Precision Software Appli…tions Silver Collection 1/Precision Software Applications Silver Collection Volume One (PSM) (1993).iso/games/egavga/sherlk15.arj/SHERLOCK.DOC

Text File | 1992-08-02 | 46KB | 871 lines

                          SHERLOCK 1.50  June 27, 1992

                        Copyright 1991-1992 Everett Kaser
                              All rights reserved.

    This is a game of logic and deduction for IBM PC compatible computers.

    REQUIREMENTS: IBM PC compatible computer with at least 512K of RAM.
              EGA/VGA compatible display with at least 128K or RAM.
              Microsoft compatible mouse.

    The program will not function with CGA, MDA, or Hercules display
    adapters, nor will it work without a mouse.

    Sherlock is a game of deduction.  It is your task, based upon the
    information available in provided clues, to determine the locations
    of 36 blocks.  Every puzzle can be solved by using the clues to
    eliminate possibilities until the location of a specific block can
    be determined.  Sherlock may be played by a SINGLE person, or a
    TOURNAMENT may be set up, with each person in the TOURNAMENT
    attempting to solve the same puzzle as quickly as possible.  A
    TIME LIMIT may be set if desired.

    SHERLOCK is being distributed as Shareware.  If you use the game
    for more than one week, you are expected to pay for its use.   To
    register the game send the registration fee of $15.00 (US) to the
    author.  For your convenience, the file REGISTER.DOC may be printed
    to obtain a registration form.  The author may be contacted at:

        Everett Kaser        phone:    [phone]
        Sherlock        Weekdays: 6:00pm - 9:00pm Pacific Time
        35405 Spruce St        Weekends: 8:30am - 9:00pm
        Albany, OR  97321

        Compuserve:    70673,1547
          internet:    hplabs!hp-pcd!everett
                 or [e-mail]

    In the United Kingdom you may register by sending £9.90 to:

        The Thompson Partnership     Phone: [phone]
        Church Croft                   Fax: [phone]
        Bramshall, UTTOXETTER
        Staffordshire   ST14 5DE
        England

    In Germany, you may register by sending 39 deutschmarks to:

        CDV Software        Phone: [phone]
        Postfach 2749               0721-22294
        W-7500 Karlsruhe 1      Fax: [phone]
        Germany              BTX  *CDV#

        Registered users may receive an update at any time by sending $5 to
        the same address.  Registered users may write or call at any time to
        find out the latest revision date or to receive other support.

        Bug reports, suggestions, and comments are always welcome.

    SHAREWARE and the ASP OMBUDSMAN

    This program is produced by 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.  Please write to the ASP
    Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442 or send a CompuServe
    message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.

    Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before
    buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you
    are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some
    request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum
    trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right
    to continue using the software to receiving an updated program with
    a printed manual.

    Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the
    copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as
    stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like
    commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In
    both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference
    is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the
    right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or
    to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permiss-
    ion before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware.

    Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should
    find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's com-
    mercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs
    easier, because you can try before you buy.  And because the overhead
    is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money-back
    guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it.

    DISCLAIMER, LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUPPORT

    --- DISCLAIMER ---
    Users of SHERLOCK must accept this disclaimer of warranty:

    "SHERLOCK is supplied as is.  The author disclaims all warranties,
    expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of
    merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no
    liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from
    the use of SHERLOCK."

    --- LICENSE ---
    SHERLOCK is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the
    user for evaluation.  Feel free to share it with your friends, but
    please do not give it away altered or as part of another system.  The
    essence of "user-supported" software is to provide personal computer
    users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide
    incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products.  If you
    find this program useful and find that you are using SHERLOCK and
    continue to use SHERLOCK after a reasonable trial period, you must make
    a registration payment as described on the first page of this document.
    The applicable registration fee will license one copy for use on any
    one computer at any one time.  You must treat this software just like
    a book.  An example is that this software may be used by any number of
    people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another,
    so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location
    while it's being used at another.  Just as a book cannot be read by
    two different persons at the same time.

    Commercial users of SHERLOCK must register and pay for their copies of
    SHERLOCK within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn.
    Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting Everett Kaser.

    Anyone distributing SHERLOCK for any kind of remuneration must first
    contact Everett Kaser at the address above for authorization. This
    authorization will be automatically granted to distributors recognized
    by the (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines for shareware distributors,
    and such distributors may begin offering SHERLOCK immediately (However
    Everett Kaser must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept
    up-to-date with the latest version of SHERLOCK.).

    You are encouraged to pass a copy of SHERLOCK along to your friends
    for evaluation.  Please encourage them to register their copy if they
    find that they can use it.  All registered users will receive a copy of
    the latest version of the SHERLOCK system.

    --- SUPPORT ---
    Support for products from Everett Kaser Software is available via
    phone, mail, and Compuserve email for a period not less than one year
    or the duration of my life, which ever is shorter, and not to exceed
    your life-time or mine, which ever is shorter.  See the first page of
    this document for phone number, mail address, and Compuserve email
    address.  Updates are available at any time to registered users for a
    $5 fee to cover costs of labor, materials, shipping, and handling (and
    to keep me from feeling badly).  Bug fixes for major bugs (if any ever
    occur) will be shipped free to registered users for a period of three
    months after the date of registration.
    __________________________________
    I. GETTING STARTED: ABOUT THE GAME

    This game is based upon a puzzle that I remember from my high school
    days.  In that puzzle you were told that there were six different
    colored houses side-by-side, in a row.  A person lived in each house,
    and each person had a different pet, drank a different drink, drove
    a different car, etc.  Then you were given a list of clues, such as:

      "The person who drinks orange juice lives next to the red house."

    From the list of clues, you had to decide which things went where.

    Sherlock implements basically the same thing, but done in a graphical
    environment where you use the mouse to organize the clues, keep track
    of possibilities and impossibilities, and mark the deduced locations
    of objects.  There are 65,536 different puzzles, enough to keep you
    occupied well into the next century.

    It would be best to start the program at this point, so you can refer
    to the display and try things as you read through these instructions.

    Before you get to the game display, you're faced with the either
    the MAIN MENU or the PLAYER SELECTION display.  If this is the first
    time you've run Sherlock and your copy didn't come with a file called
    SHERLOCK.CFG (it normally doesn't), then the PLAYER SELECTION screen
    is displayed.  At this point you MUST enter a NEW PLAYER name before
    going further.  Click either mouse button on the NEW PLAYER box, type
    in your name, and then press the ENTER key.  Next click either mouse
    button on the DONE box.  This will bring you to the MAIN MENU.

    The MAIN MENU has a number of things to select from, most of which we
    will ignore at this point.  The items of primary interest are:
       PLAY:  this starts the game.
       EXIT_TO_DOS:  this exits the program.
    Click either mouse button on the PLAY box.  This will bring up the
    game display.  The program must first "generate" the current puzzle.
    It does this by first randomly scrambling all of the items within each
    row.  It then generates random clues until there are sufficient clues
    to correctly solve the puzzle.  Lastly, it draws the board and clue
    areas onto the display, at which point it's ready for you to begin
    solving the puzzle.

    The game display has four major areas:
    1) The playing board which consists of six rows, each row containing
       six related pictures (six people, six numbers, six different street
       signs, etc).  Initially, each location in a row shows all six
       possibilities for that row as half-sized images.  The half-size
       indicates that they are only possibilities.  When a row-column
       location is inhabited by a single full-sized image, that indicates
       that the block is (or is BELIEVED to be) located there.  As you
       deduce that an item can't be in a given square, the RIGHT mouse
       button can be used to remove that possibility from that location.
       When you've deduced that a specific item HAS to be at a specific
       location, the LEFT mouse button can be used to signify it.  The
       correctness (or the incorrectness) of your deductions is not checked
       or displayed until you have specified locations for all 36 items, at
       which point the game is over, and you will have won or lost.

    2) Below the playing board is a menu and information area.  This area
       lets you get back to the main menu, undo up to 25 of your most
           recent actions, get a hint (which costs 30 seconds of "time"), or
       see the clues that you have moved to the "OTHER CLUES" bank.  This
       area also displays the current player's name, the current game time,
       and the current puzzle number. Clicking on the time pauses the game.

    3) To the right of the playing board is the "horizontal clue" area.
       These clues show relationships between items that are in different
       columns.

    4) Across the bottom of the display is the "vertical clue" area.  These
       clues show relationships between items that are in the same columns.
    ______________
    II.  THE CLUES

    There are two basic groupings of the clues.

        Horizontal, or multi-column, clues consist of three pictures of blocks,
    and they indicate how certain blocks are located relative to each
    other when those blocks are in different columns.

    Vertical, or single-column, clues consist of two pictures of blocks,
    and they indicate either that two blocks ARE or ARE NOT in the same
    column.  Most puzzles will have some blocks that are not included in
    any of the clues (there position becomes apparent through a process of
    elimination).  These are shown individually in the vertical clue area
    for reference.

    A third type of clue is the most helpful.  Many puzzles will have from
    one to three blocks shown at their actual positions on the board.  When
    this occurs, those blocks are not shown as possibilities at the other
    locations in their rows, and they're shown as a large picture at their
    actual location.  These blocks cannot be moved or changed.

    After reading through this description of the clue types, a good way
    to get a feeling for how to apply the clues to solving the puzzles is
    to use the hint feature to play all the way through a puzzle.  In this
    way the game will show you how it solves the puzzle.

    --- VERTICAL CLUES ---

    The first type of vertical clue is known as IS_SAME_COLUMN:

       ┌─────┐    This clue tells us that the RED_HOUSE and the STOP_SIGN
       │     │    are in the same column.  So, if we know where the
       │ RED │    RED_HOUSE is, then we know where the STOP_SIGN is,
       │HOUSE│    since we always know what row a given block is in, and
       └─────┘    this along with the known position of the RED_HOUSE
       ┌─────┐    would tell us which column it's in.  The reverse, of
       │     │    course, is also true.  If we know where the STOP_SIGN
       │STOP │    is, then this clue tells us where the RED_HOUSE is.
       │     │
       └─────┘    Conversely, if the RED_HOUSE is known to NOT be in a
            particular column, then this clue tells us that the
        STOP_SIGN can't be in that column either, since they have to
        both be in the same column.  Also, if the STOP_SIGN can't be
        in a given column, then the RED_HOUSE can't be in that column.

    The second type of vertical clue is known as IS_NOT_SAME_COLUMN:

       ┌─────┐    Imagine that the clue to the left has superimposed over
       │     │    it a red circle with a slash through it (the standard
       │GOLDI│    symbol for DON'T or NO).  This would indicate that
       │LOCKS│    the S block is NOT in the same column as GOLDILOCKS
       └─────┘    (and vice versa).  This clue isn't of any use to you
       ┌─────┐    until you know the location of one of the blocks.  At
       │     │    that point, you can use this clue to eliminate that
       │  S  │    column as a possible location for the other block.
       │     │
       └─────┘

    Again, a single block appearing in a vertical clue by itself means that
    block is not involved in any clues.

    --- HORIZONTAL CLUES ---

    The first and most common horizontal clue is known as IS_NEXT_TO:

       ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ This clue means that the 5 block and the
       │     ││     ││     │ GREEN_HOUSE block next to each other (the
       │  5  ││GREEN││  5  │ phrase "next to" means that they're in adjac-
       │     ││HOUSE││     │ ent columns; since they're different "types"
       └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ of blocks, they can't be in the same row).
    But, the clue doesn't tell you whether the 5 is on the left of the
    GREEN_HOUSE, or if the GREEN_HOUSE is on the left of the 5.  That's
    why the 5 is shown on both sides of the GREEN_HOUSE, because it's
    next to the GREEN_HOUSE, but it could be on either the right or left.

    The second horizontal clue type is known as IS_NOT_NEXT_TO:

       ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ Imagine that the NOT symbol (the red circle
       │     ││     ││     │ with the slash through it) is superimposed
       │  5  ││GREEN││  5  │ over the GREEN_HOUSE in this clue.  This
       │     ││HOUSE││     │ would indicate that the GREEN_HOUSE is *NOT*
       └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ next to the 5, neither on the left or the
    right.  This clue is usually not of much use until the location of one
    of the two blocks is known.  At that point the other block can be
    removed as a possibility from the adjacent columns.

    The third horizontal clue type is known as IS_LEFT_OF:

       ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ This clue tells you that the DEAD_END sign is
       │     ││     ││     │ in a column somewhere to the left of the
       │ DEAD││ ... ││  M  │ column in which the M is located.  The DEAD_
       │ END ││     ││     │ END may be immediately adjacent to the M on
       └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ the M's left, or the DEAD_END may be in the
    left-most column while the M is in the right-most column, or anywhere
    between these two extremes.  But, the DEAD_END is *NOT* in the same
    column as the M, and the DEAD_END is not to the right of the M.  The
    three dots in the center block of the clue is being used as the
    IS_LEFT_OF symbol.
     The fourth (and generally most useful) horizontal clue is IS_BETWEEN:

          <------------->     Imagine that the double-headed arrow is
       ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ actually superimposed over the tops of the
       │     ││     ││     │ three clue blocks.  This clue means that the
       │  L  ││APPLE││BLUE │ APPLE column is between the L and BLUE_HOUSE
       │     ││     ││HOUSE│ columns, and that the L and BLUE_HOUSE columns
       └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ are immediately adjacent to the APPLE column.
    However, the arrow means that the L could be on the left and the
    BLUE_HOUSE on the right, *OR* the L could be on the right and the
    BLUE_HOUSE on the left.  This clue also tells you that the APPLE can
    not be in the left-most *OR* right-most columns, since then it would
    only have one adjacent column.  Also, as soon as the location of any
    one of these three blocks is known, then there are at most only two
    possible locations for each of the other two blocks, either to the
    right or left of the known block.  This clue can also be used to
    eliminate possibilities.  For instance, suppose that the APPLE is still
    shown as a possibility in the second column from the left, but neither
    the L or BLUE_HOUSE is a possibility in the left-most column.  Since
    either the L or the BLUE_HOUSE *HAS* to be to the left of the APPLE
    and neither of them can be (in this scenario), then the APPLE can't be
    in the second column from the left.

    The fifth (and last) horizontal clue type is IS_NOT_BETWEEN:

          <------------->     Imagine that the double-headed arrow is
       ┌─────┐┌─────┐┌─────┐ actually superimposed over the tops of the
       │     ││     ││     │ three clue blocks, and that the red NOT symbol
       │  L  ││APPLE││BLUE │ is superimposed over the APPLE.  This means
       │     ││     ││HOUSE│ that the L and the BLUE_HOUSE have one column
       └─────┘└─────┘└─────┘ between them (just as in the IS_BETWEEN clue)
    and that the L could be to the left or to the right of the BLUE_HOUSE,
    but the APPLE is *NOT* between them.  Again, this clue doesn't tell us
    anything about the location of the APPLE until the locations of both
    the L and the BLUE_HOUSE are known.  But, this clue does tell us that
    the L and BLUE_HOUSE are two columns away from each other.

    --- MANAGING THE CLUES ---

    The clues can be moved around to better group them, so that clues with
    common blocks can be placed together.  To do this, use the mouse to
    point to any one of the blocks in the clue.  Press and hold either
    mouse button, then move the mouse, dragging the block to its new
    location (within that group of clues;  you can't move a HORIZONTAL clue
    to the VERTICAL clue group or vice versa).  When it's positioned where
    you'd like the clue to be located, release the mouse button.  If the
    new location was empty, the clue will be moved there.  If the location
    was not empty, all clues below and to the right will be moved "down"
    to make room before the clue is moved.

    Notice that if you select a clue block with the left mouse button that
    the block remains full-sized.  If you select the clue block with the
    right mouse button, it becomes half-sized.  Either way works fine for
    moving clues.  Should you realize that you've incorrectly removed a
    block as a possibility from a given location on the board, you can use
    the right mouse button to select the block from a clue and drag it to
    the location on the board where you feel it should still be a possibil-
    ity.  You can similarly pick and drag possibilities from the board
    itself. Usually, this feature won't be of much use, as UNDO is handier.

    Another feature that is very useful in managing the clues is the
    "OTHER CLUES" bin.  Initially, all clues are shown on the display.  You
    can think of this as the "GAME CLUE" bin.  As you play the game, some
    clues will become "used".  In other words, the clue will be of no
    further use because all of its information has become used on the
    board.  You can click the right mouse button on the clue, and it will
    disappear, moved to the "OTHER CLUES" bin.  This keeps the "GAME CLUE"
    bin as un-cluttered as possible, letting you focus just on the clues
    that still have useful information.

    However, you may occasionally move a clue to the "OTHER CLUES" bin
    before you've actually used all of the information in the clue.  The
    "GAME CLUES" bin and the "OTHER CLUES" bin can be swapped by clicking
    either mouse button on the "OTHER CLUES" menu box.

    ______________________
    III.  NOTES ON PLAYING THE GAME

    The whole object of the game is to correctly locate all 36 blocks.
    This is done through a process of deduction and elimination, using
    the clues as a guide.  When a clue tells you that a particular block
    can not possibly be located at a particular square on the board, point
    to the block with the mouse and then click the right mouse button.  The
    image of the block that you pointed to will disappear.  When there's
    only one small image left, it MUST be the block that is located at that
    square.  When that happens, point to it with the mouse and click the
    left mouse button.  The block will be made full-sized and all other
    half-sized images of that block in the row will disappear.

    Also, watch for situations where a particular block exists as a
    possibility at only one location.  This means that it HAS to be located
    there, so it can be enlarged.

    While you're first learning the game, in order to keep the mouse
    buttons straight, think of the left button as BIG/KEEP and the right
    button as SMALL/REMOVE.

    In order to solve the puzzle, you must repeatedly scan through the
    clues, testing each clue to see if it will eliminate any more possibil-
    ities in each column.  Each time you remove one possibility from the
    board, that may cause other clues to become useful in removing further
    possibilities.  Remember, all boards are guaranteed to be solvable with
    the provided clues.

    When you locate the last of the 36 blocks the game is over, and the
    program will tell you whether your deductions were correct or not.

    --- HINT ---

    The HINT menu box is a very good way to quickly get a feeling for how
    the puzzles are solved.  Click either mouse button on the HINT box.
    The program will draw a box with a HINT in it, blinking a box around
    the associated clue and an arrow pointing to the appropriate clue on
    the board.  When you click a mouse button a second time, the HINT box
    goes away and the appropriate action for the HINT is automatically
    performed for you (usually removing a possibility or locating a block).

    So, by repeatedly clicking on the HINT menu box and reading the HINTs,
    the program will teach you how to use the clues to solve the puzzles.

    If you're trying to solve the puzzles as fast as possible, you should
    use HINT very sparingly, as each HINT costs you 30 seconds.  If you're
    playing the game with NO TIME LIMIT, then 30 seconds is added to the
    "game time".  If you're playing with a TIME LIMIT, then 30 seconds is
    subtracted from your remaining time.  But, used at a critical point,
    HINT can be used once or twice, very strategically, to get you past
    a particularly difficult spot.

    --- UNDO ---

    Sherlock keeps track of the last 25 actions you've taken and can undo
    those actions.  If you realize that you've made a mistake, you can
    repeatedly click on the UNDO menu box until you reach the point at
    which you made the mistake (assuming that it was within the last 25
    actions).  UNDO cannot be UNDOne (except by repeating the action which
    UNDO UNDid).

    --- TIME ---

    The game may be paused by clicking on the "Time:" display box.

    _______________________
    IV. THE MAIN MENU

    The Main Menu contains a number of options to allow you to configure
    the game to your preferences.  Any of the menu boxes is activated by
    clicking either mouse button on the desired box.

    --- PLAY/RESUME and RESTART ---

    This box will say PLAY if the game hasn't been started yet. Clicking on
    the PLAY box causes the program to generate the next puzzle and display
    it (this can take from 3 to 20 seconds or more, depending upon the
    puzzle and the speed of your computer). Once the game has been started,
    the player can return to the Main Menu by clicking on the MENU box.  At
    this point the PLAY box is re-labeled as RESUME, and a RESTART menu box
    is also shown. RESUME takes you right back to your game.  RESTART will
    start the puzzle over in its initial state.  Once a puzzle has been
    started the only Main Menu entry that will have any effect on a RESUMED
    game is SOUND. TIME, COLORS, IMAGES, BACKGROUND, PUZZLE, and PLAYER are
    modifiable, but only affect the configuration file and/or future
    puzzles, and should generally only be changed in between puzzles. HELP
    can be used at any time, as can RESUME, RESTART, and EXIT_TO_DOS.

    --- PUZZLE ---

    This box always shows the puzzle number that will be generated on the
    next PLAY.  Clicking on this menu box will allow you to specify a
    different number.  When you first start playing Sherlock, the puzzle
    number will be 0.  As each puzzle is solved, the game automatically
    increments to the puzzle number.  The current puzzle number for each
    player is kept in the SHERLOCK.CFG file.

    For tournament play, the game generates a random puzzle number, which
    can be over-ridden with a specific puzzle number before the first
    player starts, if desired.

    --- PLAYER ---

    This menu box always shows whether you're in SINGLE or TOURNEY play
    mode.  By clicking on the PLAYER menu box, you'll bring up the PLAYER
    menu, which allows you to add new players, change the names of players,
    remove players from the list, and select SINGLE or TOURNEY play mode.

    If you look carefully, you will notice that the SINGLE or TOURNEY
    menu box appears to be "pushed in".  This indicates that that mode is
    active.  If you click on the other menu box, it will "go in" and the
    previous one will "come out".  If you click on SINGLE or TOURNEY when
    its menu box is already "in", the program will just beep at you.

    When in SINGLE mode, the name of the current player is highlighted.
    A different player can be selected by pointing at the players name with
    the mouse and clicking either mouse button.

    When in TOURNEY mode, all of the names of those players who will be
    participating in the tournament are highlighted.  Again, players can
    be selected or de-selected for participation in the tournament by
    pointing at them with the mouse and clicking either mouse button.

    When the SINGLE/TOURNEY mode and player(s) are selected, click either
    mouse button on the DONE menu box to return to the main menu.

    Each player can have his/her own set of configuration options,  all of
    which is saved in the SHERLOCK.CFG file.  Each player can have a
    different set of colors, background pattern, block images, time limit,
    and sound.  When a player is selected, his/her configuration is
    automatically selected and used.  Because of this, it's important that
    you ensure that YOU'RE the selected player before you start changing
    configuration information.

    --- TIME ---

    You can play the game with NO time LIMIT, in which case the game timer
    starts at 00:00:00 and counts upward.  However, you can also set a
    time limit, in which case the game timer starts at that time setting
    and counts downward.  If the puzzle isn't solved before the timer
    reaches zero, you lose.

    When you click on the TIME menu box, it's replaced with a two-button
    selection.  Click on the desired item.  If COUNT DOWN is selected,
    you will be prompted to enter a time in HH:MM:SS format (that means
    hours:minutes:seconds).  At this point, use BACKSPACE and the number
    keys (and the colon) to enter a new time, then press ENTER.  If the
    time is not in the correct format, the time limit won't be changed.

    --- COLORS ---

    This menu box will bring up another menu that allows you to select the
    colors that you wish to be used for various parts of the game display.

    By carefully selecting colors, you can come up with pleasing alternate
    color schemes.  (You can also come up with some really putrid schemes,
    too!)  To change colors, first point to the name of an item and click
    a mouse button.  This will cause that item to be outlined with a box.

    Then, to select a new color for that item, point to the desired color
    in the palette and click a mouse button.  The color menu will then be
    redrawn using that new color.

    If you decide you've really botched things, you can use the ABORT
    box to put things back to the way they were when you entered the color
    menu and then exit back to the main menu.  Alternatively, you can use
    the INIT box to set the colors to the default settings that the program
    uses. When finished editing the colors, click a mouse button on the
    DONE box.  The new color settings will be automatically saved in the
    SHERLOCK.CFG file for the current player.

    --- BACKGROUND PATTERN ---

    This brings up a new menu which allows you to select from one of a
    number of pre-made background patterns, shown on the right, or to
    create your own pattern by clicking on the squares of the "zoom" box
    on the left.  The current pattern is shown in the box at the top of
    the menu.

    Again, ABORT will exit back to the main menu without changing the
    background pattern, while DONE will save any changes in the
    SHERLOCK.CFG file.

    --- IMAGES ---

    This allows you to modify the block images used in the game, or create
    whole new sets.  Initially, a menu comes up that shows all 36 blocks
    along with the "empty" block.  At this level, you can copy any block
    image into a new location by pointing to the image you wish to copy,
    then pressing and holding down a mouse button.  Move the mouse to the
    location where you want the image to be copied and then release the
    mouse button.  Of course, this over-writes the image that was at the
    new location.  This is most useful when creating a whole new set of
    six images (a row).  You can use the editor to create a common back-
    ground image, then copy it to all six locations in the row.  Then, you
    can edit each of those to add the unique "foreground" image.

    You enter the image editor by pointing the mouse at the image that you
    wish to edit and clicking a mouse button.  The image editor is then
    brought up, which shows a "zoomed" image of the block, along with a
    normal-sized and a half-sized image of the block.  The current color
    is shown by a white outline box in the palette area. You can change the
    current color by pointing to a new color and clicking a mouse button.

    You can change the color of a pixel by pointing to it in the "zoom" box
    and then clicking either mouse button.  It will be changed to the
    current color.

    You can "paint" by pointing to a desired area of the zoom box, then
    press and hold the left mouse button.  As you move the mouse around,
    every pixel that the mouse points to will be changed to the current
    color until you release the left mouse button.

    You can draw lines using a rubber-band line by pointing to one end-
    point of the line, then pressing and holding the right mouse button.
    Now, as you move the mouse, a rubber-band line will follow the mouse,
    anchored at the first point.  No pixels are actually changed until you
    release the right mouse button.  At that point a line is drawn between
    the two end-points using the current color.

    There are menu boxes for ABORT, INIT, and DONE.  ABORT will take you
    back to the top-level image editing menu without saving any changes
    you might have made.  INIT will erase any changes you have made, set-
    ting the image back to what it was when you entered the zoom editor.
    DONE will take you back to the top-level image menu, saving the
    changes you've made.

    Also, there are four other menu boxes to aid you with your image
    editing.  REPLACE COLOR allows you to replace all pixels of one specif-
    ied color with a second specified color.  When prompted for the colors
    you can point to them either in the zoom box or in the color palette.
    The "H flip" and "V flip" will reverse the image horizontally or
    vertically.  "Clear to color" is useful when first starting a new
    image; it sets the entire image to the current color.

    Lastly, at the bottom-middle of the image editor there is a box that
    is divided into four areas by a large X.  Each area contains an arrow.
    This is an "imaging shifter" control box.  Each time you click on one
    of the arrows, the image is shifted one pixel in that direction. This
    is useful for centering an image that you've drawn, or for making the
    half-size image look better.  The half-size image is generated from
    the full-size image by throwing away every other row and every other
    column of pixels.  Obviously, depending upon exactly which rows and
    columns the pixels of an image are in, the half-size image may come
    out looking very good or like an ink-blot.  For each full-size image,
    there are four different possible half-size images, controlled by
    shifting the full-sized image left/right and up/down one pixel.  You
    should position the full-sized image so as to select the most recogniz-
    able half-size image.

    Back to the top-level image menu.  Your edited images can be saved into
    a file by selecting the SAVE menu box.  The filename you specify can
    be a complete pathname (including drive and sub-directories) or just
    a filename (for the current drive/directory).  However, you can not
    specify a file extension, as Sherlock always stores these images in
    files with an extension of .SHI (for SHerlock Images).  The filename
    you enter is remembered in the SHERLOCK.CFG file, and each time you
    start playing the game, your image set is automatically loaded and
    used.  If someone else has created an image set that you wish to use
    then just select the LOAD menu box and enter the file name of their
    images.  Again, this file name will be recorded in SHERLOCK.CFG as
    your image file.  However, if you plan to modify the images, you
    should probably do a STORE to a different file name after you LOAD
    them in.  This way, you won't make your friend angry by modifying
    his/her copy of the images.

    You can also MERGE rows of images from one file into another.  After
    you select the MERGE menu box, you will be prompted for a filename
    from which you wish to merge a row of images from.  Enter the name
    and press RETURN.  You will then be prompted for the row where you
    wish the images to be placed.  Use the mouse to click on the row of
    images that you wish to be replaced by the new ones.

    And, of course, we have ABORT, INIT, and DONE.  ABORT will exit the
    IMAGE menu and restore your images to what they were before you entered
    the menu (discarding any changes you made).  INIT will set the images
    to the default images that are built into the program.  DONE is what
    you select when you want to return to the MAIN MENU and you want to
    save any changes that might have been made.

    Hints on making good images:
     1) Keep them simple.  You don't have many pixels to work with, and
        the simpler the images, the easier they are to recognize.
     2) Choose your six sets of six images well, so that each of the six
        sets is EASILY and QUICKLY distinguishable from the others.  This
        is very important when playing the game.  Background colors and
        subject matter are very important for this.
     3) Choose your six images within each set so that they are quickly
        and easily distinguishable from each other, even at half-size.
        This is also VERY important while playing the game.  This can best
        be done with foreground colors and shapes.
     4) Make sure that each image is best placed so that the half-size
        image is as recognizable as possible.  (See the paragraph above
        on the "image shifter".
     5) A good contrast outline on each image block really helps to diff-
        erentiate the six half-size images at each location on the board.

    That's about it for image editing.

    --- SOUND ---

    There are a number of sound effects during game play, and these can
    be enabled or disabled by clicking on the SOUND menu box.  It's a
    simple toggle between YES and NO.

    --- HELP! ---

    This brings up a brief set of instruction screens for those that hate
    to read manuals.

    --- EXIT TO DOS ---

    This exits the program and updates the SHERLOCK.CFG file as necessary.

    __________________
    V. TOURNAMENT PLAY

    When TOURNEY is selected in the PLAYER menu, any number of the players
    can be selected for inclusion in the tournament by clicking on their
    names.  (A selected player can be excluded, also, by clicking on his
    or her name.)  Once TOURNEY is selected, and all desired players are
    selected, click on DONE.  This takes you back to the MAIN MENU, with
    a random puzzle number selected.  Should you desire the tournament
    to use a specific puzzle number, it should be selected at this point.
    Also, TIME should be set to NO LIMIT or to an agreed upon limit.

    When all is ready, click on PLAY.  This will bring up the TOURNAMENT
    STANDINGS box, which shows a list of all involved players and their
    current standings in the tournament.  Initially, all will show WAITING.
    A prompt will show who the first player is.  When next a mouse button
    is clicked, the game will start for that player.  All other players
    should be away from the computer at this point, as they will each be
    trying to solve the same puzzle, and they don't deserve to get a head
    start by seeing the puzzle before it's their turn.

    When the first player is finished, the puzzle is erased and the
    TOURNAMENT STANDINGS box is shown again, along with a prompt for the
    next player.  This will stay on the display until a mouse button is
    clicked, at which point the puzzle is redrawn and the second player
    is off and running.  This sequence continues until the last player
    finishes, at which point the tournament is over and the MAIN MENU is
    shown once more, along with the TOURNAMENT STANDINGS, with the players
    organized by times.

    During a tournament, the MENU box on the game display shows QUIT
    instead of MENU.  During a tournament, you're in a race, and there's no
    getting out of it except by quitting.  If you QUIT, that's the end of
    your turn and the next player starts.  Needless to say those who QUIT
    come in last, next are those who complete the puzzle but get it wrong,
    and the tournament winners are those who complete it correctly, in the
    shortest amount of time.  HINT is available during tournament play,
    but remember, every HINT costs you 30 seconds of time.

    ____________________
    VI. REVISION HISTORY

    Rev 1.1    May 12, 1991
        Initial release.
    Rev 1.2 November 24, 1991
        fixed: On some displays (with some mice) display got garbaged.
        fixed: When timed game counted down to 1 hour, game terminated.
        fixed: After some image edits, half-size images weren't updated.
        fixed: A few puzzles had too many clues to fit on the display.
            Any puzzle number suffering from this bug (the earliest
            was #235) are now completely different puzzles,
            although all other puzzles remain the same.
        added: The game now saves the state of the display card and of
            the mouse driver and restores those states at exit.
        added: Code to prevent a disk-file critical error from aborting
            the program.
    Rev 1.3 February 22, 1992
        fixed: Sometimes the HINT for a horizontal clue of type "This
            block is NOT between these two other blocks" gave an
            incorrect message (although the hint pointed correctly
            to a possibility that could be removed).
        added: Command line option -n to allow disabling of code to
            restore mouse driver and state of the video card.
        added: two more IMAGE sets. Thanks to Len Bruening for LENS.SHI,
            and Angela R.M. Baldwin for BALDY.SHI.
        modified the documentation to reflect membership in the
            Association of Shareware Professionals.
    Rev 1.4 February 29, 1992
        fixed: A different problem with the text in one of the HINTs
            for a clue of type "This block is NOT between these
            two other blocks".
        removed: All attempts to save the state of the display card,
            due to too many problems on different video boards.
            The state of the mouse is still saved and restored.
        added: The ability to PAUSE the game (timer) by clicking on
            the "TIME" box.
        added: A modified version of the primary image set, from
            Robin Nixon in the United Kingdom (ROBIN.SHI).  Has
            modified "people", "house colors", and the "roadsigns"
            have been converted into "transportation devices".
    Rev 1.41 March 10, 1992
        added: NOVEAU.SHI by Josh "Josho" Mandel.
    Rev 1.42 March 26, 1992
        added: ROBIN2.SHI and VERYHARD.SHI by Robin Nixon and
            ELECTRIC.SHI by Eric S Graeler.
    Rev 1.50 June 6, 1992
        UK version.  Modified internal image set, registration info.


   PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FROM EVERETT KASER SOFTWARE

    Solitile --- A game of solitaire, played with tiles.  The object of
        the game is to remove all of the tiles from the pile, following
        a small number of rules.  Includes layout and tileset editors.
        (In the UK, the Solitile package INCLUDES all three Accessory
        Disks; elsewhere, they're sold separately).
       Requires EGA or VGA and 380K free memory.

    Sherlock --- The computer scrambles the locations of 36 items, then
        provides you with sufficient clues to determine their exact
        locations.  Challenging game of logic with rich graphics disp-
        lay. Image editor and extra sets of images included.
       Requires EGA or VGA and a Microsoft compatible mouse.

    Snarf ---  Snarf is an arcade style game of mazes, treasures,
        First-Aid stations, locks and keys, teleports, and of
        course those nasty, sneaky, sniveling Snarfs. The game
        currently contains over 50 different levels, and includes
        a level editor so the user can create new levels.
       Requires EGA or VGA.

    Solitile Accessory Disks:

       Disk #1 --- Contains:
        3 tilesets: MAHJONG, BATH, and TOOLS
        5 layouts: MAYAMASK, ZIGZAG, PLANE, BIDIR, and PI
        9 music files: ENTERTAINER, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, HALL
            OF THE MOUNTAIN KING, MUSIC BOX DANCER, ROSES, BLUE
            DANUBE, LOVE STORY, GODFATHER, A VERY GOOD YEAR
        13 GIF files: space walking astronaut, Marylin Monroe, Bulldog,
            Star Trek Enterprise, cartoon characters, etc.

       Disk #2 --- Contains:
        5 tilesets: STAMPS, BASEBALL, CANDY, WINTILE1, BODY
        5 layouts: JAILBRAK,10HIDING,FLATCAT,SPRAYER,SQUARFAC
        9 music files: SOUND OF SILENCE, THOSE WERE THE DAYS, BRIDGE
            OVER TROUBLED WATER, CABARET, GEORGY GIRL, KING OF THE
            ROAD, MOON RIVER, RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD,
            WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE
        21 GIF files: space shuttle take-off, King Tut, a cheetah's
            face, cartoon characters, etc.
       Disk #3 --- Contains:
        10 tilesets: ALPHA, FLOWER, CARS1, COMICS, CARDS, CARDS2,
            TRAFFIC, TOONS, FLAGS, and COLLAGE.
         4 layouts: STARSKY, GRNDCNYN, ENGINE, and CHECK.
         5 music files: I'VE GOT A NAME, TIME IN A BOTTLE, FROM A
            DISTANCE, AMERICAN PIE, NOBODY DOES IT BETTER.
        10 .GIF files: RogRABBIT, SHUTTLE, SHIRLEY, POOHBEAR, HOVER-
            CRAFT, CAPTAIN-OPUS, ROBOT, DONDUCK, INDIAN, PAGODA.
        MUSIC.COM, a utility that plays .MUS files outside of SOLITILE.
            Makes development/testing of .MUS files easier.
        MUSIC.DOC, documents the format of .MUS files, allowing
            you to create your new ones or modify others.
        ST2TO3.EXE, a utility for converting layouts created with
            previous versions of Solitile, and converts WIN direct-
            ories from previous versions of Solitile into "solved
            boards" in your Solitile 3 .PLY file. On previous vers-
            ions of Solitile, the layouts were stored in the
            SOLITILE.DAT file.  With Solitile 3, they're stored in
            their individual .LYT files.  If you've created layouts
            with a previous version of Solitile and would like to
            use them with Solitile 3, this utility will convert
            them from the SOLITILE.DAT file into .LYT files.
        ST2TO3.DOC, documents the usuage of ST2TO3.

----------------------- end of file SHERLOCK.DOC ------------------------------