Copyright: Copyright © 1996, Olivier CHAMLEY


Presentation
Introduction

This program is a shareware.

If you like it and want to keep on playing with it, you must register.

Multris is a tetris like game, with specific improvements like the ability for up to 20 players to fight together over a TCP/IP (internet) network, nice configurable sounds, possibility to change backdrops, fully configurable keys, shared unlimited high score file… I won't explain here how tetris works, but for those who don't know (maybe two or three people in the world), the aim of the game is to remove completed lines, i.e. without any holes in. If this is not enough for you, just ask your neighbor !

Multris is a 32 bits application only designed for Windows 95™ and Windows NT v4.0™. A few positive tests have been done under Windows NT v3.51™, but it has not been thoroughly tested in such an environment. I tried to run it under Windows 3.11™ with Win32s, but a lot of problems did arise. If you are numerous to register, I may bother with that… Whatever the environment you're running Multris in (apart from Win32s), if you get some problems, tell me.

Multris was fully written in C/C++, using Borland C++ v4.5™ then v5.0, and in native Windows API (no MFC™ and other OWL™…). It uses the extended controls from Windows 95™ and Winsock network interface over TCP/IP. As a result, if you want to play on the network, you must install TCP/IP protocol (native part of Windows 95™ installation).

This help file and the English Multris translation was performed by the author.


Main window

The Multris main window is as follow (click for more information) :


Menus

The Game menu is for usual games :

The Network menu allows you to play with others, either as a server, or as a client :

The Help shall give you (I hope so) all the help you need.


Command arguments

The only argument Multris uses is the directory where it can find high scores files. If you have a laptop computer, and play from time to time at work with workmates (not during working hours, of course), this argument allows you to have two shortcuts : one, linked with your local Multris without arguments (to play at home), the other, still linked to your local Multris, but with an argument being a directory shared on the network where high scores files are stored. Beside, this will allow you to easily import your week-end scores.

If you move Multris on your disk, it may be necessary to modify album file and sounds options.


Options

The options window allows you to change the playing behavior of Multris. These options are saved in the registry, under you logging name. Hence, if your workstation is configured for multiple users, each of them can have its own features.

*	The difficulty tab allows you to change level and handicap.

*	The keys tab allows you to change keys (shortcuts).

*	The language tab displays a list of Multris installed languages. If you want to add one (they are only dynamic link libraries extension found in Multris executable directory), write to me, I will send you files to translate …

*	The images tab displays and allows you to modify the album file, containing backgrounds of playfields. These pictures change every ten removed lines. You can find album files links on the author web page.

*	The pieces tab selects the pieces shape used for your next games (no influence on network games). The shape acts deeply upon scores you can reach. Hence, the high scores files are different for each of these options : 1-5, 4 et 5 squares.

*	The sounds tab allows execution of sounds control panel or resetting of sounds.


Points

Points are owned using the following rules (from most interesting to less) :

*	All points are level multiplied. At 10 level, you hence score 10 times more than at level 1 (but pieces fall much faster !).

*	The more you suppress lines at a time, the more you score :

Lines	Points
1	40
2	120
3	320
4	880
5	2000

*	The highest you drop a piece (Fall key), the more it scores. You get half the distance between piece of ground points.

*	Each piece has a specific number of points, depending on its shape's complexity. You own these points when the piece is laid. For example, given the 4 sqares pieces, the bar and the 'T' are worth 1 point, the two 'L' worth 2 points, the 'S', the 'Z' and the cube worth 3 points.

Conclusion : to score as much as possible, remove lines 4 at a time with 4 squares shapes (5 at a time with 1-5 squares and 5 squares shapes, but it is much harder), at the higher level you can keep on playing (I personally start at level 9).


Server network game

While playing network game as a server, follow the following steps :

*	select menu Network/New game,

*	give your network nickname, which will be displayed during the whole game,

*	select network options you want,

*	wait for other players to join,

*	start the game whenever you want.


Client network game

While playing network game as a client, follow the following steps :

*	select menu Network/Join game,

*	give your network nickname, which will be displayed during the whole game,

*	give server address, (server name, like workstation.multris.com or workstation in a local area network, or IP address like nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn). If the selected server does not know its address (modem SLIP/PPP connection, for example), it can try to run WinIPCfg under Windows 95™ or IPConfig in a Windows NT 4.0™ command box. But be careful though : its address can change depending on the connection.

*	acknowledge network options displayed, without being able to modify them (only the server can),

*	wait for the mighty server to decide when to start game.


Network game options

The server decides options used during the game, using the following dialog box (click for information) :


Registering

This program is a shareware.

If you like it and want to keep on playing with it, you must register.

Why ?

Registering, you participate to sharewares system, which depend on you to survive. Especially, you encourage me to write other programs, or to improve the current Multris version. Playing Multris without registering, you just kill this game.

You will automatically be registered for future versions of Multris.

You will receive a separate tool to build your own album files (.ALB) displayed as backgrounds. You will also be able to send me these files (being sure that they are copyright free) for them to be shared between Multris registered users. Of course, you will be informed (if you give me your email address) of new album files received.

To unload your conscience.

Because its really not expensive.

How ?

To register, do as follow :

*	If you live in France, just send me a check to Olivier CHAMLEY, with the printed and filled ordering sheet.

*	You can also send me an international postal money order in French francs with the printed and filled ordering sheet.

*	If you have  compuserve account, just GO SWREG. The Multris registering number is 13825 without disk (12$). With disk, it is 13826 (up to 19$). If you have another email address you'd rather use (or if you borrowed this account just to pay for Multris), send it to me telling reception mode for binary files (MIME/UUENCODE) and the largest blocks of your messages.

General remarks :

If you can, please don't ask for a disk. It is less expensive for you, and you still will get the same programs (even more) via email/compuserve or via ftp download. I may even bother with BBS if really needed.

If you do not order for a disk, and you don't give me an email/compuserve address, your registering information will be sent to you by mailbox, but you won't get the album maker program, nor the updates announces.

If you order for a disk, you'll get your registering information in the same letter. If you don't provide me with an email/compuserve address, depending on how expensive the disk sending was, I will send you (by mailbox) updates announces. As soon as you get an email/compuserve, feel free to send it to me.

If you only give me an email address, please don't forget to tell me how you want to receive binary files (MIME, UUENCODE et K Limit). They will allow me to send you the album maker program.


Enhancements
Planned improvements

A lot of ideas have already blossomed into my tired brain and just wait for you to register :

*	new playing modes of Multris (Catch the Buzz, already famous on Macintosh™, Half tetris, where you can complete lines half by half, columns or jewels, where colors are responsible for lines deletion …),

*	allow size modification of playfield (today limited to 18 lines by 10 columns) as well as pieces size for bigger screen (pieces look already rather small on a 1024x768 display),

*	background music (midi, or even better,.MOD files),

*	automatic detection of available servers in local area networks,

*	multi player games across serial/modem links, on the same computer or all of them together,

*	building of an Internet Multris server able to deal with several different tournament.

*	compacting of album files for them to take less space,

*	team games (to be defined),

*	and last, any idea that you will send to the Author.


The author

Address :
Olivier CHAMLEY
19, rue de l'égalité
91400 SACLAY
FRANCE

Web
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ochamley

Email
101574.1735@compuserve.com


Ordering form
Ordering form for Multris v1.0

Multris License        ____    50 FRF a piece = ______

Disk                   ____    25 FRF a piece = ______

Total                                           ______

           Name: _______________________Date:___________

        Address: _______________________________________

        Address: _______________________________________

       Zip code: _____

           Town: _____

  email address: _____________________________________

              MIME: _   UUENCODE: _   K Limit : ____

compuserve Address: ________,_______

How did you heard of Multris?

Comments:


Level
The level gives the pieces falling speed. At the start (level 1), pieces go down every 0,8 seconds. At each new level reached (every 10 removed) this delay is decreased by 20%. The level also multiplies score (cf. points).


This control allows you to increase or decrease level.


Handicap
The handicap is the number of lines displayed at the start of a new game, in the playfield. This option does not give you any more points, but if you have any idea to do so, feel free to write to me.


Network handicap
While in a network game, handicap indicates how important will the number of initial lines be for best players of a game. Formula is (handicap x Dscore x 2)/10, rounded to nearest, where Dscore is the points difference with the last player. For example, if Charles has 6 points, René 3 points, and Gaston one point, with a 4 handicap, Charles will have (4*(6-1)*2)/10=4 lines of handicap, and René (4*(3-1)*2)/10=2 lines.


This control allows you to increase or decrease handicap.


Set
The number of points for the set is the one for the best to reach to win the set. When playing a network game, the first player to lose gets 0 points, the second 1 point, the third 2 points, etc… When a player reaches this number of points, two things might happen : If the player has more points in advance than the number of player in the game, he wins (that means the second can not reach him in the next game). Otherwise, the first player has to be the first one for two consecutive games to win.


This control allows you to increase or decrease the number of points to win the set.


Same pieces
This allows you to be sure that every player on the network game have the same pieces during the whole game. Even the optionally added lines are the same.


Delay between heights updates
The score delay specify time to wait between heights updates from your opponents. This allows not to take too much from the network, especially while connected through a modem. As soon as a network event occurs (a player lost, a handicap comes, …) heights are updated at the same time (in the same TCP/IP packet, for experts) and the delay is reset.


This control allows you to increase or decrease the delay between heights updates of other players in the game.


Network handicap mode
The network handicap mode decides how other players are touched when you remove more than one line at a time (n is 1 for 2 removed lines, 2 for 3 removed lines and 4 for 4 removed lines) :

None	No handicap. The last to lose is the winner (not very interesting).

Acceleration	All other players have their total number of completed lines virtually increased by n, making the speeding up of game faster.

Random lines	A remaining player is selected and its playfield gets up by n lines. Quite unfair.

Sequential lines	The playfield of each player, each one at a time and starting with the following one in the server's list, gets up by n lines. May be unfair at the start of the game where experimented players remove lines 4 at a time, giving a strong handicap to their very next neighbor.

Dispatched lines	The n lines that you give are given, 1 at a time, to the other players, in cycle, and keeping the last touched after each time. This is the more fair mode.

Lines to best	The n lines that you give are given to the player who's height is the smaller. It is quite easy to behave as if you were a bad player …

Lines to all	Every remaining players (apart from you, of course) takes n lines. Games are all the more quick (even unplayable) that there are more players in game.


Shareware
Shareware is software that's given away free on a trial basis. If you like the software, you register it. This usually enables extra features or removes screens which nag you to register. Multris uses the nag screen approach.


Keys
All the Multris' keys can be changed. Please select the one you which to change in the dropping list, then select the shortcut window, and hit the desired key :

Left	Move the piece to the left

Right	Move the piece to the right

Drop	Immediately drop the current piece. The higher the piece is dropped, the more you get points

Anti-clockwise	Anti-clockwise rotation (I only use this one)

Clockwise	Clockwise rotation

Speed up fall	Speed up piece fall, to fill holes…

New game	Start a new game, without going through the menus

Pause	Pause !

Mayday !	Iconify application, pause it (in a non network game), and change the title... (When the boss wonders by !)

Please be careful not to have the same key for two different functions, or you will get strange unexpected effects…


The shortcut window allows you to change the key which will perform the currently selected function


This window displays the list of installed languages in Multris directory. If you wish to add one, write to me, I will send you the files to translate …


The displayed file is the album file (background pictures) currently in use.


This window is only filled if the album file has a description in.


This button allows to select another album file.


You can change Multris sounds using the control panel, sound section. The Multris sounds are associated with the Multris application.


This button allows you to run the sound section. from Windows control panel. The Multris sounds are associated with the Multris application.


This button resets Multris sounds to default values. Specially, it can be useful if you just moved Multris on your disk.


Registry
The registry is the place where the system stores all configuration information. It replaces the old .INI files. To see the registry, run regedit.


1-5 squares mode
In this mode, pieces have 1 to 5 squares. This is a little easier than only 5 squares pieces !

The circles in pieces show the rotation center. The inside value is the points you get when droping this piece.


4 squares mode
In this mode, pieces have 4 squares. This is the usual Tetris mode.

The circles in pieces show the rotation center. The inside value is the points you get when droping this piece.


5 squares mode
In this mode, pieces have 5 squares. Good luck !

The circles in pieces show the rotation center. The inside value is the points you get when droping this piece.


.MOD files are music files, originated from Amiga, integrating both sound samples and their sequence. The sound quality is much better than FM synthesis of a lot of still available sound cards.


The MIME and UUENCODE encoding formats allow to send binary files while converting them to text. If you use microsoft™ exchange choose MIME.


This field allows you to tell me if you're not able to receive files bigger than this kilo-bytes limit.


Nickname
The nickname will be kept in the high score file, when you'll get a high score. These are limited to five for each nickname (that's why I have to ask it every time you lose, for it depends on the nickname to gain a high score or not). In network games, the nickname is displayed both in the waiting window and in the playing window. This two nicknames are separately kept in registry information associated with .


High scores
The high scores table display the following columns, from left to right :

Range	Position in high scores file. In the very unlikely event of two equal score, the first gaine is the winner.

Name	Player's nickname.

Score	Earned score.

Date	Date of achievement. The hour is also stored in the file, but not displayed.

Handicap	Starting handicap. As it is not taken into account for points, you can bet it will always be 0...

Start	Starting level.

End	Reached level.

Lines	Completed lines.

Depending on pieces shape option, the appropriate high score file is displayed.

If the window is displayed because you got a high score, your score will be highlighted.

Selecting the columns label, you sort it accordingly.

If you move the table, resize it or change the columns size (till they disappear if you wish), Multris will keep your settings for next displays.


This window displays the current score, or of the last game.


This window displays the current number of completed lines, or of the last game.


This window displays the current level, or of the last game.


This window displays the shadow of the current piece, below the playfield. It should prevent you from doing to many parallax errors, at least when the games start…


This window displays the next piece you'll get. In this Multris version, you are forced to see it, and can not earn more points just because you hide it.


That's where the pieces fall...


To change, you can select between different piece shapes. Of course, scores are different depending on shapes, and high scores files are hence different for each mode.


The import scores button allows to update the current high score file used by Multris from another file. Of course, the high scores number is still limited to 5 for each nickname.


Waiting for network players
The network players waiting table displays the following columns, from left to right :

Name	Nickname chosen by player while connecting.

Game	Points earned during previous game. The first to lose owns 0 points, the second 1 point, the third 2, etc…. If a player just joined the game, a dash is displayed.

Set	Points earned since the starting of the game.

Selecting the columns label, you sort it accordingly.

If you move the table, resize it or change the columns size (till they disappear if you wish), Multris will keep your settings for next displays.

Only the server can start the game, and only if there are at least two connected players. For them to connect, you have to give them the server address, (server name, like workstation.multris.com or workstation in a local area network, or IP address like nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn). If the selected server does not know its address (modem SLIP/PPP connection, for example), it can try to run WinIPCfg under Windows 95™ or IPConfig in a Windows NT 4.0™ command box. But be careful though : its address can change depending on the connection.


Running network game
The running network game table displays the following columns, from left to right :

Name	Nickname chosen by player while connecting.

Height	First line that has at least a square in, starting from bottom. If 18 is reached, you can consider you opponent dead.

If you move the table, resize it or change the columns size (till they disappear if you wish), Multris will keep your settings for next displays.

Only the server can pause the game, and restart later.


Server address
To connect to the server, you have to fill in this field with the server address, (server name, like workstation.multris.com or workstation in a local area network, or IP address like nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn). If the selected server does not know its address (modem SLIP/PPP connection, for example), it can try to run WinIPCfg under Windows 95™ or IPConfig in a Windows NT 4.0™ command box. But be careful though : its address can change depending on the connection.


The server paused the game (he is the only one allowed to do so). He probably got a phone call …


New game start … Let the pieces fall !


Get out from Multris. This menu is almost nevet used …


As long as you don't validate this dialog box, other players won't be able to connect …


You still can forfeit, other players won't be aware of it …


Allow you to evaluate Multris, though you did not register.


Gives you information on how to register.


Fill in the name you give to register. Watch out for capitals, this field is case sensitive !


Fill in the serial number you got from registering.


Fill in the key you got from registering.


This button allows you to register this version of Multris. You must have previously filled the name, serial number and key fields.


Displays the ordered images files that you want to include in you album file. The first image in list is displayed when Multris is launched, the second during lines 0 to 9, the third during lines 10 to 19, etc… If the player reaches a higher level than the number of images in album, the second one is redisplayed, and so on. You should put in your album images reduced to around 100 colors (saved in 256 colors) and sized 200x360 (if smaller, black borders are displayed). To do so, I suggest you should use the mighty Paint Shop Pro.


Runs the album file building, when you have filled in the images list.


Removes the selected image from the image list.


Loads an image files list.


Saves the images file list, for you to rebuild the album afterwards.


Displays the description shown to the player when he selects your album in its Multris options. If you don't fill in this edit control, "No description" will be displayed instead.


This allows the album file to be a little harder to decompose into elementary files, and hence may force people to keep on playing to see your beautiful images. Be careful though, scrambling the album file makes it quite uncompressible …


This button allows you to load an album description previously saved.


This button allows you to save the current album description, for a later build.