Typer Shark(TM) Deluxe Readme

TYPER SHARK™ DELUXE
Version 1.02
Release Date: June 11, 2003

Developed and published by PopCap Games, Inc.
www.popcap.com

Thanks for downloading Typer Shark Deluxe. We hope you enjoy the game!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

- System Requirements
- Troubleshooting / Compatibility

- DirectX
- Screen Color Depth
- Bug Reporting

- Technical Support
- Registration

- Benefits of Registering
- How to Register
- Buying the Game
- Problems?

- Instructions

- Introduction
- Creating a Profile
- Game Selection
- Game Modes
- Options
- Hall of Fame
- Statistics

- Adventure Mode

- Overview
- How To Play
- Shark Zapper
- Shipwreck Bonus
- Map Screen
- Enemies
- Endless Waters
- Secrets
- Saved Games

- Abyss Mode

- Overview
- How To Play
- Depth Markers

- Typing Tutor Mode

- Overview
- How To Play
- Assistance

- Scoring

- General Scoring
- Extra Lives

- Version History
- Credits
- Software Use Limitations And Limited License
- Copyright Information

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS [back to top]

Typer Shark Deluxe requires an IBM PC or 100% compatible computer, with a Pentium II 350 MHz or better processor. Your computer must have at least 128 megabytes of RAM.

Operating System: you must be utilizing Windows 98, ME, 2000, or XP with DirectX 7 or later to play Typer Shark Deluxe on your system. If you are using Windows Vista, please ensure that User Account Control (UAC) is activated. You must be logged in as an administrator to install this game.

Controls: a keyboard and a 100% Microsoft compatible mouse are required.

Sound: you must have a DirectX certified sound card installed.

Video: you must have your desktop set to 16-bit or 32-bit color mode (256 Colors may not work).

TROUBLESHOOTING / COMPATIBILITY [back to top]

For updates to this list go to www.popcap.com/help.php?cat=deluxe.

DirectX

Typer Shark Deluxe requires you to have DirectX 7 drivers or later installed. These are sound and video drivers from Microsoft used in many games.

Screen Color Depth

Typer Shark Deluxe requires you to be running in 16-bit color or better. It may not function in windowed mode properly in 256 Colors. If you are running in 256 Colors, the game will try to switch to full-screen mode.

In addition, the game may run slowly in windowed mode in 32-bit color. If this occurs, switch to full-screen mode, or change your color depth to 16-bits.

Bug Reporting

Though we've tried our best to squash all the bugs, every once in a while something we didn't expect pops up...

If you should come across a bug in Typer Shark Deluxe, please report it.

If for some reason the program crashes, it will try to capture any pertinent data and give you instructions on how to send that data to PopCap. This is very helpful for tracking down glitches!

TECHNICAL SUPPORT [back to top]

If you are have any questions about your game, you can visit us at http://www.popcap.com/help.php

If you can, including the following information along with a description of your problem will help us to help you!

- Title Of Game
- Computer Manufacturer
- Operating System (Windows 98, Windows XP, etc.)
- CPU Type And Speed In MHz
- Amount Of RAM
- Sound Card Type
- Video Card

REGISTRATION [back to top]

If you enjoy playing the trial version of Typer Shark Deluxe, sooner or later you'll need to register!

Benefits of Registering

When you register, you will receive unlimited gameplay for a simple one-time fee. Plus, you support PopCap and help us to create more games in the future!

How to Register

Click the Buy Now link that appears when you first launch the game. Your game will be permanently unlocked once you register… there’s no need for a CD-ROM or any further downloads.

Buying the Game

Once you decide to register, follow the onscreen prompts to complete your purchase. An internet connection will be required to register the game, but will not be necessary to play after you have registered.

You will receive an email receipt after purchasing the game. Save this information in case you need to reinstall the game later.

Problems?

Hopefully this will answer all your questions, but if you're still having difficulties, feel free to contact us at http://www.popcap.com/help.php. Include as much information as you can about the problem you're having, and we'll get back to you as quickly as we can!

INSTRUCTIONS [back to top]

Introduction

Typer Shark Deluxe is a typing tutor unlike any you've ever seen before! Dive deep into the ocean depths with only your keyboard for protection... and zap menacing Word Sharks by typing the words printed on their sides. Discover sunken treasure, or test your skills to the max in the Abyss!

Typer Shark features three ways to play: you can choose your path by progressing through the Adventure mode, play a fast arcade game in the Abyss, or improve your typing skills with the Typing Tutor mode.

Creating a Profile

If it's your first time playing, you'll be asked to create a profile with your name. This is used to identify you in case there are multiple people playing on the same machine: each can have separate saved games and statistics. If you need to create a new profile later, just click on the link that says, "Click here if this is not you." This will let you pick a different profile or create a new one.

Game Selection

Once the game has finished loading, you will find yourself on the Game Selector screen. If it is the first time you've launched Typer Shark, you'll be prompted to take a typing test to determine your current typing speed. This will let the program recommend an appropriate skill level for you to play at.

From this screen, you can select one of the three game modes: Adventure, Abyss, and Tutorial, or access your Statistics. You can also change Game Options or Quit back to Windows.

Game Modes

If you select Adventure mode, your recommended difficulty level will be highlighted if you've taken the typing test. This is the level you should probably start at to get a solid challenge.

Pick a difficulty level to start the game. See Adventure Mode later for more details.

If you pick Abyss mode, you will start either at the surface, or at any of the 400-foot markers you placed while previously playing Abyss. This allows you to start at a deeper depth once you've proven your skills.

See Abyss Mode later for more details.

If you pick the Typing Tutor, you will go to the Tutorial screen, where you can improve your skills with one of 18 typing lessons. You can also retake the typing test at any time to see your current words per minute.

See Typing Tutor Mode later for more details.

Options

The Options are accessible by clicking the Options button while playing the game. They include:

- Music Volume and Sound Effects: you can adjust these volume sliders separately to fit your preferences.
- Fullscreen: If this is checked, Typer Shark Deluxe will use your entire computer screen. If it is not checked, Typer Shark Deluxe will be played in a window. It’s up to you to decide which you prefer.
- Enable Fx: If this is checked, Typer Shark Deluxe will show additional graphical effects. This may slow down the game on some computers.
- Custom Cursors: If this box is checked, you will see special custom Typer Shark Deluxe cursors in the game rather than Windows standard cursors. If you have a special theme installed that changes your Windows cursors, you may need to activate this option to see the cursor properly in the game.
- Space Bar Pauses Game: If you enable this option, pressing the Space Bar will pause any game. This is off by default.
- Hardware Acceleration: This box can be checked to improve performance for computers with supported video cards.

Hall of Fame

You can check out the Hall of Fame to see the best scores in Adventure and Abyss mode.

Statistics

Click on this to see your own personal statistics in Adventure, Abyss, and Typing Tutor modes. See if you're improving over time!

ADVENTURE MODE [back to top]

Overview

Adventure mode lets you choose your path as you salvage shipwrecks across the Seven Seas, and beyond, into the mysterious depths of the infinite sea!

There are many different enemies and bonuses in Adventure Mode, including special secret levels.

How To Play

Sharks and other enemies will swim towards you from the right side of the screen. Type the words printed on their sides to zap them! If they reach the far left side of the screen, they will chomp you and you'll lose one of your three lives.

Shark Zapper

Your Shark Zapper charges up over time and as you zap enemies. When it is fully charged, you can use it to zap all enemies on screen at once! Press ENTER to fire your Shark Zapper once it is charged.

Shipwreck Bonus

When you reach the ocean floor, you'll find a shipwreck hiding sunken treasures. You have less than 30 seconds to recover as much as you can! Type as many of the words that appear as you can before time runs out.

Map Screen

Once you finish the shipwreck segment, you will go to a map screen depicting your progress. In some cases, you may be able to choose your next destination! Read the descriptions of each site carefully... some are more dangerous than others!

Enemies

Keep an eye out as you advance, and you will see all sorts of different foes to battle... ghost sharks, tiger sharks, hammerheads, piranhas, and 4 different boss monsters!

Endless Waters

If you make it to the end of the Adventure game, you'll have the option of proceeding into the endless waters. Do you dare learn the secrets?

Secrets

There are several special levels you can discover if you're clever! But we'll leave that for you to figure out...

Saved Games

Games are only saved at the beginning of a new level. So if you have completed a level and are on the map screen, make sure to select a new dive location before quitting out, otherwise you will have to replay the previous level when you restart the game later.

ABYSS MODE [back to top]

Overview

If you don't have the time to play a full Adventure game, try the Abyss mode for a quick fix! Dive as deep as you can into increasingly deadly waters... how low can you go?

How To Play

Abyss mode works just like Adventure mode, except you don't get any breaks! It just keeps getting harder and harder until you perish... but how far down can you make it? What horrible beasts of the deep will you discover?

Type the words on the sides of the oncoming enemies to zap them. When your Shark Zapper is charged, press ENTER to zap all onscreen enemies at once.

Depth Markers

Every 400 feet, your progress in Abyss mode is saved. That means the next time you play, you can either start at the surface, or at any of the depth markers you previously set. The status of your Shark Zapper is also saved at each depth marker.

TYPING TUTOR MODE [back to top]

Overview

The Typing Tutor will help you to learn touch-typing, if you don't know it, or improve your skills if you do! You might be surprised at what a little practice can do!

How To Play

On the sidebar, you will see a description of the current lesson, along with an Options button and arrows to take you to the previous and next lessons. You can skip ahead if you want to, but you won't get a "passing" grade on a lesson until you complete it. Some lessons have specific goals you must complete, such as finishing it in a certain amount of time or with a certain degree of accuracy, before they are considered passed.

When you are ready to begin, simply start typing the words as displayed at the top of the screen.

Assistance

If you watch the keyboard and animated hands below, you will see them change to help you improve your typing. The hands will show you which finger you're supposed to use to strike each key... if you are using a different finger, you should try to change your habits to use the proper one.

Likewise, the keyboard will light up to show you the position of the next key you are supposed to strike.

SCORING [back to top]

General Scoring

In general, points are earned based on the difficulty of the word being typed, as well as the difficulty level selected. Other bonuses are awarded based on accuracy, quantity of enemies killed, and other factors.

Here are the values assigned to each character:

ASDFGHJKLE | 1 point
RTYUIMNVB | 2 points
QZXCWPO1234567890 | 3 points
Punctuation | 4 points

The value of the whole word is then multiplied by 15 in adventure mode, and at least 30 in abyss mode (the value increases the deeper you dive).

Bonus Jellyfish are scored in the same way, but the points are multiplied by the total number of jellyfish killed in the wave. Also, each jellyfish killed charges the Shark Zapper by 1%.

An Accuracy Bonus is awarded if you achieve typing accuracy of 95% or better in a wave. This bonus is cumulative for consecutive waves, so if you achieve 95% or better accuracy again in the next wave, your bonus will be higher.

Additionally, if you earn 95% or better accuracy during an entire level, you will earn bonus points. These bonuses are also cumulative and get higher if you earn 95% or better accuracy bonuses on consecutive levels.

The words that appear in the Treasure Ship at the end of each level are scored differently. Each Treasure Word scores the following points:
1700 for X-treme
1000 for Expert
450 for Hard
150 for Normal
50 for Easy

The total point value awarded for the entire Treasure Ship Round is based on the number of words typed, as well as the difficulty level.

Boss Monsters are worth the following values:

X-treme | 100,000
Expert | 70,000
Hard | 50,000
Normal | 30,000
Easy | 10,000

In Abyss mode the Boss Monsters are worth 100,000 points each.

Extra Lives

Here are the points required to earn extra lives (applies to Adventure Mode only):

Easy: first extra life at 625,000, after that every 400,000
Normal: first at 775,000, next at 115,000, then every 600,000
Hard: first at 900,000, then 1,550,000, then every 800,000
Expert: first at 1,250,000 then 1,750,000 then every 1,500,000
X-treme: first at 1,500,000 then 2,000,000 then every 2,000,000

VERSION HISTORY [back to top]

1.02 | Bug fixes.
1.00 | Initial release!
CREDITS [back to top] Typer Shark Deluxe was created by PopCap Games, Inc.
Producer: | Sukhbir Sidhu
Game Design: | Jason Kapalka
Programming: | Jeff Weinstein
Art: | Tysen Henderson Josh Langley
Music: | Jonne Valtonen
Software Libraries: | Brian Fiete
Biz Guy: | Don Walters
QA: | Eric Harman Brenna Flood Shawn Conard Chad Zoellner

Beta Testers:

Arkeri
WildKittyFca
Lexi
Vexrm
FaereMoon
Elias
BlueSky
hottentots
Kingdom
Syrinx
RavensTrumpet
lala
MrsDbolt
Brainybettydotcom
NPG
baasi1
MistressAnna
WendigoWolf
hermitcrab
Emerald
Panther

Thanks to all our beta testers and players on PopCap.com for their valuable feedback!

SOFTWARE USE LIMITATIONS AND LIMITED LICENSE [back to top]

GENERAL PRODUCT LICENSE.

This Copy Of Typer Shark Deluxe (The "Software") Is Intended Solely For Your Personal Non-Commercial Home Entertainment Use. You May Not Decompile, Reverse Engineer, Or Disassemble The Software, Except As Permitted By Law. PopCap Corporation And Its Licensors Retain All Right, Title And Interest In The Software Including All Intellectual Property Rights Embodied Therein And Derivatives Thereof. The Software, Including, Without Limitation, All Code, Data Structures, Characters, Images, Sounds, Text, Screens, Game Play, Derivative Works And All Other Elements Of The Software May Not Be Copied, Resold, Rented, Leased, Distributed (Electronically Or Otherwise), Used On A Pay-Per-Play, Coin-Op Or Other For-Charge Basis, Or For Any Commercial Purpose. Any Permissions Granted Herein Are Provided On A Temporary Basis And Can Be Withdrawn By PopCap Games, Inc At Any Time. All Rights Not Expressly Granted Are Reserved.

ACCEPTANCE OF LICENSE TERMS.

By Acquiring And Retaining This Software, You Assent To The Terms And Restrictions Of This Limited License. If You Do Not Accept The Terms Of This Limited License, Do Not Install or Use This Software.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION [back to top]

©2002 PopCap Games, Inc. All rights reserved. Typer Shark, PopCap Games and the PopCap Games logo are trademarks of PopCap Games, Inc., which may be registered in the United States and other countries.

jpeglib
Portions of this software are based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

ogglib
©2002, Xiph.org Foundation

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

- Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

- Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

- Neither the name of the Xiph.org Foundation nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE FOUNDATION OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

pnglib
©1998, 1999 Glenn Randers-Pehrson

zlib
©1995-1998 Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler

All other copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.