Balls

      BALLS - THE PUZZLE GAME

by  Simon  Carter  with  ELECTRALYTE
SOFTWARE LTD (programmers of  Druid,
Cloud Kingdoms and Warlock.)
Copyright 1992.

This  program  is  SHAREWARE.   This
means that if you like this  program
you should register,  by sending  œ5
to  the author  (me!).  Please  send
cheques to:-

     Simon Carter
     111 Corbett Road
     Waterlooville
     Hants
     PO7 5TF

     Please write the cheques out to
Simon Carter as well.If you use this
program without  registering  then I
shall come around to your  house and
attach   electrodes   to     various
unmentionable parts of your anatomy!

     If you do register then, if you
remember to send your  address,  you
will  get  a  number  of   wonderful
freebies. These  include - a  levels
editor for  BALLS, at least  one set
of  extra  levels   for  BALLS,  the
original STOS source code for BALLS,
a very  fast and  versatile  Kinetic
Line Generator  written  in C, the C
source  code  for  the  Kinetic Line
Generator  and the  STOS source code
for my  3D Landscape Generator  (the
compiled   version  of   which   was
published  on  a previous  Atari  ST
User.) You may also  get instuctions
for how to include  your  own  floor
graphics within  balls,  and  a  new
verion  of the   game   that  has  a
number   of extras. I  will probably
throw in a couple of other things as
well. So  for  your  fiver  you  get
plenty. I'll send  the stuff  off to
you as  soon   as  possible,   after
receiving  your registration.

     When copying this game (you are
free  to  do so,  as long  as  those
taking  a  copy  register  as  well)
please copy the entire folder  which
should    include    -   STFBALLS.PRG,
LEVELS.MBK and BALLINST.DOC.

         BALLS INSTRUCTIONS

     This  game  is very  simple  to
play.  The  idea is to guide one  or
more   balls  around  the   top-view
screen, picking up all of the orange
pods,  and then allowing just one of
the  balls to get to an  exit.  This
must  be made within a certain  time
limit,   and  without  touching  the
deadly  spikes  - if just  one  ball
bursts, you lose one of your 5 lives
and  you must start the screen  from
the beginning.  The only way you may
effect a ball is by placing a mirror
down  in  front  of  it,  using  the
cursor. The left mouse button places
a / mirror,  whilst the right button
places  a \ mirror.  Once  placed  a
mirror cannot be moved - however you
may  change  it to  either  type  of
mirror  by clicking  on  it,  though
this freezes the cursor for a little
while.
     There  are  a number  of  tiles
that  effect  the ball  -  permanent
mirrors  (green and white / and  \),
spikes   (orange  and  black   spiky
bits), angle rotators (yellow globes
with arrows on),  destroyable blocks
(transparent   squares),   permanent
blocks (blue squares),  random angle
turners     (green     and     black
crossroads),  speed  increasers  and
decreasers  (red  +  and  -  signs),
teleporters (green funnels), one way
blocks   (blue  globes  with   black
arrows),  plus  a number of  others.
The graphics are of a high  standard
(ie   I  did  not  draw  them!)   so
everything is very clear.
     The time limit is displayed  at
the  bottom,   in  the  form  of   a
coloured bar.  When you first  start
the  level  the bar grows  until  it
covers  most  of the bottom  of  the
screen.  During  this time  you  are
free  to  think  about  the  screen,
since  the balls have not  yet  been
€released.  After  it has reached  it
maximum   point (which  will  happen
prematurely if  you  press the space
bar), the balls  are  generated, and
the bar  starts  to  decrease. If it
disappears altogether,  you  lose  a
life  and begin the screen again.
     Escape  quits  the  game,   and
takes you back to the title  screen.
A  pause   mode  will beincluded
in a version of  the  game sent to
those who have registered.
     There are 32 screens, but after
completing a few levels you will get
a  password,  allowing access  to  a
later level - no need to start  from
the  beginning.  In order to  use  a
password,  just  type it in  on  the
title screen  - backspace deletes  a
mistake.   This  set  of  levels  is
fairly easy,  designed to simply get
you used to the game.

     I hope you enjoy this  game,  I
have  made  it  as  professional  as
possible,  within the limitations of
512k   and  STOS  (a  rather   nasty
combination.)

     Please do register,  let's show
those commercial computer  companies
that  we can live  without  them.  I
could have put this game on a budget
label  with  some  company,   but  I
wanted  to  give  something  to  the
computing industry, not take as much
as  possible  like  most  commercial
companies. Professional software for
a  low price is possible - and  this
program proves it.  Where else  will
you  get  a disk full  of  otherwise
unavailable freebies just for paying
for a game?  Long live Jeff  Minter,
who has proven that there is still a
feeling   of  friendliness  in   the
software  industry  -  show  me  any
other media,  other than  Shareware,
that allows this.

     Thanks,   I   depend  on   your
honesty - you can depend on mine.

           Simon Carter 1993
       ELECTRALYTE SOFTWARE LTD