dos-tcm-intros/README.md

TranceMission Intros

This project contains three DOS demos/intros that were programmed in Turbo Pascal and Assembler. The demos were created by Stefan Koelle in the 1990s and demonstrate advanced graphics, sound, and programming techniques for the DOS platform.

These demos often showcased advanced graphics, sound, and programming techniques using Turbo Pascal and assembler.

Website: https://www.moonweb.org/tcm/

System Requirements

• Operating System: MS-DOS or DOSBox
• Hardware:
  • VGA graphics card (1993 standard)
  • SoundBlaster-compatible sound (optional, speaker output possible)
  • Minimum 2 MB RAM

Project Structure

dos-tcm-intros/
├── README.md                 # This file
├── LICENSE                   # MIT License
├── images/                   # Intro screenshots
│   ├── logo-intro.png
│   ├── menu-intro.png
│   └── star-intro.png
└── SOURCE/                   # Source code directory
    ├── LOGO-INT.RO/          # Logo Intro Demo
    ├── MENU-INT.RO/          # Menu Intro Demo
    └── STAR-INT.RO/          # Star Intro Demo

Each subdirectory under SOURCE/ contains the source code, compiled objects, and resources for the respective demo.

Build Instructions

The projects use Turbo Pascal 5.x/7.0 as the compiler.

Prerequisites

• Turbo Pascal compiler (e.g., tpc.exe)
• Source files located in the respective subdirectories under SOURCE/

Compilation

For each intro, navigate to the corresponding directory and run the COMPILE.BAT:

cd SOURCE\LOGO-INT.RO
COMPILE.BAT

cd SOURCE\MENU-INT.RO
COMPILE.BAT

cd SOURCE\STAR-INT.RO
COMPILE.BAT

The compiled executables are named logo-int.exe, menu-int.exe, and star-int.exe.

Manual Compilation

If the compiler path needs adjustment, you can compile the Pascal files manually:

tpc amn.pas
tpc textgraf.pas
tpc logo-int.pas

(The order matters as there are dependencies between files.)

Usage

Simply run the compiled executable. Keyboard controls are available:

• ESC or Enter: Exit demo
• Space (Logo Intro): Exit demo
• S/s (Logo Intro): Increase speed
• A/a (Logo Intro): Decrease speed
• +/- (Logo Intro): Volume control

Demos

Logo Intro

This demo displays animated text and graphics with sound effects. It sets up the graphics mode, clears the screen, and uses the writeline and writeline2 procedures to display text. The animation includes a sine wave effect, and the sound is played if a SoundBlaster card is detected. User interaction allows control of the animation speed and volume, and the demo exits on specific key presses.

Intro on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4UOuAOxkn4

Menu Intro

This demo presents a menu with animated text and graphics. It sets up the graphics mode, clears the screen, and uses the writeline procedure to display text. The animation includes a wobble effect for the logo and text. Sound is played if a SoundBlaster card is detected. User interaction allows navigation through the menu using the keyboard, and the demo exits on specific key presses.

Intro on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvKIsfDLH48

Star Intro

This demo features animated stars and text on the screen, along with sound effects. It initializes the graphics mode, clears the screen, and uses the writeline procedure for text display. Stars are animated to move across the screen, and sound is played if a SoundBlaster card is detected. The demo waits for a key press to exit.

Intro on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdtqDdSPuG8

Credits

• Code, Graphics, Music: Stefan Koelle
• Demo Releases: 1992-1993
• Website: https://www.moonweb.org/tcm/

License

Licensed under the MIT License - Copyright (c) 2026 Stefan Koelle (https://stefankoelle.de)