SPACE TRADER ============ Space Trader is a strategy game for PDA computers running Palm OS version 2.0 or higher. There are three versions of the game: * SpaceTrader_b&w.prc is for Palms running an OS version below 3.5, or Palms that do not support at least 16 grayscales or colors. Note that this program file runs on any Palm with OS version 2.0 or higher, so if you don't like the colors/grayscales or have little memory to spare, you can always install this version. * SpaceTrader_gray.prc is for Palms running at least OS version 3.5, and support grayscale graphics. * SpaceTrader_color.prc is for Palms running at least OS version 3.5, and support color graphics. I found that several people cannot find functions to buy equipment and such. These options are available through the menu, which is accessible by tapping the standard Palm menu button. Many of the game's less often used functions are available from there. Information on playing the game can be found in the game itself. There is extensive help on every screen, which can be accessed through the Help menu, using the option Help Current Screen (shortcut H). Also, the Help menu contains some separate entries that explain the overall design of the game. The document file SpaceTrader.html contains an elaborate manual on many of the game's particulars, even those that aren't covered in the Help menu. It's not really necessary to read this file, but it can help you to become a successful space trader. You can play two Space Trader games in parallel on one Palm. You switch between them with the "Switch Game" option in the "Game" menu. This allows two people to enjoy their own game of Space Trader using the same Palm. Space Trader is rather large and complex, and not suitable for short, quick games. It is suitable to be played for several minutes, to be picked up at a later time, though. Those who want a game like this but which can be finished in, say, 15 to 30 minutes, should pick up Matt Lee's DopeWars or Dave Webb's SolarWars. This game's homepage can be found at http://go.to/spacetrader. You can find the latest version of the game, the FAQ, the source code and playing tips there. If you want to contact the author to discuss the game, file a bug report, ask a question or simply express your feelings about it, you can do that by email: space_trader@hotmail.com Any references to the classic 80's game Elite are intentional. Have fun playing Space Trader. DISTRIBUTION ============ This game is freeware and copyrighted by its author, Pieter Spronck. It is released under a GNU General Public License (GPL). This gives you the right to distribute the game in almost any way you like. It also means that not only the game, but also the source code is available. However, the fact that the code is released under a GPL means that if you use the code in another application, you are obliged to make available the source code of that application too. The complete text of the GPL is included in the file License.txt. FILES ===== The files in the Space Trader package are the following: SpaceTrader_b&w.prc (the black & white version) SpaceTrader_color.prc (the color version) SpaceTrader_gray.prc (the grayscales version) SpaceTrader.html (the game's documentation) Readme.txt (this file) Version.txt (version differences) License.txt (text of the GPL) TECHNICAL DATA ============== Name: Space Trader Version: 1.2.0 Author: Pieter Spronck Release date: Octobre 13, 2002 Palm OS: 2.0 and higher Size: 393K (color), 337K (gray), 284K (b&w) Creator ID: STra Distribution: Freeware, under a GPL Homepage: http://go.to/spacetrader Email: space_trader@hotmail.com KNOWN ISSUES ============ The game probably won't run on a PalmPilot Personal running OS 2.0.x - at least in won't run in the emulator, and the emulator is much more forgiving than an actual Palm. It should run on a PalmPilot Professional running OS 2.0.x, although it may not run in every case, because the memory management of OS 2.0.x is not very good. The error "Fatal Alert: MemoryMgr.c, Line: 4340, NULL handle" indicates that you don't have enough free RAM to run Space Trader. Unfortunately this message is generated by the system itself, not by my application, so I cannot replace it with a friendlier and clearer message. Several system hacks have been reported to me as giving problems, not only with Space Trader, but also with other Palm applications. Notably, this has been reported to me about Phlegm hack and QuickBits. Two players reported that on Palm OS 4.1, when they get a message interrupt (for instance from the datebook), the message title shows the text "Your fine and number". (This was with Space Trader 1.1.2, it may be different or absent in version 1.2.0). This is the first line of one of the help texts of Space Trader. Obviously something is wrong here, but I have no idea how this is caused, and I can't emulate it. Perhaps this is also due to a system hack. If anyone else experiences the same kind of problem, please sign me in. At this time, I simply do not have enough information to work on it. Space Trader accesses the frame-attribute of buttons in several places (turning them from buttons with rounded corners into buttons with square corners). According to the SDK documentation, this attribute may no longer be supported by future OS versions. There is no library function that can replace my direct access of this attribute. It works up to OS version 4.1, but there is as yet no clarity on whether it works with OS 5.0 and higher. Therefore, in Space Trader those buttons that normally have square corners have rounded corners on OS 5.0 and higher. If I find out how to get rectangular buttons to work on OS 5.0 and higher, I may change this for a new version.