This binary is a pre-release test but is very close to being the release candidate
for the initial 'Secret Santa' distribution.  Please DO NOT pass this binary around
or post it online.  A little work remains to be done, and of course it is to be
kept as a surprise for the Secret Santa recipients.  A general public release will
follow some weeks later and may incorporate some improvements that we do not have
enough to time add for the Christmas release.


The game play is not the same as classic Pacman or Ms Pacman:

The object is to clear each level with just one life.  If Puck dies, you restart the current
level.  You can do this as many times as you need until you eventually clear the level.
Eating a power pill does not send ghosts to their home if you touch them, but it *does* make you
invulnerable for a short time.  The ghosts behaviour is not random so you can keep repeating a
level to make a change at whatever point in your effort you went wrong, until you learn how to
clear the entire level without getting caught.  (The ultimate release will count how many tries
you took before you were able to clear each level.)


You must calibrate the graphics at startup: adjust each parameter using the joystick.
Use Button 1 (leftmost) to move on to the next calibration stage.  When you are happy
with the calibration, use Button 4 (rightmost) to start the game.  You may need to
iterate round all the calibration options a few times in order to make the display look
perfect.  (The display should look good on most Vectrexes though there may be the
odd system that is so far out of tune that the components of the maze cannot be made
to all line up.)

The graphics calibration will be saved to a DS2431 chip if present in your cartridge.  You will
not be asked to run the calibration the next time you start the game, however you can re-enter
calibration at any point.  (Doing so will also restart the current level when you return to
the game.)


Only the joystick is used during play.  The buttons are not being used for play, only for
calibration.  I did create one version where movement was controlled by the buttons, but
control using the buttons on the standard controller was just too awkward.


The pre-release version sources are at V0.50 and the most recent bin can be downloaded at

                      http://www.gtoal.com/vectrex/mspac/puck050-DS.bin
                      
and if you use a flash cartridge where the bankswitching interferes with saving the calibration
settings, download this version instead:

                      http://www.gtoal.com/vectrex/mspac/puck050-NODS.bin
                      


Here is the draft text for the box:


Puck! A Midsummer Maze Challenge of Puck versus four faeries: Cobweb, Mustardseed, Peaseblossom, and Moth!


Learn the fairies' patterns and plan Puck's escape to clear each maze of magical disappearing fairy dust before they capture you.


Eat the magical mushrooms to activate invincibility and evade your pursuers.

Fine-tune the graphics and use precise joystick control to maneuver through the four mazes for the ultimate vector experience.

Are you ready to take on the ultimate Midsummer Maze challenge?



The code was written as a collaboration between Graham Toal who wrote the initial code, and Chris 'Malban' Salomon who
made the game possible by supplying fast graphics routines and optimising the code to get it below 32K so that it would
fit in a standard EPROM cartridge.  Peer Johannsen and Brett Walach also supplied helpful advice during development.

A box is being designed by Alex Fitch, and a Bezel Overlay has been designed by Ralf at "Vectrex Overlays".


Graham