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Conference hydra::amiga_v1

Title:AMIGA NOTES
Notice:Join us in the *NEW* conference - HYDRA::AMIGA_V2
Moderator:HYDRA::MOORE
Created:Sat Apr 26 1986
Last Modified:Wed Feb 05 1992
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5378
Total number of notes:38326

3073.0. "Block Out" by HYSTER::DEARBORN (Trouvez Mieux) Mon Nov 06 1989 12:55

Look out Tetris...it's Block Out!

Whew!  Whatta game.  I just picked it up Friday at System Eyes in 
Merrimack.  This has to be the most addictive game I have ever 
played.  It is beautifully implemented.  It multitasks fairly 
well (there are a few problems with screen colors and pointers)

It is essentially a 3D version of Tetris.  It is based on the 
SOMA cube (remember that?)  You rotate block-like shapes in 3D 
and drop them down a square tunnel, trying to make a complete 
level, thereby eliminating that level.  Pieces fall faster as the 
game progresses, making descisions more difficult.

You use the keyboard to rotate the pieces and the mouse or 
keyboard to position and drop them.  My arms were numb from 
playing this game for so long...I just couldn't stop...just one 
more level...

AmigoTimes magazine gave this game five stars.  I agree.

It is not copy protected.  It uses a look-up scheme from the 
manual.  You'd need a color copier or a color photograph of the 
manual to get around this one.

Watch for it!

Randy

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3073.1quick fixHYSTER::DEARBORNTrouvez MieuxFri Nov 10 1989 12:4520
Well, I was able to get around the copy protection in a round 
about way...

I created a hi-res iff picture of the block diagram in the 
manual, using colors that match the manual.  I put this on the 
same disk as the game, along with SEEilbm (an IFF viewer.)

Now I start the game from workbench.  When the game starts, I 
>Left Amiga N to the workbench screen, click on the icon for the 
picture and find the matching block and color, go back to the 
game and enter it...and start playing.

I have been able to put the entire thing in a drawer on the hard 
disk without any problems.

No I can play it at home and at work on my two systems.  I guess 
I won't be getting any work done any more.

Randy

3073.2Great game -multitask questionSTAR::ROBINSONTue Jan 09 1990 13:3519
 I got BLOCKOUT for Christmas and agree it is a great game. There 
 are so many variations of grid size and block shape that this 
 could be interesting for a long time! I used to love tetrix but
 it seems so so ... flat now. ;-}

 I have a question about multitasking this game though. I tried to run
 is along with VLT, and it kept starting up which moves the screen in
 front of VLT. It seems to either go into demo mode or make a decision
 for you at each of the various menu stopping points. Even Pause didn't
 work because it shut down the pointer or some craziness. Since the color
 lookup is a pain, I'd like to find a point after doing that, where I can 
 stop/pause/whatever and switch between blockout and VLT etc. Any ideas?

 Oh yeah, I was probably running qmouse (without the sunmouse auto 
 activate window option), conman and ARP and snipit. I don't think I tried a 
 "regular" Workbench yet... 

 Dave
 
3073.3HYSTER::DEARBORNTrouvez MieuxTue Jan 09 1990 15:555
I don't think there is much you can do.  The game just 
multi-tasks poorly.  Bad design, but a challenging game.

Randy

3073.4Thanks.STAR::ROBINSONTue Jan 09 1990 16:064
OK. Thanks Randy. I believe you.  Could we be the only two Amiga conf. 
folks with this addictive game?  

Dave
3073.5WJG::GUINEAUQuantum RealityTue Jan 09 1990 20:1311
I think VLT is a real bummer like this.

I also use qmouse and when VLT is running, qmouse hotkeys don't work. They
queue up and all execute when VLT exits!

I got a sh*tload of shell's pop up one night :-)

Anyone else notice this?

John
3073.6Qmouse & VLT work fineCGOFS::DREWSteve DrewWed Jan 10 1990 16:0713
    
    RE: VLT & QMOUSE
    
    Works fine for me, both Qmouse 1.5 & Qmouse 1.6
    
    You havent got VLT set to a higher priority than Qmouse do you?
    
    Qmouse 1.5 was pri 25 (But that caused problems with VirusX)
    Qmouse 1.6 is pri 5   (which works fine)
    
    
    /STeve
    
3073.7WJG::GUINEAUQuantum RealityWed Jan 10 1990 21:3513
>    You havent got VLT set to a higher priority than Qmouse do you?
   
Not intentionally. I'll check. 
 
    
>    Qmouse 1.5 was pri 25 (But that caused problems with VirusX)
>    Qmouse 1.6 is pri 5   (which works fine)
        
However I am running v1.4... I'll try 1.6


John