Netrek XP - Release 5
"The smarter Netrek eXPerience!" :)

This is sort of a Pre-Release.  Although I'm fairly confident in the
executable, I do intend on creating a document explaining the netrekrc
defaults, as well as building an installation package to install the
program
along with sounds and an icon on the desktop, etc.

I'm also in the process of bundling the source code up and making it
available with some instructions on how to build the client.  At one
time I
had it compiling with Borland's C compiler that was a free download,
need to
recheck that work to see if it's still valid.  I believe this will be my
last release of a client, and want to make certain someone else can
pickup
where I left off.

There isn't anything terribly radical here.  This is simply an evolution
with quite a number of things fixed and a few nice features to make life
easier.  I feel it's a definate must-have upgrade just for the spacebar
thing and the white bitmap in tactical.

Although I did change default window placement, and if you were relying
upon
that in your rc file, this may require you to revisit your settings.

------------------------------------------------------------
Major new changes:

- New Default keyword: Portswap
 This determines whether the UDP portswap code is used.
 Default is ON.

- Fix Red alert border... wasn't changing from yellow to Red

- Use BOLD font instead of Underline one for friendly players

- Load color ship bitmaps from .BMP files rather than resource DLL

- Your ship in center of tactical is Greyscale to differentiate it.

- Fixed Monochrome bitmaps, they were inadvertently saved as color
bitmaps
and everything turned white.

- All bitmaps go under a \bitmaps subdirectory

- Implemented a mechanism where you can switch sorted playerlists
between
 full, players-only, observers-only.  This occurs if your playerlist
 is sorted, use the 'L' key to toggle these settings.  Also required
 server changes from Trent Piepho which may not be running on servers at
thi
s
 time.

- Changed default windows locations to what I consider to be sane.  Goal
was
 that client will startup on a 1024x768 display ready to play.  Let
 me know.

- New Default keyword:  PlanetBitmap
 0 = bronco style bitmaps, 1 = Moo style bitmaps,
 2 = Rabbit Ear bitmaps

- New feature, gracelessly stolen from Trent Piepho, although since he
 doesn't share his client code I implemented my own switch()
 statement!

 Oh, the feature?

 Once you die and get thrown back to the MOTD, hit the SPACEBAR to
 reenter quickly with your previous race and ship type selection.


--
"I'm the bad guy -- how did that happen?"
                        Michael Douglas in the movie "Falling Down"