README file for VIPER ... by PLBM Games
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
File Updated:  January 17, 2004


Registration information located at the bottom of this file.

You can register at:  http://www.plbm.com


System Requirements:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This program requires an IBM PC or compatible with at least VGA.
In general, faster systems will run the program more efficiently.


Sound Blaster Notes:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This program contains routines to play digital sound on a Sound
Blaster or compatible card.  However, this program does NOT
contain autodetection routines.  This program relies upon the
BLASTER= variable being set appropriately in your environment.
If the BLASTER= variable is set incorrectly, the program may
crash.  If the BLASTER= variable is absent the program will
NOT attempt to use Sound Blaster sound.

Additionally you will need to have free EMS memory to hear
all digital sounds (they're too big to fit in conventional
memory).  The sounds deemed "most important" to game play
will be loaded into conventional memory on a first-come, first-
served basis.  To hear ALL sounds you will need enough EMS
free to fit the file VIPSFX.DBO.  Check free EMS with the
MEM command under DOS.


Key Usage:
~~~~~~~~~~
Arrow keys to choose direction of viper motion.
You can NOT turn back on yourself (180-degree turn)
See below for ADVANCED key usage.


Additional Keys:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[P] - Pause game
[J] - toggle joystick on/off
[Ctrl-J] - calibrate joystick
[F1] - Review this file (HELP)
[F2] - Display high score chart
[F5] - Toggle sound on/off
[F6] - Adjust game speed (Fast, Medium, Slow, Snail's Pace)
[F7] - Lengthen your Viper (for advanced players only!!)
Shift-[F7] - Lengthen your Viper by 100 links (faster than [F7] alone)
[F10] - Quit game, go to menu
[ESC] - Quit game, go to DOS


Game Notes:
~~~~~~~~~~~
The object of the game is to maneuver your Viper around the
play grid, avoiding the walls, avoiding biting your own body, and
at the same time gobbling up the various treasures that appear
at regular intervals.

Each treasure you eat lengthens your Viper, making it more
difficult to avoid biting yourself.

Treasures score points based on your present length, minus
a factor for how long the treasure has been on screen.


Advanced Keys To Use During Game Play:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is an advanced set of keys that can be used to make
precise adjustments to the movement of the Viper.  On the
numeric keypad, if you are using the 2, 4, 6, and 8 keys for
down, left, right, and up movement, the advanced movements are
on keys 1, 3, 7, and 9.  These advanced movement keys behave
differently depending upon the current direction of the Viper.

For example, if you are moving up (by pressing the 8 key), you
may jig one space to the left or right by pressing the 7 or
9 keys, respectively.  Similarly, if you are moving left (by
pressing the 4 key), you may jig one space up or down by
pressing the 7 or 1 keys, respectively.

At first the advanced key usage may seem overly complicated,
but you will find that as you get better at Viper, they will
be quite useful, especially when trying to perfectly "line-up"
to catch a treasure.  It is best to experiment with the
advanced keys at a lower speed setting, just to get the hang of
them. Advanced key usage may be enabled and disabled by pressing
the 'K' key at any time during the game.  The default setting
is 'enabled.'


Scoring:
~~~~~~~~
Whenever you pick up a treasure you get points according to how
long you are based on how many other treasures are on screen:

	Other Treasures Remaining On Screen   Points Awarded (x 10 points)
	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
			   0                          100% of your length
			   1                           80% of your length
			   2                           60% of your length
			   3                           40% of your length
			   4                           20% of your length

Additionally playing at slower modes (using the F6 key) will
award you fewer points as follows:

	Speed Setting                         Points Awarded
	~~~~~~~~~~~~~                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	Regular speed (Fast)                  100% of above
	Medium                                 50% of above
	Slow                                   33% of above
	Snail's Pace                           25% of above


Credits:
~~~~~~~~
Viper was created by Kurt W. Dekker exclusively for
PLBM Games, at http://www.plbm.com

Viper is Copyright (c) 2004 PLBM Games and Kurt W. Dekker.


Internet Support:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact support@plbm.com for support via email.  You may also check
the following site for upgrades:

		http://www.plbm.com


Ordering Information:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To order the full version of this game, send $9.95 registration fee
plus your email address to:

	PLBM Games                                   <sales@plbm.com>
	PO Box 10342                                 <http://www.plbm.com>
	Costa Mesa, CA  92627
	USA
    
You may also visit our website and order online with a credit card.

Include your name, address, phone number and email to ensure rapid
delivery.

All orders are fulfilled VIA EMAIL ONLY - NO DISKETTE WILL BE SENT!
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