Welcome to Atoms, the Third. BACKGROUND: The original Atoms was (to the best of my knowledge) for the Atari ST, and supposedly it sucked. I never saw it, but given the quality of the other programs for that platform, I'd probably agree. The first atoms for the Amiga was written by John Grivin, with help from a few of his friends. It is also available on Aminet, and should be in the same directory this one was. I highly recommend it, but only if you have a European Amiga. Even if you have PAL mode on as the Workbench resolution, an NTSC machine will not only miss the bottom row of atoms completely, but it may lock up sometime during the game. Not sure why. Just stops respond- ing to mouse clicks and menu selections. *shrug* ANYWAY.... Version two was prompted by the previous. All code is original. Most ideas are not. (: But that one worked with both NTSC and PAL machines. It did NOT, however, display any extra rows in PAL mode. Version three is easily five to ten times faster, and has varying levels of AI opponents. Plus, it has an interlaced mode, quadrupling the number of squares available. And if blocks are on, then it quadruples the number of those too, just to keep an even distribution. It SHOULD also display a couple extra rows on PAL machines. If it doesn't, let me know via the address at the end of this document. Additionally, that 'mouse-adjustment' thingy from version two is fixed. (Took me maybe five minutes. DUH!) LOADING: Quite simple. From Workbench, double-click on the Atoms icon. It should load automatically. If it doesn't, check to make sure you have certain libraries in your libs: dir, such as 'diskfont.library' and 'mathtrans.library'. Also, make sure the data file 'bank1.abk' is in the same directory, or you'll have to specify where it is every time the program is run. OPTIONS: There are several options, represented by icons along the left-hand side of the screen, once the game is loaded. You do not need to click on the the grid as you did in version two. The mouse automatically adjusts itself to the screen. The first icon on the top of the column is the 'GO' icon. This one starts the game. The next icon indicates how many players will be parti- cipating in the game itself. It goes up to five before returning to the bare minimum needed to play (2). The next icon down is the number of players who are run by the computer. These are taken from the number of players, so if the two numbers are equal, the game will demo itself. Be warned, however, that the demo will not abort and you will be forced to wait until they are done before you can do anything. The minimum number of computer players is zero, and the maximum is the number of players in the game. The next icon is the Intelligence icon. The smaller the computer screen, the simpler-minded the computer opponents are. Of course, this has no meaning if there are no computer players. All the computer players are of the same intelligence. The next icon is the Fast icon, symbolized by a picture of a man running. The default for this is 'on', but if turned off, the computer opponents move the mouse pointer slower, and the explosions occure slower (but still faster than either of the programs in version 2!) The next icon is the 'x2' icon. When selected, the grid becomes doubles in width and height, effectively quadrupling the playing field. The screen will be in hires interlaced mode instead of simple lowres. The next icon is the 'BLOCKS' icon. When selected (default position), there will be several grey blocks placed randomly on the board before the game starts. These blocks act as sections of the grid which have been cut out, and act similarly to the edges of the grid. The next icon down is the 'Atoms' icon. It selects whether or not to put 3 atoms of each color on the board randomly before each game. Note that in certain positions, some may explode (see 'PLAYING THE GAME' further down) and possibly 'take over' other atoms, resulting in a disproportionate amount for two or more of the players. This is part of the game. Life isn't fair. (: Also, in the interlaced mode, there are more than 3 placed due to the size of the grid. The next icon is the 'SOUND EFFECTS' icon. When this icon is up, all non-background sounds will cease. The icon below that one is the 'MUSIC' icon. Currently, there is no musical soundtrack, so this does nothing but look nice. (: (See Future Options) The final icon is the 'STOP' icon. Select it to exit the program. PLAYING THE GAME: Objective: To eliminate all of your opponent's atoms from the board. Each player places one atom on his or her turn. Each square on the grid has a visible number of adjacent squares (NOT counting those with BLOCKS in them). If a square has at least one atom for each adjacent square, it will explode, sending one atom into each adjoining location. All squares receiv- ing a new atom as a result of an explosion will take on that atom's color. You may only place atoms on either empty squares, or squares of your color. The mouse cursor will turn the color of the player whose turn it is. If the cursor is yellow, it means the game is calculating. If the cursor has a brownish outline, that color is a computer player. Computer players always start with the color grey and go up from there. To abort the game before all players are eliminated, click on the STOP icon. You will be returned to the beginning of the game. NOTE that you can NOT click on the stop icon unless it is a human player's turn. This means that you cannot abort a 'demo' game (all computer players) without pressing control-c (which exits the program). To place an atom, simply click with either mouse key on the square you have chosen. Version 2 vs. Version 3: Version 2 had 2 different versions of Atoms, version 3 has 1. Version 3 is much faster (even in 'slow' mode) than version 2. Version 3 automatically offsets the mouse properly. Version 3 has an interlaced feature which quadruples the number of grid squares in play. Version 3 SHOULD automatically add a row or two for PAL machines. Not having a PAL machine, I can't test this. Version 3 has AI opponents. They vary in skill from easy to hard. (Just a note: hard beats me a little less than half the time, provided there are 4 computer opponents and 1 human, me. I consider myself to be a REALLY good player, too.) I would have made the computer calculate every single move out to its outcome, and also plan ahead, but I'd have had to do it in assembly or it'd take a couple minutes per turn. If I get enough response, IE one or more people want it, (: I'll make it an option in the next version. FUTURE OPTIONS: I plan on adding (maybe): o - Background music, randomly selected each game from about 5 tunes. Okay, so I didn't get this done this version. I may never get it done. It seems that the sounds I use conflict with how AMOS does its 'music' command. (: o - Optional background graphics, scrolling by in multi-layers underneath the grid and icons. Didn't get this one done either. I decided to concentrate on game play improvements instead. (: OTHER SOFTWARE: Look for the following software from me in the near future: o - Spreadsheet. A PD spreadsheet comparible to Paradox and other similar commercial software. Includes links to other spreadsheets, cell commands and calculations, multiple reports for each spreadsheet, ARexx scripts, a clipboard, etc. The PD version will have up to 10 on-screen spreadsheets at a time, with up to an additional 10 hidden linked-in spreadsheets. Should be available in early 1995. o - MassArc. A new form of archiver, capable of compressing anything (including gifs, sound samples, and EXECUTABLES!) down to one third or less of the original size. PD version will have no more than half of the equations, and won't have many of the options I'm putting in the registered version. Unknown as to how soon it'll be available. Probably by the beginning of '95. o - Other miscellaneous games similar to this one. CREDITS: I believe in giving credit where credit is due. It's due to John Grivin, without whom I would have never known of this game. Take some time to check out his version of this. It's worth it just for some of the comments in the docs he wrote. (: It's also due to the other miscellaneous people at Halibut Software who are mentioned in the docs as having credit. It's due to me for spending all this time writing yet another version, especially since I work about 50 hours per week and have other commitments of my minimal free time. (: COPYRIGHT: Well, I guess I have to do this part. All code herein is copyright by myself, Jesse McClusky, as of September 27, 1994. This includes Atoms executable file, its associated .info file, bank1.abk, and this document file. Premission is granted to FREELY distribute these files, provided the following conditions are met: 1 - No more than MINIMAL media costs ($5 US for floppies max, PD CD's okay up to $25 per CD) 2 - Not a single bit is changed in any of these files NO assurances or warranties of any kind are either made or implied as to the suitability of this software for your system. Any form of damage done, both due to regular use and also abuse of this program is in no way my fault. I have not intentionally written any part of the code contained herein with malice or intent to do harm, but there may be some strange equipment/OS combination which causes it to do so. (Just covering my bases here) Oh, and using this program implies agreement and compliance with the afore- mentioned rules. HOW TO REACH ME: Here's my mail address: Internet - thought@eskimo.com Mail me if: You want to include this program in a commercial venture You wish to hire me as a programmer You have a bug, comment, or suggestion You are a fan (: You have an idea you'd like to see in a future game or other type of program You're really bored Your leg is being eaten by a herd of elephants Space aliens have landed in your backyard The world is coming to an end _____________ (Your reason here) (: Registration fees are appreciated, and should be whatever you feel the game is worth. If you wish to send me money or wish to register this game and thus support my efforts to upgrade it and put forth more awesome PD software, send mail to: ACI PD Registration and Public Relations 13035 110th Avenue N.E. Kirkland, WA 98034 (USA, of course) Make checks payable to Jesse McClusky. Thanks you, and good night. ZZZZZzzzzzzzzz........