********************************************

             MASTER OF ORION II:
              Battle at Antares
              DOS Version 1.40
             (Unofficial Patch)
        

                Readme File
                10 Jan 2004
 
********************************************

THIS PATCH IS NOT SUPPORTED BY MICROPROSE OR
ANYONE AT ALL. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

********************************************

NOTE:  THIS IS A DOS VERSION PATCH ONLY.  IT
REQUIRES THAT VERSION 1.31 PATCH IS APPLIED
FIRST.



How to Update to Version 1.40
*****************************

  1) Download the updater file named "MOO2V140.EXE" Please be 
     sure to note which directory you download the file to.

  2) Copy MOO2V140.EXE to the Master of Orion II directory on
     your hard drive. This directory is usually \MPS\ORION2.

  3) To update your copy of Master of Orion II to version
     1.40, simply run the MOO2v140.EXE.  It will create a
     separate Orion2v140.exe.

  4) To play the updated v1.40 version of the game, run
     Orion2v140.exe. To play the v1.31 version of the game,
     run Orion2.exe.


Networked games
***************

  All players must be using the same version number of the
  game (such as version 1.40).  You will not be able to join
  a game if your version is different than the host.


Version 1.40 Changes
********************

  Bug Fixes
  *********

  Ship leader crash - You will no longer crash the game when you
                      visit the ship leaders screen and you have
                      no ships.
  
  Credit cheat - You will no longer receive Trade goods and
                 produce an item at the same planet in a single
                 turn.

  Last race bugs - The last race button has been removed due to
                   numerous bugs (duplicate race pictures / various
                   crash bugs)  

  Arti planet bug - The arti planet special will no longer be removed
                    when an opponent ends their turn first.

                    (NOTE:  This fix can cause a reoccurring message
                     to appear every turn. I am aware of this issue. I
                     will fix it at a later time.  Ending your turn
                     first in any round will stop the message from
                     reoccuring).


  New Features
  ************

  Improved home systems - There will be 3-5 colonizable planets
                          of varying size and quality in your home
                          system.

  New command line switches - various command line switches have
                              been added to improve the map generator.
  
      /nobh      No black holes in the galaxy.
      /nowh      No wormholes in the galaxy.
      /noorion   No orion system.
      /minstart  Ensure that the innermost empty planet in all home systems
                 is better than or equal to a medium, poor and normal G planet.
      /goodstart Ensure that the innermost empty planet in all home systems
                 is ultra rich and normal G.
      /richstart Ensure that the innermost empty planet in all home systems
                 is rich and normal G (/goodstart overrides this).
      /hugestart Ensure that the innermost empty planet in all home systems
                 is huge and normal G.
      /foodstart Ensure that the outermost empty planet in all home systems
                 is a medium, poor, swamp, and normal G. 
  
  Other Changes
  *************

  The modem comm info button has been disabled in order to make room
  for the patch code.  If you need to configure the modem settings,
  you can use the 1.31 version of the game to do so.

