************ Introduction ************ This file contains information for Amiga users who are interested in downloading any of the demonstration and support files for the HeliOS Amiga programming language which are now available on Aminet. Dowloadable files include the HeliOS programming language software, games, documentation, and example source code for use with HeliOS. Below is a summary of what is contained in the various HeliOS archives on the Internet so that anyone who is interested in learning about the language can easily find the material they require without fruitless searching and unnecessary downloads. Practically all of the (previously only commercially available) HeliOS language system and support files can now be freely downloaded from Aminet, and may be made freely available from other PD sources. In addition to the demo version of the HeliOS language itself there are a few other interesting HeliOS accessory files, including a very fast and highly playable horizontal scrolling "Defender" game written in HeliOS. For those who like challenging games this is one of the very fastest horizontal scrolling shoot-em-ups ever on the Amiga, amply demonstrating the speed of the HeliOS language. A unique and interesting feature of the HeliOS Defender game is that it is available in a special user-reprogrammable format, so you can design your own new game to challenge your friends with devastatingly difficult scenarios.....or alternatively you may just like to cheat and make the game easier for yourself! ****************************************************** What is special about the HeliOS programming language? ****************************************************** HeliOS is a little known but extensively developed Amiga programming language now for the first time being made easily accessible to all Amiga programmers with the release of support files on the Internet. HeliOS is an unusual and innovative language with many interesting and unique capabilities: it is very powerful but also remarkably easy to use. If you have never programmed before HeliOS is an ideal way to get started: if you are an expert programmer then HeliOS will give you a lot of interesting and powerful new techniques. HeliOS is a comprehensive feature-packed system, with integrated text editors, compiler, interpreter, assembler, game creation system, and a powerful integrated user configurable debugger. It has everything you need to efficiently program any Amiga application. HeliOS is a very stable, bug-free, and Amiga-friendly system, having been developed now for many years. HeliOS programs are fully compatible with all Amigas, from Workbench 1.2 A500s to 68060-equipped AGA A4000s, but there is a recommended requirement of at least 1 megabyte of memory (actually you can run HeliOS in 512k but you can't do too much with it!). The (complete except for Save-disabling) version of HeliOS which is now available for free download contains full documentation and several tutorials, along with ready-to-run example source code. In fact, HeliOS is a superior language in most respects to the more traditional Basic, "C", or assembler: it is fast, it is easy to use, and it is fun to work with (and it is free!), so give it a try. ************************************ What is available for free download? ************************************ The full commercial HeliOS system comes as a set of four disks, containing complete on-disk documentation, tutorials, and many source code examples. The demo version of HeliOS available for free download is complete except for the fact that all save functions and the generation of stand-alone programs are disabled. The demo contains EVERY other part of the HeliOS system, including all demos, include files, source code and documentation, and is quite capable of being used to generate small HeliOS programs. If you want to actually try out the HeliOS language the most important files to download are the four archives of the main programming system. These files are called: "HeliOSLang1.lha" "HeliOSLang2.lha" "HeliOSLang3.lha" "HeliOSLang4.lha" These files contain, in archived form, the four disks comprising the demo version of the HeliOS language. Because there is much important documentation and so many vital support files on all the disks it is best to obtain the full set of four disks. If you do not wish to download all four disks, however, the HeliOS main intepreter program may be run (with a number of limitations) from just the first disk. There is a hard disk installer included, and the whole HeliOS demo is pre-configured so that you can soon be running HeliOS programs with the minimum of effort and no messy installation problems. Just download the four main files, install the software, run the one main HeliOS program and away you go.... ************************************************ What can the demo language software actually do? ************************************************ Most parts of the HeliOS demo are fully functional (except for the "Save" functions in the main Editor/Interpreter) so you can try out practically all aspects of the system. The demo version has the full documentation for HeliOS, which is VERY comprehensive, with step-by-step tutorials and many example programs. This means that you will be able to enjoy writing HeliOS programs for yourself, with complete accessibility of all features of the language and no limitation on what your programs can do. You can experiment with small programs which do not require saving, or if you want to try your hand at more serious HeliOS programming you can get started, even using the demo version of HeliOS, by writing and saving your programs in a separate editor. You can then easily load and run the programs from within the demo HeliOS interpreter/compiler. So, this is a very useful and functional software demo: even without the internal save function there are plenty of things you can do, with many interesting example programs and easy do-it-yourself programming exercises. Anyone interested in learning to program will find that the HeliOS demo is one of the easiest available introductions to programming the Amiga, with excellent interactive tutorials and detailed programming lessons. ************************ The HeliOS Defender game ************************ A full playable version of HeliOS "Defender" is available for download as an archive called: "HeliOS_Def.lha". HeliOS Defender is easily the best and fastest version of this great game on the Amiga, so it is worth getting this if you are a fan of classic arcade games. Actually this Defender game was written as an easy HeliOS programming example, and the source code is available as part of the HeliOS support software. The Defender program code demonstrates that very fast and dynamic game graphics are rather easier to produce using HeliOS than any other Amiga language. All Blitz Basic users will find it most instructive to look at HeliOS Defender, since the fact that both Blitz Basic and HeliOS provide a demonstration version of the same Defender game allows a revealing comparison of the relative capabilities of these two languages. Experienced Blitz programmers who find it interesting to see how much faster and smoother the HeliOS Defender is than the Blitz version may also like to compare the source code for Defender in Blitz Basic and HeliOS. A comparison between the two version of the game itself and the two source code files amply reveals how much the more advanced HeliOS programming system simplifies the task of writing fast arcade game code when compared to the much more limited Blitz Basic language. *********************************************************** You can have fun reprogramming HeliOS Defender for yourself *********************************************************** As well as the Defender game in playable form, if you are feeling creative you can download a version of the game which is reprogrammable. With this software you can design your own version of the game at the same time as doing some elementary HeliOS programming. This really is very easy, and even if you have never programmed anything before you really can create your own version of Defender to challenge your friends. Everything you need for reprogramming the game is provided in the archive, with simple instructions. The reprogrammable version of the Defender game is available for download as an archive called: "HeliOSPrDef.lha". The complete source code for the Defender game is available from HeliOS software if you wish to program deeper aspects of the game or use it as a basis for a whole new game project. ********************************************************* HeliOS programming support material and software examples ********************************************************* One of the most unusual and useful aspects of HeliOS is the availability of an extensive library of nearly 1000 individual example programs, each complete with fully commented source code. These example programs, the code from which you can freely incorporate into your own programs, are designed to demonstrate and explain the use of all the main commands in the HeliOS language. This comprehensive set of example programs is available as an extension module which integrates seamlessly into the main HeliOS Editor/Interpreter, providing a specially developed command macro system giving the facility for running or viewing the source code of any example program at the touch of a key from within the HeliOS editors. As well as over 950 separate example programs, this extension package also includes a sophisticated context sensitive on-line help system with a full set of extended help texts for the whole of the HeliOS command set. The full commercial version of the HeliOS Help and Example pack is already available, and a demo version is being prepared for release early in 1996. ******************* Further information ******************* All HeliOS software products are available for immediate download from Helios Software direct (after prior arrangement by voice telephone since we do not run a full time BBS). If you want to download commercial versions you can do so after paying by credit card over the telephone. The software can also be ordered via next-day mail delivery. For more information on HeliOS please contact: Helios Software 163 Huthwaite Road Sutton-in-Ashfield Nottinghamshire NG17 2HB England Voice Telephone 01623 554828 email helios@innotts.co.uk *************************************************************************