Video game answers

Welcome to the game I have dug out of the grave!
This game was popular 7-8 years ago on a now more or less extinct computer.
It is a BASIC program much modified in structure but not in functionality
when it was edited under the Quick Basic 4.5 Environment.


Some notes to make life as King (Or whatever you'll call yourself) easier:
=============================================================================

The Game saves a game as a datafile with the name "SRGAME.DAT".  If you'd like
more than one saved game, simply rename them to something else, but besure and
have at least one saved game under the correct filename when attempting to
restore a saved game.  If a correct saved game file is not found, the program
will continue, it has some limited error trapping.

As per keeping with the original TRS-80 version, there can be upto 9 players
involved, some or all can be Human, the computer will gladly play what is left.

You can call your Country what ever you wish, the same with the computer
played countries - or - you can press ENTER at the prompt for a Computer
Countries' name and a Random one will be assigned.  You can not do that for
a Human country lest you get a NULL for a name!

The computer can run a country 3 ways: Defensively, Aggressively or "Normally".
Defensive Countrys can be real wimps, Aggressive countrys are dangerous but do
tend to self-destruct usually.  Normal Computer countries are the best players.

The First screen is a beginning of the year screen, it shows the current stats
of the countries and, very importantly, the years weather.
Good Weather (a high number) will make your fields produce more and gives the
advantage to the agressor in attacks.  Poor weather leads to lean harvests and
gives the advantage to the defender.  The computer has a minimum for weather
that it will fight - you humans can fight as you wish.

You will now see the first two pages of a country chosen in random order.
The players who are NOT up, may look at the first 2 pages of an opponents
country to see how the competition is doing but NO MORE. (in all fairness)

This next page should be just seen by the ruler of the country only!

Your taxes can range from 0-60%, although if they are over 45%, you will start
strangling your economy.  A good indicator of how your country is doing is the
GNP/C or Gross National Product divided by your population.  7,500 is the
starting value and if you go below it you are in trouble.

The next screen deals with grain, you may buy or sell grain to/from other
players or the neutrally run World Market. Once you have gotten past that
section you have to decided on how much to feed the population.  Unlike some
games you don't have to worry about rats eating your reserves - they'll keep!

You are given the recommended minimum amount to feed your current population
and you may simply press ENTER to give them the default.  You may give them to
the limit of your reserves but you must give at least 1/2 of what you have or
1/2 of what they want - which ever is SMALLER.
The more you over feed your population the more people you will attract.
conversely starve 'em and the ones that dont die will more than likely leave!

You are asked if you want to take out a loan - answer wisely since the bank
will be unhappy with you if you do not repay it - watch your credit rating.
Taking out a big loan can give your army a boost - but it can also drain the
economy later.

Next is everyones Favorite page: Govt. Services!  You must pay as a minimum
1/2 of what they want or 1/2 your treasury which ever is smaller.  Population
likes good govt services.

If your industries are struggling, the next page gives you a chance to bail
them out with a big interest free subsidy!  Course you buy a part of the
company and will get a piece of the action in Misc. Income.

The Army Page!  Here you decide how many people to draft and basically how
much to spend on maintaining what army you (hopefully) have.
The more you overpay soldiers the more efficient they are.  Note: There is
no minimums on this page and some default answers.  There is NO default
answer for research and defense.  Investing in R&D will decrease the amount
of men needed per unit and thus for the same number of soldiers you can have
more units!  Also, a high defense will help you when you are attacked.

The next page is when you send out your soldiers to other countries.
Choose any country that is active (other than your self) and how many of your
current pool of soldiers to send. Soldiers on the road ARE NOT available for
defending the country so leave some at home if you feel paranoid.
Soldiers will arrive at countries in random order, generally who ever gets
there last fights less soldiers and more civilians and gets more land!

After the fights are resolved, a year ending summary is shown and here you
may save the game for resuming later, end it all, or continue to the next year.

The winner of course is the one country left standing at this point.  it is
possible for two countries armies to pass each other on the road (figuretively)
and wipe out the opposite country.  The result is neither has a place to go
home to - they both lose.
It is possible but rare that the only winner is the world market!

You may use the period "." key to type in "000" to make entering the bigger
numbers quicker.  Remember you are dealing with BILLIONS here and thousands
of lives!  Get out there and have fun like my friends and I have been for 7
years now!

Good luck and may your harvest be plentiful and your armies large!
March 9, 1990
 

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