BALLTRIS Copyright (c) 1994 DRH Services, Inc Written by Roman Gnatiuk, Yuri Gnatiuk, Alex Kachmar, Mikle Shtaynberg ---------------------- Introduction ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ Balltris is a new entry into the arcade-style games written by talented programmers from Ukraine. This game is being marketed by: DRH Services, Inc, P.O. Box 4014, E.Norwalk, CT 06855-0014. Tel.(203)222-0568 Ext.800. CompuServe ID# 74164,1476 We hope that you will receive many hours of enjoyment from this game, its dynamic style and beautiful graphics. It is simple to use for children and adults alike. Try it and you will greatly appreciate all the effort that was put in by authors of Balltris from the former Soviet Union. Your support will enable them continue to develop many more new programs and will be greatly appreciated. $9.95 may not look like a lot of money to you but it buys a lot of bread in Ukraine. Requirements ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ þ IBM PC compatible computer þ MS-DOS version 3.30 or higher þ unused (free) RAM > 540K þ SVGA controller that supports * 640x400 256 colors (VESA video mode 100H) * 640x480 256 colors (VESA video mode 101H) you may need to load VESA.EXE driver if your BIOS does not support it. (a copy of VESA.EXE for Trident Controller is included. You will find the VESA.EXE for your controller on the utility diskette that came with your system) þ about 800k of free disk space Installation ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ The BALLTRIS.EXE is a self extracting zipped file. 1. Create a directory where the program is going to be installed 2. Change Directory to the new location. 3. Install the Diskette into a Floppy Drive and type A:BALLTRIS.EXE or B:BALLTRIS.EXE (.EXE - optional, not necessary) 4. All the files will be copied to the game directory For Example: C:\> 1. C:\> MD BALLTRIS 2. C:\> CD BALLTRIS 3. C:\BALLTRIS\>A:\BALLTRIS.EXE or C:\GAMES> 1. C:\GAMES> MD BALLTRIS 2. C:\GAMES> CD BALLTRIS 3. C:\GAMES\BALLTRIS>B:\BALLTRIS.EXE You will find following files in the Balltris directory: ARROW.BOT BALLS.400 BALLS.480 **** BALLTRIS.COM BGR_L.400 BGR_L.480 BGR_U.400 BGR_U.480 CPU.BOT CUP_L.BOT CUP_M.BOT CUP_U.BOT ERASE.BOT ESQUARE.BOT FEMPTY.400 FEMPTY.480 FX.400 FX.480 FX_TXT.BOT GOVER.BOT GPAUSED.BOT GREAD.BOT HP1.BOT HP2.BOT INTRO.400 INTRO.480 INTR_FNT.BOT LEVEL_L.BOT LEVEL_M.400 LEVEL_M.480 LEVEL_ME.400 LEVEL_ME.480 LEVEL_SP.400 LEVEL_SP.480 LEVEL_U.BOT LINK_CUR.BOT LINK_HOR.BOT LINK_VER.BOT NEXT.400 NEXT.480 NEXTE.400 NEXTE.480 NEXT_TXT.BOT PANEL_L.BOT PANEL_M.BOT PANEL_U.BOT PL_WAIT.BOT P_BL.BOT P_INTRO.BOT *** READ.ME **** REGISTER.FRM SCORES.BOT SC_DIG.BOT SH.BOT SQUARE.BOT TM.BOT TOPSEVEN.RES TS_DIG.BOT TS_FNT.BOT TS_FNTC.BOT *** VESA.EXE 5. To start the GAME just type BALLTRIS. Instructions ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ A cup is being filled with one, two or three balls which are falling randomly from the top. You have to maneuver the balls by moving them to the right, left or flipping to create chains which will disappear. A chain is a group of balls of the same color that touch each other at least at one point. Following are examples of the chains: ÚÄÄÄÄÄ1ÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄ2ÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄ3ÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄ4ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ * * * * * ³ * * * * ³ * * * * * ³ * * * * * * ³ ³ * O * * ³ * O O * ³ * O * * O * ³ * O * * O * ³ ³ * O O * * ³ * O O * ³ * O O O * ³ * O O O O * ³ ³ * * O * ³ * * O * ³ * * * * O * ³ * O O O * * ³ ³ * * * * * ³ * * * * ³ * * * * * ³ * * * * * * ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ O - balls of the same color * - balls of different colors The length of the chain is the number of balls in it. In the above examples first - is a 4 balls chain, second - is a 5 balls chain, third - is a 6 balls chain, forth - is a 9 balls chain. The chain disappears if its length is equal or larger of a critical length. The critical length is shown by a column of yellow balls in the "LEVEL" window. The upper ball has a number on it from 1 to 6 that shows the speed of the falling balls. The game starts with a critical length of 3 balls and speed equals 1. Speed will increase by one to 6 before the critical length changes to 4 balls resetting the speed to one. Then speed will increase to 6 again before critical length changes to 5 and speed is reset to one again. This will continue till maximum critical chain of 7 balls. The game ENDS when the cup fills with balls and the next ball cannot appear. You can PAUSE the game at any time by pressing and continue by pressing any key. If the cup is almost full don't despair there are 3 Special effects that can help you. Function key will activate the Special effects. Each effect can be used only ONCE and you get a beep when the effects are used up. Explanation of the special effects: þ 1-st effect - "CROSSED BALL" This effect will remove all the balls of the selected color from the cup. þ 2-nd effect - "COLOR SWITCH" Balls switch colors. The color of ball on the left of the arrow changes to color on the right. þ 3-d effect - "RAINBOW" When this effect is used all red balls change colors to green and the critical chains disappear. Next all green balls change to blue and so on. Controls ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ Note: Letter 'N' in front of the key means the key is located on the numeric key pad þ Opening Screen , - exit to DOS - toggle sound any key - start the game þ During the Game - move figure left - move figure right N<5> - rotate figure N<+> - increase speed/level - drop figure - activate effects - toggle sound - toggle next - pause - abort game - exit to DOS or - help screen þ During Selection of the Special Effects - change effect - change effect - apply effect - apply effect - In the First effect: - change color - change color - In the Second effect: - change color of left ball - change color of right ball þ During the pause any key - continue game Error messages ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ Error ³ Explanation ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ Your computer not supported VESA modes ³ Balltris can not Start. ³ ³ 100H (640x400x256) or 101H (640x480x256) ³ Your BIOS does not support ³ ³ or VESA Driver not loaded. ³ SVGA or VESA driver is not ³ ³ Program Terminated. ³ loaded. Run VESA.EXE file ³ ³ ³ that came with your contr. ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ Memory Allocation Error. ³ Not enought memory to run ³ ³ Program Terminated. ³ Balltris. Remove some memory ³ ³ ³ resident programs and try ³ ³ ³ again. ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ File Input/Output Error. ³ Error excessing files or file³ ³ Program Terminated. ³ is missing. ³ ³ ³ Reinstall Balltris. If fails ³ ³ ³ again check your hard drive. ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ Cannot run . ³ Balltris cannot start the ³ ³ Program terminated. ³ file . ³ ³ ³ VESA driver name is wrong ³ ³ ³ or cannot be loaded. ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´ ³ Cannot initialize VESA driver. ³ Balltris cannot find the ³ ³ Program terminated. ³ VESA driver. ³ ³ ³ The VESA Driver does not ³ ³ ³ support your vedio controller³ ³ ³ Try another VESA driver ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ In case of other errors make sure that the minimum requirements of the game are met. Please check the Requirements above. Registration ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ This Program is a SHAREWARE version of Balltris. It is a fully functional game with some limitations . We recommend you to register the game and become a legal owner of the unrestricted full version of Balltris. The registration will also entitle you to get the first shot at the new exciting game which is in the final stage of its development by the Ukrainian programmers. By becoming a registered owner you will support the struggling programmers from Ukraine to be able to continue to develop their skills, to become self sufficient and successful in their new lives. To register your game of Balltris you must: þ Print out the registration form file REGISTER.FRM þ Complete the registration. þ Include a payment of $9.95 with your registration. þ Mail the form to the address below: DRH SERVICES, INC. P.O. BOX 4014 E.NORWALK, CT 06855-0014 þ For additional information you may call (203)222-0568 EXT.800 or leave a comment on CompuServe ID# 74164,1476 You have a right to freely distribute copies of the SHAREWARE version of Balltris without any limitations as long as you do NOT modify the content of any files and do not charge any fee for the program. Distributing the registered version of the program BALLTRIS without the authorization of DRH Services, Inc is prohibited. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY ³ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ THIS SOFTWARE IS SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. BECAUSE OF THE VARIOUS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENTS INTO WHICH THIS PROGRAM MAY BE PUT, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED. THE USER MUST ASSUME THE ENTIRE RISK OF USING THE PROGRAM. ANY LIABILITY OF THE SELLER WILL BE LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO PRODUCT REPLACEMENT OR REFUND OF PURCHASE PRICE. Thank you for your support.