








                               P I P E T R I S  v1.0
                               ---------------

           (C)opyright 1996-1997 Juhana Leinonen/Far Side software










                              Table of contents
                              -----------------

 Legal stuff.................................... 1
     Disclaimer................................. 1.1
     Distribution............................... 1.2
     CWSDPMI.EXE................................ 1.3
     Shareware concept.......................... 1.4

 Introduction................................... 2

 Installing..................................... 3
     Installing game files...................... 3.1
     Hardware requirements...................... 3.2
     Running the game........................... 3.3

 The Game....................................... 4
     Game objective............................. 4.1
     Moving blocks.............................. 4.2
     Special blocks............................. 4.3
     Game Over.................................. 4.4

 The Menus...................................... 5
     Play Pipetris!............................. 5.1
     Configure.................................. 5.2
        Amount of specials...................... 5.2.1
        Empty blocks............................ 5.2.2
        Sound effects........................... 5.2.3
     Instructions............................... 5.3
     Hiscores................................... 5.4
     Credits.................................... 5.5
     Exit....................................... 5.6

 Troubleshooting................................ 6
     Error messages............................. 6.1
        Data files not found.................... 6.1.1
        Out of memory........................... 6.1.2
     Sound card problems........................ 6.2
     Page fault and General protection fault.... 6.3
     Game runs very slowly...................... 6.4

 Miscellaneous.................................. 7
     Ordering info.............................. 7.1
     Contacting authors......................... 7.2
        Bug reporting........................... 7.2.1
     Version information........................ 7.3
     Credits.................................... 7.4
     Little facts about Pipetris................ 7.5





                                1.   L E G A L
                                --------------


        1.1  Disclaimer
        ...............

Pipetris is supplied as-is. Absolutely NO warranty is given for any
damage caused by the use, distribution or anything else related to
this game. All trademarks mentioned are the property of their
respective owners.


        1.2  Distribution
        .................

The shareware version of Pipetris may be distributed freely, as long
as no fee is asked for it. You may not distribute Pipetris on CD-ROM
or any commercial purposes without permission of Far Side software.
Files required are listed in chapter 3.1. None of these files must
not be missing or modified. Any kind of distribution of the registered
version is STRICTLY PROHIBITED!


        1.3  CWSDPMI.EXE
        ................

The CWSDPMI.EXE program is developed by Charles W. Sandmann
(sandmann@clio.rice.edu). Source code and binary updates are
available from the author. Documentation of this file is included,
in the file CWSDPMI.DOC.


        1.4  Shareware concept
        ......................

Pipetris is SHAREWARE. This means that you are allowed to use shareware
version for about 30 days before registering. When registered, you'll
receive newest version of Pipetris with some extra goodies available.
Registering is a small reward for programmers big job.





                         2.   I N T R O D U C T I O N
                         ----------------------------


Welcome to Pipetris!
We all know Tetris, that game where different shaped blocks drop
from the top of the screen, and when you get one line full, that
line disappears. Pipetris's idea is quite same, but blocks are
solid squares which have different colored 'pipes' inside. When
three pipes of same color contact each other, they explode.
c00l special blocks give exitement to the game.
I got the idea of making a tetris-clone in fall '96, when I had
had learned C programming quite good. It was supposed to be a
practise, but it grew a bit bigger..





                           3.   I N S T A L L I N G
                           ------------------------


        3.1  Installing game files
        ..........................

This version (1.0) of Pipetris is distributed in package PIPETRIS.ZIP.
It contains these files:

 size    name            description

173056  PIPETRIS.EXE    The game itself
224489  GFX.DAT         Graphics data file
135875  SFX.DAT         Sound effects data file
 25916  CWSDPMI.EXE     DOS-extender
  7073  CWSDPMI.DOC     Manual for CWSDPMI.EXE
 14558  PIPETRIS.TXT    You're reading it, stupid
  3029  REGISTER.TXT    Registration form
  3128  SUOMI.REG       Registration form / Finland
   216  FILE_ID.DIZ     Description file for BBS's

total of 587340 bytes in 9 files.

Files generated after first time the game is ran:

PIPETRIS.HI     Hiscore list
PIPETRIS.CFG    Configuration file

Pipetris requires four first files on the list to run the game.
Make a new directory for these files and copy them to there.
If you have downloaded files in a ZIP file, unzip them to some
directory, which you have probably already done.


        3.2  Hardware requirements
        ..........................

Pipetris requires this kind of hardware:
        A little bit of base memory
        386 or higher processor
        VGA monitor and card
        Some extended memory
        600k of disk space

Recommended hardware is:
        486 or higher processor
        Sound Blaster or compatible card
        8 megs of extended memory

Sorry, no support for 286 (does someone still have those?)


        3.3  Running the game
        .....................

Command to run the game is pipetris.exe. Optional command line parameter
is NOSOUND, which turns Sound Blaster sounds off. Use this if problems
with sounds.





                             4.   T H E   G A M E
                             --------------------


        4.1  Game objective
        ...................

In Pipetris you get score from destroying blocks dropping from the
top of the screen. Blocks are destroyed when three or more pipes
inside blocks of same color touches each other. Speed increases
all the time, giving more challenge to game. Special blocks usually
help you, destroying or giving more blocks.


        4.2  Moving blocks
        ..................

Use arrow keys to move blocks vertically and down arrow to drop block.
No, you can't turn the block, sorry. Other keys are P, which pauses
the game and esc, which quits the game immediately.


        4.3  Special blocks
        ...................

Sometimes a block has violet 'special' icon. You can use that special
by destroying the block that has the icon inside. Description of all
specials can be seen by selecting 'instructions' from the main menu.
Appearance of special blocks can be changed from the configuration
menu (see chapter 5.2.1 for details), though if you get to the hiscore
lists, there will be mention of amount of special blocks used..


        4.4  Game Over
        ..............

When there is block(s) on the top row, game is over. If you had got
enough points, you will be asked for your name to the hiscore list,
that will be shown after every game. Then you can press enter and
start a new game..





                            5.   T H E   M E N U S
                            ----------------------


        5.1  Play Pipetris!
        ...................

This option starts the game.


        5.2  Configure
        ..............

This brings you to configuration menu, with following options:


                5.2.1  Amount of specials
                .........................

This option changes appearance of special blocks. Options are:
None, little, normal and a lot. This option is also shown in
the hiscore list.


                5.2.2  Empty blocks
                ...................

Toggles between empty blocks on/off. If you don't like those nasty
empty blocks that have no other meaning than tease you, you can
turn them off.


                5.2.3  Sound effects
                ....................

Toggles between sound effects on/off. If there were errors on
initializing Sound Blaster on startup or if you started the
game with NOSOUND switch, this will be always off.


        5.3  Instructions
        .................

Shows a small help on how to play and descriptions of special blocks.


        5.4  Hiscores
        .............

Shows the hiscore list. First number is place, last is score and between
them are players's name and amount of special blocks selected.


        5.5  Credits
        ............

Names of every people who have been making Pipetris.


        5.6  Exit
        .........

Quits back to operating system. Though I've never heard of use of this
option except emergencies..





                      6.   T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G
                      ----------------------------------


        6.1  Error messages
        ...................

If something goes wrong there is an error message displayed,
mostly at the startup. Some error messages are in the CWSDPMI.DOC,
that mostly concern about memory problems.


                6.1.1  Data files not found or damaged
                ......................................

Pipetris requires two data files containing graphics and sound effects:
GFX.DAT and SFX.DAT. If these are missing or damaged, game doesn't run.
In case of damaged files try to a) download game again if you got it
from a bbs/internet or b) copy game again if you got it from a friend.


                6.1.2  Out of memory
                ....................

If you get "out of memory" error, try to turn on memory swapping option.
This is described in the CWSDPMI.DOC.


        6.2  Sound card problems
        ........................

If you receive a Sound Blaster error, you can continue playing,
but without sounds. If you do have a Sound Blaster compatible
card, make sure that the BLASTER environment variable exists.
It should contain at least this information:

A<port> I<irq> D<dma> H<hidma>

For example my BLASTER environment variable:

A220 I5 D3 H7

Check your sound card manual for your settings.
You can use the dos's 'set' command to enter the variable:
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D3 H7


        6.3  Page fault and General protection fault
        ............................................

It is possible to receive Page Fault or General Protection Fault.
This should NEVER happen, but if it does, please let me know, so
I can fix it for the next version. See chapter 7.2.1 for details.


        6.4  Game runs very slowly
        ..........................

I have experienced problems of random slowlyness of the game. If this
happens to you, try these tricks:

        1)      Run the game in clear DOS. Windows, OS/2 or other
                user interface may slow down the game noticeable.
        2)      Simply rerun game. This sometimes works.
        3)      Reboot your computer and retry.
        4)      Start the game with NOSOUND option, disabling
                Soundblaster sounds.
        5)      Boot your computer and press SHIFT key when you see
                the 'Starting MS-DOS..' message. This starts the
                computer with a clean memory.

If these won't work, there is not much more to do. Sorry.





                               7. MISCELLANEOUS
                               ----------------

        7.1  Ordering info
        ..................

Pipetris is SHAREWARE. By registering you support the shareware concept
and receive latest version with nice little advantages compared to
shareware. Please see the REGISTER.TXT for more information.
(Suomesta rekisterijt: SUOMI.REG)

!!  Because Pipetris was released in a hurry, the registered version is  !!
!!  not ready yet (1.2. -97). It will be ready sometime in February '97. !!


        7.2  Contacting authors
        .......................

You can contact Far Side software by three ways:

E-mail:
          juhana.leinonen@mbnet.fi
  or      farside@pcuf.fi

  If either one is down or you don't receive an ansfer for few weeks,
  try another address.

SnailMail:
          Juhana Leinonen
          Far Side software
          Malminiityntie 20 a 14
          01350 Vantaa
          Finland

WWW-site:
          Offical homepage of Far Side software:
           http://www.pcuf.fi/~farside/

          !! Under construction !!
           Opens before March '97.


                7.2.1  Bug reporting
                ....................

If you encounter a serious bug, please report it so it can be fixed
by next version. Contact me (see prev. chapter) and include this info:

        - Situation when bug occurred
        - Your computer (like Pentium 100, 8 ram, Sound Blaster 16)
        - Your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS
        - Info on how to contact you 

Serious bug is something that crashes the game completely, everything
smaller can be informed without this all information.


        7.3  Version information
        ........................

This is version 1.0, the first version. New ones are released in if
needed. Registered users receive newest version with no extra fee or
the fee will be very small, coverting only postal payments and diskettes.


        7.4  Credits
        ............

        Programming, Sound effects:
                Juhana Leinonen

        Background and explosion art:
                Timo Laine

        Greetings goes to:
                Gary Larson
                DJ Delorie
                Joel H. Hunter
                Charles W. Sandmann
                Atte Kostiainen








<END OF DOCUMENT>
