Fred's Find

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*                                                                            *
*                                   FRED'S FIND                              *
*                             WRITTEN BY : R.I.ALLEN                         *
*                          (c) 1993 RIGamortis Software                      *
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The Fred's Find game and editor are a suite of programs developed to work
together. The editor can be used to create map and character files which can
be loaded into the game with the use of the custom file selector. Only
files produced by the editor will work in the game. What follows is an
introduction to the game and editor functions and how to use them.
Both the game and editor should be ST/STE compatable. But I have been
unable to test it on an STE to see how well it works on one.

THE EDITOR
----------
The editor is fully mouse driven. It allows the user to develop either map
or character files. Each section has its own main workscreen. 
The editor comes up in MAP edit mode. Pressing ESCAPE will swap you from 
map to character editor or visa versa.

General rules : If any words are contained within two arrows like >CANCEL<
then it can be selected by the mouse.

MAP edit functions
------------------
The main work area which is 28 by 24 units displays the current map being
edited. This can be modified by moving the mouse cursor over a unit,
which is highlighted by a sqaure. These units can be changed by using either
the left or right mouse buttons to paste in the currently selected icon
for that button. Pointing and clicking can be used to change individual
units or you can hold down a button and sweep the cursor over the screen
filling in all units over which the cursor passes.

The currently selected icons are displayed to the right of the map with
boxes surrounding them and a letter above (R or L - depending on the
button to which they are assigned). Icons are also given a description
at the bottom of the screen just below the actual map. To change button
icons, move the cursor to the icon section and click on the desired icon
with the button you wish it to be assigned to. You cannot have the same
icon for both buttons.

The selected icon characters are displayed full size at the bottom right
of the screen.

When modifying maps, you are limited to a maximum number for certain types
of icon in the map. These limited icons are :

Fred The Hero         - 1
Level Exit            - 1
Eggs (Monsters)       - 4
Pulsators             - 8
Pulsator Traps        - 8
Transporters          - 4

Once the maximum number of these icons are placed in the map, you will have
to delete currently placed ones first before you can place any elsewhere.

When placing transporters, after you initially place the transporter, the
legend at the bottom of the screen changes for both buttons to "CLICK
DESTINATION". The next click you do with either button will set the destination
square for the transporter.

When transporters are in the map letters flash on the source and destination 
squares for each transporter. This allows map routes to be more easily 
understood during the design phase.

When pulsators are in the map, arrows will flash on them to show what intial
direction they will be going when the map is started in the game or in playtest
mode. Remember, pulsators always turn left immediatly (before moving) if they
can.

Menu Options:
Load diskette : Allows the user to select map files to load into the editor.
Note: If you try and load a protected file, you will have to enter the editor
codes for each screen to be able to view / modify them. These editor codes can
be gained by completing the screens in the fred game. See file selector later
for more information.

Save diskette : Allows the user to save map files. See file selector later.

I Icon : Information. Displays information on the current map. These are :
wether Fred has been placed, the exit, the number of monsters, number of
pulsators and pulsator traps (which have to be equal), the number of safes
and keys (there must be at least one key on a level with some safes), number
of bombs and plungers.

Clock Icon : Allows the user to set the time for the level by clicking on the
up / down arrows. Click ob cancel to exit. The map time is displayed at the
bottom right of ther map. The time range is 0 - 9999 units.

A <- MAP -> H Icon : Clicking on this icon with the left mouse button will
scroll up and down through the 8 maps. The A side scrolls down, the H side up.
Clicking with the right mouse button allows you to view the screen as it 
would be seen in the game with the current character set. Move the mouse
cursor around to view the whole map. To exit this mode press escape.

PLAYTEST icon : Clicking on this enters playtest mode, allowing you to test
the current level. It plays exactly the same way as the game does although
you cannot be killed by anything, and not enter the Exit when the level is
complete. You can move fred around with the "zx'/" keys, or let everything 
else move by pressing space. Press escape to exit this mode.

PASSWORD icon : Clicking on this allows you to set the passwords for all 8
levels. Pressing RETURN will take you from password to password, which can 
all be changed individually. Once finished click on CANCEL. Passwords for
the level being edited is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

CHARACTER editor functions
--------------------------
The character editor works in much the same way as the map editor. It has an
expanded character display in the top left of the screen with a description
of the character directly above it, and the character shown actual size
just to the right of the expanded one. There are scroll bars to the right and
below. Clicking on the arrows will scroll the character in that direction.

When changing the currently selected character point into the expanded
character display. The cursor will change from an arrow to a small square
which will be the inverse colour of the current pixel it is over. When
modifying the character make sure you know which mode you are drawing in!
There are 3 modes :
NORMAL       - Changes the pixel under the cursor.
MIRROR       - Changes the pixel under the cursor and the one reflected
               in the y-axis at the half way point.
FLOOD FILL   - Changes all the connected pixels of the same colour as the
               one under the cursor.

The current drawing mode is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

To change the character to edit, point at the character icons to the right 
middle of the screen, and press either button. The expanded character will 
be updated along with the actual size character.

Changing colours : The currently selected colour is shown in the 16 colour
display at the bottom left and has 4 arrows pointing at it. To change the 
selected colour, point at the desired one and click with either button.

The currently selected colour has its code displayed to the right of the
colour selection area. This shows the RGB levels for the colour. Note, this
is stylised so that modification is made easier. The actual colour codes
(if you were going to use them in programs of your own) have to be swapped
around. Move the lsb of each nibble to the msb by shifting the other 3 
right by 1 bit.

To change a colour, click on the desired intensity levels for the RGB levels
or click on the scroll arrows at either end to step through the intensity 
levels. The colours 0 (black) and 15 (white) cannot be modified so that the
backbround and the white forground colours will always be visible, we can't have
you changing all the colours to black and not be able to see what you are doing!

Menu options.

Load diskette : Allows the user to load in a character set.
Save diskette : Allows the user to save the current character set.
Circular arrow : Rotates the current character by 90 degrees in a clockwise 
direction.
Left / Right arrows : Flips the current character across the y-axis.
MODE icon : Changes the drawing mode once per click for NORMAL to MIRROR to
FLOOD FILL back to NORMAL.
Up / Down arrow : Flips the current character across the x-axis.
A icon : Animates the current icon if it is one of the 6 animation sequences.
These are :
      Fred walking left           - 6 frames
      Fred walking right          - 6 frames
      Fred walking up / down      - 4 frames
      Fred looking left / right   - 3 frames
      Monster moving around       - 3 frames
      Pulsator moving around      - 3 frames
COPY CHAR icon : Copies the current character and places the copy in the copy
buffer displayed in the top right corner of the screen.
PASTE CHAR icon : Copies the copy buffer icon into the currenly selected icons
character.


The file selector
-----------------
The game and editor use a custom file selector which allows only .MAP or .CHR
files to be saved or loaded. It has 5 main areas :

The information line shown what action is taking place. This will be :
LOAD / SAVE MAP FILE or
LOAD / SAVE CHARACTER FILE

When saving files, the line showing the save filename. Either type in the 
desired filename or click on one visible in the file section - this cause the
filename to be set to that of the one clicked on. Note - To actually save a 
file you must press ENTER. This allows you to click on filenames and 
then modify them. 
Only a subset of ascii characters are allowed for filenames.

Box of directories. This box shows all the directories in the current path.
If there are more than can fit in the display you can scroll them using the
directory scroll arrows. To change directory, click on the desired directory
name.

Box of files. the box shows all the files of the current type in the current
directory. If there are more files than can be displayed you can scroll the
box with the files scroll arrows. When loading a file, point at it with the
mouse cursor and click once.

Drive letters : The file selector only displays drive letters for those which
are active on your system. To change drives click on the new drive required.

To exit the file selector without saving / loading anything, click on CANCEL.

In floppy drives press SPACE to re-catalog disks, like ESCAPE in the desktop.

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* KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE EDITOR                                             *
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The file selector may hang up if a disk error such as disk write protected
occurs. This is because the GEM file selector reports the error by poping
up a dialog box usually on the hidden screen and waiting for you to click on
a box or press enter. As the OS does not get any input from the keyboard or
the mouse it will wait forever. You will have to re-boot. This problems only
occurs when the program is run from the desktop, if from an AUTO folder or
the auto select program then it will not occur.

In the playtest option I have known the editor to hang when monsters have been
active on the level. It only does this very seldom. I have been unable to find
this bug. So if it happens to you I am again very sorry.

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* THE FRED FIND GAME                                                         *
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The fred find game runs in low resolution and starts up with the default
screens and characters (set1.map and set1.chr). The main menu has a scroll
line displaying information on game controls and has a 4-track NOISETRACKER
module playing. I did not write this music, and would like to put credits in
for the person who did if I new who wrote it. Please can the author get in 
touch if you see this!

The main functions available in the menu are :

Q - Quit to desktop, or back to the autorun program.
J - Switch to joystick game control.
K - Switch to keyboard game control. The current mode is displayed in the top
    left of the screen with either a 'J' or 'K' character.
D - Define keys. This allows the user to define which keys will be used to 
    control Fred when the game is being played. It also displays the default
    key game controls.
P - Allows you to enter a password for a level you wish to play. It you type
    in an incorrect password pressing ENTER will have no effect, you will
    either have to enter a correct one or press ESCAPE to get back to the
    main menu.
Up / Down Arrows : Allows you to select the map you wish to start on. Will only
    allow you to select those for which a password is entered for.
M - View Map. Allows the user to view the currently selected map as long as it
    is one of maps A to E, as F - H cannot be viewed when playing to make them
    that bit more torturous. He he he!!! Unless of course you are in the 
    cheat mode!!!!
SPACE / FIRE - Start the game.
L - Load maps. Lets you select map files from the custom file selector. Note
    when a map file is loaded, if a character file has the same name e.g.
    set1.map and set1.chr, the game will also load in the character file.
    
The main menu will also display any editor codes you get when completing
levels. Be sure to copy them down if you wish to load these maps into the 
editor.

Notes on the game characters, and what they do.

Fred - Under your control. Aim : To collect all the diamonds, kill all the
     monsters and exit the levels without being killed. Fred can push rocks
     and eggs, and make use of many other objects. He is also very subborn,
     and will not leave a level unless he has all the diamonds and killed all
     the monsters.
Earth - Platforms which stop rocks / eggs from falling. Can only be removed
     by Fred or grown over by the relentless weed. 
Rocks - These fall down the screen, and roll of slanted objects. If given a
     choice, all rocks will roll left first. Getting hit by a rock kills
     Fred, and gives any following lives a nasty headache!!!
Platform pieces - These are barriers to Fred, and rocks etc..
Safes - These change into diamonds when the key is taken.
Key  - Taking the key turns all the safes into diamonds. You do not need to
     collect all the keys!!!
Diamonds - Freds aim in life, to get very rich by collecting these!!
Eggs - If these drop any distance, they will crack open and let out an angry
     monster which will run after Fred and try to kill him - how dare they!!!
     Monsters can be squahed with rocks, other eggs or by being grown on by the 
     weed. They can walk through empty squares and earth, and Fred of course!!
Skulls - If fred walks onto one of these he dies...
Pulsators - These blind little creatures move around the map following the 
    left hand wall. Try to make them walk into the traps to kill them off.
    Fred sure is evil to these nice little creatures to get their cash!!!
    Mind you, their touch is lethal to Fred so maybe he is justified.
Pulsator traps - When pulsators enter these, they die and leave a diamond
    behind.
Transporters - These move Fred to another part of the screen, and can only
    be used once. Be careful to make sure the destiation square is empty or
    Freds might end up being inside a rock etc...Needless so say this is also 
    lethal.
Capsules - These little units reset the level time allowing Fred a better
    chance of collecting all the diamonds and leaving alive. If you run out
    of time, Fred dies.
Bombs - These take up level space and explode when Freds sets of the plunger.
Plunger - These cause all the bombs on the level to explode.
Weed - Grows into empty squares or those containing earth. Block it in so 
    that it can't spread!!!
Level exit - Fred must enter this when he has killed all the monsters and
    collected all the diamonds to get to the next level.
    
Note the game file selector suffers from the same problem as the editor
if errors occur. As far as I can tell, there are no other problems with
the game.

If you find any other errors or just want to get in touch please write to me
at :

R.I.Allen
27 Dumbrills Close
Burgess Hill
West Sussex
RH15 8RR

Or you could always send me lots of dosh!!

Good luck with them difficult levels, they are all possible without
life loss!!!!!!

Note for people wanting to use character files in their own programs. The file
format for these files are :
16 words for the colours in the format described above.
50 * 256 words per character, each as 8 words per line at 32 lines.

RIGamortis signing off...