@DATABASE "Puzzly v0.74 Documentation" @NODE MAIN "Puzzly v0.74 Documentation" -------------------------------- Puzzly v0.74 Documentation -------------------------------- by Simone Bevilacqua 10/1/1996 @{" DISCLAIMER " Link DISCLAIMER} @{" Distribution " Link Distribution} @{" Requirements & Installation " Link Requirements_&_Installation} @{" What the hell is PuZzLy? " Link What_the_hell_is_PuZzLy?} @{" Features " Link Features} @{" BUGS " Link BUGS} @{" CREDITS " Link CREDITS} @{" Author " Link Author} @{" GREETINGS " Link GREETINGS} @ENDNODE @NODE DISCLAIMER "DISCLAIMER" ********************************************************************* * THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED 'AS-IS' WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND * * EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. * * I ACCEPT NO RESPONSABILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE OR PROBLEM * * DERIVING FROM THE USE OF THIS PROGRAM: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! * ********************************************************************* Yet, this game is NOT a bomb! @ENDNODE @NODE Distribution "Distribution" This program is Public Domain, which means that it can be FREELY distributed all around the world. ***It CANNOT be sold FOR PROFIT*** so only the distribution charges (i.e. disk, postage & packing,etc.) can be applied. This game MUST be distributed in its original .LHA archive, which includes the following files: Bbs Pat Puzzly Puzzly.info Puzzly.guide Puzzly.guide.info FONTS (dir) UFO2 (dir) 8 UFO2.font LANG (dir) English Italiano MUSIC (dir) Boh_nth.MED Rockin'.MED SAVEGAME (dir) TABLES (dir) Air.iff AirLogo.iff West.iff Fractal.iff See @{" Game Files " Link Game_Files} for further information about files. @ENDNODE @NODE Requirements_&_Installation "Requirements & Installation" To install onto your Hard Drive just copy every file and drawer in the same directory anywhere on your HD. The fonts, instead, must be copied in your FONTS: directory. The following libraries should be in your LIBS: drawer: - Diskfont.library (necessary) - Medplayer.library (optional) This game has been tested on: unexpaned A1200; A4000/040, 68882 co-processor, 6MB ram; but it should run also on unexpanded A500. @{" NTSC " Link NTSC} @ENDNODE @NODE NTSC "NTSC" The program detects if it is running on a NTSC machine, so that it sets the playing area height according to that mode limitations. I never had the chance to test Puzzly on a real NTSC machine, but there should be no problem. @ENDNODE @NODE What_the_hell_is_PuZzLy? "What the hell is PuZzLy?" Well, Puzzly is just a silly way of spending your spare-time. It's one of those (stupid) games which upset your mind, with their EXAGGERATED difficulty..... er, maybe it's better to start talking about it.... Basically, your task is to re-assemble a picture after it's been completely (and RANDOMLY) broken in pieces (@{" Cards " Link Cards}) and placed onto the screen in rows and columns. Seems like a lot of other games? Probably, but I enjoyed both programming and playing it, so let's go on. If you wanna know more, see @{" How to Play " Link How_to_Play}. (don't tell me you're really goin' to read all this doc!!! My game is so simple it's just not worthy doin' it!!!!) NOTE:- This game has been written a year ago: the reason of the gap between its completion and its release is that I got an account only recently! @ENDNODE @NODE Features "Features" Here you can find some (useful?) info about this mind-teaser... @{" Controls " Link Controls} @{" Game Files " Link Game_Files} @{" Game Menus " Link Game_Menus} @{" How to Play " Link How_to_Play} @{" Difficulty " Link Difficulty} @ENDNODE @NODE Controls "Controls" This game is completely mouse-controlled, so you'll never need to press any key. Even when you've got to write your name or file names. AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! Ok,Ok,OK!!! I've not been so cruel, in fact you must type in your name using your beloved keyboard.... The only real control via keyboard is the button M, which disables the @{" In-Game Music " Link In-Game_Music} and lets your ears rest for a while. @ENDNODE @NODE Game_Files "Game Files" This game has been written in a "modular" way so that you can play with your favourite Picture and Module and even change the game Language! @{" Pictures " Link Pictures} @{" In-Game Music " Link In-Game_Music} @{" Languages " Link Languages} @ENDNODE @NODE Pictures "Pictures" This game allows you to decide which Picture has to be used in the game. Any ILBM of any size should be accepted (providing you have enough memory), but AGA is *NOT* supported. See also @{" BUGS " Link BUGS}. To be able to load your favourite pix just put them in the @{" Tables " Link Tables} drawer and then....click the button! @ENDNODE @NODE In-Game_Music "In-Game Music" As for the pix, you can load any Protracker / MED(MMD0/1) and enjoy it during your game. Copy your favourite tracks in the @{" Music " Link Music} drawer, but DON'T use 8+ voices mods, as they'll be played using only 4 channels. The chosen module will be started at the beginning of the game and can be stopped anytime by pressing "M". @ENDNODE @NODE Languages "Languages" If you really like wasting your time customizing everything runs on your AMIGA, this feature is for YOU! In fact, you can translate in your language (or just modify) the ASCII files which can be found in the LANG directory. When you've finished your hard work save it in the same dire- ctory so that you'll be able to access it from the @{" Language " Link Language} menu. Any translation is welcome, as long as it proves to be the exact translation of the original files. @ENDNODE @NODE Game_Menus "Game Menus" Before playing you are presented with some requester which give you access to all the game features. @{" Information " Link Information} @{" Game " Link Game} @{" Tables " Link Tables} @{" Music " Link Music} @{" Language " Link Language} @{" Quit " Link Quit} @ENDNODE @NODE Information "Information" Some Info about myself, credits, and a lot of silly things... @ENDNODE @NODE Game "Game" From the Game Menu you can: - Load a previously saved game; - Save current game; - Set the number of players (from 1 vs CPU up to 20...); - Set the CPU skillfullness; (see @{" Difficulty " Link Difficulty}) - Set the Time Limit for future games (0 mins=No time limit) (see @{" Timer " Link Timer}). - Start/Continue to play. @ENDNODE @NODE Tables "Tables" From the Tables Menu you can: - Load a pic from the TABLES drawer; - View the pic loaded (MEMORIZE IT!! You CANNOT view it in the middle of the game); - Decide the size and the numer of @{" Cards " Link Cards} the pic will be split into. (Note that the last option (obviously) affects the @{" Difficulty " Link Difficulty} of the game). @{" Cards " Link Cards} @ENDNODE @NODE Cards "Cards" As you already know, the games splits the picture chosen from the TABLES menu into cards. You can change their size by modifying their Height/Width. Note that the possible dimensions of the cards strictly depend on the screen and picture dimensions in order to perfectly fit them. Obviously, the number of cards varies according to their and picture's size. @ENDNODE @NODE Music "Music" The Music requester allows you to: - Load a MOD/MED module; - Hear it; - Turn the audio filter ON/OFF. You need MedPlayer.library in your LIBS: folder to load MEDules. @ENDNODE @NODE Language "Language" By pressing this button you call a requester which will show the content of the LANG drawer, allowing you to choose your preferred tongue. @ENDNODE @NODE Quit "Quit" No Explanation is needed.... (Are you sure you wanna quit? C'mon, maybe you'll defeat your AMIGA this time...) @ENDNODE @NODE How_to_Play "How to Play" The game screen is divided into two parts and there are a few simple rules: @{" Upper Window " Link Upper_Window} @{" Cards Area " Link Cards_Area} @{" Rules " Link Rules} @ENDNODE @NODE Upper_Window "Upper Window" This window consists of: @{" 2 Text Zones " Link 2_Text_Zones} @{" Radar " Link Radar} @{" Moves Button " Link Moves_Button} @{" Timer " Link Timer} @{" Pause Button " Link Pause_Button} @{" Exit Button " Link Exit_Button} @ENDNODE @NODE 2_Text_Zones "2 Text Zones" The upper zone shows the name of the current player; The lower one shows some idiot messages or the next move the player has to do. @ENDNODE @NODE Radar "Radar" This useful mini-screen shows the visible area (in blue) and a yellow box representing the picture. This is really indispensable when playing with a pic larger than the visible area (@{" NTSC " Link NTSC} users should find this very handy). @ENDNODE @NODE Moves_Button "Moves Button" By pressing this button a RANDOM number will be generated: this is the number of attemps you have to place a card. Anytime you fail, it is decreased and unmercifully displayed onto the button. @ENDNODE @NODE Timer "Timer" The Timer works in two different ways: 1) if the Time Limit is set to 0, it just shows how long you have been playing this game; 2) otherwise it runs from the selected time limit down to 0 and shows the time left to play. @ENDNODE @NODE Pause_Button "Pause Button" This button temporary halts the game and hides the game area (so that you CAN'T stop the time while thinking about your next move....). Besides, the current @{" Players Stats " Link Players_Stats} will be displayed. To go back to game, just press the OK Button. @ENDNODE @NODE Exit_Button "Exit Button" You can't go on clickin' 'n' thinkin' ? Press this button and all your problems will disappear... ...and you'll be able to see what good you are in the @{" Players Stats " Link Players_Stats} @ENDNODE @NODE Players_Stats "Players Stats" Are you a fanatic of stats (i.e.: a basketball player/fan like me)? This will make you happy. At the end of a game or during a pause you are presented with a scrolling listing of the players and their stats in this format: Player# Name Cards Placed / Cards Discovered - Percentage The names of the best player(s) are reported at the top of the window. @ENDNODE @NODE Cards_Area "Cards Area" This is the real playing area. Here you can pick the cards and try to put them in the right place. If the picture is very large, you can scroll it by moving the mouse pointer on this area borders; scrolling is possible only if the moves number has already been extracted. @ENDNODE @NODE Rules "Rules" Simple rules for a simple game (I could have left this page blank): - The game starts with all the cards showing their wonderful back side (it's up to you to make them show their front side (SILLY NOTE!!!!)). - The game is played by turns. - On each turn the player must: 1) Press the @{" Moves Button " Link Moves_Button}; 2) Choose a card: at this point the card is discovered; 3) Decide where to place it: if the player fails, the Moves number is decreased and, as long as it's >0, the player has another chance to put the card in the right place. 4) When the Moves number reaches to 0 or the player successfully places his (her, I hope too...) card, the next player starts to play. - If you choose twice or more the SAME place for the SAME card (and it obviously proves to be wrong) the moves left to you will be decreased the same. - The game ends when the pic is completely reconstructed or the time is up (see also @{" Timer " Link Timer}). You can anytime halt the game by pressing the @{" Pause Button " Link Pause_Button} or quit by pressing the @{" Exit Button " Link Exit_Button} (in this case you can continue by pressing CONTINUE in the Game Requester). @ENDNODE @NODE Difficulty "Difficulty" The difficulty strictly depends on the number and size of the @{" Cards " Link Cards} you've split the pic into. In fact the smaller the cards are, the more difficult is to understand which part of the pic the card is and to locate its exact position. Also your faithful AMIGA is confused when a lot of cards are on the screen (it fails quite often even in GENIUS mode...)!!! In fact, the artificial intelligence of the CPU is affected by the number of cards still undiscovered, whatever skill rate you've chosen. @ENDNODE @NODE BUGS "BUGS" There is only a known bug: when playing with very large pix there could be some problems with the scroll and, if playing against the CPU, your AMIGA could "go crazy". I'm REALLY sorry I can't fix this bug, but I have written this game a year ago and now my studies take me a lot of time. Moreover, I left AMOS for assembler: +---------------------{short digression}----------------------------+ | A WORD TO ALL THE AMOS PROGRAMMERS: | | | |even if AMOS is a very easy and straight-forward way to learn | |programming it is not powerful at all: it hides the real capabi- | |lities of your machine and is not as wonderful as assembly. | |(This doesn't means that AMOS is not good (instead, I really admire| |the great work of François Lionet, who should be awarded for his | |creature)). | +---------------------{end of digression}---------------------------+ so, please, DON'T send any bug report. Yet, should Puzzly not run on the A500, I could try to solve this problem: just let me know at the addresses listed in the @{" Author " Link Author} part. @ENDNODE @NODE CREDITS "CREDITS" ------------ PUZZLY v0.74 ------------ Programmed with AMOS Pro v2.00 © 1992 Europress Software. Concept, Programming, Graphix, UFO2 Fonts, West.iff, AirLogo.iff, Fractal.iff Pics, Boh_nth.MED, Rockin'.MED Mods, Italiano, English Text Files, Puzzly.guide Doc, by Simone Bevilacqua (see @{" Author " Link Author}). Air.iff Pic taken from the Chicago Bulls Internet Site at: http://www4.nando.net/sportserver/basketball/nba/chi.html Pic Format: JPEG converted to ILBM 320*432*6 (EHB). PLEASE, forgive me the sh***y quality of my modules, I NEVER studied music and NEVER understood anything of all those notes, chords, etc. There are a lot of other people I wanna thank: Franz Miceli & Angela Licameli for their unconditioned faith in me and their simpaty. I DO LOVE YOU :-)) Rainer Hess who developed a FANTASTIC HD Patch which made me easier programming.... thanx a lot again, Rainer. All the friends of mine who supported me and tested my game playing against me: Guido Fasciano, Biagio Petruccelli, Raoul Scerra, Harold Mancini... and a lot of other ones I can't remember. Thanx to François Lionet for his AMOS: please, please, support the AMIGA!!!!! Many thanks to all the programmers who still support the most powerful home computer ever: the AMIGA. Special thanks to Fabio Bizzetti and to OTM Publications: your effort won't be vain, and I'll do anything I can to help you keep the AMIGA alive... THAAAAAAANK YOU!!!! to MICHAEL AIR JORDAN, for his return to basketball. THE BEST PLAYER EVER IS BACK!!!!!! Thank You, QUEEN, for your Magic music and the happy moments you provided me. Thank you to everyone who fights against any kind of EVIL Thanx to all the people I've forgotten to mention... ...and to our IMMENSE GOD. @ENDNODE @NODE Author "Author" The author is me and the author is mad and idiot. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The author's name is: Simone Bevilacqua The author's home address is: Via A.Volta 6 86010 Ferrazzano (CB) ITALY The author's phone number (just for Italy): 0874/90566 The author's home address is (for study): P.za Garibaldi 9 56010 Pisa (PI) ITALY The author's E-mail address (University): Bevilacq@cli.di.unipi.it ------------------------------------------------------------------- The author is not very rich and needs to show his parents he's not wasting time programming on the AMIGA, so any contribution (moral and/or material) is welcome. VERY IMPORTANT: The author desperately needs some Information about the Italian Copyright Laws: if you have any, don't hesi- tate to send them to me. Thanx for reading this doc (it's 02:00 AM: what a struggle it has been to write it...) and forgive me for my broken English. ENJOY MY GAME AND DO NOT EXPECT IT TO BE A GREAT PIECE OF ART. @ENDNODE @NODE GREETINGS "GREETINGS" Now, I'd like to greet: My Parents & my Brother, my Relatives (especially Fabio and Daniela in L.A.) All my Friends and everyone who knows me around the world (Nei hou, CHIU HANG SHI!!!!). @ENDNODE