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                Fireside Chat (tm) an IGM(tm) for L.O.R.D.                  


   Please read these doc files before attempting to install this program.

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                          Description of this IGM                           

   
   The Fireside Chat IGM is a simple to use chat IGM that allows users to 
   chat with each other no matter what LORD game they are in.  Supports an
   almost unlimited amount of configured LORD games, and the users can see
   who is on in what game anytime they list the on-line players.

   Users can send pages to any player in any lord game from the Fireside
   Chat IGM.  Fully Inter-LORD compliant, does not modify ANY user stats.

   Users are notified anytime a player enters or exists the Fireside Chat
   IGM.  This makes it easy to tell who is coming and going.  There are
   even chat actions for those users that want to say something special.

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                         Features of this IGM                               


   COMMUNICATIONS:
     
       This IGMs support FOSSILS, internal communications to 115,200, and 
       non-standard communication ports.  All information is read directly 
       from LORD's config files, so if your system is running LORD then it
       should be able to run this series of Inter-IGMs without a problem.
	
       Additonal features:
		
	- Detects auto response to Ctrl-E and will warn the user to turn
	  those repsonse off.  (Ctrl-E is the Club symbol used in the games)
	- Monitors carrier detect signal and returns to LORD
	- Correctly detects a keyboard timeout and returns to LORD
	- Monitors the time remaining, and re-writes the INFO.[NODE]
	  file before returning to LORD.
	- Users are warned when their time remaining is cut short.

   MULTINODE SUPPORT

	- File locking and sharing using SHARE.EXE for ALL critical files
	  including the LORD PLAYER.DAT file.
	- Gives up time slices for popular multitaskers including Desqview, 
	  OS/2 and Windows
	- Individual logfiles for each node.
	
   Additional features:

	- Support for ANSI, AVATAR, ASCII and RIP 
	- RIP graphics includes clickable menus and more artwork will be 
	  added later.
	- Hundreds of NPCs, monsters, secrets and ANSIs throughout the Realm
	- Numerous random events to keep the IGMs fresh
	- Takes hours to explore just one of the expansion IGMs
	- A real challenge, players can die
	- Written in C/C++ for the fastest, smallest code possible
	- Extensively tested both internally and through betas.


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                  Copyright Notice and Program Disclaimer                   


 This software is Copyright 1995 and owned by G.A.C. Computer Services.  
 G.A.C. Computer Services grants to the user a nonexclusive license to use 
 this software solely for its internal business purposes.  The user may not 
 commercially distribute, sublicense, resell, or otherwise transfer for any 
 consideration, or reproduce for any such purposes, the software or any 
 modification or derivation thereof, either alone or in conjunction with any 
 other product or program.  Further, the user may not modify the software or 
 its support files for any purpose.


 THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED TO THE USER ''AS IS.''  G.A.C. COMPUTER SERVICES 
 MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THIS  
 SOFTWARE AND/OR ASSOCIATED MATERIALS PROVIDED TO THE USER, INCLUDING 
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A 
 PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR AGAINST INFRINGEMENT. G.A.C. COMPUTER SERVICES DOES 
 NOT WARRANT THAT THE FUNCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE SOFTWARE WILL MEET YOUR 
 REQUIREMENTS, OR THAT THE OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE WILL BE 
 UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, OR THAT DEFECTS IN THE SOFTWARE WILL BE 
 CORRECTED.  FURTHERMORE, G.A.C. COMPUTER SERVICES DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE 
 ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF THE 
 SOFTWARE OR ANY DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED HEREWITH IN TERMS OF THEIR 
 CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.  NO ORAL OR WRITTEN 
 INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY G.A.C. COMPUTER SERVICES OR A G.A.C. COMPUTER 
 SERVICES AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY OR IN ANY WAY 
 INCREASE THE SCOPE OF THIS WARRANTY.

 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY -- G.A.C. COMPUTER SERVICES AND ITS LICENSORS ARE 
 NOT LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIMS OR DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING PROPERTY DAMAGE, 
 PERSONAL INJURY, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INFRINGEMENT, LOSS OF PROFITS, OR 
 INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS, OR FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR 
 INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, HOWEVER CAUSED, WHETHER ARISING OUT OF BREACH OF 
 WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR 
 OTHERWISE.


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                  List of included files in the Archive                     


	FIRESIDE.EXE - The Main executable
	FIRESIDE.DOC - This Documentation file
	FILE_ID.DIZ  - A short description of this program
	REGISTER.DOC - A Registration form for G.A.C. Computer Services 
			Products.
	HISTORY.DOC  - Details about the corrections in official releases
	PROBLEMS.DOC - An information file about what to send with your
		       message when requesting tech support.
	*.ART        - Menu and graphics files
	*.DAT, *.MON - Data files

	NOTE: Other data files may be created in support of the software
	
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                          Installation Instructions                         


 NOTE: For multinode systems, SHARE.EXE must be loaded to run these IGMs.
       Also, you may need to set the .EXE files to read only.
 
	1 - Unpack all of these files into their own directory.  Since the
	    IGM will be run in several LORD games, choose a convient
	    directory.

	    e.g. C:\FIRESIDE

	2 - Change to the directory where the files were placed and execute
	    FIRESIDE with the CONFIG option.

	    e.g. FIRESIDE CONFIG

	3 - Answer the questions about your system, and then press the I
	    to install Fireside Chat into your first LORD game.  Change the 
	    path to your LORD directory to point to the second game, and
	    then choose I (for Install) again for this game.  Continue
	    changing the path and choosing I for each game you want the
	    Fireside Chat IGM to show up in.

	4 - Edit the GAMELIST.DAT file to let Fireside know where all of
	    your LORD games are.  The format of the file is (see GAMELIST.SAM
	    for a sample file):

	    Path to a LORD game
	    Name of the LORD game
	    Path to a LORD game
	    Name of the LORD game
	    etc...(two lines for each game)            

	5 - Test the IGM locally and remotely.  


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                    Registration and technical support                     


	Registration cost is $5.00 U.S. for Fireside Chat IGM.
	See the enclosed REGISTER.DOC file for instructions on 
	how to register.  VISA, MC and American Express are accepted!

	For technical support, bug reports, comments AND suggestions please
	contact me in one of the following ways:

     Send me NetMail:           Gregory Campbell@1:124/8047
     Send me Internet E-mail:   campbel@onramp.net
     World Wide Web:            http://rampages.onramp.net/~campbel/
     Call my BBS and FAX:       214-596-0252 (login as Guest)
     Call me voice:             214-596-6374 (10am-7pm CST, M-F)
     
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                              Acknowledgements                             


	Special thanks go to all those people that helped with the alpha
	and beta testing of this product.  Specifically the following people
	need to be acknowledged:

	Seth Able - for creating Legend of the Red Dragon and allowing others
		to share their worlds with his.

	Bryan Turner - for being the best beta tester around, and for
		supporting BBS Gaming through Linear-Net.  For more information
		about Linear-Net send him a note at 1:124/7013.


Fireside Chat is a trademark of G.A.C. Computer Services and may not be used
for any reason without written permission.
