MenuChase Documentation

MenuChase is a game that can be fun, because you will want to try to improve your score each time you play. Creating this game was a change from my usual line of programming. The GEOS community could probably use a few more games. Besides, I don't mind dropping what I'm doing once in awhile and relaxing with a little challenge at the computer.

This version of MenuChase comes complete with 3 levels of play. More levels will be available as time goes on. These additional levels will be easy to add to your existing program by simply double-clicking on the installation program that will be supplied with the new levels. Meanwhile, get good with the first 3 levels. You will need some experience before you are ready to tackle the levels that are coming.

MenuChase starts out with the 'main menu' where you can decide your course of action. At this point, you may view a little onscreen instruction file, start a new game, resume a game that is already in memory, load a saved game, save a game from memory, or quit. You will find that everything is very easy to figure out at this point.

PLAYING A NEW GAME

Click on 'New Game' from the main menu to start your first level of play. You will then be presented with a title screen for level one and a few moments later, your gamescreen will appear. So be ready to go. I will give you a hint on level one only. You must do just like the title of the level says, 'Don't Lose Count'. Start by clicking on 'one', travel across the bridge to 'two', but don't click on 'two', or you will simply create another bridge that will take you back over to 'one'. The idea now is to click on the correct 'three' that will take you across to 'four'. Keep following this pattern until you've reached the highest number available.

At any level, if you make enough mistakes, your current level will end and the game will be over. Your final score will be displayed. Try playing again and see if you can get a better score.

Each level might allow more or less mistakes and also might provide higher or lower scores. You are also limited on how much time you can spend at each level. A clock is running while MenuChase is awaiting your response. The clock is stopped whenever the screen is being redrawn with new menus or other graphics. The maximum time allowed at any one level will never be more than 60 seconds. Some levels require less time.

MULTI-PLAYER MODE

In it's basic form, MenuChase is a single-player game. However, since it has the ability to save a game in-between levels, there is a way that two or more people could play at the same time. Here is a scenario:

Let's say we have three players, PlayerA, PlayerB, and PlayerC. PlayerA starts out by clicking on 'New Game' just as though he were going to play by himself. Once he has completed level 1, he returns to the main menu and saves his game with a filename such as his own name or PlayerA or whatever. Now PlayerB starts a new game and saves his after the level has ended. Then PlayerC takes his turn. Once each player has played a level, PlayerA loads his game and continues on to level two. Once a player fails at a level, he can no longer save his game, and so he is out. But he can keep track of his score, because it is the 'final' score that determines who the winner is, and not how many levels are completed. A person could complete every level and get a low score if he takes too much time, while a person who is fast could win by getting high scores on each level, even though he does not complete as many levels.

Since PlayerC in this case would have the advantage of watching each player play each round before taking his turn, it would be wise to alternate who goes first at each level. You decide how you want to organize the method of play. You could also have each player play two or more levels before the next player takes a turn.

Have fun at your little get togethers. You might also find this game to have some educational value with children, especially as more levels become available.

THE USUAL STUFF