Short: Let's you write Modem Linkable games easier (May 10 1997) Author: yogi@autobahn.mb.ca (Michael Veroukis) Uploader: yogi@autobahn.mb.ca (Michael Veroukis) Version: 36.0 Release 1.0 Type: dev/misc Requires: Amiga OS 2.0 or higher ModemLink Device Mike Veroukis - 1997 Introduction: ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ModemLink device was written in an attempt to make modem linkable games easier to write on the Amiga. We've seen hundreds of games on the PC with modem play capabilities, but most Amiga games don't provide this option. This frustrates many Amiga game players, as everyone knows it's much more fun to kill your friends then stupid computer-AI people! It's no secret that most Amiga programmers are not part of some rich company. Therefore, it's easy to understand why many developers don't add modem play to their games. First of all, you may be adding a few months to development time just for the modem link part of the game. For many hobby programmers, they'd rather just finish the game quickly, and move onto new and exciting things. The ModemLink device gives the developer all the code required for a basic modem playable game, therefore saving on development time. Another problem is that you'd need two Amigas, with a modem on each, and preferably two phone lines (although you could always use a null modem as well). Not everyone can have this kind of set up. The ModemLink device makes it a little easier to develope the modem linkable game, since there's less to worry about. You'll still need to test, but it's the sort of thing a friend with an Amiga and a modem can help out with. Since the ModemLink device has been tested, and is known to work, a game developer only needs to worry about how to interface with the ModemLink device. Well, this is all very cool and all, but how does it work??? Although I don't want to get into the finer details of the device, this is a good place to give a rough description of the thing. The ModemLink device provides two important functions; Modem Connectivity and a Reliable Serial Protocol. What does this mean??? Modem Connectivity: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ModemLink device provides standard routines to dial/answer calls. These routines can be used to easily set up a modem connection. They have been designed to be very flexible and provide significant control to the programmer. Reliable Serial Protocol: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once a modem connection is made, data must be sent and received across the phone line. One needs to be sure that the data received is correct, and the data sent has been received. To do this, some kind of protocol must be used, which the ModemLink device provides. Although designed to support more protocols in the future, it currently only supports a single protocol based on what is called the Stop And Wait protocol. Anyway, as you might have guessed, the main point to this entire project is to make it easier for Amiga programmers to make modem linkable games. I offer this package (with source included) free for everyone to use. - Mike ============================= Archive contents ============================= Original Packed Ratio Date Time Name -------- ------- ----- --------- -------- ------------- 36533 9162 74.9% 24-Mar-97 23:40:00 +ModemLink.doc 852 331 61.1% 16-Mar-97 15:21:58 +ModemLink.doc.info 10592 6559 38.0% 06-Apr-97 21:44:16 +modemlink_000.device 10568 6555 37.9% 06-Apr-97 21:46:58 +modemlink_020.device 33872 12565 62.9% 10-May-97 19:10:48 +ModemLink.guide 840 323 61.5% 19-Mar-97 23:30:14 +ModemLink.guide.info 841 501 40.4% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +Build.info 2632 1711 34.9% 04-Jul-96 15:15:16 +Debug 831 382 54.0% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +Debug.info 2771 840 69.6% 06-Apr-97 10:49:22 +DeviceStuff.c 600 252 58.0% 11-Mar-97 22:53:16 +DeviceStuff.h 838 541 35.4% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +Edit.info 842 451 46.4% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +Find.info 115 81 29.5% 06-Apr-97 21:47:40 +SCoptions 2954 458 84.4% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +SCoptions.info 990 435 56.0% 25-Mar-97 21:13:16 +smakefile 17332 11050 36.2% 06-Apr-97 21:47:58 +TestML 4183 1216 70.9% 06-Apr-97 20:23:08 +TestML.c 835 392 53.0% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +TestML.info 10428 6557 37.1% 06-Apr-97 21:49:20 +TestMLDev 4608 1284 72.1% 06-Apr-97 21:49:02 +TestMLDev.c 835 395 52.6% 11-Mar-97 22:05:36 +TestMLDev.info 632 283 55.2% 16-Mar-97 15:24:52 +clib.info 2712 881 67.5% 06-Apr-97 11:51:50 +ModemLink_protos.h 834 316 62.1% 18-Mar-97 21:05:12 +ModemLink_protos.h.info 632 277 56.1% 16-Mar-97 15:23:58 +ModemLink.info 3765 1534 59.2% 06-Apr-97 18:56:38 +ModemLink.h 834 315 62.2% 18-Mar-97 21:04:50 +ModemLink.h.info 632 276 56.3% 16-Mar-97 15:26:04 +pragmas.info 677 217 67.9% 16-Feb-97 12:05:28 +ModemLinkDev_pragmas.h 834 309 62.9% 18-Mar-97 21:05:04 +ModemLinkDev_pragmas.h.info 632 281 55.5% 16-Mar-97 15:25:18 +proto.info 200 134 33.0% 16-Mar-97 14:42:14 +ModemLink.h 834 315 62.2% 18-Mar-97 21:05:20 +ModemLink.h.info 10284 5972 41.9% 06-Apr-97 21:44:16 +ModemLink_000.lib 10260 5966 41.8% 06-Apr-97 21:46:58 +ModemLink_020.lib 456 252 44.7% 06-Apr-97 21:44:30 +ModemLinkDev.lib 841 500 40.5% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +Build.info 3576 1856 48.0% 23-Mar-97 10:42:08 +CRC.c 98 94 4.0% 28-Dec-96 13:02:04 +CRC.h 2632 1711 34.9% 04-Jul-96 15:15:16 +Debug 831 387 53.4% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +Debug.info 0 0 0.0% 06-Apr-97 21:48:16 + 2771 840 69.6% 06-Apr-97 10:49:12 +DeviceStuff.c 600 252 58.0% 13-Mar-97 21:56:10 +DeviceStuff.h 838 542 35.3% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +Edit.info 842 449 46.6% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +Find.info 0 0 0.0% 06-Apr-97 21:48:18 + 7058 1972 72.0% 06-Apr-97 10:50:38 +Link.c 2986 1172 60.7% 06-Apr-97 18:54:44 +Link.h 402 229 43.0% 11-Mar-97 22:41:12 +LinkDevTags.c 224 165 26.3% 11-Mar-97 22:41:20 +LinkDevTags.h 323 195 39.6% 13-Mar-97 20:53:38 +LinkTags.c 213 156 26.7% 13-Mar-97 20:53:46 +LinkTags.h 8381 1983 76.3% 06-Apr-97 19:58:18 +Modem.c 1802 668 62.9% 25-Mar-97 20:35:08 +Modem.h 731 276 62.2% 11-Mar-97 22:40:58 +ModemDevTags.c 386 206 46.6% 11-Mar-97 22:41:34 +ModemDevTags.h 835 391 53.1% 06-Apr-97 18:59:18 +modemlink.device.info 409 203 50.3% 13-Mar-97 22:54:18 +ModemLinkAPI.c 177 126 28.8% 09-Mar-97 18:37:08 +ModemLinkAPI.h 2206 715 67.5% 06-Apr-97 21:38:46 +ModemLinkDev.c 508 248 51.1% 16-Feb-97 12:00:54 +ModemLinkDev.fd 677 217 67.9% 11-Mar-97 22:33:48 +ModemLinkDev_pragmas.h 2504 612 75.5% 23-Mar-97 10:22:12 +ModemLinkDevAPI.c 521 262 49.7% 25-Mar-97 21:09:52 +ModemLinkDevAPI.h 13755 3127 77.2% 06-Apr-97 11:19:48 +ModemLinkTask.c 681 354 48.0% 26-Jan-97 15:59:42 +ModemLinkTask.h 655 240 63.3% 13-Mar-97 20:53:18 +ModemTags.c 378 202 46.5% 13-Mar-97 20:53:58 +ModemTags.h 180 118 34.4% 06-Apr-97 21:44:44 +SCoptions 2954 455 84.5% 06-Apr-97 12:07:24 +SCoptions.info 3327 765 77.0% 06-Apr-97 11:47:44 +smakefile 628 266 57.6% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 ModemLink.info 632 279 55.8% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 +AutoDocs.info 632 284 55.0% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 +Devs.info 632 283 55.2% 25-Mar-97 21:22:32 +Docs.info 632 283 55.2% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 +Examples.info 632 281 55.5% 25-Mar-97 21:22:24 +include.info 632 280 55.6% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 +lib.info 632 284 55.0% 25-Mar-97 21:17:54 +Source.info -------- ------- ----- --------- -------- 249464 103297 58.5% 11-May-97 21:16:54 81 files