Over 1,000 Games/1,000 Games - Disk 2.iso/kids/redsea/rsmanual.txt

Text File | 1997-03-26 | 26KB | 594 lines

            User's Manual
    Crossing the Red Sea 3.0 for Windows

***What makes "Crossing the Red Sea" unique?

       Why is this game different from all other Bible quiz
    games?  There seem to be so many Bible quiz games on the
    market; why add another one?  The truth is that "Crossing
    the Red Sea" is the only such game that can keep the
    attention of all players no matter what their age or ability
    level, and give each one a reasonable hope of winning.

       How can we make such a claim?  There are essentially
    three factors which make "Crossing the Red Sea" unique and
    the best choice for your family.

    1)The colorful graphics help to visualize the players'
    progress and make the game more interesting to play than
    a simple text-based quiz like almost all the others.

    2)Point values of the questions are determined at random
    instead of by difficulty.  This means that even the
    easiest question can be worth ten or twelve points and
    even the youngest player can win.

    3)The computer keeps track of each player's ability and
    gives each player a question of just the right difficulty
    every time.  This means that little Jimmy will get
    questions that he can usually answer, while the
    Reverend Doctor Dad will be continually challenged by
    his questions.  And since either one can win, this
    is the perfect game for special family times.

    Try it and see if "Crossing the Red Sea" doesn't hold your
    attention twice as long as any Bible quiz game you've ever
    played.


***Overview of Game Play

    There are three easy steps to playing "Crossing the Red Sea".

    1) Record Players' Names:
    You may record the names of those who will be playing by
    clicking on "Game" and then on "Players".  When the dialog
    box comes onto the screen, type the name of one of the
    players in place of the words, "Player One".  For each
    additional player, click on the "Add Player" button and
    then type in the player's name in place of the default
    name given.  After all players are entered, you may choose
    to click the "Scramble" button if you want to put the
    players into a random order.  After you are satisfied with
    the order of the players, select the "Done" button.

    2) Begin the Game:
    To begin the game, open the "Game" menu and click on "Begin".
    Wait a few seconds for the game to load.

    3) Select the Correct Answer:
    Each player in turn will be addressed by the program and
    given a question to answer.  The player whose turn it is
    may click on the down arrow at the right of the combo box
    to reveal the four possible answers.  Click on the answer
    that you think is correct.  The first player to reach
    one hundred points is the winner.


***Playing Without a Mouse

    "Crossing the Red Sea" may be played from the keyboard in
    the absence of a mouse.  To open any menu on the menu bar,
    press the <Alt> key and also the key corresponding to the
    underlined letter on the menu.  For example, to open the
    "Game" menu, press the "g" key while holding down the
    <Alt> key.  To choose a command button or check box while
    you have a dialog box open, you may use the <Tab> key to
    step among the various items in the dialog box.  When the
    button or other item that you wish to choose is highlighted,
    press the <Enter> key to choose it.  Another way to accomplish
    the same thing is to press the key corresponding to the
    underlined letter on the button you wish to choose.


***The Game Menu
    **Player
    Select this choice to name the players who will be playing in
    the game.  If this is not selected prior to playing a game,
    the players from the previous game will be used as the default.
    If no game has been played, the name "Player 1" will appear
    as the default name for a one-player game.

    To add a player, click on the "Add Player" button.  A default
    name will appear in the list box.  Change that name to whatever
    name the player would like to use, with a maximum of ten letters.
    If you add a player during a game, the new player will be
    inserted at the end of the list.

    To delete a player, select the player to delete by clicking on
    that name.  The name should then be highlighted.  Click on
    the "Delete Player" button to delete the player's name from the
    list.  If there is only one name on the list, you cannot
    delete it.  Add a current player first. During a game you may
    only delete from the end of the list.

    If you would like the player order to be mixed up, click
    on the "Scramble" button.  This is similar to rolling dice
    to see who goes first.  This option is not available while
    a game is in progress.

    When you are finished with this phase of preparation, click
    on the "Done" button to exit this window.

    **Begin
    To begin the game, click on this item.  After loading and
    initializing all data, the program will present you with
    a picture of people representing all the game players,
    ready to travel from one shore of the sea to the other on
    a dry path in the middle of the sea.  Depending on the
    speed of your computer, this may take several seconds.

    Each player is then addressed in turn and given a question
    of appropriate difficulty, based on previous answers.  The
    player should click on the down arrow (or press <Alt> +
    the down arrow key) to display the four possible answers
    and then select one.  If that answer is correct, a
    congratulatory message will appear on the screen, and
    the person representing that player will walk forward
    the appropriate distance depending on the point-value
    of the question.  These values are determined entirely
    at random, without regard to the difficulty of the question.

    When one player has reached one hundred points, his person
    will exit the screen, followed by all of the others.  Then
    the Egyptian chariots will enter the screen, only to be
    washed away by the sea closing.  The screen will then pan
    to the joyful Israelites celebrating God's victory and
    you will be asked if you wish to play again.  Select
    yes or no.  If you wish to play with a different list
    of players, select "no", change the players from the "Player"
    menu, then select "Begin" again.

    **Statistics
    This item is intended to be selected during a game.  It
    shows more details about the current player's performance,
    including the percentage of questions answered correctly
    and the difficulty of previous questions.  This is a
    good place for a non-leader to take solace by showing
    everyone that his questions have been harder and that he is
    actually more knowledgeable than the leader after all.  It
    cannot be accessed when the game is not in progress.

    **Quit Game
    This option will allow you to quit the current game without
    exiting the program.  You may use it to add or delete players
    or to scramble the order of players.

    **Exit
    When you select this option, a window will appear to verify
    that you really want to exit.  From this point you have
    several options.  You may view (or print) the registration
    form, return to the game, or quit the application and close
    the window.  When you exit, the game will save your settings
    so that you can return with the same options active.

*** The Options Menu
    There are two areas in which your may customize the game to
    your preference. The first is the Range of the questions.
    Here you can determine whether the game will deal with
    questions based on the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), the
    New Testament, or both.  Click on the button in front of
    your choice to select that option.  If you would prefer
    for the words to read "Old Testament", double-click on
    the words "Hebrew Bible".  A second double-click will make
    a third option available, the name "Tanach", a common
    Hebrew term for the same collection of books.  This word
    is an acronym based on the Hebrew words, Torah (law),
    Neviim (prophets), and Ketuvim (writings).  All three options
    refer to the same collection of books, so choose your
    preferred term.

    The other area which you may customize is simply to
    turn the sound on or off.  Click the button in front
    of your preference.  The choice of "Off" will silence
    both the music and the sound effects.

    The registered version of the game will give several
    additional areas to customize, including selecting different
    sets of questions and different graphic backgrounds.  The
    registered version will come with a Noah's Ark background
    in addition to the Red Sea one.  Additional background
    scenes and sets of questions may be purchased from the
    author, but will require the registered version to run.

***The Shareware Menu
    **About Shareware
    Opening this submenu gives an explanation of the shareware
    concept, in which a user is allowed to try a program at
    virtually no cost for a period of time to determine if
    it meets his needs.  He then sends the purchase price,
    sometimes called a registration fee, to the author.  Upon
    receipt of this payment, the author will frequently send
    the latest version of the program, printed manual, or
    other items, depending on the program.

    **Registration Benefits
    This dialog box explains all the things that you will
    receive when you register "Crossing the Red Sea".  These
    include a printed manual and the registered version which
    allows you to add your own questions, save your game,
    play with different background graphics or different
    sets of questions.  You may choose to personalize the
    title page of your registered version with a name and/or
    photograph for a small additional charge.

    **How to Register
    This dialog box explains the registration process.  When
    you decide to register, you may fill out the registration
    form on-screen and then print out the completed form.  If
    you prefer, you may print out the blank form and fill it
    in by hand.  Return the form and a check, cash (U.S.), or
    money order for $19.95 plus $1 for shipping (in U.S.) and
    any additional for optional personalizing to:

    H. F. Buerer
    P.O. Box 83752
    Portland OR 97283-0752

    You may also register on-line thru SWREG on Compuserve
    (Registration ID #11760) or with Visa or Mastercard
    through NorthStar Solutions at 1-800-699-6395. (If you
    want the personalize option, you must register with the
    author directly.)

    If you desire to use the game on multiple computers at
    the same site or owned by the same user you can purchase
    a site license. The cost for the second through fifth
    machines is $3 per machine and the cost for the sixth
    through twentieth machines is $2 per machine.  For more
    than twenty machines there is no additional charge.  Only
    one copy of the software and manual are sent to a site
    and permission is granted to install the software on
    the additional machines.

    **Sample Personalize
    This option will show you a couple of sample title screen
    so that you will know what to expect if you order the optional
    personalization when you register.  You may choose either
    a person's name or a family name. (or an organization) If
    you want to order the name and/or photo, be sure to send in
    your registration form by mail to H. F. Buerer, not by phone
    or E-mail.

    **Registration Form
    Choosing this option displays the Registration Form which
    you may print out and send in along with the registration
    payment to receive your registered copy of the game.  The
    easiest way is simply to type in the information on-screen,
    using the mouse or arrow keys to navigate around the screen.
    Then click on the "Print" button to print the completed
    form.  This will print automatically to the printer
    installed on LPT1.  If for some reason this is not adequate,
    you may print the registration form from another application
    by printing the file REG_FORM.TXT.

***The Help Menu

    **How to Play
    The dialog box shown by this selection gives a brief
    introduction to the game and an overview of how to play
    it.  If you begin the game and don't know what to do,
    this is the place to go.

    **User's Manual
    This selection displays the file which you are currently
    reading.  When you order the registered version, it will
    come with a printed User's Manual.

    **About Red Sea
    Clicking this menu item will show some basic information
    about the game.


***Personalize Your Registered Copy
    A new feature available in this version is the ability
    to personalize your software for a small extra fee.  If
    you like, we can display your name, the name of your child,
    or your family name on the title page of the registered
    program for a fee of $2.  For $5 we can also include a
    scanned photo of you, your child, or your family.  If you
    choose this option, be sure to include a photo for us to
    use.  It will be returned.  If you don't explicitly tell
    us what name to personalize with, we will use the name on
    the registration form.  You can always change or edit it.
    We will include that information with the registered version.

***Files Included in the Shareware Version
    RS.EXE - This is the executable file that runs the game.
    SETUP.EXE
    SETUP.INF - These two files are used to install the program
        to your hard drive and prepare it to run under Windows.
    LEVEL1.DAT
    LEVEL2.DAT
    LEVEL3.DAT
    LEVEL4.DAT
    LEVEL5.DAT
    LEVEL6.DAT
    LEVEL7.DAT
    LEVEL8.DAT
    LEVEL9.DAT
    LEVEL10.DAT - These are the files containing the questions
        at the various degees of difficulty.
    REG_FORM.TXT - This is the registration form to print out.
    RSMANUAL.TXT - This is the user's manual, this file.
    HOW2REG.TXT
    RS_BENE.TXT
    RS_INTRO.TXT
    SHARE.TXT
    SHAREW.TXT - These are text files containing information.
    USED.ALR - This is a file to keep track of which questions
        have been used already so that there will not be
        frequent repetition of questions.
    CHARIOT.BMP
    DANCERS.BMP
    LAND.BMP
    RSSPRYT.BMP
    WAVE.BMP - These files are pictures that are used in the
        course of the game.
    RS_MUSIC.MID
    RS_ENDMU.MID
    CHARGE.WAV
    WIND.WAV
    BIRD.WAV
    BIRDS.WAV
    CHICKENS.WAV
    RIBBIT.WAV
    RIGHT.WAV
    WRONG1.WAV
    WRONG2.WAV - These are sound files to be played through
        a sound card.
    DEFAULTS.SAV - This is a file where the game defaults
     are saved from one game to the next.
    VBRUN300.DLL
    MCI.VBX
    PICCLIP.VBX
    THREED.VBX - These are system files needed by Visual Basic.

***Customer Support
    H. F. Buerer promises to give registered users whatever help
    it can provide in the operation of "Crossing the Red Sea".
    If you are having problems starting the shareware version,
    the first place to go for help might be the distributor who
    provided you with the shareware copy.  Although H. F. Buerer
    cannot promise to provide support to unregistered users, we
    will do as much in this area as time allows us to.  We may
    not always be available by phone, but you are welcome to
    leave a message at [phone].  We will try to get back
    to you when we can.  A better way is to contact us by E-mail
    through Compuserve at (Harry Buerer) 75451,3610 or on AOL
    at HFBUERER.  You are also welcome to contact us by mail at
    P.O. Box 83752, Portland, OR 97283-0752.

***Giving Copies Away
    Since the primary means of distributing shareware is by
    "sharing" software, you are encouraged to give away copies
    of the shareware version of "Crossing the Red Sea" or to
    post it on any BBS which you think is appropriate.  You may
    not alter any of the files on the copies you give away and
    you may not give copies of the registered version.  But
    the shareware version is a great thing to pass on to friends,
    churches, schools, Sunday School classes or anyone else
    whom you think might enjoy it.

***ASP Ombudsman Statement
    H. F. Buerer is a member of the Association of Shareware
    Professionals (ASP).  ASP wants to make sure that the shareware
    principle works for you.  If you are unable to resolve a
    shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting
    the member directly, ASP may be able to help.  The ASP
    Onbudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with
    an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for
    members' products.  Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at
    545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX [phone]
    or send a Compserve message via CompuServe Mail to ASP
    Ombudsman 70007,3536.

***Hardware Requirements
    Crossing the Red Sea 3.0 for Windows requires an IBM-compatible
    computer running Windows 3.1 or Windows 95. It also requires
    2 Megabytes of RAM, and 2 Megabytes hard disk space.  A mouse,
    a 3.5HD diskette drive, and at least a 386 processor are
    recommended.  A sound card will increase your enjoyment of
    the sounds and music included.

***Installation and DeInstallation
    To install the program, insert the installation disk into
    the diskette drive.  Assuming that your diskette drive is
    drive a:, click on the "File" menu of Program Manager and
    then select "Run...".  In the text box type "a:setup"
    (without the quotation marks) and press the <Enter> key.
    Then sit back and wait for the program to load.  If you
    are using Windows 95, follow the same instructions, but
    "Run..." will be found on the "Start" menu.  During the
    installation process a DOS window will be opened while
    decompressing the files.  When this is finished (when the
    title-bar says "Finished"), click on the "x" in the upper
    right corner of the window to close it.  If you want to run
    the program by clicking on an icon, then choose "yes" to
    add it to Program Manager.  When installation is complete,
    you may click on the icon to begin play.

    If you are installing from a downloaded file, use PKUNZIP
    to expand the downloaded file (you've probably already
    done this).  Then run Setup.exe and follow the instructions
    on the screen.

    To deinstall the program, look at the list of files on
    a previous page of your on-line manual and delete each
    of those files.  They should all be in the directory
    that you designated, probably c:\redsea. If you have
    Windows 95, you can simply delete the entire folder with
    all of its contents.  The two setup files on the diskette
    were not copied to your hard disk, so don't worry about them.

***Trouble-Shooting
    Problem: No music through the sound card.
    Solution: There are alternate midi files included, since
    one format does not work for all possible configurations.
    The file that is played is "rs_music.mid".  To try any of
    the alternate files, you will need to give them that name.
    You should rename "rs_music.mid" to "rs_music.bak" or some
    other name to save it.  Then rename "rs_musi1.mid" to
    "rs_music.mid" and try playing the game.  If there is
    still no music, repeat the process with rs_musi2.mid and
    rs_musi3.mid.  If all these fail, as a last resort, you
    can have the program play music through the PC speaker by
    pressing F2. (Press F3 to undo.)

    Problem: I get "Out of Memory" messages during the final
    sequence or the screen just locks up.
    Solution: We have provided an optional lower-memory-use
    final sequence to enable more users to enjoy the animation
    and sound effects.  To choose the lower-memory option, all
    you hae to do is to press the F4 key any time during the
    game.  The last scene with the people rejoicing will not
    be shown but everything else will be the same.  This
    low-memory mode will be in effect until you exit the game.

    Problem: On the last scene I get white rectangles moving
    around instead of people.
    Solution: This is caused because the hardware is not able
    to finish animating a scene before it's supposed to start
    on the next one.  It seems to be the result of not enough
    memory.  You can either put up with it, get more RAM, or
    press the F4 key during the game to choose the low memory
    endgame option.

    Problem: I can't find the "any" key.
    Solution: Use another key.

***Frequently-Asked Questions
    How do I register?
        Choose "Shareware" from the menu bar and click on
        "Show Registration Form".  Then fill out the form
        on-screen by typing the information in the blanks.
        Print it out and send it, with the proper fee, to:
            H. F. Buerer
            P.O. Box 83752
            Portland, OR 97283-0752
            USA

        If you don't have a printer, please write the
        needed information on a blank sheet of paper and
        register anyway.  If you would prefer to charge
        your registration to your Visa or MasterCard, please
        call NorthStar Solutions at 1-800-699-6395 between
        9 am and 9 pm Eastern Time.  You may also contact
        NorthStar Solutions via fax, e-mail, or non-toll
        -free number.  **Please do not call NothStar
        Solutions for customer support, only for registering
        by credit card.**  You may also charge your
        registration to your Compuserve acount.  GO SWREG
        on Compuserve and search for Registration ID #11760.

    I know some people who would really like this game.  Can I
    give away copies?
        Yes. We encourage you to give away copies to anyone
        who might enjoy the game, as long as they are
        copies of the shareware version and not the
        registered version.  One of te easiest ways to do
        this is to copy all the files from your distribution
        disk into a temporary directory on your hard drive.
        Then select those files and copy them to a new
        formatted diskette as many times as you want.  If
        If you downloaded the game, we suggest that you
        unzip the compressed file first, then copy the
        files that result onto diskettes to give away.

    Why don't I get any New Testament questions when I play?
        By default the game gives questions from the
        Hebrew Bible (Old Testament).  You can change
        that setting from the Options menu.  You can
        also change the name used for this collection
        of writings by double-clicking on the words,
        "Hebrew Bible".

    I've played the game so much that I know all the answers.
    Are there any more questions available?
        The registered version has more questions than
        the shareware version.  In addition, there will
        be entire modules of new questions available
        beginning in Fall 1996.  If you register, you
        will be informed whenever new questions become
        available.  Some of the new question modules
        will include: Which book?  Which happened first?
        and Where did this happen?

    Can my church use this game for Sunday School or Vacation
    Bible School?
        They certainly can.  Many churches are already
        doing that.  As long as the church or an
        individual has registered one copy of the game
        for every computer that is used to play on, you
        may use it as much as you like.  See the
        information on How to Register earlier in this
        manual for site license information.

    I like the music to the game, but sometimes I would like
    to hear music to familiar hymns instead.  Is that possible?
        Yes it is.  The registered version will allow you
        to choose any MIDI file that you like for
        background music.  Beginning in late 1996, we
        hope to make available a disk of MIDI files of
        familiar hymns to use for this purpose.

    Why the animal noises? Wouldn't a fanfare or something
    be more appropriate?
        There are really two reasons.  We tend to forget
        that the Israelites had their flocks and herds
        with them when they crossed the Red Sea.  Also
        in our testing we discovered that fanfares
        clashed with the music that was playing.  However,
        if you have access to .wav files that you would
        rather hear than those included, simply copy them
        to the directory where the game files are and
        rename them to RIGHT.WAV, WRONG1.WAV or WRONG2.WAV.

    Can I add my own questions or print out some questions
    to use in my Sunday School class?
        Yes.  Those capabilities are built into the
        registered version.  You can also edit any of
        the questions or answers from the registered
        version.

    I seem to always get hard questions.  Do you have any
    that are appropriate for younger children?
        Yes.  In fact, younger children will automatically
        get questions that are appropriate for their
        knowledge.  But you have to allow them to miss
        a question or two first; if you help them, they
        will continue to get harder questions.  The game
        is most fun and most fair for everybody when
        nobody helps anybody.  The children will still
        win about half the time and get about two-thirds
        of the questions right.

    I want the name and photo on my title page.  What do I do?
        When you register, include the additional fee: $2
        for name only and $5 for name and photo.  Be sure
        to let us know what name to use.  Include a photo
        (any size) if you want the photo option.  It will
        be returned.  Be sure to register by mail if you
        want this option, not by any of the charging
        methods.  If you would like to make an exception,
        contact H. F. Buerer by phone, mail, or e-mail.


***License and Warranty
    You are licensed to use this software for evaluation
    purposes only for a period not to exceed thirty days
    from date of first use.  If you desire to continue to
    use it after that time, the registration fee must be
    paid to the author.  This software may be freely copied
    and given away under the condition that all files
    remain together and unaltered except for file compression.
    No price greater than $10 may be charged for distribution
    of this program unless it is on CD, and whenever any
    price is charged, the shareware concept must be explained.

    "Crossing the Red Sea" is supplied as is.  The author
    disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including,
    without limitation, the warranties of merchantability
    and of fitness for any particular purpose.  The author
    assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential,
    which may result from the use of "Crossing the Red Sea".