adds partial build instructions with variable set helper

README.md

@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ As the maintainer of this project, please make a few updates:
 - Understanding the security reporting process in SECURITY.MD
 - Remove this section from the README
 
+## Building instructions
+
+This project is unlikely to build successfully under modern hardware/software, but you can get started with compilation and get partial completed binaries. Here's what will get you going.
+- Make sure this repo is checked out to a folder with a short name, ideally right on the root of a drive (i.e. C:\3d).
+- You will need Visual C++ 2.0's dev tools (located under MSVC20\BIN on its installer disk) on your path. Modern compilers dislike some of the pre C++98 conventions.
+- From the root of this repo, run ```setvars.bat``` you can change the values in this script to change what your build will target.
+- Run nmake and you'll begin building 3d Movie Maker.
+
 ## Contributing
 
 This project welcomes contributions and suggestions.  Most contributions require you to agree to a

setvars.bat

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+:: Setup the Socrates Directory Environment Variable
+set SOC_ROOT=%cd%
+:: Setup the Kauai dir that's needed by most things
+set KAUAI_ROOT=%SOC_ROOT%\kauai
+:: Update includes to cover whats needed
+set include=%include%;%SOC_ROOT%\INC;%SOC_ROOT%\BREN\INC;%KAUAI_ROOT%\SRC
+:: Setup the Build Type
+:: This can be one of WIND, WINS, WINUD, WINUS
+:: D specifies it is debug, vs S for shipping
+:: U marks it as unicode
+set BLD_TYPE_DIR=WINUS
+::Setup other needed variables
+:: These vary based on what you are targeting
+:: Look at the $kvars.bat files under obj/%bld_type_dir%
+set ARCH=WIN
+set CHAR=UNICODE
+set PROJ=SOC
+set TYPE=DBSHIP