============================================================================
-------- DoubleLink -------
============================================================================
(c) 1991 by Paul R. Tupaczewski
Release version 1.0, January 19, 1991.
*> This game is SHAREWARE. <*
The Shareware Concept: This game is part of a growing trend called
"Shareware." You may give this game to all your
friends. If you or they like it, and find themselves
playing it often, then a donation of $15 is
requested. This entitles you to future updates and
source code. Keep Shareware alive by supporting it!
If you enjoy DoubleLink, a donation of $15 is requested. Send to:
Paul Tupaczewski
Stevens Institute of Technology
Box S-1400
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5991
Comments? Questions? Criticisms? If you have access to either InterNet
or Bitnet, you can send me E-mail at:
InterNet: U93_PTUPACZE@VAXC.STEVENS-TECH.EDU
Bitnet: U93_PTUPACZE@SITVXC
Disclaimer: The author assumes no connection with Stevens Insititute of
Technology, and is an independent entity. SIT name listed only
as a reference to author's current location.
================
Introduction
================
After receiving many compliments on my first major game (well, not
really - see the Appendix), SITris, I've gotten to work on my next
endavor. DoubleLink, in the tradition of SITris, was written during
(what else?) finals week of my first semester of my sophomore year
here at Stevens Tech. (No, I'm still majoring in Electrical Engineering -
NOT Comp. Sci!) It's a game similar to SITris, in the respect that you
have rotatable pieces, and you combine them to get certain patterns,
but there, the similarity ends. DoubleLink is, as you will find, a fairly
addicting game. So, enough jabber - let's play!
========================
Installing and Running
========================
Along with this .DOC file, you will find several files related to the
game. It would be a pretty wise idea to copy all these files into a
subdirectory, either on a floppy or hard drive. Once the files are in
their own subdirectory, go to that subdirectory and type DOUBLINK to
load the game. The program will autodetect the best graphics mode for
your system, and automatically switch to it. The main menu will soon
appear. (Note: If you don't like the current graphics mode, you can
change it - see Main Menu)
NOTE: Be sure there are no memory-resident applications before running
the game - it may foul up the digitized sound. If the sound sounds
strange, reboot the machine and try again.
==================
Playing the Game
==================
Enough formality - at this point, let's just get to the game!
On the title page, the words "Begin Game" will be highlighted.
Just press <ENTER> to begin game play.
The purpose of the game is to eradicate the existence of the
"Meanies." Meanies appear as multi-colored frowning faces. Each
succesive level has three more meanies than the previous one. Level
zero begins with three meanies.
Your weapon in removing the meanies is the DoubleLink. A DoubleLink is
a double-ended hot-dog shaped object. Each end (or "link) is a particular
color, and both links can be the same color - both links do not necessarily
have to be different colors. A DoubleLink can be rotated around a full 360
degrees, in increments of 90 degrees.
DoubleLinks fall from the top of the screen. As they fall, they can be
moved left or right, and they can be rotated in 90 degree steps.
A DoubleLink's movement stops when it hits either the bottom of the
playfield, a link, or a Meany.
The default keys to move the DoubleLink are: Left arrow key to move left,
right arrow key to move right, and <SPACE> to rotate. There are some
additional key commands as well: to drop the DoubleLink straight down
until it hits something, press the down arrow key. To speed up the downward
movement of the DoubleLink, press the up arrow key.
With basic play mechanics known, now it's on to the nitty gritty of the
game. When four links of any one color are aligned together, either
horizontally or vertically, they are destroyed. Then any links and/or
DoubleLinks above these links fall (gravity, y'know!) downward, if there
are empty spaces. A few notes might be helpful here: if a link that is
removed is also part of a DoubleLink, its companion link becomes a single
round link; also, when the pieces fall, it is important to remember that
DoubleLinks will fall as whole pieces - that is, if a piece impedes
movement of one of its links, it impedes movement of the whole DoubleLink.
It may also be noted that Meanies are "fixed," and do not fall.
By now, you should see how to remove the Meanies. A Meany can, for all
intents and purposes, be considered a colored link. To remove one, just
line it up with three other links of a similar color. Simple, isn't it?
Ah, but there's more! You can create a chain-reaction if you plan
carefully. The more times you remove a quartet of links, the more
points you get. You get even more points if a Meany is included in one
of those quartets. How do you get a chain reaction? Here's one way to
get a double:
1) 2)
#% <- the Double-
Link falls
#.<- these four
% . disappear and the remaining
% . link falls down
#%* #.*
##** ##**
#*%% #*%%
3)
the link combines
and removes these four - a double!
.
. *
.#**
.*%%
With careful thought, you can easily figure out how to obtain other
types of doubles, as well as triples, and if you're really shrewd (or
insane), quadruples! Hint: Practice makes perfect! Try playing a game
with the intent of practicing different moves; it will help you! This
is perhaps the best way to really learn DoubleLink.
Also note in the upper right corner is a box labeled "Next," with a
DoubleLink inside of it. This is an aid that tells you the colors of the
DoubleLink that will appear next.
As each level is completed, the links remaining on the screen are removed
and counted, and a bonus is awarded if you have less than 20 remaining.
The less you have, the more you'll get, so it's to your advantage to leave
as few links as you can when you complete each level.
Gameplay ends when the stack of links reaches the top of the playfield
(as in SITris). Press a key to go beyond the "Game Over" window.
If you've gotten a high enough score, you will see a highlighted bar
on the high score screen with a block cursor. Enter in up to 25
characters for your high score name. All high scores are saved to disk.
===============
The Main Menu
===============
Since we skipped from the main menu directly into the game, now it's
time we went back and explored the menu. Pressing <ESC> during the game
will abort the game and return you to the main menu. If you're done
playing the game, you can press <CTRL-Q> or <F10> to exit the game and
return to DOS.
But since we're exploring, let's see all the commands on this menu.
"Begin Game" is highlighted. To play the game, you would just press
<ENTER> at this point. By pressing the up and down arrow keys, the
highlight bar moves between the different options.
When "Show Next?" is highlighted, you may press the left and right arrow
keys to toggle it between "YES" and "NO." This lets you choose whether or
not to display the "Next" box in the upper right corner during the game.
"Why?" you may ask. Well, it adds some challenge. As an added incentive,
you also get more points than you would with the "Next" box intact.
When "Level" is highlighted, you may press the left and right arrow keys
to move the little arrow left and right. As the arrow moves up the
graphical level display, the level number to its right increases or
decreases accordingly. This option lets you start at a higher level for
a more challenging game.
When you highlight "Speed," you can control the arrow in the same way as
when you highlight "Level." This time, you control the game speed (default
is zero). A game's speed is constant throughout the game, and this is
what you are selecting. As an added incentive, the faster the gameplay,
the higher the score values are.
Finally, there is "Other Options." If this is highlighted, press <ENTER>
and a submenu will appear to its right. Use the arrow keys to cycle
through all the options in this submenu:
* High Scores: This will display the high scores for the game.
* Game Info: This will give information about the game. Press a key
to return to the menu.
* Redefine Keys: If you do not like the default keys, here's where
you can tailor them to your liking. When prompted for
the various keys, just press them. After all five
keys have been entered, the game will save them to
disk so they will be the default keys next time.
* Sound Type: Here's where you can choose your sound type. Use the up
and down arrow keys and <ENTER> to pick. "No sound"
will give you silence, "IBM sound" will use the internal
speaker, and "Sound Blaster card" will utilize the Sound
Blaster card to play digitized sound effects. The card
selected will become the new default card, and will be
in effect everytime you load the game.
* Graphics Type: If you want to switch to a different graphics mode
(for example, VGA to EGA, due to EGA's better
resolution), here's where you pick - use the up
and down arrow keys and <ENTER>. If a listed mode
is in a darker color, that's because your video card
cannot support it. The selected mode will become the
new default.
Pressing <ESC> from this submenu returns you to the main menu.
==================
Other Game Stuff
==================
Assorted information which was not covered above: During the game, you
may press <F1> to pause gameplay. Any other key restarts play. You may
also press <F2> to toggle sound on or off, regardless of sound type.
I'd love to hear how everyone does with DoubleLink! Comments, complaints,
high scores - please let me know! (see addresses at the top of this
document.)
GOOD LUCK!
==========
Appendix
==========
Also available from the author:
--------------
<<< SITris >>>
--------------
A game of strategy. Multiple levels, Sound Blaster support, many game
play options. Addicting? You bet!
----------------
<<< Snafu PC >>>
----------------
An action game for one or two players. Surround the other players (the
computer can play as well, for a total of eight players) before they
surround you! EGA only.
If you'd like either game, please contact me (addresses above).
DoubleLink bug report: AARGH! No! This game has been debugged fairly
thorougly, but if you happen upon one, please send it immediately to
me!
