the text you are about to read is intended as the primary source of information about MacPipes and its purpose is to answer to common questions about the game (FAQ stays for “Frequently Asked Questions”).
If there are any questions you have about MacPipes, please check if it's not already answered in this FAQ or in the Read Me file before contacting me. Thank you.
Contents
This FAQ file currently answers the following questions:
• How many built-in levels there are in MacPipes?
• How's the scoring in MacPipes?
• Why the game doesn't take advantage of large monitors?
• The screen fades are smooth, but slow. Can you provide quicker transitions?
• How can I turn off the MacPipes demo?
• Hitting a random key causes the game to crash. What's wrong?
• I'd like to be able to continue placing pipe parts on the grid while the water is flowing in the pipeline. Can you add this feature?
• There will be a Power PC (or FAT) version of MacPipes?
• Where can I find the latest version of MacPipes?
• Can you send me a disk with the latest version of MacPipes?
Frequently Asked Questions
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Q - How many built-in levels there are in MacPipes?
A - There are 32 “different” levels (96 counting the three difficulty settings), but the game in fact never ends; from level 33 on, you keep playing with the same level layout.
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Q - How's the scoring in MacPipes?
A - You start earning points when the water start flowing in the pipeline.
The “start” and the “end” pipe segments give you 50 points.
The other pipes give you (100 + 10 * P) points, where P is the pipeline length, i.e. the number of pipe segments already filled with water, including the one for which the score is being computed.
In other words, if the water filled 5 pipe segments, the 6th give you (100 + 10 * 6 = 160) points.
The pipes marked with “+5000” give you 5,000 points (easy enough).
Bonuses (those marked with a ?) can give you a score bonus between 500 and 5,000 points.
Unused pipe segments subtract 100 points each.
When you complete a level the remaining time is converted in bonus points (100 points for each second left).
If you connect a number of pipes higher than the minimum required for passing a level, you are rewarded with an extra 500 points for each extra pipe.
Loops (those made using the “cross” shaped pipe segments) are worth 1,000 points each.
Finally, you get a level bonus of (1,000 * N) points, where N is the number of the level you passed .
The maximum score achievable in MacPipes is 9,999,999.
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Q - Why the game doesn't take advantage of large monitors?
A - Well, I know it can be quite ridiculous to see a stamp-like game window lost in the middle of a 19" monitor screen but you have to admit that it fit well in a 14" monitor, which is the natural choice for home based computers.
There is in fact an historical reason partially justifying the reduced game window. MacPipes was originally designed on a Macintosh SE in times when color Mac owners were still an elite.
When adding color graphics I left the window size untouched.
Another reason is that enlarging the playing grid would have altered the basic gameplay.
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Q - The screen fades are smooth, but slow. Can you provide quicker transitions?
A - Screen fades are a must in today's shareware games; I only followed the trend.
The slowness you may notice in transitions it's not imputable to the fading routines
but to the time the program takes to actually redraw the various screens. Even if
I take away the fading effect, the “blackout” delays will remain. Obviously,
slower the machine, higher the delays, no way!
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Q - How can I turn off the MacPipes demo?
A - The demo starts automatically every time the scrolling message ends, but it can
be stopped by clicking the mouse. In addition, it can be launched at any time by
selecting “Start Demo” (command-D) from the Game menu.
In the current release of MacPipes there is no option for preventing the demo to start.
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Q - Hitting a random key causes the game to crash. What's wrong?
A - No, no, you activated the tremendous “panic” screen, which simulates a system
error (it's mentioned in the keys setting dialog). I must admit that it
can be confusing, sorry.
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Q - I'd like to be able to continue placing pipe parts on the grid while the water is flowing in the pipeline. Can you add this feature?
A - No. I know that's how the game Pipe Dream works but, you know, that's just another game.
In fact, MacPipes was not inspired by the Lucas game. The idea behind it is much older. See the read me file for the whole story.
In general, no changes to the basic gameplay are in my plans.
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Q - There will be a Power PC (or FAT) version of MacPipes?
A - No. MacPipes runs fine on Power Macs in emulation without speed problems (ok, it's not Doom, you know?).
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Q - Where can I find the latest version of MacPipes?
A - You can eventually find updates to MacPipes on the Info-Mac archives. A list of ftp adresses of mirror sites follows:
If you have trouble in retrieving my programs feel free to e-mail me for help.
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Q - Can you send me a disk with the latest version of MacPipes?
A - No. The only mean of distribution of my programs is the Internet (or, when I give permission, magazines with disks attached or CD-ROM collections).
I prefer spending my spare time programming rather than packaging and mailing disks.
This has become an unbreakable rule, so please don't ask for it. You will be disappointed, even if you send extra money for postage coverage or blank disks. You've been warned!
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Thank you for reading this FAQ.
If you have questions that you'd like to see answered here, please contact me.
See the “How to contact the author” section in the Read Me file.
