               ----- Galactic Empires -----
Version: 2.0
Date: 1 July 1996
Requirements: 286 or better (586 at 300 MHz reccomended)
    Microsoft Compatible mouse
    Basically, if you can't run THIS game, get a new computer.
    Hell, you don't even need a Hard Drive to play this game.
License: This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 
    Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of
    this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ or 
    send a letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, 
    Mountain View, California, 94041, USA.

Introduction:
        Galactic Empires is a game of galactic conquest which can be played
by up to 4 players. It involves managing a planet's resources while trying 
to build up armies to conquer more planets. Sound easy? Well, it is, unless
you play against another person...

To run, type: GALACTIC <enter>

        At the title screen, press a key or click to get the options.
You can either load an existing game, or start a new one. There are some 
scenarios already set up as saved games.

New Game:
        First, choose the number of players in the game. Then the number of
planets that each player will start out owning in the game. It then asks if
you want the unowned planets (white) to be unified against you. Now, you can 
choose how big you want the universe to be. The more planets, the longer the
computer takes to make it's turn.

Playing:
        Each player is assigned a number and a colour:
                1...Red
                2...Blue
                3...Yellow
                4...Green
The current planet's stats are displayed on the right-hand side of the screen.
You can look at different planets by clicking on or near them. You can only
see the details of planets you own, though.

THE STATS:

Turn: If you click on TURN, it ends your turn.
Player: Duh.
Credits: Is how much wealth/resources the player has acquired.
World Name: Duh. If you click on the planet icon, you start a convoy, 
        described later on.
Confidence: This is a measure of how popular your rule on the planet is, and
        the army's morale. You can increase it by clicking on the icon. Each 
        click costs 10 credits, and the higher the confidence, the harder it
        is to increase. Confidence can play a major part in battles. If your
        confidence gets very low, riots on the planet ensues, soldiers desert
        the army etc, and Ship production drops.
Battle Ships: This is the number of battle ships you have on-planet. They cost
        one credit per turn each to maintain. They can be used in defence of a 
        planet, or in attacking another. If you click on the icon, you put
        100 credits towards research of better jump-ranges for your ships.
        The more you spend, the greater chance of success.
Barracks: This number is the maximum number of battle ships you can have on
        the planet. It is a measure of food and housing resources on the 
        planet. An utterly barren planet would have a very small number here.
        If you click on the icon, you have spend credits in improving the
        resources, though it gets harder to increase, the more you spend.
        If the number of ships is larger than this number, expect to lose
        a lot of confidence.
Mines: Basically, this is the mineral resources of the planet. This number
        increases your credits each turn. The icon does nothing.
Ship Production: The first number is the current production, while the second
        is the maximum. If you click on the icon, you can spend credits to
        increase the current production, but the closer you get to the maximum
        the more you have to spend.
Defenses: This is a measure of defense bases and sattelites on the planet.
        The more you have, the less likely a force will take you by surprise.
        The maximum for any planet is 10 (having more than that is useless).
        Click on the icon to spend 100 credits on a new base and sattelite.



CONVOYS:
        To initiate a convoy, click on the planet you wish to send it from,
        then click on the planet icon. A circle appears around the planet.
        This is the current jump-range for your ships. Sometimes, you can
        push this range, and jump to a planet just outside the circle.
        Click on the planet you wish to send battle ships to. If you want
        to cancel, click on the planet you are sending from.
        
        Next, a window appears. To increase the number of ships to send, click
        on the up arrow (using the right mouse button does it in steps of 10).
        The down arrow decreases the number sent, SEND sends the convoy,and
        CANCEL cancels the convoy.

        Each convoy has a confidence level which starts as equal to the
        planet's confidence.

        If you send a convoy to a planet you own, the troops on the planet
        are reinforced by the convoy, and the convoy's confidence affects
        the planet's.

        If you sent it to and enemy planet, a battle ensues at the end of
        the turn.


SAVE:
        this takes you to the save game screen. You can have up to 999 saved
        games. Just click on an empty slot, and name your game in under 40
        letters. Don't use commas in your name.
        Quit takes you back to the game.

QUIT:
        This ends the game instantly. Hundreds of worlds fade, millions die,
        the universe collapses, and you are returned to the boring old DOS
        prompt.


UTILITIES:
        There is a utility called MAKENAME.EXE included.
        It lets you add more planet names to the current list in PLANET.NAM.
        The names can only be up to 9 characters long.
        It checks for duplicate names as you add them too.

        Or you can try editing the PLANET.NAM file in EDIT.EXE, but the
        number at the very top of the file must be increased by one for each
        name you add, and decreases for each name to delete.
        Remember, one name per line, and up to 9 chars per name.


That's All Folks, Enjoy!

Ben Wooller 
ben135@gmail.com
         

