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SNARF 2.02 A Shareware game for EGA Copyright 1990 Everett Kaser All rights reserved. Novemeber 22, 1990 This is an arcade style game for the IBM PC family of compatible computers. It requires an EGA/VGA compatible display adapter (with a minimum of 128K of RAM on the display adapter; early IBM EGA cards will not work). It will NOT work on CGA, MDA, or Hercules display adapters. This game was originally written in early 1988 and released in the spring of that year as freeware. It was not finished at that time, due to lack of time, but was usable. Snarf release 2.0 has been completely re-written from top to bottom, a welcome/demo screen added, and the game has been made easily extensible by non-programmers. Anyone can add new "levels" to the game. The game is structured to accept up to a maximum of 999 levels. Should be sufficient. Snarf 2.0 allows the user to create new levels for the game. If you create new levels that you would like to share with other registered users, send them to the author (on 5 1/4 or 3 1/2 disk). If they're sufficiently different and challenging, they'll be included on future distributions to registered users. Acceptance of at least three new levels for inclusion on the registered distribution will win the submitter a free update. (This offer is valid ONLY to registered users.) Previously registered users may get an update at any time for $5. This program may NOT be distributed over the Internet computer network without the permission of the author. ALSO AVAILABLE FROM EVERETT KASER Solitile is a game of solitaire, played with "tiles". It derives from several similar games, such as "Shanghai", "Gunshy", and "Mahjongg", which are played with Mah-Jong tiles. Solitile plays the same game, but adds new starting layouts and the ability for the player to create new layouts and/or modify the layouts provided. It also uses new "westernized" pictures on the faces of the tiles. Best with mouse, but works well from keyboard, too. Print the file REGISTER.DOC for ordering information. SNARF 2.0 is being distributed as SHAREWARE. You may use the program for a period of 3 days, after which you must either register the program with the author or stop using it. To register the program, send $15 in U.S. funds to: Everett Kaser Snarf 35405 Spruce St Albany, OR 97321 Please specify the name to which you wish to have the program register- ed. This name will appear on the welcome screen of your registered copy of the program. The registered version may NOT be copied or distributed, except by the author. A copy of the latest shareware version will be included that you may share with friends. A registration form is included to help with the registration process. To print the file REGISTER.DOC, ensure that your printer is turned on, that it's on-line, and then type: PRINT REGISTER.DOC Registered users may receive an update at any time by sending $5 to the same address. Registered users may write or call at any time to find out the latest revision date or to receive other support. I can be contacted via U.S. Mail at above address, via email on Internet at hplabs!hp-pcd!everett or everett%hpcvlx@hplabs.hp.com or by phone at (503) 928-5259 (not before 8:30am or after 9:30pm, Pacific Time, please). The game package, which MUST include the files SNARF.EXE (the game), SNARF.DOC (this file), and REGISTER.DOC (the registration form) may be freely copied and distributed. These three files may be re-archived to better suit a given distribution system, but the files may not be modified in any other way. No distributor may charge more than $6 for the distribution of this program, and that fee in no way reduces the shareware registration fee owed to the author by the user. This program may NOT be distributed over Internet without the permission of the author. The registered version of Snarf (which is NOT shareware and may NOT be distributed except by the author) contains at LEAST 20 levels and does NOT contain the "shareware reminder" screens at game end. Bug reports, suggestions, and comments are very welcome. I. PLAYING THE GAME The general idea of the game is this: you have to run around through various mazes (levels) picking up treasure (rings and crowns) while avoiding the Snarfs. You can shoot the Snarfs, but you only get points for the treasure, not for the Snarfs. Each time you're touched by a Snarf, you're "tagged". You start with a "tag count" of 50. Each time you're tagged the count is decremented. If you get tagged when the count is 0, the game is over. You can get "healed" at a first-aid station (your tag count is pumped back up to 50). First-aid is only available every two to four mazes. The color of the top and bottom bars on the display change with each tag. Across the top of the display are these fields: TAGS this is the number of tags left (max = 50) POINTS value of treasure picked up on this level LEVEL SCORE score for level at end-of-level (POINTS x TAGS) SCORE total score LEVEL current level (or maze) number HIGH SCORE current high score As you start the game, TAGS=50, POINTS=0, LEVEL SCORE=0, SCORE=0, and LEVEL=1. As you get tagged, TAGS get decremented. As you pick up treasure, POINTS gets incremented, based on the value of the treasure. When you exit a level, the TAGS you have left are multiplied by the POINTS you picked up on that level to generate the LEVEL SCORE. This is then added to SCORE. Then, as you start the next level, POINTS are set back to 0, LEVEL is incremented, and off you go. LEVEL SCORE will retain the score for the previous level until you complete the current level. When you run out of TAGS and lose the game, whatever POINTS you've earned on that level will get added to your score. You end a level by exiting out the right-hand side. This usually involves removing one or more locks through the use of keys. You pick up keys by moving over them. When you are carrying a key, the image of the hero has a key across it. You can only carry one key at a time. The goal of the game is to maximize your score. The best way to do this is to maintain a high tag count, since the score is based upon both the amount of treasure you pick up on a level AND the number of tags that you have left at the end of the level. This is especially critical on those levels that have LOTS of treasure. The first screen shows the high scores (white for 2-shot scores, yellow for 1-shot scores) and a continuously running demo of the game. It also includes a brief set of instructions which can be scrolled up/down using the UP and DOWN cursor keys, as well as the PageUp and PageDn keys. Pressing the ESC key while at the welcome/demo screen will exit the game. (The un-registered version of the game will display a shareware notice at exit from the game, which will stay until another key is pressed.) While at the welcome/demo screen, you can press: ESC to quit K to change the default 'game' control keys. N to toggle the noise on/off (default is on). + to increase the starting level number. - to decrease the starting level number. 1 to select only 1 shot off at time (scoring doubled). 2 to select 2 shots off at a time (normal scoring). Up/Down and PgUp/PgDn to read the abbreviated help. Using the + and - keys you can select levels that don't exist. The program doesn't check until you actually try to play the level. If you select a level that doesn't exist, the game will refuse to start. The level number you select using the + and - keys will be stored in the SNARF.SCO file. Thereafter, that is the level at which the game will start until you modify it again. From the welcome/demo screen, pressing the space bar (or ANY other key besides the ones listed above) will move you on to the main playing screen. Then, pressing any key will start the game. The default keys for playing the game are: cursor keys control your movement A fires a shot to the left D fires a shot to the right W fires a shot upwards S fires a shot downwards N toggles noise on/off esc exits the game back to the demo screen space pauses the game F1 enters EDIT LEVEL mode (see below) Any other key will stop the motion of your player, if it's in motion. And yes, this IS one of those two handed games that requires a small level of ambidexterousnousnosity. You move with your right hand and shoot with your left (unless you redefine those function keys). By the way, you can only have two shots off at a time (to make the game half-way challenging). The original game only allowed one shot at a time, but this was probably too restrictive. Occasionally, you'll find yourself in the midst of a cloud of Snarfs, and your TAGS will plummet like a falling star. You will also find yourself in dire peril when a Snarf is running along on your heels in the same direction as you, taging you with every move. The best thing to do in this situation is to reverse direction for a moment to get a little space between you, then shoot it. You will notice that Snarfs can see the shot coming towards them and will try to avoid it. With practice, you can use this to your advantage. The high scores, default movement/fire keys and the starting level number are stored in a file called SNARF.SCO. By deleting this file you can erase the high scores and place the keys and start level back to their default values. II. CREATING NEW LEVELS You may modify old levels or create entirely new ones. At any time during normal game play, pressing softkey F1 will take you into EDIT mode. At this point, you can modify the current level and store it to disk, and the modified version will over-ride the built-in version in the future (the game always looks for a disk file before using the internal levels.) Levels are stored individually in files with filenames of the form: SNARFLEV.xxx where 'xxx' is a right justified level number (filled with 0's on the left). As an example, the first level would be called SNARFLEV.001 and level 15 would be called SNARFLEV.015. The game ONLY looks in the current directory for these files, so if you plan to create very many levels, or if you're installing the distribution disk with many levels, you probably will want to use the MKDIR command to create a special sub-directory for SNARF to keep your other directories from getting overly cluttered. The level number is NOT stored inside the file, it is ONLY in the filename. This means that you can re-arrange the levels as you wish simply by copying and/or renaming the files. Upon entering the EDIT mode, the screen is re-drawn and a blinking box will appear. This is the edit cursor. It can be moved around using the cursor keys. To place (or erase) objects, you must first move the cursor to the desired location. Once there, you can use these keys to add/delete objects: W toggles a WALL on/off P places a snarf PIT K places a KEY L places a LOCK T places a TELEPORT C places a CROWN worth 100 points 1 places a RING worth 10 points 2 places a RING worth 5 points 3 places a RING worth 1 point F places a FIRST-aid station H moves the HERO to the new location space erases the object the cursor is on (except for HERO) N allows you to NAME the level and enter you name as the creator of the level. Additionally, while in EDIT mode, these keys are also available: ESC aborts the edit, without saving the changes. F1 ends the edit, saving the changes in a specified level. F2 allows you to specify the colors for the "WALL". F8 clears entire level (except for outer wall and HERO). When pressing ESC to abort, you're first prompted to verify if you wish to throw away the changes. When pressing F1 to end the edit, the program scans the disk to find the next unused level number and presents that as the default choice. Accepting this choice ensures that you won't accidentally overwrite another level. However, you may use backspace to modify the level number to whatever you wish before pressing ENTER. You would do this if you're modifying a previously existing level rather than creating an entirely new one. The ESC key can also be used at this point to abort the END-EDIT action and remain in EDIT mode without writing anything to disk. F2 brings up another "menu" that allows you to choose the PRIMARY and SECONDARY colors that are used to draw the WALLS for this level. There are 15 colors available, giving a possible 225 different color combin- ations for the WALLS. Use the cursor keys to select PRIMARY or SECOND- ARY and to select a color for each. A sample wall with those colors is kept updated. Any key other than the four cursor keys will cause you to exit back to the normal EDIT mode, and the walls will be redrawn with the new colors. When placing snarf-pits, you must additionally specify the direction the snarf-pit should be facing. You use one of the four cursor keys to do this. Move the cursor to the location where you wish to place the snarf-pit. Press the 'P' key. There will be a prompt at the bottom of the display to "Select direction...". At this point you should press the arrow key for the direction in which you wish the snarf-pit opening to point. When placing teleports, you not only have to specify a direction (only up or down is allowed for teleports), but also a destination location for the teleport. First, move the cursor to the location at which you wish to place the teleport and press the 'T' key. There will be a prompt at the bottom of the display to "Select direction...". At this point you should press the up or down arrow key for the direction in which you wish the teleport opening to face. (The hero will move into the teleport opening in the opposite direction.) After selecting the direction, you will be prompted to "Select destination...". At this point, move the cursor to the location to which you wish the Hero to be teleported upon entering the teleport. This location should normally be at the place where a matching opposite teleport will be (or has been) placed, and usually directly above or below the one that you're currently placing. However, the destination of a teleport CAN be anywhere on the level. The destination should NOT be on top of a wall, although the program does not prohibit this. (It is unsupported, however, and any bugs caused by this are considered to be a bug in the level design). Pressing any key besides the cursor keys signifies that the cursor is at the desired destination. When creating a new level, the amount of treasure on a level is limited to 9903 points worth, since the "POINTS" display only allows four digits. Also, if the player finishes a level with 9803 points and has 50 tags while playing 1-shot, that gives him almost 1,000,000 points for the level. That's probably sufficient (and all that will fit in the "Level Score" field). Here's some suggestions to help you create challenging, interesting levels: 1) Avoid long, single-width passageways. These are easy to defend, since the snarfs have nowhere to go, and they're boring to run through. Passageways and areas that are three or more wall-blocks wide are more challenging because the snarfs have room to manuever to avoid your shots. 2) Don't create a lot of levels with LOTS of treasure. Most levels shouldn't have more than about 2500 points at the most. The big-point levels should only come along once out of every ten or so levels, as a big bonus for getting that far. 3) Also, first-aid stations shouldn't exist more often than every three or four levels, unless the levels are extremely difficult. 4) Don't just draw random walls. Try to think of a unique design, or problem, to center your level around. Then, build from there. 5) Don't just sprinkle a bunch of snarf-pits and teleports around the level. They should be an integral part of the basic design of the level, and carefully placed to aid or hinder in the completion of the level. 6) Make sure there's a reasonable balance between the number of locks on the level and the number of keys (and make sure it can be completed!). 7) The Hero should usually start on the left and MUST always exit on the right. A level is considered "over" when the hero reaches the far right column. There MUST be at least one snarf-pit per level, or the game will refuse to play the level. To create an entirely new level, don't select it's level number at the welcome screen, since the game will refuse to start if the level doesn't exist. Rather, with any valid level number selected at the welcome screen, start the game (as if you were going to play that level). Then, press F1 to enter EDIT mode. Now, press F8 to clear the screen (this is only being done in memory at this point, so you're not affecting the real level). Now, create your new level. When done, press F1 to end the EDIT mode. At this point the game will prompt you with the next NEW level number. Simply pressing return at this point will store your new level as that level number, leaving the old level (that you started out with) unchanged. Good luck, and have fun playing the game and creating new, challenging levels! III. REVISION HISTORY Rev 2.00 October 21, 1990 Initial release of the completed Snarf game. Rev 2.01 November 10, 1990 Minor fix to BEEP code that caused keyboard lock-up on some computers. Rev 2.02 November 22, 1990 Still trying to fix BEEP on some computers.