@database Lines34.guide

@Master Lines.tex

@Width 72


This is the AmigaGuide® file Lines34.guide, produced by Makeinfo-1.55 from 
the input file Lines.tex.


@Node Main "Lines34.guide"
@Next "Copyrights and fees"

Lines 2.3 Documentation
***********************



 @{" Copyrights and fees " Link "Copyrights and fees"}            Copyright notices
 @{" Disclaimer " Link "Disclaimer"}                     No guarantees given
 @{" Distribution " Link "Distribution"}                   Distribution rights and limits

 @{" Requirements and installation " Link "Requirements and installation"}  What is needed, etc.
 @{" First steps " Link "First steps"}                    Introduction to the game
 @{" Menus " Link "Menus"}                          A guide through the menus

 @{" The rules " Link "The rules"}                      The rules and purpose of the game
 @{" The playing " Link "The playing"}                    How to play
 @{" At the end " Link "At the end"}                     The result

 @{" Brief history " Link "Brief history"}                  Short-story about the development process
 @{" The author " Link "The author"}                     How to contact the author
 @{" The future " Link "The future"}                     Planned improvements
 @{" Fixes " Link "Fixes"}                          Fixed bugs


@EndNode

@Node "Copyrights and fees" "Lines34.guide/Copyrights and fees"
@Next "Disclaimer"
@Prev "Main"
@Toc "Main"

Copyrights and fees
*******************

   LINES is completely done by Mika Kortelainen and is copyrighted
1992-1994.  *LINES is SHAREWARE, suggested fee is $5 or 20-30 Finnish
marks (FIM).* Please, send only cash because cashing foreign cheques is
more expensive than the suggested fee. Because this archive contains the
full, un-restricted version of the game, do not wait any return mail
from me. But, by indicating your interest, you will get me to continue
to develop LINES further (and release new versions).

   LINES uses several additional shared-libraries, which are
copyrighted as follows:

          `medplayer.library' is (C) Teijo Kinnunen.

          `powerpacker.library' is (C) Nico François.

   Amiga, Workbench and AmigaGuide are registered trademarks of
Commodore-Amiga, Inc.

   Other trademarks are the property of their owners.


@EndNode

@Node "Disclaimer" "Lines34.guide/Disclaimer"
@Next "Distribution"
@Prev "Copyrights and fees"
@Toc "Main"

Disclaimer
**********

   The author will not take any responsibility about caused harm or
ruined mental health LINES may bring about. You use LINES at your own
risk.


@EndNode

@Node "Distribution" "Lines34.guide/Distribution"
@Next "Requirements and installation"
@Prev "Disclaimer"
@Toc "Main"

Distribution
************

   LINES may not be distributed commercially without author's written
permission (be ready to pay something to get a permission). LINES may
be distributed freely as long as no essential parts of the original
archive are removed and no more than a nominal copying fee is required.
LINES may be included in disk collections such as Fred Fish's one and
in CD-ROM collections, too.

   The original archive consists of the following files:

`Lines'
     This is the game itself (PAL version).

`LinesNTSC'
     This is the NTSC version of the game.

`Lines.info' and `LinesNTSC.info'
     These are the corresponding icons for easy startup from Workbench.

`Lines.doc' and `Lines.doc.info'
     This file as an ANSI text file.

`Lines.dvi' and `Lines.dvi.info'
     This file as a DVI-file.

`Lines.guide' and `Lines.guide.info'
     This file as an AmigaGuide file.

`Lines34.guide' and `Lines34.guide.info'
     This file as an AmigaGuide (version 34) file.

`libs/medplayer.library'
`libs/powerpacker.library'
     The additional shared-libraries.

   The NTSC version has some distortions in logos and such, but the
actual playing board should be fine (I hope).


@EndNode

@Node "Requirements and installation" "Lines34.guide/Requirements and installation"
@Next "First steps"
@Prev "Distribution"
@Toc "Main"

Requirements and installation
*****************************

   An Amiga computer (anything from 500 to 4000), TV or monitor, and a
mouse are required to play LINES successfully. LINES uses
`medplayer.library' to play MED modules. `Powerpacker.library' is
needed if you intend to use packed modules. Most of you will already
have these libraries in `LIBS:' (at least owners of harddrives) but
they are included in the archive and can be copied if needed.  Besides,
`printer.device' is needed if you want to get hardcopies of your games
(and also, you should have set the printer preferences using system
software).   LINES is tested on my A3000 (with OS1.3 and OS2.04), and
it works on OS3.x, too. Tested also an Amiga 2000 (OS1.3, 512kB fast,
512kB chip). I don't know about OS1.2 (does it differ significantly
from 1.3?), but give it a try!

   Memory requirements: the program itself doesn't need much (some Chip
memory for the mouse pointer and graphics and other memory--which can
also be Chip memory--for the actual code), about a total of 150
kilobytes. The final memory usage depends on you: whether you want to
listen to the music or not!

   LINES can be installed on harddrive and does not need any additional
setting up--just copy the files (especially `Lines' and `Lines.info' or
NTSC equivalents) to the destination. LINES will use the same directory
when reading or writing settings and hiscores (it locks the directory
at startup; if the lock fails, then `S:' is tried as an alternative).


@EndNode

@Node "First steps" "Lines34.guide/First steps"
@Next "Menus"
@Prev "Requirements and installation"
@Toc "Main"

First steps
***********

   LINES can be started from CLI or Workbench. From CLI, you can give
it as an argument the name of the MED module you want to use. If it
appears to be packed with PowerPacker, it is unpacked to your Ram Disk
and loaded from there. From Workbench, you have two ways to select the
music: the first is to give it as a tooltype SONG (i.e. set tooltype
``SONG=device:path/modulename'' using Info or Information from the
Workbench menus), the second is to click first on the icon of the
module and then, pressing Shift, to start LINES double-clicking on its
icon.

   The original archive doesn't include any musics, because I'm not so
good to compose (it is allowed to distribute the archive with some MED
modules provided that they are public domain or freely distributable).

   LINES is completely played with the mouse, so there is no need for a
joystick.

   At startup, LINES tries to read its settings and hiscore files
(named `Lines.Settings' and `Lines.TopLiners'). If settings are not
found, then the default ones are used. If environment variable USER
exists, its contents are used as a default name, otherwise a hardcoded
name is set (it can be changed from the program, of course).

   After loading you will see the game screen and logo at the centre.
Click on `MORE' gadget. You will see an info page which shortly tells
you the rules and the idea of LINES. Click on `OKAY' gadget to continue.

   Now you are ready to play but let's first study all the menus.


@EndNode

@Node "Menus" "Lines34.guide/Menus"
@Next "The rules"
@Prev "First steps"
@Toc "Main"

Menus
*****

   Click on the right mouse button and move pointer to window title to
see the menus.  There are three main menus named `Project', `Edit' and
`Settings'. In the Project menu you will find items `New Game', `Top
Liners', `Print', `About' and `Quit', in the Edit menu items `Help' and
`Undo' and in the Settings menu items `Setup' and `Music'. Almost every
item can be used by its first letter (e.g. About by pressing 'A'),
either upper or lower case. The only exception is item Help, its
abbreviation is the HELP-key.

`New Game'
     Starts a new game.

`Top Liners'
     Shows the list of the 10 best players.

`Print'
     Prints the screen to paper using your current Preferences
     settings. During printing the screen colours are changed to white
     and black. You can cancel printing with ESC-key at any time.

`About'
     Shows the starting logo and info.

`Quit'
     Quits the game (if TopLiners file has been changed, it is saved).

`Help'
     Shows a point belonging to a line (normally, it's at the either
     end of that line).

`Undo'
     Undoes the last selection (see below for more info).

`Setup'
     is used to affect LINES' colours. Click on the desired colour
     gadget and use sliders to change the colour. You can also set a
     default name which is automatically placed on Top Liners list.
     Click on `SAVE' to save your settings, `DEFAULT' to choose
     original (doesn't restore the name) or `USE' to use changes without
     saving.

`Music'
     Stops and continues the music (if music was loaded). It is
     disabled if there is no music.

   On the right-hand side of the screen there is a table from where you
can see your amount of *Lines, Extras, and the Best result*.

   For quicker use, `UNDO', `NEW GAME', and `MUSIC' can be chosen from
gadgets below the score table, the functions are the same their menu
equivalents have.


@EndNode

@Node "The rules" "Lines34.guide/The rules"
@Next "The playing"
@Prev "Menus"
@Toc "Main"

The rules
*********

   And now to the main thing - the idea and rules of LINES.

   The idea is simple: draw as many lines as you can!

   Of course, there have to be several rules:

*RULE ONE:*
     Only eight directions (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal) are
     allowed.

*RULE TWO:*
     A line is exactly five points long.

*RULE THREE:*
     To draw a line, there must exist at least four old points which
     are not used in that direction. The fifth point may be either at
     the either end of the line or somewhere between the older points.
     Of course, it is allowed to draw a line through five old, unused
     points.

*RULE THREE, supplement:*
     If the line is drawn without drawing any new point, you will get a
     bonus point, called *Extras* (and a normal point, of course).
     Later you can set that *Extras* point in any position you want and
     perhaps play a little longer.


@EndNode

@Node "The playing" "Lines34.guide/The playing"
@Next "At the end"
@Prev "The rules"
@Toc "Main"

The playing
***********

   And how to play? No problem, just click on the point from where you
want to start your line (if it is not valid, the screen will flash).
Move mouse to the direction you want to draw the line (if it is a
possible direction a blue line is shown). By moving mouse around, you
can see all the possible lines from that point. When you have made your
selection, click again and you have got a line as well as one point.

   After setting the starting point, you can cancel the selection by
pressing `UNDO' (you can notice this easily: the gadget is normally
disabled and comes enabled only when it can be used. The same is done
to the menu item).

   To use an *Extras*, click twice on the same place and the point is
plotted. If the position is illegal, screen will flash after the first
click (because the program cannot know whether you are really going to
use an *Extras* or just clicking on a wrong position), but after the
second click the *Extras* is set. You can't undo any *Extras*!


@EndNode

@Node "At the end" "Lines34.guide/At the end"
@Next "Brief history"
@Prev "The playing"
@Toc "Main"

At the end
**********

   After a few games you will learn the play tactics and get better
results, and you have a new obsession...

                               *LINES!*


@EndNode

@Node "Brief history" "Lines34.guide/Brief history"
@Next "The author"
@Prev "At the end"
@Toc "Main"

Brief history
*************

   The development of LINES started about two years ago and got
finished in few months. It was my first Amiga program, and mainly done
to learn C language (I had just got my registered DICE). As time
passed, some bugs arose and were fixed. Until now,  LINES has been just
for my private use. During the winter vacation I had time to `polish'
the game (although software is never final...) and decided to release
it to the public.

   Version 2.3 is the second release (only a bug-fix release).


@EndNode

@Node "The author" "Lines34.guide/The author"
@Next "The future"
@Prev "Brief history"
@Toc "Main"

The author
**********

   Send fees, suggestions and bug reports (none known :-) to the
following address:

             Mika Kortelainen
             Petäjätie 13
             FIN-35100 Orivesi as.

   I can also be reached through email at the following address:

             k125374@cs.tut.fi


@EndNode

@Node "The future" "Lines34.guide/The future"
@Next "Fixes"
@Prev "The author"
@Toc "Main"

The future
**********

   Some enhancements I have in my mind:

  1. various different boards (suggested by Jimmy Ljungberg). This will
     most likely be the next enhancement I make.

  2. the game in a Workbench window

  3. super bitmap window (i.e. scrollable game board)

  4. load/save game

  5. use of Screen database (or cloning of Workbench screen), so that
     users of various graphics boards could get some benefit

  6. time game (a certain time period in which a line is to be drawn;
     otherwise, one line (or point) is subtracted)


@EndNode

@Node "Fixes" "Lines34.guide/Fixes"
@Prev "The future"
@Toc "Main"

Fixes
*****

  1. Border checking didn't always work. Now it should work. Reported by
     Jimmy Ljungberg.

@EndNode