*******************************************************************************
** For a completely modernized game in the same genre (with bigger, better and
** more challenging levels), visit http://www.elmerproductions.com/igor/
*******************************************************************************

This document contains some information on how to run Supaplex, as there was
no readme file with the original game, I (Maarten) have added this file.

For the latest information about the game, new levels to play, and lots
more, visit the Supaplex Website on the WWW at
http://www.elmerproductions.com/sp

To play:

1. Run SPFIX63.EXE to play.
2. For any questions regarding Supaplex, please check out the Supaplex FAQ
   before asking me, since I get a lot of questions, of which the answers are
   clearly explained there. Check out:
     http://www.elmerproductions.com/sp/faq.html.
   Thank you.
3. Enjoy!

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                       This is the Supaplex Help Page
             This document can be found on the World Wide Web at
                   http://www.elmerproductions.com/sp

                   Last updated: Fri Aug 2 12:45:15 1996

   So you want to know how the game works? Then you've come to the right
   place. You will learn all about the keys to use here. If you are
   looking for help with specific levels (and you know all the keys) then
   check my Supaplex Solution Page. You will find demo's there showing
   how to complete each level (if I ever finished it, or someone sent me
   one :)
   
   If this document contains errors, or you think something is missing,
   please email me about it. Thanks for your help!
   
                             Cast of characters
                                      
   [an orange smiling face] - MURPHY
          This is you, the player, named Murphy. You will have to collect
          a set number of Infotrons (see below) in each level (can be
          zero) before you can leave through the Exit (see below). Watch
          out for the many hazards around, and make use of all the
          helpful objects you can find, it's the only way to survive in
          the "cruel" world of Supaplex.
          
   [a green circuit board] - BASE
          This is the most common one around. It's main function is
          keeping things (Zonks, Murphy (only when there's gravity),
          Orange Disks) from falling down. Murphy can freely walk through
          this, doing so, he "eats" it away, leaving a void behind (where
          all those nasty sniksnaks and electrons can move through).
          apart from Murphy nothing can pass through this.
          
   [a round rock] - ZONK
          This is another very common obstacle (and usually a very
          unpleasant one) a Zonk tends to fall down whenever possible
          (i.e. there is a void underneath). Be careful, when a Zonk
          falls on you (Murphy) you will explode (read: die). Murphy can
          push Zonks to the side (not up and down) if nothing is blocking
          the Zonk (i.e. there is a void on the other side). Murphy can
          only push one Zonk at a time, so watch out when dropping Zonks
          next to each other! With some good timing, you can also drop
          Zonks on Electrons (see below) or Snik-snaks (see below) which
          will explode (and not bother you again). Zonks have the nasty
          habit of falling SIDEWAYS off Ram-Chips (see below) and other
          Zonks if possible (i.e. there is a void to the side), on all
          other objects the Zonks will lie steady.
          
   [three colored ovals which are connected at the center of the picture
          and extend to the edges] - INFOTRON
          These are very important in almost every level. You need to
          collect a set number of these before you can leave the level
          via the Exit (see below). Look on the bottom of the game screen
          to see how many you need to collect. To pick one up, simply
          walk over it, or (when standing next to it, in any direction)
          press (and hold) spacebar, and then press the arrow key
          corresponding with the direction the Infotron is in.
          
   [a pair of scissors] - SNIK-SNAK
          These are your enemies. If you touch them you will die. So you
          better avoid them, at all cost! The only thing that kills them
          is an explosion which is close enough, or a Zonk falling on top
          of it. Usually dropping a Zonk on a Snik-snak requires good
          timing. All explosions create a nine-field explosion cloud
          around the source of the explosion, and if a Snik-snak is
          present in this cloud, it will blow up too (creating another
          nine-field explosion). Snik-snaks can not move though Ports
          (see below).
          
   [an orange square with a big letter E on it] - EXIT
          This is the final objective of each level. When you have
          collected enough Infotrons (see above), you need to press
          against the Exit to leave the level. Be careful that you don't
          have any explosions near the Exit, because it can explode, and
          that will leave you forever inside the level, without a way out
          (read: without a way to finish the level).
          
   [A BASE with a blue spark on it] - BUG
          This is a dangerous version of the normal Base squares. If you
          try to remove it while the bug is active (i.e. there is a blue
          spark on it) you will be toasted (read: die). To remove these,
          walk over them (or remove them with the spacebar-trick, see
          below) while the bug is not active (i.e. when it looks like a
          normal Base). And there's the big problem. Whenever the bug is
          not active, you won't be able to distinguish it from a normal
          Base, and it just might activate while you are removing it. Be
          careful!
          
   [Four blue sparks on a black background] - ELECTRON
          These behave exactly like Snik-snaks (see above) until they
          explode. If they do, in stead of just blowing up and leaving
          nothing behind, they fall apart into Infotrons (see above).
          Except for Hardware (see below) squares, all nine squares in
          the explosion will yield an Infotron. This is handy for those
          levels which just don't seem to have enough Infotrons for you
          to pick up. The fact that Hardware squares don't blow up and
          change to Infotrons, can make it tricky if you need all nine
          Infotrons to be able to collect all the Infotrons needed to
          finish the level. Electrons can not move though Ports (see
          below).
          
   [Three disks, with a colored label: Orange Red and Yellow] - DISKS
          There are three disks, which may look similar, but behave
          entirely different from each other.
          
          ORANGE DISKS will fall down whenever they can (though not fall
          off the edges of other objects, like Zonks) and when they hit
          the ground (or any object in their path) they will explode in a
          nine-field explosion, killing everyting within, except Hardware
          (see below). This allows you to create passages in walls made
          of Ram-Chips (see below), blow up Zonks (which may be blocking
          your way) or annoying Snik-snaks that are bothering you, etc.
          Be careful with these, because once they fall, they won't stop
          until they explode.
          
          RED DISKS can be picked up, the same way you remove a Base
          square (walking over it, or using the Spacebar-trick (see
          below)). Once you have one or more of these on you, you can
          drop them somewhere, where they will explode. To drop one,
          Press, and hold the Spacebar, until a disk is dropped. If no
          Red Disk is dropped after a few seconds, you can check if you
          have any of them left by pressing the right shift, and checking
          the bottom right of the screen for the number of Red Disks you
          still have. Once you have dropped a Red Disk, make sure you get
          away in time, because you have very little time before it
          explodes. Red Disks will not fall down (before you picked them
          up and after you dropped them), even when there's gravity (see
          below)
          
          YELLOW DISKS will explode once you hit a Terminal (see below).
          Before they explode, you can push them around all you want,
          usually to a specific destination (to blow up a Ram-Chip wall
          mostly). They will not fall down, even with gravity (see
          below).
          
   [A computer screen] - TERMINAL
          These will allow the player to blow up Yellow Disks. Press
          Murphy against a Terminal to activate (read: blow up ALL Yellow
          Disks). Make sure ALL Yellow Disks are in place before using a
          Terminal, or you will regret it. There is only need for one
          Terminal per level, but more Terminals are allowed (for ease,
          or just decoration).
          
   [Red tubes, with gray edges] - PORTS
          These Ports are an important aspect of the Supaplex world.
          Murphy can pass through them, but other creatures (Snik-snaks
          and Electrons) can not. The Ports with one gray side wider than
          the other are one-way Ports. Murphy can pass though them, but
          only in the direction of the widest to the less wide gray edge.
          Ports with equal gray sides are two-way Ports. Murphy can pass
          through both sides. The four-way Port is not really a four-way
          Port, but rather a combination of two two-way Ports (i.e.
          Murphy can only pass straight through, and can not make a turn
          inside).
          
          An important feature of the ports is that they can switch on
          and off the gravity (see below, mostly used in the higher
          (read: harder) levels). This ability is only available for the
          one-way Ports, and is predetermined. Murphy (you) can't see the
          difference between a switch and a normal Port. You will have to
          try them out to find out.
          
   [Chips, like there are so many inside your computer] - RAM CHIPS
          Ram-Chips are mostly used for walls in the game. They can be
          blown up, to create a passage to another part of the level.
          Zonks will roll of the edges (if the squares to the side and
          the one beneath that one are empty).
          
   [Hardware, all the other pictures you see in the game. There are 10
          different Hardware blocks.] HARDWARE
          Hardware blocks are the most boring part of the game. They
          don't move, they can't blow up, they just sit there, usually
          bothering you, or just for decoration (that's why there are so
          many different ones).

                          Important Game concepts

   Yes, there are a few important "Special effects" in the game that you
   should know of.

   GRAVITY
          This is an important feature for the higher (read: more
          difficult) levels. A level begins with a default gravity
          setting (either on or off) and inside a level, this can be
          changed by special one-way Ports (see above) which will switch
          gravity on or off when Murphy passed through them. Murphy
          (=you) can't see the difference between a normal Port and a
          switch Port, you will have to find out by going through them.
          
          When gravity is OFF, only Zonks, and Orange Disks fall down,
          all the rest stays up in the air when the Base (or other
          objects) underneath are removed. This is usually easier than
          when the gravity is on.
          
          When gravity is ON, not only Zonks and Orange Disks fall down,
          but also Murphy will fall down if he can. The only way to go
          up, is to "eat" your way through Base, because while Murphy is
          doing that, he won't fall (This is used in some levels to let
          Murphy walk over a chasm of some sort, or to get back up high).
          
   AVAILABLE KEYS
          There are a few keys, which seem to give people a hard time
          figuring them out (which is not surprizing as there doesn't
          seem to be an online help in the game). Since an incomplete
          list doesn't look good, I added the "easy" keys too.
          
          ARROWS - Move Murphy around.
          SPACEBAR - when pressed and held down, you can drop a Red Disk
          (see above) if you have any. Also, Pressing and holding it, and
          then pressing an arrow key will make Murphy "eat" in the
          corresponding direction, but without moving. Make sure you
          press the arrow in time, or Murphy will drop a Red Disk (if he
          has any). This is a good way to get Infotrons (see above) in
          tight spots sometimes.
          RIGHT SHIFT - Will display the number of Red Disks Murphy
          carries in the bottom right corner of the screen.
          ESCAPE - Quit level (suicide) and return to menu
          j - Recalibrate joystick
          p or NumLock - pause. (They seem to be two different "pauses" so
          you probably can't turn the "p" pause off when you pressed
          NumLock to turn it on)
          
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