+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                              README.TXT                                |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                          SLASH'EM ver 0.0.7                            |
|               Super Lotsa Added Stuff Hack - Extended Magic            |
|                           A Nethack Variant                            |
| Courtesy of the Slash'EM development team with the efforts and support |
| of countless others, especially the slashem-devel mailing list.        |
|                                                             (1997-2004)|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Nethack is Copyright 1985-2003                                         |
|            By Stichting Mathematisch Centrum and M. Stephenson.        |
| SLASH'EM and NetHack may be freely redistributed.                      |
| See license in the dat directory for details.                          |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-------+
| Index |
+-------+

1 - News
	1.1 Status
	1.2 Changes
2 - Getting started
	2.1 Using official binaries
	2.2 Playing the game
	2.3 Building it yourself
3 - What is the Nature of this Beast?
4 - Who is Responsible & The Credits
	4.1 The dev-team
	4.2 Acknowledgements
5 - Further reading

+-----------------+
| Section 1: News |
+-----------------+

1.1 Status
----------

The development of version 0.0.7 of Slash'EM started with version 0.0.6E5
(yes, we realise our version numbers are a little odd - it made sense at
the time!). Version 0.0.7E6 was the first beta release.

If you find any bugs then please submit a report via the offical bug page:

http://sourceforge.net/bugs/?group_id=9746

If you are interested in the development of Slash'EM, please also join
the slashem-devel mailing list so that you can take part in discussions
and give us any feedback.

If you'd just like to talk about Slash'EM with other players or chat to
the developers, then please join the slashem-discuss mailing list.

Finally, all users are encouraged to join the slashem-announce list,
which is very low traffic but will keep you up to date on new versions.

Slash'EM mailing list page (including archives):

http://sourceforge.net/mail/?group_id=9746

All the above, and more, are available via our home page:

http://www.slashem.org/

1.2 Changes
-----------

ver 0.0.7E6F2 [May 3/2004] [Released by Ali]
-fixed bug 910334: Vampire blood and foodless conduct
-fixed bug 924384: Inconsistency with shoggoth corroding items
-Macintosh: Include fix-level in about-box version
-fixed bug 924277: Monsters can retaliate against themselves
-fixed bug 925892: Vampire corpse on early bones level
-fixed bug 922320: Grenade thrown by soldier angered monster
-fixed bug 929873: Crash while reading spellbook off floor
-fixed bug 932788: Permanent inventory window not updated immediately
-fixed bug 932791: Permanent inventory window not closed immediately
-fixed bug 932800: [GTK] Changing hilite_pet from "more options" not immed.
-fixed bug 932801: [GTK] Changing hilite_pet from options not immed. honoured
-fixed bug 932816: Disabled radar window appears (but isn't updated) on startup
-fixed bug 932818: [GTK] Can't close main window before starting game
-fixed bug 932827: [win32] Session windows slowly creep right and down
-fixed bug 932832: [GTK] Can't cancel at "Who are you?" prompt
-fixed bug 932905: [GTK] Apparently random crashes
-NhExt: Added support for authentication (eg., for dgamelaunch)
-fixed bug 938859: Rate of fire affected by non-launcher weapon
-fixed bug 929876: Monsters can pass between Sokoban bars
-fixed bug 934073: Spurious "don't seem to harm" messages for Drow
-fixed bug 926829: Vampires "don't seem to harm" when draining levels
-fixed bug 939133: dmonsfree error after exploding /WoPoly
-fixed bug 911485: Monk techniques and vampire lords
-fixed bug 935175: monsters cheating to use polearm
-fixed bug 938871: Izchak does not appear
-fixed bug 938864: Bad message when using flurry and limiting shots
-fixed bug 931200: Gnolls in Gnomish Mines

See history.txt for changes made in previous versions.

+----------------------------+
| Section 2: Getting started |
+----------------------------+

2.1 Using official binaries
---------------------------

The Slash'EM development team make offical binaries available for a few
platforms. There are other, unofficial, binaries available as well which
will come with their own instructions.

2.1.1 DOS
---------

Support for this platform is sporadic at best. You may find you have to
use an unofficial binary. When an official binary is provided:

o Decompress the zip archive into its own directory.
o Use a text editor to review defaults.nh and make any changes needed.
o If you chose to keep the fancy graphical environment (the allegro
  interface) by leaving video set to autodetect, then review alleg.cnf
  as well (this file is ignored in VGA tile mode).
o Run the slashem executable.

2.1.2 MAC
---------

The MAC binary comes with its own documentation which you should consult.

2.1.3 Linux RPMs
----------------

Perform the following steps:

o Install the package using rpm -U <package file>
o Read the RPM specific documentation in README.RPM
o In case of difficulty, consult Ali's linux page:

  http://www.juiblex.co.uk/nethack/slashem/linux.html

2.1.4 MS-Windows
----------------

Perform the following steps:

o Download the core package and install it. This will allow you to play
  Slash'EM using the native gui (common controls) windowing interface.
o If you would prefer to use the console (tty) windowing interface, then
  you need to edit the defaults.nh file and set the windowype option to
  tty by uncommenting the relevant line.
o If you would prefer to use GTK, an alternative graphical windowing
  interface, then you need to download and install the GTK add-on package
  as well. You will also need a copy of the gtk-win runtime environment
  version 2.2.1 or above. This is available from http://www.dropline.net/gtk
o Use a text editor to review either or both copies of defaults.nh and
  make any changes needed.
o If you chose to install the GTK add-on interface, then review gtkrc
  as well.
o Use the start menu or desktop icons to play Slash'EM under your
  preferred windowing interface.

2.2 Playing the game
--------------------

Once in the game, type in the name for your alter ego.  You will then
be prompted to select your character's role and race.  Select a gender
and alignment, if necessary.  Once you're on the dungeon map, use the
number pad to move around (or the standard roguelike keys [yuhjklbn],
if your turn off number_pad).  Move into monsters to attack them.
Help is the '?' key, inventory is 'i'.

Try out the menu system by hitting the ` key.

2.3 Building it yourself
------------------------

If you don't already have a copy of the source code for Slash'EM then
get the source tarball via our homepage:

http://www.slashem.org/

Then read the installation instructions specific to your platform,
as follows:

	Amiga		sys/amiga/Install.ami
	Atari		sys/atari/Install.tos
	MAC		sys/mac/Install.mpw
	MS-DOS		sys/msdos/Install.dos
	OS/2		sys/os2/Install.os2
	UNIX		sys/unix/Install.unx
	VMS		sys/vms/Install.vms
	MS-WinCE	sys/wince/Install.ce
	MS-Win32	sys/winnt/Install.gcc

+----------------------------------------------+
| Section 3: What is the Nature of this Beast? |
+----------------------------------------------+

THE PROBLEM:  The AMULET OF YENDOR has been stolen.  Not only that but
it appears that the Wizard of Yendor (not a nice person), who took the
amulet, is hiding in the Dungeons of Doom (not a friendly place).

The SOLUTION:  Well, armies have been suggested.  Maybe hiring a superhero
or two.  Unfortunately, it seems that it is more economical to offer a
reward and let some poor adventurer with dreams of glory go and get it.
Guess who's got the enviable job of saving the day...

Super Lotsa Added Stuff Hack - Extended Magic (SLASH'EM) is a role-playing
game where you control a single character.  The interface and gameplay
are similar in style to Rogue, ADOM, Angband and, of course, Nethack.
You control the actions through the keyboard and view the world from an
overhead perspective.

+--------------------------------------------+
| Section 4: Who's Responsible & The Credits |
+--------------------------------------------+

4.1 The dev-team
----------------

o Project administrators: Warren Cheung and J. Ali Harlow
o Developers: Pekka Rousu and Clive Crous
o Mac port: Paul Hurtley

4.2 Acknowledgements
--------------------

Thanks to Andrew Apted, who contributed the glHack interface.

Thanks to Kevin Hugo (hugo@cae.wisc.edu), the previous Macintosh
maintainer and the author of many changes, who has had to move on to
other projects.

Thanks to Dirk Schönberger (shoenberger@signsoft.com), who worked on
the Qt and Linux ports.

Thanks to Ben Olmstead for mirroring the homepage.

Thanks for the support, bug reports and suggestions of
(in no particular order):

	Pat Rankin, Linley Henzell, 0ystein Kerstad, Jim Miller, pi,
	Steven Uy, Alex Critchfield, Mike Balcom, Sascha Wostmann,
	Drew Curtis, Daniel Krause, E. P. Dinklewhopper, Tim Jordan,
	Lukas Geyer, Kresimir Kukulj, Brent Oster, Travis McKay,
	Jared Withington, Philippe-Antoine Menard, Ain Uustare,
	Doug Yanega, David Tang, Lief Clennon, Robert Herman, Petra Prinz,
	Aki Lumme, Nick Number, Robin Johnson, Heiko Niemeier, Chris Bevan,
	David Damerell, Kevin Hugo, Daniel Mayer, Ben Olmstead, Tom Friedetzky,
	Kalle Niemitalo, Sabine Fischer, Christian Bressler, Jake Kesinger,
	Chris Subich, Paul Sonier, Peter Makholm, Matthew Ryan, J. Ali Harlow,
	George Stephens, Bruce Cox, Edward Walker, Karl Garrisson,
	Finn Theoderson, Kelly Bailey, Seth Friedman, Jonathan Nieder,
	Eva R. Myers, Darshan Shaligram, Tina Hall, Christian Cooper.

+----------------------------+
| Section 5: Further Reading |
+----------------------------+

o Slash'EM Homepage: http://www.slashem.org/
o Ali's Slash'EM page: http://www.juiblex.co.uk/nethack/slashem.html
o Eva's spoiler page: http://www.statslab.cam.ac.uk/~eva/slashem/index.html
