Oberon #02: 'Scroll': Comprehensive Guide to 'Peking' Game

(c) Noman.

Here my Noman's hands have reached Peking. Those familiar with games like Taipei and Mahjong on 1BM PS/XT AT can confidently load this TOY. Below is a description of the program specifically compiled for particularly gifted senior sergeants.

STUDY GUIDE TO OVERCOMING  
INCONVENIENCES RELATED TO LOADING THE FILE  
'PEKING.B'  
----------  
Hard in learning,  
Easy in the hearth  
of defeat.  

Military wisdom.  
(JOKE)  

Peking (Beijing) - the capital of China.

The stress in the word is placed on the last syllable - the second from the beginning of the word or the first from the end.

After loading and starting the program, you will be presented with a menu (i.e., a yellow square in the center of the screen) where in black symbols in the language of the most likely opponent, you will be asked to select control levers using the gray toggle 'Space'. During the selection process, the opponent may try to distract you with the favorite melodies of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, which can be avoided by munching on the +5V MS AY8910/12 leg. It is best to confirm your choice with the gray toggle 'Enter'.

Now you have 30 minutes to sort through the potential opponent's ammunition depot. There are a total of 142 boxes. However, you can only take them two at a time. Some other sergeant (not you) stacked the boxes in the shape of a pyramid. Therefore, you can take not every box, but only identical ones (command order) and those that are open to your view from above and at least from one of the two sides (left or right).

During the game, a menu is available that can be activated by clicking on the icon at the top of the  screen:    
Exit Menu - exit the menu, continue the game.

List Tiles - display descriptions of the icons on each of the boxes.

Show Moves - view possible move options. By pressing 'Fire', you can move to the next option.  
Backward/Forward - scroll through the 'History' of your game using the 'left', 'right' combinations. 'Fire' - stop at the selected one.

Change View - change the angle of view. 'Fire' - return to the game.

Look Under - see what is hidden by other boxes.

Pause Game - pause. When working with the menu, the time allocated for sorting the pyramid does not stop. After activating this option, the screen clears and displays the message 'Game Paused'.

Quit Game - perform an abortion.

It should be noted that using any of the meaningful menu items is penalized by one minute of game time.

There are several types of boxes  
with images:

a) disks:  

  
  

b) cracks:  

  
  

c) bamboo:  

  
  

d) four seasons:  

Spring     Summer     Autumn    Winter  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

e) four plants:  

Plum    Bamboo   Orchid  Chrysanthemum  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

f) three dragons:  
Red      White      Green  
(Centre)     (Blank)     (Fate)  

  
  
  
  
  
  

g) four winds:  
North   East   South   West  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

From all identical boxes, you can form a pair. The only exception is the cubes with images of plants and seasons. Each of them exists in a single copy in the game. The pair for PLUM, for example, will be BAMBOO, and for SUMMER - SPRING or another season.

During the game, a situation often arises, especially for beginners, when a pair for a box is found by opening another pair, which, in turn, can be opened by the first. Then the game ends with the message < NO MORE MOVES >.

Control in the game is possible with any type of joystick or keyboard (standard set).

Contents of the publication: Oberon #02

• Introduction
  Introduction to the second issue of Oberon magazine, with insights into its delays and team expansion. The editorial team acknowledges past misunderstandings and introduces the new issue's contributors. Details on distribution, contributions, and user interaction features are provided.
• Scroll - Alex Noman
  Game manual for 'Peking', detailing controls, menu options, and gameplay strategy, involving matching pairs of crates under time constraints.
• Scroll
  Empire 128 is a strategic space game where players act as merchants dealing with an alien invasion. Gameplay involves trading, mission completion, and space exploration. The game requires 128K memory and offers both disk and RAM save options.
• Scroll
  Description of various space ships, including their specifications, weapon systems, and purposes. Each model differs in speed, armament, and functionality. Includes notes on origins and uses.
• Review
  Review of ZX Spectrum games and tools: Double Xinox 128 offers a modern twist on Xonix with 80 levels and new challenges. UFO 2: Terror in the Deep has multiple versions with improvements and issues noted. Shadow Dancer for ZX Spectrum shows graphical evolution but maintains classic gameplay elements.
• Review - Unbeliever
  Analysis of the 1996 ENLIGHT demo competition in St. Petersburg, evaluating participants and results across platforms. Highlights the achievements and critiques of notable entries. Provides insights into the dynamics of the competition and perspectives on the ZX Spectrum demos.
• Our Response
  Reader feedback and editor's response regarding magazine content, the need for more graphics, and the state of local Samara software distribution.
• About Everything
  Critique of Sinclair software quality, concerns about poor programming affecting computer lifespan, and commentary on CODE BUSTERS group's practices.
• Educational Program - Paul Atrides
  An in-depth examination of the eight essential stages of software development, from defining technical requirements to testing and distribution. The article provides insights into the necessity of each stage and critiques poorly executed examples. It emphasizes the importance of systematic programming for both commercial and personal software projects.
• Hardware
  The article discusses synchronization issues in various Spectrum models and provides a circuit solution to correct INT signal delays for improved graphics performance.
• Announcement - M.M.A
  Introduction of new column highlighting Samara programmers' works, detailing projects like ZX-WINWORD, UNRECOGNIZED FORMATTING OBJECT, and DESIGNER ANALYSIS FUNCTIONS. ZX-WINWORD aims to be a publishing system for Spectrum, while U.F.O. offers advanced disk copying. DESIGNER ANALYSIS FUNCTIONS aids in mathematical graphing and function analysis.
• Programming - Unbeliever
  A humorous narrative featuring Stirlitz, a fictional intelligence officer, in absurd and surreal situations involving Gestapo, programming, and secret plans.
• Pogurammim - Unbeliever
  A humorous and fictional narrative involving Shtrilitz's spy adventures during a covert operation with many unexpected turns and satire.
• Advertisement
  Advertisement for electronics and components store offering used equipment, software, and literature.