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                                Dirt Track Racing
                               Patch version  1.02

                         Copyright + 1999 Ratbag, Pty Ltd.

                               www.ratbaggames.com

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This is a patch for Dirt Track Racing (DTR). It can only be applied to version
1.01 of DTR, which is the original version released on CD in the US.

1. Added Features
2. Bugs Fixed
3. Command Line Options
4. Multiplayer
5. Multiplayer Commands
6. Adding Data

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   1. Added Features (since v1.01)
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- Includes checksums for enhanced multiplayer race security.
- Logging of quick race results to qr_results.txt (in DTR installation
  directory).
- Miscellaneous multiplayer modifications.
- Additional command line options (see later).
- Additional multiplayer commands (see later).
- Improved sound patch support.

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   2. Bugs Fixed (since v1.01)
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- Players can now connect to a multiplayer server from a machine running
  through Internet Connection Sharing.
- Sound problems on certain sound cards.

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   3. Command Line Options
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This patch for DTR contains a number of new command line options, as well
as a utility to make them easy to modify. Run the utility by selecting 
'DTR Options' in the 'Dirt Track Racing' group in the start menu. A full
description of each option is provided by clicking on the 'Help' buttons in
the utility.

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   4. Multiplayer
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Please note that this patch contains new versions of both the DTR main 
programme and the DTR server. These new versions are incompatible with the old 
version of DTR and with the demo.

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   5. Multiplayer Commands
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Version 1.02 of DTR contains additional multiplayer commands which can be
typed in the chatroom entry box. Note that some of these commands do not work
unless everyone is chatting.

These are:

/setplayerlimit [limit]

Prevents more than [limit] players from joining the server (can be 1-10).
This does not kick out existing players if there are already more than the
limit. The limit is reset to 10 when the server empties of all players. This
command can only be issue by the host.

/resetlimit

Resets the player limit to 10. This command can only be issued by the host.

/playerlimit

Displays the current player limit.

/resetpoints

Sets all currently connected player's points to zero. This command can only
be issued by the host.

/setplayerpoints [id] [points]

Gives player [id] the number of points specified by [points]. This command can
only increase the player's points, and you can not assign points to yourself.
This command can only be issued by the host. (Note, use the /listids command
as available in the original release of DTR to print out a list of players and
their IDs).

/setgridmode [gridmode]

Specifies the way the cars are ordered on the starting grid. Grid modes are
"random", "rank", and "reverserank" (don't include quotation marks).  e.g.
/setgridmode reverserank will make players with the least points start at
the front of the pack. The default is random, although in the release version
of DTR it was the equivalent of reverserank. The grid mode is reset to random
when the server empties of players. This command can only be issued by the
host.

/gridmode

Displays the current grid mode.

/kick [id]

Removes the specifed player from the server. However, the player can connect
again immediately. This has the same effect as clicking the kick button
alongside the player in the chat room. This command can only be issued by the
host.

/kickban [id]

Removes the specified player from the server and prevents that player from
connecting to the server again until bans are cleared or the server empties of
players. You can not kickban yourself. This command can only be issued by the 
host.

/clearbans

Allows any banned players to connect to the server again. This command can
only be issued by the host.

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   6. Adding Data
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The original version of DTR came with a utility to unpack the data files,
and instructions on how to add your own data.

With this version of DTR, in anticipation of language conversions for Europe,
the format of the car.str file in each car's directory has changed. When
applied, the patch will update the car.str files of the original 18 cars.
However, if you had added your own cars (not skins), by copying them from the
originals, they will no longer work.

To fix this problem, you will need to copy the car.str files from the original
cars you used, and redo any modifications you made to them.

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Dirt Track Racing + 1999 Ratbag Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 
Dirt Track Racing, Ratbag, the Ratbag logo, and the Difference Engine are 
trademarks.
