Copyright: Copyright (c) 1996 SGH. For more games, information, support and participating in beta testing visit us at www.sgh-hive.com, or contact us through e-mail at support@mail.sgh-hive.com.


      SGH’s Tris Game, by SGH Multimedia Inc.

 Visit our site at http://www.sgh-hive.com for more games, programs,

                                 support and information.

Table Of Contents:

Registration

Looking for a Partner

Playing the Game

The Rules of the Game

System Requirements

Tris is a 32 bit application designed for Windows 95. The minimum requirements are:

1. CPU: IBM PC or compatible, 486 or better. A Pentium system is highly recommended.

2. RAM: Minimum 8M , 16M recommended.

3. Display: Any 256 or true color VGA display supporting MS windows.

4. Operating System: Microsoft Windows 95.

5. TCP/IP: An active Internet Connection.

How to access the game behind a Firewall?

You will have to permit access to specific TCP/UDP ports. Please ask your network administrator to configure the packet filtering router to allow in-bound and out-bound traffic for TCP ports 2001 (for the Agent, which is the communication front-end) and 2002 for the game.

If you want to simultaneously activate additional games, your network administrator will have to permit additional ports for the Agent (2003 up to 2010) as well as the specific port for the game.

Preface

The Tris Game is a competitive game for two players which you can play with other Internet users, that can  be located anywhere around the world. It does not matter whether they are near or far, as the communication is handled by the system.

In order to find a partner to play with, you will have to get connected to one of the SGH servers, that store information on all those, that like yourself, want to play. These servers, are interconnected, so that they form a “Hive” - which is the network of the servers. Therefore the first step is to get connected to your Internet Service Provider and from there to access one of SGH’s servers.

After pressing OK on the first screen you will pass to the Registration Screen.


Registration
The Registration Screen:

Choosing a server:

We recommend that you pick a server near you, but others can serve as well.

If your regular server fails or is overloaded and slow responding you can switch to other servers.

To Change Servers:

•	Click on the Server Icon.

•	Click on the desired server in the Available Servers List.

•	(You may also directly type the server name).

•	To confirm, click on the OK Icon. To Cancel click on the Cancel Icon.

•	Upon return to Registration screen click on the OK Icon in the confirmation box.

Profile:

•	Fill in your profile form. The Server will use it to match and locate your partner.

•	To register, click on the OK Icon.

•	Now you can play.

Music:

•	To stop the music click on the Bars Icon at the bottom of the screen.

•	To restart the music, click again.

Exit:

In order to leave the program click Exit Icon.

Updating the servers list:

As new servers become available, the system will automatically update the servers

file (SERVERS.INI) on your hard disk. Before updating, the current file is renamed to SERVERS.$$$. If, for any reason the update fails, you can always restore the

previous file by renaming SERVERS.$$$ back to SERVERS.INI..


Partner
Looking for a partner screen:

Specify Partner Profile:

•	Click on the Specify Partner Profile.

•	Fill in the details in the pop-up boxes.

•	The servers will try to match as much information as possible.

•	If you do not care who will be your partner, leave all boxes unfilled.

•	If you search for a specific person, fill as many details as needed.

•	Click on the Refresh List Icon to send your request.

•	An updated list will appear.

•	To hide the pop-up boxes, click on the Clear Icon.

Choosing a partner and inviting him/her to play:

•	Click on one of the players displayed in the “Registered Users” list.

•	Study his/her profile in the “Your Partner is:” Boxes

•	Invite him/her to a game by clicking on Let’s Play Icon,

•	or return to step 1, to choose another player.

Note: If none of the players appeal to you, click on the Refresh List Icon, or if the “Automatic Refresh” box is marked, you will automatically get an alternate list.

Being invited to play:

•	If a horn blows, then someone is inviting you to play.

•	To accept the invitation click on the Yes Icon and then you will be able to play.

•	Reject the invitation by filling in a short courtesy note and click the No Icon.

Automatic Refresh:

In order to enable the option click on the selection box. To disable, click again.


Playing
Playing the Game:

The Game:

For the Rules of the Game, click here.

Playing:

•	The screen shows two boxes (walls).

•	You are the player on the left, your partner (really your opponent) is the player on the right.

•	Select the level of play by clicking on the Level ComboBox, which appears at the beginning of the game in the center of the screen. The level of play is the speed at which the bricks fall and is the same for both players.

•	The Pause button appears in the bottom left-hand corner and will stop play on both computers retaining the present state of play, you may than restart the game by clicking Resume.

•	There is a Sound button in the bottom left-hand corner, you may turn the sound on or off by clicking it.

•	There is also a Music button in the bottom left-hand corner, you may turn the background music on or off by clicking it.

•	The right, left and down keys on the keyboard determine the direction of the brick on its descent.

•	The Home and PgUp keys (on the keypad, be sure to turn the NumLock status off) turn the brick, left and right respectively, and the PgDn causes the brick to drop quickly.

•	The red lines, which appear at the bottom and the right-hand side of the box (wall), give the X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) position of brick.

•	The score, level, lines completed, and preview of the ‘next’ brick to fall in your box (wall) is shown in the center of the screen.

•	The New button will appear when either you or your partner’s bricks have reached the top of the box (wall).

•	The Exit button appears at the bottom right-hand corner.

Chatting:

•	Type in the lower chatting box (at the bottom of the screen).

•	Press enter.

The chat appears in the upper chat box.


Rules
Rules of the Game:

The game is a competitive game played between two players. The objective is to accrue as many points as possible by completing lines in your box (wall) with the bricks that appear in your box. The winner is the player with the most points at the end of the game. Before starting a game, by clicking the New button at the bottom right-hand corner, you and your partner should decide on the initial level of play by clicking on the Level button, which appears in the center of the screen, you can decide this using the Chat facility. The level of play goes up to level 7 and will be the same for both players. We recommend that you start at level one. Play is concurrent with each of the players playing their own box. Points are awarded for each brick, 1 point per brick unit, and a completed line is worth 20 points. If you complete a line than your section of wall goes down a line while a line with gaps is added to the bottom of your partner’s wall, and vice versus. For Every three lines that are completed, the level goes up one for the player who has completed the three lines. This player is also awarded 50 points. You move the descending brick left, right, or down by pressing the left, right, or down keys on the keyboard. The brick can also be turned left or right by pressing the Home and PgUp keys respectively. The PgDn key causes the brick to drop. 100 points are deducted from the player whose bricks reach the top of the box (wall), this will also end the game (you can end the game before by pressing the Exit button). The winner is the person with most points at this point and this is indicated in the center of the screen. You can stop the game without ending it by clicking the Pause button at the bottom left-hand corner, this will retain the state of play, to restart click the Resume button that now appears at the bottom left-hand corner. At the end of the game the New button appears in the bottom right-hand corner.