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What is Columns Max for Windows ?
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Columns Max for Windows is a fast-paced falling blocks game.  Guaranteed to
get you addicted, Columns Max for Windows features beautiful 256-color
artwork, an original music soundtrack, terrific sound effects, and more.
Systems which are not 256-color or sound-capable are also supported.

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Contents
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- System Requirements
- Background Music
- Graphics Features
- Comments, Suggestions, Bug Reports: Contacting the author
- Registration
- Controls
- Highlights of v2.5
- Bonus Disk Set

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System Requirements
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Columns Max has been beta tested on Pentium systems with 16-32MB of memory.
The memory requirements may be quite steep because Columns Max needs to
load large background music files.  To enjoy the background music and sound 
effects, you will need to have a sound card with wave playing ability 
supported by Windows (such as Microsoft Sound System, or Creative Labs 
Sound Blaster).  

* If you cannot make Columns Max even start up, try creating a file called 
  CMAX.INI in your WINDOWS directory and putting the following lines 
  there:
                [Settings]
                LoadMusic=0

  This will force Columns Max to ignore the music and sound settings and
  not load any music files.  You will be able to play, but will have no
  music or sound effects.

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Background Music
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This version of Columns Max, 2.5, uses the Microsoft WAVMIX16.DLL sound 
mixing library.  You may notice that the background music has stopped 
playing after six or seven minutes (in rare instances, even less) of 
continuous music.  If this occurs, press the <TAB> key to restart the 
music.

For those systems which are not sound capable, unselecting the "Load Music"
check box in the preferences dialog will prevent Columns Max from loading 
the music and sound files, decreasing load time and memory requirements.

The music BLM modules are Copyright Opinicus Microtechnologies, and may be
freely distributed only as part of the Columns Max for Windows game for use
by the Columns Max executable.  See the distribution information for more 
details.

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Graphics Features
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Columns Max v2.5 has many graphic options which are turned off by
default because they may load your processor and result in poor game
performance.  If you have a fast video card and/or system, try:

* Enabling "Smooth Dropping" and "Smooth Animation" in the Graphics
  Preferences dialog box.  A sample animated piece file, JACKS, is
  provided.

* Enabling the pit graphic.

* Changing the size of the game pieces from normal size to 25%, 50%, 
  75%, and 100% larger than the default size. Double size (100% larger)
  pieces often look best.

If you are running in high-color (16-bit color) mode, try using the
CMDEF_HI and BURST_HI piece modules, which are composed of high-color
bitmaps.

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Comments, Suggestions, Bug Reports
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I look forward to hearing from you.  If you encounter problems while
playing Columns Max, I would appreciate any information that you can 
provide, such as your system configuration and a detailed description 
of the problem.

Suggestions for improvements are also very welcome.

Contact me at the address listed below, or send email to:
America Online: Yevg
Internet:       yevg@aol.com 
CompuServe:     76101,2317

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Registration
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Columns Max is $15 shareware (free for those people who've paid for previous 
versions).  A discount is available for registered users of Bricklayer
for Windows.

If you enjoy and play Columns Max, PLEASE send in the $15 shareware fee.
It is not very much compared to the cost of a commercial game, and it
motivates me to keep improving Columns Max as well as to work on new games.
If you play, please pay.  Upgrades to new versions of Columns Max are always
free for registered users.

Registered users receive a registration code which allows use of a larger
variety of background and piece graphics, and removes "unregistered" notices
in the game window and About box.  Registered users may also order the
Bonus Disk Set (described in a separate section below).

To register Columns Max, please
* send a US$15 check payable to Yevgeny Gurevich or Vanilla-Extract Software
  to the address listed   below.  If you live outside of the U.S., please
  send an international money order (preferred) or cash, since checks drawn
  on foreign banks are sometimes difficult to clear.  Please do NOT send 
  Eurocheques, as they are more costly to process than their face value
  ($20.00 to process the $15.00 registration).

If you are a registered user of Bricklayer, you receive a 33% discount - you
need only send $10.00 to register Columns Max.

Site licenses are available. 

** See REGFORM.TXT for a detailed pricing schedule **

Yevgeny Gurevich
Vanilla-Extract Software
P.O. Box 391
Falls Church, VA 22040-0391

America Online: Yevg
Internet:       yevg@aol.com 
CompuServe:     76101,2317

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Controls
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Keyboard and joystick control is customizable with the [Change Controls...]
Options menu item.

Keyboard Settings:
The numeric keypad keys are active as control keys in addition to any
user-selectable settings.  The default user-selectable keyboard
settings are the 'j', 'k', and 'l' keys for left, rotate, and right 
motion, and the spacebar for the drop.  The 'a' key controls the push.
On the numeric keypad, the 4, 5, 6, and 0 act the same as the j, k, l, and
space.

Joystick Settings:
Joystick controls may be selected and calibrated in this dialog box if the
"Joystick" radio button is selected for either player.  Usually, the
joystick needs to be calibrated only once.  Columns Max saves calibration
information for future games.  Sometimes, due to joystick drift, you will
need to recalibrate the joystick.
Joystick controls are as follows: move the joystick left or right to move
the game piece left or right.  Move the joystick down to PUSH the piece
down.  Press Button 1 of the joystick to rotate the piece, and press Button 2
to DROP it.

Two Players:
The Controls dialog box allows users to specify controls for player 1 and
player 2.  In a two player game, each player uses their own individual
keyboard mappings (or a joystick if that is the control selected for that
player.)  Both players may elect to use the same joystick, same keyboard
mappings, one joystick and a keyboard, or two different keyboard mappings.
In one player games, the "Player 1" controls are used for keyboard mappings
and joystick selection.

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Highlights of v2.5
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Version 2.5 includes the following features
* Game window can be maximized
* Piece properties menu includes menu items for changing piece size
* Enhanced preferences dialog box
        The preferences dialog box has tabs for General, Music, and
        Graphics preferences.  This simplifies the control and makes
        it easy to find the options you want to change.
* Music status window
        The name of the currently-playing music module is displayed in a
        status window (can be removed by going to Music preferences).
        This window can be right-clicked to bring up a music properties
        menu.
* Game duration
        The duration of the game in Minutes:Seconds displayed during
        the course of a game and stored in high-scores list.
* Smooth dropping
        You can optionally have pieces drawn more smoothly as they drop.
* Smooth animation
        Support for animated pieces files has been improved.  Now
        animated pieces can be animated "real-time" without regard
        to how quickly a piece is falling.

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Bonus Disk Set
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A Bonus Disk Set is available for purchase by registered users of Columns Max
(it may also be purchased at the time of registeration) for the price of
$10.00.  You will receive disks of music compositions, background graphics,
piece graphics, and pit graphics.  The latest version of Columns Max is
included in the distribution.

NOTE: If you are an owner of the Bricklayer Bonus Disk Set, please don't
purchase the Columns Max disk set, as a number of graphics and music files
is common to both disk sets.

See REGFORM.TXT for a complete pricing schedule.
