← Back to contents
ASCII text
— 7K bytes
— 2001-01-01
— PP20 compressed
Amiga Columns v1.0
------------------
Welcome to Amiga Columns! This game is similar in some respects to
Tetris(tm). In this game, a set of three blocks fall from the top of the
screen. These pieces fall towards the bottom of the screen. Unlike Tetris,
the pieces can only be rotated vertically, that is to say that only the
order of the pieces may be changed. The object of the game is to match
three or more of the same pieces horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
There are a couple of twists thrown in to make the game interesting, more
on that later. Once pieces are removed, those blocks that are left
floating succumb to gravity, also unlike Tetris. In this way, a chain
reaction can be started. One set of blocks can knock out many other
blocks!
Columns is supposedly based upon a game which was originally developed
for X-windows. I've never seen that version, so I can't attest to the
similarity between my version and that one. This one is most closely
related to a version on the Apple IIgs called (oddly enough) Columns GS.
The Blocks
----------
There are five regular blocks and two special blocks. Lets discuss the
special blocks, since the regular blocks need little attention. The two
special blocks are the Magic, or Rainbow, block and the Evil block. As
the names suggest, one is good and one is bad. The Evil blocks always
come in pairs accompanied by one of the other regular blocks. Evil blocks
cannot be removed by any means excluding the Magic block. Fortunately,
these blocks only appear two percent of the time. The Magic blocks always
come as a set of three. These blocks will remove all of the blocks which
match the block upon which it falls. In other words, if the Magic block
falls on an Evil block, all Evil blocks will be removed from the board.
The Magic block is very useful for removing a large portion of the
screen all at once. The magic blocks appear one percent of the time.
The regular blocks always come in groups of three, as mentioned above.
The assortment of blocks is completely random. You could get three
different blocks, two of the same block, or even three of the same block
(although, due to some quirk in the random number function, I have never
seen this happen).
The Scoring
-----------
Scoring is based upon the number of blocks removed. One point is
awarded for each block removed. Also, for each block simultaneously
removed above three, another point is rewarded. Therefore, if five blocks
were removed at one time, the score for that move would be seven.
Additionally, a bonus of two points is awarded for each chain reaction
started. In addition to the score, the number of blocks removed is
displayed at the bottom of the screen. Each one hundred blocks removed
causes the game to speed up.
The Keys
--------
The controls for Amiga Columns are very simple. By default, the 'j'
key moves the blocks to the left, the 'l' key moves them to the right,
and the 'k' key rotates the blocks. In addition to this, the space bar
quickly drops the block. Once you've pressed the space-bar, you cannot
control the blocks movement until it hits something. The 'q' key is used
to quit the current game. Pressing the 'q' key while not playing the game
will exit the game. Pressing the 'm' key will toggle music on and off.
The Menus
---------
The menus are pretty self-explanatory. The file menu contains About
and Quit. The game menu contains "New Game". There are keyboard
equivalents for all three. (Right Amiga-A, Right Amiga-Q, and Right
Amiga-N respectively).
The Music
---------
The music uses the medplayer library which hopefully you have
relocated to your libs: directory. If you do not wish to have music, you
can omit this step or remove the songs from the directory in which the
game is installed. There is one song for each level. The song titled
'song.0' is the intro song. The rest of the songs are of the form:
'song.x', where x is the level to which the song belongs. I don't suspect
that more than nine songs will be required. However if you are that
dexterous, you may need more songs.
To use any available sountracker / noisetracker modules, you will first
need to convert them to MEDPlayer modules by loading them into MED3.00(or
higher) and saving them as modules. See the documentation accompanying MED
for more information on converting modules. You can, of course, also
write your own music. If you write some music that you think should be
included with later releases of columns, send me a copy of it and I will
consider it.
As mentioned above, music can be toggled on/off using the 'm' key.
The music included with the game was found on bulletin boards and
other information services. The songs that come with this distribution
are as follows:
song.0 was Teijo Kinnunen's "SynthSound Example" included with MED3.00
song.1 was MOD.Hallucination - Unknown Author
song.2 was MOD.Chicago - "Chicago Song" - Unknown Author
song.3 was MOD.Ten - "Tennis" - Unknown Author
song.4 was MOD.Ecstacy by Dr. Awesome of the Crusaders
song.5 was MOD.Ingame - Unknown Author
song.6 was MOD.Quantum - Quantum-x by Ice88
song.7 was MOD.Big - "Rhythm Theme" - Unknown Author
song.8 was MOD.Approach - Unknown Author
I have not contacted any of the authors. If there is any problems
regarding the distribution of these songs, please contact me and they
will be removed from later releases.
The Demo
--------
If the game is left idle for a while, it will begin playing by itself.
Press any key (except 'M', which still controls the music) to abort the
demo and start playing. Although the computer is reasonably good at
picking the right place, this is one area the game could really improve
in.
The Author
----------
That's me! Right now, I am an unemployed college graduate. I have
degrees in both electrical engineering and computer science. Even more
than a shareware donation, I would prefer a job! Part of the reason that
I don't yet have a job is this game. Hopefully, the effort was not
wasted. I hope soon to become a registered Amiga developer.
This program was compiled using SAS/C 5.10a.
The Future
----------
Hopefully, this won't be the last version of this program. I have
several ideas in mind for improving/expanding the game. I also hope to
come out with a workbench version of the game with will use very little
cpu time. I hope to add configurable keys to the next version. Some
concepts I'm toying with are special blocks, which when lined up will
do good (or maybe bad) things. I was told not to add any sound effects
(besides the music), so if there is a great demand for that, I'll add
them. I'm always open to suggestions, so please let me know if there are
some things you'd like to see in the program.
I also have some other ideas for shareware programs which I hope to
work on as time allows. Feel free to send me any ideas you have for games
and utilities which are not available yet.
Shareware
---------
This program is -1991 by Roy Sutton. This program may not be sold
(except for nominal fees for media and reproduction). This program is
released as SHAREWARE. I am asking for a small donation ($10-15) to cover
the cost of the time I put into making this program. If you feel this is
too much to ask, send less. If you do that, please send me an explanation
of why you feel that this game is worth what amount you send me. I fully
plan to support this program, and anyone who suggests improvements will
get full credit for their ideas. I need those ideas. I'm just one person.
I LIKE the game. (love it actually!). I'd actually appreciate it if every
donation had a note attached to it telling me what you liked or disliked
about the game. If you'd like to be a Beta-tester in the future, mention
that, too.
Confession: I've never sent in a Shareware fee. After owning up to
that, you may ask why I'm even bothering to ask you to send me money.
Well the truth is, I knew that someday I would be able to return
something to the Amiga community. This game is it. If you have produced a
program which is shareware (or even commercial for that matter!) and you
feel that this program is adequate compensation for the fee you are
asking, register me for your program. Drop me a line, and I'll register
you for this one. There is a list at the end of this file listing all
people that I can think of that do NOT owe me any money (regardless of
whether or not they register me for their programs). These people have
given a lot to the Amiga community in general or to me in specific. If
your name is on that list and you feel that my above suggestion suits
you, let me know. For those of you non-programmers, I guess you're just
stuck!
Another good reason for sending in your fee is that I'll notify
everyone on my list if there is a new version of this program or if I
release any other program.
The Disclaimer
--------------
This program is presented as-is. The author make no claims as to
fitness or reliability of this program. The user assumes full
responsibility. To the best of the author's knowledge this program is
free from defects. If it crashes your system during a hard-drive backup
and you lose everything - it's not my fault!
The List
--------
The following is a list of people that I feel indebted to for one
reason or another. This list is by no means complete. If I've left you
off, don't feel too insulted! Those on this list owe no shareware fee
(though none will be refused!). This list is long and sappy, but just
bear with me! Also note that there is NO (I repeat NO) significance to
the order in which these name appear (except the first one).
Khristi @ SAS for all the help (I mean a LOT of help!)
Carolyn @ CATS for help when I really needed it
Teijo Kinnunen for MED3.00, medplayer.library, and the intro song.
Jack Radigan for JRComm
Jonathan Forbes for LZ
Gary Knight for AmiDock
Frijtof Siebert for MuchMore
Steve Tibbet for "*X" or "#?X"
Dallas J. Hodgson for NewZap
Torkel Lodberg for NComm
David Browder for stat
Mike Berro for SID
Deron Kazmaier for PageStream
William S. Hawes for ARexx
Leo Schwab
Matt Dillon
The guys at INOVAtronics for CanDo et al.
The guys at Bullfrog for Populous and Powermonger
The guys at FTL for Dungeon Master
D.W. and the guys at Sir-tech for Bane of the Cosmic Forge
Bill Joynt and Dave Calkins - Beta Testers
Those wacky guys at NewTek (send me a Toaster! ;-> )
The guys at Supra, GVP, ICD, etc... who support the Amiga w/ hardware
The guys at AC Tech, Amiga World Tech, Amazing Computing, & Amiga World
(by the time I'm done, no one will owe me any money!)
Jonathan Potter for ZeroVirus
Ed and Al Mackey for MegaBall
Art Skiles for DRIP
Leopold and Henrick for AmegaRace
George Broussard for Rings of Zon
Ice88 for Quantum-x
Dr. Awesome of the Crusaders for MOD.Ecstacy
All the Unknown Authors of the songs I've included
Ian Abrams for his song (although I didn't include it)
Eugene P. Mortimore for the Amiga Programmers Handbook
Safaa Abdulla for introducing me to Columns GS
That's it for now. Even though you guys are off the hook for the
money, how about dropping me a letter in the (E)mail? (Who is this guy,
he's beginning to like a broken record? He must not get enough mail or
something! Nah, probably just doesn't get out enough!)
Also, if you are unfamiliar with the works of these great people, you
owe it to yourself to check them out. Most are usefull utilities, others
are great games. Most of all, support the Amiga!
The Address
-----------
I can be reached at any of the following:
On GEnie as R.SUTTON6
On your telephone as (407) 362-9857
By mail as: Roy Sutton
6929 Town Harbour Blvd. #712
Boca Raton, FL.
33433
I prefer the telephone or the GEnie approach. Its not that I mind
the other approach, but I'm lousy about sending replies, so if you don't
need a personal reply, you can use the postal service. (Must be something
about postage stamps that scares me!) Hopefully, I'll be on BIX real
soon. I suppose my handle there will be rsutton (judging by the names
I've seen from there) but don't count on it!
The End
-------