Table of contents
 Trapped - Contents

The Contents lists Help topics available for Trapped.  Use the scroll bar to see entries not currently visible in the Help window.

To learn how to use Help, press F1 or choose Using Help from the Help menu.

To print a topic (the registration form, for example), select Print Topic from the File menu.

Topics:

Object of Game

How to Play

Tips and Hints

Recording and Playing Moves

Registration

About Trapped


 Trapped - How to Play

"A child could learn to play Trapped and an adult may never master it."

The method of play is very simple.  To move a piece, just click on it.  There must be adequate empty space adjacent to the piece you wish to move.  For example, a small square only needs one empty space on any side to be able to move.  A horizontal rectangle requires two empty spaces directly above it to be able to move up.

If more than one option for movement exists for the clicked piece, the program will try to determine the most likely direction to move.   A piece will be moved to any other space available before moving back to the place from which it came.  Consider the following example:

The small square which is pointed to by the red arrow was just moved from the space to its left.  If this square is clicked again, the program will assume you want to move it down, instead of moving it back to the sqaure from which it came.

Sometimes, a piece can be moved in more than one direction even if it has not just been moved.  In this case, the program can not make a decision about the movement direction, so a popup dialog box will appear asking for your decision.

Any piece which has a large "X" on it may not be moved.  It is a locked piece.  Locked pieces make the puzzle much harder to solve.

This program must be played with a mouse.  There are no keyboard equivalents for piece movement.

See Also:

Object of Game

Tips and Hints

Recording and Playing Moves

Registration

About Trapped


 Trapped - Object of Game

There is one large square piece in every puzzle.  The object of the game is to move this piece until it is located right next to the red mark (the exit) along the outside edge of the puzzle.  The large piece is "trapped" in the puzzle and you need to free it by placing it next to the exit.

As an additional goal, you want to make as few moves as possible to free the large piece.

See Also:

How to Play

Tips and Hints

Recording and Playing Moves

Registration

About Trapped


 Trapped - Tips and Hints

There are no set criteria for solving a puzzle - at least none are known to this author.  All puzzles included in this game can be solved, though.  When this game was first created, some of the puzzles were thought to be impossible, but, through a lot of hard work and many hours of play, a solution for each puzzle was found.

Some of the tips that have been picked up along the way are:

Keep the open spaces together as much as possible.  You typically need two open spaces to be able to effectively move the pieces.  Some pieces require more free space!

Keep the smaller squares near the bigger pieces when you think you will be moving them.  The small squares are necessary to be able to slide behind the bigger pieces.  Vertical and horizontal rectangles do not offer the needed flexibility.

Do not be afraid to move pieces that seem to have no bearing on the large square.  They may not immediately open up a space for the large square to occupy, however, they may allow other pieces to free the necessary space.

If you think you have a good puzzle going, save it at various points.  You can then restore it if you realize your recent moves have not gained you any position.  (The save and restore options are only available in the registered version).

Group like pieces together.  The horizontal rectangles and the vertical rectangles are easy to manage when they are grouped together.

Try to group the entire board in a configuration which will rotate (either clockwise or counter-clockwise) around the board.  Once the large square is fixed within the rotation, it is only a matter of rotating the entire puzzle until the large square is lined up on the exit.

Move irregular shaped pieces out of the way as early as possible.  If you can get the odd shaped pieces to a point far away from the exit, you can use the rotation method described above to rotate the remaining pieces.  Exclude the irregular pieces from the rotation.  Leave them along the outer edge and rotate in front of them.

See Also:

How to Play

Object of Game

Recording and Playing Moves

Registration

About Trapped


 Trapped - Registration

This program is not free.  It is distributed via the Shareware method.  You know the story, you've seen this type of plea before.  If you like the game, and want the full version, please, send in your registration.  I know everyone who uses this game won't register.  (This isn't my first shareware program).  Since everyone else ISN'T going to register - will YOU, please?  It will really make a difference to my family.

The registered version of the program has the following features:

Many more puzzle levels (version 1.0 has 12 levels - others will be available as soon as I determine that they can be solved.)

Save/Restore capability.

User Definable Boards

A text file describing "a" solution to each of the puzzles that I can solve.  These may not be the only possible solutions - but they work.

Record/Play moves.  The program can read the text files which contain the solutions to each puzzle and can automatically move the pieces.

In addition to the program enhancements, registered users will receive an opportunity to review other games I have written but have not released for widespread distribution.  These games are also shareware, however, they are not crippled in any fashion.  By showing that you do register software, I am willing to let you use my other programs first, then register if you like them.

Once you register, I will supply the proper .INI file information to tell the program to show all menu options and allow full functionality.  I will also include you in the E-MAIL list to receive new boards and update information.  Boards designed by other users or by me can be transmitted electronically in a text format for easy integration into existing systems.

I am asking for $12.00 for this game.  Considering the fact that you might possibly spend hour after hour in front of your computer (hopefully more entertained than frustrated), $12.00 seems like a fair price to pay for that many hours of fun.  Please, fill out the registration form and send it, along with any comments and suggestions, to:

Kevin Murray

11 Walden Drive

Mountain Top, PA  18707

Thank you very much for your registration.

See Also:

How to Play

Object of Game

Tips and Hints

Recording and Playing Moves

About Trapped


 Trapped - About the Program

Trapped was written in Visual Basic 3.0.  The files VBRUN300.DLL and PICCLIP.VBX are required to run Trapped.  The files used by this program are:

TRAPPED.EXE	The executable.

TRAPPED.INI	Runtime information and instructions.

TRAPPED.WAV	"Trapped, by Kevin S. Murray"

REGISTER.WAV	"Please, register this software, thank you."

TRAPPED.nnn	Recorded moves for each board number (nnn).

TRAPPED.HLP	This help file

TRAPPED.TXT	Any last minute information not included in this help file.

TRAPPED.REG	Registration form (also located in this file)

For those interested, the source code is available.  Contact me at the registration address for more information.

See Also:

How to Play

Object of Game

Tips and Hints

Recording and Playing Moves

Registration


Moves - Recording/Playing
 Trapped - Record/Play Moves

The registered version of this program has the ability to record and play moves for each of the board levels.  This is useful for saving a solution to a level.  The solutions which I found are stored in this manner and can be played back to see how the puzzle was solved.  The playback MUST start from the same point.  The program does not check to make sure you are at the beginning of the puzzle before executing the recorded moves.  (You may wish to record moves in the middle of the puzzle so no checking is performed.)

Once you begin playing back moves, you may stop the play back by clicking the STOP button.  The program will leave the board as it was when you clicked STOP.  You may continue play from that point.

See Also:

How to Play

Object of Game

Tips and Hints

Recording and Playing Moves

Registration

About Trapped


Other games that I have written include:

The Blob - a strategy game

Black Box - a logic/puzzle solving game

Crushman - a game like hangman, great for kid's spelling words


Registration Form
(select FILE-PRINT TOPIC to print this page)

SHAREWARE REGISTRATION

TRAPPED

version 1.0

Please, register the program TRAPPED under the name listed below.  I have enclosed the $12.00 you requested.

Specify your preference for future contact, E-MAIL or Postal Service.  I do not share my list of registered users with anyone else.

NAME	_____________________

ADDRESS	_____________________

CITY, STATE ZIP	_____________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS	_____________________

DOWNLOADED FROM	_____________________

DATE	_____________________

SOFTWARE VERSION #	_____________________

Send to:

Kevin S. Murray

11 Walden Drive

Mountain Top, PA  18707

Thank you for your registration.