Copyright: SimFero, Copyright © One on One   Thu Apr 10 18:44:20 1997


Overview

If you've ever wanted to test your speed and reflects, SimFero is a game for you. A gunfighter appears at random locations on the desktop trying to out draw you. If you can get the mouse pointer sighted on the bad guy and click to shoot fast enough, the bad guy takes a tumble. Otherwise....!


Playing SimFero

SimFero let you compete with the gunfighter engaging a gun fight with him.

   To engage a fight with the gunfighter choose 'Fight Now' from the 'Game' pull-down menu or press F2 to practice several times. During a fight the gunfighter will wait for a mouse (your weapon) movement to extract and fire you. You should aim waist high for the maximum likelihood of hitting the gunfighter with your first bullet.

   If you are fast you can shoot several bullets before the gunfighter gets off even one shot. This means you can spray a series of shots at and around the gunfighter to ensure that you hit him with at least one bullet. Bullet holes will appear on screen around him.

   If you find the gunfight too easy in the Fight Now mode, try Timed Fight. You have only about one second in which to respond to the random appearance of the gunfighter during your work. You'll have to use "bullet spray" technique to get him then, starting your first shoot where ever your mouse pointer is positioned on the screen.

   When the gunfight is over, click secondary (right) mouse button to end the showdown. If you hit the gunfighter your reward is seeing him go down. You will also be presented with a dialog box that tells you how fast you were and how good you were. If the bad guy shot you first, your screen will turn red and you receive the disheartening message.

Tip

   Try changing the difficulty level to adjust the delay of the gunfighter. If you are an inexperienced player, you should set the Difficulty to Beginner.


Building Your Own Themes

SimFero uses Windows registry to store various settings. Some of these settings are accessible through the dialog boxes in the program. You may customize the game by providing custom images and sounds.

Note  You should not edit your registry unless you are an experienced user. If there is an error in your registry, your computer may become nonfunctional.

The following registry key contains the settings: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VB and VBA Program Settings\SimFero\Data].

   Click here  [image]  to start Registry Editor.

For information about how to use Registry Editor, click the Help menu in Registry Editor.

Settings

   Attack Sprites - filename.dib

   Die Sprites - filename.dib

These settings specify bitmap files to be animated. Attack Sprites is the set of sprites and their masks to be animated when the enemy shoots you. Die Sprites is the set of sprites and their masks to be animated when the enemy dies from your bullet.

In order to put your own images into the game, you must first create a mask of the image. There will be two images for each image: the full color image and the mask of the image. All pixels in the original image that are to be reproduce like the original are set to black in the mask. All pixels in the original that are to be transparent should be made black.

The bitmap file has to have special format. All of the sprites and their masks have to be stored in a single bitmap for each animation. The distance between the sprites and masks has to be 1 pixel. The sprites have to be located in the top of the image. The mask is directly below it. All of the sprites and masks have to have the same size in pixels.
The picture files can be either BMP or DIB format.

   Target Size - X1,Y1,X2,Y2

This setting specifies the dimensions in pixels of the target rectangle separated by commas. X1 is the X coordinate of the upper left corner of the rectangle. Y1 is the Y coordinate of the upper left corner of the rectangle. X2 is the X coordinate of the lower right corner of the rectangle. Y2 is the Y coordinate of the lower right corner of the rectangle.

   Number of Attack Sprites - number

   Number of Die Sprites - number

These settings specify the number of sprites in each animation.

   Enemy Shoot Event - filename.wav

   Enemy Die Event- filename.wav

   Enemy Appear Event- filename.wav

   User Shoot Event- filename.wav

   User Die Event- filename.wav

   User Message Event- filename.wav

   User Out of Bullets Event- filename.wav

These settings specify Wave files to be played through a sound device during the game.

Default Settings

To restore factory settings, locate and double-click default.reg file in the SimFero directory.


General Information

Video Resolution

SimFero will run at any resolution. The recommended resolution is 640 by 480 pixels. The game works best in 256 color mode.

Contact Information

   SimFero web site:  http://www.1on1.com/simfero

   Click here  [image]  to display copyright information.

Tip

   SimFero Options dialog box allows you to configure SimFero according to your personal preferences. The game will automatically save your current settings and store them for use the next time you launch the program.


Specifies whether to play sound effects.


Make sure this box is checked if you want to see the results of the gunfight.


Specifies whether to display the aim during the gunfight.

Note  This option is unavailable unless the Animation is set to Smooth mode.


Click this to prevent the game from limiting the fight in armor.

Note  If this feature is disabled you get five bullets to eliminate the enemy. This setting is not saved on exit.


Specifies whether to clear the screen at the beginning of the fight.

Tip

   To select a different background color, click here  [image]  to view Display properties. Select Application Background element in the Item list, and then pick the color you want.


Adjusts the amount of time that elapses before the enemy begins attacking you.


Specifies whether to display blood in case the fight is lost.


Specifies which type of Animation mode to use. Specify Fast mode only if you have slow system, high color depth or high resolution.


Help is available for each setting in this box. Click  [image]  at the top of the dialog box, and then click the setting or button you want information about.


Closes this dialog box and saves any changes you have made.


Closes this dialog box without saving any changes you have made.


Specifies whether to scramble the screen in case the fight is lost.


Click right mouse button to end the showdown.