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TAUTOLOGY II
A GAME BY RESERVOIR GODS
Tautology II is game of skill and strategy for the Atari
Falcon 030. It runs from floppy disk or hard drive, on both VGA and
RGB monitors but requires 4MB of memory. It can be played in two
distinctive modes - solo or multi-player. The game can be controlled
via any means known to Atari - you can use joystick, mouse, keyboard
or even Jaguar Powerpads.
-----------
++HISTORY++
------------
The origins of this game go back to an Irem coin-op released
in the late 1980s. This appeared in arcades in Germany and became a
favourite of NewMode of Delta Force who poured deutschemarks into it.
He quickly realised the potential for an ST version and enlisted Slime
to draw some graphics. The finished game was put on their seminal
"Syntax Terror" demo. Once people had tired of the stunning effects on
this disk, they carried on booting it just to play "Match-It".
"Match-It" was a poorly chosen title, conjuring up images of
toddler like card games, when it possessed the potency and
addictiveness of Tetris. Like all the best games, Match-It's gameplay
was simple but infuriatingly involving. It was the type of game you
could play every day without tiring of. I was hooked.
Imagine my disappointment when on getting my Falcon that
Syntax Terror didn't run! No more Match-It! There was only one thing
to do - code a Falcon version, and add improvements to both the
gameplay and the name.
At the start of 1994 I began coding my version of "Match-It".
Entitled "Tautology" it was to run in the Falcon's True Colour mode
and feature tracker music, but the real bonus would be the addition of
a two player mode. The graphics were drawn by Nice Guy Eddie and Mr.
Blonde on the abysmal True Paint. As this was my first ever game, the
coding wasn't very good and there were quite a lot of bugs and
glitches in it. It was still enjoyable, but there was potential for
improvement.
The main problem with "Tautology" was that it didn't run on
VGA monitors. I was using an overscan mode that wasn't available on
VGA. On this type of monitor you could still play the game, but some
of the screen was obscured and things got rather messy. I had many
requests to "fix" the code so it ran on VGA, but I was so unhappy with
the original game that I would rather re-write it than patch it.
April 1995 - exactly one year after the original Tautology was
finished, the time was right for the sequel. I totally recoded the
game from scratch, from intro, menu system, sprite routines to the
main game logic itself. Everything is new. Even the old graphics have
been given a spit and polish job, although most of the graphics are
new. There is a new tile set to delight and confuse you. All graphics
were drawn on the excellent God-Paint. There is some also some new
music composed by Sparehead3. Dsp-Replay is by Nullos of Dnt Crew.
---------
++RULES++
---------
Tautology II is a puzzle game in the style of solitaire. You
have to remove all tiles from the board by means of matching pairs.
The pairs will only disappear if:
a) They are adjacent vertically or horizontally
b) You can draw a line between them across free space that only
has a maximum of two corners in it.
The line between two tiles CANNOT move across other tiles. It
can only move across free space. It can only move horizontally or
vertically, NOT diagonally. The corners are 90 degree turns in the
line and you can only have a maximum of two corners in a successful
line. Of course you can make lines with one, two or even no corners,
but never lines with more than two corners.
To make the connection, simply click on the first tile, then
click on the tile you want to match it to. If a connection is possibly
a series of arrows will shoot along the path between them and the two
tiles will disappear. If the connection is impossible, both tiles will
remain where they were.
You can only match a tile with its identical twin, unless the
tile belongs to one of the two special sets. All tiles in the special
groups can be matched with each other. Special group 1 comprises of
the first four tiles of the tile set, whilst special group 2 contains
the next four tiles of the set. The remaining tiles are normal tiles.
In the Shanghai sets, the special groups are "flowers" and
"seasons". For example, "spring" could be matched with "summer",
"winter", "autumn" or another "spring", and any flower can be matched
with any other flower. In Eddie's set the groups are "fruit" and
"elements". Any of "orange", "melon", "pear" and "strawberry" can be
matched with each other.
Matching tiles that belong to a special group will also stop
the clock for some seconds, so it can be very useful if you have
little time left.
The situation can arise where no matches can be made. Then you
are checkmated and the game is over.
If you clear the board of all tiles in the allotted time
period, you will progress to the next level. If the time runs out or
you become checkmated then the game is over.
-------------------
++TWO PLAYER MODE++
-------------------
Tautology II contains an unique and comprehensive two player
facility. In two player mode the main game screen is split into two
with player one appearing at the top of the screen and player two at
the bottom.
There are two distinctive multi-player modes:
* COMPETITIVE
Here you are competing against your buddy. You must amass as many
points as possible, and try to be the first to complete each level. If
you complete the level before your friend you get the bonus points. If
your friend completes the level first, you end that level without a
bonus and move onto the next level. The player with the most score
after a set number of levels wins.
* SEPARATE
This is like the one player mode as none of your actions affect the
other player. You are both playing your own individual games.
-----------------
++CONFIGURATION++
-----------------
Tautology stores your configuration in a file that is saved
when you quit the game and restored every time it is loaded. This
configuration file contains all details about your preferred set up -
the number of players, the type of game, the tile layout, time
setting, number of helps, number of rounds, both players control
methods and pointer speeds, the keyboard set up, the currently defined
tile sets and tile configuration. The top 20 high scores are also
saved.
-------------
++MAIN MENU++
-------------
The main menu can be controlled with a mouse or you can use
cursor keys and space to select each option. After each game or each
sub-menu is exited you return to the main menu.
-------------
++GAME MENU++
-------------
Here you can define the type of game you want to play.
---------------------
[ NUMBER OF PLAYERS ]
---------------------
You can play alone or with a friend.
-------------
[ GAME TYPE ]
-------------
This option is only relevant when in two player mode.
SEPARATE - Your actions do not affect your friend. You are playing
totally separate games. Your aim is to last as many levels
as possible without running out of time or getting
checkmated.
COMPETITIVE - You are playing against a friend. Your main aim is to
complete each level before your opponent. The player
with the most score after the set number of rounds wins.
---------------
[ TILE LAYOUT ]
---------------
This option is only relevant in two player mode.
DIFFERENT - The tile layout of players one and two is different. This
means you can't copy the other player, but one player may
have an advantage with an easier tile layout.
SAME - Players one and two have the same tile layout so no-one has an
advantage, but if you are stuck you can have a peek at what the
other player is doing and copy him!
----------------
[ P1 / P2 TIME ]
----------------
You can set the time limit via this function. The harder the time
setting, the quicker the clock goes down. Time can be turned off to
make this a relaxing puzzle game with time to make a cup of tea whilst
you are working out your next move.
Player one and player two time can be altered separately to give a
handicap to more experience players.
-----------------
[ P1 / P2 HELPS ]
-----------------
The initial number of helps can be set via this option. You can start
with anything between 0-20 helps.
Player one's helps can be accessed with the 'HELP' key, whilst player
two must press 'UNDO'.
Help will find a pair for you and match it. You get no points for a
pair matched with help.
--------------------
[ NUMBER OF ROUNDS ]
--------------------
This option is relevant in two player mode only.
This sets the number of rounds which will be played in a two player
competitive game. After the set number of rounds the player with the
highest score wins.
The number of rounds can be set from 1-99.
----------------
[ CONTROL MENU ]
----------------
Here you can define control methods and pointer movement speeds.
-------------------
[ P1 / P2 CONTROL ]
-------------------
Here you can choose the control method for each player. The
game can be controlled with mouse, joystick, keyboard or Jaguar
Powerpads. Any combination of controls can be used EXCEPT mouse and
joystick. If this combination is selected, it will default to mouse
and keyboard.
---------------
[ LIMIT MOUSE ]
---------------
If playing in two player mode, a player who is using the mouse
has a definite advantage. This can be diminished by limiting the mouse
speed to the x and y speed defined below. It will make playing against
a mouse opponent more fair.
-------------------
[ P1 / P2 X SPEED ]
-------------------
Defines the amount of pixels the pointers move horizontally
every step. Making this values small makes the pointers easily
controllable but very slow. Putting a large value here makes the
pointer very quick but also very difficult to control. It is best to
compromise between speed and controllability.
-------------------
[ P1 / P2 Y SPEED ]
-------------------
As above, but defines the pointers vertical movement.
-----------------------
[ DEFINE P1 / P2 KEYS ]
-----------------------
As Tautology II has a much better keyboard handler than the
original, you now have the facility to play via keyboard. Using this
option you can define your in game keys. For each player you must
define keys for
UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, UPLEFT, UPRIGHT, DOWNRIGHT, DOWNLEFT, SELECT
and DESELECT.
The diagonals are not strictly necessary as the keyboard handler can
accept multiple simultaneous keypresses, but they can be very useful.
You can use any key on the keyboard except the reserved in-game keys:
F1 - Pause
F10 - Quit
HELP - Player 1 help
UNDO - Player 2 help
-------------
[ TILE MENU ]
-------------
This is for defining the tile graphics and layout.
--------------------
[ P1 / P2 TILE SET ]
--------------------
Here you can define which tile graphics will be used for each
player.
SHANGHAI - The traditional tile set based on the mystical mah jong
images. The special groups are flowers and seasons.
EDDIES - The '95 remix of the set that appeared in the original
Tautology. The special groups are fruit and elements.
RIPLEY - Brand new set for Tautology II. The special groups are runes
and mirrors.
-------------------
[ CONFIGURE TILES ]
-------------------
This is perhaps the most powerful option in the entire game.
It allows you to totally configure the tile setup. You can choose the
amount of times that each tile will appear on the board - from 0 to 8.
Making lots of tiles with only 2 appearances and limiting the number
of tiles from the special groups makes a very difficult game.
For an easy game, make lots of tiles have 8 appearances and
make sure loads are included from the special groups.
There are ten default configurations on the function keys and
they range from F1 (very hard) to F10 (very easy).
Your tile configuration will be saved when you quit the game.
---------------
[ INFORMATION ]
---------------
This brings up some screens of text giving information about
the game, rules, etc.
--------
[ PLAY ]
--------
This takes you straight into the game itself.
Whilst playing, you can press the following keys:
F1 - PAUSE. Press fire (select) to resume.
F10 - QUIT. Returns to main menu
HELP - Help for player 1 (if helps remaining)
UNDO - Help for player 2 (if helps remaining)
---------------
[ HIGH SCORES ]
---------------
After the game finishes you will be notified if you have a
high score and asked to enter your name. The top twenty high scores
will then be displayed - this are also saved to disk at the end of the
game.
-----------
++CREDITS++
-----------
CODE: Mr. Pink
GRAPHICS: Sparehead 3
Ripley
MUSIC: Sparehead 3
DSP REPLAY: Nullos of DNT-Crew
Packages Used
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Devpac 3
God-Paint
Protracker
---------------
++SOME HELLOS++
---------------
First a big thank you to everyone who contacted me about Tautology.
Thanks for all the help and encouragement.
Chris of Disk Maggie.
Richard Karsmakers (thanks for the playtesting)
Dan of Lazer
Scy and Dynacore (good taste in music)
Mick of DNT-Crew (thanks for the replay rout)
E.K.O.
Digital Chaos
Stallion
Opium
Aggression
Arnaud Linz
Merlin
Daryl
Ralph and Greg Lovesy
Inter (fantastic demo)
Extract
All members of the Independent
Good Taste
Griff
Evl of DHS
Flinny
Mr XY
and all on IRC
---------------
[ REGISTERING ]
---------------
Tautology II is shareware.
Reasonable donations are 3 UK pounds or ten blank disks.
Fully documented source code is available for 5 UK pounds.
If we receive enough feedback from this title then we will
release other falcon games and applications! We have three games in
the development stages and if the Falcon scene remains healthy they
will be released over the next year.
Makes cheques/postal orders out to: Leon O'Reilly
Write to:
Leon O'Reilly
Cwm Isaf
Abermule
Welshpool
Powys
SY15 6JL
E-Mail:
cmslorei@livjm.ac.uk
Reservoir Gods World-Wide-Web:
http://basil.acs.bolton.ac.uk/~kwd1mat
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