Fish 'n' More 2/fishmore-publicdomainlibraryvol.ii1991xetec.iso/fish/fun&games/arcade/running/running.doc

Text File | 1990-12-17 | 18KB | 416 lines

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                               R U N N I N G

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                 A nice little game for every Amiga lover.
              Written by Jorrit Tyberghein    © 11 Nov 1990.




What is it ?
------------
  'Running' is a classical maze and puzzle game. You run around in a maze
  and try to catch the ghosts or spiders. Of course do not forget to collect
  some bonus points. 'Running' requires both speed of reaction and logic
  thinking.
  In fact, you can play this game with two aims in mind. One is to collect
  as many bonuses as you can. This is called 'The struggle for the highscore'.
  The other aim is simply to solve each level.

Shareware ?
-----------
  'Running' is shareware. If you like this game send $15 US to:

      Jorrit Tyberghein
      Hepmansbossen 31
      2450 Meerhout
      Belgium

  Please send money by international money order, EuroCheck (in Belgian
  Francs (BF) !) or cash, because it's very difficult for me to cash
  in other checks. (You can also send utilities if you like)

Passwords
---------
  What I hate very much in some games is that you have to start them all over
  again when you are dead. In 'Running' some levels have passwords. Once you
  got to a certain level, you can restart there.

Multitasking
------------
  This game is multitasking friendly. Simply go back to the workbench screen
  (with Amiga-N) whenever you feel like it. There is one caveat: when you are
  playing the game, you should press 'p' for pause before you return to the
  workbench. There are two reasons. One is of course that the game simply
  continues while you are busy in the workbench. Your score won't be that
  high if you do this. The other reason is that in order to achieve maximum
  keyboard smoothness, I had to change the preferences settings. I have set
  the autorepeat speed and treshhold almost to maximum. When you pause the
  game or go to the menu, the original preferences values are restored.

Compatibility
-------------
  'Running' is written on an Amiga 3000/16 with AmigaDOS 2.0, but it has also
  been tested on an Amiga 500 with AmigaDOS 1.3. Of course it runs a bit slower
  on the Amiga 500, but I think this can be neglected.

  'Running' requires a PAL machine. This means that you must have the new
  agnus or an Amiga 3000 if you want to run this program in the USA.
  When you have an Amiga 3000, you can switch to PAL mode using the
  preferences tool. In Europe PAL is default.
  If you have an older Amiga with the new agnus (the 1 meg chip agnus) you
  can use the available public domain utilities to switch to PAL mode.
  (One of these utilities (made by Nico François) is included on this disk).

Features
--------
  'Running' also has a built-in field editor, so you can design your own
  games and give them to your friends.
  There is a simple online help available in the menu.
  You can play this game with joystick or keyboard.
  Start running from the workbench or the cli (Note that if you start 'Running'
  from the cli, you must first set the current directory. This is because
  'Running' requires some extra files).

Robustness
----------
  When I wrote this game I was especially concerned that it reacted well in
  bad conditions. Everything is nicely being allocated and checked. In some
  cases it is almost impossible to resume when there is not enough memory.
  If that happens, 'Running' simply quits and no harm is done (except that
  you can loose some game information :-( ). However, these conditions should
  be rare. In most cases you get a nice requester telling you there is a
  problem. You can then continue with something else.

  'Running' will fail to start if something is wrong. If, for example, you
  have started another game or program that uses sprites, 'Running' will
  not be able to allocate any sprites for himself. When that happens, you
  must quit the other program or don't start 'Running'.

Bugs
----
  Unfortunately there are still two (known) bugs in 'Running'.
  When there are many explosions the explosion sound becomes a bit strange.
  The 'shift' key instead of the space key feature while you are playing, only
  works in AmigaDOS 2.0.

Harddisk
--------
  If you have a harddisk you can install 'Running' on it. Go to the cli
  and copy the following files to your harddisk. All these files must
  be in the same subdirectory.
    Running
    Running.info
    Running.Fields
    Running.Fields.info
    #?.Raw

How does it work ?
------------------
  When you start 'Running' (by double clicking on the Running icon in the
  workbench or by typing 'Running' in the cli) the next thing you will
  see (I hope), is the main menu. It is recognizable by a little goblin.


  Requesters:
    There are three possible requesters:
    - Requesters that ask for something (a filename, a number, ...).
      The editing field is a string gadget and all editing features for
      string gadgets are available there.
      In most cases, pressing enter cancels the operation.
      In some cases, pressing enter gives a default value.
      When there is not enough memory for the requester, it will simply not
      appear and act as if enter is pressed (see above for the real
      action).
    - Requesters that ask a 'yes' or 'no' question. Press 'y' for yes.
      Press 'n' or space for no.
      When there is not enough memory for the requester, you will see an
      alert (a red flashing box in AmigaDOS 1.3 or a green flashing box in
      AmigaDOS 2.0). Press the left mouse button for yes, and the right
      mouse button for no.
    - Informative requesters. Press 'n', 'y' or space when you have read the
      message. These requesters can also change into an Alert in low
      memory situations.


  Available keys in this menu:
    Space :
            Start the game.
            You will be asked for a password. Simply press enter when you
            play this game for the first time. You will start at level 0.
    F2    :
            Start the field editor.
            The keys for the field editor are explained below.
    F3    :
            Show the current highscore list.
            When you don't like the current highscores, you can delete the
            highscore file 'Running.highscores'. 'Running' will
            automatically create a new one.
    F4    :
            Load a new set of fields.
            When you have designed your own fields, you can load them with
            this key. The default fields are located in the file
            'Running.fields'.
    HELP  :
            Brings you to the simple online help.
            Press F1 to leave this online help, or any other key to go to
            the next page.
    ESC   :
            Quit 'Running'. If I were you I should not use this key :-)


  Available keys for the game.
    Space :
            Drop a bomb.
            The aim of each level is to kill all ghosts and spiders. You
            will automatically advance to the next level when you have done
            this. Of course, this means that you must hesitate to kill
            a ghost or spider when you still want to collect some bonuses
            in this field.
            To destroy a ghost or spider you must drop some bombs. After a
            while these will explode. With any luck some ghosts will explode
            with them.
    Shift :
            Drop a bomb.
            The shift key is completely the same as the space key. The only
            difference is that your hero won't stop moving when you hit
            this key. It's a pity, but I haven't been able to do this for
            the space key. Maybe in a future version...
            (Note: This feature only works in AmigaDOS 2.0, in AmigaDOS 1.3
            or 1.2 the shift key is the same as the space key.)
    JoyStick button :
            Drop a bomb. (Another one :-)
            Note that you must plug the joystick in the right port (port
            1). This is not the port where the mouse resides.
    Arrow keys :
            Move the hero in the indicated direction.
    JoyStick :
            Move the hero in the indicated direction.
    P :
            Pause the game. Use this key if you want to do something else
            (like multitasking something).
    F1 :
            Go to the main menu.
    ESC :
            Quit 'Running'.


  Keys in the field editor.
    (Note that at the top left of the screen you can read the current field
    number. In the top right is the total number of fields.)
    I also explain all the game objects in this section.
    Note that there are maximum 1000 fields in one game file.

    ESC :
            Quit 'Running'.
    F1 :
            Go to the main menu.
    Shift+F1 :
            Copy a field from an other game file.
            The field editor will first ask for the name of the other file.
            Then it will ask for the field in the other file that you want
            to copy to the current field in memory.
            Note that this function does not insert a new field for the
            field from the other file. The current field will be
            overwritten with the new field.
    F2 :
            Swap the current field with another one.
            The field editor will ask for the other level.
            If you change your mind and you decide you do not want to swap
            two fields, simply press enter. This practice is the normal
            behaviour for all requesters that ask for something.
    F3 :
            Delete all fields.
            Use this key if you want to start a new set of fields.
            Note that all destructive commands ask for confirmation.
    F4 :
            Update the current field parameters.
            This key is only necessary for old fields. When you have made a
            new field, you can use the space key (see below).
            The field editor asks for the following information:
            - The number of ghosts in this field. There must be at least
              one ghost, and at most three.
            - If they react clever or not. If you answer yes to this
              question, the ghosts will be aware of bombs. This does not
              always make them really more clever.
            - If the bombs drop automatically or not. If you answer yes to
              this question, the hero will automatically drop bombs
              wherever he walks.
            - The maximum number of bombs the hero can drop. If you press
              enter in this requester you get the default value of 7.
              This means that the hero can drop 7 bombs, and then must wait
              until at least one of them has exploded before he can drop
              another one.
            - An optional password for this level. If you do not want a
              password, clear the stringgadget and press enter.
    F5 :
            Go to a level.
    F6 :
            Remove the current field.
    F7 :
            Insert a new field before the current field.
            This field will be empty except for the walls arround the
            field.
            Note that you must press space (see below) before this new field
            is really added.
    F8 :
            Append a new field at the end of all fields.
            (See F7)
    F9 :
            Load a new set of fields.
            This key is equivalent with F4 in the main menu.
    F10 :
            Save the current fields.
    DEL :
            Clear the current field except for the walls around the field.
            Note that you must always provide walls or other hard things
            around the field. Otherwise you could simply walk out, and
            no one knows what can happen there :-)
    HOME :
            Go to the top left position with the cursor. (The HOME key is
            the '7' key on the numeric keyboard).
    END :
            Go to the bottom right position with the cursor. (The END key
            is the '1' key on the numeric keyboard).
    N :
            Go to the next field (or to the first if you are at the last
            field).
    Shift+N :
            Go to the previous field (or to the last if you are at
            the first field).
    Space :
            When you change things in the current field, these changes are
            not directly reflected upon the real current field. This only
            happens when you press space.
            This key really adds the field on the screen to the current
            field. Before you use this key, it is still possible to restore
            the previous contents of the current field. (Press 'n' for next
            field, press 'y' to say that you are sure, press Shift-'n' to
            go back to the current field).
            If the current field is a new field, this key will
            automatically press F4 for you (see F4 for details).
            Note that you must press this key before you can go to another
            field.
            Also note that this command will complain if you forgot to set
            the startlocations for the hero and the ghosts.
    Arrows :
            Move the cursor (in the image of the hero).
    Shift+Arrows :
            Put a yellow arrow on the current position.
            The hero cannot move against the direction of the arrow.
            He can move in all other directions.
    Ctrl+Arrows :
            Put a red arrow on the current position.
            A red arrow is the same as a yellow one, except that it rotates
            to the right if a bomb explodes in its vicinity.
    3 :
            The startlocation for the hero.
    4 :
            The startlocation for the ghosts.
    5 :
            The optional startlocation for the spider.
            The spider can only move up and down. He is sometimes hard to
            catch, because he is rather smart about bombs.
    6 :
            The optional startlocation for the watermonster.
            Note that the watermonster only swims in water and below
            bridges. Don't make him too uncomfortable and give him some
            water to swim in.
            The hero can't kill the watermonster but the watermonster can
            kill the hero. He will shoot the hero if there is no
            obstacle between him and the hero and if he is above water.
    B :
            <B>omb. This bomb will explode when the hero puts another bomb
            near it.
    Shift+B :
            Horizontal <B>ridge. The watermonster can swim here, but cannot
            rise above water. You and the ghosts can walk over it.
    Ctrl+B :
            Vertical <B>ridge.
    E :
            Wat<e>r. This is room for the watermonster to swim in. It is
            also deadly for our beloved hero. Note that you can use water
            without a watermonster.
    Shift+E :
            Horizontal invisible bridg<e>. This bridge is initialy water,
            but will become a real bridge when a bomb explodes in its
            vicinity.
            When it is still water, the watermonster can rise here.
    Ctrl+E :
            Vertical invisible bridg<e>.
    W :
            <W>all. Ghosts and the hero can't move through this.
    S :
            <S>oft wall. These are walls that you can explode into
            nothingness.
    Shift+S :
            Almost blown <S>oft wall. These soft walls are already half
            exploded.
    1 :
            Left soft wall.
    2 :
            Right soft wall.
    Shift+1 :
            Almost blown left soft wall.
    Shift+2 :
            Almost blown right soft wall.
    C :
            <C>oin. When the hero takes this, he gets 10 points.
    Shift+C :
            <C>offin. When the hero takes this, he gets 100 points. Make
            this object very rare, and difficult to obtain.
    I :
            <I>nvisible wall. This object acts completely as a normal
            wall, but it is not visible.
    Z :
            Really soft wall. ('Z' is for the dutch <Z>acht :-).
            The hero can simply walk through this, but the ghosts cannot.
    D :
            <D>oor. When the hero enters a door, he will randomly reappear
            in another door. If you use only 1 door, this object does
            nothing.
            The hero will never appear in the same door he went through.
            If you have more than 30 doors, they are ignored.
    M :
            <M>oving object. The hero can push this object and it will move
            (if there is nothing behind this object).
            If a bomb explodes next to this object it will move also.
    BS :
            (backspace). Delete the current block.
    > :
            (or ':' if you have an AZERTY keyboard). These are the only
            keys that do not look to the current keymap.
            This command puts a monster looking right on the field.
            This monster shoots and is deadly for the hero.
            Use the tab key to enable all the fields where the monster must
            shoot.
            It is not required for the hero to kill this monster. He can
            kill it if he explodes two bombs in its vicinity.
            If you have more than 30 monsters, they are ignored.
    < :
            (or ';' for AZERTY keyboards).
            Monster looking left.
    TAB :
            Toggle a monster-shooting field on or off. A Monster (with '<'
            or '>') will only shoot when you are on a monster-shooting
            field. You can put monster-shooting fields on empty blocks
            (with BS) and on the moving object ('M').



This is it. I hope that you will enjoy this game as much as I do. When you
have suggestions or bug reports please write to:



                             Tyberghein Jorrit
                             Hepmansbossen 31
                               2450 Meerhout
                                  Belgium