Freeware: may be copied and used without charge for non-profit purposes.
Do not spread modified copies, please! If you want something changed, tell me and I might include it in the next release. You don't have to keep this document, but you must not remove my name from the game! (Then I wouldn't get any fan mail!)
Tetris is ｪ Spectrum Holobyte. The only connection between this game and Tetris is the latter inspiring me to make the former.
2. Another Tetris... So what?
Yes, this is yet another Tetris clone. Sure. To be precise, it is a hexagonal tetris. Some of you might scream "Hextris" when I say that. Yes, I know about Hextris, even though I didn't when I wrote the game. The two games are just about as different as two games can be while still being "hexagonal Tetrises". Here are the major differences betweeen this game and Hextris:
- The hex grid is not oriented in the same direction. This removes some annoying problems with Hextris, like pieces "jumping" up and down when you move them sideways, and rows being zig-zag, so it is hard to tell if two hexes are on the same line or on two adjacent lines. It also means that the pieces do not fall straight down, but that is a feature. :-)
- High score list. Just a plain one, with 10 entries. Oh, yes, there is a small secret feature too...
- Color. It works on B/W Macs too. Three different settings for different tastes.
- Configurable controls, including support for arrow-keys and other special keys: just type the ASCII number instead of the key.
In case someone wonders, the reason I wrote this was that I was writing some subroutines for processing and displaying hexagonally sampled images, and then I just couldn't resist throwing them together to a game. It is a very simple hack, really - but it works.
The word "bikaka" is, of course, swedish. The word is related to "honeycomb".
3. Compatibility
Bikaka 1.0 has been tested on a wide variety of Macintoshes, from Mac 512 to Mac IIfx, in various screen depths, various INIT assortments etc. No problems *anywhere*! It runs with the same speed on all machines.
IMPORTANT!!! It will only work under System version 6 or later! Regrettably, it bombs under earlier versions, since I don't know how to check for the presence of Sound Manager. Sorry... Tell me how to do it and I'll fix it.
4. Version history and future.
Early October 1990: First working version (0.2), not distributed.
October 1990: 1.0 alpha. Added high scores. Distributed locally.
May 1991: 1.0. Added grid, nicer colors, general cleanup for release.
Future versions: Well, they depend on three things:
- Amount of feedback. If noone cares, why bother?
- Good ideas. You can support me with them.
- My own time and energy. It is possible that I won't have the time to improve it. After all, I don't make money from this.
5. Final words.
Perhaps you wonder what scores are "really good"? Well, if you get more than 1000 points, it is very good. It is possible to get more than 3000, but not very much more than that (without cheating).
If you enjoy Bikaka, then it has served its purpose. If you really like it, send me a small jar of fine honey. (I'm only in it for the honey.) If you don't like it just *that* much, send me a postcard.
