COSMIC CONQUEST V1.01 Typed in by ???. Edited by Parasite. BEFORE START Make a "games" subdirectory in the same directory you place the game. In this new directory all saved games are stored. HOW TO PLAY The aim of Cosmic Conquest is to be the sole remaining ruler over the complete star cluster of 16 stars. Cosmic Conquest is always played with four players which can be any combination of different human and computer players. After selecting "Start a new game" enter the names of the four players. To specify a computer player use as name,the name of the computer algorithm and add some string to make the name unique. There are four supported computer algorithms. These are Klingon, Romulan, Berserker and Alien. Acceptable names are for example: "romulan A" "Klingonian" "BerSERker Fred" Currently only the klingon player is working intelligently,the others are in V1.01 only stumps. To specify a player who is non-active already from the beginning use the name "dead". All other names are interpreted as names of human players. After having entered the names the game starts and the players take turns at entering their commands. DISPLAYS A) Main map This map is automagicaly displayed in the large window on the left hand side of the screen. Superimposed on a dot pattern all stars are displayed as capital letters. Stars are color coded. Stars completly controled by one player are displayed in his color. Stars on which several players control planets are displayed in orange. Unknown or uninhabited stars are displayed in white. Stars displayed in inverse are stars which already have been explored but on which currently there is no information. Beware ! Information displayed about these stars may be out of date and no longer accurate. On this screen also all taskforces known to you are displayed as minor letters in the color of their empire. Only taskforces in normal space(not in hyper space) are displayed. Sometimes several taskforces will be at one star and the display will become muddled. To obtain exact information simply examine the starsummary for this star. To obtain a starsummary on an star click on it. To obtain information on a taskforce click on it. If there are several taskforces at the star then a starsummary is displayed and you can select your taskforce from there. To obtain a general overview about all stars simply press the left mouse button somewhere on the background pattern. B) Status Display The status is displayed in middle window on the right. To obtain it simply press the right mouse button anywhere. It gives your name and your techlevel. This level starts at 100 and increases with research. What types of ships are available to you depends on the techlevel. The pop-stat show the number of millions of creatures of your race alive.This includes colonies enslaved by other races. The ind-stat gives your total industrial capacity. It is the sum of the industry of all planets you rule. Below,the names of all other races and your attitude towards them (first) and their attitude towards you (second). This can be War, Peace or Alliance. C) Starsummary The starsummary is displayed in the middle of the 3 windows on the right hand side. In the top line the letter of the star and its coordinates are displayed. In the four lines below information on the up to 8 planets (numbered from 0 to 7) of the star is displayed. The color of these entries is coded according to the color of the ruler of the planet. A planet displayed in inverse represents one on which valuable ore may be mined.The first 3-digit figure gives the maximum population of the planet in millions. The second one gives the current population in millions. If the planet is enslaved this stat is displayed in the color of the original ruler. The third one is the current industrial level of the planet. It describes what amount of ships or things may be build in a certain time on this planet. This stat may never go above population number. The final letter (or blank) is an abbrieviation for the type of product beeing built on the planet. Blank means nothing. Minor letters stand for different ship types. M stands for Mining, R for Researching, I for Investing. To obtain further information on a planet simply click on it. In the four lines below all taskforces at this star are displayed for the four players. Taskforces displayed in inverse are taskforces which haven't yet arrived at the star ,but of which you know that they are headed there. To obtain data on a taskforce click on it here. To obtain an overview over all taskforces of one player click on the appropriate "Tf" sign. In the last line the seven nearest stars together with their distances are displayed in order of proximity. Click on a star to obtain its summary. D) Staroverview The staroverview is displayed in the middle of the 3 windows on the right hand side. All stars are color coded as in the main map. For each star the sum of all its planets, population maxima, population and industry is displayed. Click on a star to obtain the starsummary. E) Taskforcesummary The taskforcesummary is displayed in the lower right hand window. In the headline of the display the letter of the taskforce, its star, its capacity , its speed and its range is displayed. If the taskforce has arrived at a star only the letter of this star is displayed. If it is in hyperspace, the name of the star it is heading at, and the number of years it will still take it to arrive there is displayed. The speed is the speed of the slowest ship in the taskforce ,that is not carried by another ship. The range is the range of the ship with the smallest range in the taskforce, that is not being carried. These two stats give the maximum distance between stars that a taskforce may hyperspace non-stop and the distance it covers in each year. The third stat gives the sum of the sizes of the storage holds of all ships (including carried ships). In the body of the display the names of all shipstypes in the taskforce appear. If you have information about the interior of the ships (i.e. it is one of your taskforces) 2 figures are displayed at the end of the line. The first gives the number of free ships of this type in the taskforce, the second the number of carried ships of this kind in the taskforce. On the other hand if it is a foreign taskforce you will only see the number of visible ships of each kind. To obtain a shipsummary, a summary of the technical stats of one kind of ship, click on the name of the shiptype. To obtain an overview about all the taskforces of the player (of which you know) in that this kind of ship is known to be, click on the number of ships. F) Taskforceoverview This is displayed in the lower right hand window. All known taskforces are displayed including the star they are heading at (or are at) and the number of years it will still take the taskforce to arrive there. To obtain a taskforce summary click on the taskforce you wish to obtain info on. G) Shipoverview This is similar to taskforceoverview , but instead of displaying the star each taskforce is heading at, the number of all free(first) and carried(second) ships of one shiptype of each known taskforce of one player is displayed. If you don't know what is inside a taskforce(i.e. it's not one of your taskforces) then only the visible ships are displayed To obtain a taskforce summary click on the taskforce you wish to obtain info on. H) Planetsummary Planetsummary is displayed in the lower right hand window. In the headline star and planet are displayed. In the second line the population maximum for the planet, its current population and its industrial level are shown. The name of its displayed in the third line product. In the next line the cost of the product( the number of industrial points needed to build it, e.g. , to mine one point of ore has a cost of 15. A planet with an industry of 60 produces 4 oreunits a year. A light cruiser costs 100,thus a planet with an industry of 40 needs 2.5 years to produce one.) is shown. The number of years needed to produce one unit as well as the estimated time at that the next unit will be available is displayed. To obtain further information on the ship click on its name. I) Shipsummary Shipsummaries are displayed in the lower right side window. In the headline the name of the shiptype is displayed. In the second line the size of the ship as well as its capacity is displayed. These stats are important for how many ships of a type another ship can carry inside its storage holds. The hyperspeed stat gives the maximum speed of any taskforce in that such a ship is and is not carried. The hyperrange gives the range of a taskforce in that such a ship is and is not carried. If either or both of these attributes is 0 then this shiptype has no hyperdrive and cann't move by itself from one star to another but must be carried by another ship.The attack stat gives the strength of the builtin weaponry of this shiptype. No of attack gives the number of attacks of this strength such a ship may make. Speed determines when such a ship makes its attack in a battle. The lower it is the better. Shields gives the amount of protective devices of the ship. A shield will block an attack of the same strength 50 % of the time. Techcost gives the cost in industrial points it costs to build one such ship. Techlevel gives the minimum techlevel a race has to have to be able to build such a ship. If both of these attributes are displayed in inverse the ship is not available. Below these attributes several some special abilities of ships may be displayed: Starkill = This ship is equiped with a special device which can make suns go supernovae. All planets and all taskforces present are destroyed. BEWARE !!! Very dangerous ! Only for absolute emergencies. One-Shot = This is a unmanned ship which is destroyed in its first attack. For example: Torpedos. CataStart = Ships with this attribute can be ejected via catapults very quickly in a fight, if they are carried aboard ships with the catapult equipment. This allows attacking taskforces to have some carried ships attack immediately in the first year of battle. Not build = Ships of this type cannot be build using normal build commands. For example: Oreunits and Popunits. Catapult = Ships with this ability can catapult ships with the CataStart attribute. J) Help The help screen is displayed if you at any time click in the upper right hand command window. It shows all commands and their one letter abrieviations. All displays are always immediately updated to represent any change.If in any display the sign oo(infinite) appears this represents a figure which is out of bounds. It is certainly larger than the maximum integer to be displayed in the given number on characters (for Example if any figure greater than 99 is going to be displayed in a 2 character field it is displayed as oo.). COMMANDS Commands are entered in the command window in the upper right hand corner. In contrast to display functions which are completly mouse driven all commands are entered at the keyboard. First enter the one letter code for each command ,then you are queried for all parameters of the command in this window. In most cases, in which you have several different options you can scroll through them with the <-key and the >-key. Press return to select. You can also enter an identifying letter for each option immediately. When queried for a number the maximum amount is displayed in brackets. Press 0-9 to select this small quantity to select other numbers use the <-key and the >-key. To select maximum press >-key and shift simultaneously. To select the minimum (usualy 0) press the <-key and shift simultaneously. g = Go on This command ends your turn and allows the next player to get his turn. h = Hyperspace This command allows you to send taskforces from one star to another. You are querried first for the task and then for the destination. This command will automaticaly carry ships with insufficient range. If this isn't possible you will get an error message. It also optimizes for speed.(Carries slower ships in faster if possible.) e = Emigrate If you rule a planet and the population is of your race, you can order some of your loyal subjects into large containers, where cold sleep is induced. Into each of these containers fit 1 million creatures. These containers are then fired into space. They are called popunits. To colonialize a planet simply land (with the l command) popunits on planets and your subjects will awake and start to build another outpost for your empire. When the population on a planet has reached its maximum, surplus population is automaticaly sent into popunits. k = Kill This is not a very philantrophic( or philcreaturic) command but sometimes necessary. It allows you to kill the population of any planet you control if the population happens to be of another race (when you have conquered and enslaved the population). If you don't specify the planet(i.e.you hit return) and there is a ship with starkiller present, you eliminate this star and all taskforces there ! j = Join taskforces With this command you can join up to 30 taskforces. End input with return. All taskforces have to be at the same star. If possible all taskforces are joined to one. l = Land taskforce With this command you can colonialize other planets or supply planets you already own. As many popunits as there are in the taskforce and fit on the planet land. This will increase the population by this amount. Then as many oreunits as there are in the taskforce land and increase the industry. (Providing that wouldn't raise the industry higher than the population). n = New taskforce This command allows you split an existing taskforce into two. You are queried for the number of ships of each type in the new taskforce. All ships in both taskforces are unloaded. d = Diplomatic declaration This commands sets your attitude towards the other players. You can declare WAR and this propably causes the other side to declare WAR on you as well as soon as it is its turn. If you have declared war and your taskforces meet they will fight. You can make a PEACE offer and hope that the other side will declare PEACE on you as well or you can offer an ALLIANCE. This ALLIANCE will be fulfilled by your side only until the other side declares ALLIANCE as well. p = Possess planet If you defeat another player and conquer one of his stars you will propably wish to use this command. It allows you to take control of any planet, if all the enemy taskforces have fled or were defeated. The population of the planet will be enslaved. It will always inform your opponent of the current state on this star. You will also be unable to raise popunits from such a planet. Thus you may wish to kill(= k) this population. On the other hand, if you possess a planet of a culture with a higher techlevel your techlevel will increase as well. b = Build ship This useful command allows you to set the production on any planet you rule over. You have several options: Any kind of ship that your techlevel allows you to build.To get this option enter the letter of this ship or select it the <,> and RETURN keys. RESEARCHING. This allows you to increase your techlevel. Use a capital 'R' or select it with the <,> and RETURN keys. INVESTING. This option allows you to increase the industry on this planet ,but it is rather slow, thus use oreunits whenever possible. Use a capital 'I' or select it with the <,> and RETURN keys. MINING. This is only possible on a planet on that ore is found. These planets are displayed in inverse in the Starsummary. When using this option your planet outputs oreunits. Use a capital 'M' or select it with the <,> and RETURN keys. c=Carry ships This command allows you to specify the number and type of ships being carried in a taskforce. As the ships are taken apart before carrying, large ships can be spread among many smaller ships. Also note that the empty space inside the storage holds of large ships is used. This means 4 glitter with a size of 20 and a capacity of 19 each, can be stored inside one single transporter with a capacity of 4. Carrying ships can have different reasons. Some ships don't have hyperdrives or only drives with insufficient range. This means that they have to be carried by longer range ships on far distances. Others are quite slow and fast taskforces can be speeded up by faster ships carrying the slower ones. Note also that ships stored inside other ships can't be destroyed in battle, even if their carriers are blown up. They will be unloaded and undamaged next year. This may be a way to protect valueable but easily destroyed ships like space cannons or Q-bombs inside larger ships with better armor. HINTS The following hints may help you to play a better game against Klingon or another human player. 1. When the cluster is generated you always get one populated mineable planet type 60 and one empty planet type 40. There will be another star within a range of 4 units. There won't be an enemy within 8 units,thus you needn't be to frightend at the beginning. 2. Use cheap scouts to explore and on sentry duty to yet uncolonialized stars. Have sentries on all stars within 6 or 8 units of your main industrialized stars. They won't stop an attacking enemy but you will get advance warning to prepare to defend. Having one of your main stars surprised by 3 light cruisers, conquered, and all population killed when you bring in your taskforces is NOT the way to win. 3. How fast your population grows depends on the distance from the sun. Planet 3 is rather ideal. Planets farther in are progressivly to hot to have a large birth rate and planets farther out are becoming colder and colder. Build up your population in the middle planets. Planets 0 and 7 will never increase their population but always remain constant. 4. Use glitter ! Glitter is very cheap and easily destroyed but has a large size and many shots will be drawn away from your more important ships. As its capacity is only one less than its size, it can be transported effectively at the cost of one. Use clearers ! These ships have a quite good speed ,thus they will fire early in a battle. They have many attacks but each of them is pretty weak. Their attacks can practicaly only penetrate ships without armor. They are the ideal counterweapon against glitter, as they clear it away ,before the other ships fire might be distracted. 5. Never use invest, if you have got ore available. 6. The most important ship to build, after having conquered all stars in the close neighboorhood, is the Trans II. It is available at a techlevel of 210 and allows you to expand across the gaps between the stars. 7. Never stop building a ship that is almost finished. You will lose all efforts you put into it. TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION The game can be completly rebuilt by executing the makeall-file. The resulting executable might be slightly shorter as a secret debug mode has been removed from the source. To add more computer players feel free to modify the files "romulan.c" and "alien.c". To see how a simple computer player is written, examine the "klingon.c" file. If you write a clever or unusal computer player I'd be obliged, if you sent it to me for incorporation in future versions of "Cosmic Conquest". To add more ship types, modify the main.c file. If you invent good ones send them to me. The files: main.c - startup code and definition of ship types defs.h - definitions for the game con.c - main part of the program for computation of moves and fights human.c - input/output routines for the human player klingon.c - klingon player romulan.c - romulan player (not completed) berserker.c - berserker player (not completed) alien.c - alien player (not completed) cosmic.doc - this text makeall - batchfile Sorry, there are very few comments in the source. But the code is obvious, isn't it ?!? DESIGN LIMITS Most of these limits can be changed by changing the defs.h file and recompiling the game. 1. There can never be more than 250 free ships of one type and 250 carried ships of one type in one taskforce. Additional ships are ignored. 2. There can never be more than 26 taskforces. 3. There are only 16 stars. 4. All other data are short integers. This means values up to 32000 should be ok.