README for Bubble Shooter Deluxe
--------------------------------

Bubble Shooter is a great addictive arcade game combining simple rules 
with great choice of combinations and various strategies. It takes the 
best from Tetris, Lines, Pool, adding new and cool features. Version 
Deluxe is supplemented with the fourth game mode Marathon to the three 
already existing Arcade, Strategy and Sniper. Besides the new sound 
effects and music, the game has got now a lot of extra features. For 
example, now several players can use the same program. The game settings 
and running can be saved for each player individuallyand you may see the 
best score for each of you and for all of you altogether. 

The information about the new versions, upgrades, etc. can be found 
on the Web at http://bshooter.com/

When you ask for support, please include as many details about your 
problem and as much information on your computer as possible. 

This software is copyright (c) Icestone Trustee Ltd, 2001-03.


NEW FEATURES

* Several players can use the game individually 
* Add your own picture or photo to the player list  
* New skill level Easy Ride for more fun than ever
* Live Bubbles: now with real physics and smooth flying
* Games and configurations can be saved separately for each player
* New game mode - Marathon with endless levels
* Cool 3D explosions and other striking effects 

GAME RULES

Your goal is to clear all the bubbles from the board, scoring as many points 
as possible. You shoot at them with more bubbles, and when three or more of 
the same color come together, they all explode. Point your mouse to where 
you want the next bubble to go (the arrow at the bottom will indicate that 
direction), and click to fire the shot. 

In the Strategy mode the new rows will appear when you miss a certain 
number of shots - you may take your aim as long as you want. In Arcade 
mode, they will appear when a certain time has passed, whether you miss 
or not.

The more bubbles are blown up at one shot, the more points you gain 
(six ones at one shot is better than two three-bubble shots). Besides, those 
bubbles that fall apart from the rest will explode too. It is well worth 
trying to arrange such avalanches, as they will give you ten times more 
points than ordinary bursts.

If your shot fails to detonate any bubble, you get a foul, and after you
make several mistakes, a new line of bubbles appears at the top. The 
number of misfires allowed before bubbles will advance again changes from
five to zero, then back to five and so on.  It is shown in the bottom left 
corner by the number of bubbles; those bubbles lay in small dips - their
number shows how many mistakes will be allowed next time. 
Various skill levels differ by the number of shots that you are allowed to 
fire without success. 

One more important rule: if you shoot out all the bubbles of one color,
say red, no more red bubbles will appear on the board. This would ease
things considerably. However, after that every time you use your
silver balls, *two* new lines will appear. Two colors out - three lines,
and so on. New lines will also pop out right after you shoot out a
color.

There can be no draw in this game, either you clean all the bubbles off,
or they move all the way down on you. No compromise. 

Do not forget to send your best result to the online tournament - this is
done from the TOP SCORES window.

Be prepared that this game will keep you busy for quite a while.

Good luck!


INSTALLATION

Bubble Shooter is distributed as a self-installing program or a zip archive 
containing the following files:

bubshoot.exe - self-installing executable file
README.txt   - this file
REGISTER.txt - registration information
LICENSE.txt  - legal information

To install the Bubble Shooter on your PC run the "bubshoot.exe" program and 
follow the instructions. The trial copy of the program will expire in 14 days. 
You can obtain a registration key any time during or after the trial period.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION! Try Direct Sound option if the game appers to run
without sound. The speed can also be adjusted through the Options window.


REGISTRATION

If you wish to use the full version of this game, with skill selection
and saving on disk enabled, after the trial period, please register it 
securely at

    http://bshooter.com/cgi-bin/wp_reg_bs.pl?tick=awgBUBL
or
    http://absolutist.com/bubbles/

Registration cost is US $18.00. Please visit the site above to learn
about currently available discounts.

Upgrade is FREE for the registered users of previous versions.

All major credit cards are accepted, as well as checks and orders.
Other registration methods are possible, including fax and postal.
When your payment is completed, you will receive the registration number
and other information by e-mail. Please be careful when filling your 
address into the registration form.


DISTRIBUTION

Bubble Shooter is a shareware ("try before you buy") game. 

Permission is granted to anyone to use this software, including commercial 
applications. Redistributing the program is only allowed if it is not yet 
registered, except for the following restrictions:
1. The authors and origin of this software must be clearly stated,
   you must not claim that you wrote the original software.
2. This copyright notice may not be removed from or altered in a 
   redistribution package.

Registered copies of Bubble Shooter cannot be further redistributed.


DISCLAIMER

This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied warranty. 
In no event will the Icestone Trustee Limited or Absolutist.com be held 
liable for any damages arising from the use of this software.

Please refer to LICENSE.TXT for details.


~~
Copyright (c) Absolutist.com, Icestone Trustee Limited, 2001-2003
