	      ---==[ ULTIMA EXODUS: GRAPHICS IMPROVEMENT ]==----
		       Release III * 24 November 2001

By zero soul
cr_3xs@hotmail.com
http://smb3c.darkmazda.com/zerosoul

You can get UE:GI from:
	http://smb3c.darkmazda.com/zerosoul/ultexe#.zip
Where # is the release number (eg., ultexe1.zip is the first release)

For best results, read this document in DOS Edit, 8 spaces per tab.

			       ----==[1]==----

DISTRIBUTION POLICY

Feel free to distribute this; put it on your web page for everyone to 
download, e-mail it to someone, or whatever. All I ask is that the original 
archive remains UNMODIFIED and INTACT. Basically, the file you downloaded from 
my site, and the one you distribute, should be the exact same file.

You may not take any of these graphics for use in your own project without my 
permission.

That's it.

			       ----==[2]==----

WHAT IS IT?

This is a relatively simple graphics hack of ULTIMA: EXODUS. One day I 
decided, on a whim, to go and re-draw all the character portraits (the large 
ones that you see in the status screen, etc). The ones that are there are OK, 
but I felt I could draw much better ones, so I have. I also edited the title 
screen, re-did the font, and messed with the cursor graphics.

I suppose this hack is similar to my Final Fantasy hack "Girls Night Out";
from a hacking standpoint, both GNO and this hack are quite simple: just
graphics. Anyone who can open a ROM in Tile Layer and edit it, knows most
everything needed to make this hack. However, what I HAVE done, I have done
very well: it may be simple to put the characters in the game, but the char-
acters are very well-drawn. THAT, not just anyone can do. As I believe, the
content and creativity of a hack are more important than the skills used to
make that hack.</rant>

			       ----==[3]==----

TOOLS USED

* MICROSOFT PAINT for doing the actual character drawings.
* TILE LAYER for making tile-level edits (font, cursor, etc)
* TILE LAYER PRO for importing bitmaps (it sure beats the hell out of copying 
every tile by hand)
* ULEAD PHOTOIMPACT SE v3.02 for formatting the images to be properly imported 
via Tile Layer Pro
* HEXPOSURE for hex editing (mainly to find the location of the title screen's 
name/attribute table in the ROM)
* ROCKNES v1.952 for exporting Name Tables, CHR-RAM, etc., which made editing 
the title screen much, much easier
* NINTENDO SCREEN ARRANGER for editing the title screen
* TRANSLHEXTION v1.6c for importing the name/attribute tables edited via NSA
* IPS2EXE v1.5 for making the IPS/IPSEXE patches

			       ----==[4]==----

FILES THAT SHOULD BE IN THIS ARCHIVE

('#' indicates version number (eg., ULTEXE1.IPS for Release 1, etc)

* ULTEXE#.IPS -- standard-issue IPS patch
* ULTEXE#.EXE -- IPSEXE-format IPS patch
* ULTEXE#.TXT -- 'you are here'

			       ----==[5]==----

MISCELLANEOUS

* I've taken much creative liberty in the new designs; while the physical de-
  sign is based on the originals, the similarities end there. With some of
  them, I've completely redesigned them (most notably the Wizard and Fighter).
* I've tried to give each character a unique personality, as opposed to the
  generic portraits in the original.
* The Wizard is now female! Not only is her image that of a female, but I've
  also gone through and updated the data that specifies whether each is male
  or female, so it'll appear correctly in the little pop-up status window.

			       ----==[6]==----

VERSION HISTORY

Release III (24 November 2001)
- Drew:
	Cleric
	Punker
	Druid
	Alchemist
- Made "Barbarian" into "Punker"
- Added my homepage URL to the title screen
- All characters are done! So I guess so is my work with this hack.

Release II (23 November 2001)
- Drew:
	Wizard
	Thief
	Fighter
- Made the Wizard female
- Changed the Paladin to wear tight pants instead of a bikini-type thing; this
  makes her more closely resemble the original design, and because I have
  enough 'tits and ass' in this thing anyway (particularly the Wizard ;-) )
- Changed one of the opening credits to have my most magnificent screen name
  rudely thrown in your face like a weasely pop-up advertisement.

Release I (22 November 2001)
- Drew:
	Paladin
	Illusionist
	Lark
	Ranger
- Redid the font
- Redid the cursour
- Hacked the title screen

			       ----==[ ]==----

THE END