Program:        A* Explorer
Author:         James Matthews
Version:        2.0 (16th July, 2002)

***  Features | Bugs and Quirks | Future Features?  ***

- This program was written as an example program for my chapter in
  AI Game Programming Wisdom published by Charles River Media.
- Check Generation5 for latest executable and help files:
		http://www.generation5.org/

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         F E A T U R E S
=================================

- Draw, load and save maps.
- View the A* tree and open/closed lists.
- Run or Step the A*.
- Breakpoints and 5 break conditions. Set a breakpoint by double-right clicking 
  on a point on the map. If that point is queried, the A* will break allowing 
  you to examine the tree as well as the open and closed lists.
- Dynamically view the A* search space.
- Create your own heuristic and map extensions to test your pathing algorithms
  before implementing them in a game.

v2.0
- Added ASE_PREASTAR, ASE_POSTASTAR messages.
- Minor tweaks and other additions.

v2.0 BETA R2
- Greatly improved save code (unfortunately, renders old maps unusable again).
	- Savefile no longer uses absolute path to extension.
	- Savefile now includes a signature and A* Explorer version.
	- If extension doesn't save information, savefile isn't dependent on
	  the extension.
- Added CoInitialize() so COM objects can be used in main program and
  extension DLLS.
- Can now "open" DLLs to facilitate debugging. Call Ase with your DLL as a
  parameter, and Ase.exe will automatically load it. "File, Open" also works.
  Requires the full path, or setting the working directory.
- Added a limit on the number of A* steps (about 60,000). The just helps 
  cut down the time the A* is running if there is no path (or its a REALLY long
  one).
- Various tweaks and changes.

v2.0 BETA
- A* details now DLL-based, allowing programmers to test out their
  own A* particulars quickly and easily.
- Custom map extensions! Add your own features to A* Explorer!
- Distance function can now be altered.
- Bitmap support! Import small, greyscale bitmaps to use as your maps.
- Terrain levels increased from 4 to 256.
- CAStar now uses doubles for f, g, h. Also, the cost and distance functions
  can return a double. As a result, the cost function was also tweaked to 
  compensate for diagonals. Technically, even if diagonals are allowed, they 
  are slightly (0.414) more costly than straight movement. Thanks to all the
  users that pointed this out!
- Numerous other tweaks and fixes.

v1.1
- Display the A* search space
- Support for toggling the A* Route

=================================
  B U G S   A N D   Q U I R K S
=================================

- Quirk: If a node changes parent, the A* tree doesn't update
  to reflect this. Just updates reflects it in the icon.

=================================
 F U T U R E   F E A T U R E S ?
=================================

- Make aseext.h part of a "Generation5 SDK".
- Improve speed and efficiency.
    - This is high on my agenda. I want to really speed A* Explorer, since it
	  will be even slower once I move the code into its own thread. The thing
	  is I want to keep the A* code as simple as possible. Ideas?
		- Pool the nodes and use a memory manager.
- Turn the CView into a CScrollView (currently, you can only see about 80x60 
  out of a possible 320x240!)
- Remove MFC dependencies from DLL.
	- NOTE: I couldn't get the DLL to draw from just an HDC, but
	  passing a CDC pointer worked a treat. Perhaps both the output
	  and attribute DCs need to be passed? If anyone has any advice
	  to offer, I'd appreciate it.
- Get asescript.dll and asedraw.dll released.
    - NOTE: asescript.dll has problems with WindowsXP. Has anyone had experience
	        with msscript.ocx under XP? I'd appreciate some help!
- ...and a lot more.

Any comments would be welcome at jmatthews@generation5.org

Enjoy!

- James