Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!udel!mmdf
From: jones@uv4.eglin.af.mil (Calvin Jones, III)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: RE: MechForce
Message-ID: <34333@nigel.ee.udel.edu>
Date: 23 Oct 90 16:19:02 GMT
Sender: mmdf@ee.udel.edu
Lines: 58

"David R. Tyler" <dave@aquarium.buffalo.ny.us> writes:

>  unfortunately, why bother getting it? i didnt play around with it
> (my roomie did) but it appears to be identical to the previous BATTLEFORCE
>  distribution (i havent compared authors yet, as i don't know where i have
>  BFORCE dl'ed.., are they the same? (it could be BATTLETECH instead of
>  FORCE, but you know what i mean :) )

A brief lesson in (future) history:

First there was BattleMech, a two player game with each player 
controlling a single Mech.  Computer just kept up the display.

Next came BattleFort.  Here multiple human players could take on a 
computer comtrolled fortress.
 
Then came BattleForce.  you could control a force of Mechs against 
either other player(s) or against the computer.  Also, the author, Ralph 
Reed, starts discussions with FASA about his game, seems it is fairly 
close to something called BattleTech.  
 
So we get MechForce (at about version 3.60 of BattleForce) which bears 
little resemblence to BattleTech, right?   8-)

Anyway, the discussions with FASA will probably lead to the development 
of a REAL BattleTech for the Amiga, written by Ralph Reed (Not another 
Activision game) within 18 months or so.

Each of the versions that Ralph produced was distrubuted in two ways:  
first, there is a freely distributable version of the main game program. 
It may be posted anywhere. (I think it's MechForce-3.71.lzh at abcfd20, 
but I may be a bit off --- on BBSs it should be MFORCE71.LZH).
 
Each distribution archive contains instructions for registering your 
copy and receiving additional programs that allow you to build your own 
mechs, set up specific objectives for the game, set up teams (clans???), 
edit maps, and various things like that.  (You might gather, I don't 
play, but I know the author).

Ralph supports the product through mailings to registered owners 
whenever a major upgrade is made, and allows registered owners to 
download updates from my BBS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE UPDATES MAY 
*NOT* BE FURTHER DISTRIBUTED!


If any of you would like to contact the author, he can be reached on my 
BBS.
 
   --- Cal
           ____
 HOBBIT   / / /  340 Meg Online
  HOLE   / / /  12/24/9600HST bps                   AMIGA:
  ____  / / /  Exclusively   Amiga
  \ \ \/ / /  "Best Amiga BBS in FL"    The computer for the BEST of us!
   \ \ \/ /  July, 1989 Final List(tm)
    \_\_\/  A comfortable place to meet
 --------------------------------------
 Cal Jones, Sysop.  904-243-6219  24Hrs