Short:        Bard's Tale 1-3 Character Editor
Author:       james.jacobs@bigpond.com (James Jacobs)
Uploader:     james.jacobs@bigpond.com (James Jacobs)
Type:         game/misc
Version:      2.1a
Architecture: m68k-amigaos >= 3.5.0
Requires:     OS3.5+

This is a ReAction-based program for friendly editing (hacking) of
BT1/BT2/BT3 character files and conversion of characters among the three
games, on both Amiga and IBM-PC (MS-DOS) platforms.
  It can be run from CLI or Workbench. Usage is as follows:

    1> BTCE [[FILE] <file>]

The program autodetects the type of file being opened. Both Amiga and
IBM-PC formats can be freely worked with.
  StormC 4 source code is included. The interface was created using the
ReActor tool.
  The program allows considerable freedom to make alterations to the
characters; thus, discretion is advised. Don't forget to save your
character before quitting the program if you want to keep the changes
you have made.
  Note that BT2/BT3 are able to perform certain character conversions,
although their algorithms for doing so are not guaranteed to be the same
as those used in this program.
  The checkboxes indicate whether the relevant item is "equipped" or not.
Next to each checkbox is an integer gadget which stores the quantity of
that item. 255 is a magic number meaning "unlimited". The ellipses (...)
when clicked will bring up a subwindow allowing you to change which item
is stored in that slot. If a particular item is not available in that
game, it will be shown in white.
  Values which can't be displayed by the game, eg. ST of 100 or more, are
shown in the game as asterisks (eg. "**"). They still work normally even
if displayed in this manner.

BT2 Notes:

Images are used only for monsters/illusions.
Items can be carried by anyone.

BT3 Notes:

Images are used for everyone.
Items can be carried only by players.
The THIEVES.INF file is what is edited.
Only the first character in the file is loaded.
Only the first character in the file is saved.
*ALL OTHER CHARACTERS WILL BE OVERWRITTEN!*
So make a backup of THIEVES.INF first!

You can use the "Transfer" option of BT3 to merge multiple THIEVES.INF
files.
  Or you can make your own THIEVES.INF file. The format of these files is:

    <character 1> (120 bytes (IBM-PC) or 122 bytes (Amiga) per character)
        : : :
    <character n>
    <zero byte>

By default, the zero byte (the EOF marker) is written, to make a valid,
though short (only one character), THIEVES.INF which will be accepted
by the game.
  If you omit the EOF on every character you make except the last one, you
can then use the AmigaDOS JOIN command to make a THIEVES.INF without
needing to merge them using the "Transfer" option of the game.
  Eg. if you made seven characters and saved them as "a" through to "g"
(the filenames you use are unimportant), omitting the EOF on "a" through
to "f" and appending it to "g", you could then use the command:

    1> JOIN a b c d e f g AS THIEVES.INF

to make a THIEVES.INF containing your seven characters. BTCE can handle
character files without the terminating EOF, but BT3 cannot.

2.1a:  Thu  9 Jun 2005.
2.1:   Tue 31 May 2005.
2.0:   Fri  1 Apr 2005.
1.0b:  Wed 23 Mar 2005.
1.0a:  Tue 22 Mar 2005.
1.0:   Sun 20 Mar 2005.

URL:   http://users.bigpond.com/james.jacobs/
EMail: james.jacobs@bigpond.com

James Jacobs of Amigan Software
9 June 2005
.