Uz 3.0 Documentation ©1997-1998 MasterWorks Software Any questions? E-mail MWorkSoft@AOL.COM THIS IS THE TEXT ONLY VERSION OF THE DOCUMENTATION. IF USING WINDOWS '95, PLEASE USE WORDPAD TO OPEN UZ.DOC FOR THE FORMATTED VERSION. If using Notepad, turn WORD WRAP ON (Edit menu). Obtain the shareware archive at MasterWorks Homepage: http://users.aol.com/MWorkSoft ____________________________________________________________________ This documentation is text without graphics to save download time. Please read it carefully as it contains a wealth of valuable information about Uz 3.0. First, the legal stuff: ____________________________________________________________________ THE AUTHORS OF THIS SOFTWARE DISCLAIM ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSSES WHETHER TANGIBLE OR INTANGIBLE RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE (Uz 3.0 and all associated files). USE OF THE SOFTWARE CONSTITUTES YOUR AGREEMENT TO HOLD HARMLESS THE AUTHORS FROM ALL CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES. THIS SOFTWARE MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED, DISASSEMBLED, REVERSE-ENGINEERED, ALTERED, DAMAGED, OR SOLD WITH WITHOUT THE AUTHOR'S EXPLICIT WRITTEN PERMISSION. MASTERWORKS GRANTS THE RIGHT TO DISTRIBUTE THE SHAREWARE VERSION OF THIS SOFTWARE IN ITS UNALTERED, ORIGINAL ARCHIVE (uz30sw.zip) PROVIDED THAT NO FEE IS CHARGED FOR THE SOFTWARE, EXCEPT A SMALL FEE TO COVER MEDIA AND DUPLICATION. DISTRIBUTION OF THE REGISTERED VERSION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Shareware CD-ROM vendors: please feel free to distribute shareware Uz 3.0 on CD-ROM. MasterWorks would appreciate notification of your doing so via the e-mail address at top. ____________________________________________________________________ Uz 3.0 Puzzle Action for Windows '95 and Windows 3.1 ____________________________________________________________________ Welcome to Uz 3.0, the coolest puzzle game you'll ever play! Uz 3.0 is a fairly easy to learn game, and MasterWorks encourages you to JUST PLAY! This documentation is your official guide to the game. It is divided into several sections: I.) Summary II.) System Requirements III.) Quick Start IV.) Mechanics of the Game V.) Detailed Information VI.) Tips and Tricks VII.) Registered vs. Shareware VIII.) Level Editor IX.) Notes X.) About MasterWorks Software ____________________________________________________________________ I.) SUMMARY Why should I play Uz 3.0? Seeing that you've already downloaded or copied Uz 3.0, there's no reason not to give it a try, right? Uz 3.0 is a painstakingly designed puzzle game for Windows, and, quite simply, IT ROCKS. Featuring crisp sound effects, colorful pieces, beautiful backgrounds, pleasant music, and a whole lot of fun, you won't be able to tear yourself away from the challenge. Basically, the idea is to start off on level one and make your way to level sixty. To clear a level, all you've got to do is destroy all of the pieces. (As with most puzzle games -- easier said than done!) Every bit as enchanting for adults as for children, Uz 3.0 contains no objectionable material and is suitable for all ages (although children below the age of eight or so may find it difficult to understand). The controls are easy to master, the visuals will blow you away. . . so what are you waiting for? Go give it a try! ____________________________________________________________________ II.) SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: These requirements are not absolute but instead are guidelines for an enjoyable experience. Yes, you may be able to coax your old EGA 286 into running Uz, but it sure won't be pretty. . . :) YOU WILL NEED: -An IBM (or 100% compatible) 80486 or faster -VBRUN300.DLL -- Visual Basic 3.0 runtime, available from any major online service -A video driver which supports 65,536 (high-color) or more colors (true-color) at 640x480 resolution -A mouse or other pointing device -Free time... preferably in vast quantities YOU WILL ENJOY UZ 3.0 MORE WITH: -800x600 or higher desktop resolution, if you want to use the Uz 3.0 Level Editor -A sound card that supports digital sound effects (i.e., WAV files) and MIDI music (preferably wavetable synthesis) ____________________________________________________________________ III.) QUICK START We know, we know!! You just got your copy of Uz and you can't wait to see what all the fuss is about! So, without further ado, here are the steps you should take to get going: 1.) Extract the necessary files from the Uz archive. Obviously, you've already done that or you couldn't be reading this. So, on to step 2. . . 2.) Run SETUP.EXE. Windows '95 users should click START, then press RUN. Windows 3.1x users should go to FILE MANAGER then select RUN from the FILE menu. In the box provided, enter the path where the Uz files are located and then SETUP.EXE. You can BROWSE to look for this file if you can't remember where you put it. 3.) SETUP is the program which will put Uz icons on your START MENU or PROGRAM MANAGER. Simply click the install button and everything should proceed smoothly. Locate your new folder (either on the Start Menu or Program Manager) and you will notice several icons. They are: Uz 3.0 -- click on this to start the program! Uz 3.0 Documentation -- opens Write/Wordpad and lets you look at this file Uz 3.0 Order Form -- if you see this, it means you've got the shareware version of Uz. Click here to get more information on purchasing a full copy. Uz 3.0 Level Editor -- use this to make your own puzzles! Registered version only. 4.) Of course, you want to play! Just click on the icon that says Uz 3.0 (or Uz 3.0 Shareware) to start it up. 5.) You'll see the titlescreen pop up, some neat graphics, etc. Click on the uppermost button -- Start Uz 3.0! 6.) The login screen appears. Click "New", then enter a name for the account. Each account has its own level, score, and preferences, all of which are saved automatically. Press "Create Account", then press start when you're back on the login screen. 7.) You're ready to roll! The first introductory level appears. Follow the onscreen directions and have fun! If you need more help, consult either the tutorial (which can be selected from the Title Screen) or this documentation. ____________________________________________________________________ IV.) MECHANICS OF UZ 3.0 -- How to play the game!! If you haven't already read so, Uz is a puzzle game that consists of sixty levels of gameplay (plus five introductory levels.) Although they increase in difficulty to some degree, Uz levels are greatly varied and each requires thinking in a unique way. The object of the game is to destroy all of the pieces on each level. Images of the pieces that you need to destroy always appear on the main screen, followed by the quantity of the piece. Although the pieces can take almost any shape and size, the more common ones are: -Gray Ball, Cube, Purple Ball, Torus, Pyramid, Cylinder -- can be moved in any direction -Blue Arrow, Pink Arrow -- can only be moved left and right. Will fall downwards (i.e., succumb to gravity) if there is a gap below them. NOTE: no Uz piece can "push" another one, downwards or in any direction. -Balloons: can also only be moved left and right. Will rise upwards if given the opportunity. The opposite of arrow pieces. Uz levels are generally composed of FAR more elements than just the destructible pieces, however. They include: Obstacles: sit there. Do nothing. Get in the way. Can't be moved. Can take the form of bricks, steel, wood, pipes, marble, and almost anything else. Animals: rarely serve a useful purpose except to sit there and look stupid. Can often be destroyed in some form or fashion. "!" Blocks: blow up when they touch another, identical "!" block. Although useful for bridge building, can be difficult because of their tendency to self-destruct. Bombs: blow up, period. Don't get them near anything you want to live. Detonate whenever they come in contact with anything else that can be destroyed, including other bombs and cracks in structures. Pipes: ALA a popular video game character, these can be used to transport Uz blocks and pieces. Try pushing a piece into one to see if it works. Will not function if the exit space is plugged up. 4-Way-Directional blocks: indicated by the four arrows on the front. These can be moved freely around the screen, often to your advantage. Teleports: serve basically the same functional purpose as pipes. Allow pieces to "warp" across the screen to their destination, which is sometimes indicated by a faded teleport. Note that a piece cannot enter a teleport if the exit area is occupied. Keys and Locks: make Uz annoying. A piece cannot be moved or destroyed -- even by a bomb -- if it is locked. Move a key of the appropriate color adjacent to the lock to remove it. Acid, water, lava: these lethal liquids eat Uz pieces for breakfast. Move a piece inside and you'll never see it again. This can work to your advantage, but it can also be harmful: destroying one piece and leaving another alive may cause trouble. ALTHOUGH THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A LOT OF INFORMATION TO REMEMBER, THE INTRODUCTORY LEVELS ALLOW YOU TO VISUALLY SEE ALL OF THESE CONCEPTS AND PLAY AROUND WITH THE MECHANICS. What it all boils down to: All this talk about "destroying pieces to win" may have left you wondering, "how do I destroy them?" The answer is simple: just move similar pieces next to one another and all parties involved will explode. Pieces MUST BE at 90 degree angles to react; diagonal pieces do not affect one another. For instance, when any two cubes come in contact, they both blow up. Any three pyramids in contact with each other will destroy one another also, but it can be tricky to get three (or four) pieces to blow up -- after all, you can't just get two of them side by side and add the third, because the original two will have already blown up. It can be done, however, in several ways. One of the first levels tests your ability to figure it out. A Special Way: Besides using the side-by-side method of destroying pieces, dunking them into acid, or using bombs, there is another special way to eradicate the blocks. It consists of surrounding one lone piece with four of another type, such as this, X X O X X where X represents one variety of piece, such as a cube, and O represents another variety, such as a balloon. This technique is critical to mastering Uz, and is introduced on the second introductory level. That's About It: The information in this section has armed you with the ammo needed to successfully enjoy Uz 3.0. Although there is more to the game, the introductory levels should give you a feel for what it's all about. Don't be discouraged by the apparent depth; Uz is truly a simple game at heart, with some fancy features. If you're having trouble and would like some help, check out the tips and tricks section underneath "Detailed Info". ____________________________________________________________________ V.) DETAILED INFO It's easy to get started with Uz 3.0 -- the tutorial and introductory levels should help you get started in no time flat. However, this section contains more information -- including how to configure Uz to your computer, selecting options, etc. -- should you want to know more. ________________________________ Titlescreen: This is the screen that appears when you first start Uz. You can skip this screen by modifying your icon's command line to include the SKIPINTRO parameter -- an example would be C:\UZ\UZ.EXE skipintro. The titlescreen contains the following choices: -Start Uz 3.0: Gets things going, and takes you to the login screen. -Uz 3.0 Tutorial: A quick, graphical guide to the world of Uz. Recommended for first-time players. -Preferences: Allows you to customize Uz 3.0. More on this later. -About: displays copyright information, version number, credits, etc. -Get More Uz 3.0 -- shareware version only. A screen that shows you info and allows you to load an order form. -Quit Uz 3.0 -- lets you exit the program. ________________________________ Preferences: this screen lets you choose various options for Uz 3.0. Each item is described below: -Music during title and log-in screens: self-explanatory. Turns background music on/off. -Sound effects during title and log-in screens: Turns the sound effects on/off. -Cursor during play: determines whether or not a red cursor appears in the playfield during the game. Although useful for keyboard players, the cursor serves no purpose if you are using the mouse. -Thud sounds: certain pieces thump when they strike the ground. Irritates some people -- turn them on or off here. -Debris: when the pieces explode, they emit small debris particles if this is on. Just another way to make Uz go faster if you've got a slower computer. -Transitions: enables/disables the transitions between each level and the scoring screen, bonus game,and level information screen. These make Uz far more attractive, but they can slow the game down significantly if you're playing on a less-than-optimum machine. We recommend trying Uz with the transitions and turning them off only if necessary. -System Speed: THE critical factor in determining how fast Uz runs on your computer. Uz was programmed with slight delays between each frame of animation; the length of this delay can be altered using this option. Note that Uz was designed to run on a Pentium class PC, although faster 486 machines should be able to handle it also. IT IS IMPORTANT TO SET THIS OPTION before you start playing Uz. To change the speed, follow the onscreen directions. A small test window is provided to give you an idea of how quickly the speed you picked will affect the movement of the pieces. Try to place the test time between the recommended 2.00 and 2.70 seconds. If you accidentally enter a delay that is too high, come back to this screen to change it. If for some reason you set it WAY to high and it's taking too long to get back to the system speed box, you can simply delete the UZPREFS.CFG file to return the delay to its default. -Defaults: destroys all of your preferences and restores the default choices. ________________________________ The login screen: allows you to set up your own "account" and provides a gateway into the actual game. -Account: this menu contains several choices that are also represented as buttons. You can also duplicate and remove Uz 3.0 player accounts. -Start: takes you into the actual game. Note that you cannot start Uz until a player name is selected. If this is your first time running Uz 3.0, you'll have to create an account before you may begin. -New: creates a new player account. Multiple accounts allow several friends to track their progress through Uz independently -- all personal preferences, score, and level information are saved into each account. The "New Player" screen allows you to select where you wish to start (intro levels or not) as well as your control style. The actual screen contains additional information. -Edit: edits a player account. You cannot edit an account until it is selected in the drop-down box. Editing an account allows you to select a control style: Click-Move-Click: as in previous versions of Uz, does not require the mouse button be held to move a piece. Click once to "grab" a piece, move it to its new location, then click again to release it. Click-Drag-Release: this control style seems more natural to some people. Much as dragging icons around the desktop in Windows, click and hold the mouse button to "grab" a piece, move it, then release the button to let go of the piece. This is the default choice. Editing an account also allows you to select which level you're currently playing. You can only select a level up to the highest one you've beat. In other words, if you're on level 8, you can pick any level 1-8 but not past it. Every count is permitted to skip past the introductory levels 1-5, which are non-challenging. Back to Title: returns you to the titlescreen. Quit Uz 3.0: exit the program directly. ________________________________ The Uz 3.0 screen: this is where the action takes place! An item-by-item description of what you'll see follows: MasterWorks/Uz Logo: although mostly for decoration, you can click on this to refresh the display if it becomes corrupted. (For instance, if you move another window in front of the Uz window and part of it becomes erased. Level Indicator: shows what number level you're on and what the level's name is. Score Indicator: shows what your score currently is. You can increase your score by completing levels faster and more efficiently. No points are awarded on levels that you have already beaten, but neither are they deducted. Pieces Remaining indicator: shows how many of each piece you have remaining until the level is cleared. THESE ARE THE PIECES YOU MUST DESTROY to beat the level. Moves Remaining Indicator: if you want extra points for beating a level efficiently, you must do so within the indicated number of moves. This information is also given in the screen that proceeds each level. Not all levels have efficiency bonuses. Time Remaining Indicator: you MUST complete the level within the given timeframe. Failure to do so will result in the level restarting with a 1000 point penalty. Pause: stops the timer and displays a splash screen. Although the clock doesn't tick, you can't think because the playfield is hidden! Hotkey: ALT-P Sound FX: toggles sound effects during the game. This setting is saved independently for each player. Hotkey: ALT-F Music: toggles MIDI music during the game. This setting is also saved independently for each player. Hotkey: ALT + M Reset: restarts the current level at the expense of 1000 points. Hotkey: ESC or ALT-R Exit: quits the current game and returns to the login screen. Settings are automatically saved. Hotkey: ALT-X Main Playfield: displays the current level. The controls are as follows: Mouse movement: depends on control style. See LOGIN screen, above. Arrow keys (Up, Down, Left, Right): move the select cursor around the playfield. Moves a piece if the piece is currently "grabbed". Space bar: "grabs" a piece if none is currently grabbed; releases a piece if one is currently grabbed. ____________________________________________________________________ VI.) TIPS AND TRICKS Below are some odds and ends about the game and how to enjoy it more: -Count the pieces before you start. Make sure you know what you're dealing with. If you've only got one balloon, you'll have to surround it or kill it; make sure you save the four other pieces if necessary. On the other hand, if you've got three cubes, be careful not to only destroy two of them and leave the last one stranded. -Think before you move. Although Uz is timed, the second it takes to calculate what will happen if you move a piece is a lot better than the frustration of replaying an entire level because of one dumb error. -Be on your toes. Click any mysterious buttons that may appear. . . -Broaden your thinking. Because of the multitude of ways to get things done, make sure you're not overlooking the obvious -- using a bomb or teleport or acid to your advantage, for instance. -Don't damage your computer with a baseball bat if you can't figure a puzzle out. Computers can be very expensive to repair. -Think back to the introductory levels if a level seems impossible. Almost all techniques you need are introduced in the intro levels. -Use the BFG9000 sparingly. It uses lots of ammo and can be hazardous to your health. -HAVE FUN! ____________________________________________________________________ VII.) Registered vs. Shareware? Shareware Uz. Uz 3.0 is distributed as shareware. Shareware is a concept that allows a user to sample a product before purchasing it. Shareware is not "cheap" or lesser quality software than its commercial counterpart; in fact, some of the best software available is distributed as shareware. Popular shareware products, such as WinZip, CuteFTP, Quake, Paint Shop Pro, and Uz, are created by distinguished professionals and are top of the line in their respective categories. Shareware is typically less expensive than commercial software because money that is usually diverted to packaging, advertising, manual printing, etc. can be converted directly into profit. When a person registers a shareware program, his/her money is paying for programming and design, not cardboard and software store markups. By using the shareware system, both the customer and the programmer profit -- the customer is assured of a quality product that suits his/her needs, and the programmer can benefit from the free circulation of his/her product. By distributing Uz as shareware, MasterWorks retains all copyrights and distribution rights to the software. As with most shareware, users who enjoy the program are rewarded for their registration and honesty with several benefits. In the case of Uz 3.0, these benefits are: 70+ full puzzles All new backgrounds Complimentary new music A full blown level editor, which can be used to create new puzzles with ease A "cheat" code which allows the user to skip levels Priority technical support Discounts on future versions of Uz/other MasterWorks Products Removal of all "nag screens" from Uz 3.0 If you are a shareware user, we hope you will enjoy Uz and decide to purchase the full version. The price for the full version of Uz is $19.95, plus $2.00 for shipping and disks. KY residents must add 6% sales tax. Please use the included order form to place your order (UZORDER.DOC, preferably, or UZORDER.TXT). If you decide Uz is not for you, we hope you will pass it along to someone who you think would enjoy it. We would like to take this opportunity to thank ALL of you who registered Uz 2.0! This product wouldn't be possible without your support, which was overwhelming. As our way of saying thank-you, we are offering an upgrade to all registered users of Uz 2.0 to version 3.0 for only $10.95! Although no proof of ownership is necessary (we have all order forms on file to verify), it would be helpful if you mentioned about what month and year you purchased Uz 2.0. Thanks again! ____________________________________________________________________ VIII.) Level Editor If you are playing the registered version of Uz 3.0, you will notice the Uz Level Editor icon in your Uz folder. This is a powerful tool which can be used to create your own levels. Although the level editor is easy to use and understand, a description of all of its features is beyond the scope of our documentation. We will, however, be happy to answer ANY questions about the editor via email to registered users. The email address for such questions is at the top of this document. We will, however, say the following: -Uz is divided into a 12x12 grid. Use the level editor to set the "properties" for each individual square -- appearance, whether it can be moved, etc. -ID number: indicates which "slot" the piece goes into. Pieces with ID numbers 1-10 are required to be destroyed, and are only destroyed if they touch another piece with the same ID number. Use ID numbers beyond 10 for "!" blocks, and use "666" for bombs. -Teleports: you can shift-click on the destination square instead of entering the coordinates manually. -Before making your own levels, look at the original levels to see how to do certain things. Use the color coded preview to your advantage. -Browse the menus to learn the keyboard shortcuts. If the screen becomes cluttered, use F12 to refresh. -Experiment with the masks, foreground, and background combinations. An infinite number of interesting levels are possible! -Send MasterWorks your homemade levels! If you send us a file-attached email with your levels on it, we'll gladly mail you back our new collection of homemade levels from users all over the U.S. and the world! If everybody contributes just a few levels, 60 level Uz 3.0 will become 60,000 level Uz 3.0! Each level file is only about 6K. Mail all levels to: MWorkSoft@AOL.COM, or send a disk to us via snail mail. ____________________________________________________________________ IX.) NOTES Uz 3.0 was created using Visual Basic 3.0 Standard Edition in conjunction with Midisoft Recording Session, Creative WaveStudio, Adobe Photoshop 3.0., and DBPUSH.VBX by Dan Bystrom. Thanks to all of you for making Uz possible! Revision history is in the Uz.doc file. PLEASE report any bugs to MasterWorks! ____________________________________________________________________ X.) About MasterWorks Software MasterWorks Software is an independent software and development company located in the suburbs of Louisville, KY. Started in 1995, MasterWorks is headed by Jay Wheeler and a small team of talented designers and friends. MasterWorks' releases include the ever popular Uz puzzle series; Guerillas Tank Duel, a two-player game for Windows; and, two releases for students: StudyAssistant and Function Grapher. Expect a space combat game for multiple players within the next year. Devoted to the shareware principle, all MasterWorks releases to date have been distributed on a try-before-you-buy basis. PLEASE feel free to contact MasterWorks with your questions, comments, orders, or complaints. Reach us via fast-response email at: MWorkSoft@AOL.COM Or via postal mail at: MasterWorks Software 7605 Devondale Ct. Louisville, KY 40222 We will be happy to provide a shareware copy of Uz 3.0 to anyone who provides a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Remember, MasterWorks relies on your support to continue making high quality games like Uz 3.0!! ____________________________________________________________________ This documentation is ©1997-1998 MasterWorks Software and MUST be distributed with the unmodified UZ30SW.ZIP. Anyone suspecting a tampered ZIP file should report such to MasterWorks at one of the above addresses. Interested in marketing Uz 3.0? Drop us a note! Interested in purchasing the source code to Uz 3.0 and Level Editor and Setup? Drop us a note! Low price! Windows 3.1x and Windows '95 are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. ____________________________________________________________________ This concludes the Uz 3.0 Documentation ©1997-1998 MasterWorks Software