Copyright: OlderTrash v1.0 ® 1993 Rasse


Contents

OlderTrash v1.0

Contents

This help file includes everything you need to know about OlderTrash v1.0.

If you don't know how to use Windows Help, press the Using button (or Alt+U) now!

Choose one of the following topics:

The Game

How to start

Game control

Menus

Screen elements

Scoring

Author's note

Symbols used in this help file


The Game

Older Trash is based on Boulder Dash, an early computer game by Peter Liepa for the Commodore 64.

If you're a real game freak you sure know the legend...

Object of The Game


Object of The Game

The object of the game is to travel through all caves and complete all levels.

In every level you need to stay alive, collect a fortune of gems and eventually find the goal.

In some levels you'll have to fight with and against evil creatures, push boulders and trap slime.

In some levels there are more than meets the eye... Have a nice time!

How to start


How to start

You start a new game by choosing Game/New from the menu bar.

Use the cursor keys to move your man!

Menus

Game control

Screen elements


Screen elements

Man	Soil

Gem	Empty space

Boulder	Wall or Rush wall

Firefly	Hard wall

Butterfly	Magic wall

Explosion	Slime


Scoring

Action	Score

Stone pushed	1	point

Stone or gem dropped on magic wall	10	points

Firefly killed by slime	25	points

Firefly killed with a boulder or a gem	50	points

Butterfly killed by slime	30	points

Butterfly killed with a boulder or a gem	60	points

Magic wall activated	300	points

Slime trapped	400	points

Magic Bonus	2000	points

More scoring

Screen elements


Magic Bonus

In some levels there's a Magic Bonus you can hunt for. You can get a Magic Bonus by doing one of the following things:

-Get rid of soil / boulders / gems (eat or destroy)

-Get three boulders in a row at the bottom of the screen

-Kill all butterflies / fireflies / butterflies AND firelies

-Kill / trap slime in an early stage

-Find a secret rush wall

-Dare to wait

-Blast a goal


More scoring

There's a couple of situations when scoring varies from level to level:

Gems: You get points for every gem you collect. How much? Take a look at the Scoreboard; the gem with a dollar sign on it! This number might change when you've collected the required amount of gems!

Gems collected: You get a bonus when you've collected the required amount of gems. In the 1st level this bonus is 100 points, in the 2nd 200, then 300 etc.

Time left: When you reach the goal, you get a bonus for every second you've time left. In the 1st level this bonus is 20 points/second, in the 2nd 22, then 24 etc.

Scoring


Menus

This is the menu bar of OlderTrash. Click on the menu command you want to know more about!


Game control

You can play with:

Keyboard

Mouse

Joystick


Keyboard control

Use the cursor keys to move your man.

If you hold down shift or control as you move, you're able to snap a square next to you. Try!

The spacebar is the default-action key:

o If you're alive it will pause the game.

o If you're dead it will start with your next life.

o If you're at the demo it will pop up the Quick restart window.

When you're trapped, use the escape key! It will nuke your man.

The pause key pauses the game.

Use fast exit to quit right away. OlderTrash features Ctrl+Q and Alt+X.

Game control


Mouse control

Point at the square you want to move to and press the left mouse button.

When you're dead or at the demo, then the left mouse button works like spacebar.

The right mouse button works like Ctrl or Shift.

Game control


Joystick control

You can use a joystick to move your man.

OlderTrash supports two joystick buttons:

Button1 works like Ctrl or Shift as long as you're alive and kicking. At all other times it works like spacebar.

Button2 always works like spacebar.

In order to use a joystick you'll have to install a joystick device driver for Windows. One suitable driver by Microsoft is located in IBMJOY.ZIP supplied with OlderTrash. Unzip this file for further instructions.

You should calibrate your joystick to achieve accurate and precise control. This can be done using the Control Panel once you've installed the appropriate driver utilities.

Game control


Additional information

Author's note

This game is FREE!!!

However, there is a possibility to obtain more levels and a level editor! For further information read about Registration.

IMPORTANT: You may (and you're encouraged to) copy this program to your friends, upload it to BBS's etc. You may not sell, hire, lease, reverse engineer or otherwise commercially utilize this product!

(C) Copyright 1993 by Rasse

Any comments, ideas, questions etc. should be mailed to my postal address or via Internet e-mail.

Implementation


Rasmus Wickholm

Kultakummuntie 12

FIN-00940 HELSINKI

FINLAND


Rasmus.Wickholm@Helsinki.FI


Registration

Send $5! (or the corresponding amount of any convertible currency). As a reward you'll get new OlderTrash levels!

There's also an OlderTrash Level Editor and a Hints & Secrets Guide.

I've prepared a ready-made Registration Form for you. It will print itself when you press the printer icon on top of it! It can't be easier to register!

You don't have to buy anything! You can also register for free, but then you won't get new levels. You will however get information about the Level Editor, new OlderTrash game files, updates etc.

All registrations and orders should be mailed directly to my postal address. (Though you can use Internet to register for free.)


Level Editor

If you want to order the OlderTrash Level Editor, please send $10 or the corresponding amount of any convertible currency.

Remember to supply your full name or an alias (at least five characters) that will be used together with a personal password you'll get.

With the editor you'll be able to design, test and save your very own OlderTrash levels! If you make good levels and send them to me, I might even repay you!

If you're interested, but not yet ready to pay, just register and I'll send you more detailed information!

Registration


Hints & Secrets Guide

If you want to order the OlderTrash Hints & Secrets Guide, please send $3 or the corresponding amount of any convertible currency.

The Hints & Secrets Guide contains hints to levels in the standard game files shipped with OlderTrash v1.0. You'll also get a personal cheat-mode password.

If you order the Hints & Secrets Guide together with new levels, you'll get the best solution files of both worlds (new and old). With the solution files you are able to use Game/Solution!

Use the Registration Form to order the Hints & Secrets Guide.

Registration

Game/Solution


OlderTrash Registration Form
OlderTrash v1.0

Registration Form

Name:	____________________________

Address:	____________________________

____________________________

____________________________

Order:	  More levels ($5)

  OlderTrash Level Editor ($10), optional alias:

  Hints & Secrets Guide ($3)

  Additional information (free), you may specify:

Shipping:	  Europe ($2)

  Rest of the World ($3)

Money enclosed:	  _____________

Disks:	  3.5"

  5.25"

Comments, questions, ideas:

HEY!!!   Don't forget to put this form in an envelope and send it to:

Rasmus Wickholm, Kultakummuntie 12, FIN-00940 HELSINKI, FINLAND


Man

I'm your man! Move me with the cursor keys!

You always start in one of the hard wall cells - one that cracks like an egg.

When you've collected enough gems you're ready for the goal.

You can move through empty space and soil. When you dig your way through soil you leave empty space behind you.

You can push boulders if there's empty space behind them. Don't let boulders block your way or fall on you, though.

If you run into a firefly or butterfly, watch out! They're eager to kill you!


Gem

This is a gem. Yum-yum!  To complete a level, you'll have to collect a certain number of gems. The number varies from level to level.

You get scores when you collect gems. Often you get a lot of extra points if you collect more gems than you have to.

You can use gems as obstacles, but don't let them fall on you, they kill you just like boulders do.

You can turn boulders to gems if you find magic walls.

A butterfly can go through a metamorphosis and turn into a pile of gems!


Soil

Soil is something that keeps boulders and gems from falling.

Neither a firefly nor a butterfly can move through soil.

You can dig your way through soil.


Empty space

Empty space is... well, uh... empty space.

All creatures can move across empty space and boulders and gems fall free in empty space.

When you move you leave empty space behind you. Explosions might also make some extra empty space.


Boulder

This is a boulder. You can drop a boulder on a firefly or butterfly and they'll drop dead.

You can push boulders if there's empty space behind them. A light push may do it. Or a real exertion. Boulders are lumpy, they don't roll smoothly.

Boulders are good obstacles e.g. to stop the expansion of slime.

Don't let boulders fall on you, they'll kill you. Sometimes they also block your way.

Boulders fall from the edge of ordinary walls, but not from the edge of hard walls. Boulders also fall from top of each other.

Boulders turn to gems when you drop them on magic walls.


Firefly

Fly away! These demons are always after you trying to get you six feet under. Look out for these guys!

Sometimes they might be helpful in detonating obstacles, walls for example.


Butterfly

These creatures are beautiful as Southern skies and they've got diamonds for you.

But they're dangerous, too. Touch them and you're dead.

An exploding butterfly is a good butterfly. Have a nice metamorphosis!


Explosion

Looks dangerous, huh?  Sometimes it is.

An explosion might be caused by:

You running into a firefly or butterfly.

Result: You die.

A boulder or a gem falling on you.

Result: You die.

A boulder or a gem falling on a firefly, or a firefly touching slime.

Result: Empty space.

A boulder or a gem falling on a butterfly, or a butterfly touching slime.

Result: A pile of gems.

You deciding to nuke.

Result: You die.


Wall

Tear down the walls? Well, sometimes that's a must, in fact.

A wall is usually an obstacle that blocks all creatures.

An ordinary wall can, however, be blasted away in many ways.

Boulders fall from the edge of ordinary walls, but not from the edge of hard walls.

There are two kinds of special walls that look just like ordinary walls, namely rush walls and magic walls.


Rush wall

Rush walls look just like ordinary walls, but they grow horizontally.

Rush walls grow only when there's empty space on either side of them.

Sometimes rush walls save you from being killed by a firefly or butterfly, but sometimes rush walls trap you.

Rush walls can be blasted away.


Hard wall

A hard wall is an absolute obstacle. It blocks all creatures and objects.

Hard walls can't be blasted away - no matter what.

Look out, however, because the goal looks like an ordinary hard wall, but it can accidentally be blasted away.


Magic wall

Magic wall look like ordinary wall... until you drop a boulder or a gem onto it.

When you activate the magic wall it begins to flash red (and you hear a terrifying sound if you've enabled sound effects).

Magic walls turn boulders to gems and gems to boulders, but only if there's empty space below them.

Magic walls are active only for a limited period of time. The time varies from level to level. When the time is out magic walls just swallow boulders and gems.

Magic walls can be blasted away.


Slime

Green slime, uh!  Sounds terrible, but it's actually quite nice.

A firefly or a butterfly that touches slime is a goner!

The slime doesn't hurt you - it only blocks your way.

When the slime gets trapped (i.e. it can't expand) it turns into gems!


Game

This is the Game menu:

Click on the menu item you want to know more about!


Game/New

This selection starts a new game.

A new game always starts at the first level.

This selection also clears the level counter used by Quick restart.

 Ctrl+N

This selection will interrupt any unfinished game!

Game/Enter level

Game/Open


Game/Enter level

This selection lets you enter a specific level (in the current OlderTrash game).

In order to gain access to a level you must enter the corresponding secret password. Passwords aren't echoed on the screen. You'll get passwords as you complete levels (except for bonus levels).Get 'em all!

There's an even more convenient way to reenter the level you left off: Quick restart.

 Ctrl+E

When carried out successfully, this selection will interrupt any unfinished game!

Game/New

Game/Solution


Game/Open

This selection lets you choose an OlderTrash game file to open.

This menu item is enabled only if you have multiple OlderTrash game files.

You should put all your game files in one directory together with the executable (OLDTRASH.EXE). Press OK to load a file or Cancel to hesitate.

When carried out successfully, this selection will interrupt any unfinished game!

Game/Enter level

Game/New


Game/Demo

This selection starts the OlderTrash demonstration.

This selection will interrupt any unfinished game!

Game/Solution


Game/Solution

This selection shows how to solve a level.

You need a specific solution file to carry out this operation. Normally solution files aren't shipped together with the game file.

You should put your solution files in one directory together with all the other OlderTrash files. A solution file doesn't necessarily contain solutions to every level in the game file.

This menu item is disabled if you're at the demo.

When carried out successfully, this selection will interrupt any unfinished game!

Hints & Secrets Guide

Game/Enter level


Game/Hall of Fame

This selection shows the Hall of Fame.

OlderTrash lets you enter your name to a high score list if you reach the top-10! Less than 1000 points won't, however, get you to the Hall of Fame, dude!

The list may be empty if there are no high scores yet.

High scores are saved and retained automatically. You can, however, clear a high score list by pressing the Clear button in the Hall of Fame.

Each OlderTrash game file has its own Hall of Fame. If you have multiple game files, you'll have multiple high score lists as well.

 Ctrl+H


Game/Quit

This selection immediately quits OlderTrash.

 Ctrl+Q or Alt+X

This selection will interrupt any unfinished game!

Game/New

Game/Demo


Options

This is the Options menu:

Click on the menu item you want to know more about!


Options/Sound

If you check this item you'll enable sound effects, if you uncheck it you'll disable them.

There are dashing boulders, bubbling slime and thundering explosions - just to mention a few of the gripping sounds. You may pick and unpick sounds in the Configure window.

OlderTrash drives popular audio cards, like Sound Blaster or Pro Audio Spectrum.

If you don't have an audio card OlderTrash will use the internal speaker. Even some of the digitized sounds will be reproduced, if you install an appropriate driver (e.g. WinSpeak).

 Ctrl+S toggles sounds on/off.

To hear digitized sounds you must install the appropriate device drivers.

Options/Music

Options/Configure


Options/Music

If you check this item you'll enable background music, otherwise you'll disable it.

 Ctrl+M or Enter toggles music on/off.

You need special hardware to play MIDI files (i.e. an audio card, or a MIDI card and a synthesizer). You must also install the appropriate device drivers, otherwise this option will be disabled (dimmed).

Setting up MIDI devices

Options/Configure

Options/Sound


Setting up MIDI devices

OlderTrash can use any MIDI device provided that you have installed the appropriate Windows drivers. The installation and MIDI hardware settings (if any) are managed through Windows Control Panel and/or OEM software.

OlderTrash uses the MIDI Mapper if you've installed it. If the music sounds strange make the MIDI Mapper convert patches.

Remember to assign the MIDI Mapper to a physical device, otherwise you won't hear any music! OlderTrash uses MIDI channels 2..5.

In addition to installing drivers you'll have to choose a standard set of instrument patches.

Choosing patches


Patches

MIDI is a boon, that's for sure. You can connect synthesizers and audio cards to your computer. But even MIDI has its limitations. It deals with patch (preset, program, timbre) numbers, not with actual instruments. For a long time synth manufacturers have given their patches arbitrary numbers, numbers not portable from one synth to another. General MIDI, however, is an effort to standardize patch numbers. Let's hope it'll spread all over the digital music world.

Meanwhile, OlderTrash features three sets of sound patches: Sound Blaster (SB), MT-32 and General MIDI (GM). You should choose the set that matches your MIDI device. If you're unsure, try all three settings. If they all sound strange, choose GM and configure the MIDI Mapper to convert the following GM patches (1..127) to ones that are suitable for your synth:

INSTRUMENT	GM PATCH

Acoustic Grand Piano	1

Chorused Piano	6

Vibraphone	12

Hammond Organ	17

Accordion	22

Guitar	25

Acoustic Bass	33

Slap Bass	37

Tremolo Strings	45

String Ensemble	49

Whistle	79

Kalimba	109

Setting up MIDI devices


How to install new drivers?

New drivers are installed using the Control Panel located in the Main program group.

For further information see Windows documentation or the documentation that came with your MIDI/audio card.


Where´s the MIDI Mapper?

The MIDI Mapper is in the Control Panel located in the Main program group.

For further information see Windows documentation.


Options/Full animation

If you check this item you'll enable full animation, otherwise you'll disable it. Full animation means that gems and slime are animated.

This animation becomes a heavy user of system resources if there's a lot of gems or slime . If you have a slow machine you might want to disable full animation.

Even if you've enabled full animation OlderTrash will automatically disable it, if and when the animation gets too heavy for your computer. In this case full animation won't be permanently disabled, but enabled again when you start the next level.

 Ctrl+A toggles full animation on/off.

Options/Configure


Options/Configure

This selection lets you configure settings related to sound effects, animation and screen size.

Sound and motion: Enable/disable sound effects or animation (related to a specific screen element) by checking/unchecking boxes that are placed on both sides of the element!

Music: Choose the desired set of instrument patches by pressing the corresponding radio button! The MIDI driver used by OlderTrash is listed above the radio buttons.

Screen: Use the drop-down lists to set the width (10..12 squares) and height (8..10 squares) of the visible part of a level. If a level is smaller than the chosen screen size, the screen will be adjusted accordingly.

Configuring MIDI devices

Options/Sound

Options/Music

Options/Full animation


Options/Expanded view

If you check this item you'll switch to the expanded view, otherwise you'll use the standard view.

In the expanded view the screen elements are bigger than in the standard view.

This option is useful if you're running Windows in a high resolution (e.g. 1024x768) video mode.

Expanded view requires a fast video card and/or CPU.

Options/Full animation


Nuke

When you nuke you blast yourself away.

This is sometimes the only way out  (e.g. when you're trapped).

 Esc

Menus

Keyboard control


Pause

This command was implemented for health reasons.

In addition to playing OlderTrash you should eat and sleep now and then. You should also answer the phone when it rings and go out with the dog when it barks.

Pause stops the timer, music and sound effects and brings up a pause window.

Press OK button or spacebar or joystick button to resume.

 Pause

Menus

Keyboard control


Help

This is the Help menu:

Click on the menu item you want to know more about!


Help/Contents

This selection brings up the OlderTrash help file (the one you're reading right now!) and jumps to the Contents section.

If you want to know more about using Windows Help, press the Using button (or Alt+U) now!

 F1


Help/Game control

This selection brings up the OlderTrash help file (the one you're reading right now!) and jumps to the topic: Game control.

If you want to know more about using Windows Help, press the Using button (or Alt+U) now!


Help/Menus

This selection brings up the OlderTrash help file (the one you're reading right now!) and jumps to the topic: Menus.

If you want to know more about using Windows Help, press the Using button (or Alt+U) now!


Help/Screen elements

This selection brings up the OlderTrash help file (the one you're reading right now!) and jumps to the topic: Screen elements.

If you want to know more about using Windows Help, press the Using button (or Alt+U) now!


Help/Registration

This selection brings up the OlderTrash help file (the one you're reading right now!) and jumps to the topic: Author's note.

If you want to know more about using Windows Help, press the Using button (or Alt+U) now!


Help/About

This selection pops up the OlderTrash about window.

This window contains information about the author, game version and distribution policy.


Implementation

This game is programmed by Rasse.

The music in the MIDI-files are composed by Rasse.

Software tools used:

- Borland Pascal with Objects v7.0

- Microsoft Word for Windows, Hotspot Editor and Help Compiler

- Cakewalk Apprentice for Windows

Hardware used:

- CAF 386SX/16MHz, VGA

- Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro, MIDI Blaster

- MPU-401, Technics PR-300 digital piano, Roland JX-3P synth

Sound Blaster and MIDI Blaster are trademarks of Creative Labs, Inc. Cakewalk is a trademark of Twelve Tone Systems. All other products are trademarks of their respective owners.


Quick restart

The Quick restart window lets you start a new game from the level you left off.

Choose:	Yes	to reenter level,

No	to reset the level counter or

Cancel	to close the dialog window.

If there are several players and you don't want the next player to start from where you left off remember to reset (clear) the level counter before you pass the turn.

Game/Enter level

Game/New

Game/Demo


Symbols used in this help file

The following special symbols are used in this help file:

See also: a link to a related topic, click text with your mouse.

Note: something to notice.

Shortcut key: a key combination that performs the stated action.