Copyright: Copyright (C) 1994, Mystic Software


Contents

Mystic Maze Screen Saver Help Contents

Configuration

Maze Portion of the Screen

Line Width

Maze Style

Bounce Maze

Random Maze Position

Password Protected

Multicolor Maze Construction

Bounce Method

Maze and Solution Color

Defaults Button

Set Password Button

Common (and Uncommon) Questions

Which bounce method should I use?

How can I make the maze bounce faster?

How can I make the maze draw faster?

How do I send questions or comments to Mystic Software?

How do I order this software?

How do I commision a custom screen saver? (Great promotional item...)


Overview

Mystic Maze Overview

The Mystic Maze Screen Saver is a two-phase action sequence.

1) A random maze is created on the screen.

2) A solution to the maze is found.

While this sounds very simple, this is only a basic description.  Mystic Maze has many configurable parameters, allowing you to create an abundance of different maze types.  Help is available for all the options; however, the best (and most fun) way to become familiar with Mystic Maze is to play it.


Maze Portion

Maze Portion of the Screen

The size of the maze is specified as a fraction of the total screen area.

The number in the X percentage edit box determines the maze width as a percentage of the screen's width.

The number in the Y percentage edit box determines the maze height as a percentage of the screen's height.

See also: How can I make it bounce faster?


Line Width

The number in this list box determines the width (in pixels) of the lines used to construct the maze.

The thicker the lines, the faster the maze will draw.


Maze Style

Moving this slider varies the maze style between "straight" and "bendy."   When the maze is drawing, the maze lines often have several choices as to which way to go an open space.

A straight maze chooses to let the lines continue straight in an open space more often than bending them.

A bendy maze chooses to turn the lines in an open space more often than continuing them straight.


Bounce Maze

When Bounce Maze is checked, the maze moves around the screen as it creates and solves itself.

Note: When the maze size is set to 100% by 100%, the Bounce Maze option has no effect, because the maze has no space left to bounce.

See also: Maze Portion of the Screen


Random Postion

Random Maze Position

When this option is checked, each new maze appears at a random screen position.

When this is disabled, each new maze appears at the screen center.

This option has no effect if the maze size is 100% by 100%

This option is not available when the Bounce Maze option is checked.

See also:

Maze Portion of the Screen

Bounce Maze


Password Protected

When this option is checked, you cannot exit the screen saver without entering the password.  This option can be useful for securing a computer or covering sensitive data.  (You wouldn't want your boss to see that copy of your resume you're editting, would you?)

Set the password by clicking the Set Password button.

See also: Set Password Button.


Multicolor

Multicolor Maze Construction

When this option is checked, the maze is created in multicolor.

Note that during the screen saver's solve segment, the maze is still be drawn in the Maze Color and solved in the Solution Color.

See also: Maze and Solution Color


Bounce Method

Mystic Maze gives you the choice of two different bounce methods because non-accelerated and accelerated video cards have different characteristics.  Mystic Software recommends trying both settings to determine which is really bounces faster for your specific video card.

In general

ScrollWindow is generally faster for accelerated video cards.

BitBlt is generally faster for non-accelerated video cards.

The Bouce Method choice is only available when the Bounce Maze option is checked.

See also: Bounce Maze


Maze and Solution Colors

During the screen saver's maze solve segment, the maze is drawn in the Maze Color and the solution path is drawn in the Solution Color.

When the Multicolor Maze Construction option is not checked, the maze is created in the selected Maze Color.

See also: Multicolor Maze Construction


Defaults

Defaults Button

This button is provided as a safety mechanism.  If the configuration options should get set to a state where is it not obvious how to repair them, use this button to reset all options to reasonable default values.

Note: These defaults are optimized for a non-accelerated video card.  If your card is accelerated, you may wish to change the Bounce Method to ScrollWindow.

See also: Bounce Method


Set Password

Set Password Button

Clicking this button allows a password to be assigned for locking the screen saver.  All screen savers which are password protected will use this password.

The Set Password option is not available unless the Password Protected option is checked.

Note: To enter a new password, you must know the current password.

(If you forget your password, you can remove it by editting CONTROL.INI and removing the "Password=" line in the [ScreenSaver] section.)

See also: Password Protected


Which Bounce

Which bounce method should I use?

Mystic Maze provides two bounce methods: BitBlt and ScrollWindow.

Either bounce method will work: the object is to choose the fastest one for your particular video card.

As a general rule:

Accelerated video cards bounce faster with ScrollWindow

Non-accelerated video cards bounce faster with BitBlt.

Of course, rules are made to be broken, so Mystic Software recommends trying both settings to determine which is really bounces faster.

See also: Bounce Method


Bounce Faster

How can I make the maze bounce faster?

There are two ways to make the maze bounce faster:

 Choose the fastest bounce method for your particular video card.

 Make the maze area smaller by reducing the X or Y percentages.

As a general rule:

Accelerated video cards bounce faster with ScrollWindow

Non-accelerated video cards bounce faster with BitBlt.

Of course, rules are made to be broken, so Mystic Software recommends trying both settings to determine which is really bounces faster.

See also

Bounce Method

Which bounce method should I use?

Maze Portion of the Screen


Draw Faster

How can I make the maze draw faster?

If the maze is bouncing, most of the computer's processing power will be expended bouncing the maze.  Try making the maze bounce faster.

If the maze is stationary (Bounce Maze is disabled), you can make the maze draw faster in the following ways:

 Shrink the maze area by reducing the X or Y screen percentages.

 Make the line width thicker.

See also

How can I make the maze bounce faster?

Bounce Maze

Maze Portion of the Screen

Line Width


Comments

How do I send questions or comments to Mystic Software?

Sending questions or comments to Mystic Software is quite easy and we love to hear from you.

Internet: 	70720.1152@compuserve.com

Compuserve: 	70720,1152

US Mail:	Mystic Software

PO Box 1962

Binghamton, NY 13902-1962

See also: How do I order this software?


Ordering

How do I order this software?

You can order a registered copy of this software (or additional copies) by sending the proper amount to:

Mystic Software

PO Box 1962

Binghamton, NY 13902-1962

Prices are:

Single user copy:  	$15 + $3 shipping

Site License:    	Inquire

See also: How do I send questions or comments to Mystic Software?


Custom

How do I commission a custom screen saver?

Mystic Software can write a custom screen saver with your company's logo or other bitmaps.  These make great promotional giveaway items.  Development prices for custom screen savers vary, depending on the complexity of the screen saver.

Please send inquiries to:

Internet: 	70720.1152@compuserve.com

Compuserve: 	70720,1152

US Mail:	Mystic Software

PO Box 1962

Binghamton, NY 13902-1962