Category : A Collection of Games for DOS and Windows
Archive   : CSTONE.ZIP
Filename : README.1ST

September 12th, 1992

CORNERSTONE V1.0
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This file contains the following information:

- A list of the files included in CSTONE.ZIP;

- Hardware and software requirements;

- Installation procedures;

- A brief description of the CornerStone puzzle;

- Registration procedures;

- Notes from the author.

- Disclaimer

List of files in CSTONE.ZIP:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- CSTONE.EXE CornerStone puzzle
- CSTONE.HLP Windows Help file
- README.1ST This file
- LISEZMOI.SVP French version of this file
- REGISTER.DOC Order form (English)
- COMMANDE.DOC Order form (French)

Hardware and software requirements:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Any machine capable of running Windows (386SX or better recommended);
- A VGA color monitor and adapter ( or better );
- A mouse
- DOS 3.3 or better and Windows 3.0 or better.

Installation procedures:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To install CornerStone:

- Copy CSTONE.EXE and CSTONE.HLP to the directory of your choice.

- In Windows, select a program group, choose FILE|NEW on
the menu bar, check "Program item" and click on OK. This will
bring up the Program Item Properties dialog box:

- Enter a name for the game ( CornerStone springs to mind )
in the "Description" box.

- In the "Command line" box, type in the full path and
name of the executable file
( for example: C:\WINDOWS\GAMES\CSTONE.EXE ).

- In the "Working directory" box, enter the full path
of the program ( in the previous example:
C:\WINDOWS\GAMES ). This is to ensure that the saved
game will be copied in the same directory as the executable.
It will make it easier and cleaner to uninstall ( but you
won't want to do that... will you ? ).

- Click OK, and you're all set!

A brief description of CornerStone:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CornerStone is a Rubick's-Cube-type of puzzle, except that it's round
and it's only two-dimensional. The object of the game is to put the pieces
back into their original place to form the original color pattern.
To play, simply choose GAME|SCRAMBLE from the menu bar. This should
mess things up quite a bit. It's now up to you to unravel the mysteries of
the puzzle...

Your resources include:

- The ability to rotate the two wheel in either direction by clicking
on it with the mouse pointer; using the left button will spin the
wheel clockwise, the right button, counterclockwise.

- The GAME|SAVE and GAME|RESTORE features, which allow you to save
a particular layout of the board at any moment in the game, and
later retrieve it (after you made a mistake, for example).

- The GAME|UNSCRAMBLE feature provides you with an instant, if dubious,
victory. It simply resets the game, putting everything back the way
it's supposed to be. Be aware, however, of the fact that your friends
probably won't be impressed by that strategy...

- At least one brain - usually your own.

- The COMPLETE WALK-THRU SOLUTION sent to you when you register the
program.

Registration procedures:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CornerStone is shareware. This DOES NOT mean that it's free, it simply
means that you are allowed to try it for a period of thirty days for evaluation,
and if you decide to keep the program YOU MUST REGISTER IT by filling out the
order form included in this package (REGISTER.DOC) and sending it with your check
or money order to the following address:

Fran‡ois POULIN
1580 Alexander Blvd #30
Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
J1H 4V8

You will receive the C++ source code for the program, along with a registered
version of the latest version of the program and the complete walk-thru
solution of the puzzle. You will also get, free of charge, a clear conscience
and the satisfaction of doing the right thing in encouraging the author to
develop more quality software at reasonable prices through the shareware
concept.

About CornerStone:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CornerStone is my first serious attempt at Windows programming. The
idea came from an old book about computers and their recreational value. Not
being an experienced Windows programmer, I thought it was a good candidate for
a first program. By the time I learned that Windows did not look too kindly at
rotating non-rectangular images in non-90-degree increments, it was too late -
I was already dying to find the solution to the puzzle (which I had never tried)
because, well, that's how I am: I can never walk away from a puzzle. So I
decided to go ahead and try it anyway.

I couldn't actually rotate the wheels in any reasonable amount of time,
so I opted for the next best thing: I made it LOOK like they rotated. Ok, so
the illusion is far from perfect, especially on slower machines, but after a
while you get used to it. I don't see how I can speed it up any more: the time
lapse between mouse click and action (about 0.35 seconds on my 386 33Mhz) is
spent FloodFill()ing the area of the pieces with the colors of the new ones.
Unless I am gravely mistaken, there's no other way to do it - let alone a faster
one.

However, the puzzle IS a very interesting one, and I enjoyed looking
for - and eventually finding - the solution, as I think you will, too.

If you have any comments, suggestions, bugs to report, etc., you can
send them to me (with or without your registration) at the address indicated
in the REGISTER.DOC file in this package. I can guarantee a reply only to those
of you who will include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your letter
(this, of course, doesn't apply to registerd or registering users).

I can also be reached by e-mail at:

[email protected]


DISCLAIMER:
~~~~~~~~~~
I hate all this legal stuff, but since I can't really avoid it...

THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS
ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT. SHOULD
THE PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE, THE PURCHASER ASSUMES THE RISK OF
PAYING THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR
CORRECTION AND ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. IN NO
EVENT WILL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES
WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF
BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS
INFORMATION AND THE LIKE) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR THE
INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT EVEN IF THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN
ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Use of this product for any period of time constitutes your
acceptance of this agreement and subjects you to its contents.

There! that should do it...

Oh, and by the way:

A limited license is granted to copy CornerStone only for the trial
use of others, subject to the following conditions:

- CornerStone must be copied in unmodified form, complete with all
files specified at the start of the present file;

- CornerStone may not be distributed in conjunction with any other
product without a specific license to do so from the author;

- No fee, charge, or other compensation may be requested or
accepted, except as authorized below:

- Operators of electronic bulletin board systems (sysops)
may make CornerStone available for downloading only as long
as the above conditions are met. An overall or time-
dependent charge for the use of the bulletin board system
is permitted as long as there is not a specific charge for
the download of CornerStone.