   MURK 4 (The return of Murk!)
      (c)1996 Jeff Anderson

      UPDATES

   Murk 4.0g - Main Menu options are now automaticly saved. 'D' at
   the main menu will restore default options. Fixed test mode. To
   test your own levels simpy type murk4 and the name of the level
   (including the .mrk), ex: murk4 silly.mrk. When testing a level,
   you will skip the main menu and keep playing the same level over
   till you exit. Some small bugs where also fixed.

   Murk 4.0f - New keyboard routines that give much better control!
   Plus, now you can specify a key repeat delay (this is how long the
   key must be held down before it auto repeats).  At the main menu
   'k' will make the delay longer and 'K' will shorten the delay.

   Murk 4.0e - Fixed several small bugs.  Added main menu so you can
   select level, speed and color/mono.  Add a key to let you kill Murk
   if you get stuck. (the key is 'k').



      INTRO

   This is a simple little game I wrote a while back, I have not given it much
though till I got my Poqet PC.  While looking around for games that would work
on it I recalled murk.  Using murk in text mode worked great on the Poqet
(murk also runs in 256 color VGA).  So I decided to rewrite Murk in C and make
it faster, smalled and smoother than before (originally it was in pascal).

   Murk is a "lobe runner" sorta game.  It's a platform jumper, basically grap
all the diamonds, and get to the teleporter without running into a bad guy or
touching a bad block.  I have always liked this kind of game, and me and my
friends use to made levels and see how well the others could solve them.

   So I like to see if any other "palmtop" (or desktop) owners would also enjoy
this game, so here is the alpha version of the rewrite.  It's should work on
a 8086 just fine (works good on my Poqet, which is no speedster).  Remeber,
this is an alpha, so if you find a bug, or don''t like something, tell me so I
can fix it!

   Right now I'm working on the keyboard routines, trying to get the right feel.
A few people have said it is a bit touchy, so tell me what you think.

   Soon, the VGA (with silly digital sound) version and the level editor will
be avalable.

   My email is: anderson@mpath.com



      SHORT INSTRUCTIONS

   If you are having problems, or some blocks turn out solid, try running the
game in mono mode (you can switch it from the main menu). Or make sure your
computer is running in a color/CGA mode. 

   Use the arrow keys to move Murk . Hold the space bar, and THEN press an
arrow key to jump that way. For now, you always jump the same distance!

   if you get stuck and can't get out, use the k key to kill murk so you can
try again.

   Collect all the diamonds  so that you have enough power (see the power
bar at the bottom of the screen) to go to the next level through the
teleporter .

   Use ladders ~ to climb up.

   Makers  create and drop rollers. (Don't touch makers, they will kill ya!)

   Avoid rollers and zap blocks , they will kill ya!

   Tubes  will push you the direction they point.

   Hearts  will give you an extra life.

   Bouncers  will randomly bounce you in the air.

   There are some blocks you can dig down into.

   There are some blocks that kill only rollers.

   Wires  disappear right after you step on them, so keep moving!

   Push the button  to bring the wires back.

   Push the music note  to kill all the rollers on the screen.

   Dollars signs $ are worth extra points.



      OPTIONS

   The main menu lets you set several options, here are the keys:

      l - go up a level
      L - go back a level
      s - slow game down
      S - speed game up
      v or V - switch Mono/Color
      k - make key repeat delay longer
      K - make key repeat delay shorter
      d or D - restore default options

      Your options will be automaticly saved (if there is space and write
      access to your Hard Drive, SRAM card, etc.) They will be saved in
      murk.cfg in the murk directory.

   Space Bar to play, and ESC to exit the game.



      THATS ALL FOR NOW!

   There has been a murk level editor written (but not by me). Go to
   the web site to get it. Or if you want you can just edit the raw .mrk
   files in a text editor.

   If you have a good level send it to me! I would like to add some new
   levels to the current list!

   There will be more features and bad guys added soon!

   Hope you enjoy, rember to write with comments and suggestions!

      - Jeff,  email: anderson@mpath.com     web: www.best.com/~slab/cheesy
                  or: anderson@catapent.com
