* * * OIL CAP ARCADE GAME * * * Program by William Soleau March 1991 Requires Mouse and EGA Graphics Card Version 4.0 INSTRUCTIONS Welcome to Oil Cap.... The game Oil Cap pits you against the clock as you try to create links which will allow the oil to flow freely, once it starts to begin oozing from the rocks. The game board is a 11 x 8 grid. At the start of each level, there will be a starting square. It will be obvious, however it does say "Start" on it. It is from this grid that the oil will begin to flow once the clock timer gets to 0:00. At the bottom of the screen (below the game board), you will see four blocks of links. Your mouse cursor will be on the forth one across. This is the present link to be placed. Select that link by pressing the left button on your mouse. The link will then disappear, and your cursor will now be visible on the game board. You must remember what that link looked like because you won't be able to see it again until you place it on board. Simply find the grid with your mouse where you want to to put the link. Press the left button again and it will then be placed there. Once you place the link, the other pieces below will move over one, and the process is repeated until the oil starts to flow and runs out of links to pass through. You can still place links on the game board even while the oil is flowing. Don't let the oil run out of links or that level will end and the score will be totaled. Special Links There are many special links which you can use to increase your score. Bonus links sometimes appear on the grid board. Each one of these has either 100/200/500/1000 points written on it. If you can make the oil pass through these links, that number will be added to your total at the end of the round. Also you will find special 50 point link's that occasionally will come along to be placed by you. These links are very squiggly. This makes the oil spend more time getting through them, thus giving you valuable time, racing to keep ahead of the gushing oil. You cannot place links on any black grid or the starting grid. Also once the oil starts to flow, and has passed through a link, it also cannot be replaced by a new link. You ARE allowed to place a link on top of an existing link, however there will be a time delay of 4 or 5 seconds in which you will have to wait before you can continue to lay links. Therefore place your links carefully and think ahead. By looking at the links that are coming up, you can figure out just where to place the link to the best advantage. Certain links are built like this (+) which means that the oil can either pass down through it or across it. If you can get the oil to pass through itself, then 100 points will be added to you score. If you can get 4/8/12/16 crosses of oil, you also get bonus points. (see scoring) At some levels, there will be a floating black grid that will move around the board each time you select a link to place. It sometimes will appear in the place you might want to put your present link... get the idea! (you'll have to wait until your next selection to make it move) Oil Rigs At certain levels there will be a Oil Rig on the game board. No matter what, you must make the flowing oil end up there, or the game will be over. You get an extra 400 points to do this. The round will end once the oil has found it cannot continue to flow. The points will be then be totaled up. For each link not used, it will deduct 60 points from your score. To continue onto the next level you must have at least a certain number of points, which is calculated as follows. (your present score)+ 200 + ( Level*10 ) Therefore at level 1, you need at least 210 points in order to go to the next level. The score you need to reach for the next level will be shown at the bottom of the screen, along with your present score and the level. On the right hand side of your screen, there is a special box marked crosses, which will keep track of how many times you got the oil to cross itself during game play. The game will end if you do not reach your total needed for continuation of play, or if there is an Oil Rig present on the grid board and you did not end the flow of oil there, no matter how many points you scored. Remember! If you see a Oil Rig on the game board, YOU MUST END THERE! or the game will end. CLOCK / OIL SPEED On the upper right hand side of the board will be the clock. At the beginning, you will have 40 seconds to place your links before the oils starts to flow. At the higher levels, the clock will only give you 35 then 30...25 etc.... The speed of the oil flow will increase at level 7. NOTE: For 33mhz Computers Only or Real Cheaters If you have anything under a 33mhz computer the game will set the proper speed. If you find that it is too fast, then create a special file called OILCAP.SPD and put 0 in the file. To do this: At the Dos prompt type -> COPY CON OILCAP.SPD (enter) type -> 0 (enter) press SCORING 50 point links = 50 points 100 point links = 100 points 200 point links = 200 points 500 point links = 500 points 1000 point links = 1000 points 4 oil crosses = 1000 points 8 oil crosses = 3000 points 12 oil crosses = 5000 points 16 oil crosses = 10000 points Oil Rig = 400 points Unused link = minus 60 Unused Oil Rig = Game over Bonus Rounds Every 10000 points, you will get a special bonus round. You don't have to worry about reaching any score to continue. All points you acquire, will be added to you score. Unused links will not be subtracted, so the bonus round can only increase your score. *** Conclusion *** Upon the ending of the game, your score will be compared to the top 10 high scores. If you are within the top ten, you will be recorded as such. This version has a total of 12 levels, for unlimited levels see the Upgrade details below. *** Enjoy *** Upgrade Description The details on how to upgrade the program are provided at the closing screen. With the registration of your game, you have access to as many levels as you can reach. Past level 12, things start to get more difficult. The pieces which you see at the bottom of the screen, will be reduced from 4 to 3 to 2... thus making it harder to plan ahead. There are quite a number of challenges at the higher levels, especially as the countdown clock speeds up. So for more details see closing screen.