Slide
-------
Windows Sliding Puzzle Game
Version 1.01
(C) 1990 David A. Feinleib
Introduction
-------------
The object of Slide is to move numbered pieces in a contained area
in order to put them in the correct order. A Slide box looks similar
to Figure 1.
ЪДДДДВДДДДВДДДДВДДДДї
і 1 і 2 і 3 і 4 і
ГДДДДЕДДДДЕДДДДЕДДДДґ
і 5 і 6 і 7 і 8 і
ГДДДДЕДДДДЕДДДДЕДДДДґ
і 9 і 10 і 11 і 12 і
ГДДДДЕДДДДЕДДДДЕДДДДґ
і 13 і 14 і 15 і і
АДДДДБДДДДБДДДДБДДДДЩ
Figure 1
Running/Installing Slide
-------------------------
Please note that the following directions assume you are using a
mouse or other pointing device. If you are not, please refer to your
Windows documentation for equivalent keystrokes.
1. Copy WINCLOCK.EXE to your Windows directory or another directory
of your choice.
2. Do one of the following:
Note: Option D (which combines options B and C) is highly
recommended over A, B, and C.
A. Click on "File" then "Run..." in the Program Manager menu.
Type WINCLOCK.EXE (including the path) in the "Command
line" edit box and click "OK". If you use this option,
you will have to do this every time you want to run
WinClock.
B. Click on one of the program groups in the Presentation
Manager (the "Accessories" group is suggested). Select
"File" then "New..." from the program manager menu.
Select "Program Item" and type WINCLOCK.EXE in the
"Command line" edit box. For example, you might type:
C:\WINDOWS\WINCLOCK.EXE if that was the directory into
which you had copied WinClock. When you want to run
WinClock, double click on the WinClock icon.
C. On the line that says "load=" in your WIN.INI file,
add WINCLOCK.EXE (with the appropriate path). For
example, if you copied WINCLOCK.EXE to C:\WINDOWS,
the line would say: load=C:\WINDOWS\WINCLOCK.EXE
This option will automatically run WinClock each time
you run Windows.
D. Do both B and C, which will automatically run WinClock
and allow you to run WinClock easily if you close it.
Slide creates a window with a 4x4 game in it.
Rules of the Game
------------------
You may click on any number which is next to the space without a
number in it. You have solved the puzzle when the numbers are in
consecutive order. The solved Slide puzzle will look similar to the
one shown in Figure 1 (although it may be a different size or have a
different number of numbers in it).
Playing Slide
--------------
Since the puzzle is originally in order, you should first mix up the
pieces. A minimum of twenty moves is suggested. The more you mix
up the puzzle, the harder it will be to solve. After you have mixed
up the pieces, you should begin to solve the puzzle.
You may change the size of the puzzle so that it has fewer or more
numbers in it. The larger the size of the puzzle, the greater the
challenge in solving it. To change the puzzle size:
1. Click on "Game" in the Slide menu bar and then on "New".
2. A pop-up window will ask you if it is OK to end the current game. To
end the current game and begin a new one (and change the size if you
want to) click "OK", otherwise click "Cancel."
3. A dialog box will appear.
You may click on the puzzle size you would like, from 3x3 to 9x9.
The missing number is the number which is missing from the puzzle.
The default missing number will appear in the missing number edit
box (the default is shown when you click on a puzzle size). To
change the missing number to a number other than the default, click
on the edit box and then type the number you would like. An
invalid number will result in a return to the default. While at the
new game dialog box, you may get help by clicking on "Help." When
you are finished selecting, click on "OK." If you want to return to
the game you were playing, click "Cancel."
Opening a Previously Saved Game
--------------------------------
You may open a previously saved game. By doing this you may continue
a game you saved earlier and you do not have to mix up the pieces.
(For information on the saved games that come with Slide, see the
section "Saved Games that come with Slide.") To open a saved game,
click on "Game" then on "Open." A dialog box will appear
in which you may select the game to open. The default extension for
Slide games is ".SLD." You may return to the game you were playing
by clicking on cancel.
Saving Games
-------------
To save a game, click on "Game." You may click on "Save" to save a
game that has been saved before. If the game has not been saved
before, a dialog box will prompt you for the name of the file in
which to save the game, otherwise the game will be saved under its
current name. If you want to save your game under a different name,
click on "Save As." If the file you specify already exists, Slide
will ask you if you want to overwrite it, if you want to, click "OK,"
otherwise click "Cancel."
Saving Games in Slide for DOS Format
-------------------------------------
Since Slide also comes in a version that runs in DOS instead of MS
Windows, you may save games in Slide for DOS format so that you may
play them in Slide for DOS. (Games that are saved in Slide for DOS
format will automatically be read by Slide for Windows.) To save in
Slide for DOS format, click on "Game" then on "Save DOS format."
If the game has not been saved before, a dialog box will prompt you
for the name of the file in which to save the game, otherwise the
game will be saved under its current name. If the file you specify
already exists, Slide will ask you if you want to overwrite it. If
you want to, click "OK," otherwise click "Cancel."
Opening your last game played
------------------------------
When you quit Slide, Slide automatically saves your current game in
the current directory so that you may return to the game at a later
time. The game is saved in the file "LASTGAME.SLD" so you may also
open using the "Game - Open" command. To open your last game, click
on "Game" then on "Last game." Slide will automatically bring up
your last game.
Undoing moves
--------------
Unlike other Sliding puzzle games, Slide has the ability to undo all
the moves you have made in the puzzle. To undo moves, click on
"Undo" in the Slide menu.
Slide can save up to 1,000 moves that you can undo. When you save
a game (except when you save in Slide for DOS format), Slide saves
your moves so that you may undo them when you "Open" the game.
Saved games that come with Slide
---------------------------------
Included with Slide are several game files that have been mixed up
and then saved. These may be opened the same way as any other game
files. Below is a list of the included saved games.
Filename Description
-------- -----------
EVENODD.SLD All even numbers then all odd numbers
ODDEVEN.SLD All odd numbers then all even numbers
GAME3.SLD A mixed up 3x3 puzzle
GAME4.SLD A mixed up 4x4 puzzle
Libraries of more mixed up, saved Slide games are available on
Bulletin boards and from me (see below under "Libraries").
Moving and Sizing Slide
------------------------
When you start a new game, you may want to make the puzzle bigger.
To do this, move to one of the corners of the puzzle and click on
the left mouse button. While holding the button down, move the
arrow until the puzzle is at the size you want it to be. You can
also change the size by clicking on size in the system menu.
To move Slide, move the pointer to the caption bar and while holding
the left mouse button down, move the puzzle to the desired location.
History of Sliding Puzzle Games
--------------------------------
The date of the first sliding puzzle game is unknown. Although many
sliding block puzzles may be found in stores (and some on computers!)
one of the most famous is Sam Loyd's "Fifteen-Fourteen" puzzle in
which the numbers were in order except that the numbers 15 and 14
were reversed. In the 1870's, Loyd offered a $1,000 reward to anyone
who could solve the puzzle. This is mathematically impossible since
in order to solve a puzzle, there must be an even number of exchanges
if the numbers are picked up and moved to their proper positions.
For more information on Sliding block puzzles, please refer to
"Puzzles: Old & New", by Jerry Slocum and Jack Botermans (University
of Washington Press, 1986). This book provided much of the
information for this short history of sliding block puzzles and has
some excellent photographs of old sliding block puzzles. Also refer
to Sliding Piece Puzzles, by Edward Hordern (Oxford University Press,
1986).
Getting Help
-------------
You may get a summary of Slide commands and their meanings by
clicking on "Help."
Ending Slide
-------------
To exit Slide, click on "Game" then "Exit." If you have made any
moves since your last save (or if you have not saved), Slide will
prompt you if you want to save your game. If you have saved your
game, and choose "Yes" your game will be saved and Slide will end.
If you have not saved your game and choose "Yes," Slide will prompt
you for a filename. If you choose "No" Slide will exit will without
saving. Choosing "Cancel" will return you to the current game.
Payment/Registration
---------------------
Slide is ShareWare.
You may make copies of this program and give them to others as long
as the documentation is included, both unaltered.
If you like this program, a $5 registration fee would be appreciated.
If you send $12 or more, you will receive the next version of Slide
when it becomes available as well as a 10 game library of mixed up
games. Please include your name, address, and current version
number. Comments and suggestions (with or without the registration
fee) would be greatly appreciated. Send to:
David A. Feinleib
1430 Mass. Ave. Suite 306-42
Cambridge, MA 02138
You can send comments and suggestions to me on BIX at "Pgm".
Libraries of mixed up, saved Slide games
-----------------------------------------
Libraries of mixed up, saved Slide Games are available on Buletin
Boards and from ShareWare libraries. If you would like to order
directly from me, registered users send $2.00 and unregistered users
send $3.00 to me at the above address with your name and address.
Please specify disk format.