Aztec Shareware Collection/STRATEGY.ISO/sherlock/sherlock.doc

Text File | 1991-05-13 | 40KB | 706 lines

                                SHERLOCK 1.1


                         A Shareware game for EGA


                        Copyright 1991 Everett Kaser
                            All rights reserved.


                                May 11, 1991




        This is a game of logic and deduction for the IBM PC family of
        compatible computers.

        REQUIREMENTS: IBM PC compatible computer with at least 512K of RAM.
                      EGA/VGA compatible display with at least 128K or RAM.
                      Microsoft compatible mouse.

        The program will not function with CGA, MDA, or Hercules display
        adapters, nor will it work without a mouse.

        Sherlock is a game of deduction.  It is your task, based upon the
        information available in provided clues, to determine the locations
        of 36 blocks.  Every puzzle can be solved by using the clues to
        eliminate possibilities until the location of a specific block can
        be determined.  Sherlock may be played by a SINGLE person, or a
        TOURNAMENT may be set up, with each person in the TOURNAMENT
        attempting to solve the same puzzle as quickly as possible.  A
        TIME LIMIT may be set if desired.

                        _________________________________
                        ALSO AVAILABLE FROM EVERETT KASER
        ________
        SOLITILE is a game of solitaire, played with "tiles".  It derives
        from several similar games, such as "Shanghai", "Gunshy", and
        "Mahjongg", which are played with Mah-Jong tiles.  Solitile plays
        the same game, but adds new starting layouts and the ability for the
        player to create new layouts and/or modify the layouts provided.  It
        also uses new "westernized" pictures on the faces of the tiles.
        Best with mouse, but works well from keyboard, too.
        _____
        SNARF is an arcade style game where you have to run around through
        various mazes (levels) picking up treasure (rings and crowns) while
        avoiding the Snarfs.  You can shoot the Snarfs, but you only get points
        for the treasure, not for the Snarfs.  Each time you're touched by a
        Snarf, you're "tagged".  You start with a "tag count" of 50.  Each time
        you're tagged the count is decremented.  If you get tagged when the
        count is 0, the game is over.  You can get "healed" at a first-aid
        station (your tag count is pumped back up to 50).  There are more
        than 30 levels in the registered version of the game, and the user
        can create more levels with the built-in Level Editor.

        Print the file REGISTER.DOC for ordering information.



        SHERLOCK is being distributed as SHAREWARE.  You may use the program
        for a period of 7 days, after which you must either register the
        program with the author or stop using it.  To register the program,
        send $15 in U.S. funds to:

                        Everett Kaser
                        Sherlock
                        35405 Spruce St
                        Albany, OR  97321

        A registration form is included to help with the registration process.
        To print the file REGISTER.DOC, ensure that your printer is turned on,
        that it's on-line, and then type:

                        PRINT REGISTER.DOC

        Registered users may receive an update at any time by sending $5 to
        the same address.  Registered users may write or call at any time to
        find out the latest revision date or to receive other support.

        I can be contacted via U.S. Mail at above address, via email on
        Internet at

                hplabs!hp-pcd!everett  or  [e-mail]

        or by phone at [phone] (not before 8:30am or after 9:30pm,
        Pacific Time, please).

        The game package, which MUST include the files SHERLOCK.EXE (the game),
        SHERLOCK.DOC (this file), and REGISTER.DOC (the registration form) may
        be freely copied and distributed.  These three files may be re-archived
        to better suit a given distribution system, but the files may not be
        modified in any other way.  No distributor may charge more than $6 for
        the distribution of this program, and that fee in no way reduces the
        shareware registration fee owed to the author by the user.

        Bug reports, suggestions, and comments are always welcome.

    __________________________________
    I. GETTING STARTED: ABOUT THE GAME

        This game is based upon a puzzle that I remember from my high school
        days.  In that puzzle you were told that there were six different
        colored houses side-by-side, in a row.  A person lived in each house,
        and each person had a different pet, drank a different drink, drove
        a different car, etc.  Then you were given a list of clues, such as:

          "The person who drinks orange juice lives next to the red house."

        From the list of clues, you had to decide which things went where.

        Sherlock implements basically the same thing, but done in a graphical
        environment where you use the mouse to organize the clues, keep track
        of possibilities and impossibilities, and mark the deduced locations
        of objects.  There are 65,536 different puzzles, enough to keep you
        occupied well into the next century.

        It would be best to start the program at this point, so you can refer
        to the display and try things as you read through these instructions.

        Before you get to the game display, you're faced with the either
        the MAIN MENU or the PLAYER SELECTION display.  If this is the first
        time you've run Sherlock and your copy didn't come with a file called
        SHERLOCK.CFG (it normally doesn't), then the PLAYER SELECTION screen
        is displayed.  At this point you MUST enter a NEW PLAYER name before
        going further.  Click either mouse button on the NEW PLAYER box, type
        in your name, and then press the ENTER key.  Next click either mouse
        button on the DONE box.  This will bring you to the MAIN MENU.

        The MAIN MENU has a number of things to select from, most of which we
        will ignore at this point.  The items of primary interest are:
           PLAY:  this starts the game.
           EXIT_TO_DOS:  this exits the program.
        Click either mouse button on the PLAY box.  This will bring up the
        game display.  The program must first "generate" the current puzzle.
        It does this by first randomly scrambling all of the items within each
        row.  It then generates random clues until there are sufficient clues
        to correctly solve the puzzle.  Lastly, it draws the board and clue
        areas onto the display, at which point it's ready for you to begin
        solving the puzzle.

        The game display has four major areas:
        1) The playing board which consists of six rows, each row containing
           six related pictures (six people, six numbers, six different street
           signs, etc).  Initially, each location in a row shows all six
           possibilities for that row as half-sized images.  The half-size
           indicates that they are only possibilities.  When a row-column
           location is inhabited by a single full-sized image, that indicates
           that the block is (or is BELIEVED to be) located there.  As you
           deduce that an item can't be in a given square, the RIGHT mouse
           button can be used to remove that possibility from that location.
           When you've deduced that a specific item HAS to be at a specific
           location, the LEFT mouse button can be used to signify it.  The
           correctness (or the incorrectness) of your deductions is not checked
           or displayed until you have specified locations for all 36 items, at
           which point the game is over, and you will have won or lost.

        2) Below the playing board is a menu and information area.  This area
           lets you get back to the main menu, undo up to 25 of your most
           recent actions, get a hint (which costs 30 seconds of "time"), or
           see the clues that you have moved to the "OTHER CLUES" bank.  This
           area also displays the current player's name, the current game time,
           and the current puzzle number.

        3) To the right of the playing board is the "horizontal clue" area.
           These clues show relationships between items that are in different
           columns.

        4) Across the bottom of the display is the "vertical clue" area.  These
           clues show relationships between items that are in the same columns.
    ______________
    II.  THE CLUES

        There are two basic groupings of the clues.

        Horizontal, or multi-column, clues consist of three pictures of blocks,
        and they indicate how certain blocks are located relative to each
        other when those blocks are in different columns.

        Vertical, or single-column, clues consist of two pictures of blocks,
        and they indicate either that two blocks ARE or ARE NOT in the same
        column.  Most puzzles will have some blocks that are not included in
        any of the clues (there position becomes apparent through a process of
        elimination).  These are shown individually in the vertical clue area
        for reference.

        A third type of clue is the most helpful.  Many puzzles will have from
        one to three blocks shown at their actual positions on the board.  When
        this occurs, those blocks are not shown as possibilities at the other
        locations in their rows, and they're shown as a large picture at their
        actual location.  These blocks cannot be moved or changed.

        After reading through this description of the clue types, a good way
        to get a feeling for how to apply the clues to solving the puzzles is
        to use the hint feature to play all the way through a puzzle.  In this
        way the game will show you how it solves the puzzle.

        --- VERTICAL CLUES ---

        The first type of vertical clue is known as IS_SAME_COLUMN:

           ┌─────┐      This clue tells us that the RED_HOUSE and the STOP_SIGN
           │     │      are in the same column.  So, if we know where the
           │ RED │      RED_HOUSE is, then we know where the STOP_SIGN is,
           │HOUSE│      since we always know what row a given block is in, and
           └─────┘      this along with the known position of the RED_HOUSE
           ┌─────┐      would tell us which column it's in.  The reverse, of
           │     │      course, is also true.  If we know where the STOP_SIGN
           │STOP │      is, then this clue tells us where the RED_HOUSE is.
           │     │
           └─────┘      Conversely, if the RED_HOUSE is known to NOT be in a
                        particular column, then this clue tells us that the
                STOP_SIGN can't be in that column either, since they have to
                both be in the same column.  Also, if the STOP_SIGN can't be
                in a given column, then the RED_HOUSE can't be in that column.

        The second type of vertical clue is known as IS_NOT_SAME_COLUMN:

           ┌─────┐      Imagine that the clue to the left has superimposed over
           │     │      it a red circle with a slash through it (the standard
           │GOLDI│      symbol for DON'T or NO).  This would indicate that
           │LOCKS│      the S block is NOT in the same column as GOLDILOCKS
           └─────┘      (and vice versa).  This clue isn't of any use to you
           ┌─────┐      until you know the location of one of the blocks.  At
           │     │      that point, you can use this clue to eliminate that
           │  S  │      column as a possible location for the other block.
           │     │
           └─────┘

        Again, a single block appearing in a vertical clue by itself means that
        block is not involved in any clues.

        --- HORIZONTAL CLUES ---

        The first and most common horizontal clue is known as IS_NEXT_TO:

           ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ This clue means that the 5 block and the
           │     ││     ││     │ GREEN_HOUSE block next to each other (the
           │  5  ││GREEN││  5  │ phrase "next to" means that they're in adjac-
           │     ││HOUSE││     │ ent columns; since they're different "types"
           └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ of blocks, they can't be in the same row).
        But, the clue doesn't tell you whether the 5 is on the left of the
        GREEN_HOUSE, or if the GREEN_HOUSE is on the left of the 5.  That's
        why the 5 is shown on both sides of the GREEN_HOUSE, because it's
        next to the GREEN_HOUSE, but it could be on either the right or left.

        The second horizontal clue type is known as IS_NOT_NEXT_TO:

           ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ Imagine that the NOT symbol (the red circle
           │     ││     ││     │ with the slash through it) is superimposed
           │  5  ││GREEN││  5  │ over the GREEN_HOUSE in this clue.  This
           │     ││HOUSE││     │ would indicate that the GREEN_HOUSE is *NOT*
           └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ next to the 5, neither on the left or the
        right.  This clue is usually not of much use until the location of one
        of the two blocks is known.  At that point the other block can be
        removed as a possibility from the adjacent columns.

        The third horizontal clue type is known as IS_LEFT_OF:

           ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ This clue tells you that the DEAD_END sign is
           │     ││     ││     │ in a column somewhere to the left of the
           │ DEAD││ ... ││  M  │ column in which the M is located.  The DEAD_
           │ END ││     ││     │ END may be immediately adjacent to the M on
           └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ the M's left, or the DEAD_END may be in the
        left-most column while the M is in the right-most column, or anywhere
        between these two extremes.  But, the DEAD_END is *NOT* in the same
        column as the M, and the DEAD_END is not to the right of the M.  The
        three dots in the center block of the clue is being used as the
        IS_LEFT_OF symbol.
        The fourth (and generally most useful) horizontal clue is IS_BETWEEN:

              <------------->    Imagine that the double-headed arrow is
           ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ actually superimposed over the tops of the
           │     ││     ││     │ three clue blocks.  This clue means that the
           │  L  ││APPLE││BLUE │ APPLE column is between the L and BLUE_HOUSE
           │     ││     ││HOUSE│ columns, and that the L and BLUE_HOUSE columns
           └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ are immediately adjacent to the APPLE column.
        However, the arrow means that the L could be on the left and the
        BLUE_HOUSE on the right, *OR* the L could be on the right and the
        BLUE_HOUSE on the left.  This clue also tells you that the APPLE can
        not be in the left-most *OR* right-most columns, since then it would
        only have one adjacent column.  Also, as soon as the location of any
        one of these three blocks is known, then there are at most only two
        possible locations for each of the other two blocks, either to the
        right or left of the known block.  This clue can also be used to
        eliminate possibilities.  For instance, suppose that the APPLE is still
        shown as a possibility in the second column from the left, but neither
        the L or BLUE_HOUSE is a possibility in the left-most column.  Since
        either the L or the BLUE_HOUSE *HAS* to be to the left of the APPLE
        and neither of them can be (in this scenario), then the APPLE can't be
        in the second column from the left.

        The fifth (and last) horizontal clue type is IS_NOT_BETWEEN:

              <------------->    Imagine that the double-headed arrow is
           ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ actually superimposed over the tops of the
           │     ││     ││     │ three clue blocks, and that the red NOT symbol
           │  L  ││APPLE││BLUE │ is superimposed over the APPLE.  This means
           │     ││     ││HOUSE│ that the L and the BLUE_HOUSE have one column
           └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ between them (just as in the IS_BETWEEN clue)
        and that the L could be to the left or to the right of the BLUE_HOUSE,
        but the APPLE is *NOT* between them.  Again, this clue doesn't tell us
        anything about the location of the APPLE until the locations of both
        the L and the BLUE_HOUSE are known.  But, this clue does tell us that
        the L and BLUE_HOUSE are two columns away from each other.

        --- MANAGING THE CLUES ---

        The clues can be moved around to better group them, so that clues with
        common blocks can be placed together.  To do this, use the mouse to
        point to any one of the blocks in the clue.  Press and hold either
        mouse button, then move the mouse, dragging the block to its new
        location (within that group of clues;  you can't move a HORIZONTAL clue
        to the VERTICAL clue group or vice versa).  When it's positioned where
        you'd like the clue to be located, release the mouse button.  If the
        new location was empty, the clue will be moved there.  If the location
        was not empty, all clues below and to the right will be moved "down"
        to make room before the clue is moved.

        Notice that if you select a clue block with the left mouse button that
        the block remains full-sized.  If you select the clue block with the
        right mouse button, it becomes half-sized.  Either way works fine for
        moving clues.  Should you realize that you've incorrectly removed a
        block as a possibility from a given location on the board, you can use
        the right mouse button to select the block from a clue and drag it to
        the location on the board where you feel it should still be a possibil-
        ity.  You can similarly pick and drag possibilities from the board
        itself. Usually, this feature won't be of much use, as UNDO is handier.

        Another feature that is very useful in managing the clues is the
        "OTHER CLUES" bin.  Initially, all clues are shown on the display.  You
        can think of this as the "GAME CLUE" bin.  As you play the game, some
        clues will become "used".  In other words, the clue will be of no
        further use because all of its information has become used on the
        board.  You can click the right mouse button on the clue, and it will
        disappear, moved to the "OTHER CLUES" bin.  This keeps the "GAME CLUE"
        bin as un-cluttered as possible, letting you focus just on the clues
        that still have useful information.

        However, you may occasionally move a clue to the "OTHER CLUES" bin
        before you've actually used all of the information in the clue.  The
        "GAME CLUES" bin and the "OTHER CLUES" bin can be swapped by clicking
        either mouse button on the "OTHER CLUES" menu box.

    ______________________
    III.  NOTES ON PLAYING THE GAME

        The whole object of the game is to correctly locate all 36 blocks.
        This is done through a process of deduction and elimination, using
        the clues as a guide.  When a clue tells you that a particular block
        can not possibly be located at a particular square on the board, point
        to the block with the mouse and then click the right mouse button.  The
        image of the block that you pointed to will disappear.  When there's
        only one small image left, it MUST be the block that is located at that
        square.  When that happens, point to it with the mouse and click the
        left mouse button.  The block will be made full-sized and all other
        half-sized images of that block in the row will disappear.

        Also, watch for situations where a particular block exists as a
        possibility at only one location.  This means that it HAS to be located
        there, so it can be enlarged.

        While you're first learning the game, in order to keep the mouse
        buttons straight, think of the left button as BIG/KEEP and the right
        button as SMALL/REMOVE.

        In order to solve the puzzle, you must repeatedly scan through the
        clues, testing each clue to see if it will eliminate any more possibil-
        ities in each column.  Each time you remove one possibility from the
        board, that may cause other clues to become useful in removing further
        possibilities.  Remember, all boards are guaranteed to be solvable with
        the provided clues.

        When you locate the last of the 36 blocks the game is over, and the
        program will tell you whether your deductions were correct or not.

        --- HINT ---

        The HINT menu box is a very good way to quickly get a feeling for how
        the puzzles are solved.  Click either mouse button on the HINT box.
        The program will draw a box with a HINT in it, blinking a box around
        the associated clue and an arrow pointing to the appropriate clue on
        the board.  When you click a mouse button a second time, the HINT box
        goes away and the appropriate action for the HINT is automatically
        performed for you (usually removing a possibility or locating a block).

        So, by repeatedly clicking on the HINT menu box and reading the HINTs,
        the program will teach you how to use the clues to solve the puzzles.

        If you're trying to solve the puzzles as fast as possible, you should
        use HINT very sparingly, as each HINT costs you 30 seconds.  If you're
        playing the game with NO TIME LIMIT, then 30 seconds is added to the
        "game time".  If you're playing with a TIME LIMIT, then 30 seconds is
        subtracted from your remaining time.  But, used at a critical point,
        HINT can be used once or twice, very strategically, to get you past
        a particularly difficult spot.

        --- UNDO ---

        Sherlock keeps track of the last 25 actions you've taken and can undo
        those actions.  If you realize that you've made a mistake, you can
        repeatedly click on the UNDO menu box until you reach the point at
        which you made the mistake (assuming that it was within the last 25
        actions).  UNDO cannot be UNDOne (except by repeating the action which
        UNDO UNDid).

    _______________________
    IV. THE MAIN MENU

        The Main Menu contains a number of options to allow you to configure
        the game to your preferences.  Any of the menu boxes is activated by
        clicking either mouse button on the desired box.

        --- PLAY/RESUME and RESTART ---

        This box will say PLAY if the game has not been started yet.  Clicking
        on the PLAY box will cause the program to generate the next puzzle and
        display it (this process can take anywhere from 3 or 4 seconds up to
        20 seconds or more, depending upon the puzzle and the speed of your
        computer).  Once the game has been started, the player can return to
        the Main Menu by clicking on the MENU box.  At this point, the PLAY
        box is re-labeled as RESUME, and a RESTART menu box is also shown.
        RESUME will take you right back to your game.  RESTART will start the
        puzzle over in its initial state.  Once a puzzle has been started,
        the only Main Menu entry that will have any effect on a RESUMED game
        is SOUND.  TIME, COLORS, IMAGES, BACKGROUND, PUZZLE, and PLAYER are
        modifiable, but only affect the configuration file and/or future
        puzzles, and should generally only be changed in between puzzles. HELP
        can be used at any time, as can RESUME, RESTART, and EXIT_TO_DOS.

        --- PUZZLE ---

        This box always shows the puzzle number that will be generated on the
        next PLAY.  Clicking on this menu box will allow you to specify a
        different number.  When you first start playing Sherlock, the puzzle
        number will be 0.  As each puzzle is solved, the game automatically
        increments to the puzzle number.  The current puzzle number for each
        player is kept in the SHERLOCK.CFG file.

        For tournament play, the game generates a random puzzle number, which
        can be over-ridden with a specific puzzle number before the first
        player starts, if desired.

        --- PLAYER ---

        This menu box always shows whether you're in SINGLE or TOURNEY play
        mode.  By clicking on the PLAYER menu box, you'll bring up the PLAYER
        menu, which allows you to add new players, change the names of players,
        remove players from the list, and select SINGLE or TOURNEY play mode.

        If you look carefully, you will notice that the SINGLE or TOURNEY
        menu box appears to be "pushed in".  This indicates that that mode is
        active.  If you click on the other menu box, it will "go in" and the
        previous one will "come out".  If you click on SINGLE or TOURNEY when
        its menu box is already "in", the program will just beep at you.

        When in SINGLE mode, the name of the current player is highlighted.
        A different player can be selected by pointing at the players name with
        the mouse and clicking either mouse button.

        When in TOURNEY mode, all of the names of those players who will be
        participating in the tournament are highlighted.  Again, players can
        be selected or de-selected for participation in the tournament by
        pointing at them with the mouse and clicking either mouse button.

        When the SINGLE/TOURNEY mode and player(s) are selected, click either
        mouse button on the DONE menu box to return to the main menu.

        Each player can have his/her own set of configuration options,  all of
        which is saved in the SHERLOCK.CFG file.  Each player can have a
        different set of colors, background pattern, block images, time limit,
        and sound.  When a player is selected, his/her configuration is
        automatically selected and used.  Because of this, it's important that
        you ensure that YOU'RE the selected player before you start changing
        configuration information.

        --- TIME ---

        You can play the game with NO time LIMIT, in which case the game timer
        starts at 00:00:00 and counts upward.  However, you can also set a
        time limit, in which case the game timer starts at that time setting
        and counts downward.  If the puzzle isn't solved before the timer
        reaches zero, you lose.

        When you click on the TIME menu box, it's replaced with a two-button
        selection.  Click on the desired item.  If COUNT DOWN is selected,
        you will be prompted to enter a time in HH:MM:SS format (that means
        hours:minutes:seconds).  At this point, use BACKSPACE and the number
        keys (and the colon) to enter a new time, then press ENTER.  If the
        time is not in the correct format, the time limit won't be changed.

        --- COLORS ---

        This menu box will bring up another menu that allows you to select the
        colors that you wish to be used for various parts of the game display.

        By carefully selecting colors, you can come up with pleasing alternate
        color schemes.  (You can also come up with some really putrid schemes,
        too!)  To change colors, first point to the name of an item and click
        a mouse button.  This will cause that item to be outlined with a box.

        Then, to select a new color for that item, point to the desired color
        in the palette and click a mouse button.  The color menu will then be
        redrawn using that new color.

        If you decide you've really botched things, you can use the ABORT
        box to put things back to the way they were when you entered the color
        menu and then exit back to the main menu.  Alternatively, you can use
        the INIT box to set the colors to the default settings that the program
        uses. When finished editing the colors, click a mouse button on the
        DONE box.  The new color settings will be automatically saved in the
        SHERLOCK.CFG file for the current player.

        --- BACKGROUND PATTERN ---

        This brings up a new menu which allows you to select from one of a
        number of pre-made background patterns, shown on the right, or to
        create your own pattern by clicking on the squares of the "zoom" box
        on the left.  The current pattern is shown in the box at the top of
        the menu.

        Again, ABORT will exit back to the main menu without changing the
        background pattern, while DONE will save any changes in the
        SHERLOCK.CFG file.

        --- IMAGES ---

        This allows you to modify the block images used in the game, or create
        whole new sets.  Initially, a menu comes up that shows all 36 blocks
        along with the "empty" block.  At this level, you can copy any block
        image into a new location by pointing to the image you wish to copy,
        then pressing and holding down a mouse button.  Move the mouse to the
        location where you want the image to be copied and then release the
        mouse button.  Of course, this over-writes the image that was at the
        new location.  This is most useful when creating a whole new set of
        six images (a row).  You can use the editor to create a common back-
        ground image, then copy it to all six locations in the row.  Then, you
        can edit each of those to add the unique "foreground" image.

        You enter the image editor by pointing the mouse at the image that you
        wish to edit and clicking a mouse button.  The image editor is then
        brought up, which shows a "zoomed" image of the block, along with a
        normal-sized and a half-sized image of the block.  The current color
        is shown by a white outline box in the palette area. You can change the
        current color by pointing to a new color and clicking a mouse button.

        You can change the color of a pixel by pointing to it in the "zoom" box
        and then clicking either mouse button.  It will be changed to the
        current color.

        You can "paint" by pointing to a desired area of the zoom box, then
        press and hold the left mouse button.  As you move the mouse around,
        every pixel that the mouse points to will be changed to the current
        color until you release the left mouse button.

        You can draw lines using a rubber-band line by pointing to one end-
        point of the line, then pressing and holding the right mouse button.
        Now, as you move the mouse, a rubber-band line will follow the mouse,
        anchored at the first point.  No pixels are actually changed until you
        release the right mouse button.  At that point a line is drawn between
        the two end-points using the current color.

        There are menu boxes for ABORT, INIT, and DONE.  ABORT will take you
        back to the top-level image editing menu without saving any changes
        you might have made.  INIT will erase any changes you have made, set-
        ting the image back to what it was when you entered the zoom editor.
        DONE will take you back to the top-level image menu, saving the
        changes you've made.

        Also, there are four other menu boxes to aid you with your image
        editing.  REPLACE COLOR allows you to replace all pixels of one specif-
        ied color with a second specified color.  When prompted for the colors
        you can point to them either in the zoom box or in the color palette.
        The "H flip" and "V flip" will reverse the image horizontally or
        vertically.  "Clear to color" is useful when first starting a new
        image; it sets the entire image to the current color.

        Lastly, at the bottom-middle of the image editor there is a box that
        is divided into four areas by a large X.  Each area contains an arrow.
        This is an "imaging shifter" control box.  Each time you click on one
        of the arrows, the image is shifted one pixel in that direction. This
        is useful for centering an image that you've drawn, or for making the
        half-size image look better.  The half-size image is generated from
        the full-size image by throwing away every other row and every other
        column of pixels.  Obviously, depending upon exactly which rows and
        columns the pixels of an image are in, the half-size image may come
        out looking very good or like an ink-blot.  For each full-size image,
        there are four different possible half-size images, controlled by
        shifting the full-sized image left/right and up/down one pixel.  You
        should position the full-sized image so as to select the most recogniz-
        able half-size image.

        Back to the top-level image menu.  Your edited images can be saved into
        a file by selecting the SAVE menu box.  The filename you specify can
        be a complete pathname (including drive and sub-directories) or just
        a filename (for the current drive/directory).  However, you can not
        specify a file extension, as Sherlock always stores these images in
        files with an extension of .SHI (for SHerlock Images).  The filename
        you enter is remembered in the SHERLOCK.CFG file, and each time you
        start playing the game, your image set is automatically loaded and
        used.  If someone else has created an image set that you wish to use
        then just select the LOAD menu box and enter the file name of their
        images.  Again, this file name will be recorded in SHERLOCK.CFG as
        your image file.  However, if you plan to modify the images, you
        should probably do a STORE to a different file name after you LOAD
        them in.  This way, you won't make your friend angry by modifying
        his/her copy of the images.

        You can also MERGE rows of images from one file into another.  After
        you select the MERGE menu box, you will be prompted for a filename
        from which you wish to merge a row of images from.  Enter the name
        and press RETURN.  You will then be prompted for the row where you
        wish the images to be placed.  Use the mouse to click on the row of
        images that you wish to be replaced by the new ones.

        And, of course, we have ABORT, INIT, and DONE.  ABORT will exit the
        IMAGE menu and restore your images to what they were before you entered
        the menu (discarding any changes you made).  INIT will set the images
        to the default images that are built into the program.  DONE is what
        you select when you want to return to the MAIN MENU and you want to
        save any changes that might have been made.

        Hints on making good images:
         1) Keep them simple.  You don't have many pixels to work with, and
            the simpler the images, the easier they are to recognize.
         2) Choose your six sets of six images well, so that each of the six
            sets is EASILY and QUICKLY distinguishable from the others.  This
            is very important when playing the game.  Background colors and
            subject matter are very important for this.
         3) Choose your six images within each set so that they are quickly
            and easily distinguishable from each other, even at half-size.
            This is also VERY important while playing the game.  This can best
            be done with foreground colors and shapes.
         4) Make sure that each image is best placed so that the half-size
            image is as recognizable as possible.  (See the paragraph above
            on the "image shifter".
         5) A good contrast outline on each image block really helps to diff-
            erentiate the six half-size images at each location on the board.

        That's about it for image editing.

        --- SOUND ---

        There are a number of sound effects during game play, and these can
        be enabled or disabled by clicking on the SOUND menu box.  It's a
        simple toggle between YES and NO.

        --- HELP! ---

        This brings up a brief set of instruction screens for those that hate
        to read manuals.

        --- EXIT TO DOS ---

        This exits the program and updates the SHERLOCK.CFG file as necessary.

    __________________
    V. TOURNAMENT PLAY

        When TOURNEY is selected in the PLAYER menu, any number of the players
        can be selected for inclusion in the tournament by clicking on their
        names.  (A selected player can be excluded, also, by clicking on his
        or her name.)  Once TOURNEY is selected, and all desired players are
        selected, click on DONE.  This takes you back to the MAIN MENU, with
        a random puzzle number selected.  Should you desire the tournament
        to use a specific puzzle number, it should be selected at this point.
        Also, TIME should be set to NO LIMIT or to an agreed upon limit.

        When all is ready, click on PLAY.  This will bring up the TOURNAMENT
        STANDINGS box, which shows a list of all involved players and their
        current standings in the tournament.  Initially, all will show WAITING.
        A prompt will show who the first player is.  When next a mouse button
        is clicked, the game will start for that player.  All other players
        should be away from the computer at this point, as they will each be
        trying to solve the same puzzle, and they don't deserve to get a head
        start by seeing the puzzle before it's their turn.

        When the first player is finished, the puzzle is erased and the
        TOURNAMENT STANDINGS box is shown again, along with a prompt for the
        next player.  This will stay on the display until a mouse button is
        clicked, at which point the puzzle is redrawn and the second player
        is off and running.  This sequence continues until the last player
        finishes, at which point the tournament is over and the MAIN MENU is
        shown once more, along with the TOURNAMENT STANDINGS, with the players
        organized by times.

        During a tournament, the MENU box on the game display shows QUIT
        instead of MENU.  During a tournament, you're in a race, and there's no
        getting out of it except by quitting.  If you QUIT, that's the end of
        your turn and the next player starts.  Needless to say those who QUIT
        come in last, next are those who complete the puzzle but get it wrong,
        and the tournament winners are those who complete it correctly, in the
        shortest amount of time.  HINT is available during tournament play,
        but remember, every HINT costs you 30 seconds of time.

    ____________________
    VI. REVISION HISTORY

        Rev 1.1 May 12, 1991
                Initial release.


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