like:
		device=nansi.sys
	in your config.sys file.
***************

PREFACE:
	PC HACK 3.6 requires that there is a copy of COMMAND.COM
	where the DOS environment string COMSPEC says it is.
	You can get a list of all DOS environment strings with the DOS
	command "set".  For example, after booting my system from a
	floppy in drive A, typing "set" followed by the enter key
	results in:

	A>set
	COMSPEC=A:\COMMAND.COM
	PATH=

	Since I just booted from this floppy DOS already knows that
	COMMAND.COM is on drive A in the root directory.  If I have to
	remove the floppy from drive A to put in a save disk, the save
	disk must also have a copy of COMMAND.COM in the root directory.
	Although this may seem confusing, the sample configurations given
	later will show it is easy to configure your system.
	



HARD DISKS:
	Basically, people with HardDisks will want to create the directory:
	\GAMES\HACK for the PC HACK support files (of course, you can
	choose your own directory name, but for this short discussion,
	assume this name).  Copy all files except HACK.EXE, HACK.CNF and
	TERMCAP into \GAMES\HACK.  Copy HACK.EXE, HACK.CNF and TERMCAP into
	a directory accessible by the PATH environment variable (you might
	use \GAMES).

	Edit the HACK.CNF file to remove the comment characters `#'
	from the "hard disk configuration" and put comment characters
	in front of each line of the "2-floppy, 1-person setup"
	section.  Change OPTIONS to put in your player name and other
	options.  If you are using a directory other than \GAMES\HACK,
	change HACKDIR to your directory choice.

	At the MSDOS prompt type:
		C> hack
	and you should be playing.
	


FLOPPY DISKS:
	Floppy only systems can be configured in one of 2 general ways
	depending on whether there is only one or more than one person
	who plays.


	If there is only 1 person who plays do the following:

	Format a system disk (format /s) and put these required files
	- NANSI.SYS, HACK.EXE, HACK.CNF, TERMCAP, and RECORD - on it (this
	disk is called the "GAME" disk and will be booted from drive A).
	Create a CONFIG.SYS file on the GAME disk and put the following
	line in it:
		device=nansi.sys

	The optional PC HACK files - HELP, HH, RUMORS, DATA - make the
	game more interesting.  HELP and HH are used when you do the
	help command, '?'; RUMORS is used when you eat a fortune
	cookie; DATA is used when you do the whatis command, '/'.  Copy
	as many of these onto the GAME disk as you have room for.  Try
	to have at least RUMORS and DATA on it.

	Format a second disk without putting the system on it and use
	it in drive B.  This "LEVELS" disk will contain bones files
	from prior games (if any), the temporary levels of the current
	game, and the save file.  Format a third disk called "SAVE"
	which may have to be swapped in for the GAME disk on drive A if
	your save game gets too large for storing on the LEVELS disk. 
	The SAVE disk must have a copy of COMMAND.COM on it, but it
	doesn't have to have the DOS system on it.

	Edit HACK.CNF to put in your personal OPTION choices (see HACK.DOC
	for details).



	If there are several people who play or if you want to keep
	multiple save files around, one method is the following:

	Format a system disk (format /s) and put NANSI.SYS, HACK.EXE,
	HACK.CNF and TERMCAP on it.  As before, this is the GAME disk and
	will start in drive A.  Create a CONFIG.SYS file on the GAME disk
	and put the following line in it:
		device=nansi.sys

	Format (without system) a LEVELS disk and put the rest of the HACK
	files on it.  Only the RECORD file is required, but you should
	include RUMORS, DATA, and HELP or HH.

	Format (without system) several SAVE disks, each with a copy of
	COMMAND.COM on it.  Each player can have their own SAVE disk.  The
	GAME disk and LEVELS disk are to be used by everyone.
	
	Edit HACK.CNF and put comment characters in front of all lines in
	the "2-floppy, 1-person setup" section.  Remove comment characters
	in front of all lines in the "2-floppy, group setup".  Make copies
	of HACK.CNF for each person (eg JOE.CNF, MARY.CNF) and edit these
	to put in their personal OPTION choices (see HACK.DOC for details).
	Create a batch file like this "PLAY.BAT" which may look like:
		if not exist %1.cnf goto nobody
		copy %1.cnf hack.cnf
		hack
		goto end
		:nobody
		echo No setup for player `%1'
		:end
	
	At the MSDOS prompt type:
		A> play joe
	and JOE should be playing.

	An alternative method that uses separate GAME disks for every player
	and no "PLAY.BAT" is described in HACK.DOC

============================================================================
To: All beginner HACKERS
Re: An overview and some hints

	The file HINTS.DOC is meant for people who have never played HACK
	or ROGUE before and want a description of what they can do in HACK.
	Since the major fun in HACK is discovery and surprise, there are
	not many details in HINTS.DOC

============================================================================
RAMdisk

	If you have a RAMdisk, PC HACK can use it for a quieter and faster
	game.  In HACK.CNF put a line like:

	RAMDISK = d:
	
	`d' is a drive letter, usually C or D.  The colon `:' is required.

============================================================================
DEC Rainbow users

	You must *NOT* use the `rawio' option.  If you do, your computer
	will hang.  If some kind DEC Rainbow user could send me the
	details of the MSDOS IOCTL call I could put `rawio' in for
	DECs too.

	You can use the "line-graphics character set" for displaying
	the dungeon.  Since DECs only use 7-bit characters (decimal
	value 0 - 127), take the decimal value of the line-graphic
	character you want and add 128 to it.  Now it will have
	decimal value from 128 - 255 and PC HACK will recognize that
	you want a character from the line-graphic character set and
	will output the appropriate character.

	In order for PC HACK to treat the graphics characters properly,
	you must use the `DECRainbow' option.

============================================================================

			  D. G. Kneller
		UUCP:	  ...ucbvax!ucsfcgl!kneller
		ARPANET:  kneller@ucsfcgl.ARPA
		BITNET:	  kneller@ucsfcgl.BITNET
		USmail:	  2 Panoramic Way #204
			  Berkeley, CA 94704
