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Text File | 1995-08-15 | 17KB | 355 lines

Sidewalk Software presents Zeek the Geek A Game by Paul H. Smith TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- The Story Game Controls The Zeek Family of Programs Zeek the Geek Copyright Notice System Requirements Frequently Asked Questions How to Order THE STORY --------- On a small planet in a large solar system on the far side of the galaxy, there is intelligent life. The dominant life form is the Geek, not to be confused with the geeks we know here on earth. Geeks have extremely high IQ's, but they lack common sense. (OK, so there is some resemblance to earthly geeks.) A Geek could out-perform any scientific calculator without blinking an eye, but would have trouble solving even simple puzzles. Zeek is a typical Geek. He has a large head with a very large brain, and he can solve complex mathematical formulas in a flash. But, he is easily confused by everyday challenges. Unfortunately, this is quite a problem where Zeek lives. Everyday challenges can be fatal if he makes a mistake, and he needs help deciding how to get around. This is where you come in. You can help him get to the mushrooms that he and his family like so much. GAME CONTROLS ------------- The primary goal of each level is to guide Zeek to a mushroom. It is the favorite food of the Geeks, and Zeek must gather them for his family. Along the way, you will collect points for flowers that Zeek picks, for gates that he opens, for finding a treasure chest, and for matching up magic crystals. You will also collect bonus points for completing a level quickly. The faster you can get through the level, the more bonus points you collect. Thus, to maximize your score, you must move Zeek quickly to the mushroom, and collect the extra treasures along the way. You can control Zeek's movement with the arrow keys on the keyboard or with the mouse. Press an arrow key for the direction that you want Zeek to move, and he will respond as long as you hold the key down. Using the mouse, just click on the spot that you want Zeek to move to, and he responds. However, Zeek may not move exactly the way you wish unless you click on a spot that is a horizontal or vertical move for him. If Zeek has a fatal encounter with one of the local hazards, or if he is otherwise trapped in a hopeless situation, you can restart the same level by pressing the "Esc" key on the keyboard or by clicking the mouse on the Zeek button on the scorepad. After restarting a level with a new Zeek, no score will accumulate until you have once again collected the same (or equivalent) treasures that you collected on the previous attempt at the level. You can save or restore a game in progress, load a puzzle pack (in part two), skip a level, exit the game, or perform any of several other functions by selecting the Disk Functions button on the scorepad. Also, you can view the high scores at any time by selecting the Star Performers button. The four push buttons on the scorepad are: New Zeek Button (Restart the same level) Disk Functions and Controls, including: Save Game (Save current state of game to disk) Restore Game (Retrieve a previously saved game) Load Puzzle Pack (Not available in Part One) New Game (Start the game over again) Resume Game (Continue with the game in progress) Turn Music On/Off (With multimedia sound board) Turn Sounds On/Off (With multimedia sound board) Skip Level (Abandon current level and go to next) Exit Program All About Zeek (this window) Star Performers (high scores) THE ZEEK FAMILY OF PROGRAMS --------------------------- Zeek the Geek Part One ---------------------- Zeek the Geek Part One is an introduction to Zeek and the puzzling situations that he finds himself in. Zeek needs to collect mushrooms for his family, and you can help him figure out how to get them. You will guide him through fifteen levels of play, and encounter a number of obstacles along the way. There are block walls that can't be moved and locked gates that can only be opened if you find the key. There are boulders to push out of the way, flowers that eat Geeks, and many other things that may help or hinder Zeek in getting to the mushrooms. You will have to figure out how to use or avoid the things you find while you guide Zeek on his way. The complete list of things that Zeek will meet in Part One is: Walls that do not move. Yellow barrels that do not move. Mushrooms that Zeek collects for his family. Toadstools that are fatal if eaten. Round yellow boulders that Zeek can push. Giant apples that Zeek can push. Yellow flowers that Zeek can pick. Locked gates. Keys to the gates. (Zeek can carry only one at a time.) Purple flower buds that open when a Geek is near. Purple flowers that eat apples and nearby Geeks. Magic crystals that disintegrate when brought together. Dynamite that Zeek can push to destroy most obstacles. Although other members of the Zeek family of programs must be purchased, Zeek the Geek Part One is provided free of charge, and it may be freely copied and distributed. You are encouraged to pass copies along to your friends, to share it at work or at school, and to upload a copy to your favorite bulletin board or internet site. The only restrictions to such distribution are that all files must be included in their original unmodified form, and that no profit shall be made from the distribution (other than a nominal disk copying charge). Zeek the Geek Part Two ---------------------- Zeek the Geek Part Two is a continuation of the adventures of Zeek with thirty all new puzzling situations for you to help Zeek through. Zeek still needs to collect mushrooms for his family, he will meet all the same hazards that he found in Zeek the Geek Part One, and he will meet many new ones, including Piclasops and Atomic Eyes. A Piclasop looks something like an earthly triceratops, but it is strictly vegetarian. It can inflict a fatal byte if you get in its way, but it ignores Geeks when left alone. Atomic Eyes were placed on Zeek's planet by an alien race that is trying to eliminate the Geeks and eventually take over the planet. They watch the Geeks, and zap them with a laser blast if they can get a clear shot at them. The complete list of things that Zeek will meet in Part Two is: Everything encountered in Part One. Piclasops that graze on the local vegetation. Atomic Eyes that zap Geeks when they can. Blue flowers that are fatal if picked. Attitude Eggs that change the colors of flowers. Rotten Apples that are digested slowly by the purple flowers. Invisibility pills that last for a short time. Zeek the Geek Part Two also includes the ability to read in Zeek the Geek Puzzle Packs. Each Puzzle Pack contains many more puzzles and challenges for you to help Zeek with. Zeek the Geek Puzzle Packs -------------------------- Zeek the Geek Puzzle Packs provide an inexpensive way for you to continue the fun of Zeek the Geek Part Two by adding new puzzles for Zeek to solve. The Puzzle Packs currently offered by Sidewalk Software each contain a collection of all new puzzles which can be read into Zeek the Geek Part Two. Once loaded, the Puzzle Pack becomes a whole new game. Choose a simple Puzzle Pack if you don't want to think too hard, or choose a more difficult Puzzle Pack if you really want to be challenged. A number of Zeek the Geek Puzzle Packs are available from Sidewalk Software, and you may be able to find third party puzzle packs available elsewhere. The following Puzzle Packs are currently available from Sidewalk Software: Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack One, "Nice 'n Easy" 30 puzzles for those who want to be lightly challenged. Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack Two, "Challenge Pack" 30 very challenging puzzles for the experienced player. Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack Three, "Puzzles Galore" 60 puzzles, easy to difficult, but most somewhere between. Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack Four, "Challenge Pack II" 30 very challenging puzzles for the experienced player. Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack Five, "Kid's Stuff" 30 very simple puzzles designed for the very young. Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack Six, "Zeek 1 Puzzles" The 15 puzzles of Zeek the Geek Part One in a puzzle pack. Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack Seven, "Zeek 2 Puzzles" The 30 puzzles of Zeek the Geek Part Two in a puzzle pack. Zeek the Geek Designer ---------------------- Zeek the Geek Designer is a user friendly tool that lets you design and save your own puzzle packs for use with Zeek the Geek Part Two. It provides point-and-click building of up to sixty levels of play, and immediate testing of each level. No programming experience is necessary or even helpful in creating your puzzles, and you should be able to learn to use the simple controls in just a few minutes. You can build your puzzles with all the features and functionality of Zeek the Geek Part Two, and you can save your work in a puzzle pack that can be played on Zeek the Geek Part Two. Then you can use, sell, or otherwise distribute your puzzle pack without paying royalty fees to Sidewalk Software. Additionally, Sidewalk Software will offer to sell high quality puzzle packs for you and pay you royalties for each copy sold. Zeek the Geek Combination One ----------------------------- This package includes the latest versions of Zeek the Geek Part One, Zeek the Geek Part Two, Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack One, and Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack Two. That's a total of 105 puzzles and a great value! Zeek the Geek Combination Two ----------------------------- This package includes everything in Zeek the Geek Combination One plus Zeek the Geek Puzzle Pack Three and Zeek the Geek Designer. That's a total of 165 puzzles, plus the ability to create more puzzles of your own! Solutions --------- Solutions are available for all puzzles in the Zeek the Geek Family of Products. Send $3.00 and a stamped self-addressed envelope to Sidewalk Software for each game or puzzle pack (Zeek the Geek Part One, Puzzle Pack Two, etc.) for which you wish to have solutions. The solution sheet for each product contains solutions to all puzzles in the product. For example, the solution sheet for Zeek the Geek Part Two contains solutions to all 30 puzzles in that game. ZEEK THE GEEK COPYRIGHT NOTICE ------------------------------ All members of the Zeek the Geek family of products are copyrighted by Sidewalk Software. Permission is granted to copy and distribute only Zeek the Geek Part One, and that distribution is subject to the restrictions stated above. For other members of the Zeek the Geek family of products, permission is granted only for the original purchaser to make backup or hard disk copies for his/her own use. Otherwise, the products may not be copied or distributed in any form without the express written permission of Sidewalk Software. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of these products may result in severe civil or criminal penalties and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ------------------- The Zeek family of programs each requires a '386 or better processor running Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or later. A VGA or better display and a mouse are also required. A sound card with Windows drivers is required for the music and sound effects. Without a sound card, the game has no music, and it has very limited sound effects. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS -------------------------- 1) Q. Is it possible for Zeek to collect all the flowers and treasure chests, and to detonate all the bombs on every level? A. It is possible for Zeek to collect all treasure chests on all levels in both Part One and Part Two, but he can't always get all the flowers. Occasionally there are bombs, magic crystals, apples and other things that he doesn't need or can't get. This is also true in all of the puzzle packs offered by Sidewalk Software, but may not apply to third party puzzle packs. 2) Q. Is there an easy way to get to a desired level other than skipping one level at a time? A. The easiest way to get to a level is to save the game there, and then restore the game at that point the next time you want to try the level. You can save the game on each level if you wish, and then quickly get to any level by restoring the game there. 3) Q. After saving and restoring the game, I'm back at the beginning of the level. Is there a way to save and restore in the middle of a level? A. After restoring the game you will be at the start of the level that you were on when you saved the game. 4) Q. When you goof, is there a way to back up a step or two? A. When you have a fatal encounter with one of the local hazards or when you find yourself in a hopeless situation, you must restart the level or skip it. 5) Q. I have a sound card, and I get sound effects, but I don't get any music. Why? A. Even though you have a sound card that works well with DOS based games and applications, you probably don't have the proper drivers installed for the Microsoft Windows Multimedia System. Check that the proper drivers are installed. One driver must be installed for WAVE files (sound effects) and another driver must be installed for MIDI files (music). A simple test to determine if the drivers are installed and working is as follows: From the Microsoft Windows Program Manager, click on "File", then click on "Run". Type "MPLAYER TADA.WAV" in the command line box and click on "OK". The Microsoft Media Player should pop up on your screen. Press the right arrow key in the lower left corner of the Media Player window, and you should hear the "TADA" sound. If you don't, the WAVE driver is not installed or is not working. Next, repeat the process, but type "MPLAYER CANYON.MID" in the command line box. You should hear music. If you don't, the MIDI driver is not installed or is not working. Except for the drivers for your sound card, all programs and files used in this test are supplied with Microsoft Windows 3.1 as a part of the Microsoft Windows Multimedia System. Contact your sound card manufacturer if the proper drivers were not supplied with your card. 6) Q. I have tried everything on this level, and I give up. What can I do now, and how do you solve the puzzle? A. If you just can't figure out one particular puzzle, save the game at that spot and skip the level. You may be able to come back and solve it after working some of the later puzzles. If you need help, a solution sheet is available from Sidewalk Software. See "Solutions" under "The Zeek Family of Products" above. 7) Q. I saved a game in Zeek the Geek Part Two, and I tried to restore it after loading a puzzle pack. When I did this, I got an error message. Should the game have been restored? A. A saved game can only be restored into the game or puzzle pack from which it was saved. If you keep a lot of saved games on disk, you might try giving them names that indicate where you were at the time of each save. Thus, PP3-23.ZSG could be the file name of a saved game at level 23 in puzzle pack 3. HOW TO ORDER ------------ To order, use a text editor such as Notepad to fill in and print the file ORDER.TXT, or simply include the information on a plain piece of paper. Just indicate which package(s) you wish to purchase, specify a "ship to" name and address, indicate the size of floppy disks that you prefer, and include a check or money order for the full purchase price. Remember to include sales tax for California orders. Send your order to: Sidewalk Software 10564 Limerick Ave. Chatsworth, CA 91311-2437 Sorry, but at this time, Sidewalk Software cannot accept credit card or telephone orders. Please allow up to two weeks to receive your order. See the PRODUCTS.TXT file for a description of other professional quality software from Sidewalk Software.