This is the README for SpaceWar.1.00.N.b.tar.gz [Download] [Browse] [Up]
SpaceWar (NeXT Step 3.0 or better) This program is ShareWare, and costs $5 if you want to keep it. Send $5 to: John Hermann 1225 Meander Abilene, TX. 79602 Information SpaceWar is a two player game of strategy and skill. The object of the game is to destroy your opponent's space ship. Player 1's space ship will begin each round of battle somewhere on the left side of the screen. Player 2's ship will begin each round on the right side of the screen. Each ship has equal capability. Each ship can increase its velocity by use of the thrust button. Steering is accomplished by simultaneously pressing the thrust button and either of the left or right rotate buttons. Points are awarded whenever a ship is destroyed. Each player will receive a point when mutual destruction occurs regardless of which ship is destroyed first. Hyperspace If a ship finds itself in trouble, it can use its hyperspace device to instantaneously transport to a random location in the playfield. Caution should be used when using hyperspace due to a significant chance of destruction on reentry. Thus hyperspace should be viewed as a device of last resort. The Star A star resides in the center of the field of play. The star has gravitational attraction to the ships and the bullets fired by the ships. The intensity of the gravity is user variable, and can be positive, negative, or zero. Collisons between ships and the star are fatal. The Controls panel Game play can be varied via the Controls panel which will appear to the lower right of the game window. The following are the game variables and what they do. Acceleration - Ship's acceleration rate due to thrust. Deceleration - Ship's rate of deceleration when coasting. Ship Velocity - Maximum velocity obtainable by ships. Bullet Velocity - Speed of bullets. Bullet Life - How long bullet lasts before disappearing. Gravity - Intensity of star's gravitational pull. Play Till - Number of points needed for player to win game. Unlimited play is allowed when the Play Till variable is zero. Ship Controls Player 1 (use keyboard) "a" - rotate left "s" - rotate right "d" - thrust "f" - fire <space> - hyperspace Player 2 (use keypad) "4" - rotate left "5" - rotate right "6" - thrust "+" - fire "0" - hyperspace Limitations The NeXT computers are capable of only recognizing two keys down at a time. Thus each player must agree to only pressing one key at a time in order to keep game play fair. But even with that limitation, the game is still very amusing. If the game variables are put to the extremes, some very interesting effects may result!!
These are the contents of the former NiCE NeXT User Group NeXTSTEP/OpenStep software archive, currently hosted by Netfuture.ch.