Copyright: Flipper  © Kathleen Keay 10/16/94


FLIPPERFLIPPERyesFLIPPER.FTO001yesyesHelp for FlipperFlipper  ¸ Kathleen Keay 10/16/94yesyesyesyes30/10/94


Table of Contents

Overview

Flipping

Tiles

Pressing a tile

A tiles Flip-Group

Flipper Table of Contents

Flipping a tile

flip group

Locking a Tile

Locked

press

Unlocking a Tile

Settings

Scoring

high score table

grid size

difficulties

picture sets

unlocked

The Flipping Field

Flipper Hints and Solutions

Register Flipper !!!

Click Counter

timer

Flipper Menu Items

Tiles Which Will Flip a Tile

solution

final picture

L

U

Credits


Help file produced by  HELLLP! v2.3a , a product of Guy Software, on 10/30/94 for Kathleen Keay.

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Overview
Overview of Flipper

                  Flipper by

The game of Flipper is a logic puzzle which basically consists of a flipping field with from nine to twenty-five tiles.  Each tile has two sides, each side with a different picture.  The game begins with all of the tiles on the same side (showing the same initial picture).  The object of the game is to get all of the tiles flipped to the other side (showing the final picture) by pressing the correct tiles.

When a tile is pressed it (and all other tiles in its  flip group) are flipped.  To win the game you must press the right combination of tiles so that all of the tiles in the flipping field show the final picture.

And YES ... all puzzles do have a solution!


Credits
Credits for Flipper

Flipper by    [image]      artwork by

Flipper was designed and programmed by Kathleen Keay.

All art work created by Joshua Keay.

Comments can be sent by e-mail to:

Kate:	KateDK@aol.com

Josh:	JoeShoeWa@aol.com

Thanks for playing Flipper!


solution
There can be many solutions to the same puzzle, but the computer only stores one.  You can see this solution by going to the Hints screen from the Options menu.


final picture
The final picture (the side of the tiles which must show for you to win a game) always contains a dark gray background.


The Flipping Field

The main screen in Flipper shows the Flipping Field.  This is the grid of pictures where the game is played.  The object of the game is to toggle all tiles in the flipping field to the side containing the final picture.


Pressing a Tile

When the cursor is over a tile and you click the left mouse button, that tile is pressed.  When a tile is pressed, it flips to the other side along with all the tiles which are in its flip-group.  Until you start a new game, pressing the same tile will always flip the same set of tiles (its flip group).  So, pressing the same tile twice has no effect!

After pressing a tile, if you are want to ensure that you do not press it again, you can lock it into position.


A Tiles Flip-Group

Every tile has a flip-group.  This is the set of tiles which will flip when that tile is pressed.  To see a tiles flip-group, simply point to that tile with the mouse cursor, and all the tiles in its flip-group will be outlined in black.

NOTE: If tile A has tile B in its flip-group, this does not mean that tile B will have tile A in its flip-group.  The only guarantee is that a tile is always in its own flip group.


L
L for Lock


U
U for Unlock


Locking a Tile

To lock a tile, place the mouse pointer over that tile, hold down the left mouse button and hit the l key on the keyboard, then release the mouse button.  The tile will then have a thin raised border around it, indicating that it is locked.

While the tile is locked (until you unlock it), if you press that tile nothing will happen...it (and its flip-group) will not be toggled and the click counter will not be incremented.  You must unlock that tile if you want to press it again.

To unlock a tile, repeat the same process, but hit the u key on the keyboard.  This will also press the tile (toggling all the tiles in its flip-group).

NOTE: If you lock a tile and it is contained in another tiles flip-group, it will still be toggled when that other tile is pressed.

TIP: If a tile is not contained in any other tiles flip-group, you know you must press that tile (or it will never get flipped to the final picture).  So, after pressing it, you can lock it into position to ensure you do not accidentally press it again.


Locked
When a tile is locked, nothing will happen when you press it.


press
Place mouse pointer over the tile and click left mouse button.


Unlocking a Tile

If a tile is locked, you can unlock it by placing the mouse pointer over the tile and holding down the left mouse button while hitting the u key on the keyboard.  This will also press the tile (toggling all the tiles in its flip-group).


Settings

The settings menu brings you to a screen where you can choose the settings of the following items:

Difficulty Level:  The difficulties range from easy to impossible.

Size of Grid: Warning ... the large grids can be very tricky!

Picture Set: For your viewing enjoyment, you can choose from six sets of pictures.  Just click on

   the set you prefer.  The final picture (to which you need to change all the tiles to win)

   always has a dark gray background.


Scoring
The Score

When you solve a puzzle (with or without being shown a solution), you receive a score.

If your score is among the top ten high scores, and you were not shown the solution (from the hints screen), that score will be added to the high score table.

Your current score is always displayed at the top right of the flipping-field screen.

The score you receive when you have won a particular game of flipper depends on the following factors:

Size of Grid: The larger the grid, the higher the score.

Difficulty Level: Harder grids receive higher scores.

Time: Higher scores are achieved by solving the puzzle in a short amount of time.

Number of Tile Presses: As you press more tiles, your score decreases.


high score table
The high score table contains information about the ten highest scoring games.


Flipper Table of Contents

  This index lists the flipper Help topics.

To learn how to use Help, choose How to use Help from the Help Menu.

Flipper by    [image]  (see the creditspage)

Overview of Flipper

Pressing a Tile

Locking a Tile

Unlocking a Tile

Flipping a Tile

A Tiles Flip-Group

The Tiles Which Will Flip a Tile

Menus

Options Menu

Game Menu

Settings Menu

Hints and Solutions

Flipper Scoring

How to Register Flipper


Flipping a tile

When a tile is flipped its picture changes to whichever picture is not currently showing.  A tile can be flipped either by pressing it or by pressing another tile which has it in its flip-group  To win the game, the object is to have all tiles flipped to their final picture


Tiles Which Will Flip a Tile

The most confusing (until you understand it) piece of information which you can get while playing Flipper is The-Tiles-Which-Will-Flip-a-Tile.  But, it is very useful when you understand it.  The important thing to remember is that this is NOT the same as the tiles flip-group, but these two pieces of information can be used together to help you win the game.

To see The-Tiles-Which-Will-Flip-a-Tile hold down the Shift key on the keyboard and then place the mouse cursor over the tile you are interested in.  All of the tiles which will flip the tile you are pointing at will be outlined in red.  This means that each of those tiles outlined in red contains the pointed at tile in their flip-group.

The best way to understand this is simply to try it!

TIP: You can check each tile to see which other tiles contain it in their flip-group (all of The-Tiles-Which-Will-Flip-a-Tile), if the only tile is itself then you know that you must press it.  So, you can press it and then lock it to ensure you do not accidentally press it again!


Flipper Hints and Solutions

Many of the puzzles can be very very difficult, but they all do have a solution.  From the hints screen (in the options menu) you can choose to be given either a hint or a solution.

Hint: A hint will simply tell you how many tiles you would have to press to solve the puzzle (assuming you solved it using the computers solution).

Solution: If you choose to be shown a solution, all the tiles in the flipping field which need to be pressed (for the computers solution) will have the word press printed on them.  If you press each of these, the puzzle will be solved!  Unfortunately, if you are shown a solution, your score will not be recorded in the high score table.

For either a hint or a solution, you can choose to receive the information from the beginning of the puzzle, or from where you are.

From Beginning:  The puzzle will be reset to the beginning (all tiles showing their initial picture).

From Where You Are: All of the tiles will remain as they were when you entered the hints screen.

NOTE There can be many solutions to a single puzzle.  The computer only ensures that there is at least one solution.  The solution which the computer shows you is not necessarily the one with the least number of presses.


Tiles
A tile is a square showing one of two pictures.  The tile can be flipped to show the other picture.


flip group
Flip Group: the set of tiles which will flip when a tile is pressed.


grid size
You have a choice of grid sizes from 3 x 3 (smallest / easiest ) to 5 x 5 (largest / most difficult ).


difficulties
You have a choice of difficulties ranging from easy to impossible.


FlipPopUp
Flipping a tile means it is toggled to the other picture.


picture sets
There are six different picture sets to choose from (go to the settings menu).  Each set consists of an initial picture and a final picture (the one which needs to show on all tiles to win the game).


unlocked
A tile is unlocked (able to be pressed) if there is not a raised border around it.  All tiles begin unlocked and will only become locked if you lock them.


Register Flipper !!!
Register Flipper !

 Flipper by

Flipper is a product of KateK and is marketed using shareware.  If you enjoy the game and want to continue

playing you should register it.  Your contributions will be used to help KateK continue producing quality software.

When you register you will get a warm fuzzy feeling from the knowledge

that you made Kate a happier person!

Just send US $10.00 payable to Kathleen Keay:

Kate Keay

PO Box 448

Fairhaven MA, 02719

If you would like to be sent notification of any future games by [image], just include your e-mail address.

And of course ... PLEASE send any comments or suggestions (e-mail: KateDK@aol.com).


Click Counter
The Click Counter keeps track of how many times you have pressed a tile.


timer
The timer starts when you press a tile and continues until you open another screen or choose Pause.


Flipper Menu Items

Game Menu

New: Starts a new game with the same settings as previous game.

Reset: Restarts the same game.  No score will be recorded in the high score table (although a score will be given).

Pause: Stops the timer, until a tile is pressed.

Exit: Exits the game.

Options Menu

high score table: Opens the High Score Table showing information about the ten top scoring games.

Settings: Opens the settings screen.

Hints: Opens the hints and solutions screen.