--- /dev/null
+\title Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection
+
+\cfg{winhelp-filename}{puzzles.hlp}
+\cfg{winhelp-contents-titlepage}{Contents}
+
+\cfg{text-filename}{puzzles.txt}
+
+\cfg{xhtml-contents-filename}{index.html}
+\cfg{xhtml-leaf-level}{1}
+\cfg{xhtml-contents-depth-0}{1}
+\cfg{xhtml-contents-depth-1}{2}
+\cfg{xhtml-leaf-contains-contents}{true}
+
+\cfg{info-filename}{puzzles.info}
+
+\cfg{ps-filename}{puzzles.ps}
+\cfg{pdf-filename}{puzzles.pdf}
+
+This is a collection of small one-player puzzle games.
+
+\copyright This manual is copyright 2004 Simon Tatham. All rights
+reserved. You may distribute this documentation under the MIT licence.
+See \k{licence} for the licence text in full.
+
+\versionid $Id: puzzles.but,v 1.1 2004/08/16 12:23:56 simon Exp $
+
+
+\C{intro} Introduction
+
+I wrote this collection because I thought there should be more small
+desktop toys available: little games you can pop up in a window and
+play for two or three minutes while you take a break from whatever
+else you were doing. And I was also annoyed that every time I found a
+good game on (say) \i{Unix}, it wasn't available the next time I was
+sitting at a \i{Windows} machine, or vice versa; so I arranged that
+everything in my personal puzzle collection will happily run on both.
+When I find (or perhaps invent) further puzzle games that I like,
+they'll be added to this collection and will immediately be available
+on both platforms. And if anyone feels like writing any other front
+ends - Mac OS, PocketPC, or whatever it might be - then all the games
+in this framework will immediately become available on another
+platform as well.
+
+The actual games in this collection were mostly not my invention; I
+saw them elsewhere, and rewrote them in a form that was more
+convenient for me. I do not claim credit, in general, for inventing
+the rules of any of these puzzles; all I claim is authorship of the
+code (or at least those parts of the code that weren't contributed
+by other people!).
+
+This collection is distributed under the \i{MIT licence} (see
+\k{licence}). This means that you can do pretty much anything you like
+with the game binaries or the code, except pretending you wrote them
+yourself, or suing me if anything goes wrong.
+
+The most recent versions, and \i{source code}, can be found at
+\I{website}\W{http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/puzzles/}\cw{http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/puzzles/}.
+
+Please report \I{feedback}\i{bugs} to
+\W{mailto:anakin@pobox.com}\cw{anakin@pobox.com}.
+You might find it helpful to read this article before reporting a bug:
+
+\W{http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html}\cw{http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html}
+
+\ii{Patches} are welcome. Especially if they provide a new front end
+(to make all these games run on another platform), or a new game.
+
+
+\C{common} \ii{Common features}
+
+This chapter describes features that are common to all the games.
+
+\H{common-actions} \I{controls}Common actions
+
+These actions are all available from the \I{Game menu}\q{Game} menu
+and via \I{keys}keyboard shortcuts, in addition to any game-specific
+actions.
+
+\dt \ii\e{New game} (\q{N}, Ctrl+\q{N})
+
+\dd Starts a new game, with a random initial state.
+
+\dt \ii\e{Restart game} (\q{R})
+
+\dd Resets the current game to its initial state. Undo is lost.
+
+\dt \ii\e{Undo} (\q{U}, Ctrl+\q{Z}, Ctrl+\q{_})
+
+\dd Undoes a single move. (You can undo moves back to the start of the
+game.)
+
+\dt \ii\e{Redo} (Ctrl+\q{R})
+
+\dd Redoes a previous undone move.
+
+\dt \I{exit}\ii\e{Quit} (\q{Q}, Ctrl+\q{Q})
+
+\dd Closes the application entirely.
+
+\H{common-id} Recreating games with the \ii{game ID}
+
+The \q{\i{Specific...}} option from the \I{Game menu}\q{Game} menu
+lets you see a short string (the \q{game ID}) that captures the
+initial state of the current game.
+
+The precise \I{ID format}format of the ID is specific to each game.
+It consists of two parts delimited by a colon (e.g., \c{c4x4:4F01,0});
+the first part encodes \i\e{parameters} (such as grid size), while the
+second part encodes a \i\e{seed}, which determines the \i{initial
+state} of the game within those parameters.
+
+You can specify a new ID (or just a seed) here. Pressing \q{OK} starts
+a new game with the specified ID (whether you changed it or not).
+Pressing \q{Cancel} returns to the current game.
+
+You can also use the game ID (or just the encoded parameters) as a
+\i{command line} argument; see \k{common-cmdline} for more detail.
+
+Game IDs are portable across platforms; you can use a game ID
+generated by the Windows version of a game on the Unix version, etc.
+
+\H{common-type} The \q{Type} menu
+
+The \I{Type menu}\q{Type} menu, if present, may contain a list of
+\i{preset} game settings. Selecting one of these will start a new
+random game with the parameters specified.
+
+The \q{Type} menu may also contain a \q{\i{Custom...}} option which
+allows you to fine-tune game \i{parameters}. The parameters available
+are specific to each game and are described in the following sections.
+
+\H{common-cmdline} Specifying game parameters on the \i{command line}
+
+The games in this collection deliberately do not ever save
+information on to the computer they run on: they have no high score
+tables and no saved preferences. (This is because I expect at least
+some people to play them at work, and those people will probably
+appreciate leaving as little evidence as possible!)
+
+However, if you do want to arrange for one of these games to default
+to a particular set of parameters, you can specify them on the
+command line.
+
+The easiest way to do this is to set up the parameters you want
+using the \q{Type} menu (see \k{common-type}), and then to select
+\q{Specific} from the \q{Game} menu (see \k{common-id}). The text in
+the \q{Game ID} box will be composed of two parts, separated by a
+colon. The first of these parts represents the game parameters (the
+size of the playing area, for example, and anything else you set
+using the \q{Type} menu).
+
+If you run the game with just that parameter text on the command
+line, it will start up with the settings you specified.
+
+For example: if you run Cube (see \k{cube}), select \q{Octahedron}
+from the \q{Type} menu, and then go to the game ID selection, you
+will see a string of the form \cq{o2x2:911A81,10}. Take only the
+part before the colon (\cq{o2x2}), and start Cube with that text on
+the command line: \cq{cube o2x2}.
+
+If you copy the \e{entire} game ID on to the command line, the game
+will start up in the specific game that was described. This is
+occasionally a more convenient way to start a particular game ID
+than by pasting it into the game ID selection box.
+
+\C{net} \i{Net}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.net}
+
+(\e{Note:} the \i{Windows} version of this game is called
+\i\cw{NETGAME.EXE} to avoid clashing with Windows's own \cw{NET.EXE}.)
+
+I originally saw this in the form of a Flash game called \i{FreeNet}
+\k{FreeNet}, written by Pavils Jurjans. The computer prepares a
+network by connecting up the centres of squares in a grid, and then
+shuffles the network by rotating every tile randomly. Your job is to
+rotate it all back into place. The successful solution will be an
+entirely connected network, with no closed loops. \#{Is it also true
+that a correct solution will not contain any cycles?} As a visual aid,
+all tiles which are connected to the one in the middle are
+highlighted.
+
+\B{FreeNet} \W{http://www.jurjans.lv/stuff/net/FreeNet.htm}\cw{http://www.jurjans.lv/stuff/net/FreeNet.htm}
+
+\H{net-controls} \i{Net controls}
+
+\IM{Net controls} controls, for Net
+\IM{Net controls} keys, for Net
+\IM{Net controls} shortcuts (keyboard), for Net
+
+This game can be played with either the keyboard or the mouse. The
+controls are:
+
+\dt \e{Select tile}: mouse pointer, arrow keys
+
+\dt \e{Rotate tile anticlockwise}: left mouse button, \q{A} key
+
+\dt \e{Rotate tile clockwise}: right mouse button, \q{D} key
+
+\dt \e{Lock (or unlock) tile}: middle mouse button, shift-click, \q{S} key
+
+\dd You can lock a tile once you're sure of its orientation. You can
+also unlock it again, but while it's locked you can't accidentally
+turn it.
+
+(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.)
+
+\H{net-params} \I{parameters, for Net}Net parameters
+
+These parameters are available from the \q{Custom...} option on the
+\q{Type} menu.
+
+\dt \e{Width}, \e{Height}
+
+\dd Size of grid in tiles.
+
+\dt \e{Walls wrap around}
+
+\dd If checked, flow can pass from the left edge to the right edge,
+and from top to bottom, and vice versa.
+
+\dt \e{Barrier probability}
+
+\dd A number between 0.0 and 1.0 controlling whether an immovable
+barrier is placed between two tiles to prevent flow between them (a
+higher number gives more barriers). Since barriers are immovable, they
+act as constraints on the solution (i.e., hints).
+
+\lcont{
+
+The grid generation in Net has been carefully arranged so that the
+barriers are independent of the rest of the grid. This means that if
+you change the \e{Barrier probability} parameter, and then re-enter
+the same game ID you were playing before (see \k{common-id}), you
+should see exactly the same starting grid, with the only change
+being the number of barriers. So if you're stuck on a particular
+grid and need a hint, you could start up another instance of Net,
+set up the same parameters but a higher barrier probability, and
+enter the game seed from the original Net window.
+
+}
+
+\C{cube} \i{Cube}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.cube}
+
+This is another one I originally saw as a web game. This one was a
+Java game \k{cube-java-game}, by Paul Scott. You have a grid of 16
+squares, six of which are blue; on one square rests a cube. Your move
+is to use the arrow keys to roll the cube through 90 degrees so that
+it moves to an adjacent square. If you roll the cube on to a blue
+square, the blue square is picked up on one face of the cube; if you
+roll a blue face of the cube on to a non-blue square, the blueness is
+put down again. (In general, whenever you roll the cube, the two faces
+that come into contact swap colours.) Your job is to get all six blue
+squares on to the six faces of the cube at the same time. Count your
+moves and try to do it in as few as possible.
+
+Unlike the original Java game, my version has an additional feature:
+once you've mastered the game with a cube rolling on a square grid,
+you can change to a triangular grid and roll any of a tetrahedron, an
+octahedron or an icosahedron.
+
+\B{cube-java-game} \W{http://www3.sympatico.ca/paulscott/cube/cube.htm}\cw{http://www3.sympatico.ca/paulscott/cube/cube.htm}
+
+\H{cube-controls} \i{Cube controls}
+
+\IM{Cube controls} controls, for Cube
+\IM{Cube controls} keys, for Cube
+\IM{Cube controls} shortcuts (keyboard), for Cube
+
+This game is played with the keyboard. The arrow keys are used to roll the
+cube (or other solid).
+
+On the triangular grids, the mapping of arrow keys to directions is
+more approximate. Vertical movement is disallowed where it doesn't
+make sense. The four keys surrounding the arrow keys on the numeric
+keypad (\q{7}, \q{9}, \q{1}, \q{3}) can be used for diagonal movement.
+
+(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.)
+
+\H{cube-params} \I{parameters, for Cube}Cube parameters
+
+These parameters are available from the \q{Custom...} option on the
+\q{Type} menu.
+
+\dt \e{Type of solid}
+
+\dd Selects the solid to roll (and hence the shape of the grid):
+tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, or icosahedron.
+
+\dt \e{Width / top}, \e{Height / bottom}
+
+\dd On a square grid, horizontal and vertical dimensions. On a
+triangular grid, the number of triangles on the top and bottom rows
+respectively.
+
+
+\C{fifteen} \i{Fifteen}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.fifteen}
+
+The old ones are the best: this is the good old \q{\i{15-puzzle}} with
+sliding tiles. You have a 4x4 square grid; 15 squares contain numbered
+tiles, and the sixteenth is empty. Your move is to choose a tile next
+to the empty space, and slide it into the space. The aim is to end up
+with the tiles in numerical order, with the space in the bottom right
+(so that the top row reads 1,2,3,4 and the bottom row reads
+13,14,15,\e{space}).
+
+\H{fifteen-controls} \i{Fifteen controls}
+
+\IM{Fifteen controls} controls, for Fifteen
+\IM{Fifteen controls} keys, for Fifteen
+\IM{Fifteen controls} shortcuts (keyboard), for Fifteen
+
+This game can be controlled with the mouse or the keyboard.
+
+A left-click with the mouse in the row or column containing the empty
+space will move as many tiles as necessary to move the space to the
+mouse pointer.
+
+The arrow keys will move a tile adjacent to the space in the direction
+indicated (moving the space in the \e{opposite} direction).
+
+(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.)
+
+\H{fifteen-params} \I{parameters, for Fifteen}Fifteen parameters
+
+The only options available from the \q{Custom...} option on the \q{Type}
+menu are \e{Width} and \e{Height}, which are self-explanatory. (Once
+you've changed these, it's not a \q{15-puzzle} any more, of course!)
+
+
+\C{sixteen} \i{Sixteen}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.sixteen}
+
+Another sliding tile puzzle, visually similar to Fifteen (see
+\k{fifteen}) but with a different type of move. This time, there is no
+hole: all 16 squares on the grid contain numbered squares. Your move
+is to shift an entire row left or right, or shift an entire column up
+or down; every time you do that, the tile you shift off the grid
+re-appears at the other end of the same row, in the space you just
+vacated. To win, arrange the tiles into numerical order (1,2,3,4 on
+the top row, 13,14,15,16 on the bottom). When you've done that, try
+playing on different sizes of grid.
+
+I \e{might} have invented this game myself, though only by accident if
+so (and I'm sure other people have independently invented it). I
+thought I was imitating a screensaver I'd seen, but I have a feeling
+that the screensaver might actually have been a Fifteen-type puzzle
+rather than this slightly different kind. So this might be the one
+thing in my puzzle collection which represents creativity on my part
+rather than just engineering.
+
+\H{sixteen-controls} \I{controls, for Sixteen}Sixteen controls
+
+This game is played with the mouse. Left-clicking on an arrow will
+move the appropriate row or column in the direction indicated.
+Right-clicking will move it in the opposite direction.
+
+(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.)
+
+\H{sixteen-params} \I{parameters, for Sixteen}Sixteen parameters
+
+The only parameters available from the \q{Custom...} option on the
+\q{Type} menu are \e{Width} and \e{Height}, which are
+self-explanatory.
+
+
+\C{rectangles} \i{Rectangles}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.rectangles}
+
+You have a grid of squares, with numbers written in some (but not all)
+of the squares. Your task is to subdivide the grid into rectangles of
+various sizes, such that (a) every rectangle contains exactly one
+numbered square, and (b) the area of each rectangle is equal to the
+number written in its numbered square.
+
+Credit for this game goes to the Japanese puzzle magazine \i{Nikoli}
+\k{nikoli}; I've also seen a Palm implementation at \i{Puzzle Palace}
+\k{puzzle-palace}. Unlike Puzzle Palace's implementation, my version
+automatically generates random grids of any size you like. The quality
+of puzzle design is therefore not quite as good as hand-crafted
+puzzles would be (in particular, a unique solution cannot be
+guaranteed), but on the plus side you get an inexhaustible supply of
+puzzles tailored to your own specification.
+
+\B{nikoli} \W{http://www.nikoli.co.jp/puzzles/7/index_text-e.htm}\cw{http://www.nikoli.co.jp/puzzles/7/index_text-e.htm}
+
+\B{puzzle-palace} \W{http://www.puzzle.gr.jp/puzzle/sikaku/palm/index.html.en}\cw{http://www.puzzle.gr.jp/puzzle/sikaku/palm/index.html.en}
+
+\H{rectangles-controls} \I{controls, for Rectangles}Rectangles controls
+
+This game is played with the mouse.
+
+Left-click any edge to toggle it on or off, or click and drag to draw
+an entire rectangle (or line) on the grid in one go (removing any
+existing edges within that rectangle).
+
+When a rectangle of the correct size is completed, it will be shaded.
+
+(All the actions described in \k{common-actions} are also available.)
+
+\H{rectangles-params} \I{parameters, for Rectangles}Rectangles parameters
+
+The only parameters available from the \q{Custom...} option on the
+\q{Type} menu are \e{Width} and \e{Height}, which are
+self-explanatory.
+
+
+\C{netslide} \i{Netslide}
+
+\cfg{winhelp-topic}{games.netslide}
+
+This game was submitted by Richard Boulton. It combines the grid
+generation of Net (see \k{net}) with the movement of Sixteen (see
+\k{sixteen}): you have a Net grid, but instead of rotating tiles back
+into place you have to slide them into place by moving a whole row at
+a time.
+
+
+As in Sixteen, \I{controls, for Netslide}control is with the mouse.
+See \k{sixteen-controls}.
+
+\I{parameters, for Netslide}Game parameters are the same as for Net
+(see \k{net-params}).
+
+
+\A{licence} \I{MIT licence}\ii{Licence}
+
+This software is \i{copyright} 2004 Simon Tatham.
+
+Portions copyright Richard Boulton.
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
+obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files
+(the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction,
+including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge,
+publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software,
+and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
+included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
+EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
+NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS
+BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN
+ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
+CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
+
+\IM{specific...} Specific..., menu option
+\IM{custom...} Custom..., menu option
+
+\IM{game ID} game ID
+\IM{game ID} ID, game
+\IM{ID format} ID format
+\IM{ID format} format, ID
+\IM{ID format} game ID, format
+
+\IM{keys} keys
+\IM{keys} shortcuts (keyboard)
+
+\IM{initial state} initial state
+\IM{initial state} state, initial
+
+\IM{MIT licence} MIT licence
+\IM{MIT licence} licence, MIT
~ian / sgt-puzzles.git / commitdiff