💾 Archived View for mirrors.apple2.org.za › archive › ground.icaen.uiowa.edu › apple16 › Games › Min… captured on 2023-01-29 at 10:33:49.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Minefield IIgs
Introduction
If you have ever worked with Windows (for those lowly PC machines), you may be
familiar with MineSweeper, a logic-based game which runs under the windows
environment. My Precalculus teacher demonstrated the game to me on the school's
new network of 386's. I almost immediately went home and began working on a
version for the Apple IIgs. I have been playing it ever since.
Objective
Minefield is played on a grid. A number of mines are spread randomly throughout
the grid. The object of the game is to uncover all the cells NOT containing
mines, and to place flags in the cells which do contain mines.
How to play
The cursor has two states. When the cursor is the standard arrow, it can be used
to uncover grid cells. When the cursor is a flag, it can be used to place flags
in cells. Uncovering a cell will display a number in that cell which represents
the number of mines in adjacent cells(each cell has 8 adjacent cells, given that
it is not on the edge of the grid). Uncovering a cell which contains a mine ends
the game. If a cell's value is zero, the computer automatically uncovers all
surrounding cells. You are given the same number of flags as there are mines in
the grid. This number is at the top left of the grid at the beginning of a game.
Each time a flag is placed, the number decreases by one, so it keeps track of
the number of remaining flags for you. The first cell you click in will not be a
mine, but generally there is no guarantee that any other cells will be safe--the
point is to deduce where the mines are by comparing the numbers in the cells to
the flags you have already placed on the grid. You can remove a flag by clicking
on it; it will first turn into a question mark, and clicking it again will
restore it to its pristine state. A cell with a question mark has no
significance other than to remind you you are not sure what is in that cell.
As an example, given the grid below:
0 2 Z <-- both this cell
0 2 Z <-- and this cell must contain mines because the
0 1 upper 2 only has two cells remaining which
1 1 could be mines.
You would put flags in those cells like so:
0 2 F
0 2 F
0 1 Z <-- this cell does NOT contain a mine because the
1 1 second '2' has its two mines already.
You would uncover that square:
0 2 F
0 2 F
0 1 3 <-- this cell has three mines adjacent to it.
1 1 Z <-- this cell is safe because the first 1 has its one
already. Because it is adjacent to the 1, it does not contain a mine.
Here is what the grid would look like:
0 2 F
0 2 F
0 1 3
1 1 2 <-- Now you know this cell has two adjacent mines.
Minefield GS
You can toggle between a normal and then flag cursor by selecting "Toggle Flag"
from the Game menu, which is equivalent to typing Open-Apple-F, or by hitting the
Tab key. Holding down the Apple key while uncovering a cell uncovers all its
surrounding cells which do not contain flags. The number in the top right of the
window is the time in seconds. That is your score. Needless to say, the lower,
the better. You can pause the game, by selecting "Pause Game", Open-Apple-P from
the Game Menu, or by hitting Esc. To resume the game, click anywhere within the
window, or press the Space Bar. Minefield has three built in grid sizes, Easy,
Medium and Well Done, in the Difficulty Menu. Easy is a 10 by 10 grid with 18
mines. Medium is a 15 by 15 and contains 40 mines. Well Done is a 31 by 16 grid
with 90 mines. You can also play with any size if you like. Select "Custom Size"
from the Difficulty menu. You will be prompted for the dimensions of the grid,
which cannot exceed 31 by 16. If the "Safe Corners" option has been selected in
the Game Menu when a game begins, it is guaranteed that the corner cells do not
have mines.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ShareWare notice:
I hope you find this game enjoyable, and distribute it freely. I also hope you
recognize the work which has gone into writing the game. If you keep this game,
please register by sending $10 for my efforts:
Aaron Taurog
6927 Clearhaven Dr.
Dallas, TX
75248
I will welcome any questions/suggestions/comments you may have. I will also send
you a personalized copy of Minefield and keep you up to date with my shareware
programming work. Again, thank you very much. I hope everyone with an Apple IIgs
will be as addicted to this game as I am!