BLOB STORY v1.0
Game copyright Ben Tibbetts 2011
www.bentibbetts.net/blobstory

LEGAL STATEMENT
Blob Story (including its soundtrack) is freeware. The game is illegal to modify, distribute for profit, or bundle with adware or install programs. It cannot be hosted on the Internet or otherwise distributed without my expressed permission. The game contains sound effects used without permission, which were bundled with Game Maker v8.0. The Licence Agreement which is also bundled with Game Maker v8.0 states: "Subject to these terms you may install and use.... d. the graphics, audio, sound, sprite, background and other pre-created audio visual files contained within the Software ("Audio-visual Files") for your personal non-commercial and commercial use."


================
|   CONTENTS   |
================

 1. System requirements and technical information
 2. Credits and thanks
 3. How to play
 4. Controls
 5. Options
 6. Version changelog



=========================================================
|   1. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION    |
=========================================================

THIS GAME RUNS ON:
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7

This game's performance on earlier editions of Windows including Windows 98, Windows NT and Windows 2000 are untested as of this writing.

This game was created in GameMaker 8. It may not be compatible with all computers.

If you experience any difficulties running this game, first try running as an administrator (Right-click on executable and click on "Run as Administrator").

If problems continue please send an email to the following address:
contact@bentibbetts.net

TECHNICAL NOTE ON SAVING:
Blob Story probably won't be able to create a savefile if you run the game from within the zip archive. You need to extract it to play it. Also, do not attempt to run the game from a slow USB drive or similar, or you may not be able to save the game.



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|   2. CREDITS AND THANKS   |
=============================

Game Design, Programming, Graphics, and Music by Ben Tibbetts

Programmed in GameMaker 8 Pro

Graphics created in Bryce 7, Microsoft Paint, and Irfanview

Music created in Cubase Essential 5 and Audacity

Testing by the Game Maker Community (gmc.yoyogames.com)
----> Volunteer beta testers for v0.9: mAnIk800, Davidobot, Soulsnatcher, BlueDebel, ArcadeMachines, ookami125

In-depth testing provided by David Orr, Jeff Heim, and Megan Wolfe

Special thanks to Mark Overmars, Big J, and Daniel Remar

Copyright 2011 Ben Tibbetts, www.bentibbetts.net



==============================
|   3. HOW TO PLAY: A POEM   |
==============================

Dodge the cubes,
save the trees,
watch for save points and extra lives.
(Purple's twice.)
Combine Bob and Betty Blob
for a surprise,
but remember they have separate lives.
(Baby Bob may even get the munchies.)

Also, your score goes down
by one point
every time a cube bounces
against a wall.

That is all.




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|   4. CONTROLS   |
===================

arrow keys - move

p - pause

m - stop/start background music

g - turn on/off background grid

r - restart the game

f1 or h - game information

f4 - change screen modes

f7 - refresh level

f9 - screenshot

esc - quit / exit game information



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|   5. OPTIONS   |
==================

Difficulty:
Easy (cubes at 3/4 speed)
Normal (cubes at normal speed)
Hard (cubes at 5/4 speed, no extra hearts)

Game Speed (changes the speed of all in-game objects, including blobs):
Slow (3/4 game speed)
Normal (normal game speed)
Fast (5/4 game speed)

Grid (whether grid is turned on when each level loads; use "g" to turn on or off within game): On, Off

Music (background ambience, press "m" to turn on or off within game): On, Off

Sound Effects (all sound effects): On, Off



=============================
|   6. VERSION CHANGELOG    |
=============================

Please feel free to report errors and provide feedback to contact@bentibbetts.net.

1.1 (January 9, 2012)
-Greater chance of extra hearts
-Purple hearts
-Some added SFX
-Bug fix: score is -1
-Hard: no extra hearts
-Some added FX
-Added refresh level option
-Bug fix: loading error / cube positions (fixed?)
-Minor aesthetic improvements
-drank even more coffee

1.0 (January 1, 2012)
-fixed negative scoring
-fixed impossible "hard" difficulty
-fixed room wrapping issues
-cosmetic changes and minor bugs
-drank a lot of coffee

0.9 (December 24, 2011)
-Beta released for testing.