file_id.diz
Finally, it's here...
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IceTracker v1.1 by Icepic!
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Okay, this is not another one of those boring doc files that you get
with every other tracker that's ever been released. This is just to document
the new features and how to use them.
Even Newer Features (of v1.1)
-----------------------------
Position Editor:
Okay, this is an ice-cool freature that will display all your
positions in a list followed by their associated sub-patterns. It is possible
to scroll through the list and edit which 4 sub-patterns are linked to any
position. (Note: songlength is a total of 128 positions with 4 sub-patterns
from a total of 256)
Chording:
This feature allows you to select which tracks will be used
while entering note-data (or playing). It will automagically swap between the
selected tracks to give a 4 channel polyphonic effect.
Configuration:
You are now able to save and load your own presets for colors,
chording, plst size, master volume, autoexit and pathnames.
Autoexit:
It is possible to have IT1.1 automagically exit to the main
screen after loading a song, module or sample. Or alternativly, you can be
left in the disk-op menu. (If you like it that much, I can send you the iff)
Master Volume:
The total volume output from the playroutine will not exceed
this value. It is set through the configuration menu and can be saved. (It's
a real hassle to get up and turn the stereo down, I lost my remote... :)
CPU Monitor:
Should be self-explanatory (but for WB users...) it shows
the current ammount of work that the CPU and DMA are doing in the first byte
and the second byte is the average ammount of CPU and DMA being used by the
tracker.
I also removed most of the bugs from v1.0 beta.. :)
New Features (of v1.0)
----------------------
Sub-Patterns:
This idea was initialy implemented by MnemoTroN/Spreadpoint
in his SoundTracker v2.6 (The last one he did I've been told, a pity, as he
and Mahoney & Kaktus/Northstar made a great impact on the SoundTracker in it's
various incarnations). Basically now a pattern instead of being made up of
4 joined tracks (ie: Channels 1,2,3 and 4 were previously classed as one
pattern) are now individual sub-patterns in themselves, that is that now it is
possible to independantly call up a single sub-pattern to repeat on a certain
track (ie: the main beat, for example) without constantly copying it into
every 4-track pattern as was previously required. Play around with it and
you'll get the idea.
Instrumental Analyzer:
This is basically a dynamic display that updates relative to
each channel that will display the current instrument being played on that
channel. Useful for identifying what instrument is being played at a glance.
Drum machine:
A cool idea first implemented by Exolon/Fairlight that enables
you to use the keypad (after first pressing the keypads '.' key...) to play
samples from 00-0f and with the shift-key pressed 10-1f. Functions the same
as the StarTrekker Drum machine does, so look at Exolons docs for further
explanation.
Requester Library support:
Ahh Yeah!!! Finally a real requester (No offence Exolon!) that
is totally O/S friendly... Now loading/saving/deleting is all done through the
O/S via the requestor.library (If you've got a couple of Gigs, you will be
able to appreciate this feature, as you can now read directories of any length
(providing you have the RAM, of course!).
Quantizing:
This is another cool feature thought up by Mahoney & Kaktus
that makes it easier to enter in notedata... It basically alters the skip
between notes during recording.
Replay routine:
IceTracker has one of the fastest replay routines (with all
major effects) to date.
New song format:
IceTracker will auto-magically convert any song or module
made with Star/Noise/Pro/SoundTracker into it's new format. It allows upto
128 patterns with sub-patterning and duplicate track elimination.
Proper Task switching:
You can task swap with the Back-2-Workbench gadget, or by
pressing the left-Amiga key and 'S' at the same time.
Okay, if you like this program or happen to find any bugs (oh no...)
then write to me (or call my board) and let me know what bugs you found and
what machine you have etc... I'll do my best to fix them and get a new you a
bugfixed release, providing enough people give a shit and want to see another
version.
Thats enough of my shit, if you wanna contact me, call Zer0 City II
on: +(61)-2-724-2519 (Dual line HST-Dual Standards) or write to:
Icepic - P.O. Box 185, Villawood, NSW, 2163, Australia.
This program is dedicated to all the guys who made the SoundTracker
what it is today... Salutes to:
Karsten Obarski, T.I.P./The New Masters, Unknown/D.O.C.
MnemoTroN/Spreadpoint, Mahoney & Kaktus/NorthStar
Antichrist/U.F.O., Zap/Amiga Freelancers, Exolon/Fairlight
Also to all the great musicians who wrote all that cool music we all
heard in various demos all over the years... and made SoundTracker as great
as it ought to have been.
One last word to the Public Domain compaies out there... It's a shame
how you all cry out against 'pirates' when what you do is little short of it
yourselves... SoundTracker (from the beginning was always commercial, as K.O.
will gladly tell you...) and I for one have not and will not place IceTracker
in the public domain for that very reason... If you like this program, copy it
and enjoy, but if you want to sell it, you know where you can get off, if you
don't, write to the above address and I'll gladly tell you.
To my friends at Prime Artifax: It's scum like you that give the whole
PD industry a bad name which results in programs like this NOT being released
as PD or Shareware... Fuck you and the horse you rode in on...
Long live the ledgends...
- Icepic
10/Jan/1993