                       Acumen Software
                         presents...
                 Micro! Deluxe (version 1.0)
                              
                    by Adrian B. Danieli
             Copyright (C) 1995 Acumen Software

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Features
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     Beautiful 3-D, animated graphics which fully exploit the VGA's 256-color
          palette.
     Large 4-way scrolling playfield.
     20 levels of play in the shareware version, 80 in the registered version
     Intuitive joystick & keyboard controls.
     Music support:
          Roland LAPC-I / MT-32 (or compatible).
          General MIDI (MPU-401 compliant).
          FM synthesis (Adlib or compatible).
     Sound support:
          Sound Blaster (or compatible) digitized effects.
          Roland LAPC-I / MT-32 (or compatible).
          FM synthesis (Adlib or compatible).
          PC speaker.
     Easy-to-use installation and setup program.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Requirements
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     286 (or higher) CPU required.
     VGA card.
     hard disk with 1.5 MB of disk space free.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     fast 386, 486, Pentium (or higher) CPU.
     fast VGA card.
     Roland LAPC-I / MT-32 (or compatible) for music.
     Sound Blaster (or compatible) for digitized sound effects.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contents of this Document
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

     1.0  Objective
     2.0  Installation / Setup
     3.0  Starting the Game
          3.1       The Main Menu
     4.0  Begin Play
          4.1       Skipping Levels
          4.2       Level Information
          4.3       Game Controls
          4.4       Floor Tiles
          4.5       Game Objects
          4.6       End of Level
     5.0  Level Designer
          5.1       The Piece Menu
          5.2       The Level Menu
          5.3       The File Menu
     6.0  How to Order
          6.1       How to Contact Acumen Software
          6.2       Legal stuff
     7.0  Credits


=============================================================================
(1.0) Objective
=============================================================================
     
     The object of this game is to eliminate all the spheres
in  the  playfield by redirecting a single laser beam.   You
control  Micro  --  a cute, purple ball.   By  rotating  and
moving  mirrors,  pushing obstacles, and throwing  switches,
you'll  help  Micro advance through many  levels  of  unique
puzzles  that range in difficulty level from the intuitively
obvious to nearly impossible.
      Each  level has a required number of spheres you  must
destroy in order to proceed to the next level.  Often, there
are  more  spheres on the screen than required.   Destroying
all  the spheres can be a very challenging task even  for  a
quick, perceptive player (like yourself).
     Users who have purchased the registered version of this
game receive an additional 60 levels of brain-teasers and  a
level  designer which allows them to create and  play  their
own puzzle sets.

=============================================================================
(2.0) Installation / Setup
=============================================================================

      First, run the installation program: MINSTALL (from  a
floppy or hard disk).  This program will copy and decompress
the  game files to your hard disk in a directory you specify
("C:\MICRODLX"  for  example).  The  file  MDLXSHAR.CQZ  (or
MDLXREGV.CQZ in the registered version) must be in  the same
directory as the MINSTALL executable file.
      Once  installation is complete, you should be  in  the
newly-created  directory we  have made for this  game.   You
will have to change to this directory each time you wish  to
play.   Now  run  the setup program to configure  the  game:
MSETUP.
     The following music configurations are supported:

None -- if you don't own a music card or don't want music
    Roland LAPC-I / MT-32 sound module (or compatible)
             General MIDI (MPU-401 compliant)
            FM synthesis (Adlib or compatible)

     The following sound configurations are supported:

       None -- if you don't want any sound effects
  Sound Blaster (or compatible) single-channel digitized
                          sound
 Sound Blaster overlapping, digitized sound effects (for
                     fast computers)
    Roland LAPC-I / MT-32 sound module (or compatible)
            FM synthesis (Adlib or compatible)
                        PC speaker


      If  you  own a joystick, make that selection from  the
controller  menu.   The  program  will  now  calibrate  your
joystick:  simply hold the joystick in the  direction  asked
and  press and release a button.  Note: Many computers  have
turbo  switches.   Be sure that the speed  the  computer  is
running at when you calibrate the joystick is the same speed
at  which  you play the game.  This is because the  joystick
routines are time-sensitive.
      Once you have configured the game, select the save and
exit  option from the main menu.  You are now ready to  play
the game.

=============================================================================
(3.0) Starting the Game
=============================================================================

      Change  to  the  directory on your  hard  drive  which
contains  this  game (for example CD \MICRODLX),  then  run:
MICRODLX.   The game title screen followed by the main  menu
should  appear.  If the game crashes, or if the sound output
sounds  messed up, your sound/music card settings  are  most
likely  invalid.  Rerun the setup program and check all  the
settings.   Make  sure everything is correct,  then  try  to
execute  the  game  again.  Note:  This  game  may  not  run
correctly  from within Microsoft Windows on slower  systems,
this includes the DOS prompt.  It is suggested that you exit
Windows completely to play the game.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3.1) The Main Menu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

      There  are  five (5) options on the main menu:   Begin
Play,  Level Designer, High Scores, How to Play,  and  Exit.
The  Begin  Play  selection is explained  below,  the  Level
Designer is described in detail later on in this document.
      The  High Scores option displays the top five  players
for  each  level  in the current puzzle  set.   Usually  the
current  puzzle set will be the "normal" puzzle set, however
if  you  are  using the registered version, the high  scores
file of the last puzzle set played will be displayed.
     The How to Play option is a brief overview of the game.
It should be enough to get most people started.  Reading the
full  documentation is recommended, however. (But  we  don't
have to tell you that!)
     The Exit option should be self-explanatory.

=============================================================================
(4.0) Begin Play
=============================================================================

     At this sub-menu you can select the puzzle set type you
wish  to  play.   The normal puzzle set  is  found  in  both
versions  of  this  game and contains 20  different  levels.
Registered  users have access to the registered  puzzle  set
which  includes an addition 60 levels of play,  as  well  as


custom puzzle sets which you or other registered users  have
created.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4.1) Skipping Levels
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Each  puzzle  set can contain up to a  maximum  of  99
levels.  You may skip levels in a puzzle set by entering the
appropriate  skip  code.   After successfully  completing  a
level,  you are often given the level skip code.  This  code
will  allow you to skip over levels you've completed in  the
past and get right back to where you left off (or got stuck)
last time.  Not all levels have skip codes!  The decision to
include a skip code is left up to the sole discretion of the
person  designing the puzzle set.  All levels found  in  the
normal and registered puzzle sets include skip codes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4.2) Level Information
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

     The pre-level screen contains the following information
about  the  level:  the person who designed the  level,  the
level  number, the level name, the number of spheres in  the
level,  and  the number of spheres required to complete  the
level.   The  name of the level's author scrolls by  quickly
before the actual level-info screen.  If this level has been
created by a member of the Acumen Software development team,
the  words "Acumen Approved" will appear below the  author's
name.   This is merely a way for you to distinguish  between
custom puzzle sets made by other users and our own.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4.3) Game Controls
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Either  the keyboard or the combination of a  joystick
and  the  keyboard  may  be used to  play  this  game.   You
maneuver  Micro  by pressing the arrow keys or  pushing  the
joystick  in  the direction you want to walk.  The  spacebar
(or  joystick  button) is the action key.   You  can  rotate
mirrors,  turn  the laser, or flip a switch  by  facing  the
appropriate object and pressing the action key.
      Pressing  F1 will display a short help box  containing
keystrokes and their respective action.  They are:

             F1                 Help
             F2             Sound on/off
             F3             Music on/off
             F4              Next song
             F               Fire laser
             S               Scan mode
             M           Display level map
             I              Object info
            ESC             Abort level


      The level map displays a condensed image of the entire
level  and is very useful in planning your strategies before
you  actually start moving things.  Scan mode allows you  to
scroll  around  the playfield quickly without moving  Micro.
The  "F"  key  fires the laser.  Do this only  after  you've
successfully solved the level -- you've only got one chance,
so  if  it doesn't work, it's back to the beginning  of  the
level!  Object info displays the name of the object Micro is
currently facing (including floor tiles).
     The special function keys are self-explanatory.  If you
don't have the game set up for sound effects, F2 won't work.
Likewise,  if you don't have the game set up for  music,  F3
and F4 will not work.  Go figure.
      Note:   If you find that you are unable to complete  a
level,  you can abort it by pressing the ESC  key  and  then
restart it from the beginning.
      Additional  note:  After firing the laser by  pressing
"F", you can increase or decrease its speed by pressing  the
"+"  or "-" keys.  Four possible laser speeds are available,
the slowest one is used by default.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4.4) Floor Tiles
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

      There  are 13 floor tile types in this game, separated
into  two basic categories:  low-friction and high-friction.
Micro  can  walk  over any floor tile, but  he  cannot  push
mirrors or blocks over high-friction surfaces.  Low friction
tiles  have  a  singular grey shade  (light  or  dark),  and
occasionally  have  arrows  or  a  square  design  on  their
surface.   High  friction  tiles  are  comprised   of   many
different  shades  of white and grey; the direction  of  the
shading is irrelevant.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4.5) Game Objects
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Micro     Our  picture-perfect, purple-skinned,  blue-eyed hunk of
          spherical muscle.  He can push mirrors bigger than
          himself,   rotate  lasers  with  ease,  and   flip
          switches  effortlessly.  A word of  advice:  Micro
          makes a better door than a window -- don't let him
          get hit by the laserbeam!

Spheres   These come in two flavors: blue and green. In order to be
          destroyed by the laser, spheres must be BLUE!  Use
          switches to change their colors.  You cannot  move
          the spheres (the idea is to bring the laserbeam to
          them).  Green spheres will block the laserbeam.

Switches  There are two settings for each switch: blue and green.  A
          switch  can be "linked" to one or more objects  on


          the  playfield, and will have the following effect
          depending on the object: spheres will change  from
          blue  to  green  or  green to blue;  and  mirrors,
          tubes, and blocks will change from a blue shade to
          a  purple  shade (or vice-versa).   Switches  will
          block the laserbeam.

Laser     As its name implies, this is the source of the laserbeam.  There
          is  only one laser per level, and Micro can't move
          it.   He can, however, turn it to point in any  of
          the  four  directions.   Press  the  "F"  key   to
          activate the laser.  If the laserbeam loops around
          and  hits  the laser, the beam will  stop  --  the
          source has been destroyed.

Mirrors   Mirrors come in two varieties and four orientations:
          blue/purple,  and up-left/up-right/down-left/down-
          right.  Mirrors with blue trim can be turned  from
          left  to right by Micro (not up and down),  purple
          ones cannot be turned.  Mirrors redirect the laser
          beam (duh!).

Tubes     Tubes come in two classic colors and two orientations:
          blue/purple, and vertical/horizontal.  Blue  tubes
          can  be  rotated by Micro, purple  one  cannot  be
          rotated.   If the laserbeam is traveling  left  or
          right, it may pass through the tube if it is in  a
          horizontal orientation, but it will be blocked  if
          the  tube  is in a vertical orientation.   Similar
          when the beam is traveling up and down...

Blocks    There are two "block" types: one large block that obstructs the
          laserbeam, and four small blocks through which the
          beam  can pass in between.  Also, blocks  come  in
          two  colors  (you  guessed it: purple  and  blue).
          Purple  blocks are fixed; Micro cannot move  them.
          Blue blocks are movable.

One-way   Similar to real one-way mirrors where you can see through one
Mirrors   side but not the other, these objects only allow the beam to pass
          when  entered from the green end.  Micro can  push
          these objects, but they cannot be rotated.

Beam      Beam splitters divide the beam into two orthogonal beams. That is,
Splitters if  a beam enters a splitter from the  bottom  OR top, the two
          resulting  beams will travel left AND right.   The
          beam  must enter from the green end.  Micro cannot
          rotate these objects, but he can move them.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4.6) End of Level
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

      At  the  end  of  the  level a status  screen  appears
displaying  the  level  number, the level  name,  the  total
number  of spheres found on the level, the number of spheres
required  to successfully complete the level, the number  of
spheres you hit, and the total time it took you to play  the
level.  Additional comments will tell you if you reached the
goal (yeah!) or, if not, what happened.
      Upon  successfully completing a level, the level  skip
code  will  appear if the puzzle set designer  has  included
one.  High scores for each level are ranked by the number of
spheres  hit  followed  by the fastest  time  (for  example,
someone  who  hit  10 spheres in 3 minutes would  be  ranked
lower  than someone who hit 11 spheres in 30 minutes).   You
have  the option to replay the last level again for a better
time if you wish.
     Note: You may repeat any level any number of times.  If
at  first you don't succeed, try and try again.  There's  no
losing!

=============================================================================
(5.0) Level Designer (registered users only)
=============================================================================

      This designer was created to make it very easy for you
to  get  your puzzle idea into a real level quickly  without
mastering  a  difficult interface.  You'll  find  the  level
designer is well designed and aesthetically pleasing --  not
a   programmers-only  level-hacking   tool.    Every   level
distributed in the registered and shareware versions of this
game was created using this same tool.
     Basically, the screen is broken up into two parts:  the
large  top  section contains a downsized view of the  entire
level  (an  18x14  grid), the bottom  section  contains  the
current  menu  and options.  In addition, basic instructions
can  be  found to the right of the grid.  Each of the  three
menus  (Piece,  Level,  and File) are  described  in  detail
below.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(5.1) The Piece Menu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

      This  is the default menu and can also be selected  by
pressing  the letter "P".  This menu contains the 49  pieces
which  are  used in the game.  The top row is  dedicated  to
floor  tiles: 7 low-friction and 6 high-friction.  The other
two   rows   contain  the  two  spheres,  the   four   laser
orientations,  all  the mirror types & orientations,  tubes,
blocks,  one-way  mirrors, beam splitters,  the  two  switch
types, and four striking poses of Micro.

      
      Use the arrow keys (or joystick) to find the piece you
want to place on the playfield.  Press ENTER or the SPACEBAR
to  select it.  Now the placement box jumps to the playfield
grid.  Again, use the arrow keys to find the spot where  you
want the piece to go.  Press the SPACEBAR.  You can continue
placing  this same piece as many times as you  wish.   Press
the ENTER key when you want to jump down to the piece menu.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(5.2) The Level Menu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

      This  menu's selections allow you to enter the level's
name,  enter  your  name (the author), view  the  number  of
spheres required to complete the level, view the skip  level
code  for  this  level, edit switch links, or  view  current
level  statistics (including any warnings and/or  problems).
Select this menu by pressing the "L" key.
      The level's name and the author's name can contain any
alphanumerical characters, but are limited to 30  characters
each.   Pressing ESC while entering text will erase whatever
has been typed; ESC again will abort the selection.
     The number of spheres required must be a number between
1  and 99 (inclusive).    The skip level code can be any  4-
digit number.  Pressing ENTER without entering a number will
result in NO skip code for this level.
      The "edit switch links" selection allows you to attach
or link certain objects to a switch.  There must be switches
already  placed in the level before you can use this option.
The  interface is the same as placing a piece: position  the
cursor  over the object you wish to link.  If it is a  valid
object  (i.e. it is linkable, only spheres, mirrors,  tubes,
and  blocks are) the display will prompt you for  a  number.
You'll notice that each switch has a number overlaid on  top
of  it;  use this number when linking an object to a certain
switch.  If you press the SPACEBAR, the link for the current
piece  will  be removed.  Press ENTER when you're  finished.
Note:  Replacing  an object that is linked will  remove  the
link  completely  (changing  a  blue  sphere  to  green  for
example).   Also,  replacing a switch  with  another  object
(except  another switch) will destroy ALL links that  switch
had.
      The  statistics  screen displays all  the  information
about the level you're currently working on: it's name,  the
author's  name,  the  level code (if  any),  the  number  of
spheres  in  the level, the number of spheres required,  the
number  of  switches,  and any warnings  or  problems.   The
program  checks  the  current  level  to  make  sure  it  is
playable.   If  it  is  not, errors (or  warnings)  will  be


displayed.  Here are the level-creation rules:

     There must be one and only one Micro per level.
     There must be one and only one laser per level.
There must be at least one sphere per screen, but no more
                         than 99.
 The number of spheres required must be equal to or less
      than the total number of spheres on the level.
  Blue spheres and green spheres cannot be linked to the
                       same switch.
    No more than 9 switches are allowed on each level.
  No more than two beam splitters are allowed per level.

Once  all  these rules have been met, the level "should"  be
playable.  The program cannot guarantee this, however, since
the level itself may contain logic faults -- there may be no
way  to  complete  it successfully.  How  can  this  happen?
Well,  you  could design a level with a laser, spheres,  and
Micro...  all  appears well.  But, you  trap  Micro  in  the
corner  behind  immovable blocks with no  means  of  escape.
Therefore, no one can get past this level.  This is  why  it
is  VERY important to ALWAYS test your levels before  saving
them in a puzzle set to distribute later.
      Note:  You can save an unplayable level (if you're  in
the  middle of designing it and you have to stop),  however,
the  game will skip over it if you decide to play the puzzle
set until everything is fixed.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(5.3) The File Menu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

      The  file  menu is accessed by pressing the  "F"  key.
There  are six options available:  Clear/New level,  Load  a
level, Save this level, Delete a level, Test this level, and
Exit.
      The  clear/new  level selection clears  the  playfield
grid.   If  you have changes since your last save,  you  are
asked to make sure you really want to do this.
     To load an existing level, select the load option.  You
will  be presented with a list of puzzle sets found  in  the
current directory (if any).  Use the arrow keys to select  a
puzzle set (pressing "M" will skip to the next screen if all
the  levels can't fit on one screen).  Next, the level names
will  appear.  The current level number and it's skip  level
code  (if  it has one) will be displayed.  If the  level  is
unplayable,  a red asterisk will appear to the left  of  the
level name.  Use the arrow keys to select a level, or "M" to
see  more screens.  Pressing ESC at any time will abort  the
load.
      After  pressing the save option, the statistics screen
found in the Level menu will again appear.  You will be told
if the level will be saved as playable or unplayable.  After
pressing a key, a small menu will appear with three options:


(M)odify an existing puzzle set, (C)reate a new puzzle  set,
or  (Q)uick  save in last puzzle set as last  level  number.
The  Quick  save feature will only be active  if  the  level
you're working on was retrieved from an existing puzzle set.
Hit  the appropriate letter to advance.  If you chose create
a  new  puzzle  set,  you'll be prompted  for  a  legal  DOS
filename (8 characters maximum) followed by a longer  puzzle
set name (30 characters maximum).  If you chose to modify an
existing  puzzle set (i.e. add/replace a level) you'll  have
to  select  a  puzzle set as described  above  in  the  load
option.  Now, a list of levels will appear.  If you wish  to
replace  a level, select that level number and hit  the  "R"
key.   If  you wish to insert this level before or after  an
existing level, select the appropriate level number then hit
the  "B"  key for before, or "A" key for after.   The  level
will  then  be saved.  Note: a maximum of 99 levels  can  be
saved in any one puzzle set.  If there are already 99 levels
in  a puzzle set, you'll only be able to replace an existing
one.

      The  delete level option is very similar to  the  load
option with the obvious difference in that you're deleting a
level, not loading it.
      To  test  out  the  level you're currently  designing,
choose  the  test  level selection.  Again,  the  statistics
screen  will appear telling you whether or not the level  is
playable.  If it is, you will jump into game mode.  The only
difference is that no level information is displayed.
      When  you wish to exit the level designer, select  the
exit option or hit the ESC key from this menu.  Hitting  ESC
from any other menu will being you to the file menu.

      That's all!!!  Now get out there and start making some
REAL  levels.  Feel free to send us some of your  best  work
(sorry  we  can't return disks without postage).   Remember,
custom puzzle sets can be distributed freely.  However, only
registered  users can play them so tell all your friends  to
register  if  they want to play 'em.  Or, invite  them  over
your  house,  but DON'T give them a copy of  the  registered
version... how would game companies succeed if you did?!?


                                                  Thank you!
                                                            
                                           Adrian B. Danieli
                                        1995 Acumen Software


=============================================================================
(6.0) How to Order
=============================================================================

      You  can  order  the full version of this  game  which
includes 60 additional levels, access to custom puzzle sets,
and  the ability to design your own -- for only $12.00.   If
you  would also like a printed copy of the game's postscript
manual,  send  $15.00.  Please read ORDER.TXT  for  details.
Make  checks or money orders payable to Acumen Software  and
send to:

     Acumen Software
     404 Stone Church Road
     Tiverton, RI 02878-2813
     U.S.A.

Note:  We can only accept checks drawn on U.S. banks in U.S.
funds.   Sorry, we cannot handle credit card orders at  this
time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(6.1) How to Contact Acumen Software
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

     U.S. Mail:
          Acumen Software
          404 Stone Church Road
          Tiverton, RI 02878-2813

     Internet E-mail:
          adrian@mit.edu

     World-Wide-Web:

http://www.mit.edu:8001/afs/athena.mit.edu/user/a/d/adrian/www/acumen.html

Due  to  our  busy schedules, the possibility of  a  delayed
response  should  not be unexpected.   Thank  you  for  your
patience.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(6.2) Legal stuff
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Acumen  Software  reserves the exclusive copyright  to  this
program.  This version replaces all previous versions, which
are  now withdrawn from shareware.  This program is provided
"as-is".  No warranties of any kind, express or implied, are
made  as  to  it.  We will provide no remedy  for  indirect,
consequential, punitive or incidental damages  arising  from
it,  including  such from negligence, strict  liability,  or
breach  of  warranty or contract, even after notice  of  the
possibility of such damages.


=============================================================================
(7.0) Credits
=============================================================================

     Original game idea                      Adrian B. Danieli
          Game design / implementation         "    "    "

     Graphics system programmer                "    "    "
          Font                                 "    "    "
          Raytraced sprites                    "    "    "
          Backgrounds & other stuff            "    "    "

     Sound system programmer                   "    "    "
          Digitized sound effects              "    "    "
          FM synthesis effects                 "    "    "
          Roland LAPC-I / MT-32 effects        "    "    "
          PC speaker bloops                    "    "    "

     Music system programmer                   "    "    "
          Acumen Theme Song                    "    "    "
          Micro Theme music                    "    "    "
          Magnetic Mind (end puzzle set music) "    "    "
          Selections from the Nutcracker       Tchaikovsky

     Controller interface programmer         Adrian B. Danieli

     Setup & Installation programs             "    "    "

     Documentation                             "    "    "
          Assistance                         Brian A. Zabel

     Puzzle sets and levels                  Adrian B. Danieli
                                             Brian A. Zabel
                                             Alexis M. Danieli

     Alpha Tester                            Brian A. Zabel

     Beta Testers                              "    "    "
                                             Tommy Ng
