       +------------------------------------------------------------------+
	O R A C L E v1.10 (release B, 01/09/97). (c) Fuzzy Logic 1995-1997
       +------------------------------------------------------------------+

       Rock'n'Rol  with Fuzzy  Logic's magnificent music package ORACLE- a 
       terrific,  not-to-be-missed  utility from  the Dutch  company. It's 
       great value for money so low you can't even get drunk on!

       ORACLE  allows  you  to	compose your  own little  ditties usin'  a 
       variety of  sound samples and instruments. To get you started there 
       are  quite a  few included  on the  disk and they can be altered to 
       your heart's content by including different special effects.
       Any melody that you want to create can be done note by note using a 
       Step-Time-Editor. If you're a lucky, rather rich, MSX owner you can 
       even  tap out  your tunes on your OPL4! (18xFM only). But let's not 
       hastite	with  un-coded	programs  and let  us concentrate  on this 
       particulair piece of jewelry!


       Some Info...
       ============
       At first, this is the first update since the release at the Tilburg 
       fair. Consider  this as	a true	(not beta) version. However, it is 
       far  from complete  so, other  updates can be expected. We will not 
       work that  much on this FM version anymore 'coz an OPL4 version has 
       to be coded!
	       Note that the Manual on paper is already published!

       This disk  contains all	the necessary  files to run your ORACLE on 
       your  (or other?) MSX computers. It is possible to print songs, but 
       we've only  included minor printing possibilities. If you make your 
       own  work-disk, remember to format that disk to the DOS 2.xx format 
       to  gain  more  advantages  concerning disk-routines!  (notice that 
       ORACLE is fully DOS 2 compatible!)

       This  version will probebly be full of those nasty bugs (stil) that 
       encountered this planet... So, please contact us to correct all the 
       crummy gurus.




       The replayer:
       Excuse  me for  not releasing the replayer YET! It's to complicated 
       to load a ORC file in memory without a Memory Managment Unit. There 
       for I  will code  a simple load routine which can be altered to you 
       own  BIOS/OS or	whatever. Check  your favorite BBS or Internet for 
       the release.



       The best configuration for ORACLE is:
       o A turbo R computer using the great R800
	 The Z80 version is a bit of a bummer coz' the replayer is using
	 many many effects and can replay atleast 32(!) channels at one
	 go!
       o Atleast 256 kRam of memory.
	 Each pattern will request a block of bytes anywhere in the RAM.
	 So, the more memory, the more patterns you can get! (max.256)
       o DOS 2.xx
	 No need telling this gives plenty advantages.
       o A Harddisk is very recomendable! (it always is...)

       My (shadow) config is:
       a Turbo R with 512 kRam, DOS 2.41 and an 80 meg. SCSI-Harddisk !





       Update from verson 1.00 to 1.10 (14/08/97)
       ==========================================
       o Load other file_formats are included.
       o Module save will not be possible if no Sample ram is present.
       o The block read/write function are now correct (I did some stupid
	 thinx in the first version that concludes to block errors)
       o Load/Save block included.
       o Two "NEW" modes: Track or Pattern only.
       o All reset when "NEW" function is aplied.
       o Chip FM channel overflow check included.
       o Channel routing completed with output functions (RKS).
       o Adjusted replayer (added channel_reset etc.)
       o Added Track_Scanning (at last!)
       o Improved the Original_Instr. editor. (direct input possible now).
       o When	no files   found while	 reading directory,   it will not 
	 exit  but acts  like files  were found.  So F_keys can be used to 
	 correct paths!!
       o I've added various (usefull) edit functions.
       o Replayer: Fixed the Pitch_bend down.
		   Added Volume and Brightness slides (!)
		   Adjusted brightness routines per channel.
       o Remember the last opened Help file to asure quick display.
       o Some bugs removed at the Sampler.
       o Raw sample load now 100% with filename as sample name.       




       Bugs we (still) know of:
       ========================
       o The disk error routines (overall) are still fucked up!
	 This  is a  rather strange bug 'coz at the Development Enviroment 
	 it works perfect! I'm working onnit. Just make sure you've got a
	 (formatted) disk in your drive and no errors will appear!
       o When replaying a track for the first time after booting Oracle,
	 the  bar will	appear again  after pressing  a key. After this is 
	 once done it will never happen again (strange bugs man...)
       o Sometimes the edit cursor shows some wrong channels (I know the
	 source of the cause, still working to fix it).
       o The Z80 mode is fucking slow!
	 Well...buy a R800 or 7.14 Meg or something
       o The sampler is a bit of a bummer when it comes to recording.
	 Yes this is not so bad as it sounds. The recording will be 100%
	 but while recording a lot of noize is produced. Notice that the
	 real sample will not include this rustle!
       o When a track is loaded while your at any editor but the pattern-
	 editor, the track settings and name will not be printed (just
	 don't select filetypes other than the needed ones)
       







       How to get started:
       ===================
       For detailed information about Oracle read the manual!
       We've putted all text files at the on-board-help-desk. To reach the 
       info files just press:
				  [graph] + [H]

       and  you'll be  at the  HELP desk! (tataa!). Here are several files 
       (including a  file for  KEYS) which will provide you with necessary 
       information.




       ORACLE is  a new  kind of  music editor	and is a little simular to 
       Moonblaster  (the structure of songs I mean) But the editor it self 
       takes a	lot of	time and  practise to  understand. Not that it's a 
       difficult program but it's just that Oracle is very NEW compared to 
       other  programs I  could mention.  The main functions are stored at 
       the  Pull-Down-Menus  which you	can acces  by pressing	[graph] in 
       combinatin with	the FAT-characters in the Topics at the top of the 
       screen.	(e.d [graph]+[F] for File menu [graph]+[I] for Instruments 
       etc.)





       Disk window:
       ============
       This window  deserves special attention. At this window there are a 
       few keys to acces all files:

	 [F1]	  Set path (can include: Drive, Path and file/dirmask)
	 [F2]	  Set filename (can include: Drive and filename(+ext))
	 [F3]	  Select Filetype
	 [F4]	  Set Disk options

       To select a file you can either use the cursor keys or just type in 
       the name  of the  file and  ORACLE will	automaticly search for the 
       first file that is simulair to the "search" string. (this is a very 
       usefull option!!)


       Let me try to explain a common misunderstanding:
       ================================================
       "Look at  this man!  This new  tracker's got a really mind-crushin' 
       equalizer on board!"

       No it doesn't! In fact we have never seen a single MSX program with 
       an  equalizer.  But  VU-meters  (Volume Unit  that is)  or Spectrum 
       Analyzers are  featured on most demos and trackers! An equalizer is 
       just like a tone control with cut/boost controls for each frequency 
       range.  Just take a look at your stereo, and maybe you'll find some 
       sliders	marked	125,250,500  1k,  2k, 4k  etc. That  is a  Graphic 
       Equalizer.  There  are  also  Parametric Equalizers  where you  can 
       change the  center frequency  and Q-factor (bandwith) of each band, 
       but  they are  useally found on mixer consoles and other equipment. 
       Spectrum Analyzers show the relative volume of each frequency band, 
       but of  course the MSX cannot analyze the spectrum of an instrument 
       in  real  time,	so  it	will  just  show which	notes are  played. 
       VU-meters are even simpler, they show the volume of the sound or in 
       combination  with a  Note Analyzer  it shows each channel's volume. 
       But again, the MSX cannot show the real volume of the notes, so the 
       VU-meter just  pops up  to the volume you've set for that note, and 
       falls back to zero. Not even the Scopes will show the sound just as 
       it  is. They  just show	a few  bytes of  the sound,  and will just 
       "scroll" through the instrument as it plays.


       Things that you want, but we wont:
       ==================================
       o MIDI
       Look, guys;  ORACLE is  not supposed to be a MIDI sequencer, it's a 
       music  program that you use to create music for demos, games, music 
       disks or  what ever.  MIDI sequencers have got a much higher timing 
       resolution and lots of tracks (channels), while ORACLE has 16th and 
       only  up to  32 channels. Some of you want to hear you music played 
       on there (MIDI)keyboeards/synthesizers too, but the tracker was not 
       really designed	to do  that. The  MIDI functions  will have  to be 
       coded some day, but probebly it will only be used for the replay of 
       a song. In the mean time you can use some other music trackers...


       o Realtime record
       Oh no! Not that again. Haven't you learned yet? Recording/Editing a 
       song  REALTIME on  you wimpy  keyboards is as terrible as trying to 
       whistle the national-anthum while eating a ciquita!
       To be short; It's not gonna happen bros!

       o Sample editor
       With ADPCM? Yeah right!
       Converting samples just to edit them, hmmm naah!
       Wait for the OPL4 version for real PCM.




       I (shadow) would like to use this oppertunity to say something to:

       o Moonsoft	    Hey Remco! Eat this for breakfast (hahaha)
			    Thanx anyway for some stuff I did not use.
       o Wolf		    Hope you're sattisfied with this piece a work?
			    Thanx for waitin' and tips/hints for making
			    ORACLE one of the biggest!
       o New World Order    (what kinda name is that for some idiots who
			    attempt to beat my coding?) Keep up the good
			    work, I love your enthousiasm.
			    Thanx for tips/bug report!
       o Savage 	    A special thanx to you my friend! It's been a
			    long time since we've had some beer, let's get
			    together again some time!
