This is the README file for SAngband 0.9.5 (06/13/98)

SAngband 0.9.5 is based on Angband 2.8.3

This version is very experimental.  While I do not believe it to be
particularly buggy, it has been extensively re-balanced, usually with
numbers pulled out of thin air, so it may be considerably harder or
easier than previous versions.  Read the file "changes.txt" for
information on changes from earlier versions.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: SAngband 0.9.5 can NOT read save files from earlier
versions.  My apologies, but the changes to the internal structure of
the game were too great to allow characters to translate easily.

Read lib/help/birth.txt for information on skills and talents,
and lib/help/command.txt for information on the new commands.

A known bug:
	Objects that give bonuses to various abilities may display a
	larger bonus than they actually give.

=== General information ===

SAngband is a "graphical" dungeon adventure game using textual characters
to represent the walls and floors of a dungeon and the inhabitants therein,
in the vein of "rogue", "hack", "nethack", and "moria".  There are no
character "classes" in SAngband; characters become more powerful by using
experience to advance "skills."

There are extensive ascii "on line help" files in the "lib/help" directory.

This version of SAngband *should* run on Macintosh, Windows, Unix
(X11/Curses), Linux (X11/Curses), Acorn, Amiga, various IBM machines, and
others.  However, I've only tested it on Linux with Curses, but I haven't
messed with anything system-specific.

See Makefile, h-config.h, and config.h for details on compiling.
See "Makefile.xxx" and "main-xxx.c" for various supported systems.

Visit the SAngband Home Page ("http://www.fragment.com/~jl8e/sangband/"),
the Angband Home Page ("http://www.phial.com/angband/"), and 
browse through the Angband newsgroup ("rec.games.roguelike.angband").

Send bug reports, suggestions, etc, to Julian Lighton ("jl8e@fragment.com").
I would really like to hear suggestions on adjusting the game balance.

=== Quick and dirty compilation instructions (for Unix) === 

Step 1: Acquire.  Ftp to "export.andrew.cmu.edu:/angband/Variant"
                  Try "bin" and "mget sangband*.tar.gz" and "y"
Step 2: Extract.  Try "gunzip *.gz" then "tar -xvf *.tar"
Step 3: Prepare.  Try "cd sangband*/src", then edit "Makefile"
                  You may also edit "h-config.h" and "config.h"
Step 4: Compile.  Try "make", and then "cd .." if successful
Step 5: Execute.  Try "sangband -uTest" to initialize stuff
Step 6: Play....  Read the "online help" via the "?" command.


=== Special instructions for other systems ===

The Macintosh requires that the "lib" folder be in the same folder as
the executable.  Also, note that System 7.5 (and perhaps others) are
brain damaged, and may default to the incorrect folder for opening
savefiles.  Make sure you keep all your savefiles in the proper place,
and if you load a savefile from the wrong place, note that the game
may decide to re-save your savefile in the proper place when you quit.
=== Directory "src" ===

The "src" directory contains the complete set of source files.

The "main-???.c" and "Makefile.???" allow compilation on various systems.

Some of these systems (Macintosh, Windows) require "extra" files, most of
which are located elsewhere (except for the "A-mac-h.*" Macintosh files).


=== Directory "lib" ===

The "lib" directory contains all of Angband's special sub-directories.


=== Directory "lib/apex" ===

The "lib/apex" directory contains the "high score" files.

The "scores.raw" file contains the "high score" table, in a "semi-binary"
form,
that is, all the bytes in the file are normal ascii values, but this includes
the special "nul" or "zero" byte, which is used to separate and pad records.
You should probably not attempt to modify this file with a normal text
editor.
This file should be (more or less) portable between different platforms.  It
must be present (or creatable) for the game to run correctly.


=== Directory "lib/data" ===

The "lib/data" directory contains various special binary data files.

The files 'f_info.raw', 'k_info.raw', 'a_info.raw', 'e_info.raw',
'r_info.raw',
and 'v_info.raw' are binary image files constructed by parsing the ascii
template files in "lib/edit", described below.  These files are required,
but can be created by the game if the "lib/edit" directory contains the
proper files, and if the game was compiled to allow this creation.


=== Directory "lib/edit" ===

The "lib/edit" directory contains various special ascii data files.

The files 'f_info.txt', 'k_info.txt', 'a_info.txt', 'e_info.txt',
'r_info.txt',
and 'v_info.txt' are ascii template files used to construct the binary image
files in "lib/data", described above.  These files describe the "terrain
features", "object kinds", "artifacts", "ego-items", "monster races", and
"dungeon vaults", respectively.

The ascii template files are easier to edit than hard-coded arrays, and also
prevent compilation errors on some machines, and also shrink the size of the
binary executable, and also provide a user-readible spoiler file of sorts.

These files are optional if the game is distributed with pre-created
binary raw files in "lib/data".


=== Directory "lib/file" ===

The "lib/file" directory contains various special ascii data files.

The 'news.txt' file is displayed to the user when the game starts up.  It
contains basic information such as my name and email address, and the names
of some of the people who have been responsible for previous versions of
Angband.  You may edit this file (slightly) to include local "site specific"
information such as who compiled the local executable.  You should refer the
user to a special "online help" file, if necessary, that describes any local
modifications in detail.  The first two lines of this file should be blank,
and only the next 20 lines should contain information.

The 'dead.txt' file is displayed to the user when the player dies.  It
contains a picture of a tombstone which is filled in with interesting
information about the dead player.  You should not edit this file.

The optional file 'wizards.txt' may be used to specify which users may enter
'wizard' mode.  A missing file provides no restrictions, and an empty file
prevents everyone from entering 'wizard' mode.  This file is only used on
multi-user machines, otherwise there are no restrictions.

The optional file 'time.txt' may be used to restrict the "times" at which
the game may be played, by providing specification of which hours of each day
of the week are legal for playing the game.  See 'files.c' for more details.
A missing file provides no restrictions, and an empty file will, by default,
forbid the playing of the game from 8am-5pm on weekdays.  This file is only
used on multi-user machines, and only if CHECK_TIME is defined, otherwise,
there are no restrictions.

The optional file 'load.txt' may be used to restrict the "load" which
the game may impose on the system.  See 'files.c' for more details.  A
missing file provides no restrictions, and an empty file will, by
default, restrict the "current load" to a maximal value of 100*FSCALE.
This file is only used on multi-user machines, and only if CHECK_LOAD
is defined, otherwise, there are no restrictions.


=== Directory "lib/help" ===

The "lib/help" directory contains the "online help" files.

This directory is used to search for normal "on line help" files.


=== Directory "lib/info" ===

The "lib/info" directory (optional) contains the "spoiler" files.

This directory is used to search for any "on line help" file that cannot
be found in the "lib/help" directory.

The user may "redirect" this directory to point at any available directory.

Note that the default "help.hlp" file allows the "9" key to access a help
file called "spoiler.hlp", and allows the "0" key to access "user.hlp".

These special help files can thus be placed in the user's own "info"
directory to allow the on line help to access his files.


=== Directory "lib/save" ===

The "lib/save" directory contains "savefiles" for the players.

Each savefile is named "NNN" where "NNN" is the name of the savefile, or,
on some machines, the name of the character, or, on multi-user machines,
"UUU.NNN", where "UUU" is the player uid and "NNN" is the savefile name.

The savefiles should be portable between systems, assuming that the
appropriate renaming is perfomed, and any file "type" information is
specified (for the Macintosh).


=== Directory "lib/user" ===

The "lib/user" directory contains the "user pref files", if any.

In general, these files are used to "customize" aspects of the game for
a given site or a given player.  These files can define "macros" (which
allow a single keypress to perform a complex action), set options (which
affect how the game will handle various situations), and specify visual
mappings for various monsters, objects, or terrain features.

See "files.c" for more information on the proper "format" of these files.


=== Directory "lib/xtra" ===

The "lib/xtra" directory contains special system files, if any.


--- Julian Lighton ---

(original by Ben Harrison)
