Plasma Works Presents:
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THE PUZZLE PITS
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Copyright 1995, 2002 By Abe Pralle. All Rights Reserved.
This game (Puzzle Pits 1995) may be freely distributed.
Contents
========
About This Game
About Plasma Works
Installation
The Title Screen
The Object Of The Game
Controlling The Game
About This Game
===============
This version of Puzzle Pits was completed in 1995. By modern standards
the graphics and interface are obsolete but the game is still very playable,
so we're releasing this for free distribution. It's not shareware. It's not
Public Domain. It's just free. If you do like it, though, be on the lookout
for our other games...
About Plasma Works
==================
Webpage: http://www.plasmaworks.com
Email: support@plasmaworks.com
Mailing Address: Plasma Works
2700 Woodlands Village Blvd #300-413
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Installation
============
If you're reading this then you've already unzipped PITS95.ZIP. Good.
Type PITS to start the game.
The Title Screen
================
Once the game has loaded you will see the Puzzle Pits Title Screen with
three options. Use the cursor keys to select your desired option and then
press return. The three options are:
1) Enter Level Password
Whenever you finish a level you receive a password that lets you skip
that level in the future. To skip past the most recent level you
completed, choose this option and enter the password that was displayed
at the end of that level.
2) Start New Game
Choose this option if you haven't played Puzzle Pits before. You will
begin on the first level.
3) Quit
This ends the game and returns you to DOS.
The Object Of The Game
======================
The game is set in a series of levels called Pits. You must solve one level
before you can move on to the next. A level is solved when you push things
to the correct place or stand in the correct place (it varies from level
to level - you'll see). Sometimes timing and sequencing are just as
important as positioning.
There are four basic actions you can perform: pushing objects, activating
items you find, walking, and waiting.
Pushing The solutions to earlier levels involve pushing objects onto
the correct location. You can only push objects that are not
blocked by another object or wall. You cannot pull objects.
Activating Later levels introduce magical gems that you can pick up and
activate. Different colors of gems can affect different things.
Some work on you, some on objects, and others on the environment.
Exactly what these gems do and how to use them is part of the
puzzle.
Walking In later levels, exactly where you stand takes on increasing
importance. You might want to stand on top of a pressure plate
to cause a wall to disappear or avoid walking on a certain stone
tile that will sink into water. You will also come across
signs and switches that you can walk into to read or activate.
Waiting Nothing happens in Puzzle Pits until you take an action. Usually
this action will be walking from one place to another, but
sometimes you will just want to stand still and let things happen
around you.
Controlling The Game
====================
You can control the "Puzzle Guy" onscreen using either the mouse or the
keyboard. The list below shows all the possible things you can do with
the mouse and keyboard.
Walk in a direction
-------------------
MOUSE: Move the pointer so that it is pointing in the direction you
wish to walk, then press the LEFT button.
KEYBOARD: Press the arrow key corresponding to the direction you wish to
walk.
Automatically move to a destination
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MOUSE: Move the pointer over the place you want to walk to and press
the RIGHT mouse button.
KEYBOARD: (No keyboard equivalent)
Push an object
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MOUSE: Stand next to the object, move the pointer so that it points
towards the object, and hold down the LEFT mouse button for
about 1/2 second.
KEYBOARD: Stand next to the object and press the arrow key that points
in the direction of the object for about 1/2 second.
Pick up an item
---------------
Walk over it
Try to use a gem or key
MOUSE: Click with the LEFT mouse button on the picture of the gem or
key on the right side of the screen.
KEYBOARD: Press the function key indicated next to the gem or key on the
right side of the screen.
Wait and do nothing
-------------------
MOUSE: Move the pointer directly over the guy and click the LEFT mouse
button.
KEYBOARD: Press RETURN.
Restart a level
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MOUSE: Click with the LEFT mouse button on the picture of the YIELD
sign.
KEYBOARD: Press F9.
Stop playing and return to the title screen
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MOUSE: Click with the LEFT mouse button on the picture of the STOP sign.
KEYBOARD: Press F10.
Continue to read text
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MOUSE: Click the LEFT mouse button
KEYBOARD: Press RETURN
