Thankyou for having the patience to install this bumper selection of
fixes and additional files. Listed below are the problems encountered
by you, the long-suffering public, and how they have been addressed, but
first, here's how to install the new files:
Unpack the LHA archive,
Click on the install icon!
This process will take a while, and some of it is interactive,
so please be patient!
NOTES:
When prompted for a texturemap filename, enter
"ab3:includes/newtexturemaps"
This will allow the game to function without modification of the
game link file.
*=====================================================================*
Common problems encountered:
----------------------------
1. LEVED DOESN'T WORK!
Leved needs floor graphics in ab3:graphics/floors. These files
are now present. It also needs ab3:includes/betpts, which has
also been added.
2. THE GAMELINKER WON'T LOAD THE SUPPLIED TEST.LNK FILE!
Sorry about this one. When loading the file, go to the directory
and TYPE IN 'test' as the file to load, NOT 'test.lnk'. The
'.lnk' is appended automatically by the program. THIS ALSO
APPLIES WHEN SAVING, so save it as 'blah:blahblah/TKG-EDITORS/includes/test'.
3. THERE'RE NO EXAMPLE GRAPHICS TO GET ME STARTED!
Due to space problems with the game, it was not feasible to
include the (extremely large) data files for aliens and so
on with the editors. Supplied is an example alien in
LIGHTSOURCED format, and a future tutorial will deal with
creating more aliens in this format.
4. THERE'RE NO GUNS SUPPLIED!
There is now! The plasma gun is supplied converted and included in the
game link file, with two other weapons available in the 'vectobj/' drawer
for loading into the 3D editors and converting yourself.
5. DO YOU SERIOUSLY EXPECT ME TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE
ALL THIS?!?
Yes.
6. THE INSTALLER DOESN'T MAKE AN ICON FOR THE DRAWER!
Well, it would if you had installed Workbench properly as it copies your
default icon from ENV: when you install.
Before you can leap headlong into using this professional-quality
suite of editing software (hem hem), there are a few other things you
have to do...
1. Run 'LEVED', load level A, calculate the clip file and save the level
again.
2. Run the 'linkup' program and type 'a' for the level.
3. Type 'pm a' and 'pgc a' into the shell prompt, which packs all the level
data for loading into the game.
4. To run the game on the demo level, type 'tkg' whilst in the ab3: directory.
The game will run, prompt for copy protection, then you can play the level
as normal.
5. Read the tutorial in the magazine to create your own levels!
VERY VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE
==========================
Although it is stated in the documentation that it is possible to
modify the palette used in the game, this is currently not the case.
All graphics you draw will be converted automatically into this
palette (with greater or lesser degrees of success depending upon
what colours they use. A future 'fix' will deal with this problem
and allow you to modify the palette to suit yourself.
AND FINALLY:
============
You have my most sincere apologies for the hassle you have experienced
in getting these editors to work. The missing files were entirely my
responsibility and I hope the frustration at having to wait for a fix has not
dampened your enthusiasm for designing and playing levels for AB3DII.
Oh, and one last thing:
The difficulties many of you have experienced after installing the
4-meg version are due to the last-minute implementation of the new menu system
which on certain speeds of accellerator and when run in certain ways
INEXPLICABLY
FAILS TO WORK! If you have any difficulty, run the game from shell, or in
extreme
cases from boot-no-startup. Remember to type
execute AB3DII-TKG
from within the AB3DII-TKG directory.
** STOP PRESS **
I've just heard of a bizarre possible 'fix' for the above problem:
Copy (not move) the 'shell' icon from sys:system/ to the AB3DII_TKG drawer.
Select this new icon and select 'information' from the 'icons' menu of
workbench.
Change the 'from=s:shell-startup' to 'from=BLAH:BLAHBLAH/AB3DII-TKG/AB3DII-TKG'
then double click the icon and it should (allegedly) work. Hmmm.
Bye for now!
Andy Clitheroe.
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