                                   SER7.EXE
                DOOM, DOOM ][, HERETIC and Hexen SERIAL DEVICE DRIVER

New Features in SER7.5
-Supports Hexen and Hexen Classes
-Supports a maximum of 63 levels for future expansion
        (Hexen uses 41 numbers with some skipped)
-Map Browser.  View the "automap" of any Wad

New Features from SER6 to SER7
-Completely New Mouse Driven Interface(sorry only mouse driven for now)
-Make configuration changes while you Chat
-Works with All Current Versions of Doom, Doom ][ and Heretic
-Works with Ultimate Doom (Supports episode 4)
-Works with Heretic
-One Copy of SER7 can interface All games
-Phone Book (SER7.PBK) with Capability of Changing Options from Person to Person
-Select Files from Multiple Directories
-Display Text from Saved Game Files.
-Advanced Configuration capability for those who want to play with 
	Extratics and TicDup parameters.
-Many other Changes to the SER7.CFG file.  Explanations in the CFG file.

Changes from SER6 to SER7
-File Transfers have been removed from the Core Program
    It was too much code to include in SER7, and it is extremely easy to 
    send files from a Ser7 Dos Shell.  I just felt that a few hundred lines
    code was not worth something that could be done from Dos Shell in one
    Command.  Examples will be included.

FEATURES:  (As retained from SER4, SER5, SER6)
   - "Talk" feature is now SPLIT screen...no more overwriting each other :)
   - Dos Shell 
   - Directory Listing and File Flagging  
   - Displaying WadFile Map Directories.
   - Autowarping for Pwads
   - Baud rates: 9600, 14400, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200.
   - Uses 'extratics=1' by default which removes delays on some machines.
   - All 'mod' operations removed which fixes slowdowns after 2 minutes.
   - Many functions optimized to speed up communication.
   - 'Configure' option allows game settings to be modified after connecting.
   - Port stays connected after game ends, allowing settings to be
        re-configured and a new game started.
   - Extensive statistics available at end of each game.
   - Episode AND map settings to allow warping to another level.
   - Lots of msgs printed during startup to help with debugging.
   - Two modem init strings in modem.cfg.
   - Modem init strings sent slower - some modems had problems if sent too fast.
   - All command-line arguments moved to modem.cfg file.

INSTALLATION
   - Unzip SER7-5.ZIP into any Subdirectory
   - Edit SER7.CFG and Set the Following
	- ALL Game Executables and Locations
	- Default Wad Directory for Each Game
	- Hardware Settings
	- Default values for SER7
   - Edit SER7.PBK
	- Add Phonebook entries for people you call
        - Include any Configuration Changes from the Defaults for that person
   - Play
*NOTE The configuration Files have Changed Significantly, please Do not use your SER6
	Config files.  Edit the included SER7.CFG with your old CFG file as a reference.

NOTES:
   - Any parameter can be passed on to Doom by using the MISC string in
     either the SER7.CFG file or the Configure feature at runtime, whether it
     requires -devparm or not.  See the list of other parameters in the Doom
     FAQ which is included in the latest version of Doom, and on the ftp sites.
     The Doom FAQ is currently DMFAQ666.TXT by Hank Leukart
     <ap641@cleveland.freenet.edu>.
   - For the problem of saving a game, and then getting different player
     numbers (colors) when re-loading...  Use the PLAYER= line in SER6.CFG
     to force each player number to either 0 or 1.  Note that this number is
     zero-based, while the Doom startup screen is 1-based (1 or 2), and that
     this is inconsistent because of Id's original SERSETUP code.  We decided
     to keep it this way to avoid (further) confusion.  Also, note that Id's
     original suggestion of using player number 1 on the slower computer
     refers to the number in the SER6.CFG file, not the doom startup screen.
   - About 3- and 4-player games...  The answer is, yes, it is possible, but
     not with SER6, or any other code based off of SERSETUP.EXE.  There is a
     program called RMSSETUP on the ftp sites that's supposed to allow more
     than 2 players using serial com ports, and is based off of IPXSETUP.EXE,
     which is the network code.  It has to use the net code because data
     packets need to be sent to a particular player, rather than just the
     "other player" as in the serial code.  RMSSETUP is currently RMS255B.ZIP
     by Antony Suter <antony@werple.apana.org.au>, please ask him, not us :-) 

   - A couple of people suggested a way of having one side send the game
     settings to the other computer.  I have really thought about that and
     decided not to put this in due to code constraints and I don't feel like 
     coding it :)

TROUBLESHOOTING:
   - For modem connections:
    - Use the correct init strings!  Turn off compression and error correction.
      Also fix the baud rate at the desired speed.  There have been several
      cases of modems working at 9600, but not at 14400. If this happens to
      you, check the init string again.  Check the DOOM FAQ for proper settings.
    - Be aware that some modems won't process anything after ATZ -- use the
      second init string for other commands, or better yet, use AT&F instead.
    - 8250 UARTs do not support 115200 baud.
    - You also might try using a separate communications program set to N81
      to make the original connection and to test the link, then exit
      without hanging up and start SER6 with "Connected already".
    - For a list of Modem Init Strings, please see the list that comes with
      the latest version of Doom, or the latest Doom FAQ.
     
   - For null modem connections:
    - Use a null modem cable (well, I had to say that).
    - Select "Connected already".

   - Try 9600 baud.  Slow computers may not be able to handle the higher rates.

   - Use the "Talk" feature to send characters back and forth to check the
     line.  If they're not coming across clearly, something's wrong -- check
     IRQs and base addresses for conflicts with other ports or devices.  Try
     changing to another port, or disabling/removing the sound card, mouse,
     etc. to check for a conflict.  Also try using a diagnostic program such
     as Microsoft's MSD.EXE which comes with the later versions of DOS.
      
   - On 8250 UARTs, expect overrun errors, especially with higher baud rates.
     The 8250 (=16450) UARTs only have a one byte send/receive buffer, so it
     will occasionally overwrite a byte if it doesn't get read fast enough.
     If this happens, you'll probably notice it as a slight delay while
     playing, and it'll be reported as a UART Overrun Error in the stats.
     However, you should be able to play just fine with any combination of
     8250's and/or 16550's.

   - With a 66 Mhz machine using a 16550 UART, I've seen "Read Bytes Per
     Interrupt" around 3 to 3.5, and "Write Bytes Per Interrupt" around 7 to 8.
     With a 66 Mhz machine using an 8250 UART, both numbers are usually 0.9.

   - Still won't work???  Well, I've run out of suggestions.  If you *do* get
     it working, post your success story to the net to help someone else.

SOURCE CODE:
   - Source Code is not Currently Availiable.

WHERE TO GET IT:
   - SER7-5.ZIP is available by anonymous FTP from the usual doom sites:
     - ftp.cdrom.com  /pub/doom/...
     - Mirrors of the Doom Archive.        
     (Check the 'incoming' directories also in case it hasn't been moved yet.)

World Wide Web:
   - The SER7 Homepage at http://www.poly-eng.uakron.edu/~hermann
   - I have some Screen Shots from SER7 on my home Page...feel free to take a
     look.  Of course you'll need a Browser Compatable with NETSCAPE v2.0
   - A Full Color Jpeg of the SER7 Title Screen is availiable there.
   - SER7 will be availiable here unless the traffic becomes too heavy, but
     please get it from the FTP sites.

FTP BY MAIL:
   - If you don't have FTP access, try the FTP mail server.  Send mail to:
     ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com   with the following as the msg:
          reply <your.mail.address>
          connect <ftp.site.name>
          binary
          chdir <directory>
          uuencode
          chunksize 49000   (Use this if on CompuServe. Default is 64000 bytes)
          get <filename>

     The file will then be uuencoded and mailed to you in chunks.  Put the mail
     msgs in order into one file and uudecode it to create the requested file.
     To get a directory listing, use the command "dir <directory>".
     To have a full help file mailed to you, use the command "help".

THANKS:
   - Many Thanks to Id Software for releasing the original SERSETUP source,
        and making an incredible game.  (Without Doom, we'd have no reason to
        spend weeks working on this code)
   - To Brian Plumb <brian@hobbes.polymer.uakron.edu>:  Who created that COOL
        SER7 Title Screen, and Helped me with Beta Testing.
   - To Jeff Baker:  A good friend who helped me catch my errors and for 
        letting me use his computers with a NULL modem.
   - This program uses a lot of ideas from the following sources:
     - Many late nights of trying to be creative.
     - Several people from "alt.games.doom" on the internet.
     - Other SERSETUP-hack programs.

Title Screen:
   - The Screen Shots are from Ultimate Doom, DOOM ][, Heretic and Hexen,
     please note the copyright info below.
   - The screen was created using AutoCad Release 13 and Autovision to render the
     objects.

HISTORY:
   - 03/19/94 - SER4 released by Russell Gilbert.
   - 09/09/94 - SER5 released. The new user interface was programmed by
                  Paul Hermann and debugged by Paul Hermann and 
                  Russell Gilbert. 
   - 11/22/94 - SER6 released adding Doom ][ Support
   - 07/28/95 - SER7 released.  All Programming Done by Paul Hermann with
                  moral support from Russell Gilbert.
   - 11/27/95 - SER7.5 released.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION:
   - Doom and Doom ][ are copyrighted by Id Software. 
        http://www.idsoftware.com
   - Heretic and Hexen are Copyrighted by Raven and Id Software.
   - Pkzip is copyrighted by PKWARE Inc.
   - DSZ is copyrighted by Omen Technologies Inc. (I'm sure I'll mention them)
   - AutoCad and AutoVision are copyrights of AutoDesk Inc.
   - SER7 is based on the SERSETUP source code provided by Id Software.
        SER7 is Freeware and may be distributed any way that you wish, 
        provided that the archive is distributed in its original form.
   - All graphical Aspects of SER7 and its interface is entirely my original
        work with the exeption of the mouse routines in which I derived my
        routines from MOUSE ++ v4.0 Copyright (c)1992 by Carl Moreland.
   - SER7.5 is freeware, you may distribute this program via any eloctronic
        methods provided that the archive is distributed in-tact with no
        modifications.

DISCLAIMERS:
   - Id Software will not provide support for SER7, so don't ask them.
   - Although it should never happen... the authors of SER7 will not be held
     liable for any loss of data or damage to hardware that may be caused by
     using SER7.

Good luck, hope it works for you...

Paul Hermann       (hermann@poly-eng.uakron.edu)

