This is a pre-configured setup with a Windows Emulator called Oricutron (see https://github.com/pete-gordon/oricutron)

Just run one of the "LaunchGame.bat" to launch the game with the bundled emulator:
- "LaunchGame - Windowed.bat" runs the game in a windowed mode
- "LaunchGame - Fullscreen" exists in two variants, one using software rendering and one using opengl, pickup the one that works the best on your machine. (Use F1 -> Quit to exit)

The "Game" folder contains the actual Oric game (in .DSK form) which can be run on a real Oric computer

The "Documentation" folder contains the complete manual of the game

You can press F1 to access the Emulator settings (like video mode, keyboard mappings, etc...), and the "Emulator" folder contains a configuration file for the other options not exposed in the user interface.

=======================================
	     Blake's 7
    	   The Oric Game
=======================================

Website: blakes7.defence-force.org.
Forum: forum.defence-force.org - "Games" forum.

Version 1.3
April 2018

José María (Chema) Enguita
Email: enguita@gmail.com

This file must be distributed alongside with the game disk file in whatever
format, and including the instructions manual and all the docs.


INTRODUCTION
============

IMPORTANT: Read the instructions in the included pdf!

Here it is! My latest production for the Oric family of computers. Probably the most 
difficult technically speaking. Featuring more than 50 colourful rooms with many objects
to interact with, big sized sprites and animations, many many texts, and sound effects, 
all run by an engine named OASIS (Oric Advanced Script Interpreting System), which 
handles things such as memory management, resource loading and a multitasking script 
interpreter.

I could have probably made a much bigger game, as I am only using the 70% of a 3" disk
capacity (thanks to the fabulous FloppyBuilder), but one has to decide when  to finish. 
And I could not spend one year more on this game.

I hope you enjoy playing the game as much as I enjoyed programming it.

Happy gaming!


LOADING THE GAME
================

You can play the game using an emulator, such as Oricutron or Euphoric. Simply boot with the
game disk image file, or select it in the first drive (A) in your emulator and reboot. If
your emulator needs it, remember to select the emulation of a Microdisc controller.

To play the game in a real Oric with a real floppy drive, you should create a physical disk
from the disk image. You can use writedsk for that operation. The image file corresponds
to a disk with 2 sides, 40 tracks and 17 sectors, so it can be written to a 3" disk. Beware 
the game will only work if your drive has two heads.

writedsk is an old real mode DOS application, so you'll need a computer running Windows 98 or less
in order to use it. Other alternatives have been pointed out, such as SAMDisk, but I never
tried those.

You can download writedsk from the Oric Tools repository in GitHub:
https://github.com/oric-international/oric-tools/tree/master/euphoric-tools/disk_image_tools/real_disk_tools

And read about SAMDisk here: http://simonowen.com/samdisk/

Another alternative that was successfully employed by some members of the CEO (Club Europe Oric)
is the OricDSK utility, which is compatible with all recent Windows versions. Created by Michel
from the CEO, this utility was reviewed and distributed with issue 320 (December 2016) of the
CEO Magazine. It must be noted that this utility makes use of the "fdrawsys" floppy disk driver 
written by Simon Owen (who is also the author of the SAMDisk utility cited above). 
You can obtain this utility by contacting the CEO via the contact form at the address below:
https://www.oric.org/index.php?page=ceo&fille=contact

The game has also been tested on other floppy emulators, such as HxC and Cumulus. Follow
the instructions for your device about how to use the disk image file.


TRANSFERRING YOUR OLD SAVED GAME
================================

If you want to transfer your savepoint from version 1.0 or 1.1 to a newer version (1.2 or 1.3), the procedure is simple:
1- Boot with old version and press "C" to load your savepoint.
2- As soon as it is loaded, switch disks and insert the disk containing the new version.
3- Do something significant so the game is saved in the new disk. You will see the flashing disk
   with an arrow, meaning the game is saved.
4- Reboot the game from your new version disk and press "C" to load the savepoint and continue playing.

If you have any problem transferring your game, drop me a line by email or in the forums.


COMPATIBILITY NOTES
===================

The game requires a Microdisc unit or some compatible device. Jasmin or other controllers are 
NOT supported.

*** NEW (v1.2): Jasmin is now also supported. *****

Cumulus
-------

During the testing process we found a bug in Cumulus (the Microdisc+4 Floppies emulating
device based on SD cards) firmware version 0.5 which prevented the game for saving the 
status properly. I have tweaked the sources to avoid the bug and now it should work with no
problems.

IMPORTANT: Dsk image write protection in version 0.5 of the firmware is quite cumbersome, 
requiring you to unprotect the image each time you select it.

Remember to UNPROTECT the disk image after mounting it or writing will fail and
the game will hang trying to save. Follow your Cumulus instruction about how to do so (the
letter 'P' should disappear at the left of the disk image name in the main menu).

Joysticks
---------

The game supports an IJK joystick interface and will auto-detect if a joystick is attached. 
Please attach your joystick to the LEFT port of the controller.

A message will appear if the joystick is detected, just before the game starts.

If you have an attached joystick and at some time want to change back to using the
keyboard, simply pop up the game's menu (pressing ESC) and redefine your keys.


Telestrat
---------

The game disk (version 1.2) now works with a Telestrat, but it does not boot directly from 
the game disk. An additional rebooter program is needed.

We may launch a Telestrat specific disk in the future. But don't hold your breath!


REPORTING BUGS & COMMENTS
=========================

Any thoughts, comments, questions, reports of bugs, etc., are more than welcome. 
Post them in the Oric Forums (forum.defence-force.org) or email me at 
enguita@gmail.com


CREDITS AND COPYRIGHTS
======================

I wanted to create this game as homages both to old LucasFilm graphic adventures, 
and the marvellous Blake's 7 TV show. The rights to Blakes’7 as of 2017 belong to 
B7 Media (www.b7media.com).

No copyright infringement of any kind is intended, and there is no lucrative interest 
in this production. The game is completely free and has been created by a fan for the fans 
of retro-computing.

If you play this game, I'd like to receive a picture of your computer running Blake's 7. 
That is all I ask for. You can send it to my email below.

This game is distributed under the Creative Commons v. 4.0 license: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 

Contact me if you want to create any derivative work.


CHANGELOG
=========

Version 1.3
-----------
French Translation and small corrections by Laurent D.:

* French translation of the game and documentation.
* Minor corrections (typos) in the dialogues for the English and Spanish versions.

Version 1.2
-----------
Several improvements:

* Jasmin controller is now supported.
* Better (more reliable) disk routines.
* Other minor corrections and improvements.

Version 1.1
-----------
Solved several bugs reported from players:

* Bug in the shortcut system so you can pick up again something you already have
  resulting in duplicate objects in the inventory.
* Looking at the book in the Common Room in Episode 3, crashes the game.
* Using shortcuts with no object selected sends the hero walking to a random position.
* Bug in the saved game when re-loading at the first scene inside the Liberator's deck
  facing the robot. The hero could actually walk past it if he does not exit the room
  first.
* Some times verbs keep being highlighted while the cursor is not over them.
* You can talk to Avon and Jenna while they are stunned.
* Wrong z-plane in Liberator's entrance passageway.
* Some minor typos.


Version 1.0
-----------
Initial version


Please report any further bug that you encounter (in the forums or directly 
emailing me at enguita@gmail.com). I will try to fix them as soon as possible

Happy playing!!!

-- Chema

