Brickles Plus utilizes the whole window as a game area. As a result, showing a "grow icon" at the bottom right of the window would "mess" things up. But even if you can't see it, it's there. The Brickles Plus window can be re-sized any time that the game is not in play. Note that as you re-size the window, the Brickles themselves automatically resize too. There is also a zoombox allowing you to switch back and forth from full screen (any size screen) to any other favorite setting. Try playing Brickles Plus in the smallest possible window just for fun.
THE APPLE MENU
The Apple Menu contains the usual desk accessories, as well as an item called "ABOUT BRICKLES PLUS". Please select this item to see a message from the author. The Apple Menu also contains the Help Item. (You already know what that item does since you are reading it!)
THE FILE MENU
New Game - One Paddle - This will start a new game using only one paddle at the bottom of the window.
New Game - Two Paddle - This will start a new game using two paddles, one at the top and one at the bottom of the window.
New Game - Four Paddle - This will start a new game using four paddles, one on each side of the window. (This is a very difficult way to play!!)
Display High Score - This brings up a window displaying the high scores corresponding to the current game selection (1, 2 or 4 paddle game). Also shown in this display is the name of the player, and the mode of play (speed, paddle size and ball size). See the section called High Score Tidbits for more information.
Clear High Scores - Be careful here! This will permanently delete all high scores in the current game selection (1, 2, or 4 paddle game). Note this option only clears the high scores of the currently selected game mode, not all the high score lists.
Sound - This item will alternately turn the game sounds on and off. (see the section below entitled DIGITIZED SOUNDS for more information)
THE EDIT MENU
Other than the standard EDIT Menu items, the only other item is the Color item. This item, when chosen, brings up a dialog box allowing you to customize the "look" of Brickles Plus. This dialog box will appear differently depending on whether you are playing on a color Macintosh or not. In black and white, you can reverse the Brickles Plus screen from black on white, to white on black, as well as changing the pattern used to draw the Brickles themselves. On a color Macintosh, you can select the color of the ball, the paddle, the Brickles and the background, as well as the Brickles pattern.
By carefully selecting the colors used, you can even play Brickles Plus with invisible Brickles (for instance). Just make the color of the Brickles the same color as the background.
Color Macintosh users will note that Brickles Plus actually saves two completely separate sets of color preferences, your favorite black and white settings and your favorite color settings. No action on your part need be taken to save these settings, the program takes care of that automatically.
THE SPEED MENU
This menu allows you to set the speed that the ball moves. The range of settings should allow Brickles Plus to be played by all ages, from ridiculously slow for very young children, to ridiculously fast for crazed hotshots. (See High Score Tidbits for more information).
THE PADDLESIZE MENU
This menu allows you to change the size of the paddle. (see section entitled High Score Tidbits for more information).
THE BALL SIZE MENU
This menu allows you to change the size of the ball. (see section entitled High Score Tidbits for more information).
HIGH SCORE TIDBITS
Brickles Plus includes an item in the FILE Menu called "Display High Scores". When this item is selected, the high score list will be displayed. Note that the high score list shown, depends on which game mode is currently in effect. In other words, if "One Paddle Game" is selected, than only those high scores that were played with one paddle are shown. Each game mode (1, 2 or 4 paddles) has its own high score list.
Note also that the speed, paddle size and ball size used during the game is also shown in the high score list. If the speed, paddle size or ball size is changed during a game, the high score list will show a question mark (?) to indicate that the player changed some parameter during the game. (This prevents someone from "cheating" by playing very slowly during most of the game and then switching to the faster speed at the very end.)
PLAYING THE GAME
After selecting "New Game" from the FILE Menu, the game will start as soon as you click the mouse. You can pause the game by clicking again.
BRICKLES PLUS DATA FILE
To allow using Brickles Plus on a local area network, this program stores its settings (color preferences, high score lists, etc) in a separate file rather than within the application itself. This file will be stored in the system folder. If this file is deleted, all high scores will be deleted.
DIGITIZED SOUNDS
Note: This section on digitized sounds is applicable only if you are using a Macintosh II computer, or using System File version 6.0 or greater. If so, Brickles Plus will automatically use digitized sounds during the game. Otherwise, the standard internally generated sounds will be used.
If you are able to use the digitized sounds, it is possible to replace these sounds with your own customized sounds. There are many "sound" programs available that will allow you to modify or replace these sounds. There are also a number of Hypercard utilities that allow you to do the same.
Older versions of Brickles generated the game sounds internally and were not customizable by the user. If you would like to use the same sounds as used in older versions, first, go to the FILE Menu and turn the sounds off (remove the checkmark). Then, while holding down the option key, turn the sounds back on. The sounds will now revert to the old-style.
There are seven different sounds used in Brickles Plus; each sound has a corresponding 'snd ' resource in the application file. If the 'snd ' resources are named properly (see below), these sounds will be used during the game. The name of the resource is listed in parentheses.
1 - (hitwall) - Heard when the ball hits the left or right wall.
2 - (hittop) - Heard when the ball hits the top wall.
3 - (gotbrickle) - Heard when a brickle is hit by the ball.
4 - (hitpaddle) - Heard when the ball hits a paddle.
5 - (misspaddle) - Heard when the ball misses the paddle.
6 - (doublenote) - Heard (twice) at the start of each ball.
7 - (gameover) - Heard when the game is complete.
Note that while a sound is being heard, all game action stops. (This will likely be improved in a later version.) For now, though, it is important to keep the first four sounds extremely short so as not to slow down the game. The last three sounds are sounds that are heard while the game is not actually being played, so these sounds can be made as long in duration as you wish.
A FINAL NOTE
Brickles Plus is a Shareware Game. I hope you will enjoy it and use it often enough so that you will send a donation for it. I also hope that you will share this game. I encourage you to give this program to friends, and even upload it to any private BBS's you may know about. But, please, only give out the original copy of Brickles Plus, not one that you may have customized.
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