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Read Me First!      Version 1.1   April 21, 2002
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What is this thing?

Move_Car.wdl is a C-Script "template" for a vehicle "Action".  It is  intended to be used
with Conitec's 3DGS engine.  It provides a simple and easy way for non-programmers to 
add complex vehicle motions to their games.  The script uses features that should work
with all versions of 3DGS:  GPSK 5.0, Standard, Extra, Commercial, and Professional.
It is also designed as a tool to provide ideas, examples, and assistance in learning C-Script.
It will work with nothing more than the default script provided by WED when you create
a new level.  (It does require you to "Include" the Move_Car.wdl file, and add one line of 
script instructions.   This is all explained in the included documentation files.)

The whole package is a quick and easy add-on; able to be installed and used immediately.  
At the same time, it is also intended to be the foundation for far more sophisticated and 
complex scripts.  This script tries to achieve a balance between easy and fun game play, 
low computing resource demands, and realistic physics simulations.

The template itself is easily controlled through table driven variables, rather than flags or 
skills.  For example, someone who wants to simulate a motorcycle, can change just 
two table values to make their motorcycle model do "wheelies" when the bike is accelerating 
rapidly.  (Then change one other table entry to change the direction, and amount, the bike 
will lean in turns.)  
With some additional coding, the user can have their player switch between vehicle mode, 
and the 3DGS standard modes of walking, running, swimming, fighting, etc., without affecting 
the settings of skills or flags for the standard player modes.

The C-Script code is written in a highly structured, modular fashion, which not only makes it
easier to understand, but also allows others to "lift" portions of this script for other scripts.  All
of the script, and all of the functions and variables, are contained within two (included) wdl files.

For a better experience, and fewer problems, please take the time to read at least two of the 
documentation files:  "Installing" and "Using".  These two files give you the essential 
information you need to get started.

The "Installing.txt" file lists key things you need to know, to install Move_Car, and get it to work.

The "Using.txt" file tells you the assignments for all keyboard keys, mouse buttons, joystick controls
and camera views. (And how to switch between them!)  You will also find tips on what table 
values to change, to control different effects.

The "Features.txt" file tells you all the different effects that are included, such as on-screen 
displays (HUDs), controls, camera views and the vehicle physics.

The "Other_Models.txt" file provides tips on how to use this template for more than just cars.  
The Move_Car package can be adapted fairly easily (in many cases without any extra coding!) 
for vans, trucks, trains, buses, dragsters, motorcycles, mopeds, motor scooters, bicycles, ATVs, 
snowmobiles, tanks, APCs, HumVees and other military vehicles, tractors and other motorized 
farm and construction machinery.  Suggestions are also given for animating wheels.

The "Other_Models2.txt" file provides tips for additional models, such as airplanes, helicopters, 
gliders, parasails, snow skiers, snowboarders, ski jumpers, water skiers, power boats, sail boats, 
merchant ships, fishing boats, navy ships, submarines, and hover craft.    

The "Problems.txt" documentation file provides help with problems installing or running the 
Move_Car package.

The "Questions.txt" file lists some questions you may have about the script, along with some 
(hopefully) useful answers.  

The "Changes.txt" file gives detailed information on making changes, both in the table entries, 
and to the script coding itself. 

The "Script.txt" documentation file takes you through the action script.

The "Cam_Script.txt" documentation file explains the script in "Car_Cam.wdl" and tells you
what each of the instructions do, and how the camera views work.
_______________________________________________________________________
SKILLS and FLAGS
The Move_Car C-Script does not use WED Skills or Flags.  (Please do not enter any values for
skills or flags.)  You should be able to switch from a Player using the standard templates,
skills and flags for walking, running, fighting, etc., to using the Move_Car package (and back)
without affecting the settings you have for your Player's skills and flags.

The WED skills and flags are extremely useful, because they let you use the same C-Script for 
multiple models at the same time.  However, to make learning easier, (and since most people only 
have one main player at a time), the Move_Car package does not use skills or flags.  This means 
that all of the C-Script functions and variables can be found within the two wdl files in the package.
However, this also means the package can not be used for multiple models, or multiple players, at
the same time, on the same system.

If you want AI cars, (for example), you can "borrow" the functions you want from the Move_Car
C-Script, and create a script with skills and flags for multiple AI cars.  Since each AI car will have
it's own copy of variables (skills), they can all "share" the same script.
Hopefully, the knowledge you will have gained from looking at this script will prepare you to 
advance to the next level of scripting, which includes multi-player, client-server, and Internet play.
(Or, that might be a good thing to do for my next project!)
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The complete package includes the following:
Car_Move.wdl    The main wdl file for this add-on
Car_Cam.wdl      A second wdl file which contains the Car Cam camera view scripts
                           (This file is automatically "included" when you add it to your project folder.  
                             Do NOT manually "include" it in the Include file list!)

These documentation files:
READ_ME_FIRST.txt  Chapter 1 The introduction    (This file)
Features.txt               Chapter 2   What the package provides, and what it doesn't provide
Installing.txt               Chapter 3   What you need to know to install and run the package
Using.txt                    Chapter 4   All the controls and button assignments
Problems.txt               Chapter 5   Help with problems installing or running the Move_Car package
Changes.txt                Chapter 6   How to make the template work the way you want it to
Other_Models.txt       Chapter 7    How to adapt the script to models, other than cars
Other_Models2.txt      Chapter 8   More tips for other types of models (skiers, boats, flight simulators, etc.)
Questions.txt               Chapter 9   Questions about the package
Script.txt                     Chapter 10  A tour through the different functions in the Action script
Cam_Script.txt            Chapter 11  A detailed explanation of how the camera views work

These image (graphics) files:
car_arrow.tga        The blue arrow that slides up and down the throttle thermometer
GearPix.pcx           The bit map that displays the numbers of the different gears
needle.tga              The rotating needle used for the tachometer and the speedometer
speedo.pcx             The image used for the on-screen 1024x768 speedometer
speedo640.pcx        The image used for the on-screen 640x480 speedometer
speedo800.pcx        The image used for the on-screen 800x600 speedometer
Tach.pcx                The image used for the on-screen 1024x768 tachometer
Tach640.pcx           The image used for the on-screen 640x480 tachometer
Tach800.pcx           The image used for the on-screen 800x600 tachometer

These  sound files:
Car_Engine.wav    The sound of an engine (tuned by a function, depending on RPM)
car_horn.wav        The sound of an automobile horn
Tire_Squeal.wav    The sound of screeching tires
_________________________________________________________
To the best of my knowledge, all material included with this package is in the
public domain, and is not copyrighted material.   I'm sure this is true, since 
pretty much all of it is my own original work!  Please feel free to distribute, 
adapt, or modify any or all of it, even in commercial (for profit) usage.  
It is royalty free.  (Credit is appreciated, but not required.)
_____________________________________________________
I would like to express my thanks to several people (My apologies if I forgot
anyone!), who have offered ideas, assistance or encouragement, including: 

Marco Monster, ( http://home.planet.nl/~monstrous ) for his excellent and
thorough explanation of vehicle physics.

Many 3DGS forum users, for their patience in answering my many "dumb"
newbie questions, including:
Abandonedhopegames, Ambit, Andreas, Dan Silverman, Doc Joe, Fraser, 
George (of AUM Magazine), J Claude, Julien, Karmacop, Kinji, Luke Philpot, 
Master PSCJ, Mete, RealSpawn, Simon, and many others.

Conitec, for providing the engine, and the standard script templates that 
were used as the basis to create this script.

The staff of Conitec, who not only had the patience to answer many, many 
questions, but also for putting up with my constant bitching about the need 
to improve the manual:
Doug, JCL, Marco and Tobias.

Personal encouragement from: 
Creation, Eagle, Games Researcher, Ken, Raziel, Spongehed,
Whisper, and many others.

And several folks who took the time to help me, by being Beta testers:
Creation, Doc Joe, JHocking, Ken, Raziel
________________________________________________________
I hope you have as much fun using this package, as I did in creating it!

Bill McGonigal  (Willy)
Standish, Michigan
April 17, 2002
