A Readme for
Lookoutnow Paper Ships (shareware), version 1.7
(Dec. 18, 2004)

REGISTERED
Thanks for registering the game, and enjoy the extra ships!

HISTORY
December 18, 2004
version 1.7: I added a few ships and a new enemy mode.

November 4, 2002
version 1.52: The enemy ship turns right or left initially, depending on wind direction (instead
of always turning right initially).

October 31, 2002
version 1.51:  A tweak to the AI (so that "nasty" doesn't close as much as "aggressive").

October 30, 2002
Finished!


NOTES

The zip file will expand to its own directory, cg_game, with this readme and the Flash *.exe file
(lon_papership_r.exe).

The most up-to-date version of the shareware is at
http://www.lookoutnow.com/game/shipdown.htm      and the general notes are at
http://www.lookoutnow.com/game/ship_scn.htm        and general news at
http://www.lookoutnow.com/game

Accessible by a button in the game, the help file is pretty good (if I do say so myself) if you're
unfamiliar with sailing simulations. I used a screenshot with circled numbers and then
explained all the aspects via each number.

The game has been written in Flash 5 (and tested successfully in MX too). The game does not
create new files; it does not write anything to anyone anywhere. It is computer-safe.

The game runs great on my P4 (and on my now old 450-MHz Pentium II, but I no longer have
my very old 200-MHz Pentium handy).


REMOVAL
Just delete the game (lon_papership_r.exe), this readme, and the zip, and your computer will be
completely free of it.


HINTS

Having the wind to your back is wonderful. But even if you do have a favorable wind position,
there's no point rushing blindly to your opponent. Perhaps your cannons have better range, and
so you'd prefer to stay distant. And whereas the wind does NOT move in 180-degree shifts, it
can shift--over time--around the compass.

A ship moves at its best speed with the wind to about 20 degrees off the wind. And a paper ship
can even make progress against the wind. Why? Because I find 0 speed to be tedious. Or if one
would prefer a technical reason, fore-and-aft rigged paper ships are very adaptable. 

The given cannon range for any particular ship is that ship's theoretical maximum range.
Therefore, you may find your ship shooting longer or shorter than the given range. Yes, there's a
random variable at play.

Having trouble hitting the other ship? Particularly on the overall strategic map, watch the splash
pattern of a "normal" broadside. If the enemy ship is in about the center of the spread, you know
it's time to narrow your focus.

Escaping into the mist only works on the main strategic map. Once you close to within 640 or
320 inches, if you reach the border, you are recentered on the middle (if within 640 inches) of
the closeup (if within 320 inches) map, respectively. If you manage to put more than 640 inches
between you and the other ship and you reach the edge of the middle map, you will be taken to
the main strategic map again.

If you registered the game and are sailing the PS PCMagazine or PS National Review because
of their torpedoes, note that any torpedo may veer slightly to the left or right. Another random
variable. It isn't much of a veer, just enough to be interesting.

 
EXPERIENCES

I had originally written a boarding scenario (using a single cannon to beat back boarders), but
after I finished the scenario, it looked besides the point, which is the (newspaper) ships
themselves. I decided that mutual collision damage was sufficient.

In the game, I was surprised how vicious the PS Guardian became as an enemy (with the
"aggressive" IQ). I mean, although it is always a temptation to improve enemy IQ, the fun can
go away if the enemy gets too good.

There are a number of improvements I also want to make (aside from the additions in this
version), but time is ever short.  Well, there's room for another version.

Thanks for registering the game--and good luck!

--Chet Gottfried
cg@lookoutnow.com

