What's New for LaserTank 4.1

* modifications since LaserTank 3.1
# Bug Fixes                                      
============================

11-18-00

*Rewrote the program in C using the free lcc-win32 compiler. This can be downloaded
at http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~lcc-win32/ it is pretty cool.
The new program is a little faster and a little bigger, and is a true 32 bit program.

*Graphics have been improved:
	User loadable graphics by placing a game.bmp & mask.bmp file
	in the working directory. 

Made the mirrors and anti-tanks transparent so you can see beneath them. This
	means if you push one on a sunken block or tank mover you will see the sunken
	block or tank mover under it.

	Anti-tanks fire red now.

	System now handle more than 16 colors.

*Added More sounds.

*Added Keyboard buffer:
	The program now store moves & shots as fast as you enter them. 
	This was a cool byproduct of the next two items.

*Mouse Support:
	Left click to move and right click to shoot. The system can buffer up 
	to 20 clicks and calculates the movements during processing. 

*F4 - Replay. Try it ! Play a level 10 moves and them hit F4. This uses the recording buffer
	which is always on now. It still wont save the data unless RECORDING is on.
	P.S. The keyboard buffer is the recording buffer.

*RestartUndo, will now work even if you are recording.

11-19-00

# High Score system is back on line
	The last version didn't record high scores & didn't change HS files when LVL files
	changed.

*Added Direct Entry & Difficulty filter to "Load Level"
	You can now directly enter the level number falowed by [Enter] in the Load Level
	Dialog. If you press [Search] from the "Load Level" Dialog, There is a new Option
	to filter levels by difficulty.

Note: Debug is still turned on. ( The variable names on the right of the window.)

11-25-00

* Added Tunnels.
	You can have up to 32 pair of tunnels / transporters. If a tunnel has no match
	then it is a tunnel to HELL ( the tank will Die, all objects will vanish). 

# many editor relaited problems are fixed ( from the migration to C from pascal)

# Mouse Move routine Updated.
	Mouse Move routine can go to any valid location. The path will not go over 
	anthing but ground ( or a bridge ). If you click on a flag, tank mover or tunnel,
	the tank will move there.
# Update ALL the file routins to be more Windows 95 ( i.e. 32 type) routines. I don't know
	what advantage this will have, but we will see.

12-01-00

* Added Editor Rotating Objects
	Hold the shift key whyle clicking on a Mirror, Rotory Mirror, Tank Mover or 
	Anti-Tank in the editor mode and the object will rotate 90 Deg.

# Changed program so configuration data is stored in Ltank32.ini ( not the old Ltank.ini)

# More Editor Related Problems fixed; Starting location & Tunnel ID messup

# Tunnels will now move an object that was blocked when the blocking object is moved.
	This also works with the Tank.
( Some day I will have to write a paper on tunnels when there are more that 2 with
  the same ID #. You can have as many as you want but the logic gets real wierd,
  especially when you start blocking the tunnels )

* Added "Change Graphics" Option. The program can now use the internal graphics, Load
	External game.bmp & mask.bmp files or Load Graphic File Sets. The preferences
	are saved in the ini file.

12-8-00

* added Ctrl+V, Ctrl+C & Ctrl+G as Accelerators ( modified proograme to use acc table)

# Removed key hold down repeat for movement & spacebar.

* Added [Backspace]
	Backspace is a 10 level stack that will remember the last 10 levels played. It is
	reset whenever the program is started or a Level file is changed.

* Added [P]revious
	This is the same as skip but in the other direction. It is affected by the 
	Difficulty settings and the "Skip Complete" feature.

* Added Shift feature to the editor
	The play field can be shifted in all 4 directions.

* Added "Save As" in the editor & Modified "Save".
	"Save As" is the old "Save" routine, it asks for a file name and a level number.
	"Save" will now save the edited level to the current file & level Number.

* Added Grid Lables, this will help in discusing levels.

12-15-00

# Modified Tunnels
	The Maximum number of tunnel ID's was reduced to 8. The tunnels still operate
	like they did before. They now have a color band to indicate which tunnels are
	connected.

# Modified what happens when you hold down a key. Now the key will repeat only when the tank
	or a laser shot is not doing anything. This is the best of all worlds. During long
	laser shots you can press a direction key as many times as you like to preload the
	buffer, but if you hold down a direction key, only 1 key will be entered.If you want 
	to move a long distance just hold down the key like before, just release 1 ( or 2)
	blocks away.

# Fixed:	Wrong tankmover graphic under a moving tank.
		Saving from the editor w/ a new level would write over level 1.
		pressing letters now works in the Difficulty dialog.
		AutoRecord Check mark works properly.
		Undo after getting shot by first turn error fixed.

# Modified Opening Graphic < Note Ver 4.0 > although we will keep it 3.2.x until all
	BETA testing is complete.

12-22-00
# fixed Local HS part of Global High Score Dialog

# changed Editor so you can exit without saving. This got mixed up in the last Fix.

# Fixed a few Playback Bugs

# You can now stop a playback before you get to the end of the file and continue
	the Game. This will make it easier to tweek a playback file, just remember to
	turn on recording if you want to save it.

# Conveyors going into tunnels now works. I strainge side effect of this is, if you
	enter a tunnel and the exit side is blocked on the sides by conveyors pointing
	at you, you can reenter the tunnel by bumping into the conveyor.

* Added Completion Summary to "You Win" window

1-9-01
* Added Ice & Thin Ice Object's
	Ice will slide anything until off of the ice.
	Thin Ice only works once, then it turn into water.

* Added Resume Recording Feature

# modified how more than 2 tunnels w/ same ID # work

# fixed various bugs

# modified Completion Summary in "You Win" window

1-11-01 BETA8
# Fixed Various Ice Bugs

# Changed Thin Ice so you can't stand on it ( slide into a solid object
	on thin ice and you will sink) Same for Objects.

# Mouse will allow clicking on the edge of ice

# Fixed the anoyance of seeing the "You Won" Screen when searching
	for a Playback file that isn't there.

1-19-01 BETA9
# Fixed various Bugs

1-25-01 BETA10
# Fixed Restart Undo Bug after a death
# Modified Tunnels to use mask for id color
* Added Tank Finder

2-1-1 BETA11
# Modified Opening Screen
# Fixed Tunnel Undo Bug

2-8-1 BETA12
# Modified PLayback default file name it is now "Level Name_xxxx.lpb"
# Fixed a few bugs
* Added "View Opening Screen" to Change Graphics Dialog
* Added Buttons
# Modified opening graphic again
# fixed game to work with over 1000 levels

2-15-1 BETA13
# New [F2] modified to NOT use the difficulties & Skip complete.
# Tunnel fixed to not loose its color ID when an object is on top of it.
# fixed tank not showing up in the editor
# did all modifications for having over 1000 levels

2-22-1 BETA14
# Added Editor Accelerators ( F1, C, L, S, H, F9, Ctrl G & arrows)
# Modified Editor to NOT delete Layer 2 between sessions.

2-23-1 BETA14B
# Editor Accelerators are now Ctrl+Letter

3-1-1 BETA15
# Modified Load Level Window for Color
# Modified Keyboad/ Recording Buffer. Now the buffer is only
	limmited by system memory. You can still only record 65500
	steps to a Playback file ( this can't change without modifying
	the file type )
# Modified Undo Buffer. Restructured how it works. Max undo is still
	10,000 moves/shots ( that = 10M of memory ) If out of memory
	the Undo will roll over.

3-8-1 BETA16
# Fixed Bug if you cancel a "Open File"
# Found new bug & fixed, If a block was between you and 1 thin ice and an
	 anti-tank facing you, you could shoot the block onto the ice, it
	 would fall in and the Anti-tank did NOT kill you. Now you will Die.
* Added "Only Unsolved Levels" to the Filter ( was search) window of Load Level.
* Added "Print GameBoard" function. I don't think I am done with this function
	yet. It lockes up my computer when it is printing for 30 seconds.
* Added "Change Directory" for Graphics Dialog
* Added more Error handeling to the SFX unit ( The Problem is not the sound card
	but it has to do with the resources)

3-12-1 BETA17
# Changed Print Routine, Should now work on all systems better.
# Added even more SFX Error Routines.
* INI file is now created in the Directory with the Program.

3-16-1 BETA18
# Hopefully Fixed the SFX
# Modified/Optimized the Record/Keyboard Buffer.
# Modified the Change Graphics Browse Button to start from the old setting.
# Added Kayboard functions to the Listboxs in the Load Level,High Score
	& Global High Score. Up, Down, Pg Up, Pg Dn, End, Home
	Enter to Select, Esc to Close Box

3-22-1 BETA19
# Modified Difficulty Colors.
# Fixed bugs with the Playback Feature.
# Changed so Autorecord will only ask for user name once per session.
* Added "Game in Progress" Dialog.

4-16-1 BETA20
# Updated the High Score & GHS windows to use diff colors.
# Fixed some bugs
* GHS file dosn't change now when you beat a GHS Record

RETURN