Short: 16 Replacement levels for AB3DII Dec 98 Uploader: mike mikech demon co uk Type: game/data Requires: Original floppy disks or HD installation of AB3DII-The Killing Grounds Architecture: generic INTRODUCTION This archive contains a complete set of 16 levels for Alien Breed 3d2. The levels and the intro-text story take the form of a (loose) sequel to Alien Breed 3d2. Most of the aliens and textures from the original game are used, but I have also resurrected some aliens from Alien Breed 3d1, created some new ones from the graphics released along with the source code files, and modified / designed some new weapons. (Fancy a mini-rocket launcher?) I have also used Jason Frecknall's minigun. Thanks to him. INSTALLATION This archive requires many of the original files from AB3d2-TKG, including the executable itself, the original graphic files and the original aliens. However, it does not require all of them. To install, unpack the archive to your hard drive wherever you want the game to live. The archive unpacks as a directory called AB3d2-XeniumCore. Open this drawer and double click the "Install_Files" icon. This runs a simple DOS script to copy the required files, and only the required files, into the AB3d2-XeniumCore directory, from either the original AB3d2-TKG floppy disks or from an existing hard drive installation of AB3d2-TKG. The script opens a requester to choose installation from floppy or hard drive. If you choose to copy the files from an existing installation a requester will then open for you to select the existing AB3d2-TKG directory on your hard drive. Please note that the script clears the assigns to TKG1: TKG2: SFX: and AB3: (which may have been set in your user-startup) so you cannot use these assigns to find the directory. The script will then copy all the required files into the AB3d2-XeniumCore directory. If Aki Laukkanen's TKGPatch is present in your original installation it will also be copied. This patch is recommended, but you should not use the ENGINE option as it spoils the textures in some levels of the game (introducing a solid line between wall tiles that prevents them from blending together). The ENGINE option in itself does not make much difference to the speed and is off by default. The patch is available on Aminet if you do not have it. If you chose to install from the original floppy disks, you will have to insert the relevant disks at the "Please insert volume TKG1/TKG2/SFX" requesters. You can now run the game by double clicking the "Start" icon. This assigns TKG1: TKG2: AB3: and SFX: all to the AB3d2-XeniumCore directory and opens a shell window in which you should type either "tkg" or "tkgpatch C2P" to run the game. Its probably a good idea to wait for the first window to close before running the game. It is possible to install this game by copying your AB3d2-TKG directory, renaming it as Ab3d2-XeniumCore and dumping the extracted archive over it, but this will result in redundant files and a bigger-than-necessary game directory. The file CompleteFileList.txt is a full list of what you should end up with after installation. SAVE GAME MANAGER I always thought that five save game slots was not enough. Having triumphed over the game you deserve the reward of then being able to play any level any time. That's why I wrote Save Game Manager. Save Game Manager does the following: * Lists the saved levels currently available in the game. * Allows you to archive these saved levels to the directory "SaveGameArchive". * Lists the saved levels in each of the files in the archive. * Allows you to copy an archived set of saved levels into the game, backing up the game's existing saved levels in an archive file called "LAST_SET". * Allows you to launch the game (via a CLI window) or exit. It is fairly self-explanatory to use, just double click the icon. Should the start game option do nothing, it is probably because the Start script's 's' bit has been reset by LhA. Set it with "Protect Start +s" (Install_Files does this anyway, so you should have no problem). Save Game Manager does not use any assigns, just looking for "boot.dat" and a directory "SaveGameArchive" in the same directory as it is itself. To use it with the original TKG you can just put it in the TKG directory and make a new directory "SaveGameArchive". If you want the start game function to work you will also need to copy the "Start" script to that directory. GAME I have tried to remain faithful to the gameplay of the original alien breed games. Each level is designed to look impossible at first sight (hopefully!), but by experimentation and discovery to be completable. (Well *I* can do it anyway!). The emphasis is more on trying to figure out how to do a level, rather than just running around like a maniac and hoping for the best (of course trying that tactic is still worthwhile!). Where there is a choice of routes: experiment! Where something looks impossible, don't give up without trying the least likely strategy! Level A is a simple intro level, later levels are far more sophisticated. Level F is a bit of a nightmare, because its so big. Takes me something like an hour even knowing everything - but its after this level that most of the new stuff is waiting for you, so persevere! You DON'T need to do a "perfect level" every level to get through to the end of the game, in fact if you do it gets a bit too easy! (hmm. actually I've played too much to know.) I have an A1200 030@50 and tend to play in small screen 1x1, reduced rendering quality, switching down to 2x1 when I have to. So there you go. Don't turn the lighting effects off or the flare laser will be almost useless! The story picks up after the destruction of the alien planet at the end of TKG (of course you got to the end didn't you? NB. there are no "level Os" in this game!). You have escaped with your life but little else, and your only course of action is to return to the central populated systems of the galaxy. There are remote outposts dotted among the fringe systems and you journey from one to the next - only to find them lifeless, for the Breed have passed before you... If you do play through to the end of this game you will be rewarded with the end scrolly from TKG which doesn't make sense to my story. Unfortunately this text seems to be packed away in the executable somewhere so there's not much I can do about it. Oh and yes - my intro texts ARE completely deranged, I know! CREDITS me Andy Clitheroe & Team 17 (I would love you to play this!) Jason Frecknall for the Minigun (Apologies for doubling it up as a mini-rocket launcher) Jens Vang Petersen for his work on the Editor CONTACT You can mail me with comments etc. at mike@mikech.demon.co.uk Have fun. Mike Child, December 1998.