
                              Documentation for
                Galactic Tracker for VGA Planets, version 1.30

                             by Karl Eric Beisel 

                             
             For new features information, please read README.TXT.
                             
                   Galactic Spy users should read README.TXT.


What is Galactic Tracker?
-------------------------

Galactic Tracker will help your game of VGA Planets 3.0 by providing you with 
an easy way to record enemy ships' locations so they can continue to be 
tracked even when they leave your race's short-range scan area.  Your short-
range scan area is the area that can be immediately scanned by your ships and 
planets.  There is also a long-range scan, which is can set from VGA Planets' 
HCONFIG.  In the long-range scan area, you can see the positions of enemy 
ships, but only know their mass and the race that owns them.

NOTE: Galactic Tracker will accurately record every known enemy ship in its 
      scan range, but in order to view it, you must register Galactic Tracker.

Before I wrote Galactic Tracker, I felt I should write down the positions of 
enemy ships at every turn, then compare them with the next turn, and in that 
way, predict their destination.  I started to do that a few times, but it was 
just too much to write down every turn.  So I wrote Galactic Tracker to read 
enemy ship locations and save them, then update them at every turn.  That 
way, I could keep an up-to-date listing of every enemy ship I had ever 
encountered, their current location or their last known location.

When an enemy ship enters you're short-range scan area (configured in 
HCONFIG), your scanners determine much more about enemy ships, such as the 
type of ship, course, and speed.  So, even if the enemy ship leaves the 
short-range scan area, Galactic Tracker will still remember its ship type.  
You can also print a complete listing of Galactic Trackers's tracking 
database.  

Galactic Tracker also has an alternative scoring method to that of VGA 
Planets.  VGA Planets scores based on sheer numbers.  This is somewhat 
misleading as to which race really has the advantage, since 90 KT scouts are 
counted the same as 900 KT battleships.  Galactic Tracker shows you two 
scores:  Total Strength and Technology.  The total strength of opposing 
fleets is calculated based on a fleet's average hull mass, beam weapons, 
torpedo tubes and fighter bays, and of course, how many they own.  Planets, 
starbases and freighters are not considered, since they can actually through 
off the score.  Technology estimates a race's overall technological 
achievements, based on the tech level of their ships.  I often worried about 
my ability to compete with other players, but Galactic Tracker assures me 
whether or not my technology is up to galactic standards.  These scoring 
methods will at first be somewhat inaccurate.  Of course, your own race's 
scores will be reflected perfectly because Galactic Tracker is aware of all 
your ships.  Galactic Tracker can only score other races based on the ships 
in its memory or database.  Scores become increasingly accurate as a race 
nears the "front lines", your borders.  Also, a race's scores will not be 
displayed until you come within fairly close range of at least one of their 
ships.  


Installation:
-------------

Before you install, you must have the following:

         * Microsoft Windows 3.0 or 3.1
         * Visual Basic Runtime DLL (VBRUN200.DLL)
           VBRUN200.DLL is available from many
           BBSs as VBRUN200.ZIP.

When you first run Galactic Tracker, you will need to enter the full path to 
your main VGA Planets directory and the directory with your game files.  
Galactic Tracker supports up to 10 different games of VGA Planets.  You can 
add a game to Galactic Tracker by selecting the <Add Game> option from the 
<Setup> menu.  You can remove the current game by selecting <End Game>.  If 
at any time you wish to change the main path to your VGA Planets data files, 
choose <Set Path>.

Galactic Tracker needs the following VGA Planets data files:

          VGA Planets main dir:           Game dir:

            HULLSPEC.DAT                  SHIP??.DAT
            XYPLAN.DAT                    SHIPXY??.DAT
            RACE.NM                       GEN??.DAT
            PLANET.NM                     TARGET??.DAT

If you are missing any of these files, Galactic Tracker will not run.


How to use Galactic Tracker:
----------------------------

Once you have setup the first game, you will be presented with Galactic 
Tracker's scan.  These are the ships your race's scanners have detected, with 
varying degrees of accuracy.  You can format the list many different ways by 
adjusting the combo boxes above the ship listing.  After each turn, you 
should select <Update database> from the <Database> menu to save the current 
information to disk for a more accurate analysis in future turns, or you can 
select <Auto-update> from the same menu if you want Galactic Tracker to 
update the database automatically every time you run it.  Normally, Galactic 
Tracker's database will be loaded every time you run it, showing you ships it has 
recorded in the past.  You can view only those ships viewable in the current 
turn by unchecking <Include database> from the <Database> menu.  You can 
filter out any combination of races from the <Races> option in the <View> 
Menu.  Also from the <View> menu, you can select <Combat Strength> to see 
Galactic Tracker's analysis of enemy fleet strength and technology.

You can view the specifications of each ship in Galactic Tracker's ship listing 
by double-clicking or pressing <ENTER> on the entry.  NOTE: If the currently 
displayed ship was destroyed or left your scan range, the last known location
will be displayed.  The turn number in which the ship was last recorded will 
appear below Location.  You can double check this by unchecking 
<Include Database> under the <Database> menu, which will show you only ships 
that are in the current turn's scan.  If the ship does not appear, then odds 
are it was destroyed or left your long-range scan area.


Troubleshooting:
----------------
  
* My Galactic Spy database is not being loaded.

  If you are upgrading from Galactic Spy, you should rename the files
  GALSPY.DAT and GALSPY.INI to GALTRAK.DAT and GALTRAK.INI respectively.

* Text in ship list is not aligned with combo boxes at top.  

  Under large font modes supported by many video cards, the alignment of each 
  columns may be off.  This does not affect the operation of Galactic 
  Tracker.

* I get an error when I click on the Info menu item.  

  For best operation of Galactic Tracker and Windows, your Windows directory
  should be in your DOS path.  If you are not sure, check your AUTOEXEC.BAT
  to see if your Windows directory is listed in the PATH= section.  Add it if 
  it is not listed.

* I get a "This program requires Microsoft Windows" error.

  This program requires Microsoft Windows.

* I get a "Missing one of its components" error.

  You need to put VBRUN200.DLL in the Windows \SYSTEM directory.

* Something wierd happened. 

  Please send me E-Mail or call my BBS.  My Internet and Compuserve 
  addresses and my BBS phone number are listed below.


The Future of Galactic Tracker:
-------------------------------

I am currently working on a complete rewrite of the program, called 
"The VGA War Room" which will have a great deal of enhancements over Galactic 
Tracker.  It will also be written for the MS-DOS environment and it will be 
smarter than ever.  Here are some of the features I plan to add to War Room:
 

         * Map-centered database: In addition to the text listing,
           a full-view map of the galaxy will graphically pinpoint
           the locations of enemy ships, mines, and planets.

         * Automatically plot the location of enemy and friendly mine 
           fields and planets as your ships scan them, so you no longer 
           have to write it down!
 
         * Course tracking feature that graphically shows the course of 
           every enemy ship within your scan range, as well as its course 
           history over any number of turns.

         * You will be able to zoom in on any ship or planet for a more 
           detailed view. 

         * When your fleet destroys an enemy ship, it will be automatically 
           removed from the database, and the ship that dealt the final blow 
           will receive a "Kill Point" Some of your starship crews will 
           become aces or even aces aces of aces!             

         * Graphically display your ship's range with a circle on the map, 
           incorporating factors such as fuel, engine tech level, and mass.

         * There will be an "Alliance" feature that will allow you to
           merge your WAR database with those of your allies and vice
           versa.

         * Integrated viewer for displaying total defense of planets, 
           ship combat results, tax rates, etc.

         * You will be able to run VGA Planets, run UNPACK, MAKETURN, AUTO
           and the Combat Simulator from inside War Room.  Use custom race
           names easily and painlessly!

         * ProSim, the enhanced combat simulator, will be build in.

         * Complete mouse/keyboard-driven graphical user interface.


Ideas:
------
 
I am making a list of ideas for The VGA War Room.  Many of the above are 
ideas were submitted by users of Galactic Tracker.  I can't think of 
everything (I have my own style of playing the game, so I may never think of 
something you could really use in the program), so I encourage anyone who has 
an idea to contact me via my Compuserve or Internet addresses, or by calling 
my BBS.  The more ideas I have, the better the new version will be, and the 
more fun VGA Planets will be!


Registration:
-------------

If you find Galactic Tracker useful in helping you to play our favorite game, 
VGA Planets, please register.  By registering, the ship tracking database 
will be enabled.  Until you register, ships won't be recorded!  Your 
registration code will register all future versions of Galactic Tracker 
should they become available.  You can register by filling out the 
registration form (REGISTER.TXT) and sending $5 to:


               USA:                          Europe:

               Karl Eric Beisel              Survival BBS
               1965 Fountainbrook Ct.        P.O. Box 1538
               Woodbridge, VA  22192         DK-2700 Bronshoj
                                             Denmark

If yo have any questions, comments, or suggestions, or any problems running
Galactic Tracker, please contact me through one of the following networks:
          
                   The BBS:  (703) 491-2272    (14400-n81)
                   Internet:  kbeisel@mason1.gmu.edu
                 Compuserve:  73223,612

Questions and information about registration in Europe should contact 
Henrik Moerk at one of the following networks:

           The Survival BBS:  +45 38 89 52 53   (9600-n81)
                    FIDONet:  2:231/306
 

The latest version of Galactic Tracker will always be available at my BBS or 
The Survival BBS in Europe (both listed above).


Compatibilty Issues:
--------------------

I have confirmed Galactic Tracker works with VGA Planets' Host versions 3.0 - 
3.14.  All 3.x data files should work, but I can not gaurantee it.  I will 
try to keep Galactic Tracker compatible with changes in the VGA Planets data 
files, but then again, anything can happen.

If you come across any problems, please contact me.


Legal Mumbo-Jumbo:
------------------

There are no warranties, explicit or implied, but there is a money-back 
gaurantee, if for some reason you are unhappy with your registered version of 
Galactic Tracker.  Again, contact me with complaints. (I hope there are 
none!).

VGA Planets is a trademark of Tim Wisseman.
Galactic Spy, Galactic Tracker (C) 1993, 1994  Karl Eric Beisel.
