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Loadstar 128 20
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q20.d81
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t.minefield boot
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2022-08-28
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5KB
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M I N E F I E L D
by Robert B. Cook
MINEFIELD, believe it or not, is not a violent game; unless you call
symbolically blowing yourself to smithereens violent. It's more a game of
logic for one to nine players. The scenario: Some fiend has planted 20
mines in your back yard. You don't have a mine detector, but you do have a
mine indicator. When you dig up a spot in your yard this device will tell
you exactly how many mines are in the eight spots immediately adjacent to
it. If you flag a mine, it is effectively defused. If you dig up a mine,
you're history.
PLAYING THE GAME
----------------
Begin the game by choosing the number of players, from 1 to 9. You
change the number of players by using CRSR UP/DOWN or by pushing the
joystick (in Port #2) up or down. Press RETURN or the FIREBUTTON to make
your choice. For the multi-player game enter a name for each player. If
the players are not equally matched (say, a parent against a young child)
any player can be "handicapped" with a lower time limit. Part of the
scoring is determined by the amount of time it takes you to defuse the whole
field. A good average time is 300. You set the time limit the same way you
set the number of players -- with CRSR UP/DOWN or the joystick.
Each player takes turns exposing a square by placing the arrow on a
square and pressing FIRE. One of three things will be exposed:
(1) a blank space,
(2) a number or
(3) a mine
If a blank space is exposed you can be sure that there are no mines in
the immediate vicinity. Any space that borders a blank space is definitely
a number or another blank space.
A number indicates the number of mines that are in the eight squares
surrounding it. For example, if you expose a space with a 3 in it, the
squares surrounding it might look something like this:
- * -
- 3 * dashes are numbers, asterisks are mines
* - -
The three indicates that there are 3 mines (the asterisks) and
therefore 5 blanks and/or numbers surrounding that area.
Exposing a mine will cause it to explode and end the game. If you
think that there is a mine at a particular square you can flag it by placing
the arrow on that square and pressing the "f" key. You can't expose a
square when it is flagged. To unflag a square press "f" again. It isn't
necessary to flag all of the mines to win the game -- just expose all spaces
without exposing a mine.
NOTE: Flagging a suspected mine does not end your turn. You keep going
until you expose a blank or a number, or die exposing a mine.
If all of the blank and numbered squares are exposed the end of the
game will be signaled by the ALL CLEAR signal; a siren. The player with the
most time left is the winner, although anyone who makes it this far can feel
pretty proud. It's not easy to do.
Press FIRE to continue to the next round. If you want to quit or
change players press the ESCape key. To quit the game, lower the number of
players to 0 and press RETURN/FIRE.
MULTIPLE PLAYER GAMES
---------------------
When you have more than two players, you play a Round Robin tournament
where each player will play every other player once. The computer will
choose the order in which the players will play. As soon as all the
matchups have been played, the player with the most wins is the winner.
One player will use the joystick and the other will use the keyboard.
The CRSR keys and RETURN work for the keyboard.
STRATEGY
--------
In general, don't flag an area until you are sure it has a mine in it.
Mostly you will move around digging up areas. If you get stuck in one part
of the yard try working towards it from a different direction. Remember
that any space bordering a blank space is free to reveal -- it will NOT have
a mine. Once you have all of the mines bordering a number flagged, the rest
of the bordering spaces are free to expose.
Time is important so it's a good idea to be considering your next move
while your opponent is playing.
Play the odds. It's wiser to expose a space bordering a 1 than it is
to expose a space bordering a 4, all other things being equal. You have a 7
in 8 chance of surviving. Around the 4 you only have a 4 in 8 (or 1 in 2)
chance of surviving if you dig. Don't guess unless you have to. Of course
at the beginning of a game you have to do some guessing. Some claim that
prayer can help.
RBC
FENDER'S POSTMUMBLE: I've been hooked on this game ever since I started
playing it. It's not a new idea but it's only recently that it's come into
its own on computers. It's one of those games that can only be played on
computer -- unless you happen to have a human around who doesn't mind doing
all the drudge work of creating a minefield and then sitting around watching
you have your fun.
**** R - Run RETURN - Menu ****