                          RULES OF PLAY

To play **LIGHTS OFF**, choose option 1 from the MAIN MENU.  The
other options will be explained later.

The game features a playing grid of size 5x5.  Each button/light
on the grid is identified by a letter from A to Y.  To press a
button, simply hit the appropriate key on the keyboard.

When a button is pressed, its on/off status will change.  That is,
if it is on (light-coloured), it will turn off (dark-coloured), and
vice-versa.  The lights to the north, south, east, and west of the
pressed button will also change.

Each level in the game consists of a starting puzzle.  As the level
increases, the complexity of the puzzle increases.  A puzzle is a
randomly generated grid of lights.  The object of the game is to
turn all the lights off.

The computer generates each board by randomly executing a number of
moves (equal to the level number) on a blank board (this guarantees 
that the puzzle has a solution).  The player is then allowed that
number of moves plus an adjustable "grace" value to solve the puzzle.
A puzzle is solved when all the lights on the grid are off.  When the
number of allotted moves (in the top right corner of the screen) is
exhausted, the level has been failed (and a life is lost).  An extra
life is granted after an adjustable number of levels has been passed.

If you have trouble figuring out techniques for solving puzzles,
try option 2 from the MAIN MENU.  This option is a practice mode. 
You may still try to solve the puzzles by yourself, but you cannot
run out of moves.  In addition, the computer's moves which
generated the board will appear to the right of the board.  If you
want to watch the puzzle solved (from your current position),
simply follow the moves as they appear at right.

Options 3 and 4 are the famous "Game Generators".  Option 3 allows
you to create a puzzle in the normal way.  That is, by executing
moves from a blank board.  Option 4 is the "wildcat" version, and
it allows you to create a puzzle one light at a time.  Be warned
that not all puzzles created this way can be solved.  Generated
games will be saved under a file name of the designer's choice,
along with their "best times" and the name of their "champion".

Option 5 allows you to select a saved game, and try to better the
"best time".

You already know what option 6 does.  Option 7 is clear as well. 
To clear a Top Ten list, delete the corresponding HIGHSCO?.SAV file.
(for example: to reset the 1 colour Top Ten, delete HIGHSCO1.SAV)

Options such as colours, starting level, grace value, extra life
level and multicolour modes can be adjusted to suit the taste of
the player.  While s/he may like the colours, h/se will not like the
punishing treatment dealt out by level 3 to poor moves.  The
multicolour modes work as follows:

A light can now be either OFF, COLOUR #1, COLOUR #2, or COLOUR #3
(depending on how many colours are active).  When activated (in the
customary way), a light will change to the next mode.  In 1 colour
mode, the game is as described above.  In 3 colour mode, it is a
beast.

Players will feel confident with early levels of 2 and 3 colour
play, but in later levels, confusion will stretch their
concentration.  Furthermore, a wrong move requires up to 3 moves
to undo.

To activate multicolour levels, or to adjust options, choose option
8 from the fabled MAIN MENU.

If you like the game, please give me any suggestions to improve it.
My address is:

                     mfruman@physics.utoronto.ca

If you do not like the game, I assume that your suggestion would be
to scrap it, so you can save your strength.

That is all.

Tubby.

(updated September, 1999)
