Help Contents
Street Shuffle Help Contents

Click on the subject which you wish to view.

Playing The Game

The Scenario

Object of the Game

Creating a Path

Crashing the Cab

Finishing the Level

Visiting the Service Station

Game Options

Saving and Restoring Your Game

Pausing the Game

Using the Keyboard (Keyboard Affects Blank/Tile)

Street Size (Large Streets/Small Streets)

Animation (No/Coarse/Smooth Animation)

Window Centering (Always Center Window)

Sound Effects

Music

Selecting a Different Game

Selecting Different Graphics

Shareware Information

What is Shareware?

Benefits of Registering

How to Register


The Scenario

In the year 2105 it's tough for an honest taxi-cab driver to make a buck.  Luckily, you're not one of the honest kind.

Today's highways are fully mechanized and automated.  A giant computer controls all the streets, moving whole sections of roadway to accommodate existing traffic conditions.  The CABMASTER system (Computer Assisted Bypass Mechanism for Automated Street Traffic Elimination or Reduction) will normally insure that every trip you make is by the shortest possible route. Since you get paid by the mile, this is not to your advantage.  So you have just spent your last penny on outfitting your cab with a HACKMASTER (Human Assisted Console Keying of Mechanism for Automated Street Traffic Elimination or Reduction) which allows you to take control of the mechanized highways and set a path which will best enable you to expand your bank account.

You must be careful, though.  After a certain amount of time the CABMASTER system will dump you onto the highway regardless of whether or not your path is complete.  You could crash and damage your cab.  Too much damage to your cab could cause it to fall apart completely, beyond the ability of even the best robot mechanic to repair.  But, hey, nobody ever said being a cabby was a safe job.


Object of the Game

Street Shuffle is a game of strategy and action.

The scenario of the game is a future where mechanized highways abound.  You must organize sections of street to form an unbroken path from your cab to it's destination before the time runs out.  If you fail to create the path by the time the clock runs out, the cab will begin traveling on whatever path exists and may crash.

If the cab reaches it's destination successfully you are paid a fee for the mileage and may advance to the next level.  As you complete levels your acquire funds which may be used to purchase gas, make repairs, or buy special equipment at the Service Station.

The levels become progressively more difficult, and some levels will require special equipment to negotiate successfully.  If you manage to complete all 50 levels you will surely be the wealthiest of taxi-cab drivers!


Creating a Path

In the main game screen you will see a portion of the countryside with spaces for sections of street.  On most screens, all spaces will already be filled with street sections with the exception of one blank space.  You move the sections of street by clicking on a section which is next to the blank space.  The selected section will slide into the blank space, leaving an empty area where it was.

Slide the street sections in sequence to form a path from the cab to it's destination (any of the exits off of the bottom or left side of the game screen).  Once your path is completed you can click "Start" on the menu bar to make the cab start moving.  If you click "Start" twice, the cab will move at full speed (alternately, you can click on the speedometer at the bottom of the screen to start the cab).

In "bonus" levels the spaces for the street sections will all be empty in the beginning.  You must drop the street sections into the spaces by clicking on the space where you want the street section to appear.  A special window to the left of the game screen will show you which street sections will be placed next.  Once a street section is placed, it cannot be removed.  You can, however, restore the game screen to it's starting condition by clicking the "Reset" button on the bottom right hand corner of the game screen.  This option disappears when the cab begins moving.

On both types of levels you can still continue creating your path once the cab starts moving, but you cannot stop the cab once it has started.


Crashing the Cab

Once the cab begins moving, there are a few circumstances which may cause it to crash:

Running into a section of street which dead-ends.

Running into the blank space.

Returning to the starting point.

Driving over Icy Roads without snow tires (50% chance of crash)

Driving over dirt roads without four-wheel drive (50% chance)

Any crash will destroy 25 percent of your cabs structural integrity.  In addition any crash has a chance of destroying any special equipment you may have purchased.  If your cab ever drops below 1 percent structural integrity it falls apart and your game is over.


Finishing the Level

If you successfully create a path for the cab and it reaches the end without crashing, you finish the level.  A score screen pops up with information on your finances, your cabs condition, and the upcoming level.

The financial information includes the amount paid from the meter, the tip if any (if you start the cab before time runs out, you receive a tip based on the amount of time left), and your total finances to date.

The information on the cab includes indicators of what special equipment has been purchase, how much gas you have left, and how much damage the cab has taken.

From this screen you can select the "Let's Roll" button to continue with the next level or the "Service Station button to visit the Service Station.


Visiting The Service Station

You have the option of visiting a service station whenever you complete a level, or crash the cab.

The service stations you visit are fairly standardized in the services offered, but prices may vary widely.  Take advantage of good prices when you find them.

At a service station you can purchase fuel, repair damage taken, or buy special equipment.  The equipment offered includes:

Shock Absorbers: Without these you suffer damage whenever you cross bumpy roads or dirt roads.

Snow Tires: Without these you may crash whenever you cross icy roads.

4-Wheel drive: Without this you may crash whenever you cross dirt roads.


Saving and Restoring Your Game

You can save your game at any time during play.  When a game is saved, it is saved from the beginning of the level.  Any changes you have made to the path are ignored.

To save your game select File and Save Game from the Menu Bar.  A window pops up with ten positions for saved games.  Select a position and type a name for the game which will be meaningful to you.  Click "OK" when done.

To restore your saved game, select File and Restore Saved Game from the menu bar.  Click on the name of the game you wish to restore and click "OK".


Pausing the Game

To pause the game select File and Pause game or press the F4 function key.  The game will be minimized to an icon and the timer and action will stop.  To restore the game, double click on the game icon.


Using the Keyboard (Keyboard Affects Blank/Tile)

If you do not have a mouse, all functions in the game may be controlled by the keyboard.

For moving the tiles during game play you should use the Numeric Keypad with the NumLock on.  If you do not have a numeric keypad you can use the cursor keys, but you must hold down the shift key when using them.

For regular levels the manner in which you use the keyboard depends on whether you have the "Keyboard Affects Blank" or the "Keyboard Affects Tile" option selected.  If the "Keyboard Affects Blank" option is selected, pressing an arrow moves the blank in the direction of the arrow.  If the "Keyboard Affects Tile" option is selected, pressing an arrow moves the tile which can be moved in that direction (i.e.: pressing the left arrow would make the tile which sits to the right of the blank space move left).  Play around with both options to see which you prefer.

On bonus levels, pressing one of the arrow keys causes a square, red cursor to appear.  Use the cursor to select an empty space and press "Enter" to drop the street section onto the game screen.

To start the cab moving, hold down the alt key and press S.


Street Size (Large Street/Small Street)

By default this option will be set to large street.  You can set it to small streets if you have an EGA monitor or system fonts which prevent the game screen from fitting fully on your system.

Selecting small streets will also improve speed performance on older computer systems.


Animation (No/Coarse/Smooth Animation)

This option affects the manner in which the street sections appear to move.

By default this setting will be smooth animation.  If you have a slower system, you may elect to choose one of the lesser options.

Some levels which are time critical may be completed more easily if you select no animation.


Always Center Window

This option is set by default.  Since the game screen changes sizes with each level, this option is set to put the screen in the center of your monitor.  If you wish to have the screen appear in an area of your choosing, you may set this option off.


Sound Effects

Sound effects are only available if you have a sound driver capable of playing .WAV files loaded.

To turn off the sound effects, select Options and Sound Effects from the menu bar or press the F7 function key.


Music

Music is only available to users with a sound card and a MIDI driver loaded.

To turn off the music, select Options and Music from the menu bar or press the F8 function key.


Select Game

The Select Game option allows you to choose from any of the Street Shuffle game files in the games directory.  These can be the additional games packaged with the registered version or additional levels you or another user have created.

To select a new game, choose File and Select Game File from the menu bar.  A list of all game files available will be displayed.  Click on the name of the game you wish to restore.

Note: This option is only enabled in the registered version of Street Shuffle.


Select Graphics File

The Select Graphics File option allows you to select a Street Shuffle graphics file to modify the appearance of the street sections and the surrounding scenery.

To select a new game, choose File and Select Graphics File from the menu bar.  A list of all Street Shuffle graphics files will be displayed.  Click on the name of the graphics file you wish to use

Note: This option is only enabled in the registered version of Street Shuffle.


What is Shareware

Shareware is a concept for marketing software which allows you to "try-before-you-buy".  The program is made freely available for the purpose of evaluation by potential customers.

This version of Street Shuffle is Shareware.  It is a fully functional game with 50 levels of challenging play.  You are free to use this game for your own personal enjoyment without restriction.  You are free to distribute this game to others so long as you do not modify the files in any way or remove any of the files contained in the original package (see FILE.LST for a list of these files), and do not receive financial compensation for the distribution.  You are not allowed to charge anyone for a copy of this game or in any other way use this game for profit without specific, written permission of the author.

If you enjoy playing this game, you should consider registering it.  In addition to supporting the Shareware concept, you will receive many valuable benefits


Benefits of Registering

If you elect to register your copy of Street Shuffle you will be sent a complete, registered copy of the most recent version of Street Shuffle plus:

>>> New game files with all-new levels including "Easy" levels for children, "Genius" levels for greater challenge, "SVGA" levels for users with super VGA monitors (VGA users can play these levels with the Small Streets setting selected) and any others we come up with by then.

>>> New graphics files allowing you to choose from a variety of scenery graphics.

>>> The Street Shuffle Level Editor program which allows you to create your own Street Shuffle levels to challenge friends and relatives, or to distribute to other users who have the registered version.

In addition, your $7.00 registration helps to support the Shareware concept and promote the development of reasonably priced games for the PC.


How to Register

To register, simply print out the registration form by selecting Help and Print Registration from the menu bar or printing the file REGISTER.TXT.  Fill it out and mail it to:

Street Shuffle Registration

4645 East Glen Ridge Circle

Winston, GA  30187

Don't forget to include a check or money order payable to MaxWare for $7.00 US (plus $3.00 shipping and handling or blank diskettes and a self addressed, stamped envelope).

If you have a problem printing out the registration form, you can still register by writing to the above address.  Include a return address and specify the type of diskettes required.

German language versions of the registered program are available from Kelly Data, Inc..  For further information contact:

Kelly Data

Lena-Christ-Str. 50

82152 Martinsried

Telefon: 089/895 626-0

Internet: KELYDATA@CUBE.NET

Compuserve: 100347,2627

Please do not contact MaxWare for the German version, Kelly Data owns all rights to that version.