VGA SHUFFLE ver. 1.01 by Nikolai Soumarokov This program is Public Domain. Users are encouraged to make as many copies of this program as they like and to give this program to other people; however, under no circumstances is this program to be sold. When distributing the program, please make sure that you distribute all five program files (SHUFFLE.EXE, SHUFFLE.DOC, UFP.LBM, SHTITLE.LBM, and GORBI,LBM) together. REQUIREMENTS This program requires VGA card and monitor (it uses 256-color 320x200 graphic mode) and mouse to work. As for speed, SHUFFLE works very well on my 16MHz 386SX and on 12MHz computers. For slower computers, use JUMP mode instead of SCROLL mode (see GAME OPTIONS for more details). PLAYING THE GAME VGA SHUFFLE is an attempt to computerize an old "Game of 15." The rules of the "Game of 15" were very simple: the player had to move 15 numbered squares in the 4x4 playfield in order to arrange them in the increasing order, that is ÉÍÍÍÍÑÍÍÍÍÑÍÍÍÍÑÍÍÍÍ» º 1 ³ 2 ³ 3 ³ 4 º ÇÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄĶ º 5 ³ 6 ³ 7 ³ 8 º ÇÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄĶ º 9 ³ 10 ³ 11 ³ 12 º ÇÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄĶ º 13 ³ 14 ³ 15 ³ º ÈÍÍÍÍÏÍÍÍÍÏÍÍÍÍÏÍÍÍͼ In fact, SHUFFLE is not just the computer version of the "Game of 15"; it is an ENHANCED version -- the original "Game of 15" is only one option in SHUFFLE. In SHUFFLE, the player is able to choose the size of playfield from 4x4 to 10x10 and to arrange parts of colorful picture instead of numbered squares. At the same time, the simple rules of the "Game of 15" remained the same. To start the game, type SHUFFLE at the DOS prompt. After introductory screens, a mixed-up picture will appear. Your aim is to restore the picture by moving its pieces. To move a piece, click on it with the left mouse button. Obviously, you can move only pieces located next to an empty square. GAME OPTIONS Game options menu is accessed by pressing right mouse button. The options include: - VIEW GOAL -- shows the picture you need to restore. - PICTURE -- changes the picture. The program comes with only three pictures: UFP, SHTITLE, and GORBI; however, you can add your own ones (see ADDING PICTURES). means no picture at all: just white numbered squares. - SIZE -- changes the size of the playfield. - NUMBERS -- toggles between numbered and not numbered pieces. - GRID -- toggles grid on and off. When grid is off, the picture looks better, but the gameplay is a little bit harder. - MODE -- toggles between SCROLL and JUMP modes. When SCROLL mode is on, pieces move smoothly from an old position to a new one. When JUMP mode is on, pieces simply dissapear at one place and appear at the other. JUMP mode works faster so is recommended for slow machines. - SHUFFLE -- Moves some pieces randomly. Really not the most useful option, however may help is some dead-end- looking situations. To return to game from the menu, press right mouse button. ADDING PICTURES VGA SHUFFLE comes with only 3 pictures -- two title screens and a portrait of Gorbachev. I haven't added more pictures for two reasons: first, I am not a good artist, and second, pictures take too much disk space for such a simple game. However, if you want, you can play with any pictures you want, if these pictures a) are in LBM format (format of Deluxe Paint II) and b) are drawn in 256 colors 320x200 resolution. To use a picture in the game, simply copy the .LBM file to the directory in which the game is located and select the name of the picture in the game options menu. NOTE: If your picture looks OK in the graphics editing program but is loaded into SHUFFLE with errors, check if the picture was really drawn in 320x200 256 colors mode. If you use Deluxe Paint's CAMERA utility to "steal" a picture from other programs, try loading it into graphics editor and saving it again before running SHUFFLE. That's all. Enjoy SHUFFLE and send your comments and suggestions to: Nikolai Soumarokov Zschokkegasse 91/2/5/25 1220 Vienna, Austria.