Well, it all started about a month or so ago, when I was›helping a friend of mine set up his new IBM-compatible PC --›complete with VGA graphics, megagbytes of memory, hard›drive, mouse, etc., etc., etc.  One of the games he had was›Mah-Jong -- and on that VGA screen, the colours and details›were BEAUTIFUL -- there wasn't a hope of reproducing it on›my lowly Atari 8-bit -- or was there?  Within a couple days,›the latest issue of START came out, and what to my wondering›eyes did I find but GEMINI. Could this really be the Atari›8-bit Mah-Jongg I was hoping for?  Well, when I got it all›typed in -- I was disappointed.  The game worked fine, but I›KNEW my Atari could do better.  So I set off to create the›better mouse trap.  The result was MYJONG.››I wrote MYJONG entirely in ACTION(c) and then compiled it›with the ACTION(c) run-time version -- you DO NOT NEED the›ACTION(c) cartridge to run it.  It should run on any Atari›8-bit (800, XL, XE).  You can load MYJONG.EXE directly from›DOS or rename it to AUTORUN.SYS to have it load and run›automatically.  The game is played entirely using a joystick›plugged into port 1.››When the game first loads, you will be presented with a›demo-version of the game -- moving your joystick or pressing›the fire button will end the demo and start the game.  (The›cursor will change from an arrow to an "hour-glass" whenever›the program is "busy".)››The gameboard consists of a pyramid-shaped stack of tiles.›The object of the game is to remove all the tiles, two›matching tiles at a time.  The tricky part is that not only›must the tiles match in colour and markings, but they can›only be "slid" off the stack to the left or right.  To pick›a tile, move the joystick cursor over it and press the fire›button.  Only tiles which can be "legally" removed can be›picked.  Picking a second matching tile will remove both›from the pile and add two points to your score.  Picking the›same tile a second time will "unpick" it if you change your›mind or are unable to locate a match for it.››If you move your cursor up into the scoreboard area at the›top of the screen, you will be given a menu of game options›to pick from.  Press the fire button to pick any of these›options.››BYE: terminates the game and exits back to DOS.››NEW: ends the current game and deals a new set of tiles to›start a new game.››FLP:  flips the game board around so you can see it "from›the other side".  Because of the perspective view, sometimes›tiles may appear hidden behind others -- flipping the board›around will bring these around to the front where they can›be seen.  Sometimes just looking at the board from a›different angle will help you see matches that you might›have otherwise overlooked.››FND:  finds matching tiles for you.  If you have already›picked one tile, FIND will attempt to find a tile to match›it.  If a match is found, the cursor is positioned over it,›(and two points are deducted from your score).  If you have›not picked a first tile, FIND will search for any matching›pair -- this is handy way to confirm whether there are any›matches left at the end of a game.  No points are deducted›if a match cannot be found.››CHT:  CHEAT is for when you are really desperate.  To cheat,›you must pick a first tile that you wish to remove.  CHEAT›will then find a matching tile -- even if it is buried›inside the pile -- and remove both of them.  Obviously such›flagrant violation of the rules cannot go unnoticed -- using›this option will set your current score back to zero.››CHG:  CHANGE allows you to modify the way the game is›played.  Selecting this option will temporarily replace the›gameboard with a configuration screen.  This screen allows›you to change the shape and size (length, width and height)›of the tiles;  the number of different tile markings (which›affects the difficulty) and the playing "rules".  (These›changes are for the current session only -- each time you›reload the program it will start off with the original›defaults.)››Changing the size (length, width or height) of the tiles or›the number of different distinct tiles will terminate the›current game -- CONTINUE will then automatically start a new›game.  Changing the size of the tiles will also change the›total number of tiles in the resulting game pile -- which›can vary from a minimum of two (rather trivial) to almost›4000 (only for the legally insane).››The number of distinct tiles which are used to build the›pile can be varied from a minimum of 3 (unmarked tiles in›each of three colours -- "simple") to a maximum of 192 (64›different tile markings in 3 different colours --›"difficult").  ("Small" tile configurations use a different›marking scheme which reduces the number of distinct tile›markings available).››Selecting one of the "rule" boxes on the right hand side of›the screen will modify the playing rules as follows:›"Normal" allows tiles to be slid off the left or right side›of the board only.›"SLIDE" allows tiles to be slid off the board in any›direction -- left, right, front or back.›"VERTICAL" allows any uncovered tile to be picked directly›off the pile.›"ANY" allows you to remove any tile you can get your cursor›on, even if its buried under or behind another tile.  (In›"ANY" mode FIND may locate a matching tile which can't be›picked because it is completely hidden from view -- if you›use "ANY" you probably don't need (or deserve) help finding›matching pairs anyway.)›You can change the "rules" as many times as you want in the›middle of the current game, and continue playing with the›new rules.››CONTINUE will return you to regular game play.››-----------------------››Hope you enjoy my Jong.››Bruce Fish,›137 Blue Heron Drive,›Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1G 6X6›