This is the fourth release of this fun strategy game, described as a cult classic. Other versions exist for the Psion 3a/c/mx, the PC (Windows 95/98 and NT) and the Amiga.
The game is identical across all platforms, and even shares a common high score file format, meaning that highscore files from any platform can be copied or merged to any other platform.
Please read the sections below for full information on playing the game.
0CThe object of the game is to remove as many tiles from the playing area as possible.
Tiles are removed by moving the arrow cursor over them with the cursor keys and pressing Enter, or by tapping on a tile with the pointer. All tiles of the same type that are connected to the selected tile will be removed at the same time. You cannot remove a tile unless it joins with at least one tile of its type.
As tiles are removed, tiles above will fall down to fill the space left. If you manage to remove all the tiles from a column, the tiles to the right will be pushed over to join with the remaining tiles.
If you make a mistake, you may undo your last move. You can't use undo more than once at any one time though.
The game continues until there aren't any sets of 2 or more tiles of the same type left in the game.
ZAThe main strategy of the game is to remove as many tiles in a single group as you possibly can.
The scoring system dramatically rewards you when you remove large numbers of tiles at once. Small number of tiles will score very little, if anything. See the section on scoring for full information on the way the scoring system in Tile Fall works.
DTile Fall's scoring system may at first seem complicated, but it's really quite easy...
Tile Fall first subtracts 2 from the number of tiles removed in a single move. It then squares the result and adds it to your score. This means that removing large groups of tiles will result in big changes to your score, but small groups will score little or nothing, as shown in the Scoring Examples section.
As you will see, adding just a single tile to the number removed in one go can significantly increase the score gained from the tiles. So try to remove as many tiles in one go as you can!
Also note that removing a group of 2 tiles doesn't actually score any points at all. If you can avoid removing groups of 2, then try to do so...
When the game is finished, some other adjustments are made to calculate your final score. If there are any tiles left on the game board, the number of tiles is subtracted from your score. If you managed to clear all the tiles, you'll get a 1000 point bonus! Try to clear all the tiles if you can.
,AThe following table shows the number of points gained for various numbers of tiles removed as a group:
Tiles removed Score
2 0 (!)
3 1
4 4
5 9
10 64
20 324
BEach combination of board size and number of tiles has its own high score table, so there are 12 high score tables in total. This means you are always competing against high scores with the same level of difficulty as the game you are playing.
All high scores are automatically saved to disk, so you can see who has the highest Tile Fall scores of all your friends!
The high score file is saved in exactly the same format as the high score file used by the Amiga, Psion 3 and Windows versions. You can copy your high score files from other platforms to your computer to use with EPOC32 Tile Fall, and vice versa.
The filename for the high score table is TileFall.scr, stored in the same folder as the Tile Fall application (usually C:\System\Apps\TileFall).
BHigh score files from any version of Tile Fall (EPOC32, Psion3, Windows or Amiga) can be "merged" with your current high score file. To find where your own high score file is kept on the EPOC32 version of Tile Fall, see the section on High scores.
This process reads through a score file you specify and adds all the scores that are high enough into your own high score tables. Duplicates will not be added, so you can merge the same high score files over and over again.
Once the process is finished, Tile Fall will tell you how many new score entries it added across the 12 different high score tables.
Use this feature to really challenge your friends to the highest scores! High score merging is available only in the registered version of Tile Fall.
CAdded in version 1.2 of Tile Fall is a brand new way of playing the game: Tile Fall Tournament.
This allows you to set up a tournament game (consisting of a number of Tile Fall boards, all of the same size and number of tiles) and repeatedly play these same boards over and over again.
You can use this mode to challenge yourself to get the best score you can given the same starting position, or see which of your friends can get the best score starting from exactly the same tile layout.
What's more, Tile Fall Tournament will tell you the random "seed" it's using to generate the boards. You can write this seed down and use it again to play exactly the same boards at a later date, or you can give it to someone else who can enter it into Tile Fall Tournament on their own EPOC32 computer, allowing you to play the same boards at the same time.
See the following sections for information on starting, playing and stopping Tile Fall Tournament.
FETo start a Tile Fall Tournament, select "New Tournament" from the Tournament menu (note that Tile Fall Tournament is only available to registered Tile Fall users).
You will be asked to enter your Tournament settings. The board size and number of tiles are a mirror of the preferences settings; the other options are as follows.
Number of Boards
Selects how many boards will be present in your tournament round, from 1 to 10. Selecting 1 will allow you to repeatedly play a single level over and over again. Select higher values for a longer round.
Tournament Seed
The random "seed" that Tile Fall is using to generate your game. This can be any value from 0 to 2000000000. Tile Fall will generate a seed for you every time you start a tournament, but you can change it to your own seed if you wish. The same seed will always generate exactly the same game, so you can write the number down to replay the games at a later date, or give the seed to your friends to challenge them on the same boards you have on your own EPOC32 computer.
Once you have set up the game, Tile Fall will ask you for your name. While you are playing the tournament, your scores will automatically be added to the highscore table using this name, and will be kept for the Best Tournament Scores table as well. See the section on Tournament High Scores for more information.
BWhile playing a Tile Fall Tournament, all scores will automatically be added to Tile Fall's highscore tables. Tile Fall will also keep track of your best Tournament scores too.
After each board, you will be told your score, the best score achieved on that board so far, and (if the best score is one you just achieved yourself) the previous best score and its owner.
At the end of the round, all the scores for the Tournament are listed with the person that achieved each. You can also see this summary at any point during the game by selecting the "Show Tournament Scores" option from the Tournament menu.
Because of the number of possible Tile Fall Tournament games (over 24 billion), scores are not saved for Tile Fall Tournaments.
/ATo end a Tile Fall tournament, simply select "New Game" from the menu or the toolbar. After confirmation you will be returned to normal non-Tournament mode.
If you wish to end your current Tournament and start another (with a different set of boards), select "New Tournament" from the Tournament menu.
DVarious options are available to change the way the game works and looks. To change the preferences, press the Prefs toolbar button or select the Preferences option from the menu.
The options available are as follows:
Board Size
Allows you to select one of three different board sizes: small (6 x 5 tiles), medium (11 x 7) or large (16 x 8). Only the medium size is available before registration.
Number of tiles
Selects the number of different types of tile in play, from 2 to 5. Lower numbers make for an easier, higher-scoring game, higher numbers make the game more challenging. Only 3 tiles are available before registration.
Tile Set
Allows you to select from various different tile graphic sets. See the Tile Sets section for more information.
Tile Type
Basic or extended. Extended tiles join up with their neighbours, looking very much nicer and making groups easier to spot. Basic tiles all stay unjoined. Only basic is available before registration.
Sound
Allows you to switch the sound effects on and off, and set the volume.
All preferences settings are saved whenever you close Tile Fall, and are restored the next time the game is started.
@Tile Fall supports different sets of graphics to change the way the game looks. Some of these just provide a bit of a change, some make the game easier or more difficult by changing how easily you can spot groups of tiles.
The game is initially supplied with a number of tileset files. These files are placed in a subfolder of the Tile Fall folder, called TileSets, and have a ".tset" suffix.
Colour tilesets are also placed in this folder, but have a ".tsetC" suffix. These will only be used when playing on a colour computer.
f you don't like some of the tilesets, you can remove them to free up space on your computer. The only exception is the Blocks.tset file (or Blocks.tsetC on colour computers) which must be left in place; removing this file may cause Tile Fall to stop working.
Additional tilesets are available to download from my web page (see "Contacting the author"), and can simply be copied to the TileSets directory; they will then become available in the Preferences window of the game.
It is also possible to design your own tilesets for the game. If you are interested in doing this, please send me an email and I will provide you with instructions.
3DIf you're having problems making the most of Tile Fall, try some of the following tips...
It's too difficult to distinguish between the different types of tile
If you find this to be a problem, try adjusting the contrast on your computer. You should be able to balance it so that each type of tile is reasonably clear. You could also try using a different tileset instead.
Tile Fall runs too slowly
If the game is too slow, try switching the sound off. This increases performance quite a lot.
I can't get my registration code to work
Don't forget that the code and the name that you need to enter are case-sensitive. This means that if they are written down in capital letters, you need to enter then in capitals, otherwise in lower case.
Also ensure that you do not confuse the digit zero with the letter "O" in your registration code. The code may contain zeros, but will never contain the letter "O".
If you still experience problems, send your registration details (registration name and code) to me and I will try to sort out the problem, or issue you with a new code.
+BEPOC32 Tile Fall is shareware. This means that you may download and play the game free of charge for a period of 30 days. After this time you must either register the software or remove it from your computer.
Registration will unlock all the restricted features of the game. Registration is inexpensive, and will help to further the development of more EPOC32 software.
The following features are only enabled in the registered version of the game:
High score merging
Extended tile set graphics
Different board sizes and numbers of tiles
Tournament mode
CRegistration is simple and inexpensive, and can be done in UK pounds by post, or in UK Pounds or US Dollars on-line by credit card.
To register Tile Fall by snail-mail, please send
10 (10 UK pounds) cash or cheque (made payable to Adam Dawes), to the following address:
Tile Fall Registrations (E32)
60 Tarnbrook Way
Bracknell
RG12 0GB
England
Please state that you are registering the EPOC32 version of the game, and ensure you include your return address, and (if possible) an email address.
Alternatively, register Tile Fall on-line with your credit card. The online registration price is
10 or $20. For information on registering Tile Fall in this way, please see the NEUON web page at
http://www.neuon.com
You will be sent a short code that you can use to unlock the program. This will be sent to you by email if you supply me with an email address, otherwise by snail mail. Email is obviously the better option for both of us!
Thank you for registering Tile Fall.
AYou can contact me in any of the following ways:
EMail: adam@neuon.com
Web: http://www.neuon.com
Post:
Adam Dawes
60 Tarnbrook Way
Bracknell
RG12 0GB
England
For additional Tile Sets and for other software I have written (for EPOC32, Psion3, Windows and Amiga), my personal home page is:
http://www.electrolyte.demon.co.uk
If you have a question, you are much more likely to get an answer by email than by post.
#CI will not accept responsibility for any damage done to your system, or data lost, directly or indirectly as a result from using this program or any of its associated files. You use the program entirely at your own risk.
Of course if you do experience any problems then I'll do what I can to sort them out, and please let me know so that I can try to cure them in a future release.
Tile Fall and its associated files are not public domain. The unregistered version of the program may be distributed freely as long as no unreasonable charge is imposed. The registered version may not be distributed under any circumstances.
Tile Fall may not be included within any commercial package without express written permission from the author.
Tile Fall is Copyright
1996-1999, Adam Dawes and NEUON software.
RegisteringR
Tile Fall!
Contacting the authorR
Tile Fall!
Copyright and disclaimerR
Tile Fall!
NeuonR
Tile Fall!
IntroductionR
Tile Fall!
How to play Tile FallR
Tile Fall!
Game strategyR
Tile Fall!
ScoringR
Tile Fall!
Scoring examplesR
Tile Fall!
HighscoresR
Tile Fall!
Highscore mergingR
Tile Fall!
Tournament modeR
Tile Fall!
Starting a TournamentR
Tile Fall!
Tournament High ScoresR
Tile Fall!
Ending a TournamentR
Tile Fall!
PreferencesR
Tile Fall!
TilesetsR
Tile Fall!
Hints and tipsR
Tile Fall!
SharewareR
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Table1
title
synonym
Sketch
YUeUYA
&Paint.app
IntroductionR
Tile Fall!
How to play Tile FallR
Tile Fall!
Game strategyR
Tile Fall!
ScoringR
Tile Fall!
Scoring examplesR
Tile Fall!
HighscoresR
Tile Fall!
Highscore mergingR
Tile Fall!
Tournament modeR
Tile Fall!
Starting a TournamentR
Tile Fall!
Tournament High ScoresR
Tile Fall!
Ending a TournamentR
Tile Fall!
PreferencesR
Tile Fall!
TilesetsR
Tile Fall!
Hints and tipsR
Tile Fall!
SharewareR
Tile Fall!
"CI will not accept responsibility for any damage done to your system, or data lost, directly or indirectly as a result from using this program or any of its associated files. You use the program entirely at your own risk.
Of course if you do experience any problems then I'll do what I can to sort them out, and please let me know so that I can try to cure them in a future release.
Tile Fall and its associated files are not public domain. The unregistered version of the program may be distributed freely as long as no unreasonable charge is imposed. The registered version may not be distributed under any circumstances.
Tile Fall may not be included within any commercial package without express written permission from the author.
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