EXULT lets you browse around the Ultima7 universe in a window under Linux,
and possibly other Unix systems.  It is released under the GNU General Public
License, and contains source code.

See the "NEWS" and "ChangeLog" files for the latest changes.

IMPORTANT:  Run "exult" in a clean installation of Ultima7; "exult" should be
installed in a directory where you see the "static" subdirectory.  "Exult" will
create the "gamedat" directory and files the first time you run it.  And al-
though I've tried to be safe about this, I don't recommend trying it on a
game which you're actually in the middle of playing.

CONFIGURATION
-------------
Exult now keeps a configuration file. You can specify where your Ultima7
installation is, whether you want full-screen graphics, or windowed, and
midi devices and midi settings.

If you do not already have a configuration file, Exult will make one for you
prompting you for some information along the way, or filling in sensible
defaults by itself. The location of this file varies slightly. On unix systems
you can expect to find it called $HOME/.exult.cfg while other operating systems
will probably locate it as 'exult.cfg' in the same directory as the exult
binary.

The file uses a simple hierarchical XML-like syntax, which should be simple to
understand and modify. Take care though. Handling of syntax errors in this file
is not well tested.

Exult will create this file for you, with some sensible defaults, and you can
then edit it to suit your preferences. Here is an example of what it looks
like:

<config>
 <video>
  <fullscreen>
  no
  </fullscreen>
 </video>
 <gameplay>
  <skip_intro>
  no
  </skip_intro>
 </gameplay>
 <disk>
  <game>
   <blackgate>
    <path>
    /home/user/mystuff/ultima/u7
    </path>
    <title>
    blackgate
    </title>
   </blackgate>
  </game>
 </disk>
 <audio>
  <speech>
   <enabled>
   yes
   </enabled>
  </speech>
  <midi>
   <kmidi>
    <device>
    5
    </device>
   </kmidi>
   <enabled>
   yes
   </enabled>
  </midi>
 </audio>
</config>


AUDIO
-----
Exult can now play the Guardian's sound-bites through SDL, and it's own
internal mixer. Configuration is managed through Exult's configuration file.

MIDI
----
MIDI audio is now available for both Linux and Windows users.

Limitation: None of the game-specific instrument voices are loaded. You'll hear
them as whatever the general midi system maps them to. In the case of the Kmidi
driver it's usually a fairly close match. The playmidi driver does rather less
well. Either way, the music still sounds alright. It'll sound better once we
get the right voices in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starting with version 0.12, Exult uses the multiplatform library SDL by Sam
Lantinga of LokiGames.  SDL provides low-level graphics, timing and sound
capabilities, so a Windows (or Be or Mac) port should be much easier now.

Unusual library dependencies
============================

   Some of you may have SDL or other libraries that have been compiled with
unusual or inappropriate dynamic link paths. This typically affects linking
with the X11 libraries. You can add:
        --x-libraries=/usr/X11R6/lib

(or whatever your X11 library path is) to the configure command-line to get
around this problem.


Version 0.10 has a "usecode" interpreter.  The "usecode" file is a compiled
script that drives the plot and conversations of the game.  My interpreter is
missing many of the builtin functions which are not yet known, so things do
not work perfectly.  Still, you can double-click on most of the characters
you see, and you'll be able to have conversations with them.  You can also
walk around using the right mouse button, or use the cursor keys to more
quickly browse around Britannia.

Version 0.09 is the first WIN32 release, done entirely by W.J. Palenstijn.
Please see his "readme.w95" file.

Version 0.08 has greatly improved object identification, thanks to
contributor Tristan Tarrant.

This program is based on the work of Gary Thompson, Maxim Shatskih,
Jakob Shonberg, and Wouter Dijkslag in uncovering the format of the Ultima 7 
data files.

Requirements:	Ultima7 must be installed and visible.  The "exult" executable
		should be placed in the top-level u7 directory (where "static"
		appears as a subdirectory).

		Your X display must be in 8-bit or 16-bit color.
		(24-bit is left as an exercise to the user :-)).

Installation:	On a RedHat Linux system, just type './configure', then
		'make' in the directory where you unpacked "exult".  On other
		systems, I'm afraid you'll have to modify the "makefile" by
		hand.  Then copy "exult" to your Ultima7 directory.

Caveats:	The program is a memory hog.  Really makes me appreciate
		Origin's accomplishment in making it run under DOS.

		I'm not sure if the program works with a 2-button mouse.

Running:	Hold right mouse button down to move Avatar.
		Click on objects with left button to identify them.
		Double-click on characters to hold conversations.
		Double-click on doors, shutters with left button to open or
			close them.
		Arrow keys scroll around the "universe".
		'q' quits.
		'p' repaints the screen.
		'i' brings up inventory.
		'l' cycles through the "lift factors", causing roofs to
			disappear so you can see inside buildings.
		'+' brightens the palette.
		'-' darkens the palette.

Credits:	The paper by Gary Thompson on the structure of the U7 data
		files was crucial to the early development of Exult.

		Work by Maxim Shatskih, Jakob Shonberg, and Wouter Dijkslag 
		made the "usecode" interpreter possible.
		
		Font rendering is done using the FreeType font engine.

		Thanks also go to the person who wrote u7items.txt and the
		contributor of the "avatar.ttf" font.

I can be reached for complaints/complements/code-modifications at
jeff@simutech.com.

-- Jeff Freedman

