Astraware Bejeweled!

Bejeweled Information

Current released version: 1.1a (March 12th 2001)
Current release expires: never
Feedback to: Howard Tomlinson (howard@astraware.com)
Game Info: http://www.astraware.com/palm/bejeweled/
Recent update headlines: Demo Mode added, 'Hole' bug fixed.

Introduction

Bejeweled is the palm version of the online game that's taking America by storm!

Simple to play, impossible to put down, Bejeweled will have you playing in every spare second you have!

Astraware Bejeweled Features:

Addictive Gameplay
Faithful Conversion of the online game
High Quality Graphics and Animation, in either Greyscale or Colour
Sound Effects
Really Addictive Gameplay
Two Modes - easy for relaxation, and Timed for a frantic game
High Score Table for each mode
Export High scores to the Astraware Bejeweled Internet High Score Table
Instructions and Tips included to get you started
Automatic Hints to help you play
Demo Mode built in
Did we mention it was addictive ?

How to install

Use an extractor program such as WinZip on the PC or Stuffit Expander on the Mac to get at the Bejeweled files. Choose whether you want to install the greyscale game or the color game, and install either bejeweled-colour.prc or bejeweled-greyscale.prc by double-clicking that file.

Use the HotSync button as usual to install the game onto your handheld.

Now run Bejeweled and tap the screen to play the game!

If you've got any queries about Bejeweled or the registration process, first check out our frequently asked questions page on our website (you must be connected to the internet to access this). If this doesn't help, get in touch with us at support@astraware.com. If you've got any questions (or suggestions, we love those) about the game itself, please get in touch with us at the email address at the top of this page.

Playing Bejeweled - Easy Mode

Install and run the game on your Palm.

Tap the 'Instructions' button to get a quick reminder of what to do,

Tap the screen on 'Easy Game' to start a game !

The screen will fill with seven different types of gem. You must tap on two adjacent gems, to form a horizontal or vertical line of three of the same color.

If you can get a line of three or more, then the line vanishes, and more gems fall from above to fill the spaces.

You get extra points for bigger lines, or for 'chain reactions' - which is where the gems cascading down make even more matches.

Every time you get a line, you bonus meter at the bottom of the screen fills up a little more. Fill it completely, and you get a bonus wave across the screen, taking away some random gems, and allowing you to start getting even more matches.

If you can't find a match, after around 10 seconds, one of the gems will twinkle - and that means it can be moved somewhere to make a matching line! (You can call up the hint yourself - see below)

If you run out of possible moves, the game will be over - and the art of keeping playing is to try to make moves that you know will give you more possible moves.

Playing Bejeweled - Timed Mode

Bejeweled comes with a harder mode built in - Timed mode!

Start a Timed game by tapping on the 'Timed Game' button on the front screen.

You can also select this by going into the menu, and selecting the 'Game Settings' option. Change the type of the game to 'Hard (Timed)' and the next game you start will be in timed mode.

Tap the screen to start a game, and the mayhem begins...

As before, you make lines and matches to score points - but... Now you're doing it against the clock!

You have a time meter at the bottom of the screen. If it runs out, that's game over!

Every time you get a line, you get a little more time added. Fill it completely, and you get the bonus wave as before - and your time is reset to the starting value.

If you run out of possible moves in this mode, the gems will all be removed, and you'll get a whole new set - some of which may even start with matches!

To play this mode well, you have to be able to spot matches quickly!

Hidden Features...

There are a few extra features we built in!

You can tap on two tiles separately, or we have allowed you to tap and 'slide' a gem to the side or up or down. This can make you very fast!
Type a graffiti 'h' during the game to get a hint - a twinkle on a moveable gem. (Doing this in Timed mode will cost you 5 seconds!)
Type a graffiti 't' and you'll bring up a hidden dialog box for 'Tweak Settings' - things we know that some people like to change, but most people don't need.
You can:
Alter whether the gems fall together, or spread out as they fall
What sort of a sound they make as they land. (click uses the system click by default - if you change this with a hack, you'll get 'interesting' effects...)
Whether you get countdown 'ticks' as the time runs out.
You can press scroll-up or scroll-down at any time to pause the game - and quickly access the buttons to change the sound volume or abandon a game.
Graffiti 'a' or 'e' abandons (or 'ends') the current game - but it does warn you first!
Graffiti 'g' brings up the standard game settings option box.
Graffiti 'd' starts a demo mode, where the Palm starts to play the game. (You won't get any scores, so you're really ending your own game)
Tap on the high score screen, or away from any of the buttons on the front screen to start a game of the same type you just played.

Registering

You can play 10 games of Bejeweled for free, as you decide whether you like it or not. After these games are up, the program will display a short message asking you to register.

When you register for the game, you'll get a key which will unlock the game and remain valid for future 1.x upgrades. Go to the Bejeweled web page at http://www.astraware.com/palm/bejeweled/ for more details.

You'll need to know your HotSync ID which you can find by running Bejeweled, and going into the menu, and selecting the 'register' option. Your HotSync ID (or username) will be filled in for you below.

When you register, we will generate a key based on your ID, which will normally be sent out by email within 48 hours of you registering. When you receive your key, go to the same register option, and enter the key into the space provided.

Submit your High Scores!

Everybody who plays this game is entitled to submit their high scores for the Timed Mode and Easy Mode to our Internet High Score table.

Just visit the Bejeweled web pages, and select the link to view high scores.

To submit your own score, you need to go to the menu in the game, and select 'export high score'. This will provide you with a code which you can then type into our site.

You can only submit high scores once you've beaten the scores built into the game!

(Astraware reserves the right to remove this board or facility without any notice, or to remove individual names if necessary)

Astraware Products

Biplane Ace - One or Two player dogfighting action - play against the computer or against a friend over Infra Red!
Zap!2000 - A smooth colour and greyscale shoot-em-up in the best traditional style! Let out some stress on the invading aliens!
Zap!2016 - Specially designed for the Handspring Visor Prism, a smooth 16-bit colour shoot-em-up in the best traditional style!
Fire! - a fast paced remake of the old 80s handheld classic, Fire! (Shareware)
Bzzz! A cute screen-tapping game of catching flies - suitable for kids and adults! (Shareware)
Timetable for Palm - An organiser for teachers and students. (Shareware)
Mahjongg for Palm A graphically rich solitaire version of the famous Chinese tile-matching game.
Bang!Bang! for Palm - frantic screen-tapping game of backyard shooting - shoot bottles, cans, flying ducks and more!

Palm Games Pack - get Zap!2000 and Zap!2016, Biplane Ace, Bzzz! and Fire! for your Palm at 20% off the price if you bought them separately.

Astraware PC Products

Bzzz! A cute game of catching flies - suitable for kids and adults!
Fire! The PC version of the 80s Handheld classic, Fire!

Release Revision History

Release 1.1 : March 12th 2001

Bug allowing really high scores to be made by pausing removed.
Ability to pause when the game ends in case you want to see all of the gems before they explode
Some optimisation for speed, and the program file is a little smaller too!

Release 1.1 : March 11th 2001

Demo Mode added
Bug fix : There were 'holes' appearing around 1 in every 100 games, which locked the game. These are now removed, and the game will continue normally.
Front Screen changes - buttons added to choose straight between easy and timed mode.

Release 1.0 : March 2001

First Public Release
Beta Timeout removed

Feedback

If you've got suggestions about how to improve Astraware Bejeweled - or with reports of any problems you've had, then please contact us!

Bejeweled enquiries/feedback: bejeweled@astraware.com
Registration problems: registrations@astraware.com
General Astraware enquiries: feedback@astraware.com

Contributors

Programming : Howard Tomlinson

Graphics and Game Design: Jason Kapalka

Thanks also to the many beta testers for their helpful suggestions throughout March.

Legal

This game is extremely addictive, and Astraware can take no responsibility for any problems that your addiction causes.

Astraware Ltd takes no responsibility for any adverse effect that this software could cause to your machine or the data on it: backup important data before using Bejeweled . Bejeweled is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. Bejeweled is licensed, not sold.

You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble this software.

Astraware�s and its suppliers� entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall be, at Astraware�s option, either (a) return of the price paid, if any, or (b) replacement of the product that does not meet the warranty and which is returned to Astraware with a copy of your receipt. This warranty is void if failure of the product has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication. Any replacement software product will be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or thirty (30) days, whichever is longer. These remedies are not available without proof of purchase from an authorized source.

Written permission must be obtained before distribution of this game, either in demo form or full form, through any online or offline methods.

Bejeweled and the game design are copyright of PopCap