Diamonds 2.0
by Jonah Cohen
E-mail: <ComAsYuAre@aol.com>
Webpage: http://members.xoom.com/ComAsYuAre/
ICQ UIN: 34197076
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What is Diamonds?
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  Diamonds is a breakout-like game with a twist: you are the ball.  Instead
  of moving the paddle, you move the ball left and right to get certain
  diamonds.  The object of the game is to get all the diamonds as fast as
  possible.  There is a timed bonus, so the sooner you finish, the more points
  you get.

  The diamonds with crosses kill you.  The diamonds with random dots are just
  obstacles (you can't break them).  The diamonds that are half black change
  the diamonds mode to that type.  However, you start out being able to break
  the thin-bordered diamonds, and once you switch modes, you can't switch back
  without dying.  You get the diamonds with the thick border last.  The double
  arrow diamonds reverses left and right.  Also, there is a lock and key; you
  can't get through any locks until you get a key (one key opens all locks on
  that level).  You get an extra life every 400 points.

  All levels to Diamonds are external.  An on-calc level editor (dle) can be
  found at www.ticalc.org, and the documentation for how to use it is included
  in dle.zip.  The standard level set (dlevels) is included in this zip.  Note
  that levels from Diamonds 1.0 are incompatible with newer versions of Diamonds.


Controls at title screen:
  F1 - start playing
  Up/Down - switch starting level #
  F2 - switch speed
  F3 - switch level set
  Exit - quit

Controls in game:
  Right/Left - steer ball
  More - pause.  +/- to adjust contrast while paused.
  Clear - lose life
  Del - save game and quit (teacher key)
  Exit - back to title screen


New in version 2.0:
  - Grayscale graphics
  - Added save game feature and removed shutdown
  - Added icon for YAS
  - New title screen
  - Doesn't drain batteries nearly as much
  - Fixed easter egg
  - Slowed down speeds a bit since speed 5 was unplayably fast before
  - Added a few levels to dlevels.86s

New in version 1.2:
  - Increased delays because I felt they really weren't doing their job before
  - Added that snazzy new split-screen effect.  The idea is credited with David
    Phillips (david@acz.org)
  - Implemented double-buffering so that hopefully the ball won't be so
    invisible.  I know it's still quite faint, but you can always crank up the
    contrast.
  - Various internal modifications which I can't think of at the moment...

New in version 1.1:
  - Added shutdown and clear keys
  - Added a delay at the start of each level so you don't plow straight into a
    cross repeatedly
  - Fixed a loading bug which messed up some levels
  - High score and initials are now stored in each level (old levels are
    incompatible)
  - Added new block: reverses controls!
  - There is also an easter egg in this version!  A hint: what do I (Jonah Cohen)
    and Joe Wingbermuehle (author of many other versions of diamonds) have in common?


Thanks to:
  My beta testers: Ahmed El-helw, Blackbelt, Danny, and Patrick Heringer
  Tim Redmond for good advice on features
  David Phillips and Matt Johnson for 86 central
  Joe Wingbermuehle for his TI-89 version which this is based on


E-mail me any comments, bug reports, suggestions, etc. which you may have.