Frontline Welcome to Frontline. This file tells you about any specific details and changes to this Amiga version. STARTING FRONTLINE ------------------ If you have a megabyte or more of memory, Workbench will be loaded, and Frontline can be started by clicking on the FRONT.PRG icon. If you only have 512k, Frontline will be booted directly after you have been given the option to view this file, to save memory, also the CLI window and the Workbench screen will also be closed to conserve memory. ADDITIONS TO ST VERSION ----------------------- There have been some additions to the version of Frontline on the ST. To start, during the leader and support weapon selection procedure, an extra icon (shaped as a cross) has been added to allow the selection for the current unit to be cancelled. The sound effects are sampled, rather than computer generated - hopefully this gives a better atmosphere. 'Hidden' Units have also been added, this means the only enemy units you can see on the map are those that are within the line-of-sight of your units. This means you can be ambushed by a hidden enemy unit, but of course you can make a surprise attack yourself. LOADING & SAVING ---------------- Before you start, it's a good idea to format a couple of blank disks, so that you can save a scenario if you need to. The disks should be called 'FRONTSAVE' so that Frontline can find them when it saves a game, a script file is provided on the Frontline disk for this purpose. Simply double-click on the FormatSaveDisk icon on the Frontline disk and follow the instructions, inserting the disk to be formatted when prompted. If your machine is 512k and the Frontline disk normally boots directly into the game, boot with your WorkBench disk and then insert the Frontline disk to access the utility (Note: There will not be enough memory to run Frontline if your machine normally boots straight into the game). You can only save one game per disk, sorry that this is a bit cumbersome, but I didn't have time to implement a more elegant save/load method. In most cases however, you won't have to use the save option as the scenarios can usually be finished in a couple of hours. Also, users with 512k machines may not be able to save some of the larger scenarios. PRINTER SUPPORT --------------- You can print out the current status of your units with the Print Status option from the Units menu. If you boot from the Frontline disk, the printer is setup to use a generic printer attached to the parallel port. You will have to use the Preferences program that comes on your Workbench disk to alter the configuration if required. HARD-DRIVES ----------- Frontline can be quite happily moved on a hard-drive. (The development of Frontline took place on a hard-drive and quite happily lives there.) You must however, have at least one megabyte of memory together with you hard drive (as I'm sure 99.9% of hard-drive owners have) because of the large amount of memory a hard-drive eats. Transferring via Workbench is easiest: 1) Create a drawer for Frontline on the hard-drive, and drag over all the icons on the Frontline disk. 2) Click on the HDInstall icon - this will copy ZRead and IconX from the Frontline disk to the C: directory of the hard-drive. These programs are used by the READ_ME.PRG and HDAssign icons. Once this is done, the HDInstall icon can be deleted from the Hard-drive. 3) Frontline gets the scenario data from the logical directory FRONTLINE: you can either insert a line in your startup-sequence as follows, 'ASSIGN FRONTLINE: path' where path is the full pathname of the Directory where you have put Frontline. Alternatively, run the HDAssign program, which will set up everything for you, for that session. (You will have to re-run it everytime you reboot). Make sure you remove the Frontline disk before running this program, or it will not run correctly. This operation will allow for future extra scenario disks if produced. THANK-YOUS ---------- Ok, here goes, first of all Alan Lenton for writing the original version of Frontline on the ST, and for giving me the job of converting it. Thanks to Stuart Cupit for a few spot graphic effects and the Workbench icon when my dismal artistic capabilities failed me. Thanks to Nico Francois for PowerPacker which allowed me to cram everything onto one disk. (Well worth the Shareware fee!) Thank to you, the customer for buying this game - I hope you enjoy it! John Chasey. 24th June 1990 A couple of words from Alan Lenton: CHANGES ------- As a result of comments from the playtesters, one or two of the scenarios have had the forces fighting the battle altered. In particular the number of Allied squads in the Cassino scenario has been reduced by about a third. PLAYING THE SCENARIOS --------------------- Some of the scenarios are more difficult than others. I would suggest that the best order in which to play them is: Assault on Hill 193 (covers infantry units and support weapons) Pegasus Bridge Stalingrad Clear the Convent (adds an artillery unit) Guadalcanal (adds off-map artillery) Cassino For the record, my favourite scenario - and that of most of the playtesters - is Pegasus Bridge. None of the scenarios are impossible - but when you first start, you might find it easier to turn off the timer (see the manual for details). Usually you will find it easier to play the defender. One brief note on off-map artillery - since it is possible to call down a barrage on your own head (very useful if you are in a bunker and the opposition is in the open!) you can't cancel a spotting round by clicking on your own player. Find a piece of dead ground and direct the round to that! FURTHER SCENARIOS ----------------- If the demand is great enough, then I will produce some further scenarios for the game. These will probably only be available on Mail Order. To be notified of further scenarios, please complete and return the registration card in the game box. Because of the fact that scenarios won't run without the main program, it is unlikely that the scenarios will available in the shops. LAST WORD --------- Frontline is deliberately NOT copy protected, since I find copy protection a pain, and I'm sure you do as well. That is why you can copy the game onto hard disks. Please don't abuse the trust by giving copies to other people. I hope you enjoy playing Frontline. I'd be happy to receive any comments, or suggestions for future scenarios. You can send them to me c/o CCS, 14 Langton Way, London SE3 7TL. Have fun Alan Lenton