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Text File | 1993-01-01 | 21KB | 269 lines

Controls ┌────────────────────┐ │ + - Faster │ │ - - Slower │ │ SPACE BAR - Pause │ │ ESC - Quit │ └────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ K e n ' s L a b y r i n t h N o t e s : │ │ │ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ Started: Monday, October 12, 1992 │ │ Revised: Friday, January 1, 1993 │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 1. History: │ │ │ │ On June 9, 1992, I had first seen the shareware version of Wolfenstein. │ │ Since my brother (Alan) was playing Wolfenstein constantly all day, I decided│ │ to win over his time by creating a game similar to it, except my own. So on │ │ June 16, 1992, I started, never knowing that the game would turn into what │ │ it is today. The first thing I did was to figure out how to draw variable │ │ size vertical lines from a 64*64 bitmap. Then, I studied about how I could │ │ project this onto the screen. Next, I decided to store four mathematical │ │ pictures in a file, with the fifth one being my picture. The number of │ │ pictures has been increasing steadily over the past four months, currently │ │ at 192. The next big task to solve was how to clip movement so you do │ │ not go through walls. After some time, I decided to start some of the many │ │ algorithms that draw planes on the screen quickly and correctly. This was │ │ one of the toughest parts of the program, yet after a week of working on the │ │ problem, I finally solved it. In October, I was constantly adding the │ │ smaller features, such as a life bar, 8 monsters, 2 hazards (fans & holes) │ │ 3 types of food, 2 keys, 4 magical items (2 potions and capes), the status │ │ bar, the floor map automatically taking the place of a reserved bitmap, │ │ Adlib music, 360*240 resolution support, Sound Blaster digitized sound │ │ support, death animation, introduction screen, custom setup by means of a │ │ separate setup program, and animations at the ends of floors. So far there │ │ are 27 floors, each having its own original song. I thank Andrew Cotter for │ │ creating 22 out of the 27 current floors, for drawing just about half of all │ │ of the art, and for sharing his many ideas that are currently in the game. │ │ │ │ Here are some of the more recent additions: │ │ ─────────────────────────────────────────── │ │ - XMS extended memory support. │ │ - Introduction screen in the GIF format. │ │ - WALLS.KZP now uses LZW compression rather than Run-Length Encoding. │ │ - 3d-shading. │ │ - New weapon selection keys. │ │ - Strafe key. │ │ - Doors that you can open and close. │ │ - New type of secret - Shootable walls, not just walk-through walls. │ │ - Much better art job. │ │ - Story screen. │ │ - Cool readme program. (I hope you understand this one) │ │ - Up to 16 warp zones per level. │ │ - Final boss │ │ - High score table │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 2. Story: │ │ │ │ The fate of the Planet Earth is in your hands! The scientific community │ │on the planet Zogar has been searching the universe for the alien race most │ │able to survive adversity. Some have been extremely intelligent, but were │ │lacking in physical skills. Others were great warriors but did not match │ │the Zogarians in intellect. You will be judged by your performance in a │ │unique labyrinth on Zogar, one which will test your physical and mental │ │aptitude (you know, like one of those Idaho tests, but with music in the │ │background). So far, not one civilization has been deemed worthy by │ │King Xenhai. Should you fail, well, let's just say that Earth will be blown │ │into a million pieces, each the size of a pea. │ │ │ │ Your objective is simple: Find your way out of the labyrinth. On top of │ │the labyrinth is the spectators' box, where Xenhai has been watching. If you │ │make it out, then Earth, and all life on it, will be saved. │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 3. Requirements: │ │ │ │ - Any IBM PC compatible computer such as 8086,80286,80386,80486. │ │ (80386 or better strongly recommended for best game speed) │ │ - At least 965K of memory, with at least 210K in conventional, and an │ │ XMS or EMS driver already loaded. │ │ - VGA display card with VGA monitor. │ │ - Approximately 926K of free hard disk space. │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 4. Installation: │ │ │ │ Make a directory on the hard drive, then simply use the DOS "COPY" │ │ command to copy all the files on the disk into the directory on the hard │ │ drive. Then type "SETUP" in the directory on the hard drive to set the │ │ computer up with the correct hardware and key definitions. After saving │ │ the custom setup, type "LAB" to play the game. │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 5. Controls: │ │ │ │ Before you play, be sure to use the setup program in the same directory │ │ by typing "SETUP". If you do not define keys, here is a list of the │ │ default keys that I find easy to use: │ │ │ │ Move FORWARD - Up arrow │ │ Move BACKWARD - Down arrow │ │ Turn LEFT - Left arrow │ │ Turn RIGHT - Right arrow │ │ RUN - Left shift │ │ STRAFE (walk sideways) - Right ctrl │ │ SHOOT - Left ctrl │ │ Weapon 1 (red FIREBALLS) - F1 │ │ Weapon 2 (green BOUNCY-BULLETS) - F2 │ │ Weapon 3 (HEAT-SEEKING MISSILES) - F3 │ │ UNLOCK DOOR - Space bar │ │ STAND HIGH - "A" │ │ STAND LOW - "Z" │ │ RAISE/LOWER STATUS BAR - Enter (above right shift key) │ │ PAUSE GAME - "P" │ │ LOAD GAME - "L" │ │ SAVE GAME - "S" │ │ QUIT GAME - ESCape │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 6. About the things seen in the game: │ │ │ │ THINGS THAT HELP YOU: │ │ ┌─────────────────────── │ │ ├─ Bullets - You can get up to six bullet powers of each kind of bullet. │ │ │ │ The more bullet powers you have, the more often you can │ │ │ │ shoot. │ │ │ ├─ Normal bullets (red) - Just a simple straight-flying bullet. │ │ │ └─ Bouncy bullets (green) - These bullets bounce off all walls that │ │ │ you cannot normally walk through. │ │ ├─ Lightnings - You can get up to six lightnings. The more lightnings │ │ │ you have, the farther each bullet will travel. │ │ ├─ Extra Lives - You can get up to 4 extra lives. When you die, the │ │ │ floor does NOT reset. However you do go back to the starting │ │ │ position. If you have no extra lives when you die, the game is │ │ │ over. (surprised?) │ │ ├─ Keys - There are two keys possible for each level. Both disappear │ │ │ │ after each level is completed. │ │ │ ├─ Gold Key - Unlocks any doors with the gold "Insert Key" sign. │ │ │ └─ Silver Key - Unlocks any doors with the silver "Insert Key" sign. │ │ ├─ Life bar - On the top of the status bar, there is a row of small white │ │ │ │ boxes. If all of the boxes are white then you are perfectly │ │ │ │ healthy. When all boxes turn black, you die. │ │ │ ├─ Fries (yellow lines in a teacup) - adds 5 white boxes of life. │ │ │ ├─ Meals (meat and a glass) - adds 10 white boxes of life. │ │ │ └─ First-aid kits - adds 20 white boxes of life. │ │ └─ Magical items - These items last for only 30 seconds, then they │ │ │ disappear. If you have two of the same type of magical item │ │ │ at the same time, then you will have 60 seconds of use, for │ │ │ three - 90 seconds of use, etc. │ │ ├─ Purple potions - Hits monsters with more power every time they are │ │ │ shot, and allows red and orange bullets to pass through walls │ │ │ that you can't walk through. │ │ └─ Gray cloak - Enemies and their bullets pass right through │ │ you. The only way to die with these is to fall down a hole. │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 7. Add-Ons: │ │ │ │ Buy More Levels for Ken's Labyrinth! │ │ │ │ Board Pack 1 ($15) │ │ │ │ The Next 10 Levels Plus One BONUS Level Free! │ │ The new levels introduce: │ │ New heat seeking missiles, │ │ More powerful potions, │ │ More Decorative Walls, │ │ Working soda machines deliver your wish, │ │ The Powerful Blue Cloak │ │ and MANY more Hideous Evil Monsters! │ │ │ │ Board Pack 2 ($15) You must already own Pack 1 or be getting │ │ the combo option │ │ │ │ The Next 10 Levels Plus BOSS Level Free! │ │ Board Pack 2 adds more strategy, more challenging │ │ levels with tougher mazes, more intelligent │ │ monsters and even more secrets! Just wait till │ │ the evil boss sees you. │ │ │ │ Or Get Both Board Packs for Just $25 !!! │ │ │ │ │ │ Price list for boards: │ │ │ │ Board Pack 1 $15 │ │ Board Pack 2 $15 (Only if you already own Pack 1) │ │ Both Packs 1+2 $25 │ │ │ │ │ │ Ken's Labyrinth Developers' Toolkit │ │ (Will be available soon) │ │ │ │ Make Your Own Levels! Create New Challenges! │ │ Change the Evil Monsters! │ │ │ │ You Get: EDITDATA.EXE (for changing the walls and floors) │ │ COMPRESS.EXE (to make your changes work) │ │ SPRIDRAW.EXE (to view the sprites) │ │ PLAYKSM.EXE (to play LAB3D songs in DOS) │ │ KGIF.EXE (to view .GIF files) │ │ │ │ But Wait. There's More! You get over 25 original songs just │ │ waiting to hit the top 40! Just add lyrics! (or use it as your │ │ very own Karaoke Machine!) │ │ │ │ - All for just $35 │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 8. Technical support: │ │ │ │ If you have any problems, questions, or ideas about Ken's Labyrinth, │ │ you may write us at these addresses or call us at these phone numbers: │ │ │ │ Ken Silverman Andrew Cotter │ │ Advanced Systems Assistant Artist │ │ Programmer/Artist/Composer 25 Bow Street │ │ 50 Cindyann Drive East Greenwich, RI 02818 │ │ East Greenwich, RI 02818 (401) 884-0484 │ │ (401) 884-6723 │ │ E-mail: ams@lems.brown.edu │ │ │ │ Please excuse us if there is ever any delay in responses because Ken is │ │ going to college next year and Andy has too much homework. │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 8. People who need mention yet were still pains in the butt: │ │ │ │ Alan Silverman Mahesh Jayaraman │ │ Advanced Systems Advanced Systems │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘