README file for VIPER ... by PLBM Games ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ File Updated: April 30, 1998 System Requirements: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This program requires an IBM PC or compatible with at least VGA. In general, faster systems will run the program more efficiently. Sound Blaster Notes: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This program contains routines to play digital sound on a Sound Blaster or compatible card. However, this program does NOT contain autodetection routines. This program relies upon the BLASTER= variable being set appropriately in your environment. If the BLASTER= variable is set incorrectly, the program may crash. If the BLASTER= variable is absent the program will NOT attempt to use Sound Blaster sound. Additionally you will need to have free EMS memory to hear all digital sounds (they're too big to fit in conventional memory). The sounds deemed "most important" to game play will be loaded into conventional memory on a first-come, first- served basis. To hear ALL sounds you will need enough EMS free to fit the file VIPSFX.DBO. Check free EMS with the MEM command under DOS. Key Usage: ~~~~~~~~~~ Arrow keys to choose direction of viper motion. You can NOT turn back on yourself (180-degree turn) See below for ADVANCED key usage. Additional Keys: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [P] - Pause game [J] - toggle joystick on/off [Ctrl-J] - calibrate joystick [F1] - Review this file (HELP) [F2] - Display high score chart [F5] - Toggle sound on/off [F6] - Adjust game speed (Fast, Medium, Slow, Snail's Pace) [F7] - Lengthen your Viper (for advanced players only!!) Shift-[F7] - Lengthen your Viper by 100 links (faster than [F7] alone) [F10] - Quit game, go to menu [ESC] - Quit game, go to DOS Game Notes: ~~~~~~~~~~~ The object of the game is to maneuver your Viper around the play grid, avoiding the walls, avoiding biting your own body, and at the same time gobbling up the various treasures that appear at regular intervals. Each treasure you eat lengthens your Viper, making it more difficult to avoid biting yourself. Treasures score points based on your present length, minus a factor for how long the treasure has been on screen. Advanced Keys To Use During Game Play: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There is an advanced set of keys that can be used to make precise adjustments to the movement of the Viper. On the numeric keypad, if you are using the 2, 4, 6, and 8 keys for down, left, right, and up movement, the advanced movements are on keys 1, 3, 7, and 9. These advanced movement keys behave differently depending upon the current direction of the Viper. For example, if you are moving up (by pressing the 8 key), you may jig one space to the left or right by pressing the 7 or 9 keys, respectively. Similarly, if you are moving left (by pressing the 4 key), you may jig one space up or down by pressing the 7 or 1 keys, respectively. At first the advanced key usage may seem overly complicated, but you will find that as you get better at Viper, they will be quite useful, especially when trying to perfectly "line-up" to catch a treasure. It is best to experiment with the advanced keys at a lower speed setting, just to get the hang of them. Advanced key usage may be enabled and disabled by pressing the 'K' key at any time during the game. The default setting is 'enabled.' Scoring: ~~~~~~~~ Whenever you pick up a treasure you get points according to how long you are based on how many other treasures are on screen: Other Treasures Remaining On Screen Points Awarded (x 10 points) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 0 100% of your length 1 80% of your length 2 60% of your length 3 40% of your length 4 20% of your length Additionally playing at slower modes (using the F6 key) will award you fewer points as follows: Speed Setting Points Awarded ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Regular speed (Fast) 100% of above Medium 50% of above Slow 33% of above Snail's Pace 25% of above Internet Support: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Contact support@plbm.com for support via email. You may also check the following site(s) for upgrades: http://www.plbm.com ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/kw/kwd/games Registration Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To order the full version of this game, send your $14.95 registration fee (plus $4.95 per order for shipping and handling) to: PLBM Games PO Box 10342 Costa Mesa, CA 92627 You may also call 1-800-909-5701 to order using your credit card. International orders call 1-612-924-3235 to order via credit card. Include your name, address, phone number and email to ensure rapid delivery.