HACK version 1.0.1 for MSDOS computers
--------------------------------------
by Don Kneller
Background
----------
HACK is a display oriented dungeons and dragons type game. It is similar in style to ROGUE played on UNIX systems but HACK is much richer in character. HACK has many more monsters and highly varied magic.
HACK was originally written for UNIX systems by several people at the Stichting Mathematisch Centrum in Amsterdam and I have converted it to run under MSDOS 2.x and above. For all those who have played HACK on UNIX, this is a complete version 1.0.1 except that engravings are not implemented. I had to remove something to stay under a target of 256K ram.
Save games are fully implemented and are machine independent. Also implemented are some of the features of HACK 1.0.2 which I had already added because they were in ROGUE. In particular there is a discover command
(\) to tell you about objects you know something about. Also, there is MORE processing on long inventories.
HACK uses the terminal independence package (TIP) from LATTICE and is very fast at screen I/O. TIP is much, much faster than the ANSI driver and is about as portable.
System requirements
-------------------
To play HACK you need the following:
1 - MSDOS computer running MSDOS (or PCDOS) 2.0 or greater
I have tested HACK on the following systems and it runs without
a hitch:
IBM AT (80286) with lots of memory, a hard disk, and
the enhanced graphics display.
IBM PC with 256K and 2 floppies or hard disk
- monochrome monitor and monochrome display card
- color monitor and card (sorry, HACK doesn't uses color)
- monochrome monitor and Hercules card.
ATT 6300 with 256K and a hard disk.
Columbia PC with 256K and 2 floppies.
Compaq portable with 256K and 2 floppies.
Compaq Deskpro (8086) with 512K and a hard disk.
ITT XTRA with 256K and 2 floppies.
Tandy 1200 with 256K and a hard disk.
It will probably also run on other MSDOS systems like the Tandy
2000 (80186) and 1000 but I haven't tested it yet because I
couldn't find these with sufficient memory.

256K ram
You need about 230,000 bytes of free ram. Use chkdsk to find out
if you have enough. I tried HACK on a Tandy 2000 with 256K and
MSDOS but it wouldn't run because the Tandy had only 210,000 bytes
of free memory. Under MSDOS 2.0 I have about 233,000 bytes free.
2 - 360K floppies or a hard disk
In principle you could use one 360K floppy but you would not be
able to save and restore big games (big in the sense that the longer
you are alive in the game, the more disk storage is used.
Thus, the
big games are also the good games).
Configuration of HACK for your MSDOS computer.
----------------------------------------------
The configuration of HACK is controlled by environment variables.
At the system prompt type:
A>set VAR=VALUE
This sets the value of the environment variable VAR to VALUE. See the
PCDOS 2.0 manual page 10-21 for details.
The variables used by HACK are:
HACK This is your name in the game.
ex: Blue Meanie (or other nonsense name)
default value: none
HACKDIR This is the PATH to where the support files (rumors, data,
help, and record) are found. I use a HACKDIR in case
you have HACK.EXE on your executable path and you want the
support files somewhere else.
ex: C:\games\hack\
default value: .\ (the current directory)
IMPORTANT: This is a directory PATH and should end with
the '\' character.
HACKLEVELS This the PATH where the program will generate its
temporary level files. As well, this is where some
of the level files get left as bones files (you will
understand bones when you start playing).
ex: C:\games\hack\levels\
default value: B:\
IMPORTANT: This is a directory PATH and should end with
the '\' character.
HACKSAVE This is the full name of the savefile (including any path)
for saving and restoring incomplete games.
ex: C:\games\hack\hack.sav
default value: .\hack.sav
If you append ";noprompt" or just ";n" to the name of the

savefile, the program won't prompt you to insert the diskette
used for saving. This is useful if you have a hard disk.
ex: C:\games\hack\hack.sav;n
Of course, using a batch file to set the environment variables is easier than typing them in each time you want to play.
Sample configurations
---------------------
All configurations should specify a value for the environment variable
HACK. If you don't, your name in the game will be Nick Danger (a shadowy rapscallion known for dirty deeds and skullduggery).
Two floppy systems:
The default values should be fine. They are:
HACKDIR = .\
HACKLEVELS = B:\
HACKSAVE = .\hack.sav
If you make a bootable disk (ie using format /s) and put hack.exe
and its support files on it, then use it in drive A whenever you
want to play hack. The savefile will then also be on drive A
(the
default drive) and the level files will be on drive B. You
will be prompted to put in the disk with the savefile on it at
the appropriate moments.
Due to the large size of files that hack uses, I implore you
to use separate floppies for hack.exe (and support files), for the
levels, and for a save disk. Start with:
GAME DISK: command.com
hack.exe
rumors
data
help
others (autoexec.bat, config.sys, etc)
LEVEL DISK: empty
SAVE DISK: empty
Hard disk system:
You might try:
HACKLEVELS = C:\games\hack\
HACKDIR = C:\games\hack\ (put the support files in here)
HACKSAVE = C:\games\hack\hack.sav;n (no prompting required)
You can put hack.exe anywhere, preferable on your executables path so
you don't have to change directories to play.
How to play HACK
----------------

UNPACKING
---------
The files hack.exe and support files are in LU format in HACK.LBR.
Unpack the files with LU86403 then use NUSQ101 to uncompress them.
PLAYING
-------
HACK has two command line options: -u and -s.
-u name Specifies the name to use other than the value of the
HACK environment variable.
ex: A> hack -uTerminator
or A> hack -u Terminator
You can append -c, -w, -s, -f, -k, or -t to the name to select the
type of character you want to be.
ex: A> hack -uTerminator-c
This means you will play with the name Terminator and you will be a
Cave-man (person).
-s [name] Means to list the scores of the person with this name.
If the name is not given, uses the value of the HACK
environment variable.
Once you have started hack, type a ? to get help on the available commands. You can also print the help file and keep it for a handy reference.
Pitch
-----
In order not to get bad karma you should rush out with all haste and send $$$ to:
Don Kneller
2 Panoramic Way #204
Berkeley, CA 94704
Even if you don't send $$$, you are encouraged to copy this program and give it to your friends and post it to BBS's. You can send me mail on the Walnut Creek, CA BBS at (415) 937-0156. For people on the network you can get in touch with me at:
ucbvax!ucsfcgl!kneller
-or-
kneller@ucsf-cgl.ARPA
We have been playing HACK on an IBM PC for about 3 weeks now and seem to have the bugs worked out. If you find a bug, please let me know at any of the above 4 locations.
Your contribution would be much appreciated and provide encouragement to update to version 1.0.2 of HACK. Whether you contribute or not,
Happy Hacking!!!!!!!