README: rewrite with project background and history

Add Background section covering what FireStorm is, the full VWE /
BattleTech Center history from ESP (1988) through Tesla II FireStorm
(2002) and community continuation, and a summary of V5.1.x changes
since the 5.07D official release.

Reorganize build instructions under a dedicated 'Building from source'
heading. Demote Outputs / Design / _UNUSED from top-level headings to
subsections under the layout section.

README.md

@@ -1,14 +1,96 @@
-# BattleTech: FireStorm — workspace layout
+# BattleTech: FireStorm
+
+Source code, game data, and build toolchain for **BattleTech: FireStorm** — the MechWarrior 4-based
+simulator software for Virtual World Entertainment Tesla II cockpit pods. This is the community-maintained
+continuation of the original 2002–2009 GameLeap / FASA Interactive codebase, currently at **V5.1.x**.
 
 > ⚠️ **Setting up a new machine? Read `RECOVERY.md` BEFORE cloning this repo.**
 > The clone only comes out byte-exact if long paths, `core.autocrlf=false`, and Git LFS are
 > configured *first* — cloning without them silently corrupts line endings, truncates deep
 > VC98/MFC paths, and leaves LFS placeholders instead of the real binaries.
 
-This is the working tree for the FireStorm total-conversion built on the MechWarrior 4
-(Gameleap / GameOS) engine. Only **three** trees feed the build/deploy; everything else is
-output (regenerable), design reference, or archived clutter. See `CLAUDE.md` for the full
-build/runtime reconstruction notes.
+---
+
+## Background
+
+### What BattleTech: FireStorm is
+
+BattleTech: FireStorm is the game software that runs inside the **Virtual World Entertainment
+Tesla II** cockpit pods — the walk-in BattleMech simulator pods found at arcades, conventions,
+and private venues. Each pod is a fully enclosed cockpit with joysticks, throttle, rudder pedals,
+a primary infinity-optics display, five monochrome auxiliary instrument monitors, and a color map
+display. Up to 16 players battle simultaneously in networked sessions over a LAN, with a dedicated
+console pod managing the match, printing scoresheets, and running a post-game mission review.
+
+### History
+
+**Origins (1988–1990).** The concept for networked BattleMech cockpit simulators originated with
+**Jordan Weisman** and **L. Ross Babcock** — co-founders of FASA Corporation — who developed it
+under the code name *ESP* ("Environmental Simulations Project"). In 1988 they partnered with
+**Incredible Technologies** to build a prototype: networked cockpits with joysticks, throttle,
+foot pedals, and dual monitors, rendered on custom Amiga and Texas Instruments hardware. The first
+public **BattleTech Center** opened in North Pier Mall, Chicago, in 1990.
+
+**Virtual World Entertainment and four hardware generations (1991–2001).** The organization
+rebranded as **Virtual World Entertainment (VWE)** in 1991 and produced four generations of
+cockpit hardware over the following decade: System 1 (custom Amiga/TI graphics, 6 players);
+System 2 (TI TMS 34010 real-time 3D polygons, 8 players, launched in Yokohama and Chicago in
+1992); System 2.5/3 (redesigned "Virtual World Centers" exterior, **Red Planet** added as a second
+game title, SiteLink ISDN networking connecting centers across the US and internationally — over
+**300 cockpits** deployed worldwide at peak); and System 4 / **Tesla** (1996 — entirely PC-based,
+Division Pixel Planes texture-mapped 3D at locked 30 FPS, infinity-optics curved primary display
+surrounded by five monochrome auxiliary monitors and a color map display).
+
+In 1996 VWE and FASA Interactive Technologies merged under **Virtual World Entertainment Group**.
+Microsoft purchased the group in 1999, sold VWE to former CFO James Garbarini, and integrated FASA
+Interactive into Microsoft Game Studios. In 2005 all remaining VWE interests were sold to Nickolas
+"PropWash" Smith, with the principal offices moving to Kalamazoo, Michigan.
+
+**Tesla II: FireStorm (2002–2016).** Beginning in 2002, VWE partnered with **Microsoft**,
+**Alienware**, and **GameLeap** to upgrade the Tesla cockpits. The Division Pixel Planes cards — no
+longer in production — were replaced with Alienware PCs, and the Macintosh-based console became
+PC-based for the first time in over a decade. The new game software, **BattleTech: FireStorm**,
+was built on the **MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries** engine (GameLeap v5.03) developed by Microsoft /
+FASA Interactive. Software versions progressed through 5.04, 5.07, and finally **5.07D** (the last
+official release, 2016, for LAN-center deployments).
+
+**Community continuation (2005–present).** As the original Virtual World Center locations closed
+through the 2000s, pods passed into the hands of private operators, enthusiast venues, and
+convention touring groups. The most prominent continuing venue is **MechCorps Entertainment** in
+Houston, TX (opened November 2005), which operates publicly year-round and tours gaming conventions
+across the US. VWE itself continues to bring pods to conventions from Kalamazoo.
+
+The pod-operator community has continued developing the FireStorm software beyond the last official
+release, producing the **V5.1.x** series maintained in this repository.
+
+### What's new in V5.1.x (community additions since 5.07D)
+
+- **Modern Windows compatibility** — DirectDraw 16-bit shim automation, DirectInput joystick
+  enumeration fix, windowed-mode DirectDraw fix for the mission editor (via DDrawCompat)
+- **Multi-monitor MFD support** — four-display mode (`-tmfds 4`) for pods using two separate
+  640×480 MFD monitors, plus stutter fix for split-MFD rendering
+- **RIO cockpit hardware** — `-tbaud` switch for replica RIO boards with high-speed UARTs
+- **Automated match configuration** — Load File system for setting up full matches from an `.ini`
+  file (game type, map, all 16 pilot slots) without manual console lobby input
+- **Multiplayer fixes** — 16-pilot + cameraship launch fixed; expanded time-limit list (up to 30 min)
+- **Expanded mech roster and loadout corrections** — additional chassis with accurate IS/Clan loadouts
+- **Console lobby** — V5.1.x Super6 rookie rotation, configurable Rookie Mission defaults,
+  correct MFD time-limit and radar dropdowns
+- **mw4print v2.0** — MySQL match-data export, configurable banner text
+- **Source cleanup** — all EUC-KR/CP949 Korean developer comments translated to English; Language DLL
+  rebuilt from source as the English version (fixes Korean button labels in the GameOS crash dialog)
+- **Full build reconstruction** — the complete toolchain (VC6, DX 7.0a, DX Media 6) is
+  self-contained in `build-env\`; the game and editor build from source with 0 errors
+
+See `RELEASE-NOTES-5.1.0b_RC1.md` for pod-owner change details, and `CLAUDE.md` for the full
+engineering history.
+
+---
+
+## Repository layout
+
+> Only **three** source trees feed the build; everything else is output (regenerable),
+> design reference, or archived clutter.
 
 ## Folder map
 
@@ -79,29 +161,34 @@ C:\VWE\firestorm\
   DDrawCompat aside while the builder runs, since it's fatal to `MW4pro.exe`.)
 - **`RESOURCE-BUILD.md`** — how the `.mw4` packaging works.
 
-## Outputs (regenerable — safe to delete and rebuild)
+### Outputs (regenerable — safe to delete and rebuild)
 - **`MW4\`** — runnable game deploy (from `deploy-mw4.ps1`). Move/copy this to production.
 - The **editor** has no separate output dir — it runs in place from `Gameleap\mw4` via
   `Gameleap\mw4\run-editor.bat` (installed by `deploy-editor.ps1`).
 
-## Design / reference (not build inputs)
-- **`BTFrstrm\`** — FireStorm design data: mech stat workbooks (`MechInfo_*.xls`, etc.).
-- **`Finished HUDS from J&J\`** — per-mech HUD source art (MFD + Radar).
+### Design and reference (not build inputs)
+- **`BTFrstrm\`** — FireStorm design data: mech stat workbooks (`MechInfo_*.xls`, `scriptaddmech.xls`),
+  mech loadout reference (`mech_loadouts.md`), autoconfig file spec, and test match files.
+- **`Finished HUDS from J&J\`** — per-mech HUD source art (MFD + Radar) for ~13 chassis awaiting integration.
 
-## `_UNUSED\` — archived clutter (nothing here is read by the build)
-Moved here to reduce confusion. Safe to delete once you're comfortable. Contents:
-- `Gameleap\{Archive, Drivers, EditorDocs, Notes, batch, utilities}` — historical / original-machine
-  utility data (the build only ever used `Gameleap\mw4`).
-- `GameleapCode5_03\{Content, hsh}` — stale 2005 duplicate data trees (superseded by `Gameleap\mw4`).
-- `resource_fullbak\` — a one-off backup of the dev `resource\` set taken during the from-scratch
-  rebuild; redundant now that the dev tree is rebuilt.
+### `_UNUSED\` — archived clutter (nothing here is read by the build)
+Moved here to reduce confusion. Safe to delete once comfortable. Contents:
+- `Gameleap\{Archive, Drivers, EditorDocs, Notes, batch, utilities}` — historical utility data
+  (the build only ever used `Gameleap\mw4`). Note: `EditorDocs\` = original map/terrain/NFO/ABL tutorials.
+- `GameleapCode5_03\{Content, hsh}` — stale 2005 duplicate data trees, superseded by `Gameleap\mw4`.
+- `resource_fullbak\` — one-off backup from the from-scratch rebuild; redundant now.
 
-## TL;DR build flow
+---
+
+## Building from source
+
+### Quick build flow
 1. Compile code: VC6 build `Gameleap\code\mw4\Code\MechWarrior4.dsw` → `rel.bin\` / `pro.bin\`.
-2. Deploy game: `build-env\deploy-mw4.ps1` → `MW4\` (packs resources, assembles, optimizes).
-3. (Optional) Install editor: `build-env\deploy-editor.ps1` → runs in place from `Gameleap\mw4` (`run-editor.bat`).
+2. Deploy game: `build-env\deploy-mw4.ps1` → `MW4\` (packs resources, assembles, optimizes BMPs, applies shim).
+3. (Optional) Install editor: `build-env\deploy-editor.ps1` → runs in place from `Gameleap\mw4\run-editor.bat`.
+
+### On a fresh Windows machine
 
-## On a fresh Windows machine
 1. Install **Git for Windows** (includes Git LFS) — or Git + `git-lfs` separately.
 2. Enable long paths **before** cloning (this tree has deep VC98/MFC paths > 260 chars):
    ```
@@ -109,28 +196,31 @@ Moved here to reduce confusion. Safe to delete once you're comfortable. Contents
    git config --global core.autocrlf false
    git lfs install
    ```
-   (Also enable the OS setting: `HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\LongPathsEnabled = 1`.)
-3. Clone to the same location so the absolute paths baked into the toolchain config resolve:
+   Also enable the OS setting: `HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\LongPathsEnabled = 1`.
+3. Clone to `C:\VWE\firestorm` — the toolchain config has this path baked in:
    ```
    git clone https://gitea.mysticmachines.com/VWE/firestorm.git C:\VWE\firestorm
    ```
    `git clone` pulls LFS objects automatically. If any are missing: `cd C:\VWE\firestorm && git lfs pull`.
 
-## After restore — make it buildable / runnable
-- **Build toolchain (VC6):** import the registry config (ELEVATED), per `build-env\README.md`:
+### After cloning — make it buildable and runnable
+
+- **Build toolchain (VC6):** import the registry config (elevated), per `build-env\README.md`:
   ```
   reg import C:\VWE\firestorm\build-env\vc6-hklm-registration.reg
   reg import C:\VWE\firestorm\build-env\vc6-directories.reg
   ```
-  Then build `Gameleap\code\mw4\Code\MechWarrior4.dsw` (see `CLAUDE.md` STEP 1/3), or just use the
-  already-mirrored `Gameleap\code\rel.bin` / `pro.bin` binaries.
-- **Run the game:** `build-env\deploy-mw4.ps1` reassembles `C:\VWE\firestorm\MW4` and applies the Win11
-  DirectDraw compat shim; or run the already-mirrored `C:\VWE\firestorm\MW4\MW4.exe` after re-applying the
-  shim (AppCompat is keyed on exe *path*, so a new machine needs it re-set — the deploy script does this).
-- **Editor:** `Gameleap\mw4\run-editor.bat` (installed in place; see `CLAUDE.md` STEP 9).
+  Then build `Gameleap\code\mw4\Code\MechWarrior4.dsw` in VC6 (see `CLAUDE.md` STEPs 1 and 3),
+  or use the already-mirrored `rel.bin\` / `pro.bin\` binaries directly.
+- **Deploy the game:** run `build-env\deploy-mw4.ps1` to assemble `C:\VWE\firestorm\MW4` and apply
+  the Windows 10/11 DirectDraw compat shim. AppCompat is keyed on the exe *path* — the deploy script
+  applies it automatically, but if you copy `MW4\` to a different location you must re-run
+  `set-appcompat.bat` from inside that new location.
+- **Editor:** `Gameleap\mw4\run-editor.bat` (installed in place by `deploy-editor.ps1`; see `CLAUDE.md` STEP 9).
 
-## Notes
-- `core.autocrlf=false` — line endings are preserved byte-for-byte; keep it that way.
-- The mirror includes machine-specific bits (registry exports, deploy AppCompat). They restore the
-  *files*, but registry/AppCompat state must be re-imported on the new machine (steps above).
-- See `CLAUDE.md` for the full build/runtime reconstruction history and `README.md` for the layout.
+### Important notes
+- **`core.autocrlf=false`** — line endings are preserved byte-for-byte. Do not change this.
+- The repo includes machine-specific bits (registry exports, AppCompat). These restore the *files*;
+  registry state must be re-imported and the AppCompat shim re-applied on each new machine (steps above).
+- See `CLAUDE.md` for the full engineering and build reconstruction history.
+- See `RECOVERY.md` for disaster-recovery procedures.