web site: http://members.aol.com/noshoes/index.htm
email: 71174,2675@compuserve.com
Thank you for playing Tiles and Tribulations! The unregistered version lets you play the first 3 out of 50 levels of the game. (And we are hoping that you like it enough to register for the full game!)
Objective
Catch falling colored tiles and drop them into bins in a logical manner. Any three (or more) tiles of the same color in bins going horizontally, vertically or diagonally (or other patterns) will be removed and increase your score. Different levels have different goals, and as the levels increase, so does the skill required to conquer the level!
As you move up through the levels, you will be presented with passwords to gain access to every fifth level. This feature allows you to *warp* to higher levels without having to start a level one each time. (This feature is disabled in the unregistered version.)
Game Play
The following keys are defined to play Tiles and Tribulations with the keyboard:
Left Arrow Moves the player paddle one column to the left.
Right Arrow Moves the player paddle one column to the right.
Down Arrow Drops the topmost tile on the player's paddle into the tile bin.
Up Arrow Rotates the tiles on the player's paddle.
Control Key Increases the speed of the falling tiles to accelerate game play.
P Pauses game play, but does not minimize the application.
The game is over when the player fails to catch too many falling tiles or when the tile bin has been completely filled.
Tiles fall at random (meaning that you don't know what color a falling tile will be until it starts to fall). Do your best to recognize tiles as they begin to fall and strategize where the tiles will be placed in the bins.
Scoring
Points are awarded when tiles are dropped into the tile bin to form vertical, horizontal, and diagonal patterns made from same-colored tiles. Bonus points are also scored at the end of each level: 25 points for each tile caught and 200 points for each empty slot remaining in the tile bin. The following list details each of the tile patterns that earn points:
3-Tile-Vertical = 125 points
4-Tile-Vertical = 5,000 points
3-Tile-Horizontal = 1,500 points
4-Tile-Horizontal = 2,500 points
5-Tile-Horizontal = 5,000 points
3-Tile-Diagonal = 2,500 points
4-Tile-Diagonal = 5,000 points
5-Tile-Diagonal = 20,000 points
5-Tile-V = 15,000 points
5-Tile-X = 15,000 points
9-Tile-X = 75,000 points
Goals
Each level in Tiles and Tribulations has a goal that must be accomplished before play can advance to higher levels. Some level goals are based on accumulating points or catching tiles; however, most goals deal with building a number of specific patterns, such as 3-tile diagonals. Building complex patterns is recommended because these complex patterns are equal to multiple simple patterns.
Level Warps
Once registered, at the end of every fifth level, a warp password will be revealed to the player. These passwords can be used to bypass lower levels and start play at later stages of the game. For example, when level 5 is completed, a password will appear at the bottom of the "Level Complete" window. Once this password is obtained, the player then has the option in future games of selecting the Warp function, typing in the password, and immediately starting play at the beginning of Level 6. The Warp function can be used any time during the game to warp to a level higher than the current level.
Registration
Registration is only $20 (U.S.) and you can pay with check, money order or cash (sorry, credit cards not accepted at this time). Upon registering, you will be provided with an unlock code which will enable you to play the full 50 levels of Tiles and Tribulations (and allow high scores to be saved). Registration will also personalize your copy of the game and get rid of the annoying "PLEASE REGISTER" dialogs and messages. For all we care, you can have it installed on as many of your machines as you'd like. But keep your registration code in a safe place so others do not see it.
You may also register via CompuServe using their shareware registration facility (GO SWREG). Search for Mac Tiles 1.0 (ID: 9099) to register.
In order to register, fill out the registration form and send it in with $20. (You may print out registration information from within the program. Follow directions on the initial dialog.)
•• PLEASE REGISTER ••
Tiles and Tribulations requires System 7.0 or greater. Before playing, a new user should read through the detailed on-line help provided within the program.
Sound and music drivers work with Sound Manager 3.0. Full stereo is supported on systems capable of playing stereo sounds. For best stereo separation, use external speakers placed away from your Macintosh.
System Requirements
A Color Macintosh
System 7.0 (or greater)
3 MB of free RAM
4 MB of available hard disk space
Tech Support
Technical support for Tiles and Tribulations is available at 71174,2675@compuserve.com.
For better performance, turn off virtual memory before running Tiles and Tribulations.
You will see a warning alert if virtual memory is on.
If you experience problems running Tiles and Tribulations, there may be a conflict with system extensions. Turn off unneeded system extensions if problems persist.
Note that the window (or any part of it) cannot be dragged off the main screen. This was done to ensure compatibility with the various video modes and PCI video cards. So if you are using multiple monitors, please launch Tiles from the monitor on which you wish to play.
This program was originally developed for MS-Windows 3.1 and was released in April 1993 as Shareware. The commercial version was released at Winter CES in January 1994 in Las Vegas.
We would like to hear from you. Please send us comments and/or ideas to add to future versions of the game to our email address: 71174,2675@compuserve.com
Windows95 version also available, so that your dear friends with inferior PCs may play this game.
Credits
Tiles and Tribulations is a registered trademark of Technological Computer Innovations Corp.
Original Program Design / Coding: Mark Lansdown
Product Direction / Overview: Doug Walgren
Additional Coding / Interface Design: Don Metzler
Mac Version: Don Metzler
Mac Technical Assistance: Jeff Neafsey
Artistry: Ayako Mochizuki
PICTbutton / cicn button CDEFs: Paul Celestin
Popup Menu Help: joe pezzillo
Windows Sound Effects: Mark Lansdown
Windows MIDI Music Driver: Don Metzler
Stereo Sound Effects: Jay Boersma (gas52r0@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu)
Additional Background Patterns: Jay Boersma
Misc. Additional Sound Effects: The Sound Box / Lakeshore Studios
Mac Music Library: Antoine Rosset (rosset@dial.eunet.ch)
Beta Testing: Doug Walgren, Brian Metzler, Charlie Kuhn, Shane Lansdown, Karin Claus, Susan Metzler, Steve Johnson, Joe Balinski, Kevin Reinsch, Shawn Johnson, Brian Meston, K. Hatter, Steve Kobloucnik.
Support: Chris Kjaer, Neal Schieberl, Dan O'Connell, The Fuzz, Yoda, Thanos, Clayton, Jeffy D, and the rest of the die-hards from the HTHSC track team so many years ago.
Thanks to all others whose names have not been mentioned.
Development Systems: Windows version developed with Borland C++ 3.1 / Microsoft Visual C++ 1.0 on a Gateway 486 DX2/50 MHz, 16 MB RAM. Mac version developed using THINK C 7.0 on a Macintosh Performa 635 CD, 16 MB RAM, PowerPC upgrade card
Commercial Status: Hey we tried this route, but barriers to entry in the market were huge, and we had other things to pursue, so....if you are a commercial distributor of software and are interested in this, by all means, please contact us.
Distribution: You are hereby granted the right to redistribute (and encouraged) the stuffed version of this file containing the unregistered version. This may be uploaded to BBSs, online services, FTP sites and other such places. It may be copied to disks and given to friends, enemies, colleagues, professors, dishwashers, cooks, car salesmen and to any other walks of life who have a Macintosh (or don't have a Macintosh and are going to buy one). It is illegal to redistribute the registered version in any way, shape or form. So don't do it!
Message To Pirates: Sure, this program can be hacked. All software is able to be pirated, but it is wrong. Please do not do this however, it only hurts the entire market. If you have something to prove, have a ball, hack away and enjoy it. Just don't release your efforts. We appreciate the efforts of hackers, just not pirates who make money off the works of others. Thanks for your consideration. So much for the moral message.
Source Code: See something you like? Would you like the source code for it? If the price is right, the code is yours. We are hesitant to release all the source, at least at the first release of this product. However, since most of the Mac programming we have gained was from public domain sources, this may change in the near future.
