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                     Map Maker Version .11
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-----------------
Introduction
-----------------

Map Maker is a simple tool to help make maps for text adventures. With just 
a few clicks of a mouse, you can make a fairly detailed map for use in a
text adventure.

Right now, only 3 different text adventure languages are supported.

AGT and it's much improved successor, AGX
Hugo (not completely - only rooms and descriptions)
TADs (not completely - only rooms and descriptions - also untested)

I hope to add support for more in the future. But bear in mind, the only 
text adventure language I'm familiar with is AGT/AGX (which is probably
why this program is written in VB), so support for other languages will be
less than perfect.

Also bear in mind that this is a very early beta. While I have tested it,
there may be bugs I haven't discovered. 

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What you need
----------------

MapMaker.exe
Windows 95/98/NT, or something that can run 32 bit Windows programs
The VB 6.0 runtime file (MSVBVM60.DLL)
A fairly recent version of OLEAUT32.DLL 

If you don't have the VB 6.0 runtime file, it will be on my website, as will a 
recent-ish version of OLEAUT32.DLL, or you can probably get them from Micro-
soft's web or ftp site.


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How to use
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Run MapMaker (duh)

You should see the MapMaker screen. The top 70% is the current map. When it
starts it will be blank

Below that there are 16 tiles. Each tile represents a type of room. They 
differ solely in the number and location of exits. The room is the white
square - the exits are the little white rectangles.

To make a map, select a tile, and click on it. Then drag it onto the map,
and drop it where you want.  By match the tiles so that the exits line
you, you create a map.

If you want to move a room on the map, you can click on it and drag it. If 
you want to room's exits, double-click on it. It will then cycle through the
various room types. 

To change a rooms information, click on the room. Then enter the info into
the relevent boxes.

As of now, the room information consists of:

Room Name
Room Description
Light Needed? (only for AGT/AGX)
Kill Player? (only for AGT/AGX)
Game End? (only for AGT/AGX)
Game Win? (only for AGT/AGX)

The last four apply only to AGT/AGX. I'm not sure if those are possible in 
HUGO (or any other languages), so they're not supported in it for now.

When you're done, put a filename in the 'Filename' box, and pick the format
you want to save the map in.

Then open up that file, and cut and paste your map into your game file.

Simple, eh?

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Limitations
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As you can see, it only supports the 4 cardinal directions (N,E,S,W)

The map is only 11 x 7 

Only supports rooms

Adds a silly number after room name (done to avoid duplicate names)

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Known Bugs
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The graphics are a bit glitchy. That's because I don't bitblt them

Sometimes (rarely) the name of a room is omitted when written to a file.
I can't seem to reproduce it though. As soon as I can, I'll fix it.

The tiles don't line up exactly when returned. This I know how to fix, but
I lack the mouse skills to line up the tiles and the boxes they return to
properly.


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Planned Features
-------------------

As I work on this program, I may or may not add the following features. I'll
try to add them, though. Features are listed in the order I hope to implement
them in

Planned Features:

Adding support for objects

Stock objects 

Stock rooms, complete with description and stock objects
(for instance, a bedroom would have an apropriate description, and contain
a bed object, and maybe a dresser or nightstand)

Saving maps to file so they can be reloaded

Adding header/footer support so that a map can be compiled in a language 
directly, not having to be cut and pasted in.

Getting rid of those stupid numbers after the name, and add numbers/letters
only for duplicate room names

Saving the graphical map to a graphic file, or perhaps even to file with
and ASCII drawing.

800x600 version (with bigger map)

More detailed room information 

Support for other IF languages. (Probably not TADS and Inform - too many of 
their proponents are jerks.)

Random Maps (and possibly random, but very lame, puzzles)

Adding support for NPCs 

??? (suggestions are welcome)


-----------------------
Disclaimer
-----------------------

HUGO, AGT, and AGX are probably trademarks of their respective owners. 

MapMaker is copyright by me, Jeremy Reaban. I'm not responsible for any
damage it may cause your computer or your health.

MapMaker is freeware. Use however you like. However, as it's a very early beta,
I'd prefer it only be distributed on my site, and the IF archive (if they'll take
it <g>). 


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Contact Info
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If you have any suggestions, bug reports, compliments, etc, email them to me.

my email address is jer@thebigdogs.net 

My ISP was bought out - eventually my email address will become jer@connectria.com 
So if my 1st email address doesn't work, try that. Or jeremy_qwerty@yahoo.com

If you don't hear back from me, it might just because I don't want to. I have
little tolerance for idiots.

Web site:

http://members.xoom.com/lamorak/

This file should be at:

http://members.xoom.com/lamorak/mapmaker.zip

I have a bunch of other utilities (mostly old computer game and pen&paper RPG) 
there, at

http://members.xoom.com/lamorak/util.html

(The VB file need should be there, as will the updated oleaut32.dll)



-----------------
Thanks
-----------------

Robert Masenten for creating Agility and Magx

David Malmberg and Mark Welch for creating AGT

Paul Oakenfold, David Padilla, Paul Van Dyk and Sasha for mixing and compiling
much of the music I listened to while programming or thinking about this.

Mark Pruett for the VB tiling routines (from the Black Art of VB Game
Programming). 



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Version History
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.11  - Fixed a bunch of bugs caused by a cosmetic fix for the .10 release,
       added basic TADs support (maybe)

.10 -  Initial release which didn't work, thanks to a minor cosmetic change
       that snowballed into some majob bugs






