ANTIC v 1.11  30 Mar 1992
Requires:   EGA monitor and mouse

CONTENTS: 
   Introduction
   A Brief Tutorial
   Strategy?
   Halls of Fame  (HOF)
   Shareware & the ASP 

Introduction:
-----------------
AntiC is a cross between Othello and Life.  The object is make the pattern a 
single color color using the fewest number of transformations.  These Anti-
Chaos networks consist of squares connected to each other by directional 
lines.  Each square is one of 3 colors and sends its color to neighboring 
squares in the network.  If only one color comes into a square, it takes 
that color.  If two colors come in, they cancel and the square assumes the 
third color. Each time you change a square, all squares in the pattern are 
recalculated and redrawn. 

The Main Menu lets you play a game or look at best previous scores in the 
Halls of Fame.  You can also get more information about the game and how to 
register it. 

To start, pick "Play" from the main menu, then choose one of the puzzles 
from the pushbutton menu that appears.  There are 35 starting configurations 
for each puzzle.  The numbers doesn't have any significance as far as 
difficulty.  They just let you replay the same pattern in order to try to 
reduce the number of turns you take to solve the puzzle. 
                     
The networks are shown as a series of solid squares.  Each square has arrows 
of the same color to show which other squares it influences. 

To play, click on any square, using the left mouse button.  Colors will 
change as follows: 

               red --->  blue ---> green/yellow --> red....


A Brief Tutorial:
-----------------
Some grids are very easy, some will take more effort.  To get you started, 
here's a quick tutorial: 

Play using the default pattern: "Tiny", choosing grid number 1 when asked. 
You'll get a pattern with all but 2 squares colored green/yellow.  Left 
click on the blue square.  The pattern shifts to a new pattern with all 
green except one blue square.  Click on the blue square.  You won in 2!  

Strategy?
---------
In the simpler puzzles, you can try to visualize all the changes that will 
occur with each pulse.  But as the patterns grow larger, this becomes more 
difficult.  It's also possible to just experiment, and eventually get a feel 
for what changes are needed, as you watch the chaotic structure start to 
develop into a more stable one.  Each pattern has a special flow to it, and 
you need to study this flow in order to solve the puzzle.  This approach is 
especially rewarding when one well placed change converts most of the 
pattern to a single color.  

In some patterns, there are stretches of boxes that have single inputs and 
outputs.  Concentrate on the boxes that feed these stretches, since once a 
color is established, it will progress through these networks without 
changing.  

------------------
Halls of Fame  (HOF)
------------------
Each pattern has its own HOF, which records the fewest number of turns it 
took in previous plays of the game.  AntiC arrives with several HOF's 
installed to give you some goals to shoot for.  If you would rather start 
without these hints, just enter:

      DEL *.hof    

at the dos prompt.  (You can always retrieve these files from the original 
disk or archive, if you want them later.)

Resetting a HOF -- If you want to reset a particular HOF,  just delete the 
appropriate HOF file.  The program recreates an empty file, the next time 
you play that pattern.  To calculate the hof number, bring up the puzzle 
menu -- Each HOF is named as ACxy.HOF where x is the column, and y is the 
row in the puzzle menu.  Thus "In/Out" would be AC21.HOF.

The shareware version of Antic has 6 puzzles, ranging in difficulty from 
easy to very hard.  Registered users will receive the latest version of the 
game, and some extra puzzles, not available as shareware.  To register, 
print out the file REGISTER.FRM and mail it with a check for $20 to Cascoly 
Software. 


------------------------
Shareware & the ASP 
------------------------
Shareware is a means of distributing software.  Under the shareware concept, 
software may be freely copied and passed along to others, or distributed 
through bulletin board systems or national networks. 
 
As a recipient of a shareware program, you may use the software for a short 
trial period to determine if it meets your needs.  If the software is not 
suitable, then you can discard it. If you decide to use it, you must pay by 
registering.  When you register a Cascoly shareware program, you receive: 

      * A copy of the latest version of the program
      * Additional, bonus puzzles
      * A bonus of any other Cascoly program of equal or lesser value
            (see REGISTER.FRM for details)
      * A free introductory account on CompuServe including a private User 
        ID number and password, $15 introductory usage credit, and a 
        complimentary subscription to CompuServe Magazine, - a $30 value! 
      * A minimum of 90 days online support via CompuServe or by
        telephone.  Support by mail is also available, if accompanied
        by a SASE.
      * With some programs, you will also receive bonus maps, datasets
        or puzzles.

To register a program, enter the following command:
 
      COPY REGISTER.FRM LPT1:
 
and the order form will be copied to your printer.  Check off the program 
you wish to register, and check the program you wish to receive as a bonus.

Cascoly Software is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals 
(ASP).  ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. 
If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member 
by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP 
Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but 
does not provide technical support for members' products. You can contact 
the ASP Ombudsman at P.O. Box 5786, Bellevue, WA 98006 or send a Compuserve 
message via easyplex to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536