RebelStar - The Map Editor

Rebelstar Map Editor V1.3


---------------------------








Written by Matthew Carrier, 28th July 2005


In good old Sinclair Basic


using X128(PC DOS) V0.93 by James McKay


Part of this program has been compiled using


Colt ZX Basic Compiler.





Initial release 10th August 2005.








V1.3 This release 23rd August 2005





----------


New Update


----------





Let`s take the written rules, screw them up and throw them away!





Yup, the Isaac Computer and the Defense Laser can now be placed


anywhere on the map.





Upto 4 Isaac Computers can be placed on the map, 3 are decoy!





Game length (turns) can now be altered. If you want a full day,


then the choice is yours.





And it is still 1 and 2 player compatible. Woo!





The Rebelstar Map Editor already contains an edited map based


upon the original game. It has been altered to show 4 Isaac


computer systems and relocated Defense Lasers.


Try and play this version of the game on level 8 to get a feel


as to how the computer deals with everything. And how you change


your winning strategy....





-----------


What is it?


-----------





This is a map editor for the Firebird game Rebelstar that was


written by Julian Gollop.











-------------


Requirements.


-------------





1. ZX Spectrum emulator that supports SAVING and LOADING in the


common TAP file format - you must know how to LOAD and SAVE


using TAP files in your preferred emulator.





2. This map editor program.





3. A copy of Rebelstar (1 or 2 players) in TZX or TAP format.





4. Knowledge of the game, how a ZX Spectrum works and some BASIC


programming skills.








-------------


Distribution.


-------------





1. As this map editor is still `work in progress` please do not upload


to WOS. I will upload when everything has been done.





2. Any publication/distribution on newspaper/magazine coverdiscs must


contact me first.








------------------


With thanks to....


------------------





1. Jame McKay - for the best ZX Spectrum emulator on the PC.


Any LOADING/SAVING hints and tips that are included with this


editor program are based only on X128 (PC DOS) v0.93 by


James McKay.





2. Vladimir Kladov for EmuZWin.


The best debugger/assembler routines ever found on a


ZX Spectrum emulator - and the 256 Colour routine too.





3. Threlfal & Hodgson and Hisoft for Colt ZX Basic Compiler


Used For speeding up the solving each Soduko.





4. Julian Gollop for Rebelstar - Excellent game.











---------


Warranty.


---------





This program is supplied `as is`.


It won`t screw up your hard drive, computer or dump things where it


shouldn`t do.


If things go wrong and you do make a complete balls up, then


don`t come running to me about it.








------------------------------------------------


What the Rebelstar Map Editor can and cannot do.


------------------------------------------------





The game Rebelstar contains data tables (as yet unfound/decoded)


that store the locations of any objects that can be carried


(weapons, ammo, keys, coffee tokens, medi probes, droid key etc)


This means that this map editor cannot place a weapon/ammo pack


onto the map and expect the game to find it when the game starts.





So, YOU CANNOT PUT EXTRA WEAPONS, AMMO, KEYS ETC ONTO THE MAP.





If you want to try, then load the game, POKE 50000,154 and try to


pick up that Photon.





The game Rebelstar will shows the item clearly in the map area,


(Top left corner) but as there is no data table regarding that


particular Photon, the location, how it got there (etc) then


it means that you can`t pick it up. Got that? Good.





So, having read and understood the above, this is a list of


what this map editor can and cannot do (so far).








Can do.


-------





a) Edit most static items within the map to create a brand new


moonbase. This includes all types doors.





b) Edit the location of the ISAAC computer and the 3 Defense


Laser systems.





c) Change the length of game (alter turns).





d) Show the start locations of the Raiders (yellow) and most of


the start locations of the Operatives (green).








Cannot do.


----------





a) Change the start location of the Raiders or the Opperatives.





b) Edit stats/name/inventory for each character.





c) Edit graphics





d) Add weapons, ammo keys etc on the map. Just incase the important


information didn`t sink into your head the first time.








Remember - this is a map editor and NOT a game editor.








------------------------------


Using the Rebelstar Map Editor


------------------------------





LOADING and SAVING the map data within the editor should be


straight forward.


Just select your TAP file to load from.








The Editor Screen


-----------------





At the very top of the editor screen it will show the description


of the item at the cursor. Next to that it will show if the item


can or cannot be edited or deleted - also know as Denied pickups.


If edit states NO then you CANNOT change or delete that object as it


is required for the game to operate correctly.


Next to that is either 1,2 or X which shows what pick up items are


currently displayed. (1 shows the pickups from the 1 player game,


2 from the 2 player game and X will display the locations of both


1 and 2 player games as X)








Main Cursor


-----------





The main editor cursor can be moved with the following keys:-





W - Up


X - Down


A - Left


D - Right


with Q,E,Z,C as the diagonals will move the cursor around the screen.








Space or M will place the selected item in the highlighted square.


0 will delete the item.











Selecting another part of the map


---------------------------------


G - Choose another part of the map (using WXAD keys)


Space or M to select


9 - abort map selection








Item grouping / Item selection


------------------------------





R and F - Choose item grouping.





O and P - Select item








Denied Pickup items


-------------------





Pressing the following number keys will....





1 - Display all items from the 1 player version and an X for


where items from the 2 player version belong.





2 - Display all items from the 2 player version and an X for


where items from the 1 player version belong.





3 - Display an X in the pickup location for both the 1 and


2 player versions.








Coloured Areas


--------------





Yellow areas on the map show the start location of the Raiders.


Do not build on the yellow areas - except for craters.





Green Areas show the starting area for the Operatives.


If the game hangs/freezes then the computer is demanding that an


operative must be placed in an area that has been built upon.








To Exit the map editor


----------------------





Symbol Shift + H





Will now compile the locations of the Isaac Computer and Defense


Laser (will take a few seconds).


It will then ask for the length of game required. (Default is 80)





If any errors are found then you will be taken back into the map


editor to make the alterations.











Editing Limits etc.


-------------------





Isaac Computer


You can place upto 4 on the map. Only one will be chosen to be


the master computer, the others will be decoys. This is randomly


decided when the map data is loaded.





Defense Lasers


Up to 3 can be placed on the map. If only 1 is placed then you


will still get the reinforcements when it is destroyed.





If more than 4 Isaac computers or 3 Defense Lasers are found then


you will taken back into the map editor to make the alterations.





As mentioned before, weapons, ammo, pickup items cannot be placed.











---------------


Known Problems.


---------------





In the 1 player game (vs computer) the Opperatives are pre-programmed


to set paths and do things when the condition arises (ie. defend a


pre-defined area when it is invaded or rush to defend a door when


it has been opened) there may be times when the game will throw


robots at walls or even shoot at a new wall that should not


be there.





Some computer controlled Operatives will not move/shoot/defend


until the Raider enters a pre-defined area/zone. This does look


strange but this is again all because of the way the game has


been programmed.





Any problems regarding the game crashing/freezing at the very


start are due to there being building on the Raiders or Operative


starting location - Remove that data and try again.








----------------------------------


Extracting Map Data From Rebelstar


----------------------------------





The following information to extract the map data can be used on


both the 1 and 2 player editions of the game.





Knowledge of Loading, saving and selecting TZX, TAP files,


autostarts and pausing is required for your choice of ZX Spectrum


emulator. This will be different for each emulator. Read the manual.











Select your REBELSTAR TAP/TZX file





type in lines 10 to 30, pressing Enter after each line.





10 CLEAR 24699


20 LOAD "" SCREEN$


30 LOAD "" CODE





type RUN (Enter) and play the TZX/TAP file





This will load the screen and then the main code.


It will then stop with an OK message





OPEN a TAP file (give it a filename) and then type in





SAVE "map" CODE 50000,4000 (Enter)





Press any key to save





Once the OK message appears then CLOSE the TAP file.





You have now extracted the map data from the game.











------------------------------------------


Inserting Your New Map Data Into Rebelstar


------------------------------------------





NOTE: Spectrum emulators deal with TAP files and how they


load in slightly different ways. Read the manual.





Reset the Spectrum.





type in the following lines (pressing Enter after each line)





CLEAR 24699


BORDER 0: PAPER 0: INK 7: CLS





1 LOAD "" SCREEN$


2 LOAD "" CODE





Select your Rebelstar TAP/TZX 1 player or 2 player file.





RUN the program





Start you TAP/TZX file and the game will load but not start.





Type in





1 LOAD "" CODE 16384


2 RANDOMIZE USR 20384





Select your new map data TAP/TZX





Run the program





Start your TAP/TZX file and the screen will fill with garbage


and then an OK message.





This random garbage is the map data and a short code routine


that detects if the 1 or 2 player version has been loaded.


It also copies the pick up items into the correct place


depending on what version has been loaded.


It will sort out the Isaac Computer decoy routine and Defense


Laser situation. Nice.








Now type in





(for 1 player game)


1 RANDOMIZE USR 24700


2 RANDOMIZE USR 24900 : GOTO 2








(for the 2 player version)


1 RANDOMIZE USR 25000 : GOTO 1








type RUN and Enter





The game will now start with your map in the game.











---------------


Future updates.


---------------





The map is loaded into the screen area and copied to the main map


area to allow for future updates. I have decided that loading the


map data this way will (in theroy) make things easier to alter


those pesky data table (once they have been decoded) without


having multiple and incompatible map loading strategies.











Current map editor routines in development are:-





> Show player 1 and 2 start locations. - DONE


> 1 -2 Player compatability mode checking - DONE


> Altering Isaac Computer and Defense Laser placements - DONE


> Clear screen, randomly place craters.





Memory is now very tight - approx 1k left.


Suggestions, improvements bugs/mistakes are welcome.











Have fun and enjoy.





Mat





email: kindawitch@hotmail.com