Brix is the latest ( well, latest at the time of writing anyway ) variation on the old arcade classic Breakout. Just in case you're too young to know what that is, I'll say that it's a game where you must destroy bricks ( hence the name ) with a bouncing ball.
BRIX IS SHAREWARE! REGISTER TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE FULL FEATURES OF THE GAME! IT'S WORTH IT!
Shareware Fees:
$15 Australian
$12 US
Or the equivalent of $12 US in any other foreign currency.
Instructions
Use the mouse to move your paddle across the bottom of the screen, and keep the ball bouncing off it. Unlike the original breakout, instead of trying to eliminate every brick, you try to eliminate the goal bricks ( yellow ). Blue bricks will get you some points, but eliminating them is not necessary to finish the level. You just have to stop the ball from falling off the bottom of the screen.
Actually, it's not quite that easy. Working against you as you go brick-bashing is the time limit. Get rid of all the goal bricks before the time runs out, and you get a time bonus, and proceed to the next level. However, if you run out of time, you lose a life.
Occasionally, a bonus ( red ) brick may appear. One of these can get you a bonus ranging from 500-3000 points, freeze the clock for a few seconds, or give you an extra life. But you'll have to get these red bricks quickly– they disappear after a while.
Also, watch out for penalty ( purple ) bricks which subtract points from your score, brown bricks, which may take several hits to destroy completely, and metal bricks ( grey ) which cannot be destroyed at all.
As you progress through the game, the time bonuses get better, the ball gets faster and the time limits get ever tighter. There are twenty unique levels for you to finish.
Controls
The paddle is controlled with the mouse. Caps Lock will pause the game, and Escape will abort it.
System Requirements
To run Brix effectively, you will need:
• A fast enough Mac. I recommend a 68040 or PowerPC based one, but an 030 or 020 might be OK. This version is NOT native for Powermacs, but it runs fine in emulation. Look out for the PowerPC version coming soon!
• A 640 x 480 monitor, in 256 colours. Actually, all you need is a 512 x 460 monitor, but since I don't think any such thing exists, I recommend a 640 x 480.
• System 7.0 or higher.
If there's enough demand, I could make a version which will run on a b/w, 512 x 384 monitor. If you want such a thing, write to me!
Shareware Info
The game as it is distributed is locked, so that you can only have access to the first four levels. However, for the modest shareware fee of $15 Australian, $12 US, or the equivalent in any other currency, you can have access to a further sixteen levels of the game.
When you register, you will receive an access code. Simply select 'Register…' from the Game menu, and type in your name and registration code, to get access to the extra levels.
Contact Info
To register, send a cheque ( or cash, but don't blame me if it gets lost in the post) for $15 Australian, $12 US, or the equivalent in any other currency to:
Hugh Wilson
PO Box 1726
Chatswood
NSW
2067
Australia
Please make your cheques out to 'Hugh Wilson'. Be sure to include your own postal or e-mail address, so I can send your registration code back to you. A stamped addressed envelope would be appreciated.
Send your comments, questions, praise, complaints, or whatever to me at the above address, or to:
hwilson@resrocket.com
Potentially Frequently Asked Questions
What's this 'Fast Graphics' thing?
As the name suggests, the 'Fast Graphics' option will make the graphics faster. However, as the name does not suggest, the fast graphics option uses a method for drawing the graphics which may be incompatible with your set-up. However, if you have no problems running with it on, you might as well keep it on.
The clock doesn't keep proper time! Why not?
Your computer must be too slow. The clock is synchronised to the speed of the animation, rather than the real time, so that the time doesn't run out too fast for the ball to keep up with on slower computers. If your computer cannot keep up with the pace of the game, then the time will run slower.
Hey, I started a new game, and it displays everything, but nothing happens! What's going on?
You probably have Caps Lock down, so the game thinks it's paused. Either that, or it's my fault.
Thanks To…
• Ingemar Ragnemalm, for his excellent Sprite Animation Toolkit, with which this game was developed.
• Ingemar Ragnemalm, the Syzygy Cult, Jeff Vogel and Michael Hanson for help in obtaining the sounds.
• Edward Easton, for help with the music.
• Still reading this, are you? In that case, I might as well just put in one last plea:
