
<84/04/24>		     SOPWITH			<84/04/24>



NAME :

	SOPWITH

SYNTAX:

	sopwith [-r] [-d?]


FUNCTION:

	SOPWITH is a video war-game played over the IMAGINET network  or
	on a stand-alone PC.	 The object of SOPWITH is to destroy all
	enemy targets with a somewhat limited airforce.   SOPWITH may be
	played in three ways:
		Single Player
		Single Player against the computer
		Multiple Players


	SINGLE PLAYER
	-------------

	Single player SOPWITH should only  be  used  to 'get the feel of
	the stick'.    The player ( blue airplane ) must destroy all the
	enemy ( red ) targets before losing five (5) airplanes.


	SINGLE PLAYER AGAINST THE COMPUTER
	----------------------------------

	This game is of the same flavour as single player  SOPWITH  with
	the additional realism of having someone else  ( red airplanes )
	out to get you.


	MULTIPLE PLAYER
	---------------

	Multiple user SOPWITH allows 2-4 IMAGINET users to form opposing
	air forces with the goal of being the first to destroy all enemy
	targets.   The airplane which player controls,	and the airforce
	for which the player flies,  are determined  by  the  number  of
	players and the order in which they  attach  themselves  to  the
	game.

		2 players:   first player receives a blue airplane
			     second player receives a red airplane

		3 players:   first player receives a blue airplane
			     second player receives a red airplane along
				with a computer controlled  plane  eager
				to bring about the demise of the dreaded
				blue enemy
			     third player receives a blue airplane

		4 players:   first player receives a blue airplane
			     second player receives a red airplane
			     third player receives a blue airplane
			     fourth player receives a red airplane

	In all cases each player attempts to destroy the targets of  the
	opposing colour while defending friendly targets  against  enemy
	aircraft.   Each player is limited to five (5) aircraft.



SCORING:

	A player wins if the player or the player's  team  destroys  all
	enemy targets before losing five (5) airplanes.  The point score
	acquired is of no importance in determining whether a player has
	won or lost.   However, to assist in determining a flier's skill
	level, the following points are associated  with  airplanes  and
	targets:
			50 - airplane
		       100 - factory, hangar, or tank
		       200 - fuel depot

	In single player games, points are gained if enemy  targets  and
	airplanes are destroyed; points are lost if friendly targets and
	airplanes are destroyed.  In multiple player SOPWITH, points are
	always gained by one side or the other.



KEYBOARD:

	The following keys are used during the play of SOPWITH:

		ctrl-break  -	terminates the game for  the  player  by
				crashing the player's plane.  Scores are
				adjusted accordingly.

		    ,	    -	elevator up.   The airplane will rise if
				right-side-up, drop if up-side-down.

		    .	    -	roll airplane

		    /	    -	elevator down. The airplane will drop if
				right-side-up, rise if up-side-down.

		    x	    -	accelerate airplane

		    \	    -	decelerate airplane

		    b	    -	drop a bomb

		space-bar   -	fire a shot

		    h	    -	allow the computer to fly you home  for
				refuelling and rearmament.     Computer
				control ends if elevator, acceleration,
				or roll keys are pressed.

		    s	    -	turn sound on if off, off if on.


SCREEN:

	During play, the screen is divided into two sections,  a window
	and a status display.	The window comprises the  upper  ninety
	percent of the screen and provides a display  of  the  player's
	airplane along with a display of other airplanes, targets,  and
	ground in the immediate vicinity.  This window is scrolled left
	or right in an attempt to keep a reasonable view  in  front  of
	the player's airplane.

	The lower ten percent of the screen is used for displaying  the
	status of the game.   From left to right,  the	status	display
	consists of:

		blue team score

		red team score ( multiple player game only )

		plane gauge	showing the number of airplanes not yet
				destroyed. Each airplane is represented
				by two (2) vertical dots.      The game
				begins with the gauge  indicating  five
				airplanes available.	The gauge shows
				two (2) dots when the  player  is using
				the last airplane available.

		fuel gauge	relative display of fuel remaining.

		bomb gauge	relative display of bombs remaining.

		shot gauge	relative display of the number	of  gun
				rounds remaining.

				Note:  fuels, bomb, and  shots	may  be
				topped up  while  remaining  stationary
				at one's home base.    A  player  is at
				home after a crash, or after completing
				a return to home by using the 'h' key.

		world display	a miniaturized display	of  the  entire
				playing world showing the positions  of
				all airplanes, targets not yet destroy-
				ed, and bombs.


PLAY:

	To play SOPWITH, simply key:

		sopwith

	or:
		?:sopwith	where ? is the device indicator of  the
				disk  containing  the  SOPWITH	program
				file 'sopwith.exe'


	SOPWITH will then display the following to  determine  how  the
	game is to be played:

	       Key: S - single player
		    M - multiple players
		    C - single player against computer

	Respond by keying s, m, or c ( IN LOWER CASE ).    In either of
	the single player modes, this is all that must be done.     The
	program will pause for a few seconds  for  initialization,  and
	then will display the SOPWITH window and status screen.

	If multiple player SOPWITH is selected,  there	are a few  more
	steps to be performed.	Since SOPWITH allows several  games  to
	be played concurrently, SOPWITH must know which game the player
	wishes to start or join.  SOPWITH will ask ( demand ):

	       Key a game number

	In order for a game number to be accepted,   the following must
	all be true:

		.  the game number is between 0 and 7 inclusive

		.  the data file 'sopwith?.dta'   ( where ? is the game
		   number keyed )   resides  on  the  player's  SOPWITH
		   disk.    The player's SOPWITH disk is by default the
		   'C' disk, but may be overridden to A,B or D  by  use
		   of the '-d?' option of the SOPWITH command line.

		.  an IMAGINET semaphor file 'semaphor' resides on  the
		   player's SOPWITH disk.

		.  the game requested is not currently being played, or
		   the game is waiting for additional players.

	If the player is the first player to request this game	number,
	SOPWITH will display:

		Key maximum number of players allowed

	A response of 2 through 4 indicates to	SOPWITH  that  it  will
	wait for 1 to 3 players repectively  before  allowing  play  to
	begin.	SOPWITH will pause for initialization, and then display
	the window and status screen.	 While	waiting  for  additional
	players, SOPWITH will remain in a suspended state.  Once all the
	required players are attached  to  the game,  noticeable  screen
	refreshes will begin.

	If the player is not the first player into the game  specified,
	( ie. the game is waiting ),  SOPWITH will pause for  initiali-
	zation and then display the window and status screen.	 If all
	the required players are attached to the game, the game begins.
	Otherwise, SOPWITH will continue to wait.



RECOVERY:

	If for some reason, a  player's  SOPWITH  program  fails  to end
	properly while in multiple player mode, the game number  in  use
	at the time is renderred unusable.  In order to reset  the  game
	in question, SOPWITH must be run with the 'reset' option:

		sopwith -r [-d?]

	Continue through the game number and maximum player  prompts  as
	usual.	Keying 'sopwith -r [-d?]' and specifying  a  game  which
	is in progress will yield unpredictable results.


INSTALLATION:

	The program file 'sopwith.exe' must be available to each player.
	For single player games, this is the only  installation  needed.
	For multiple player use,   the following files must be available
	at the root directory of an IMAGINET disk common to all players:

		semaphor	- IMAGINET semaphor file
		sopwith?.dta	- SOPWITH communications files where the
				  symbol ? corresponds to any valid game
				  number between 0-7 inclusive.

	Sopwith?.dta files may be created by  copying  existing  SOPWITH
	dta files, or by using any other output method to  allocate  one
	disk sector under the root directory.	  In  all  cases,  newly
	created SOPWITH dta files should be  initialized  by  using  the
	'sopwith -r [-d?]' command line described above under RECOVERY.



BUGS:

	1)  at all times,   SOPWITH expects lower case input.  Watch out
	    for the caps-lock key.

	2)  Computer controlled planes occasionally  kamikaze  into  the
	    ground.  Since the computer flies a player home when the 'h'
	    key is pressed, 'h' may place a player at the mercy  of  the
	    machine.

	3)  In multiple player mode, SOPWITH does not care if  the  file
	    'semaphor' on the player's 'C' disk is actually an  IMAGINET
	    semaphor file.     If it is not,  the players must take care
	    to stagger SOPWITH initialization,	otherwise, ( you guessed
	    it ),  unpredictable results occur.

	4)  Explosions sound funny.
