/************************************************\ * * * Virtual Sumo readme textfile -- vsreadme.txt * * to accompany vsumo.exe v0.3b 02/22/1999 * * Copyright 1999 Andy Tanis * * t-c@japan.email.ne.jp * * http://www.ne.jp/asahi/japan/tanis * * * \************************************************/ The zip file you downloaded should have contained 3 files: vsumo.exe -- the executable banzuke.r -- initialization file that contains all starting banzuke info used when you create a rikishi vsreadme.txt -- this file After you "Create a rikishi," a fourth file "rikishi.r" will be created. All the files except this readme must be in the same directory for the game to run. ========================================================================= First off--a big thanks to everyone who tried the first version, and special thanks to those who gave me lots of feedback, Rich (Gochisozan) Pardoe & John Jermanis among others. Keep it up! Note: Rikishi from v0.2b are not compatable with this version because of new statistics. Quickstart: If you want to jump right in that's great--the only thing you really need to know are sumo basics--and you can get by without those too, but you probably won't enjoy the simulation very much... Basically, first you have to "Create New Rikishi", following the prompts. Then you can start into a tournament. Note: In this first version, you can only have 1 rikishi at a time--creating and saving a new one will erase the old one. Tournament and all rikishi information is automatically saved and is kept in the "rikishi.r" file, which has to be in the same directory as "vsumo.exe". Also, please take a minute to look through section 1 (Helping beta-test & misc.) Come back and check out this readme if you have questions. ======================================================================== Table of Contents: 1) Changes in new versions. 2) Helping beta-test & misc. 3) Background info. 4) Virtual Sumo sections: A. Create a new rikishi B. View rikishi C. View banzuke D. View banzuke details E. Tournament ============================================================================ 1. Changes in new versions: ---------------------------v0.3b-------------------------------------------- * Dynamic cyber-rikishi. All rikishi now can change from basho to basho, thanks in part to two new stats--potential and age. * Potential stat. All rikishi are given potential points that they have a chance to use after each basho to increase a statistic (the younger they are, the higher the chance of fulfilling their potential points). Younger, more promising rikishi (eg. Chiotaikai, Tochiazuma) have more potetial points than older rikishi (eg. Mitoizumi, Terao). * Age stat. Age is kept track of, and those rikishi over the hill (30+) have a chance of losing a point in a statistic after every basho (the older they are, the higher the chance of "showing their age"). * Beginning stats have a max of 6. * You don't have to hit return after each computer-decided bout. * Sekiwake and Komusubi ranks are now dynamic. There are always at least two of each, and there can be more in special circumstances. * Bonus points after an upset are a bit harder to get, and you can get a maximum of only 4 after one match. Same applies to losing to an underdog. * A warning is issued when creating a new rikishi. * You can choose to not increase any stats with bonus points (for maxed out rikishi). * If you drain genki units from an opponent, but started the round with so few genki units that natural draining knocks you out, an appropriate message is displayed. * Increased the luck factor a little bit in calculating computer-decided matches. * Implemented a real-time 3D engine. * Just kidding. ============================================================================ 2. Helping beta-test & misc. Well, I've spent literally thousands of hours coding this simulation, and am having a lot of fun (and blood/sweat/tears/all-nighters). I have no idea how popular this might be. The market for this hardcore statistical simulation is pretty small--but I know there are quite a few sumo addicts out there. I'm hoping that a number of people (especially from the Sumo mailing list) will give this first release a spin--telling me what they like, don't like, suggestions, comments, etc. Please email me at t-c@japan.email.ne.jp I plan to keep working on it -- In the works: 1. Up til now I've been coding in Windows 95/98 for DOS. It should run on any computer with WIN 3.1/95/98 in a DOS box or in DOS. It's now just text in a DOS box--who really likes looking at that?! I'm now learning Windows programming, and plan to start porting it soon. 2. A dynamic torikumi schedule. This way snot-nosed M14 with 13-0 would be boosted up against sanyaku for a reality check, among other things. 3. Improving the kettei-sen (last day playoff) routine so if more than 2 rikishi are tied for the lead on the last day everyone will be taken into account. Also let the user control his rikishi in a kettei-sen. 4. Adding a kimarite announcement after user rikishi matches. 5. Any improvements/changes that people suggest. 6. After porting it to Windows I'd like to make it more graphical and interactive. At this point I don't know how I could make it more graphical/arcade-like while keeping it true to what I think a good sumo simulation should be, with all the distinct rikishi and their statistics, etc., without it turning into just another arcade fighting game. I can't imagine how either a 2-D "Street Fighter-ish" view or some kind of 3-D first person perspective (Doom in a dohyo ;) could work (and they would be really tough to program! ;) I'm open to any suggestions! For updates and news check in at my website: http://www.ne.jp/asahi/japan/tanis ======================================================================= 3) Background info. (_Why_ _Sumo_?!) Well, I became interested in sumo about a year ago after living in Japan for about 6 months. The first 6 months I saw an occasional fight, and thought what probably 95% (at least of foreigners) of people think about sumo--"Heh, fat guys in diapers pushing each other--interesting (o.k., a bit *bizarre*) but nothing to really grab me..." Then, over the next couple tournaments, I progressively watched more and more, started to recognize a few more fighters and their distinctive styles and quirks, read a book about sumo and got an understanding about the rules, the ceremonies, the history, etc. Before I knew it--*BOOM*--I was hooked. I think that once you understand what's going on inside that small dirt ring, and (very important) become familiar with the wrestlers themselves, it's pretty hard not to get hooked! When I'm watching the top division of sumo (the top 40 wrestlers) fight, I'm passionately involved because it feels like they are my 40 brothers--you come to care about (and despise some of) these guys (at least addicts like me do)! Why a computer simulation? Two reasons: 1) I love computers, and I've been learning C and C++ (programming languages) for the past year, and hope to keep improving and get some kind of programming job after I leave Japan. This is my first big programming project. It's actually my first programming project at all--I started while learning C last summer, and I've been working on it (on and off) ever since. 2) As far as I know, there aren't any real sumo simulations out there. There may not be a huge market for a sumo simulation, but whatever market there is seems untapped. Hey--the world *needs* this! ;) =========================================================================== 4) Virtual Sumo sections: Well, at this point, it's stretching it a bit far to call this simulation "Virtual." This isn't Doom/Quake inside a dohyo (the dirt ring). At this point it's a statistical simulation where each rikishi (wrestler) is the composite of many statistics (strength, agility, etc.). You (the user) create a rikishi by allocating points into these statistics to shape him (or her!) your own way. You can increase these stats through doing well in tournaments (and they will decrease through poor performance). You can work your way up the banzuke (the rankings) just like in the real thing. Now let's take a quick peek at the different sections of the simulation: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A) Create New Rikishi (wrestler): This is where you create your own rikishi that you will control. Your options: Shikona: Your sumo name. Real name: Hopefully you know that...or can make one up... Height: In centemeters. Minimum height is 170 cm. (5'7"). The shorter you are, the more agile/weak you are, and if you're really tall, you're less agile/stronger. Weight: In kilograms. (1 lb = 2.2 kg) No minimum or maximum. Heavier --> Stronger/less agile. Lighter --> Weaker/more agile. Your starting height + weight cannot exceed 300 (for example, legit combinations would be 170cm & 130 kg or 190cm & 110 kg). I would suggest that you set your height fairly close to what you want it to be long term, because it's easier to put on kilos than it is to sprout up centimeters. For reference, the tallest/heaviest guy in the top division is Akebono, at 204 cm (6'8 1/4) & 232 kg (512 lb). He tends to fall over sometimes, but if he doesn't--watch out! The shortest/lightest guy (who has fallen to the 2nd division) is Mainoumi, at 171 cm (5'-7" 1/4) & 100 kg (221 lb), who is fast as lightning and has toppled all of the guys twice his weight-- but if they get a good hold on him (not easy to do), he's in trouble. When creating a new rikishi you are given 20 points to allocate amongst the following (as you win matches and do well in tournaments, you receive additional points): Strength (base): 1-10 Err...how strong you are! Your actual (adjusted) strength is based on this and then increased/decreased depending on your height and weight. Agility (base): 1-10 How fast you are and how good your balance is. If you find yourself stumbling a lot during your matches, increase your agility! Also adjusted based on height/weight. Tachiai: 1-10 Initial charge of a rikishi and the resulting meeting with the other wrestler: how fast and with how much power/ balance you come out of the blocks with. Oshi: 1-10 "Push" A basic strategy of pushing your opponent back. Used by many rikishi, it has good potential for "damage", but a bit risky as it can put you off balance. Yotsu: 1-10 Getting a grip on the mawashi (belt/diaper). This strategy usually used by more skilled rikishi. Good for offense and defense, it's less risky than oshi, *if* you can get a grip. Tenage: 1-10 "Armthrow" The technique of getting a grip on your opponent (either around his body or mawashi) and flipping him over. A difficult but potentially devastating move that is often set up with yotsu technique. Tsuppari: 1-10 "Slapping" Similar to oshi, but including faster open- handed slaps to the face and neck. A useful technique for keeping the opponent at bay (especially a yotsu expert). Jump/Receive: 1-10 each. Two main types of tachiai. Jumpers like to get out of the blocks quickly trying to quickly overwhelm their opponent, usually with tsuppari or oshi. Receivers take their time, keeping an eye out for any tricks. They receive (and hopefully dissipate) the initial charge of their opponent, then often go for a mawashi grip and yotsu or tenage. Hatakikomi: 1-10 "Pull down" If your opponent seems too far forward and off balance, often he can be pulled forward and helped onto all fours. A risky strategy, because if your opponent regains balance you will have given him momentum against you; and you often kill your forward momentum with this move. A special instance of hatakikomi is performed at the tachiai and is called "henka." Instead of meeting your opponent straight on you jump to the side, hoping he doesn't notice and sails right by you, putting him off balance and facing away from you--then it's a simple push and he's out of the ring. If he _does_ notice you jumping to the side and corrects his trajectory, you're in trouble. Henka is frowned upon in general, but some rikishi still get away with an easy win from time to time. Defense: 1-10 Overall how tough you are to shove out of or onto the ring. Stamina: 1-10 The higher your stamina the longer you can last in the ring. None of your 1-10 stats can be raised over 8 during creation--you have to _earn_ higher stats. After you allocate all your beginning points to your stats, you are asked if you want to save this rikishi. Save and you can start your career with him. Choose no and nothing is saved. You start your first tournament at the bottom of the rankings ("banzuke"), and at the tender young age of 21. NOTE: You can only have one rikishi at a time. If you already have a rikishi and create and save a new one, the old one will be erased! If you want to create a new one and save the current one, move the "rikishi.r" file into a different directory, because that's the file that will be overwritten. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- B) View Rikishi This simply shows your rikishi and some of his stats. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- C) View Banzuke The banzuke is the rankings of the top division (40 rikishi). Ranks change after each basho (tournament). Generally, have a winning record (8 or more wins--"kachi-koshi"), and you move up the rankings. Have a losing record (8 or more losses--"make-koshi"), and you move down. The banzuke is broken up into a few subclasses: Yokozuna -- Grand Champion Ozeki -- Champion Sekiwake -- Junior Champion Komusubi -- Junior Junior Champion? Maegashira -- everyone else (usually about the bottom half of the top 40) Promotion and demotion in Virtual Sumo works pretty much the same way it does in the real thing: Yokozuna cannot be demoted, only asked to retire...well, O.K., if a Yokozuna does *really* bad in Virtual Sumo (2 consecutive maki-koshi) they're booted back to Ozeki. There can be as many yokozuna as qualify--none, 2, 5, etc. An Ozeki can be promoted to yokozuna if they win two yusho (championships) in a row, or otherwise have consecutive outstanding records. If Ozeki go make-koshi (a losing tournament) once, they are warned ("kadoban" status). If they have consecutive make-koshi, they are demoted to sekiwake. Like the yokozuna rank, there can be as many ozeki as qualify. Sekiwake are promoted to ozeki if they have a combined 3 tournament record of at least 33 wins. There are always at least 2 sekiwake, and sometimes more if enough qualify. There are always at least 2 komusubi, and sometimes more if enough qualify. The rest of the big boys are maegashira. No rikishi can go up in rank with a losing tournament. No rikishi can drop in rank with a winning tournament. View Banzuke has two pages: the first shows the sanyaku ranks (yokozuna through komusubi); the second shows maegashira, starting with maegashira #1 east and #1 west at the top and going down through the rest of the rikishi. Rikishi win/loss records are updated after every tournament day. The banzuke is updated at the end of every tournament, after rikishi are sorted according to their records. The banzuke you start with is based on the January 1999 Hatsu (first) basho. The only differences result from your rikishi being stuck in at the bottom. (O.K. and I had to stick in Asanowaka--I love the cute little spunky guy.) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- D) View Banzuke Details This goes through each rikishi in order of rank, showing a page of statistics for each. It's a good way to check out the competition and also see how everyone is doing long term. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- E) Tournament This plays through a day of action. Matches between computer-controlled rikishi are calculated automatically and the results are displayed. Hit the return key to scroll through each match. When your match comes up you get to call your strategies, and see how you and your opponent are doing blow by blow. Your match is divided into rounds of 2 seconds each, and in each you pick your strategy/technique to use. The "Genki Level" displayed shows how each rikishi is doing. (Genki = "Vigor, energy, health") Rikishi genki levels slowly go down as the match goes on, depending on stamina. With poor stamina you'd better overpower the opponent quickly or you'll be out of energy and either kissing the dirt or flung into the 2nd row seats by your genki-er opponent. Whoever has a stronger strategy/move drains genkiness from the other. The power/success of each move is determined by the related statistics and a little luck. One strategy hint: It's risky being a one-dimensional rikishi. Computer rikishi aren't stupid--they can catch on to your strategies and can sometimes counter them with devastating results. Of course, if a one-dimensional rikishi's one dimension is good enough he may still dominate many opponents. For example, Dejima's strategy is oshi, oshi, oshi...but he often only needs to push for 2 seconds until his poor opponent is in the 2nd row. But against a more skilled rikishi who can often stop Dejima's initial charge (eg. Takanohana), Dejima's lack of other skills leave him pretty helpless. Moral of the story: either be _real_ good at one technique and hope no one figures you out, or build a well-rounded rikishi. Once a rikishi's genki level drops below 1, he loses, although when someone's back is against the wall, they have a slight chance of getting a second-wind, depending on their "intangables" stat. If you upset a much higher ranked rikishi, you get some bonus points that you can improve your stats with. Conversely, lose to someone ranked much lower and random stats may be decreased. Similarly, after the conclusion of each tournament, you get bonus points if you did well. But these are "chanko" points (chanko is the staple food of all rikishi), which can be used to increase your weight (or possibly your height), to diet and lose weight, or to do extra training (it takes more of these chanko points to equal a regular bonus point -- one chanko point doesn't guarantee that you'll get points to increase your stats...). NOTE: Your weight automatically fluctuates between tournaments, from -5 to +2 kilos, so if you want to keep your weight stable, on average you should eat a couple of bonus "chankos" after each tournament. If you find yourself losing pretty badly at first, here are 3 bits of advice: 1) Hey, you're a young guy just breaking into the top division-- you'll (hopefully) improve. 2) Try creating a new rikishi with different stats--if you find yourself stumbling more than Akebono usually does, put more points into agility. 3) I usual start out equally dividing the majority of points between strength, agility, and stamina, and then putting the last few into one or two techniques like oshi or yotsu. ============================================================================ Special thanks to my wife Cynthia for advice/proofreading/etc and also (more painfully) putting up with me programming or otherwise thinking about this thing 15 hours a day and coming to bed around 4 am more often than not! (Of _course_ you're my number one priority!) :) And remember, "Always do your own brand of sumo!" Gambarimasu... Februray 22, 1999 Andy Tanis Seigatakaigai t-c@japan.email.ne.jp http://www.ne.jp/asahi/japan/tanis ============================================================================