



     MULTI-TREK is a game similar to traditional Star-Trek  games
except  that it involves several players (currently up to 6), who
play against each other rather than against  imaginary  Klingons,
Romulans  or whatever.  The MULTI-TREK universe consists of a  80
by 80 matrix,  of which an approximate 20 by 20  matrix  of  each
player's  immediate area is displayed and continuously updated at
their terminal.  MULTI-TREK was originally submitted to  the  New
Orleans  collection,  then  to the 1979 San Diego collection with
the addition of robot ships.    This version has  significant en-
hancements and improvements, most notably the addition of  energy
nets, an improved screen  display, much better input-output  (any
terminal  with clear screen and cursor positioning may be used at
speeds from 1200 baud on up), use  of default  ship and direction
with most commands ("L"  (locate command)  sets  the default dir-
ection), more competitive scoring, smarter robot ships,  commands
can be stored in the typeahead buffer, commands with  values  can
be typed as  one command  (i.e. C 3, W 4, L 1,  etc),  and  fewer
bugs.  Complete instructions for starting and playing  MULTI-TREK
are in the file MTREK.DOC.

     The game consists of a driver task (MTREKD), a  player  task
(PLAYER) for  each  terminal, and a shared global common area for
inter-task communication.   This  version  runs on  RSX-11M V3.2,
however,  it  should  run  under  any  system  with shared global
areas and rudimentary task switching or  time-sharing.  Real-time
systems without time-sharing  may have to play with priorities to
insure that the driver task gets  sufficient  CPU  time and  that
all players get an equal amount of time.


     This version of  MULTI-TREK was written using a  Fortran IV+
compiler (i.e. uses ENTRY points)

Requirements:

	Unsolicited input AST attach (RDAST.MAC).
	Full-duplex terminal typeahead buffer.
	Get terminal characteristics (TERMINAL.FTN).

		NOTE: If your system does not support SET /SPEED
		      (i.e. 11/23, etc.),  modify  the  code  in
		      TERMINAL.FTN  in  subroutine   GTCHAR that
		      requests speed information (CHARS(1) & CHARS(2)).


     MTREK will work properly with any terminal with clear screen
and  cursor  positioning.   The  source  code  is set up to drive
ADM3-A's (unfinished), VT100's (in VT52 mode), VT52's and  ISC's.
If  you  are  using different terminals, you  should  modify  the
files  TERMINAL.FTN  and  RDAST.MAC   to   drive  your  terminal.
Modifications should be straight-forward as the code is commented
on where to change it.

To build MTREK, (also look at readme.doc) do

@BUILD


Notes:

A  problem  exists  when  a player types very fast and the driver
places the shot one on top of the  other (torpedo hit torpedo) so
the player does not shoot anything past the first square.

A  future  enhancement  is  to  reduce the AST processing of each
character by reading the typeahead buffer. But I currently do not
have the time to make the modification right now.  Maybe someday.

Send comments, suggestions, etc. to:

       Stephen Dover
       MCC Powers
       2942 MacArthur Blvd.
       Northbrook, Il. 60062
       (312) 272-9555
