Developed using Metrowerks CodeWarriorｪ (Pascal Language)
Thank you for your interest in this game. I hope you'll enjoy it.
I'm not going to describe all game features here. Just give a look to the built-in help screen before playing for the first time.
Also please take the time to read this read me file and the FAQ file you find in the MacPipes folder. Thank you.
What's the Story? (Morning Glory)
The first public release of this game was numbered 2.0. It sounds a bit strange, doesn't it?
Well, in fact this game has a long story behind its back.
Despite its appeal and gameplay, it is NOT a Macintosh version of that windoze game called Pipe Dream (or something like that); it is in fact a rendition of a small Amiga game I saw in the late 80s, called Pipeline. It was so addictive that I decided to port it to my Mac (it was a Macintosh SE, one of those small machines with a black & white built-in screen, do you remember?)
I started programming it in Turbo Pascal in 1988 (I still have that proto-version floating around somewhere on my hard disk). Then the 90s arrived bringing color to the Macs. In early 1994 I produced a color version of MacPipes but I never released it to the public. Until today (oh, by the way, the silly name it's because all Macintosh programs in the 80s were called MacThis, MacThat, MacSomething).
System Requirements
MacPipes requires System 7 and a 256-colors capable monitor.
Sound Manager 3.0 is recommended.
Please note that MacPipes does NOT contain PowerPC native code but it's proved to run correctly on Power Macs without speed problems (ok, it's not Doom, you know).
Disclaimer
MacPipes is Copyright ｩ1988-96 by Federico Filipponi, All Rights Reserved (the name Factor Software doesn't refer to an existing company: I use it as a nickname since 1986).
I made a great effort to ensure that MacPipes is bug free but I make no warranty whatsoever, either implied or express, as to its correct functioning. When using this software, the user assumes all responsibility for damages caused, directly or indirectly, by its use.
Distribution
You can distribute MacPipes freely, provided that you leave the software and the accompanying documentation unchanged. You can include MacPipes in CD-ROMs and other software collections only by previous agreement.
MacPipes is SHAREWARE, which means that you are allowed to use it on a trial basis for up to 30 days. After this period, if you want to continue using it, you are expected to pay the required shareware fee (see Registration notes).
Note that MacPipes is not ﾒcripplewareﾓ: unregistered copies are fully functional.
Registration
The shareware fee for MacPipes is US$5 for a single user license.
Since its first release, I added many new features to MacPipes in response to the vast (and quite unespected) success it had among Macintosh gamers.
I think it's because of its excellent quality/price ratio that so many people liked MacPipes. For this reason, despite the big amount of work I've put on it, I decided not to raise the shareware fee: it's still a bargain at 5$.
Nonetheless, if you really like MacPipes and you feel yourself devoted to the shareware cause, you can still add that extra bonus ;-). Many thanks in advance.
I am currently using the shareware service set up by Kee Nethery <kee@kagi.com>. This means that you can pay your shareware fee with credit card (VISA, MasterCard and American Express), NetCash, First Virtual, US checks, foreign checks in US dollars, and cash in a variety of currencies.
To register MacPipes, run the ﾒRegisterﾓ application included in the package. Fill in all fields with the requested information, print the form and send it together with your payment to:
Kagi Shareware
1442-A Walnut Street #392
Berkeley, California, 94709-1405
USA
For credit card payments, send the form via Email to <shareware@kagi.com> or by FAX to +1 510 652 6589. Checks should be made out to ﾒKagi Sharewareﾓ.
You can still send your payments directly to me, but I can only accept CASH (US dollars or italian Lira). Anything else must be sent to Kagi.
My address is:
Federico Filipponi
c/o Fondazione Ugo Bordoni
via B. Castiglione, 59
00142 Rome
ITALY
After receiving your fee (or a notification from Kagi) I will send you a unique registration code that you enter to remove the annoying shareware reminder and personalize your copy of MacPipes.
In general, when you register through Kagi Shareware, you'll have to wait for your registration code to come directly from ME (not from Kagi). Normally, as soon as I receive payment notices from Kagi, I send the codes to the personal e-mail addresses provided by the users.
If you're not equipped with an e-mail address, you'll have to wait a bit more (usually one or two weeks). A US$1 bonus for postal coverage is welcome.
Please note that Kagi is already asking an extra US$1 for paper receipt. That's only an acknowledgement and does not contain your registration code.
Note: when sending money in an envelope make sure it is not visible from outside: wrap the bill with an opaque paper leaf (here in Italy we are used to say: to trust others is good, not to trust is even more good).
How to contact the author
For any request, suggestion, bug report, etc. you can e-mail me at:
Internet: <fedefil@fub.it> or <fedefil@kagi.com>
Don't forget to visit my Home Page at;
http://www.kagi.com/authors/fedefil/
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to all those who sent me e-mail and helped me improving MacPipes.
Special thanks to:
Peter N. Lewis, David Mukai, Matt Slot (for writing the fabulous Gamma Fade routines) and Matthew Xavier Mora (for porting them to Pascal), thank you guys!
A special mention goes to Fariborz Amirshahi for his invaluable support, kindness and generosity.
My eternal gratitude to all those who registered their copy of MacPipes (you know who you are).
Version history
2.1.1 (March, 1996)
･ Recompiled with CodeWarriorｪ IDE 1.3 (CW7).
･ The infamous ﾒpanicﾓ screen has been eliminated (and don't say you want it back).
･ Updated the MacPipes FAQ file.
･ Added my Home Page URL to the contact info.
2.1 (January, 1996)
･ Fixed a bug in the file management routines that caused scores not to be correctly stored in some situations.
･ The preferences file and the registration data are now stored in the Preferences folder. The files are named respectively ﾒMacPipes Preferencesﾓ and ﾒMacPipes Registrationﾓ.
･ The high scores table has been improved. It now shows the number of the level at which the scores have been achieved and the difficulty setting for that level using small ﾒsmileﾓ faces (see the Options screen for their meaning). In addition, the game will remember the last name entered, so that you won't have to retype it again and again.
･ You can now type numbers in the high scores table.
･ The scores file is now named ﾒMacPipes Scoresﾓ and it's still located in the same folder as the the game application. Having changed the file structure to store additional info, an option for loading the old scores files has been added. Just select ﾓLoad Old Scoresﾓ from the File menu (a file named ﾒMacPipes.scoresﾓ must be present in the game folder).
･ An option for clearing the scores has been added. Select ﾓClear Scores...ﾓ from the File menu.
･ A ﾒPracticeﾓ mode has been introduced to let the younger players among you enjoy the game without having to struggle against the time limit (scores achieved in this mode aren't recorded).
･ A ﾒQuitﾓ button has been added to the title screen.
･ The scrolling message in the title screen now reflects the registration status.
･ The current version number is displayed in the top right corner of the title screen.
･ The graphic of the pipes stack has been slightly modified to let the player more easily spot the next pipe segment to be placed in the grid.
･ The sound routines have been completely overhauled. The effects are now played on three separate channels (i.e. up to three sounds can be played simultaneously).
･ A click sound for the various buttons has been added.
･ In the Options screen you can now select the difficulty using the mouse. An exit button has been added.
･ The key for aborting a game has been changed to ESC (escape). Now when aborting a game, instead of simply returning to the title screen, you pass through the game over sequence, eventually recording the current score.
･ Two key equivalents has been added for activating the bomb (default, Option) and for scrolling the stack (default, Shift). These two keys and the key used to start the flow (default, Space) are now user definable. Select ﾒSet Keys...ﾓ from the Game menu.
･ The text in the Help screen has been modified to reflect this new feature and has been made a little more informative.
･ The usual minor bug fixes and code refinements.
･ A FAQ file has been added to the package. Please read it.
2.0.2 (October, 1995)
･ Fixed a bug in the scoring when computing the level bonus after level 32.
･ The game now properly responds to suspend/resume events, restoring the monitor pixel depth and the sound volume when switching to the background.
･ The game does not ask you anymore to switch to 256 colors when you start it with the monitor set to another pixel depth; instead, it gently sets the monitor to the required depth, restoring the original one when quitting.
･ Screen fades now affect the main screen only (the one with the menubar in it).
･ MacPipes is now screensaver savvy (at least of the ones using the 'SAVR' Gestalt attributes).
2.0.1 (September, 1995)
･ Fixed a bug in the screen fading routines which prevented the game to work on Macs with double monitor (thanks to Peter N. Lewis for his invaluable help).
･ Recompiled with Metrowerks Pascal 1.1 (ready to jump on the PPC platform).
･ Sound Manager 3.0 or later is now recommended (if not present, you will not be able to set the sound volume from within the application).
･ The high scores table animation effect is now stoppable by clicking the mouse. In addition, the table isn't redrawn all over again after a new entry.
･ Screen fades has been made a bit faster.
･ Several code refinements, small bug fixes and cosmetic tweeks.
