Gold Fish 1/GoldFishApril1994_CD1.img/d1xx/d122/puzzlepro/puzzle.pro.doc

Text File | 1987-12-31 | 11KB | 266 lines

                           *** PUZZLE PRO V1.0 ***

                           Written by Syd L. Bolton

                     Copyright (c)1987 Oston Software Inc.


     This program is shareware.  It may be freely distributed, although
I do ask for a donation of $10.  For your $10 you will receive extended
printed documentation and will be informed about future updates and will
receive these updates free of charge.  I will also inform you of future
products that I may be releasing on the market.  My address is at the
end of this file.

STARTING THE GAME
******** *** ****

     When first run, the program will load up the title screen.  It takes
a little bit of time, so be patient -- it's only an Amiga (haha).
Once the title screen is loaded, the word "LOADING..." will disappear from
the top of your screen.  This is your cue that the program is ready.

MENU CHOICES
**** *******

     The first menu has the following options:

START
OPEN
CMD FILE
CREATE
QUIT

     The first one, START, is obvious.  This starts play with the current
puzzle that is in memory.  The title screen is a puzzle, so if you select
START after the title screen is loaded, you will have to put it back
together.  START is used after an OPEN or after you have CREATed a puzzle
to start play.

     OPEN allows you to load a puzzle from disk.  There are several
puzzles included on this disk.  Here they are:

POLY
TUT
GORILLA
WATERFALL
ODIE
ROBOT
SPACECHART
ROSEGARDEN
STORM

     Type the appropriate filename.  Press either RETURN to load it, or
select the LOAD button.  Hitting CANCEL will take you back to selecting
a menu choice.  After the puzzle is loaded, select START to play it.

     CMD FILE.  This option allows you to have the computer load several
puzzles in succession, without user intervention.  For example, if you
wished to create a certain story line using puzzles, you could make
a command file that held the filenames in the order of which they
are to be loaded, and the difficulty level each is to be played at.
Each puzzle can have a different difficulty level.  You could use
ED or any word processor that will save in ASCII format.  Have the
filenames listed in succession in the file, in this format:

puzzlefilename,difficulty.level

     Of course, you would have more than one puzzle in the file.  You
must remember to follow the list of puzzles to be loaded with the word
"END".  The difficulty level must be between 1 and 5 with 1 being the
easiest and 5 being the hardest.  An example of a command file might
look like this:

Poly,3
Tut,4
Gorilla,2
Waterfall,1
end

     END can be in upper or lower case.  It MUST be there, otherwise an
error will be generated (but the program won't crash right out, it will
notify you however).

     There is a command file included on this disk.  It's called
"PUZZLES".  Enter "PUZZLES" at the prompt when asked for a filename
after you select the CMD FILE option from the first menu.

PLAYING THE GAME
******* *** ****

     After you select START, puzzle pieces are scattered about the
playfield.  The timer at the top indicates how much time has elapsed.
According to the skill level selected (1 being easy, 5 being hard) your
amount of playing time will be computed.  Here is a table of levels and
their times:

Difficulty Level    Maximum Playing Time
****************    ********************

       1                   2500 seconds.
       2                   2000 seconds.
       3                   1500 seconds.
       4                   1000 seconds.
       5                    500 seconds.

     The program is nice enough to give you the first piece of the puzzle.
Generous huh?  Select a puzzle piece in the outer area by pointing to it
with the mouse.  Hold the left button down and drag the piece to the
location within the puzzle area (in the centre) and let go of the button
at the approximate place you believe the piece goes.  The computer will
forgive you if you are a little off -- so being very exact is not always
necessary.  If the piece fits, it will "pop" into place.  If not, it will
return to its' original place around the outside of the puzzle.

     There are two buttons located near the bottom of the screen on both
the left and right sides.  One is PAUSE and the other, CHEAT.  The pause
box, when selected does just that -- pauses the game until you click the
close box of that window.  There is of course, no time penalty.  After all,
why should you pay for it if Aunt Kay calls during a game!?

     The CHEAT option is a different story.  Once selected, you are
presented with three more options: GIVE PIECE, SHOW PUZZLE, and CANCEL.
Cancel does just that.  Give Piece makes the computer give you a piece from
the puzzle -- that is, it takes it from the outer area and locates it
properly within the puzzle area.  There is a 90 second penalty for using
this option.  The other option, SHOW PUZZLE lets you view the finished
puzzle for as long as you desire.  However, the longer you watch, the
more the penalty.  To stop viewing, click the close box of that window.
Your penalty is computed at 20 X number of seconds viewed.  The penalty is
not as severe as the cheat option, because 4 or 5 seconds is a long time,
when you are looking at something, believe it or not.  But of course, it is
still up to you to locate the proper pieces.

QUITTING MIDWAY DURING A GAME
******** ****** ****** * ****

     When you are playing a game and desire to quit to either go back to the
WorkBench or load up a new puzzle, press "Q" during the game.  A "GAME OVER"
message will happen at the top of the screen.  You may then select any of
the menu options.  Not that NO MENU OPTIONS WORK during gameplay, including
the QUIT option.  You must press Q.  Pressing Q during a Command File game
takes you right out of the command file.

CREATING RANDOM PUZZLES
******** ****** *******

     So you can make your own puzzles.  Well, that may be fun for other
members of the family, but those puzzles will become too easy for you.  And
no doubt, you will easily master the already resident puzzles on this disk,
given enough time.  So, is this a reason to throw away the game?  NAAH!!!

     The original way this program was conceived was that the computer would
make the puzzles.  And this would have been limited, but I have come up with
a innovative way for you to make your own random puzzles that give you the
ability to select what they're made up of.  The following menu options are
presented in menu 2:

LINES
DOTS
BOXES
F.BOXES
OVALS
F.OVALS

     The "F." are an abbreviation for FILLED.  If you select one of these
options from the menu, a checkmark will appear beside it.  Likewise, if you
select it again, the checkmark will disappear.  You can have as many of
these options on in any combination as you wish.  Of course, if you have no
options selected and attempt to create a puzzle, an error will generate and
the program will beep at you.  Don't worry, it's just a warning to you.
So, after you've highlighted the options or elements you wish to have in
your puzzles, select the CREATE option from the first menu.  Be patient
while your puzzle is generated, and gather your concentration -- you'll need
it.  After the window disappears from the middle of the screen (the one that
says "PLEASE WAIT WHILE I CREATE YOUR PUZZLE") select the START option to
play your random puzzle.

     Notes on creating random puzzles:

*  Novice puzzle players should avoid those puzzles with large empty spaces.
   Two blank spaces may look the same to you, but are totally different to
   the computer.

*  Novice players should also avoid puzzles that consist of only the DOTS
   option.  These dots all look the same, and even the most experienced
   player at the easiest level may find solving these type of puzzles
   virtually impossible.

*  There are 120 "pieces" for each random puzzle.  If you select 6 items
   (all of them) then there are 20 of each type in the puzzle.  If you
   select 2 items, then there are 60 of each type.  In other words, the
   120 items are split up evenly, according to how many options you have
   highlighted.

*  The exception to the above are dots.  Since they are so small, each
   piece that is a dot counts for 10.  That is, if there are 6 items
   selected, there would be 200 dots (20 X 10).  If dots were the only
   option, there would be 1200 dots (120 X 10).  That's a lot of dots!

*  The less items, (usually) the easier to solve the puzzle.  With all
   6 items highlighted, the mumble jumble that is created on the screen
   may be almost impossible to unscramble, but in some instances, is
   easier than having one or two items highlighted, depending upon what
   they are.  Experiment, and most of all, have fun.

     That's about all there is to it!

     I hope you enjoy this program as much as I enjoyed writing it.  If you
use this program, I ask a $10 donation, as mentioned.  This $10 does not
just go in my pocket.  It funds further development of quality software, and
more importantly, it provides support for you -- the donator.  I will supply
you with a more extensive printed user manual, and also information about
updates to this program, which can be obtained from me as they come out, by
either sending me a blank disk or $4.  In addition, if you send me a disk
(or an additional $4) I will send you a commented version of the program and
include a small manual on some of the programming techniques used in this
program, if you are interested in programming in MicroSoft AmigaBASIC.  The
shareware version obviously has been stripped of comments and some
structuring techniques (which AmigaBASIC lends itself to so beautifully) to
increase execution speed.

     So, do yourself a favour!  I know you won't regret it!

FEATURES OF PUZZLE PRO V2.0
******** ** ****** *** ****

Here are just some of the planned features of PP V2.0:

* Music playing while YOU play!

* Color cycling effects (and current puzzles will be compatible, as
  color cycling was a forethought option and was made provision for)

* Hi-Res versions, even possibly interlaced puzzles.

    As a registered user, you will be informed of the release date of
PPV2.0, and also of any other programs that I develop.  It's a deal!

So, send $10 (plus a disk or $4 if you wish commented source code) to:

                 Syd L. Bolton
                 25 Frontenac Avenue
                 Brantford, Ontario
                 Canada  N3R 3B7

Suggestions, comments, and criticisms welcome!!!

In closing, I would like to thank Mr. Adam White for his comments and
suggestions, all of which made this program what it is!  Thanks Adam!

Syd.