The 25 Number Game

Table of Contents:

 0.  Registration
 1.  Introduction
 2.  Rules of the Game
 3.  How to Play
 4.  Licence
 5.  Copyright
 6.  Cheats and Easter Eggs
 7.  Future Plans
 8.  About Klik & Play
 9.  Miscellaneous
 10. KnPers

Note: This program was converted to Click & Create do the information on Klik & Play may not apply now.

0.  Registration Information:

You must register after 14 days.
Please send a check for $4.95 to

Christopher Jay Craft
815 West Evans Street Apartment D
Florence, South Carolina, 29501-3439
United States of America

If you do nothing else please send me an email telling me what you think good and bad.

1.  Introduction:

This is the second Windows puzzle game I've made using Maxis' Klik & Play.  The first, Cubix, was quite a disappointment.  The 25 Number Game is my effort to make up for it.  This edition was intended to be a beta release but seeing as I've manage to fix all major bugs I've decided to go ahead and release it as a finished product.  I hope you'll enjoy it.

2.  Rules of the Game:

The 25 Number Game is a simple, yet surprisingly difficult, puzzle game to master.  The object of the game is to fill a 5 by 5 grid with the numbers 1 through 25 in the least amount of time possible. There are only a few rules.  The first is in order to move either horizontally or vertically there must be 2 spaces between the current square and the desired square.  The second is in order to move in any diagonal direction there must be 1 space between the current sqaure and the desired square.  Finally, if a player tries to move to an already filled square then the current move number will be changed to the move number of the square landed on and all moves numbered greater than that value will be erased.  In other words, if a player should fill 24 of the 25 squares and then land on the square he started from then the current move number would be changed to 1, instead of 25, and all of the other moves would be erased.

3.  How to Play the Game:

Here's a list of the main control keys and their functions:

Use					For
F8					Showing and hiding the menu
F1					Viewing this help file
F2					Starting a new game (resets all timers and scores)

Ctrl + P				Pausing the game
Ctrl + Y				Changing movement keys (not available in this game)

Alt + F4				Quiting the Game
Ctrl + S				Turning samples (wave files) on or off
Ctrl + M				Turning music (midi files) on or off
Number Keypad			Selecting starting square and movement
Y					Starting a new game (without reseting timer and score)

N or Q or Esc			Quiting the game

Detailed info. on Number Keypad functions:

Use Number Keypad's			For
1					moving 2 spaces down and 2 spaces left
2					moving 3 spaces down
3					moving 2 spaces down and 2 spaces right
4					moving 3 spaces left
6					moving 3 spaces right
7					moving 2 spaces up and 2 spaces left
8					moving 3 spaces up
9					moving 2 spaces up and 2 space right
		
At begining of games use the Number Keypad to select starting postion and then hit Enter.

Note: Be sure Num Lock is enabled.

4.  Licence:

This licence entitles the Licensee to:

(a)  unlimited usage of The 25 Number Game.
(b)  distribute unmodified copies of The 25 Number Game.
(c) modify your copy of The 25 Number Game for your own personal use. Under no circumstances may a modified, in any way, version of The 25 Number Game be distibuted, in any fashion, without my written permission.

5.  Copyright:

All Contents Copyrighted 1995 by Christopher Jay Craft

6.  Cheats and Easter Eggs:

You didn't think I'd just list them for you did you?

7.  Future Plans:

New Versions of The 25 Number Game:
Even though Klik & Play has potential to make great games there are just some things it can't do.  That's why I'd like to convert it over to other formats.  This way I could save the Top Scores to a file, allow a player to input his name, have larger grids, and a whole lot more. I have the original (unfinished) Qbasic version (if you're interested let me know and I'll send it to you).  And I plan on converting it to Visual Basic someday.  That's about all I can do.  If you are interested in converting it to a different format contact me.  I currently own the rights to The 25 Number Game so you'll have to get my permission first. I'd apprieciate any suggestions on ways to improve The 25 Number Game.  If you have any then please let me know.

More Klik & Play Games:
Well, I've basically had my fill of puzzle games and I am now planning to finish my role-playing, space/fantasy game The Xarconian Coming.  I may have to scrap this one. It's already over 1 megabyte and that's just to run the navigational computer and some of the cockpit.  I got carried away with the original graphics.

8.  About Klik & Play:

There is real potential for this product to allow you to achieve great things.  It is meant to be a "no programing experience required" Windows game programing language.  However I believe that some programing experience is necessary in order to get the most out of it.  It's greatest potential lies in making arcade games.  But it is possible, here's where the programing experience comes in handy, to make good puzzle and adventure games.

9.  Miscellaneous:

The Current 25 Number Game Wanted Features Dream List:
1.  mouse driven (would increase interactivity)
2.  more levels (4 by 4 and up)
3.  save game data
4.  better background music
5.  true Windows help file
6.  to be able to select movement keys
7.  to be able to enter name
8.  have "Move to Occupied Square is Illeagal" and "Lowering Current Move Number" as options.
9.  some real cheats and easter eggs
10. auto-detect when no moves are left and then stop game
11. to be able to delete/change the value about to be entered for starting postition
12. highlight current square
13. Table of Ranking: would show skill level and corresponding score range
14. to be able to set movement distances (i.e. 1 space left, 2 spaces down, etc.)
15. ? - let me know what you want

Tips and Stragey:
One of the easiest things you can do to improve your game performance is practice!  In order to achieve record breaking scores it takes an almost subconscious understanding of the game's mechanics.  Find your strong point. Do you do better from the center square, a corner square, or somewhere else?  If your having a hard time getting high scores then focus on either speed or getting more squares, not both.  If this doesn't help then forget about the timer and score.  Take your time and fill in as much as possible.  If you find yourself in a dead end then keep moving back to your previous position untill you can make a new move.

The second most influential thing is your hand placement.  Place your 3 center fingers across the Number Keypad's 4, 5, 6 keys.  From this postion your hand has easy access to all of the movement keys.  You'll do your best if you don't have to look at the keys in order to make your move.  After a few practice games you'll have this method down and it'll show in your score.

Variations on the Game:
Even though The 25 Number Game bases your score on speed and how many squares you've captured, it's still has some flexibilty in the ways it can be played.  

Various Squares:  You don't have to start in square 1.  You could try other positions like square 13, the middle square.  Or you can start at one of the corner squares and so on.  Each square has it's own advantages and disadvantages.  Try them all.

Competition: Two or more players take turns trying to outdo their opponents in various categories, like best score and who captures the most squares.

The Perfectionist's Delight:  Just try and fill all 25 squares.

The Dunce's Dilemma: Try to fill as few squares as possible that will leave you with no further moves.  If you have a move left you have to take it.

Handicap Mode:  Limit your moves.  For example you could use only 5 of the 8 directions, and so on.  Or maybe you could just use even then odd numbered directions.  This can be used in combination with the other variations.  Be creative.

Hot Potato:  Each player takes turns moving.  The player who makes the last move either wins or loses (your choice).  Both players try to force bad moves on the other player.

Dueling: One player tries to fill as many squares as possible while the other player tries to hinder his success.  Each player take turns moving. Moving to a filled square is illegal and costs the match.  If they make it to square 18 then it's a tie.  If they make it past square 18 then player 1 wins the match.  If they don't make it to 18 then player 2 wins the match.  Players can change roles to increase fairness.  Best two out three wins game.  (18 should be used instead of 13 because it is the middle number between 11 and 25, which is the range of square numbers that can be end moves.)


Information about the Author:
Name: Christopher Jay Craft
If you would like to get in touch with me please do.
e-mail      - acesoftware@geocities.com
snail mail - 815 West Evans Street  Apartment D
	     Florence, South Carolina 29501-3439

Tell me what you think about The 25 Number Game (suggestions, opinions, errors, etc.) and I'll send you the complete list of cheats and easter eggs.  I'll also include a few surprises for those who tell me they have Klik & Play.

Information about the Game:
The 25 Number Game version 1.0c finished 6/16/95

Special thanks to Donny Craft and Shawn Allen Morris without whose help this game would have still been possible.

10. KnPers:______________________________________________________

Sorry it's been so long since I've released a new game but I never have enough time to work on KnP.  If you'll look at the program you'll see it's two most impressive features.  One is the input feature that can accept values from 0 to 99 in either 03 or 3 form.  The other is the timer feature that display the elasped time in 01:23:45 form.  The hardest part of this was getting the counters to show 09 instead of 9 as they normally do.  Otherwise the timer would show  1: 2: 3 instead of 01:02:03.  Good luck figuring out the code. It's a mess.

Limited Time Offer:
There was a mention of some top secret "game" I was considering making in the Cubix help file. If you're interested in it then you must include "Klik & Play" or "KnP" in your AOL Member's Profile. Eventually you'll recieve an information package.  Sorry but this is the only way to recieve the information.  There will be no exceptions.