• a demonstration of the capabilities of QuickDraw and
• a combination of two old games that I really liked.
>Topic<Merry Christmas!
Or "God Jul" as we say here. This is a computerized christmas card, and a little puzzle game. I hope it can give a few minutes pleasant diversion at any time of the year, but obviously it is best used at Christmas. Now you have a chance to teach grandma how to use the mouse!
>Topic<Background
The reasons for writing this game can be traced back to… yes, I know, back to the birth of Christ or so if you like, but seriously, this game was inspired by two other programs, both written around 1986-1987.
The most important reason is Christmas '87, written by Brad Needham and released in late 1987 (obviously). It was very similar to this, but in b/w and with square-shaped pieces. It is one of the most charming programs I ever downloaded.
The other one is Puzzl' by the late Duane Blehm. Puzzl' was a puzzle game (in b/w) that had irregularly shaped pieces, just like a jigsaw puzzle.
These two games have stayed in my memory, but not until now have I had a reason to sit down and implement a puzzle game like them. This is thanks to Pekka Heino, who thought that squarely cut pictures are old-fashioned today, and that we should try jigsaw-style in the project we are working on. That can be fixed, I said. And did, thanks to my friend Folke Söderström, who wrote part of the code for the irregular pieces.
Strictly non-commercial distribution is permitted and encouraged. Commercial distribution is allowed on the condition that a copy of the product in question (CD-ROM, book, magazine…) is sent to me for reference.
>Topic<Shareware pack #1-2
I have written quite a few Mac games by now. If you play shareware games, you have probably seen a few of them already.
In my games, I'm trying to keep a high level of compatibility, always supporting a few more Mac models and system versions than most other game writers do. Generally speaking, the games work from Plus and up (Mac512 might work too), support color, work at least under system versions 6.0.7 to 7.1 (often more).
Until recently (autumn 1993), I could offer them all in a single "shareware pack". This was possible as long as they all fitted on one diskette - which kept postage and trouble fairly low. When ISG (see below) finally was completed, colorized and enhanced, this was no longer possible. The package couldn't fit on one 800k, and moving to HD diskettes is not possible yet (since I often can't tell what people have old drives).
Last but not least, I think I must keep the right price level. Even though my games aren't quite professional quality, seven of them for $15 is pretty cheap. Right? Making a second package for $10 seems like a reasonable move.
So here's the deal:
There is no limit on for how long you may use my games before paying. You pay when you think I have deserved a few bucks, or if you just want the latest versions or the complete versions.
Versions numbers below are the current ones. You will get that or better.
Shareware pack #1. $15.
Bachman 2.0, with editor and extra levels.
Slime Invaders 2.0.1, with extra levels.
HeartQuest 0.8.1.
MacSokoban 2.1.
Hexmines 1.2.1.
Bikaka 1.3.
Classic Daleks 1.1.
Shareware pack #2. $10.
Ingemar's Skiing Game 1.0, registered user version with editor.
Christmas '93 (or future variation on it - might depend on the time of the year).
Future games, pre-releases, if any.
A few FKEYs, small utilities.
As long as the pack #2 disk isn't crowded with new stuff, I'll gladly fill the left space with some games from pack #1, or, if you are a programmer, with all or parts of Sprite Animation Toolkit (the Think Pascal/Think C library used in Bachman, Slime Invaders, HeartQuest and ISG) in case you can't get it elsewhere. Please note what games you are most interested in.
Both packs: $20.
Upgrade/sidegrade for registered users (desired combiation of the above): $10.
Order them by sending the amount (and your complete mail address plus Mac model and system version) to:
Ingemar Ragnemalm
Plöjaregatan 73
S-58330 Linköping
SWEDEN
Cash is best, if possible. (Neatly wrapped, of course.) I have had trouble with checks, esp. US ones. European users can pay on swedish postal giro 620831-2014.
I should add that the other games have a lot more playing time per meg than this one has. Sorry if it's big - color pictures take lots of space, and the sound refused to get smaller without losing lots of quality. On the other hand, it's the kind of program you should have on a diskette most of the time - except on Christmas, of course.
>Topic<How to play
Problems? Have you tried the mouse? Bring the game window to front, move the mouse over it, and click-and-drag.
When two adjacent pieces get close enough (2 pixels or so from perfect match) they will meld together and form a bigger piece. When the entire puzle is one big piece, you have won!
If you think the puzzle can't be solved (missing piece or anything), there may be a bug. If that seems likely, quit and start over. If nothing helps, your Mac model or system version may conflict with the program in some way. If so, contact me, and give me a complete description of the problem (including Mac model, system, special hardware and system extensions that could be exected to cause problems).
>Topic<Acknowledgements
Special thanks to:
• Chrisp and Eva, voices. (The third voice is my own.)
• whoever made the nice pictures. (Found them on an Educorp CD-ROM.)
• Paul DuBois and Owen Harnett for TransSkel.
• Cary Torkelson for this help system.
• Folke Söderström for the polygon extractor.
• Duane Blehm (Puzzl') and Brad Needham (Christmas '87) for inspiration.
• Pekka Heino for the idea that got me started and thereby caused this game to be written.
