================================================================

Title            : STRAIN 1.0
Filenames        : (see below)

Author           :
		   The Alpha Dog Alliance
		   ada@iname.com
		   http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/8528/
		   (Please send us email if you enjoy STRAIN!)

Description      :
		   STRAIN is THE largest DOOM II Total Conversion.
		   And it's FREE!

		   This is the product of our painstaking
		   effort at a true successor to DOOM II.
		   We hope you'll agree that it is much better
		   than 90% of all those $50 shovelware first
		   person shooters that wish they were DOOM!

		   STRAIN includes 32 new levels, all new
		   music, and a complete story which carries
		   through the levels.  It also contains
		   100+ new textures, and many new
		   baddies, weapons, graphics, and sound
		   effects.  Yes, that's right: new
		   baddies and weapons!

		   Designed for single play with special support
		   for co-op and deathmatch play.  All difficulty
		   levels supported - from beginner to DOOM god.

		   Please visit our web site for more info
		   and the story!

================================================================
 Where To Get This WAD 
================================================================

Please check our web site for download information/sites:

    http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/8528/

================================================================
 Installation
================================================================

We have tried to make the installation as simple as possible.
First, remember you must own DOOM II and have it installed.
Unfortunately, there are many versions of DOOM II.   We
recommend version 1.9.  First, we explain how to upgrade your
DOOM II.  If you have version 1.9, or you want to try and
use an older version (with caution), you can skip this part.
Then we explain how to install STRAIN for DOOM II.

   =============================
    Getting DOOM II Version 1.9
   =============================

   DOOM II comes in versions 1.666, 1.7, 1.7a, 1.8 and 1.9!
   (phew!  Actually there are TWO version 1.666 by date:
   8-29-94 and 9-20-94.)  You can upgrade them with free patches
   from iD.  The patches are located at

     ftp://ftp.idsoftware.com/idstuff/doom2/index.txt

   and they are strangely named.  All the patches entail unzipping
   the file, and getting some instruction and a patch.zip (yes
   a zip file inside of a zip file.)  The instruction will explain
   how to unzip patch.zip into your DOOM II directory and run it.
   Then you can delete it.  Sometimes a single original zip file
   will contain multiple patches named, for instance, patcha, patchb,
   etc.  It's not hard.  We're just kind of giving an overview.

   Here are the upgrade paths:

   1.8 -> 1.9
      Use the patch in 2_18_19.zip
   1.7a -> 1.9
      Use the patch in d2_19.zip
   1.7 -> 1.9
      First use 'patchc' in doom2p.zip to upgrade to 1.7a.
      Then use the instructions to get from 1.7a to 1.9.
   1.666 (9-20-94) -> 1.9
      First use 'patchb' in doom2p.zip to upgrade to 1.7a.
      Then use the instructions to get from 1.7a to 1.9.
   1.666 (8-29-94) -> 1.9
      First use 'patcha' in doom2p.zip to upgrade to 1.7a.
      Then use the instructions to get from 1.7a to 1.9.

   =============================
    Installing STRAIN
   =============================

   STRAIN comes with an installer and an 'unpacker' to do
   the dirty work.  The steps you must follow to install
   STRAIN are simply the following:

    * Make sure that you have enough space on your computer
    * Download the distribution files
    * Unpack the files onto your hard drive using the included
      file 'unpack.bat'
    * Fire up the included front end 'strain.bat' and
      choose 'install'
 
   ----------------------------------------
    Making Sure That You Have Enough Space
   ----------------------------------------

    STRAIN takes more space to install than to
    keep around for playing.

    During installation, STRAIN will need at least 15 MB
    of hard drive space.  This is in addition to
    the space required by the distribution files
    themselves, which require about 5 MB.  In other words,
    you will need 20 MB in the worst case.
    
    After installation, STRAIN will take 15 MB of space.
 
   ------------------------------------
    Downloading the Distribution Files
   ------------------------------------

    Download the STRAIN files from an FTP site.
    
    To find an available FTP site, go to our home site
    "http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/8528/" and
    follow the appropriate links.

    The STRAIN distribution consists of 5 MB of files.

      strain.txt
      unpack.bat
      strain.001
      strain.002
      strain.003
      strain.004
 
    If you want to make floppies from which to install STRAIN, get
    four blank high-density diskettes and copy the files to the
    diskettes as follows:

      Disk 1 -- strain.001, strain.txt, and unpack.bat
      Disk 2 -- strain.002
      Disk 3 -- strain.003
      Disk 4 -- strain.004
 
 
   ----------------------------
    Unpacking the Distribution
   ----------------------------

    Use the 'unpack.bat' script (which you just
    downloaded) to unpack the distribution.
    The command is of the form:

      unpack <distribution-dir> <strain-dir>
 
    "<distribution-dir>" is the location of your downloaded
    distribution files.  If they are on floppies, use "a:"
    for this directory.  Note that this must be a FULL path
    name with the drive letter specified and NO trailing
    backslash (this is due to a limitation of DOS BAT files).

    "<strain-dir>" is the destination directory.  This may
    be your DOOM II directory or a special STRAIN directory
    or anywhere you choose.  This must also be a FULL path
    name with the drive letter specified and NO trailing
    backslash.

    Examples:

      Suppose you'd like STRAIN to be in a sub-directory of DOOM II
      "c:\doom2\strain".  Further suppose the distribution is at
      "c:\download".  Then you would use the following command:

	unpack c:\download c:\doom2\strain
 
      (Use full path names.  If you are in c:\temp at the time,
      do NOT type "unpack ..\download ..\doom2\strain".  Instead
      give a path starting at the drive letter.)

      Or suppose you'd like STRAIN in the same place as above, but
      the distribution is on floppies:

	unpack a: c:\doom2\strain

      The unpacker will prompt you for each of the disks in succession.
      Make certain that you have at least SOME disk in the drive when
      you press a key.  The unpacker can recover from the wrong disk
      being inserted.  However, if there is no disk in the drive, you will
      get the infamous "Abort, Retry, Fail" message and there is no
      way to recover.  You will have to terminate the BAT file (with
      ^C) and then begin unpacking again.

      Note: in these cases, the unpacking will fail if there is
      not enough free space on drive C:
 
 
   -------------------
    Installing STRAIN
   -------------------

    If all went well, the unpacker should have instructed you to type
    "strain".  This would be an ideal time to type "strain". :-)

    After the front end comes up, you can simply hit the "Install"
    button.  You will be prompted for the location of your registered
    copy of DOOM II.  The installer will do the rest.  Now you're
    ready to play!
 
    Shortcut: you can skip entering the front end program by
    typing the 'install' option to the 'strain' program:

      strain install <DOOM2-DIR>

    Note: While the installer is installing STRAIN, you may get a message
    from DeHackEd asking "Do you want to do this?"  Just hit the 'y'
    key to confirm.

    Note: The installer makes noises and plays a tune and is generally
    cool.  If you are in Windows 95 and do not get these effects, it
    won't hurt anything, but you'll need to set your BLASTER and SOUND
    environment variables to get sound.

   -------------
    Cleaning Up
   -------------

    You can then delete the distribution files: strain.001 through
    strain.004, unpack.bat, and strain.txt.

    But a better suggestions would be to pass them on to a DOOM II loving
    friend.  (-:  Or at least archive them somewhere.

   ----------------
    Playing STRAIN
   ----------------

    To play, follow these steps:

    * Change to the STRAIN directory (not the DOOM II directory
      unless you dumped STRAIN into the DOOM II directory).

    * Type 'strain play' or, alternatively, you can bring up
      the front end by typing 'strain' and then clicking the
      'Play' button.

    Note: the demos in STRAIN will look psychotic.  This is 
    because we chose not to replace them.  What you are seeing
    is the movements of your marine from an old demo, but now
    in a new setting!  So he looks berserk, bouncing off walls,
    shooting at air, and so forth.  If we had replaced the
    demos, then using a version of DOOM II other than 1.9 would
    have been problematic for sure.  We won't go into it.

================================================================
 Copyright / Permissions 
================================================================

Authors should write us (ada@iname.com) to inquire into the use
of these levels.

You MAY distribute this WAD, provided you include this file and
the entire STRAIN package, with no modifications.

You may distribute STRAIN in any electronic
format (BBS, Diskette, CD, etc) but no money may be collected
for this add-on without writing us for permission.  Not even
if the money is just to 'recover the cost of the medium.'  This
obviously includes software compilations.  Just write us
already.  Also, you must keep the STRAIN package intact,
including this file.

Other than that, enjoy and please spread STRAIN as far and wide
as possible!  And please write us to let us know what you think
or to at least let us know how far it spread!

Oh yeah, for the crazies out there who are always after an
unearned buck: STRAIN and its installer are provided as is and
come with no warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied.
In no event will the copyright holders be liable for any damages
resulting from the use of this software.

================================================================
 The Alpha Dog Alliance
================================================================

  Charlie Patterson   |    Adelusion
  David Rotramel      |    Rich Johnston
  Arthur Chang        |    Eric Roberts
  Bjorn Hermans       |    Jon Landis
  Bill McClendon      |    Holger Nathrath 
  Chainsaw            |    Andy Badorek
  Florian Helmberger  |    Darrell Esau
  Ron Allen           |    Adam Windsor
  David Graves        |    David Davidson
  Bishop              |    Stuart Burke
  Brian Burke         |    Will Vale
  Iikka Keranen       |    David Shaw
  Mark Klem           |    Justin Patterson
  Bob Lindemann       |    Aaron Koller
  Xenos               |    Reid Harmon
  Frank Buckley       |

  Chris Shullenbarger |    John Walker
  Richard Church      |    Mister Bungle

  For FULL credits on who did what, please see our web page
  (listed at the beginning of this file).

===============================================================
 Additional Credits To
===============================================================

  id Software,
  Greg Lewis (DeHackEd),
  Ben Morris (DCK),
  Antony J.Burden and Simon Oke (DETH),
  Marc Rousseau (ZenNode)
  Olivier Montanuy (WinTex)

================================================================

