Super Games/visualcdgame.iso/dosgames/mindless/mindless.txt

Text File | 1993-05-28 | 9.6 KB | 200 lines

                             MINDLESS!          May 28, 1993
                             =========
       Copyright (c) 1993, John P. Logsdon - All Rights Reserved

                  Designed By:  John and Lorelei Logsdon
           Game Programmed By:  John Logsdon
                   Artwork By:  John Logsdon
                Video Utility:  Fastgraph(tm)



                              HISTORY
                              =======
     This program was written in an effort to determine how quickly I could
develop a game (albeit simplistic) using the Fastgraph(tm) Development tools
and some paint programs.
     I have been a programmer since '86 and use mainly C and Assembly for
coding.  Approximately 3 years ago, I began writing video games...or rather,
writing a graphics toolbox to allow me to write video games.  I gathered
books, code, anything I could get my hands on that would help me accomplish
this task.  And I have some really neat routines that I chisled out, BUT...
I didn't have the time to dedicate full time (other job, wife, kid, arrgh!)
to this project and it has therefore been a long time in the making.
     Two months ago I was on GEnie (a terrific computer network that has
fantastic Multi-Player games and has been a wonderful source for information
on programming...thier number - by the way - is 1-800-638-9636) and was
asking around about graphics when I noticed a message explaining how easy
it was to use the Fastgraph(tm) toolbox.  I asked for information on the product
and stuck the information on the shelf until about a month ago.  I ordered
the package and played with it for a few weeks on and off...finding on the
way that my code was not nearly as complete and only supported a few video
modes.
     To make a long story short, my wife and I came up with a generic idea
for a game and I used Fastgraph(tm) to help me write it.  I worked on the game
for a total of 27 hours!  Here is the breakdown:
      3 hours doing artwork (I'm not an artist...oh, you noticed.)
     17 hours doing generic coding (array handling, player control, settings,
                                    etc...)
      2 hours doing AI (It's not that good, but it's okay.)
      1 hour putting the Fastgraph(tm) stuff in (HONEST!)
      2 hours debugging and testing and making the computer play itself.
      2 hours on this dang file!

     You will notice, however, that this game is not flashy (no animation
or anything...but comeon...only 27 hours was spent here, you'll be seeing
more from me with animation and the like in a few months...3D stuff too),
but EVERYTHING you see on the screen is done by using the Fastgraph(tm)
toolbox.  The Screen displays, the Icon displays, the fading effects, the
mouse, the popup menu's...all Fastgraph(tm).

     I know this sounds like a sales pitch and I want you to know that I am
in now way affiliated with the Fastgraph(tm) folks.  But, I also know how tough
it is to get the ball rolling in video programming and how difficult it is
to find anyone with the knowledge that is willing to share.  If I would have
had this product 3 years ago, I would have completed numerous games.
     Anyway, you should really consider (if you're a developer) checking out
the Fastgraph(tm) package...it's worth it.  Here are a few specs from the
contents:
         Supports 23 standard Video Modes and some SVGA modes
         All the primitives - dots, lines, circles, polygons, text, etc...
         Mouse, Joystick, Keyboard, PC-Speaker
         PCX Diplays, fade-ins (outs), animation techniques, virtual pages,
         EMS/XMS control, etc...
      The place you get it (or more info about it) is:
                        Ted Gruber Software
                        P.O. Box 13408
                        Las Vegas, NV 89112
                VOICE:  [phone]
                  BBS:  [phone]   --   Good demo's!



                               The game
                               ========
     The game is simple.

     Objective:  To get more points than the other guy/gal/computer.

     Game Play:
     ==========

     The screen fills with a bunch of random icons (pictures) and remains
visable for about 2-3 seconds.  These IMAGES are then covered up.  The
computer then randomly selects two of the IMAGES that you had previous seen.
It places one of these IMAGES on the top left (and the other on the top right)
of the screen.
     The image on the top left is called a GOOD IMAGE.  Your goal is to click
on the playing screen and try to find this image.  If you find it you will be
awarded points.
     The image on the top right is called a BAD IMAGE.  If you find this image
while clicking away, you will be penalized by subtracting points from your
score.

     There are 3 SPECIAL IMAGES that you may also find during your search.
The first is called the GOOD HUNTER which, if found, goes through the entire
set of IMAGES and pulls out all of the GOOD IMAGES and awards you the points
for each found;  So, if you clicked on a GOOD HUNTER and It found 10 GOOD
IMAGES (and let's assume that each image is worth 2 points), you will be
awared 20 points.  You are not given any points for the GOOD HUNTER, but you
ARE given points for everything it finds.  This IMAGE looks like a bowl of
flowers (it was supposed to look like the Flame holder at the Olympics, but
my lack of artistic ability made it look more like a bowl of flowers...sigh.)
     The second IMAGE is called the BAD HUNTER.  I'm sure you can guess this
one...but basically, if you hit this one It will go through the entire set of
IMAGES and find all of the BAD IMAGES...which causes you to lose the total
number of BAD IMAGES found multiplied by penalty points.  This IMAGE looks
like a Demon face.
     The third is called the SHUFFLER IMAGE.  This IMAGE basically "shuffles"
the set of IMAGES.  This image looks like 3 Cards stacked on top of each
other.

     There is "cheat" feature that I've enabled called "SneakAPeek".  This
displays ALL of the unfound IMAGES for a period of time that you set.  This
may, if you set it so, cause the loss of points for each use.  This feature
also counts as 1 turn!

     Settings:
     =========

     WIDTH & HEIGHT -  This allows the expansion or contraction of the number
                       of images.  The minimum for both is 6 (thus giving 36
                       IMAGES).  The maximum WIDTH is 25 and the maximum HEIGHT
                       is 12 (thus giving 300 IMAGES).

     PLAYER CONFIGURATIONS -
     There are 3 player configuration - when clicked the system wobbles through
     them.
                Computer Vs. Computer
                Player   Vs. Computer
                Player   Vs. Player
     *NOTE!!:  If you choose Computer Vs. Computer, you will have to follow
               a few steps to Exit the game.  First, you will need to press a
               key on your keyboard to interrupt play.  This will bring up the
               Settings menu.  From here you will have to change the Player
               Configuration to either Player Vs. Computer or Player Vs. Player.
               Then the mouse will come back and you can click on EXIT.  Sorry,
               but hey, whaddya want for 27 hours???

     DIFFICULTY LEVEL -
               This one's pretty self-explanatory.  I would like to point out
               that as yet (only three people have played, but hey!) nobody
               has been able to beat the HARD level.  You could "cheat" by
               Shuffling the IMAGES often which would make the computer's
               memory lapse a bit :)

     HUNTERS and SHUFFLERS (described above) -
               This setting allows you to customize how many of each SPECIAL
               IMAGE is allowed in the set of IMAGES.
     POINTS -
               This allows you to customize how much each GOOD/BAD IMAGE is
               worth and how much you lose on the SneakAPeek option (described
               above).

     SNEAKAPEEK TIME -
               This allows you to set the length of time the images will be
               display if SneakAPeek is called.  The maximum is 30 (which
               is about 1 3/4 seconds.
     TRIES PER PLAYER -
               Let's you set up how many chances each player gets per turn.

See, simple.  Try and beat it...good luck!


                          ****WARNING****
     THIS GAME WILL NOT RUN IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A MOUSE INSTALLED!!!!




Files contained in the MINDLESS.LZH file should be as follows:

MINDLESS.EXE
MINDLESS.TXT
MINDLESS.MND
MINDOPEN.MND

Legal stuff
===========
This game is FREEWARE and may be copied and distributed if no profit is
made by doing so.  In other words, you may NOT charge anyone for this game
or any contents included in the MINDLESS.LZH file as described above.
By using this game you agree that I am not, under any circumstances,
responsible if some weird mishap occurs and your system blows up (as if this
would happen -- I've never seen it happen to anyone, but it's gotta be in
here).

Thanks for your cooperation.


     If you wanna leave any comments about the game, I can be reached on
GEnie or on the Fastgraph BBS.  GEnie Mail ID is:  GAME.DUDE
               (Dust Devil BBS) Fastgraph  ID is:  John Logsdon
     I look at this game as a quick effort to do something to exploit some
features and test others of Fastgraph.  I am not going to pursue, at this
time, this game further...so, if you wanna send ideas that's cool, but I
wouldn't expect to have them implemented until I've released some "Real"
games.  :)

Thanks,yet again, for your cooperation.