----------------------
EMPIRE ALLEGRO ADVANCE
----------------------

Changes from the last version of Empire Allegro:

  -Computer players with a semi-competent AI!  (More information on AI can
be found the ai folder)

Map Editor:
  -Fixed so no more than 50 units per team can be placed.
  -Added a 'continue map' feature, so all is not lost if you accidently
   click "Back" instead of "Name Map".
  -Modified to include AI profiles, as well as fix several small problems
   with saving, loading, and naming maps.
Main Game:
  -Fixed a bug related to loading maps with pre-placed units.
  -Revised the special ability power gain, so after a battle the person
   whose unit took more damage gains more for the special ability, since before a
   person who began winning early on would quickly gain more and more power and
   steamroll the opposition.  Now the losing sides in a skirmish have a better
   chance at retaking the lead.
  -Fixed a little APC glitch, where it showed the resupply option even
   when not next to a unit when it was on the edge of the map.
  -Fixed the many, many problems with landers and their associated
   functions.
  -Changed pathfinding so that it actually works the way it was originally
   intended to (before it had a problem that I balanced out by giving each unit
   one more move than it should get).
  -Add a "Merge" command for all units.
  -Updated the characters and added some new special powers to choose
   from.
  -Added an option to enable double buffering, which makes things look
   better when there are a lot of units on the screen being animated at once.
  -Added a few new sound effects
General:
  -Add screen refresh button 'R' (for if the screen blanks somehow) 
  -An absolutely massive amount of graphical tweaks and bugfixes.
  -Maps are now arranged in alphabetical order.
  -Compiled using a newer version of Allegro (4.1.14)


NOTE: DOS version has been removed for now, because I can't compile for DOS
      right now and the current DOS version is hopelessly out of date.
NOTE: Save files and map files are incompatible with Empire Allegro versions. 
To fix the map files, just open them in a text editor and add a 0 at the end.

NOTE: If you're just copying Empire Allegro Advance over the old Empire
      Allegro, be sure to delete the old empire.ini file.

There is a known bug in this game:  While testing the AI out, a tank somehow
attacked an artillery while still three tiles away from it.  I have been
unable to reproduce the problem, so I can't really fix it.

Also, if you stumble onto a bug or a case of extreme AI stupidity, let me know
at kdevilla@andrew.cmu.edu.

==============================================================================

Is almost unplayable on (my old computer):
  200 MHz CPU
  64M RAM
  WIndows 95
Recommended (the other system it was tested on):
  700 MHz CPU
  256M RAM
  Windows 98
Will run easily on (my laptop):
  2.4 GHz P4
  384M RAM
  Windows XP
will DEFINITELY run very well on (brand new desktop):
  Athlon XP 2800+
  512M RAM
  Windows XP

If you have an even slower computer than that first one, I doubt that the game
will run very well or at all.

==============================================================================


HOW TO PLAY:
  The gameplay has been designed to mimic Advance Wars (GBA) almost
completely, so if you know how to play Advance Wars you're fine.

  For those of you who are depriving yourselves of that game, the object of
the game is to defeat your opponent(s) either by capturing their HQ or
destroying their units and capturing or covering their unit-producing
buildings.  The game is fairly easy to learn, so just experiment with
different units and see what they can do and not do.

  Certain characters have different strengths, weaknesses, and special
abilities, which you can customize using the Player Maker program.  The
characters originally included are based on some people from the 
www.allegro.cc forums.  Drop by sometime.

CONTROLS:
  Left mouse:  Select
  Right mouse: In the game:    Bring up various menus
               In map editor:  View minimap
  Space:  View minimap (in game)
  Shift:  See attack range (only for distance-attack units)
  B:      Quick exit button.  Pressing this instantly exits the game.

To scroll the map, move the mouse to the edge of the screen.

==============================================================================


The Map Editor:
  The map editor is, I hope, easy to use.  There are buttons to select and
place tiles and units.  There are two important things to know about the
editor first:
1. You must name the map before you can save.
2. CHECK THE MAP BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO USE IT.  The "check map" button
will tell you if there is any fatal problem with the map.  If you ignore it
and try to play on a problematic map, bad things will happen.  Bad things like
your computer freezing / crashing / refusing to boot up normally or at all.
I've had all three happen to me at some point or other while making the game.
Granted, I was making it on a Windows 95 machine at the time, but still...

The Player Maker:
  A Visual Basic program I made, this lets you create your own characters or
modify existing ones.  Should be easy to use.

NOTE: When the Player Maker is open, it creates 8 temporary bitmaps for the 8
players.  It will delete them once it is closed.  Do not delete them while it
is running or bad things will happen.  Also, do not delete any of the player 
bitmaps and then try to run the Player Maker.  It will not load unless there
are 8 "playerx.bmp" pictures in the folder the Player Maker is in.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The unit sprites and building tiles in this game have been taken from Advance
Wars, for the Gameboy Advance, so they belong to Nintendo.  This game was
inspired by Advance Wars, and you should all go out and buy that game (or
Advance Wars 2) right now if you haven't already.

The land tiles, except for the buildings, were made by me.

The sound effects were found using findsounds.com, so I have no idea who they
may belong to.

The music, well...there is no music in the game right now, and I think it's
going to stay that way.

This game was made using Allegro, the game programming library.
http://www.allegro.cc
