The Zod Engine
Description:	An open source remake of game 'Z'
Download:	zodengine.lha       (TIPS: Use the right click menu if your browser takes you back here all the time)
Size:	3Mb
Date:	26 Jul 13
Author:	Nighsoft
Submitter:	Juha Niemimäki
Homepage:	http://capehill.kapsi.fi
Requirements:	Data files (see instructions)
Category:	game/strategy
License:	GPL
Distribute:	yes
Min OS Version:	4.1
FileID:	8099
Snapshots:
Comments:	1
Snapshots:	1
Videos:	0
Downloads:	9  (Current version)
	9  (Accumulated)

Information

Welcome to AmigaOS 4 port of the Zod Engine. The Zod Engine was originally
written by Nighsoft and it's a remake of 'Z'.
AmigaOS 4 port was done by Juha Niemimaki and it was tested on Sam440 + AmigaOS
4.1.

- Generally port is very experimental, some shortcuts were taken and it's not
tested much. Expect alpha quality.

- Currently port supports only local games (also means that the "-c" command
line parameter doesn't work!).
Network code needs endian fixes to be able to cope with a little endian server. 

- Startup can be slow (30+ secs here). This may be affected by your filesystem
and HW configuration. Game loads lots of small files during startup.

- Fullscreen mode looks slow as well. Because window mode works nicely here,
this should be possible to optimize. Maybe affected by screenmode?
Also OpenGL support might improve this. (Port was compiled without OpenGL and
MySQL support.)

- Game tends to *crash* if it can't find data files. So make sure you install
data files first! 

Check http://zod.sourceforge.net/ for more information.


Installation and usage

Download the 40 MB data file (
http://sourceforge.net/projects/zod/files/linux_releases/zod_linux-2011-09-06.ta
r.gz/download ) and unpack it.
Copy AmigaOS 4 "zod" binary to the "zod_engine" directory, cd there and type
"zod -w" (for window mode) or use "StartZOD" icon inside "zod_engine"
directory. When game starts, you can choose your teams, add bot players and play
the game.


Following instruction is taken from the Zod Engine manual:

-- clip --
Control System -
The control system for the Zod Engine has changed. Left click selects units
while right click will send them to their target.
You can use ctrl+# to give them a control group. Also you can give units
waypoints by holding in shift while you are giving them targets.
In order to force units to "ignore-move" hold in alt while giving them orders.
In order to force units to "attack-move" use ctrl instead. 
To move around the map you can either use the arrow keys, move the mouse to the
screen's edge, click the minimap or 
hold in the middle mouse button to use the mouse to fly around the map. While
you are viewing a factory or fort's unit production 
you can set it's rally point the same way you would set a unit's waypoint(s) so
long as you currently do not have any units selected. 
Holding in z while giving units an order will have only the nearest unit to the
order take the order and then have that unit removed 
from the selected group.

Individual Keys -
h - toggles chat history on / off
p - shows the online player list
m - toggles if the mouse is captured in windowed mode
r - same as the R button on the lower left of the hud
g - same as the G button on the lower left of the hud
v - same as the V button on the lower left of the hud
b - same as the B button on the lower left of the hud
/ - begins chat with /
enter - begins chat
alt + v - changes volume level
ctrl + r - select all robots
ctrl + v - select all vehicles
ctrl + a - select all robots and vehicles
space bar - returns to last event, ie "Vehicle Captured" / "Grenades Collected"

New Production Window -
While you are selecting a unit you can click the portrait to bring up a large
selection window with all of the available choices. 
You can also use the mouse scroll to cycle through the choices quickly. On the
upper right of the window there is a [+] which when 
clicked will expand the window for the factory production queue. Here you can
set the list of units to be built. If no units are in the list then
 after the current production nothing will be made. The last unit on the list
will always be repeated. To remove a unit from the list simply click it.

Messaging and the Command System -
To talk to other players hit enter, type in your message and then type enter
again. Also the command system is used through the chat system. 
To use the command system type in /help into the chat. The command system is
used to do things such as start and stop bots or change maps.

R/G/V/B Buttons -
These buttons except for the B button will cycle through your respective unit
type. The cycle will begin with the respective unit (R=Robot etc) 
closest to your mouse. If not used in within 7 seconds then it will restart with
the nearest unit. The B button will bring up a listing of all your f
actories to scroll through and select.
-- clip --


License

The Zod Engine is licensed under GPL v 3.


Dependencies

The Zod Engine uses SDL, SDL_ttf, SDL_image and SDL_mixer libraries.


Future

If there is enough interest, there might be new releases but I have other
projects to do as well so don't expect much.


Thanks

Nighsoft for this gem, kas1e for cross-compiler hosting, ssolie for PNG2icon
converter, Amiga SDL maintainers, and you for playing this!