Your Choice 3/Your Choice Software Collection 3.iso/os2/gbase/install.003/GUIMINE.HLP

OS/2 Help File | 1993-10-26 | 16.9 KB | 417 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. About the Mined Game ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

About the Mined Game

The Mined Game is just one of the example programs supplied with Guidelines.
Examples are provided which demonstrate particular features of the JOT
language, highlight usage of one or more controls, discuss calling external and
existing object modules from JOT, etc.  Please refer to the manual Getting
Started With Guidelines for a complete list of the examples supplied.

This help file discusses various details of the Mined Game.  Information is
included concerning how to play the Mined Game, and the dialogs and windows by
which the user interacts which the game.

While the Mined Game is a complete working program, certain features have been
deliberately excluded to encourage developers to examine and extend on an
already working example.  It should be noted, however, that the original code,
help text and images used within the Mined Game remain copyright to JBA
International plc., and are made available on the basis that the licencee of
Guidelines may use this material on a single machine, but may not distribute it
in any form, whether modified or not.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. How to play the Mined Game ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

How to play the Mined Game

The object of the game is to uncover every square on the board , without
exploding the mines which are hidden under some of the squares.  This requires
both good luck and good strategy.  When all 'safe' squares have been uncovered,
the game is won.  If any of the squares which have been mined are uncovered,
you die, and the game is lost.

Squares are uncovered by using the mouse.  At the beginning of the game, all
squares are set to the covered state, thereby concealing whether a mine lies
under them or not.  Pressing Mouse Button 1 while over a covered square causes
that square to be uncovered.  Pressing Mouse Button 2 while over a covered
square causes the square to be marked as containing a mine.  Once a square has
been marked, the square will not be uncovered, either by the operation of Mouse
Button 1 while over the square, or during group clearing of the board.  A
square may be un-marked by pressing Mouse Button 2 on it a second time.

When a square is uncovered, it will reveal either a mine (causing the game to
be lost), a number (indicating the number of squares which are adjacent to the
square which contain mines), or a blank, indicating that no adjacent square
contains a mine.  In the latter case, the Mined Game will automatically uncover
the squares surrounding the square which is being uncovered.  If any of those
eight squares is also blank, this process will repeat, revealing a (possibly)
large amount of the board with a single action.

The first square uncovered in the Mined Game will never be a mine, as a
convenience to the player.  After this first square, however, each additional
square uncovered should be carefully selected, in order to avoid uncovering
(and thereby exploding) a mine.

If you lose, the Mined Game will display the position of all mines yet to be
uncovered, and will indicate any incorrectly marked squares.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. Board layout and appearance ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Board layout and appearance

The size of the board is determined by the current level of difficulty .  Each
square is drawn using one of the images below, depending upon the actions
previously performed by the user.

        The initial state of all squares on the board.  No information is known
        as to whether the square might be a mine, or how many the squares which
        are adjacent to a given square contain mines.

        An uncovered square which has no mines adjacent to it.

        There are the number indicated squares adjacent to the square which
        have mines in them, whether uncovered or not.

        This image is displayed for any squares which a player has marked as
        containing a mine.

        If a square is uncovered which contains a mine, the current game will
        end in failure, and this image will be drawn to show that an explosion
        occurred.

        After a game has completed in failure, any squares which contain mines
        but which have not been marked as having a mine will be drawn using
        this image.

        After a game has completed in failure, any squares which the player
        marked as containing a mine, but which did not actually contain a mine,
        will be drawn using this image.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2. Adjacent Squares ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Adjacent squares

Each square has eight neighbours as seen below.  The square with the question
mark is surrounded by eight adjacent squares.

 When a number is shown on an uncovered square, that number is the count how
 many of the eight adjacent squares which contain mines.  Squares at the
 corners and along the edges of the board have fewer than eight neighbours.  As
 a result, it is often best to select one of the these squares as a starting
 point.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3. Levels of difficulty ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Levels of difficulty

The following levels of difficulty may be selected:

Learn

The Learn level of difficulty is provided to assist people to learn how to use
the mouse buttons to uncover and mark cells.  It plays at a trivial level, and
is not intended to be a challenge - merely as a training ground for would be
mine gurus.  This selection yields a 10 x 10 board with 3 mines on it.

Beginner

This is the default game level when the Mined Game starts.  This selection
yields a 10 x 10 board with 12 mines on it.

Intermediate

The Intermediate level is probably the most playable level - being not too easy
to be totally trivial to solve, and not so hard that one must play the game all
day before solving it.  This selection yields a 15 x 20 board with 50 mines on
it.

Advanced

For all those who fancy themselves as invincible Mined Game players, the
Advanced level is provided. This selection yields a 15 x 30 board with 99 mines
on it.  Often it is a matter of pure chance as to whether the Advanced level
may be solved.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Mined Game Dialogs ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Mined Game Dialogs

The Mined Game contains four dialogs which control play and present information
to the user.

    o Main Window
    o Win Dialog
    o Lose Dialog
    o About Dialog


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1. Help for the Main window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for the Main window

This is the dialog in which the Mined Game is played.  It contains the
following items:

Menu

The menu attached to the Main Window allows the user to set the level of
difficulty , start a new game, exit the program, and display help.  For these
purposes the Game and the Help sub-menus are provided.

Squares to uncover

The Squares to uncover field shows how many squares are remaining before the
mine field will have been cleared.

Board

The board contains a grid of squares, each of which may be blank, may be marked
as containing a mine, may have an exploded mine, etc.  The number of squares in
the board is dependent upon the current level of difficulty .

Score

The Score field indicates how many squares have been successfully uncovered.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.2. Help for the Lose dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for the Lose dialog

The Lose dialog is presented when a mine is uncovered.  Press the Ok button to
dismiss the dialog and return to the game.

After you return to the main window, pressing Mouse Button 2 on the board area
will cause a new game to be started.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.3. Help for the Win dialog ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for the Win dialog

Congratulations, you have successfully completed the Mined Game.  Press the Ok
button to dismiss the dialog and return to the game.

After you return to the main window, pressing Mouse Button 2 on the board area
will cause a new game to be started.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.4. Help for Product Information... ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Product Information...

The Product Information dialog displays various details concerning the
implementation of the Mined Game.  Press the Ok button to dismiss the dialog
and return to the game.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Mouse buttons ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Mouse buttons

Squares are uncovered by using the mouse.  Pressing Mouse Button 1 while over a
covered square causes that square to be uncovered.  Pressing Mouse Button 2
while over a covered square causes the square to be marked as containing a
mine.  Once a square has been marked, the square can not be uncovered.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.1. Using Mouse Button 1 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Mouse Button 1

Mouse Button 1 is used to uncover a square.  By default this is the Left Mouse
Button, unless it has been changed via the Setup choice of the Mouse Settings
in the System Setup folder.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.2. Using Mouse Button 2 ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Mouse Button 2

Mouse Button 2 is used to mark a square as containing a mine.  By default this
is the Right Mouse Button, unless it has been changed via the Setup choice of
the Mouse Settings in the System Setup folder.

Marking a covered square results in the square selected changing from:

 to

 Once a square has been marked in this way the Mined Game will not allow the
 player to accidentally uncover it using Mouse Button 1 .  In order to unmark a
 square, Mouse Button 2 should be pressed on the marked square.

 When a game has been finished (either successfully or after uncovering a
 mine), Mouse Button 2 will cause a new game to be started.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Keyboard accelerators ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Keyboard accelerators

Within the Mined Game, various keyboard accelerators are provided for commonly
used game functions.  These are:

Ctrl+N

Causes a new game to be started.

F3

Causes the Mined Game to terminate.

Alt+F9

Minimizes the Mined Game Main Window.  This is a standard Presentation Manager
defined accelerator key which invokes the action from the System Menu.

Mouse Button 1

Mouse Button 1 allows the user to uncover a square.

Mouse Button 2

Mouse Button 2 allows the user to mark a square as containing a mine, or clear
prevously marked squares back to their default state.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Menu help panels ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Menu help panels

This section contains all help panels which are available for the controls and
menu items which appear on the dialogs of the Mined Game.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Game menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for the Game menu

The Game Menu allows the user to start a new game, set the level of difficulty
at which the Mined Game will play, and exit from the Mined Game.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for New game ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for New game

Select the New game option to start a new game, using the currently selected
level of difficulty .


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Level sub-menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Level sub-menu

When one of the members from the level of difficulty  submenu is selected, the
Mined Game will resize the board (and the main dialog itself), and ensure that
the dialog fits within the desktop window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Learn level ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Learn level

Select this option to play a game at the Learn level of difficulty .


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Beginner level ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Beginner level

Select this option to play a game at the Beginner level of difficulty .


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Intermediate level ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Intermediate level

Select this option to play a game at the Intermediate level of difficulty .


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Expert level ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Expert level

Select this option to play a game at the Expert level of difficulty .


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Exit ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Exit

Select the Exit option to end the Mined Game.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Help menu ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help menu

This menu offers various help choices which give detailed discussion of the
features and options of the Mined Game.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Playing Mined Game ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Playing Mined Game

Selecting this option gives an overview of the rules and method of play of the
Mined Game.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Help index ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Help index

This selection will show the index of all available help items in the Mined
Game help.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Help contents ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Help contents

This selection shows the table of contents provided with the Mined Game help.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for General help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for General help

Selecting this option presents a brief discussion and summary of the Mined
Game.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Keys help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Keys help

This selection presents a table of the available accelerator keys used the
Mined Game, and their function.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Using help ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Using help

Select this option for information on how to use the help facility.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ <hidden> Help for Product Information... ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Help for Product Information...

This choice displays the standard Product Information dialog which is included
with each of the Guidelines example programs.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Copyright ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Copyright

Copyright JBA International, plc.  All rights reserved worldwide.