
                         FlyCube 1.0 Help
                         ________________

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                         * The Game
                         * Main Menu Options
                         * "80=Load Status"
                         * "70=Save Status"
                         * "60=Repeat Moves"
                         * "50=Clear Moves"
                         * "40=Challenge Mode" (Scoring System)
                         * "30=Randomize"
                         * "20=Restart"
                         * "10=Exit to Main Menu"
                         * High Scores
                         * The Full Version of FlyCube 1.0
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The Game
________

FlyCube is a Rubic's Cube puzzle game with its own scoring system. It can used
by both beginners and professionals to test their skills in solving the
puzzle. Even if you don't manage to solve it, you can be assessed and given a
score by calculating the percentage you completed and the number of turns you
took to get there. When you type "S" and press enter to start the game you'll
be given the freedom to explore the Rubic's Cube. You'll see the both the front
view and the hidden view of the 3D cube.

Around the front view are numbers 1 to 6 labelling the six different sections
of the cube which can be rotated by typing in the corresponding numbers and
pressing enter.The numbers enclosed in "[]" (i.e [7],[8] and [9]) refer to
the middle layers sides of the cube and entire sides of cube. The entire
cube can also be rotated by typing /7, /8 or /9 and pressing enter (i.e to
change viewpoint). When rotating the sections or the cube you are given a
choice of entering a positive or negative number. Positive numbers to rotate
clockwise. Negative numbers to rotate anti-clockwise.

Examples :

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          1 and then enter --> Rotate section labelled 1 Clockwise
         -1 and then enter --> Rotate section labelled 1 Anti-clockwise

          7 and then enter --> Rotate middle layer labelled [7] Clockwise
         -7 and then enter --> Rotate middle layer labelled [7] Anti-clockwise

         /7 and then enter --> Rotate entire face labelled [7] Clockwise
         -/7 (or /-7)      --> Rotate entire face labelled [7] Anti-clockwise

      123.. and then enter --> Rotate sections 1,2,3.. Clockwise
     1-23.. and then enter --> Rotate sections 1,2,3.. Clockwise/Anti-clockwise

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Main Menu Options :

Start game - Starts 'Explore Mode'.

View high scores -  The top 10 high scores can be viewed.

Order form (in Shareware Version) - The order form (FC_ORDER.TXT) comes with
                                    the shareware version.

Organise files (in Full Version) - This option opens up another menu, with new
                                   options ---> List Status Files
                                           ---> Clear Status Files
                                           ---> Clear High Scores to Default

Help - This option displays HELP.TXT (this file).

The options ---> View high scores, Order form or Organise files, and Help
                 (V, O, and H respectively) can be used while in 'Explore
                 Mode'.




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"80=Load Status"
________________

[Not Available in Shareware Version]

Choosing "80" from "Explore mode" you can load any saved status files (saved
using the "70=Save Status" option). There are many example files including 25
files of interesting patterns ---> SAVE1.SAV, SAVE2.SAV, SAVE3.SAV,...,
SAVE25.SAV. The moves used to produce these patterns are listed in
PATTERNS.TXT, so if you only have the shareware version you can use those moves
to produce interesting patterns.

"70=Save Status"
________________

[Not Available in Shareware Version]

Using this option you can save the status of the cube. Names of files can be up
to 8 characters. Extentions are not accepted as all status files are saved with
extension *.SAV. All saved files are listed in SAVELIST.DAT.

"60=Repeat Moves"
_________________

[Not Available in Shareware Version]

I felt that I had to include this command after discovering that repeating
certain sequence of moves produced amazing patterns e.g. 123412341234
{thats 1234 repeated 3 times}. Infact it seems that any sequence of moves
repeated a certain number of times will always produce some sort of pattern.
e.g. 135246 repeated 20 times --> For this example you type "60" and then press
enter, you are prompted "Moves to Repeat?", type "135246" and then press enter,
you are then prompted "Number of Times Repeated?", you type "20" and then press
enter. Here's another example you might try with the 'Repeat Moves' command
---> 135246 repeated 30 times and then 246135 repeated 30 times.

"50=Clear Moves"
________________

The moves made, are displayed in the bottom line (in green) under the heading
'Moves :'. Once the end of the line is reached, the moves simply scroll on.

Example:

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Moves :
-2-43356-563-2-52-24242142-5-2-2-42-5-2325-252-2-54-22424221321-45-62-1-41-11-2
_______________________________________________________________________________


Typing "50" and enter clears the list of moves.


"40=Challenge Mode" (Scoring System)
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[Not Available in Shareware Version]

When you type "40" and press enter to start a "Challenge" you will be prompted
to enter the number of times you want the cube randomized (scrambled), and the
number of turns within which you will attempt to solve it. The number of times
randomized must be between 50 and 200 and takes no part in calculating your
final score. Once you've either solved the puzzle, run out of turns,
or given up (by typing "90" and pressing enter) FlyCube will calculate and
display the percentage completed, the number of turns used, and the your final
score.

The centre squares of each of the six faces in a Rubic's Cube never move (in
theory) and therefore is an indication of the colour of the face. This fact
is used to calculate the percentage completed. The number of little squares on
each face (including centre square) which are of the same colour as the centre
square (this is infact displayed as "Faces : ......") are added together for
all 6 sides, then divided by 6 (number of sides in the cube) and 9 (number of
little squares on each of the 6 side).

This is taken as a percentage to calculate the "Percentage Completed". This
percentage is multiplied by 1000 and Bonuses, then divided by (Turns used + 1)
to produce a final score :

                  1000 x (Percentage) x (Bonuses)
         Score =  _______________________________

                        (Turns used + 1)


The "Percentage Completed" is infact the percentage that looks to be completed
in terms of color of each square (ie. it does not refer to the actual edges and
corners of the cube being in place, it refers to the little squares on the 6
faces) to make things more interesting. FlyCube breaks down the Rubics Cube
into 54 (9 x 6) little squares instead of 26 (3 x 3 x 3 - 1) little cubes to
calculate "Percentage Completed".

Note : In 'Challenge mode' the moves made, to rotate sections are not displayed
in the bottom line as they are in 'Explore mode'. Only moves which rotate the
entire cube are displayed (ie. moves made using /7, /8, /9...)

"30=Randomize"
______________

This option is similar to 'Repeat Moves' and instead of repeating moves a
number of times it randomizes or scrammbles the state of the cube by randomly
choosing moves a number of times. When you type "30" and enter, you are
prompted with "Number of times randomized?". The randomly chosen moves are
displayed in the bottom line (in green) like any other moves.

"20=Restart"
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Restarts the status of the cube, clears all moves listed.


"10=Exit to Main Menu"
______________________

In the full version of FlyCube 1.0 when you exit from 'Explore Mode', if the
state of the cube is not 100 percent complete the menu option 'Start game' is
replaced by the option 'Return to game' and you can return to the state the
cube was before exiting from 'Explore Mode'.


High Scores
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[Not Available in Shareware Version]

When you get a high score you are prompted for your name (up to 15
characters). When you type your name and press enter, the "High Score" file is
updated. The top ten scores are stored in the "High Score" file and can be
viewed by typing "V" and pressing enter at the Main menu. The top ten scores
with the name of the players, the percentage completed and the number of
turns used is listed at the High Scores table.


The Full Version of FlyCube 1.0
_______________________________

The full version includes a STEP BY STEP SOLUTION to the Rubic's Cube in
FlyCube notation (moves 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 used to rotate sections). The
solution (SOLUTION.TXT) is divided into 9 steps which can be used to solve any
randomized (unsolved) cube. A randomized cube (EXAMPLE.SAV) is included which
you can follow with all 9 steps until it is solved (EXAMPLE.SAV can be loaded
with 'Load Status' option in 'Explore Mode'). The specific moves to be used
with the example in each step are also included, so if you are following the
example you can more easily understand the steps. Saved files (*.SAV) are
included too, so even if you don't manage to follow the moves, you can still
view what the state of the cube would look like after each and every set of
moves (you can also backtrack if you make a mistake).

All features mentioned in the Shareware Version are available in the Full
Version. Challenge Mode would have to be best feature because of the scoring
system. When filling out the ORDERING FORM, you should note that your copy of
FlyCube 1.0 will be registered under your name. ie. The following will be
displayed on the screen when you start the Full Version :

_______________________________________________________________________________


                  This Copy of FlyCube 1.0
                  is Licenced to Firstname Lastname

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So if you would like to order FlyCube as a gift to someone else, you may like
to write a note saying you want it registered to "Firstname Lastname".




