* SOLEAU SOFTWARE PRESENTS * OILCAP (6.0) _____________________________ Programed by William Soleau 1990 Version 6.0 (c) 1992 Requirements: Mouse and EGA Graphics Card Files Needed: OILCAP.OV1 OILCAP.OV2 OILCAP.OV3 OILCAP.OV4 OILCAP.OV5 OILCAP6.EXE * Directions / Objective * Welcome to Oil Cap.... The objective of Oil Cap is to create a consecutive series of links, as long as possible, through which the oil can flow without reaching a dead end. At the beginning of each level, there will be a starting square. It will say "Start" on it. It is from this grid that the oil will begin to flow once the clock timer reaches 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 fourth one across. This is the present link to be placed onto the 8 X 11 grid board. 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 the board. With your mouse cursor, find where you want to put that link and press the left button again to place it there. Once you have placed the link, the other pieces below will move over one, and you can continue placing links until the clock counts down to 0:00 and the oil starts to flow from the starting grid. You can still place links on the game board while the oil is flowing, but don't let the oil run out of links to move through, or that level will end and your score will be totaled. ** Note ** See added features for version 6.0, at the end of these directions, allowing you to speed up the oil once you've finished placing all your links. Also, a much requested
ause button has been added to this version.
* SPECIAL LINKS *
There are many special links that 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 links that occasionally come along and are
to be placed by you. These links are very squiggly. This makes
the oil spend more time getting through them, giving you valuable
time as you race to keep ahead of the gushing oil.
You cannot place links on any black grid or the starting
grid. 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
your score. If you can get 4/8/12/16 crosses of oil, you also get
bonus points (see scoring).
On some levels, there will be a floating black grid that will
move around the board each time you select a link to place. It
will sometimes appear where you 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 an Oil Rig on the game board.
NO MATTER WHAT, YOU MUST MAKE THE OIL END UP FLOWING INTO THE
BOTTOM OF THAT RIG, OR ELSE THE GAME WILL BE OVER, NO MATTER HOW
MANY POINTS YOU HAVE SCORED THAT ROUND!
* END OF LEVEL *
The round will end when the oil cannot continue to flow. The
points will then be totaled up. For each link not used, 60 points
will be deducted 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 * 20)
Therefore at level 1, you need at least 220 points in order to
continue 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 score and the present 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 an Oil Rig on
the game board, YOU MUST END THE OIL THERE or the game will end.
* CLOCK / OIL SPEED *
In the upper right hand side of the board, there is a clock.
At the beginning, you will have 40 seconds to place your links
before the oil starts to flow. At the higher levels, the clock
will only give you 35 seconds, 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 ause
ound Toggle
uit Oilcap
50 point links = 50 points
100 point links = 100 points
200 point links = 200 points
500 point links = 500 points
1,000 point links = 1,000 points
4 oil crosses = 1,000 points
8 oil crosses = 3,000 points
12 oil crosses = 5,000 points
16+ oil crosses = 10,000 points
Oil Rig = 100 points
Unused link = minus 60
Unused Oil Rig = Game over
* BONUS ROUNDS *
Every 10,000 points, you will get a special bonus round in
which you don't have to worry about reaching any score to continue.
All the points you acquire will be added to your score and unused
links will not be subtracted. The bonus round can only increase
your score.
* VERSION 6.0 : NEW FEATURES *
Speeding up oil when links are placed
If you have placed all your links down and are just waiting
for the oil to finish running through the pipes, press the