Copyright: Copyright © SoftSpot Software
Citation: Copyright © SoftSpot Software 1998


Contents
Copyright SoftSpot Software® 1998  All Rights Reserved

Introduction	Word Blitz Play

Player Settings	Game Menu

Dictionary	License Agreement

Status Bar	SoftSpot Products

System Information

System Requirements

Installation


Word Blitz Play

The object of all the differing variants of Word Blitz is to enter eight words into the player word grid faster than the computer player.

The game is started by pressing the 'START' button and can be stopped at any time by clicking the 'ABORT' button.

Placing a Letter	:	Left clicking the desired letter button will enter that letter into the next vacant player grid holder.  The clicked letter button will remain in the depressed state.

Removing a Letter	:	Left clicking the last depressed letter button will remove that letter from the player grid.

Removing Letters	:	Left clicking a previously depressed letter button will remove that letter and all subsequent letters from the player grid.

Removing a Word	:	Left clicking the first entered letter button will remove all entered letters from the player grid.

Entering a Word	:	To enter a completed word simply right click the mouse anywhere in the letter buttons.


Introduction

Word Blitz©	is a great new fun game of scrambled letters.  All you have to do is spell words faster than your computer opponent - it's that easy - but beware it's so addictive that you'll be up all night playing this challenging game !

There are so many options to select, starting from a simple anagram challenge through to restricted word pattern searches.  You can select the number of available letters, set the word length and lots of other options.

Word Blitz	comes with a 25,000 word list of everyday English language words of 3 to 6 letters.  Even better, the dictionary can be revised as you play to add words that you need and to remove those that you don't.

Word Blitz 	is great for improving vocabulary, spelling and stretches the brain - how can such an educational game be such fun ?


License Agreement

LIMITED WARRANTY AND REMEDIES

License Grant.	SoftSpot Software grants you to use the Software and the documentation included with the Software but you are not the owner.  SoftSpot Software is the exclusive owner of the Software and the documentation.  This agreement permits you to use one copy of the Software on a single computer.  Use means that you have installed the Software on the permanent memory of the computer.  This license does not permit you to load or use the Software on a network server or similar device which permits access by multiple computers.

Copies. 	You may make one copy of the Software for back-up purposes or, if you have loaded the Software onto permanent memory of a computer, you may retain the enclosed disk as a back-up copy.  No other copying is permitted.

Restrictions.	The Software is protected under British and United States law and international conventions and treaties.  You may not rent, lease, sublicense assign or otherwise transfer the use of the Software to others.  You may not reverse engineer, reverse compile, disassemble or otherwise modify the Software in any way.  Any use or reproduction of the Software in violation of the provisions of this Agreement constitutes an infringement of the copyrights and other intellectual property rights of SoftSpot Software.

Limited Warranty.	SoftSpot Software warrants that the media on which the Software is distributed will be free from defects for a period of 60 days from the date you receive the Software.  In the event that this warranty is breached, SoftSpot Software’s sole liability and your exclusive remedy shall be, at SoftSpot Software’s option, either (i) refund of the purchase price you paid for the Software or (ii) replacement of the Software.  You must send SoftSpot Software the Software and proof of purchase during the 60-day warranty period in order to receive either a refund or replacement Software.

THIS WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT AND ALL SUCH WARRANTIES ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED.  THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, WHICH MAY VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL SOFTSPOT SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, WHETHER OR NOT SUCH DAMAGES WERE FORESEEABLE AND EVEN IF SOFTSPOT SOFTWARE WAS ADVISED THAT SUCH DAMAGES WERE LIKELY OR POSSIBLE.

CERTAIN STATES DO NOT PERMIT THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF INCIDENTAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THIS LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

IN NO EVENT WILL SOFTSPOT SOFTWARE BE LIABLE FOR ANY AMOUNT GREATER THAN THE ACTUAL PURCHASE PRICE OF THE SOFTWARE.

These disclaimers and limitations apply regardless of your acceptance of the Software.


Game Menu

Word Blitz has so many options - almost too many !  Where to start - let's start with the three gaming options :-

The following three options dictate the availability of button letters and are accessed from the 'Game' menu.

Game

Anagram	In Anagram mode all buttons are freely available - there are no constraints.  However, every entered word must contain all the 'key' letters, as defined by the 'player settings'.  Key letters are those with a black typeface.

Tree	In Tree mode only buttons adjacent to an already selected button are available.

Snake	Snake mode is similar to that of Tree but the only buttons available are those adjacent to the last selected button.

A further option is 'Blitz / Duplicates' :-

Blitz	If Blitz is selected then any entered word, that is already present in either of the players' grids, is deleted from both grids.

Duplicates	Selecting Duplicates disables Blitz, both players can use the same word.

Options

Player Settings	Defines various game parameters selectable from a 'Settings Control Panel'.

Background	This option allows the background image to be changed.

Sound Off / On	Enables sound effects associated with the game play.

Save Settings	Saves all game settings including the board size and background image.


Player Settings

The Player Settings panel is selected from menu options.  This panel displays 5 buttons.  Clicking the left mouse button will increase the display number - the right mouse button will decrease the displayed number.

Keys	This button controls the number of 'Keys' used in the Anagram mode of Word Blitz. The valid range is 0 - 3.

Word	The Min. button sets the minimum acceptable word length.  The valid range is 3 - 6.
(The maximum value of this button can not be greater than that defined by the word maximum length.)

The Max. button sets the maximum acceptable word length.  The valid range is 3 - 6.
(The minimum value of this button can not be less than that defined by the word minimum length.)

Rows	This button sets the number of rows of letter buttons.  The valid range is 2 - 6.

Columns	This button sets the number of columns of letter buttons.  The valid range is 3 - 6.

Note :	It is possible that the above settings can prevent Word Blitz from finding the necessary number of words to allow a game to start.  For example, with a player grid of 2 x 3, setting the word length minimum and maximum values to 6 will cause the letter grid to run forever.

This is an extreme example but the player needs to be aware of what is happening when the player button letters appear to tumble for what can be a considerable time.

In such a situation, either increasing the number of rows or columns or decreasing the minmum word length will resolve this problem.


System Requirements

The minimum system requirements of Word Blitz are :-

Windows 95 / 98 / NT

8Mb RAM

VGA Hi Colour

80486 66MHz

675Kb HD storage


Installation

Word Blitz installs the following files onto your computer :-

Filename	Description	Location

WBlitz.Exe	Word Blitz executable	Default directory

WBlitz.Ini	Word Blitz initialisation file	"

WBlitz.Hlp	Word Blitz help file	"

WBlitz.Cnt	Word Blitz help contents file	"

Gbr.Blz	English dictionary	"

Blues.Bmp	Tiled background bitmap	"

Flash.Bmp	"	"

Silk.Bmp	"	"

Swirl.Bmp	"	"

Twirls.Bmp	"	"

ReadMe.Txt	General program information	"

Hsun32.Exe	Uninstall executable	Windows directory

Setup.Inf	Install information file	Default directory

Setuplog.Txt	Install log file	"

All files have been analysed by McAfee Associates Virus Scanner V3.0.2 and are free from identifiable infections.

It is strongly recommended that no files be manually deleted.  The files identified in red are integral to the Word Blitz program and these files MUST reside in the same directory.  Non-essential bitmap files are shown in blue and can be deleted if not required.

To reset Word Blitz to its original defaults, the 'WordBlitz.Ini' file may be deleted, although the default settings can be individually selected from within the program.

The Word Blitz help file also generates a 'hidden' index file - WordBlitz.Gid.  This file may be deleted but accessing the help file will recreate this file again.

(This is a feature of Windows 95 / 98 / NT and not Word Blitz).

To cleanly remove Word Blitz from your system, either select the uninstall Word Blitz icon or use the Add/Remove program option in the Control Panel.  Windows 95 / 98 / NT maintains a record of file associations within the Registry and manual file deletion can cause residual entries to accumulate.


SoftSpot Products

For current prices and ordering information, refer to the ReadMe.txt file included with this installation.

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'What's Up' is a novel and vertically challenging new word game - including 3 dictionaries.  As far as we know, this is the very first version of this game available as a computer programme.  Available for Windows 95 / 98 / NT.

'What's Up' brings a 3rd dimension to board word games !

ForeWord is a lexical analysis tool and generates anagram and missing letter lists. ForeWord uses a unique set of powerful search algorithms to perform word analysis using a 190,000+ word dictionary.

ForeWord is an essential program for devotees of crosswords and other word puzzle games.


Dictionary

The dictionary included with Word Blitz contains over 11,000 words of 3 to 6 letters in length.

Words can be added or deleted from this dictionary, as required :-

To Add A Dictionary Word

If, during play, the computer questions the validity of an entered word, then it is possible to update the dictionary with this word.  Simply double clicking on the entered word will produce a prompt verifying that the dictionary should be revised to include this word.

To Delete A Dictionary Word

At the end of a game, if the computer has used a word that is not considered to be in common use, then this word can be removed from the dictionary.  Double click the mouse on the offending word and a prompt will appear to confirm the deletion of this word from the dictionary.


Status Bar

The status bar at the bottom of the screen consists of 4 active panels :-

Total	:	Word Blitz precalculates the maximum number of available words that can be assembled from the player grid.

Left	:	Displays the remaining number of unused words.

Blitz	:	This panel shows the number of 'Blitzed' words.

Time	:	Simply a display of the current time.