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- º Jon Persky Games Presents º
- º 23 PICKUP v. 2.1 º
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-
-
- PACKING LIST
-
- 23PICKUP.EXE - The executable program file.
- 23PICKUP.TXT - This text file.
-
- If any of these files are altered or missing please let me know!
-
-
- REQUIREMENTS
-
- Windows 3.x, VGA. I'm not sure if you can get by without at least a
- 386, you're free to try.
-
-
- IMPORTANT: This program needs the file VBRUN100.DLL to work. Please see the
- Technical Information section further in this file for more details.
-
-
- INSTALLATION
-
- First, copy the files that came with 23 Pickup to your C:\WINDOWS
- directory by using File Manager. Close File Manager and open your Games
- group in Program Manager. Select File...New and click on Program Item. In
- the Description box, type "23 Pickup". In the Command Line box, type
- "\windows\23pickup.exe". You don't need to worry about the rest; just click
- OK. The icon will be there and you're ready to go!
-
-
- OVERVIEW
-
- In 23 PICKUP it's you against the computer in a battle of wits. You
- start with a pile of 23 sticks. You and the computer take turns taking 1, 2,
- or 3 sticks from the pile. The player who takes the last stick loses. This
- game takes immense strategy and it's very hard to win!
-
-
- HOW TO PLAY
-
- First, select your options. From the Options menu, pick the
- difficulty level, the starting player and the background color. Then you are
- ready. Click on the -1, -2, or -3 buttons to take away 1, 2, or 3 sticks.
- The number of sticks the computer takes is displayed at the bottom left of
- the screen. The number of sticks remaining is displayed at the top left. If
- the computer takes the last stick, you win. If you take the last stick, you
- lose. Good luck!
-
-
- COMMANDS
-
- Game Menu
- New (F2): Starts a new game.
- Exit (^X): Quits 23 Pickup.
- About 23 Pickup: Shareware info and other stuff.
-
- Options Menu
- Starting Player ->
- You Start: You take the first stick(s).
- Computer Starts: I go first.
- Level of Difficulty ->
- Easy: For beginners.
- Medium: A little harder, but still no sweat.
- Hard: Ouch! Einstein himself was 3-14 on this level.
- Background Color: Color-customize your background.
-
- NOTE: Choosing a Starting Player or Level of Difficulty command from the
- Options Menu will restart the game. There is no need to choose New from the
- Game Menu after choosing one of these options.
-
- Help Menu - a dialog box that tells you to open this file.
-
-
- STRATEGY & HINTS
-
- There is one pattern, if you go first, that will guarantee you a
- win, but I won't tell you here (E-mail me if you really want to know.) I
- will, however, tell you how to win at the end of the game.
- You are sure to win if it is your turn with these numbers of sticks
- left: 2,3,4,6,7,8. You are sure to lose if there are 1 or 5 sticks left. The
- same goes for the computer, so your chances of winning are even.
- On the easy and medium levels, the game will play on the same logic
- that I have told you here. The hard level will use the secret pattern.
- Try to remove enough sticks so that there are 1 or 5 remaining. This
- will ensure a win for you. Good luck!!!
-
- *For a SUPERHINT that will spare you several hours of frustration, scroll
- to the bottom of this file.*
-
-
- TECHNICAL NOTES
-
- 23 Pickup was made on Microsoft Visual Basic v. 1.0. To work
- effectively, the program MUST be accompanied by the file VBRUN100.DLL. You
- should either receive the file with this program or separately from the
- person or board you received this from. If not, please contact me via
- CompuServe [70661,700] or by mail (see below for address) and I will upload or
- or mail a disk (to minimize costs, I will send a low-density 5.25" disk,
- please tell me if this is a problem) to you at no charge. Note:
- VBRUN100.DLL is a large (270+ KB) file. You only need one copy of this file.
- So if you have previously downloaded a Visual Basic application or have the
- Visual Basic program, you can delete this file. However, you should have a
- copy of this file in the same directory as the 23 Pickup program.
-
-
- NEW IN VERSION 2.1
-
- Since 2.0, I neatened up the menus and set a pause between your move
- and the computer's move in order to ease confusion.
-
-
- SHAREWARE INFO
-
- 23 Pickup is Shareware. If you enjoy it, you should register
- by sending $5 to:
- Jonathan D. Persky
- 5 Oak Lane
- Weston, CT 06883
-
- Please include your name, address, and where you got your copy of 23 Pickup.
- If you register, you will receive a disk (please specify 3.5" or 5.25") of
- the latest versions of all completed Jon Persky Games so far. The disk will
- only contain one copy of the file VBRUN100.DLL.
-
- You can also register electronically if you subscribe to CompuServe. Simply
- type GO SWREG and search for registration #255. The registration fee will
- appear on your CompuServe bill. If you register by this method, the fee will
- be $6 instead of $5. This additional charge covers CompuServe's 15%
- processing fee. However, you may find this method more convenient, as you
- can include the fee on your CompuServe account and you don't have to bother
- with sending cash or checks.
-
- Please remember that the only way I receive compensation for my time and
- effort is by your registration payment. Remember that you'll receive a disk
- with the complete set of Jon Persky Games in exchange for your registration.
- At the current time, the disk will include 6 games (see the "Won't You
- Please Check Out" section below.) With shareware, disk, and postage costs,
- this is a $32 value for your $5 registration! The good thing about shareware
- is that the author and the user both benefit from it a great deal. And, if
- you don't like the game, simply remove it from your hard disk and your only
- cost is any charges associated with downloading the program. Also, you are
- not required to pay registration for the games you receive upon registering
- this game.
-
- You may upload 23 Pickup to bulletin boards in condensed or uncondensed
- format or pass it to your friends provided you do so at no cost and you keep
- the files 23PICKUP.EXE and 23PICKUP.TXT intact and unaltered. (Check with
- your bulletin board to make sure it has a copy of VBRUN100.DLL, and if it
- doesn't, please upload it separately.)
-
-
- AND WON'T YOU PLEASE CHECK OUT...
-
- As of September 1, 1992, these are all completed Jon Persky Games, with
- the latest version number in parentheses and the program name in brackets.
-
- 1. What's My Number? (3.0) [WHATSMY#.EXE] Can you guess the computer's
- secret number in as few turns as possible?
- 2. Switch (2.0) [SWITCH.EXE] 100's of combinations, only 2 solutions to
- this challenging logic puzzle!
- 3. 23 Pickup (2.1) [23PICKUP.EXE] The game where you get to prove the
- mechanical brain is not always smarter than the natural variety.
- 4. Target (2.1) [TARGET.EXE] Shoot for the bullseye in this fun
- dart-shooting game. Which type of throw is best for you?
- 5. Number Crunch (2.0) [NOCRUNCH.EXE] Can your trigger finger beat the clock
- and uncover the numbers in order? Based on the board game Numbers Up.
- 6. Jeopardy Scorekeeper (1.1) [JEOPKEEP.EXE] An accessory program that lets
- you play along with the contestants on TV!
-
-
- FEEDBACK
-
- I'd love to chat. If you subscribe to CompuServe, E-Mail me at ID#
- [70661,700]. Questions, comments, ideas, suggestions, criticism, or ideas
- for new games would be appreciated. If you don't use CompuServe, you can
- use the traditional mailbox method and send it to the address above. I'll be
- sure to get back to you personally. I am 14 years old, a novice computer
- programmer, and would like to learn all I can!
- NOTE: I can also be reached at The Fine Blue Line BBS at (203) 226-3565.
-
- P.S. PLEASE SPREAD THIS AROUND!!! Public domain software is the most popular
- kind out there, and its essential purpose is to provide you with quality
- entertainment for a low cost. Please do your best to upload this game to
- all the bulletin boards you subscribe to, and pass it around to your
- friends. It will make us all very happy <grin>! If enough people let me know
- what they think, I'll feel motivated so I just might decide to put that
- little world peace plan I've been conjuring up into action. :-)
-
-
- 23 Pickup is #3 in the Jon Persky Games series.
- ⌐Copyright 1992, Jonathan D. Persky. All rights reserved.
-
-
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- SUPERHINT (don't look unless you really, really, want to!)
-
- It is impossible to win from the hard level if the computer starts first. If
- you start first from the hard level, you will have to use the secret pattern
- in order to win. By repeatedly playing with the computer starting first,
- maybe you can pick up the secret pattern.