SOURCE:   OFFICE OF THE COMMANDANT, STARFLEET ACADEMY
          UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS
AUTHOR:   ADMIRAL GREGORY EPLEY, COMMANDANT, STARFLEET ACADEMY
STARDATE: 42976.3 (OLD CALENDAR, PRESENT DAY, JUNE 1, 1991)
SUBJECT:  LOW-LEVEL ACCESS GENERAL COMMUNIQUE
RE:       ERROR AND RELATED TECHNICAL MANUAL
          RELEASE TWO UPGRADE
          STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION - TRIVIA CHALLENGE


CONTENTS:  3.1   FILE AND OTHER ERRORS
           3.1.1 GENERIC FILE ERRORS
           3.1.2 FILE WARNING REQUESTER
           3.2   KNOWN BUGS AND FIXES
           3.2.1 DATABASE BUGS, FIXES, AND PENDING INFORMATION
           3.2.2 GAME MODULE BUGS AND FIXES


3.1   FILE AND OTHER ERRORS

Release Two reports and/or handles several types of errors differently from
Release One.  This is partly due to the nature of Director Version 2's error
handling/reporting facilities and partly due to the fact that Release One
didn't check for most errors.

If the error message is reported on the game display it is not fatal and does
not require game shutdown.  Usually you just correct the obvious cause of the
problem and re-try the operation.

If the error message is reported on the Workbench it is usually fatal and
requires immediate game shutdown.  If the message says "FATAL" the error was
trapped by the Game Module and an Error Report will be written to a file in
RAM: named "ngtc_err".  Please be patient after you select "Okay" in the
requester, as it may take anywhere from several seconds to a minute or more
to write the Report.  DO NOT re-boot your machine or you will destroy the
Report.  If the message does not say "FATAL" the error was trapped by the
Projector player.  Try to note what you were doing when the error occurred,
and any messages, and report these.

DO NOT attempt to use the PowerPacker utility to compress any NGTC files.
The Projector player was PowerPacked with v2.2a, and this should not cause
any problems.  However, if you experience a mysterious "freeze" you might
try restoring the original file with PowerPacker.  I did not encounter any
problems in testing and I do not anticipate this will be necessary.

DISABLE or DO NOT install interrupt applications that cause your system to
behave in non-standard ways.  Any sort of interrupt application that tries
to monitor or route system activities in a non-standard manner may cause
unforseen mysterious errors to occur with this game.  Director Version 2 is
very well behaved and so is my game module - you have been warned!

DO NOT attempt to exit the game by pressing <CTRL><C> (or <D>, <E>, or <F>).
This may cause unpredictable system problems.

The new Game Module utilizes a 680 x 402 display area.  As a result, every
screen existing in the Amiga system at game startup will be shifted to the
far left when the game display auto-centers.  This can make operation of
other programs requiring full displays difficult, such as text editors, file
viewers, or other full-screen applications - even the Workbench.  DO NOT try
to run other full-screen applications which might be affected while playing
the game.

The new Game Module utilizes the AmigaDOS "Sort" command to shuffle question
numbers during Database initialization.  The "Sort" command MUST accept the
format: Sort <inputfile> <outputfile> and sort in ascending (A-Z) order.  For
some reason, ARP 1.3 "Sort" has to write to the current directory, but no
file is produced.  This does not occur under 2.0 using AmigaDOS "Sort", and
most likely does not occur with 1.2/1.3 AmigaDOS "Sort".  It is more of a
harmless nuisance than anything else.

If you should encounter any Workbench requesters, this means that the Game
Module does not know an error occurred.  You must respond to the requester
and manually switch to the Game Module display.  There are two ways to do
this:

   1. Select the Workbench "screen to back" or screen select gadget.

   2. Press <LEFT-AMIGA><M>.

3.1.1 GENERIC FILE ERRORS

Release Two attempts to fix several problems associated with the files it
reads and/or writes.  As far as the Game Module is concerned, Trivia Database
and Clue Files are READ ONLY, Exam and High Score Files are READ AND WRITE.
See Section 3.1.2 for more information on Clue File errors.

The only file errors the Game Module does not check are reads from the Trivia
Database Cryptfiles and writes to the High Scores file.  All other file
errors are non-fatal.  The Game Module has no way of knowing if such errors
are due to a write protected disk, a full disk, or a corrupt disk (corrupt
file).  Check the following and re-try the operation:

   1. If the disk is write protected, write enable the disk.

   2. If the disk is full, delete any old files, including the file the
      problem occurred with, since it may be a partial file.

   3. If the disk is corrupt, the Projector player will most likely inform
      you of this in a requester on the Workbench, and shut the Game Module
      down (FATAL).  A corrupt disk or file is rare, but usually requires
      some special attention beyond the scope of this documentation.

3.1.2 FILE WARNING REQUESTER

If the Game Module has a problem with a Clue File, the entire game display
will turn black-and-white, and a bright RED rectangular warning requester
will appear.  This requester will tell you which file the problem occurred
with and give you a chance to skip to the next question or attempt to load
the file again.

If you're running off floppies the next line in the requester will ask you to
insert the disk which should have the file.  If you're running off a hard
drive, you should not be receiving this requester, so you must select an
option to continue.  Such hard drive errors could result from most anything
and may require special attention beyond the scope of this documentation.

  WARNING: NEVER remove ANY floppy disk while the red drive light is ON.
  It is recommended that you insert DATA disks in drive 0 (DF0:) or another
  extra drive since the Game Module needs to access the PLAY disk often.
  Allow some time for the disk to "spin-up" so the system knows it's there,
  otherwise, the RETRY operation may not recognize the disk.

There are two continuation options in the warning requester - RETRY and SKIP.
Select these with the mouse or the keyboard; select from the keyboard using
the first letter of the option (e.g., <S> or <s> for SKIP).  Select SKIP to
skip to the next question with no change in score or status.  Select RETRY to
attempt to load the Clue File again.  The Game Module will attempt to load
the file twice before automatically skipping to the next question.


3.2   KNOWN BUGS AND FIXES

Items in all caps have been CORRECTED based on the best information available
to me.  Items marked >>>PENDING<<< await correction.  All other items are
included based on my best guess.  If you can help with any of the items below
please contact me (see Section F.1).  Items NOT CORRECTED or >>>PENDING<<<
are of most importance.

3.2.1 DATA BASE BUGS, FIXES, AND PENDING INFORMATION

The item(s) in question are enclosed in square brackets; if possible, the
episode name is also given.  Item(s) listed here are generally omitted from
the database until further clarification can be made.  However, I sometimes
find it necessary to hazard a guess to include the material because it deals
with some key event(s).  You must be able to verify changes to any CORRECTED
items.

  * >>>PENDING<<< [rank] of marine officer Q assumed from "Encounter At
    Farpoint."  Missing from First Edition of Season One Review Guide.
  * >>>PENDING<<< [rank] of man in police station who talks to Dr. Crusher
    from "The Big Goodbye."  Missing from First Edition of Season One Review
    Guide.
  * >>>PENDING<<< [Megmaline Throgmine] from "Angel One."  Missing from First
    Edition of Season One Review Guide.
  * >>>PENDING<<< [various French names] from "We'll Always Have Paris."  I
    lack enough understanding of the language to hazard guesses.  Missing
    from First Edition of Season One Review Guide.
  * >>>PENDING<<< use of information relating to [Captain of Pakled vessel
    Mondor] from "Samaritan Snare."  "Grebnedlog" (Christopher Collins) is
    billed in the First Edition of the Season Two Review Guide, however, I
    could not locate any such mention in the taped episode by any character.
  * >>>PENDING<<< [Beate] from "Angel One."  Spelling of character's name
    listed in the First Edition of the Season One Review Guide does not fit
    the pronunciation used in the episode.  I would pronounce the given
    spelling "beet"; the pronunciation in the episode is very clearly
    "bee-ah-ta."
  * [Biata] from "Angel One."  See >>>PENDING<<< notes on this entry above.
    I will use this form until further clarification.
  * [Albanian] Meditation Crystal from "Angel One."  Missing from First
    Edition of Season One Review Guide.
  * [Aldeberan] Serpent from "Hide and Q."  Missing from First Edition of
    Season One Review Guide.
  * [Andorian] Tea from "Conspiracy."  Missing from First Edition of Season
    One Review Guide.
  * [Armus] Nine from "Angel One."  Missing from First Edition of Season One
    Review Guide.
  * [Kabatras] from "Angel One."  Missing from First Edition of Season One
    Review Guide.
  * Cafe de [Zachtieste] from "We'll Always Have Paris" (I took a chance on
    this one).  Missing from First Edition of Season One Review Guide.
  * [Prixxi] Squares from "11001001."  References in Season Four episodes
    sound like "Pareesi" or "Parisi."  Missing from First Edition of Season
    One Review Guide.
  * [Risamatas] from "Shades of Gray."  Data identifies this as the structure
    (vine or plant) which injures Commander Riker.  Missing from current
    Season Review Guides.
  * Earth Station [McKinnley] from "The Best of Both Worlds."
  * [Cardosian] from "The Wounded."
  * [VARIOUS COUNTRY LINGO] from "The Neutral Zone."  Final corrections made
    based on a sampling of written material.
  * Geordi [LA FORGE] from various episodes.  Character's last name formerly
    listed as "LaForge", various references in TNG novel series and Season
    Review Guides indicate a space is expected here.
  * [VAGRA] II (Two) from "Skin Of Evil."  Planet location formerly listed as
    "Veigra Two" in the First Edition of the Season One Review Guide, various
    references indicate the correction.
  * [KHITOMER] from various episodes.  Worf's homeworld formerly listed as
    "Kidimar" in the First Edition of the Season One Review Guide, various
    references in TNG novel series and Season Three Review Guide indicate
    the correction.
  * "[GRAY], Shades of" episode title.  Consistently listed as "Grey" in the
    Second Season Review Guide, corrected based on the title listed in the
    actual taped episode.
  * [SENSORY] Organ Replacement, Visual Instrument and, from various
    episodes.  The "S" designation for the VISOR appliance which enables
    Geordi to see, formerly listed as "Sight", corrected based on reference
    in TNG novel "Strike Zone."
  * [MORDOCK], from "Coming of Age" and various episodes.  Benzite character
    formerly listed as "Mordok" in First Edition of Season One Review Guide,
    various references in First Edition of Season Two Review Guide indicate
    the correction.
  * [.] (period) character is used as a separator in most abbreviations to
    make those easier to read.

Two video clues were missing from Release One.  I assume they didn't cause
any problems because I never received any complaints.  The clues were not
required to answer the questions.  The clue information has been deleted to
avoid any further problems.

Every effort has been made to ensure that all current information in the
First and Second Season Databases is correct, both in form and content.

3.2.2 GAME MODULE BUGS AND FIXES

No bugs were reported for the Release One Game Module.

The majority of changes to the Game Module concern the Computer Terminal
Interface, error handling/reporting, configuration, and other minor changes
in form or content to improve function.  These are covered in more detail
throughout the documentation, and I see no need to repeat that here.

< end of document >