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Sokoban for Windows
Release 2.2.5

Copyright (c) 1992 Allan B. Liss

Internet: [email protected]
CIS: 76247,642
Snail: P.O. Box 9171, Wilmington DE 19802

Sokoban for Windows, Release 2.2.5, is being released as Freeware.
This means that this product may be copied and distributed freely for
non-commercial purposes only. If you represent a shareware clearing
house, it is assumed that your charges are for media and overhead, so
you may include this product in your catalog.

The author makes no guarantees or warrantees regarding the suitability
of this product for any given task.
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You are looking at the file SOKO.TXT.


Sokoban is a classic puzzle game in which you assume the role of
an overworked stockboy (stockperson?) in a large warehouse. To earn
your wages, you must neatly pack a set of crates onto the platforms
provided on each of the increasingly difficult levels. Pushing heavy
crates around is hard work, so it's in your best interest to
minimize the amount of moving and pushing you do to finish a level.


Sokoban for Windows is my attempt to port this frustrating game to the
Microsoft Windows 3.x environment. The game distribution includes:

SOKO.TXTyou're looking at it
SOKO.EXEthe game
SOKO.HLPthe Windows help file

After you run the game, two new files will be created:

SOKO.INIinitialization file
SOKO.SCOhigh score / saved game file

The only files absolutely required to run the game are SOKO.EXE and
SOKO.HLP. Just copy them to the same directory and create a program
item in one of Windows' Program Manager groups. If you're using OS/2
2.0's WorkPlace Shell, make sure to set KBD_ALTHOME_BYPASS to ON in
the WIN-OS/2 in the program's Settings notebook if you wish to use the
Alt-Home accelerator key.


The game is not shipped with a score file. This means that the only
thing you can reasonably do when you load the game is to select "New"
from the Game menu. The window will fill with the first puzzle. The
"soko-ban" (Japanese for "warehouse man") is the little red devil
toward the lower right corner, and you move it with the cursor keys
(up, down, left, right). The mouse is not used. To complete the
level, you must push all the boxes into the black platform area at the
right of the screen. If you push a box into a corner (except for in
the platform area), you're stuck and will have to restart the level by
selecting "Undo Level" from the Move menu. When you've pushed all the
boxes into the platform, you advance to the next level. Make sure to
save your game when you complete the level! There's an auto-save
option you can select in case you forget.

When you complete all 50 puzzles, you get a cutesy little animation to
stare at for hours and hours with your raster-burned glazzies.

Here's what the menu items do:

Game

NewStart a new game

OpenOpen a previously saved game from
the score file (if you have one)

SaveSave the game. This saves the last
level you succesfully completed
as well as the number of moves and
pushes it took you to complete it.
You can't save a 'level in progress'.
This item is grayed if you have
set the Autosave option or if the
game has been saved already.

Exit...if you don't like to use Alt-F4.

Move

Undo lastTake back your last move. Sometimes
you accidentally push a box one too
many spaces...that's what this is for.

Undo levelRestart the current level from the
beginning. For when you've made the
level unsolvable.

Save positionSave your current position. This is
handy when you make a set of moves
that you suspect are correct, but
you aren't sure how to proceed. You
can Restore Position later instead
of restarting the entire level. Saved
positions are lost when you restart
or advance levels, or when you exit
the game.

Restore position See above.

Options

AutosaveAutomatically save the game each time
you successfully complete a level.

NoiseEnable annoying noises for when you
try to walk through walls, etc.

AnimateEnable fancy wipes for restarting
levels, etc. Can be frustrating on
slow machines.

Help

The usual Windows help.



I will consider working on a version with a level editor if I see
enough demand for it. If you find bugs or have any suggestions on how
to otherwise improve the game, send me e-mail (the Internet address
gets checked most frequently).


If you like the game, give a copy to somebody. If you _really_ like

it, send me money -- this will encourage me to release more free
games. If you REALLY, REALLY like the game, consider me for a
position on your staff, especially if your company is in the
Northwest. I'm an systems analyst experienced with applications
development on a variety of platforms.


Enjoy!