This file accompanies release 1.0 of the Mazeworld Demo. It consists of text reproduced from the Mazeworld on-line instructions. You can read this same text by running Mazeworld and selecting "Read Instructions" from the Apple menu. This file is included mainly so that you can load the documentation into TeachText or your favorite word processor and print it out, should you so desire.
The Mazeworld interface is actually quite simple, but there's information and playing tips in the documentation that you will want to read. You can get started with Mazeworld by running Mazeworld and selecting "Read Instructions" or "About Mazeworld" from the Apple menu. Please take a moment to read the information and software license at the end of the documentation.
*** Mazeworld On-line Documentation ***
Welcome to Mazeworld! Mazeworld is a virtual reality-type adventure that will draw you in like no other game. When you enter game playing mode, Mazeworld will take over your screen and transport you to the Mazeworld, to face incredible dangers, meet bizarre creatures, and to answer timeless philosophical questions such as, "Who am I?" "Why am I here?" and "How do I stop getting eaten by this thing?" But first, some instructions.
** Desktop Mode **
When you first start Mazeworld, you are in Desktop mode. Desktop mode is Mazeworld's liaison with the Macintosh world - there's a Mazeworld window, and a menu bar with some options. Desktop mode is also called "Pause Mode," because nothing happens in this mode. To play the game, you have to enter Game mode.
** Entering Game Mode **
You can enter Game mode by pressing the space bar, pressing the return key, by selecting "Play Game" from the file menu or using it's keyboard equivalent command-G, or by clicking in the Mazeworld window when it's the frontmost window on the screen. However, you are about to leave the familiar world of Macintosh arrow cursors and menu bars, so you'd better know how to get back! While in Game mode, pressing the space bar or return key will return you to Desktop mode, as will command-G. Using keyboard equivalents of menu commands will generally bring you back to Desktop mode to execute those commands. Finally, if you panic, the escape key or command-period will also take you back to warm safety of Desktop mode.
** Moving In The Game **
When you enter Game mode, Mazeworld takes over your screen, and your arrow cursor will disappear. This is because you move in Mazeworld by using the mouse - directly. If you move the mouse forward, you move forward in the Mazeworld. Move the mouse right, and you turn right. Move the mouse in an upward-left direction, and you move forward while turning. You'll get the hang of it quickly.
** What You See **
Dominating your game screen is the view window, which shows your real-time view of the Mazeworld. On the left and right of the view window are two blue bars that indicate your status - more on those later. Beneath the view window is a dark area where text can appear - this is how creatures can communicate with you in the game. Now, you need to know how to interact with those creatures.
** Firing Energy **
Besides moving around, the way you can interact with creatures and objects in the Mazeworld is by firing energy projectiles. You have four kinds of energy to work with - creative energy, destructive, affirmative and negative. You select the kind of energy to fire by holding down the mouse button and moving the mouse. When you release the mouse button, that kind on energy is fired. While you are holding down the mouse button, you are in a special energy selection mode and will not move in the Mazeworld. The abbreviated symbols "crt," "dst," "aff" and "neg" will appear at the four corners of the area around where the speech appears, to indicate the kind of energy you have selected. For example, if you move the mouse up and to the left while holding down the mouse button, a white "crt" symbol will appear just under the left status bar. When you release the button, a white creative projectile will be fired. Once a kind of energy is selected, you can just "click" the mouse to fire that energy again. Projectiles are fired in the direction you are facing, right into the center of the screen.
Note that if you change your mind about firing while you're still holding down the mouse button, you can release the button while in the black space between where the energy symbols appear. This area also serves a special and IMPORTANT purpose in the game: releasing the mouse button in the dark area indicates that you are finished reading the text in the message space, if any, and are ready to receive new text.
** More On Energy **
As might be expected, the different types of energy have different effects. The difference between creative and affirmative and between destructive and negative energy lies in whether they are more active or passive: creative energy actually "creates" or "restores," while the effect of affirmative energy is more just to say "yes" to something that is already there. Similarly, destructive energy kills, while negative energy just says "no" or "negates." One tip: creative energy may be used to express friendly intentions, while the effect of destructive energy is obviously hostile.
** Status Bars **
To the left and right of the view window are two status bars, as from a bar graph. The bar on the left indicates your overall energy or "health." Should this bar decrease to nothing, you will cease to exist. The bar on the right indicates your temporary energy, the energy available to you to fire energy projectiles. If this bar gets low, you won't be able to fire. Both energy levels will renew themselves, but overall energy is slower to return than temporary energy.
** Saving and Loading Games **
The Mazeworld is a dangerous place, so it's important that you be able to save your game, and really important that you be able to go back to that saved position, should you meet with an untimely demise. You can do this using the "Load Game..." and "Save Game As..." options in the File menu. Since Mazeworld is a game, not a word processor, these options work a little differently from most Macintosh applications. You'll notice that the term "Load" is used instead of "Opening" a document. This is for a couple of reasons. First, Mazeworld has only one window; so when you load a game, the game appears in that window, taking the place of any game that was there before. Second, it just makes more sense for Mazeworld to think in terms of loading and saving your position in the game, rather than working with a document. You'll notice that there is also no "Save" menu option, only "Save As...": this is because you'll usually want to save your latest position with a new name.
** File Menu Trivialities **
If your position is hopeless, you can use the "New Game" option in the File menu to start a new game. The File menu also supports the ever-popular "Quit" option.
** Window Sizes **
The Window Size menu is used to control the size of your playing window. If you are running Mazeworld on one of the slower color Macintoshes, such as the LC II Mazeworld was designed on, you may want to choose a smaller window size to allow Mazeworld to run at full speed. The smaller the window, the easier Mazeworld will find it to update the screen at its normal rate of approximately 12 frames per second. See also the tips on increasing Mazeworld's speed later in this documentation.
Mazeworld will only allow you to display the window sizes that will fit on your largest screen.
** Fast Graphics vs. Mac Friendly **
In the Options menu you can set Mazeworld to run in either Fast Graphics mode or Mac Friendly mode. Fast Graphics mode breaks a few \"rules\" in order to achieve maximum performance; specifically, it writes directly to your screen. This means that it may not work well with other programs that break rules, such as screen savers. If Mazeworld is playing in fast graphics mode and your After Dark screen saver module kicks in, the results, although harmless, may look strange. Also, there is a remote possibility that Fast Graphics mode may not be compatible with some strange Macintosh configuration. So, just in case, there's Mac Friendly mode; which plays by the rules, but may run more slowly.
** Multiple Monitors **
If you are using a Macintosh with more than one monitor, Mazeworld will cover all of your screens while in Game mode, but the actual Mazeworld window can only be on one screen. Mazeworld determines which screen you want to use by seeing which screen the Mazeworld window covers the most, and centers the window on that screen. So, you can just move the Mazeworld window from screen to screen. But remember, Mazeworld works best on screens with 16 or more colors or grays.
** Mazeworld Speed Considerations **
Here are some tips for making Mazeworld run as fast as possible on your system:
1) Make sure all control panels are closed before you enter Game mode. Open
control panels can cause Mazeworld movement to slow down or come in
spurts.
2) Quit other applications. Applications running in the background can also
slow down Mazeworld.
3) Use a smaller window size, and make sure you're using Fast Graphics
mode.
4) Hold down the shift key while starting your Macintosh to tell the system
not to load extensions.
5) Play Mazeworld on a screen set to display 256 colors.
** Mazeworld Playing Tips **
Here are some general tips for playing Mazeworld:
1) Use the Mouse control panel to set the mouse movement to your taste.
We suggest a medium-high setting. Remember to close the control panel
before you enter Game mode - control panels slow Mazeworld down!
2) Keep your mouse movements small and controlled. Unless you've set your
mouse to the slowest speed, it doesn't take much mouse movement to
reach your maximum speed in the game.
3) Realize that your maximum speed moving forward is greater than your
maximum speed moving backwards.
4) Remember that creative energy can be used to express friendly
intentions.
5) Remember that releasing the mouse button in the "no energy" area
between the energy symbols moves you on to the next field of text.
** Important Stuff You Need To Read **
Our system of distribution for Mazeworld is an experiment we call "Personalware." The DEMO version of Mazeworld may be distributed freely, subject to certain restrictions. Please see the software license below. In fact, we want you to give a copy of the DEMO version to your friends - that's what the DEMO version is for. If you have the REGISTERED version of Mazeworld, you can create a new DEMO version by selecting "Create Demo Version..." from the Apple menu.
The DEMO version contains level 1 and part of level 4 of the complete 6-level game. The DEMO version also lacks the ability to save preferences, such as the window size and the user's choice of Fast Graphics or Mac Friendly mode. To play the complete game, you need to order the REGISTERED version from Farfetch Software.
The REGISTERED version of the game comes personally registered to you or to the person you specify in the "licensee" field of your order. That copy of Mazeworld is licensed for that person's use by Farfetch Software. The REGISTERED version may not be distributed to any other parties. If you're playing a copy of Mazeworld which is registered to some other party, that copy is either borrowed or stolen. Again, please see the software license below.
This system of distribution is designed to make casual software piraters realize that illegally copying programs is stealing. We hope that this system will prove to be an effective means of distribution and that Farfetch Software will be able to provide more low-cost, high-quality, non-commercially distributed software for the Macintosh. We appreciate your comments.
** Ordering Information **
Registered copies of Mazeworld are available for $20 US funds, exclusively from Farfetch Software. Here's the information we need...
(Please note: Failing to provide the name of the person to whom Mazeworld is to be registered in the "licensee" field will result in delays fulfilling your order. If you are ordering more than one copy of Mazeworld, you need to specify that many licensee names.)
Please indicate if you wish to be notified of future products from Farfetch Software:
______
Please include a check or money order for $20 US funds for each registered copy of Mazeworld, made payable to Farfetch Software. Please include $5 extra shipping for international orders. We regret that, at the time of printing, Farfetch Software is unable to accept credit card or phone orders. Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery.
Send to: Farfetch Software Ñ P.O. Box 10788 Ñ Burke, VA 22009-1028 Ñ USA
** Mazeworld Software License **
The DEMO version of Mazeworld may be distributed freely for no charge. The DEMO version of Mazeworld may also be distributed for a reasonable fee by user groups and on-line services only. The DEMO version of Mazeworld must always be distributed in its original, unmodified form, complete with any accompanying files. Any other form of distribution requires the specific written permission of Farfetch Software.
The REGISTERED version of Mazeworld, which is the complete version of the game, is licensed to individual persons by Farfetch Software, and may not be distributed to any other parties without specific written permission of Farfetch Software.
Farfetch Software is not responsible for any damage to the user's computer system or data and in no event will Farfetch Software be liable for any consequential, incidental, or indirect damages arising out of the use of this product. Because some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitations may not apply to you.
