22nd May 1998                                              Version 1.1
=======================================================================

Title           : PERFCHGW (Performance Changer - Wistow Distribution)
Filenames       : perfchg.exe, l1r.val, l1q.val, l2r.val, l2q.val,
                  l3r.val, l3q.val, l4r.val, l4q.val, l5r.val, l5q.val,
                  l6r.val, l6q.val, gp2form.txt.
Author          : Brett Knuchel (Knuckles)
Email Address   : brett_knuchel@geocities.com
Description     : A DOS util that allows for a quick change in the
		  performance of CC with the change being accross the
		  entire field. Also allows for changing of player
		  performance and the saving of Team Data without
		  names and Car Settings. When a saved file is loaded
		  the allocation of performance data to teams is based
		  upon maintaining the same rankings of the teams.
		  This allows for the update of carset data with just a 
		  very small file. This version is only for distribution
		  with the Wistow Superdrome v3.0 and contains settings
		  for that track.

Other works     : PERFCHG (General Distribution Version)
                  Wistow Superdrome v4.0 (8 Oval Circuits)
                  Wistow Superdrome v3.0 (4 Oval Circuits)
                  Wistow Superdrome v2.0 (Still Available on my Website)
		  CREC v1.1 for DOS (Lap Record Changer)
		  TRKCHG Addon for Trackmanager by Armin Krausse
		  GP2 Checksummer for DOS

Homepage        : White Knuckle Racing (GP2 Site)
                  http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/thepits/351
                  http://members.xoom.com/Knuckles

Thanks to       : Armin Krausse and Adrian Walti (Addie) for info
                  regarding offsets for different versions of GP2.

=======================================================================

* What's New

Version 1.1 of PERFCHG is a minor bug fix.
 - Driver Names now correctly obtained from F1GSTATE.SAV rather than
   GP2.EXE.
 - New Value for BHP was blinking this has been corrected.


* Installation *

Copy PERFCHG into your GP2 directory.
Copy the *.VAL files into your GP2 directory. (The *.VAL files 
correspond with suggested values in the documentation of Wistow 
Superdrome v3.0)
Set the Environment Variable GP2VER to the Language of your GP2.EXE.
Valid Values are :
 
 English
 German
 French
 Dutch
 Italian
 Spanish

The case is important.
To set the Environment Variable GP2VER you need to type the following
at the command prompt (assuming English Version)

 SET GP2VER=English

The best method of setting the Environment Variable GP2VER is to 
include the above command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT.

A backup of your GP2.EXE is suggested.
Note the executable file is the same as in the General Distribuition
Version of PERFCHG.


* Usage

PERFCHG {Options}

?                = Display Help Menu
U                = Undo Last Update
L  [Filename]    = Load Saved Settings
F  [Filename]    = Save Current Settings to a File
B  [Race] [Qual] = Highest BHP Value for CC (Min 250 Max 1579)
G  [Race] [Qual] = Highest Grip Value for CC (Min 5000 Max 17016)
W  [Weight]      = Weight for CC (Default 1313 Min 401 Max 4000)
S  [Spread]      = Percentage of Current Spread Performance 
		   (Min 20 Max 500)
T  [Yes or No]   = Use Team Settings for Player Car
PB [Race] [Qual] = BHP for Player Car (Default 780/790 Min 250 Max 1579)
PG [Grip]        = Grip for Player Car (Default 198 Min 50 Max 1000)
PW [Weight]      = Weight for Player Car (Default 1313 Min 401 Max 4000)

Note  : Running PERFCHG without parameters will display the current 
	settings.
	The U, L & F parameters are to be used on their own.
	Filenames are to be entered without the .VAL extension.
	Qualifying Values must be equal to or greater than Race Values.
	A Spread value of 100 keeps the current ratio of performance.
	If no Spread value is passed then the values for BHP and Grip 
	will be scaled on an absolute value basis rather than being 
	based upon a ratio of performance.

Example of the use of a Spread Value :
	   
New Highest Value is 1000, where spread is used the Value is 50%
	   
	   Orig    With    Without
Team 1      400     750      600
Team 2      600     875      800
Team 3      800    1000     1000

Without the Spread all values simply rise by 200 as the Original
Highest Value is 200 lower then the New Highest Value.
With the Spread the team with the Original Highest Value is again
assigned the New Highest Value of 1000. The other teams are calculated
as follows :

  Team 1   400/800 = 0.50 of the Original Highest Value
	   1000 * 0.50 = 500 (0.50 of the New Highest Value)
	   1000 - ((1000-500)*50%) = 750

  Team 2   600/800 = 0.75 of the Original Highest Value
	   1000 * 0.75 = 750 (0.75 of the New Highest Value)
	   1000 - ((1000-750)*50%) = 875

If the Spread had been set to 100 instead of 50 then the values for
Team 1 and 2 would have been 500 and 750 respectively.


* Additional Info (Take Special Note those producing 1998 carsets)

The saved files (extension .VAL) save all of the information relating to
car performance for both computer cars and player cars, including the
team failure rate and random grip variation which are not editable by
this utility. The team names, driver names and driver numbers are not
saved. The reason for this is to allow for the exchange of performance
values between unidentical carsets. When a saved file is reloaded a
comparison is done between the rankings of the teams, the highest values 
in the loaded file will be assigned to the teams with the highest values
in the carset that you have currently loaded. The assignment is based
upon team performance and the driver grip values will go with the team
rather than the driver (to preserve equality of competition between the
carsets). If your current carset has only 13 teams and the loaded one
has 14 teams then your current carset will be patched with the 13 best
teams from the loaded file. If your current carset has 14 teams and the
loaded one only has 13 teams then your current set will have the weakest
team patched with the weakest team of the loaded file (ie. The 13th 
ranked team). If your carset has one or two drivers disabled in a 14 
team carset then they will remain disabled when the values are patched.
If the loaded file has one or two drivers disabled in a 14 team carset,
that do not match those disabled in your carset then the grip values
for that driver's teammate will be used for both drivers.

This is all of particular importance to those who are making 1998 
carsets that they update the values for Team Settings based upon 
results in the 1998 season. If you are only updating the values for
team settings you could simply make available a saved file from this
utility that users could patch their carset with. There are two 
advantages to this, firstly the saved files from this utility are only
363 bytes unzipped and secondly if the users of your carsets change 
them slightly (eg. placing their own name in the carset or changing
some of the extra teams that make up the numbers) then they can
patch the new values for performance without undoing these changes.
The use of the saved files from this utility can also be useful for
those who wish to have different carsets but would like to be racing
against the same level of competition as each other, one person could
simply save a file using this utility and send it to the other who 
could patch their game with that saved file and then both would have
the same level of competition (although team names and drivers will
remain different).
It is important to stress that because when a saved file is loaded by
this util there is a ranking procedure done, you won't get a situation
where McLaren are given values resembling a Minardi simply because you
have the teams in a different order in the two carsets. If McLaren have
the best values in both carsets then after patching one of the carsets
with the values of the other, they will still have the best values
regardless of the order that the teams are listed.


* Copyright / Permissions *

This software is distributed as freeware.
This software is for personal use only. 
This file is only to be distributed as part of the Wistow Superdrome
v3.0 distribution. A General Distribution Version can be obtained from
my homepage. You only need to obtain the General Distribution Version
if you are intending distributing this util. The executable program
is identical, this distribution merely adds some save filed files that
are specific to the Wistow Superdrome v3.0.


* Contacting the Author

If you have any bug reports or suggestions for improvement, please 
contact me at brett_knuchel@geocities.com.
Please note that this util is only intended to be a quick way of 
varying car performance so as to make for more competitive racing.
It is not intended to be an editor of individual teams in the way
Steve Young's GPEdit is. If you wish to alter values team by team
and driver by driver or create complete carsets, I suggest you take
a look at Steve Young's GPEdit.


* Disclaimer *

The contained files are provided "as is" without warranty of
any kind, either expressed or implied. The author will not be
held responsible for any losses incurred.


* Construction *

Editors used    : Turbo Pascal v7.0 for DOS

Known Bugs      : None
	 
Build Time      : Too Long!


=======================================================================
Brett Knuchel (Knuckles) 1998
