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README.TXT


v1.04b

Developed in 2007 by MJK Games
Re-released as freeware by MJK Games on June 22, 2009

feedback@mjkgames.com
http://www.mjkgames.com

Copyright 2007-2009 MJK Games


Check www.mjkgames.com for the latest version of Picross Mania!



GENERAL INFORMATION
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"Picross Mania" is a freeware game, i.e. you can freely play and distribute
it forward for as much as you want.

If you want to support the development, you are free to donate at mjkgames.com

System requirements: Windows XP/Vista/2000, resolution of 1024x768 or higher



THE GAME
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"Picross Mania" is a picture logic puzzle game, where the player must 
paint a picture by coloring the correct blocks in a grid, based on the given 
number clues. For example, a clue of 5 2 3 would indicate that in the 
corresponding row or column, the first set of colored blocks consists of five 
units. After this set, there is at least one blank block to separate it from the 
second set of two colored blocks. Then blank(s) again and finally a set of three 
colored blocks. This type of puzzle game is often also called a nonogram, griddler,
paint-by-numbers or picture sudoku.

Together, all the number clues provide the means to solve the level. When the 
player solves one row or column, this will always result in more clues about the 
other rows or columns. When playing the game, the player must determine which 
blocks are to be colored and which are supposed to be empty. Marking the 
blanks (right mouse button) is as important as coloring the blocks (left mouse 
button). The secured blank blocks become important clues as the game goes on,
and based on the information they give together with the number clues and 
secured colored blocks, the player can color new blocks. Its important not to 
guess, until perhaps in the very last stages of the puzzle, because one error in 
the beginning may lead to dozens of others.

There are four game modes in "Picross Mania". These are

- Challenge
- Time Attack
- Single Puzzle
- Marathon

In the Challenge mode, the player will face increasingly more challenging picture
puzzles. In the beginning, the levels are relatively small and thus easy to solve, but
at later stages, the fields get larger and more difficult. The Challenge mode is the 
most demanding game mode available in "Picross Mania" and will take 
endless hours to complete. In total, there are 140 picture puzzles to solve.

In the Time Attack mode, PM generates random nonogram puzzles, which the 
player needs to solve as fast as possible. The goal is to minimize the total time 
spent on solving all the 5-10 levels. The total time is then submitted to an online 
highscore database. There are three difficulty levels in the Time Attack mode: easy,
medium and hard - depending on the size of the grid. The number of different randomly
generated puzzles is practically unlimited: there is always new kind of puzzles to
play.

Single levels can be played in the Single Puzzle mode. The player can select a
suitably sized puzzle and try to solve it. More puzzles can be downloaded at the
PM website.

Marathon is another variation of the Time Attack mode. However, now the player 
doesnt need to minimize the time to solve some given number of levels, 
but instead to complete as many levels as possible within the given time of one 
hour. The Marathon game mode is for all the die-hard picross puzzle fans, as it 
always requires one hour to be finished. The puzzles are randomly generated and 
represent every possible level of difficulty: they can range from 4x4 fields to 
30x30 fields. The time needed to solve one level in the Marathon mode can vary 
significantly.

Every game mode, apart from Single Puzzle, features one or more skips to be 
used as needed. In the Time Attack & Marathon, these can be utilised only after the 
first 30 secs. The time of the skipped level is added to the total time of all 5-10 
levels.



FUNCTIONS
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Left mouse button: paint a block
Right mouse button: erase a block / mark it empty
Middle mouse button: enter a question mark

If your mouse doesn't have a middle mouse button, you can use the spacebar to
enter a question mark.

When you have painted a correct picture, press the Try! button. If the game 
accepts it, the level has been solved.

By hovering the mouse pointer to the lower left hand corner of the game screen, a
group of functions can be opened. These are:

- Quit (or ESC): quits the game and returns to the main menu
- Reset playfield: mark all blocks empty
- Skip (x): if x>0 you can use a skip, depending on the game mode
- <: go back in the Challenge mode
- >: go forward in the Challenge mode
- >|: go forward to your furthest level in the Challenge mode

An alternative way to jump between the levels of the Challenge mode is to click
directly on the timeline in the right side of the game screen.

In the Options screen, the player can adjust many features of the game:
- enable/disable grid position highlighting
- enable/disable miniblocks
- enable/disable background grid
- enable/disable automatic score submission
- enable/disable music
- reset local highscores
- change the player account



TIPS & TRICKS
----------------------------------------------------------------------

- Often the most useful place to start solving the puzzles are the rows and
columns where there is no space for other than the blocks indicated by the clue
numbers. For example, in a row of 12 blocks with a clue of "5 2 3", it's clear
that there will be first 5 colored blocks, 1 blank, 2 colored blocks, 1 blank and
finally three colored blocks. This is because they fill all the 12 blocks 
(5+1+2+1+3).

- For more problem solving methods, check out this Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonogram

- In the Time Attack mode, it may be useful to start solving the level on the
"shortest axis". For example, if X is 10 and Y is 6 (10x6 field), going through all the
columns may be the most effective way to start and may also save some time.

- Some randomly generated levels may require some guessing, usually at the
later stages of the level. Also, the picture puzzles may have multiple solutions,
but only the one which produces the desired picture will work. In these cases,
use the picture to determine the places for the missing blocks.

- If you encounter an impossible puzzle, use your skips to go to the next one.
Sometimes the game may present a level, that isn't solvable by following the number
clues.

- If the game is slow, try disabling grid position highlighting, miniblocks and 
background grid from the Options screen. Disabling grid position highlighting in
particular can result in better performance on slower (< 1 GHz) machines.

- The Start-button may not be active when you click it. In these cases, move your
mouse pointer a bit and click it again. You can also use the Enter key to start the
level.

- If you have more than one player playing the game on the same computer,
you might want to change the player account from the Options screen. In this way,
both players will have exclusive game saves and local records.

- Musics can be disabled/enabled from the options, but you can do it in-game as well
by pressing "M".



VERSION HISTORY
----------------------------------------------------------------------

June 22, 2009: "Picross Mania" v1.04b
- Unlocked full version re-released as freeware

November 3, 2007: "Picross Mania" v1.03
Minor update
- Fixes a glitch with the musics in the Challenge mode

November 3, 2007: "Picross Mania" v1.02
Minor update
- Fixes a bug in the Challenge mode (no skips)

November 1, 2007: "Picross Mania" v1.01
Minor update
- Fixes one small bug in miniblocks
- Makes minor adjustments on the trial version properties

October 30, 2007: "Picross Mania" v1.0
Update
- New graphical theme
- Changes to level orders
- New single puzzles
- Better performance
- Should fix one issue with Vista
- Other small adjustments

August 17, 2007: "Hanjie Puzzle Challenge"
Major update
- The first publicly released version
- 140+ picture puzzles
- Randomly generated puzzles
- 4 game modes: Challenge, Time Attack, Marathon and Single Puzzle
- 4 music tracks
- Online and local highscores


July 7, 2007: first beta
- For internal testing


June 15, 2007: development started



CREDITS & CONTACT INFORMATON
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Picross Mania" is developed in 2007 by MJK Games
Re-released as freeware by MJK Games on June 22, 2009
Copyright 2007-2009 MJK Games

Game Design, Programming and Graphics Design by MJK Games
(feedback@mjkgames.com)

Musics by Olivier Degand @ MJK Games 
(okeanos.music@hotmail.fr)

Thanks to the 3 Js:
Jim Elliott for beta testing and ideas
Jari Ketola for beta testing
Jempu for level design and ideas
