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Assassins - Ultimate CD Games Collection 3
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Assassins 3 - The Ultimate Games CD (1997)(Weird Science)[!][Amiga-CD32-CDTV].iso
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ki.doc
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1995-10-23
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------
KI
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
KI V1.3
'© Arnold Schommer'
'' Introduction
'' Objective of the Game
'' CLI- and Workbench-parameters
'' customizing the values during the program
'' Keyboard- and joystick-controls of the game
'' System requirements / Installing
'' Overview of files
'' Known Bugs (check this before registering)
'' Registration
'' Copyright etc.
'' Miscellaneous
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
KI is a thinking game on one hand related to "Klax"/"KlakTris" (or
as whatever you know this gametype): You drop tiles and as soon as
three equal squares build a row, they vanish. On the other hand,
it is related to "Ishido" because the single squares are not only
different by colour but have a second property. So the name is
derived from these two "parents".
Furthermore, KI is in wide ranges configurable.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"System requirements / Installing"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
KI should work on any Amiga from Kickstart 1.3 on. (But it was
mainly tested on a 2000B with Kickstart 2.1, A2630 and 4/0.5MB of
memory)
512KB graphics memory should be enough; if you have problems, try
to play without music (see 'NOMUSIC-parameter').
Installing:
'For Kickstart 1.3'
'For Kickstart 2.0'
'For Kickstart 2.1' and above (correctly: Workbench 2.1)
'Notes for registering users'
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Installing KI for Kickstart 1.3"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, extract the archive to the drawer you want to have it
installed in. Delete the subdirectory "Catalogs" with its
contents. Move the files "tracker.library" and "medplayer.library"
into your "libs:"-drawer.
For those lazy people who prefer things to GET installed: Copying
the libraries to "libs:" may be done by the script-file
"InstallLibs", but this does not check if you already have more
recent versions of them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Installing KI for Kickstart 2.0"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extract the archive to wherever you want it.
Delete the subdirectory "Catalogs" with its contents.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Installing KI for Kickstart 2.1 and above"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extract the archive to wherever you want it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Notes for registering users"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
* You get a disk containing all files unpacked, so instead of
extracting an archive, you have to move some data (e.g. via the
Workbench).
* If you do not want to look which files really have changed and
copy them blindly, don't forget to save your highscores (from
the demo-version) ! They are recorded in the file "KI-Scores".
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Overview of files"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The archive (unregistered version, of course) should contain the
following files (icons omitted):
KI the main program
KI-Music.MED the default music for the game
KI-Scores an initial Highscore-file
KI-Tiles.iff the default square-graphics for the game
tracker.library a shared library required by KI
medplayer.library a shared library required by KI
Catalogs/*/* program-texts (currently only german)
KI.guide this description (HyperText-format)
KI.doc this description (plain text, generated
automatically from the HyperText-file)
KI.cd a description of the programs text to
enable you to create 'translations'
InstallLibs see 'Installing KI for Kickstart 1.3'
BugReport a BugReport form
Registration a Registration form
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terms
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The things that fall down, are called "tiles". They consist of
one or more "squares" (which may look very different from squares
anyway). Each square has two properties, a "colour" and a "kind".
The kind should define the the geometry of the squares.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Objective of the Game"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
You get slowly dropping 'tiles' consisting of one or more 'squares'
and have to place them in the rectangular playfield. The aim is to
place as many tiles as possible until the playfield is that full,
that there is no space left for new tiles.
With what i told you up to know, you knew that the game had to end
after a more or less obvious number of tiles. But if a certain
number of swuares in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row have
the same colour or type, they vanish and the squares above slide
down into the gaps.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"using own music files"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The bad news: KI can't use SoundTracker-files. (I'm sorry, but i
have no playing routines for these).
The supported filetype is the module-format of MED.
Registered users get MED if they wish to convert their own
SoundTracker-modules - see 'MED.doc'.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"using own squares"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The file containing the graphics for the squares has to be an
IFF-ILBM-Picture.
The squares have to be arranged side by side in the following
manner: different kinds are in a row, if necessary with gaps so
that the left edge of each square has a coordinate divisible by 8;
different colours are in a column without gap.
If the square-size differs from 16*16 pixels, you have either to
use the parameters TILEWIDTH/TILEHEIGHT or to add a TILE-Chunk to
the file. The number of available colours and kinds will then be
computed.
Registered users get a Program 'AddTileChunk' to apend a TILE-Chunk
to an existing graphics-file.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"CLI- and Workbench-parameters"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
KI may be run from the workbench or in a CLI. At starting via CLI,
the following parameters are supported:
NOMUSIC:
No music is loaded and played.
MUSIC <filename>:
The program tries to play the music <filename>.
If neither this nor the previous parameter is used, this is
handled like "MUSIC KI-Music.MED".
See also 'using own music files'.
TILES <filename>:
The square-graphics are taken from the file <filename>. If
this parameter is not used, the file "KI-Tiles.iff" is used.
See also 'using own squares'.
TILEWIDTH <n>:
The width of the squares is <n> instead of 16 pixels.
TILEHEIGHT <n>:
The height of the squares is <n> instead of 16 pixels.
HIRES / INTERLACE / HAM / EHB:
The given ViewMode shall be used.
At starting KI via Workbench, the same parameters are allowed but
they have be used as ToolTypes of the program itself or an icon
which has to be in the same drawer.
The parameters are specified in the for ToolTypes usual way: The
keyword is followed by an equal and the parameter itself. E.g.
a ToolType-entry "MUSIC=test.MED" means the same as the part
"MUSIC test.MED" of an CLI-call.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"AddTileChunk © Arnold Schommer"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apart from a square-size differing from 16*16 pixels, with a TILE-
Chunk certain ViewModes as HAM, EHB may be forced.
AddTileChunk can append such a TILE-Chunk to an existing IFF-file.
Graphics-programs should not bother about this Chunk, but if
editing the graphics, one has to remember that no graphics-editor
will write it during saving the graphics.
AddTileChunk can only be started in a CLI. It knows the following
parameters:
[FILE] <filename> (this parameter must be given)
Tells the name of the graphics to be extended. No backup will
be created. In general, this should be unneccessary since the
file does not get faulty for other programs according to the
IFF-specifications.
WIDTH <w> (this parameter must be given)
Tells the width of the squares. Up to now, this has to be
divisible by 8.
HEIGHT <h> (this parameter must be given)
Tells the height of the squares.
VFLAGS <n>
Defines required ViewModes.
Better use HIRES, LACE, HAM and EHB.
HIRES
The squares have to be displayed in high resolution.
In this case only 16, not 32 or - with EHB - 64 colours are
available.
This may be sensible if the squares are very wide and would
only allow a tiny playfield in low resolution.
LACE
The squares have to be displayed in interlace, with high
vertical resolution.
This may be sensible if the squares are very tall and would
only allow a tiny playfield in low resolution.
HAM
The squares have to be displayed in the so-called hold-and-
modify-mode.
(KI does NOT recognize this from a plain IFF-file)
EHB
The squares have to be displayed in the so-called extra-
halfbrite-mode.
(KI does NOT recognize this from a plain IFF-file)
There are some further parameters AddTileChunk already knows, but
KI does not yet support them.
A word on the ViewModes:
* I have an old Amiga, not even with ECS. That means, i think many
of the things being normal with AGA may seem forbidden to me.
* KI ignores all informations concerning the ViewMode it might
find in the graphics-file - apart from the TILE-Chunk, which i
designed only for this purpose.
About HIRES and LACE i simply think that the original
resolution, used during painting the squares, is irrelevant for
playing, and in case of HAM and EHB the IFF-definitions do not
tell in every case how to decide which of the two is wanted. By
the way (did you forget ?): KI is no graphics-program - so why
to mess around with these details.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"customizing the values after starting"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
With the menu you are able to set the most important parameters of
the game: How many of the (grafically defined) square-colours and
-kinds shall occur in the game, how large the playfield and the
tiles shall be, how large rows have be to vanish and how fast or
slow the tiles shall be dropped.
The Gadgets can also be used via keyboard. To do this, you have to
type the letter display lighter: small to increase the value,
large to decrease it (no matter, how the letter is displayed).
All these values but the falldelay lead to independent Highscore-
recordings !
You can quit the program with Escape (after a security-request),
too.
The game can also be started by pressing Space, Return, numkey-5
or the fire button of the joystick.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Keyboard- and joystick-controls during the game"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The horizontal cursor-keys and 4 and 6 on the numeric keypad move
the tile aside.
With Space, numkey-5 the squares of the tile get exchanged: each
square is moved one position down, and the one at the bottom gets
atop.
With Return Enter, cursor-down or numkey-2 the tile gets dropped
faster - without a chance to move it aside after this.
With the letter shown in the gadget, Help, cursor-up or numkey-8
you get a break which is ended with any keypress.
The gadgets at the right bottom should be clear. "Falldelay"
controls the speed of the tile sliding down.
You can quit the game with Escape (after a security-request), too.
The four basic directions of the joystick correspond to the
cursor-keys and the fire-button corresponds to numkey-5.
I.e., you can start the game with fire; right/left moves the tile
in this direction; up makes a break which may be left by any
joystick-move; down drops the tile faster.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Known Bugs"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
* KI is quite processor-time-wasting. That means, on an Amiga with
68000 the graphics somtimes flickers !
* If squares slide into gaps, the marking-dots in the background
slide with them.
* If the music can not be played, the user is not told why.
Possible reasons:
- A missing "medplayer.library" (see 'installing')
- The playing-routine can't get control over the soundchip, e.g.
if there is an active music-program.
- Lack of memory (as far as i know, music-files are loaded into
ChipRAM)
- Wrong type of music-file (see 'using own music files')
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Shareware-fee if 10,- DM (about 6.50 US$) (including postage).
Details see the file 'Registration', which may also be used as a
form; please read carefully !
The registered version of KI contains in the Highscore-display
instead of "Demo for ..." the text "registered for ..." and the
name of the registered user and the somtimes upcoming "Don't
forget to register !"-requesters are omitted.
Furthermore, registered users get:
- additional square-graphics
- additional music-files
- or -
MED3.00 from Fish-Disk #476 to be able to convert SoundTracker-
modules.
- The utility 'AddTileChunk' to be able to use non-16*16-squares
without separate parameters.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Copyright etc."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I, the author, do not guarantee full functionality of KI. I do
not take liability for any harm caused by the game to the user,
its computer or its data.
KI is Shareware. It may be copied freely as far as the files are
unchanged and complete. I keep my right to cancel this general
license for any person / company at any time. No profit may be
made by distributing KI. Please inform me, if you think that KI is
sold for a too high price.
I agree with using the demo-version but not registering (!), but
i'd like to get at least a postcard to learn about someone liking
the game.
I approve portations to other computer-systems as far as they will
be Shareware, FreeWare or Public Domain.
To potentional distributors:
If you would like your own version (with according "Demo for"-
text), please write to me and tell me what to insert (20
characters, Amiga-charset only) AND for which price you want to
distribute KI.
My (the authors) address is:
Arnold Schommer
Erikaweg 16
40670 Meerbusch
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
(Sorry: i have no email-address)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miscellaneous
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Apart from registrations) I'd like to get
* your opinion about KI
* Bug-Reports (please use the file 'BugReport' as form)
* Translations of the program's text to other languages. The file
'KI.cd' contains a standard (CatComp-) description of them.