Cydonia

USER'S MANUAL
-------------

0. Contents
-----------
1. The history
2. System requirements
2.1 Note for Windows 95 users
3. Installing
4. Configuring
4.1 Notes
5. The game
5.1 Game objective
5.2 Menues
5.3 Game modes
5.4 The shop
5.5 Loading user levels
6. Usual problems
7. Hints and tips
8. Who are Virtual Fantasies?


1. The history
--------------

You are in 2034. The Earth is suffering a lot of natural
disasters. Scientists all over the world can't find the reason;
they only know that our planet is leaving its orbit, but they don't
know why.

8:00 a.m. As everyday you wake up, ready for your daily trip. You
are the pilot of a transport flight. But suddenly some black
dressed men come and... when you wake up again you're in a strange
hall, with people you don't know. What is happening?

You have been selected by the secret services for a mission. But
why you? You're told an incredible story about some old egiptian
and roman manuscripts that give some information about a misterious
place called Cydonia, that has been located in Mars by a group of
scientists, and that a lost civilization left an android there.

And?, you ask.

They go on talking. It seems that the android has been there for
thousands of years, but now it has started sending ultra low
frequence signals to the Earth, and those signals are causing the
Earth to leave its orbit.

So, you're going to take an experimental prototipe and go to
Mars. There you'll destroy the android, so the natural balance
comes back to the Earth.

But it's not so easy. The android is protected by some magnetic
fields you'll have to destroy before facing it...


2. System requirements
----------------------

The minimum configuration needed to play CYDONIA is:

- PC with a 386 DX-33 or better processor.
- 4 MB of RAM, with 2.5 MB of free extended memory.
- VGA card.
- Sound Blaster or 100% compatible sound card (optional).
- MS-DOS 5.0 or better.
- Joystick supported.

The recommended configuration to enjoy the game is:

- PC 486 DX2-66 or better.
- 8 MB of RAM.
- Sound Blaster Pro o 16 sound card.


If you're running this game under MS-DOS (your best choice), we
recommend you not to use any expanded memory manager, such as EMM386 or
QEMM. CYDONIA doesn't need them, and they can slow down some parts of
the game. If it's possible, make a clean boot.


2.1 Note for Windows 95 users:
------------------------------

The game has been designed to run under MS-DOS, and it's been tested
under that operating system. As we have coded this game using DJGPP, it
should be compatible with any O.S. that includes a DPMI server (such as
Windows 3.1 or Windows 95). We have run the game under these operating
systems, and it seems to run properly, if you follow some restrictions:

- Under Windows 95, you should play in full screen mode.
Otherwise the game could be slooooooow.

- Under Windows 3.x, run the program from the Program Manager,
not from a MS-DOS session.

Anyway, if there is any problem while running the game under Windows
3.x or 95, you can always boot your computer in MS-DOS mode. That should
solve any problem.

Although we haven't tested it, the game shouldn't be compatible with
OS/2 nor Linux (using DosEmu). If anyone tries it and it works, please
tell us.


3. Installing
-------------

The game has to be installed on hard disk. To install it, go to the drive
where the installation disk is placed and run INSTALL. You need at least 4
MB of free space for the installation.

Once you have run INSTALL, follow the on-screen instructions.


4. Configuring
--------------

If you have a Sound Blaster or 100% compatible card you'll be able to
enjoy the digital music and sound effects. To configure your sound card
run CONFIG. If the BLASTER environment variable is correctly set, the
program will autodetect your sound card. Otherwise, you'll have to enter
the parameters by hand.


In order to match the sound quality to your processor, follow the
instructions of the program. If you select a too high quality, the game
may not run properly.


4.1 Notes:
----------

The sound system has been coded using original Sound Blaster cards.
There are many of "Sound Blaster compatible" cards that aren't 100%
compatible. In these cases, it's possible that you get imperfections on
the sound. The only workaround is to configure the card as "SB 1.5". This
should be the most compatible option.

The sound system can't use IRQ 10. If your sound card uses that IRQ,
your only chance is to change it (or get no sound).

All of the above is valid for Gravis Ultrasound users. As we don't own
a Gravis, we haven't been able to code its driver (we're very sorry, but
unless someone gives one to us... ;-)). The only workaround is to use SBOS
or MegaEm and try to configure the card as "SB 1.5" or "SB 2.0".


5. The game
-----------

5.1 Game objective
------------------

Your objective is to pass every barrier, until you find the android.
These barriers are composed of blocks. To pass the barrier, you'll have
different blocks. You'll have to get horizontal lines with the blocks, and
then that line will disappear, giving you more space. You'll pass the
barrier after you've formed a certain number of lines. There is a limited
time to pass the barrier, so hurry up!

At the end of each phase, you'll get points for the remaining time. You
may change your points for certain items in the shop. That time will also
be added to the time of the following phase.

5.2 Menues
----------

You may move through the menues using the arrow keys and ENTER. If you
press ESC you'll go back to the previous menu.


- PLAY. As you can guess, this menu takes you to the game. You may
select the number of players, the game mode and, if there
is only one player, the zone of the screen.

- OPTIONS. This menu will give you the chance of configuring some
elements of the game. Its options are:

- CONTROLS. To select the controls for each player.

- JOYSTICK. If you have a joystick, this option allows
you to calibrate it. The game controls for
the joystick are:

Left: joystick left
Right: joystick right
Drop piece/down: joystick down
Up: joystick up
Shoot/turn: button 1
Special effect: button 2


- LANGUAGE. This option allows you to select the game
language (try Spanish, it's a beautiful
language! :-))

- KEYB ONE. With this option you may redefine the keys
for keyboard 1. The default keys are:

Left: a
Right: d
Drop piece/down: x
Up/Special effect: w
Shoot/turn: s

- KEYB TWO. Idem, for keyboard 2. The default keys are:

Left: left arrow
Right: right arrow
Drop piece/down: down arrow
Up/Special effect: up arrow
Shoot/turn: 5 (numeric keypad)

- JUKEBOX. If you have the registered version, you'll be
able to listen all the themes included in the
game soundtrack.

- RETURN. Guess... :-)

- CREDITS. To see the credits.

- QUIT. You'd better not do it.


During the game, you may press ESC to get another menu. This menu
allows you to change the music and sound effects volume, and finish the
current game.

5.3 Game modes
--------------

There are 4 different ways of playing CYDONIA:

- 1 PLAYER. You're the only one who has been selected to go to Mars.
Good luck! You'll need it.

- 2 PLAYERS, NORMAL MODE. Two people have been selected. Each hero
will follow his own way to save the Earth.

- 2 PLAYERS, COOPERATIVE MODE (FRIENDS). Two people have been
selected, but they'll have to cooperate. Both players
share the screen. Each player will see the other's piece
on a different way.

- 2 PLAYERS, DEATHMACH MODE (ENEMIES). You're passing some tests to
decide who will go to Mars. The final test is a virtual
simulator of what you'll find there. You must show that
you're the best ones. Every time you get 2 or more lines
at a time you'll make the other's blocks move up one
line. You'll also be able to use special tricks to make
your enemy's task more difficult...


5.4 The shop
------------

When a player passes a level, he'll get points for the remaining time.
After that, he will be able to buy one of the items brought by a
transport ship. The item can only be used at the following level, so the
player will have to select a good estrategy.

When you're playing in cooperative mode, the player 1 is the only one
who can buy and use the items.

These are the items available at any game mode, except deathmatch:


ITEM COST EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SECONDS 2000 Gives you 5 more seconds
10 SECONDS 5000 Gives you 10 more seconds
DESTROY 1 10000 Reduces the amount of lines needed in 1
15 SECONDS 15000 Gives you 15 more seconds
SLOWER 20000 Reduces the falling speed of the pieces
DESTROY 2 25000 Reduces the amount of lines needed in 2
DESTROY 3 30000 Reduces the amount of lines needed in 3
BEAT IT 90000 Takes you to the next level
This one isn't valid at the last level

In deathmatch mode you may use all those items, with a price that is
10 times lower (it's a simulator, and you must prove your skill using
items). There are some more items, that are useful to make your enemy's
task more difficult:

ITEM COST EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BLACK FATE 350 Prevents your enemy from knowing his next
piece for a while
RAISESPEED2 500 Raises tour enemy's piece falling speed in
2 units
DARK WALL 1250 Hides your enemy board for a while. He'll
be blind!
RAISESPEED3 1750 Raises tour enemy's piece falling speed in
3 units
RAISESPEED4 2250 Raises tour enemy's piece falling speed in
4 units

5.5 Loading user levels
-----------------------

If you have the registered version, you'll be able to design and play
your own levels. First, design a new level block using the level designer
(included with the registered version), and then run the game with the
following command line:


cydonia


6. Usual problems
-----------------

Problem: When I run the game, I see an enormeous list of nonsense
errors, and my computer hangs.

Solution: Probably you haven't configured your sound card properly. Run
CONFIG and set your sound card parameters. Make sure you've
loaded the sound card drivers.

Problem: The program tells me that I don't have enough memory. However,
I press Y to go on and it works perfectly.

Solution: It's not a real problem... The amount of memory needed for the
game to run properly with all its options is aproximately 2.5
MB. This means that without that amount of memory the program
may work perfectly well, or hang at any moment with a memory
allocation error. If you don't have a sound card you'll need
less free memory, as no music or sound effects are loaded.

Problem: The game is sooooo dificult!!!

Solution: We can assure that the game isn't impossible (you need some
practice to finish it, though). Remember that the way of
playing CYDONIA is different to the classic Tetris clones. In
this game you don't need to make lots of lines, you just have
to make them quickly. You have to accelerate the piece falling
speed to pass the level. Or, you can always try cheat mode...

Problem: When I try to play with joystick, the game doesn't work.

Soluci¢n: Try to recalibrate it, with the JOYSTICK option of the options
menu.

Problem: I have problems running the game under Windows 95.

Solution: Refer to section 2.1


7. Hints and tips
-----------------

You shouldn't let the pieces fall slowly. There's a limited (but
sufficient) amount of time.

The items you buy can only be used in the level before the which you buy
them, so you should be careful when buying one. Otherwise, you could waste
many points.


8. Who are Virtual Fantasies?
----------------------------------

Virtual Fantasies is the name of a group dedicated to the demo and game
coding. It was born in the summer of 1995, founded by Assembler and
Utopian, and since then it has grown step by step, but silently (if you
knew who we were before this game, please tell us :-)). The current
memberlist is aproximately this:


ALIAS REAL NAME AGE E-MAIL OCCUPATION
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assembler Rodrigo Olivencia 21 x0826806@turing.ugr.es PR/Musician
Utopian Fco. Javier Pe¤a 21 x4352347@turing.ugr.es Programmer
Bosko Alberto Moro ?? uc156@cclx1.unican.es PR/Gfx
Emerson Manolo Prieto 21 i32prvim@uco.es PR/Maths
Fate Bloody Guillermo Fdez. ?? uc182@cclx1.unican.es Musician
Taj Diego Musician
Bac Hylon Josema Serrano 21 x6490278@turing.ugr.es Gfx artist
Doctor J Juanra S nchez 21 x5582582@turing.ugr.es Betatester
Fernando Fernando Tamaj¢n 24 i32talof@uco.es Betatester
Sr. Blanco Gfx artist


Visit our home page at:

http://www.uco.es/~i32prvim/virfan

If you don't have Internet access, you may try the old snail-mail method.
Our addresses are:

Fco. Javier Pe¤a Pareja (Utopian) Rodrigo Olivencia Polo (Assembler)
C/ Marbella 24, 3§ dcha Avda. Agrupaci¢n C¢rdoba 16, 6§ 5
14013 CORDOBA (SPAIN) 14007 CORDOBA (SPAIN)

Ok, now you know who we are. If you have anything to tell us, you want
to offer a project to us, or whatever, don't hesitate to contact us.