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ATOMICA™ DELUXE
Thanks for downloading Atomica Deluxe. We hope you enjoy the game! | ||
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS [back to top]
OS*: Windows 2000/XP/Vista
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TROUBLESHOOTING / COMPATIBILITY [back to top] For updates to this list go to www.popcap.com/help.php?cat=deluxe. 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 Atomica 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 problems! | ||
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TECHNICAL SUPPORT [back to top] If you are experiencing problems with Atomica Deluxe, you can contact us at: www.popcap.com/help. If you can, including the following information along with a description of your problem will help us to help you!
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If you enjoy playing the trial version of Atomica Deluxe, sooner or later you'll need to register! When you register, it removes all the annoying nags from the loading screen, and unlocks your copy of Atomica so you can play it as often as you like! High scores are also enabled, and you can save and load your games! To unlock the game, you need to buy a registration code online, and then enter it into Atomica. Buy a Registration Code Online If you're playing Atomica, click on the OPTIONS button on the sidebar and then click REGISTER. A dialog will come up onscreen. Click the REGISTER ONLINE link to launch your web browser. You'll need to have an active internet connection! You can also register via the web. Go to: http://www.popcap.com/register.php?theGame=atomica. Once you're there, follow the directions on the web site to purchase your registration code. When complete, you will be given a registration code (a 20-character sequence of letters and numbers) keyed to your name. Don't give this to anyone else! You will also receive a copy sent to your email address. You should write down your registration code in case you ever have a computer crash or need to reinstall Atomica for some other reason. You must launch Atomica to enter your registration code. Once the game comes up, click on the REGISTER link on the loading screen, or from the OPTIONS menu. A dialog will come up with space for you to enter your name and registration code. Type these in carefully! If you make a mistake, your code may not be recognized. The easiest way to do this is to cut and paste the code from the email you were sent, by highlighting the 20-digit number with your mouse, pressing ctrl-c to copy the text, and then pressing ctrl-v to paste it into the registration dialog in Atomica. Be sure to use the same name you gave when you bought your registration code online, or your registration may not be recognized. Once you've entered your name and registration code, click OK and your copy of Atomica should now be registered. You will have full access to all the game's features, with no delay at the loading screen! If the program doesn't seem to recognize your registration code, check carefully that you've typed it in correctly. Using the cut-and-paste method described above can help prevent mistakes. Also make sure you're using the same name you used to register with. If you can't get to the online registration site to buy your registration code, make sure your internet connection is working properly. You must be connected to the internet. If it still doesn't work, check back in a little while to see if there was a temporary problem with our servers. Hopefully this will answer all your questions, but if you're still having difficulties, feel free to contact us at www.popcap.com/help. 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! | ||
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The goal of Atomica is to create MOLECULES by moving ATOMS around the Game Grid. New atoms will continue to appear, and when you can no longer make any moves, the game will end. After the game loads, you will see a screen allowing you to choose Strategy mode or Action mode. If you have a saved game, you will also see the option to continue that saved game. There is also the option to quit back to Windows. This is similar to the web version of Atomica. You can take as long as you like to make each move. When you quit out of Strategy mode, your game will automatically be saved. You can continue it the next time you play by choosing Classic mode again. Action Mode is a new version of Atomica that plays in real-time. It is best suited to experienced players who want a fast-paced exciting game! In Action mode, new atoms continually appear on the board, whether you are moving a piece or not. As in Strategy, your game is automatically saved whenever you quit, and can be continued by selecting Continue Saved Game the next time you play. On the right of each bar is a small button reading "Click Here for Expert Mode." This will let you play Strategy or Action in an advanced mode, suitable for experienced players. The game is much more difficult, but you will also score many more points. | ||
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Atomica is controlled entirely with the mouse. To move an atom, simply click on it, then click on the square you want to move it to. An arrow will appear connecting the two squares if it is a valid move. You can move atoms anywhere on the board, but they cannot pass through other atoms... so some areas of the board will be blocked off as the game progresses and more atoms appear. If you decide you want to move a different atom than the one you've selected, just click on the other atom and it will be selected. Bonus Molecules can be moved like other atoms, but they must be DOUBLE-CLICKED to activate their special powers. Doing so will destroy the Bonus Molecule, however. You must arrange atoms on the grid to form molecules. A molecule is formed when 4 atoms of the same color are arranged in a 2x2 square. You can also form a double molecule by arranging 6 molecules of the same color in a 2x3 rectangle. When a molecule is formed, those atoms will merge together and disappear from the board, getting sucked down into the Vortex. New atoms will appear on the board every time you move and DO NOT complete a molecule. Usually, 3 new atoms will appear with each move. You can tell where these new atoms are going to appear by looking for the NUCLEUS SYMBOLS on the board. These glowing shapes indicate where new atoms are about to form, and what color they will be. Use this information to plan your moves! An important part of the game is learning how to score COMBOS. These will make you lots of extra points, and can help charge your ATOMIC BOMB. A combo is created when you finish two or more molecules in a row. That is, you complete a molecule and then with your very next move, complete another. If you can complete a third molecule after that, it's called a Super Combo. Four atoms in a row is a Mega Combo, and so on. The more molecules in your combo, the higher the point bonus. Also, higher level combos will charge up your Atomic Bomb, which can be used to destroy atoms on the board. Learn how to "set up" combos so they can be maximized! The GEIGER COUNTER at the top of the screen will get progressively more agitated as you make bigger combos. At the bottom of the screen you will see the Atomic Bomb button and meter. When the Atomic Bomb is charged, the glass cover on the button will slide up, allowing you to press the button and detonate the bomb. Detonating the Atomic Bomb will destroy a number of random atoms on the grid. The higher the Bomb's charge is, the more atoms will be destroyed. The Bomb gets charged by completing Combos! This meter is located at the top of the screen. Whenever you complete a molecule, it will fill up a bit. To progress to the next level, you must fill it all the way up. In Action mode, the meter works a bit differently. It fills up on its own, and when it is completely filled, a new color of atom is added to the grid, making the game more difficult. | ||
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Special Features [back to top] There are several special atoms and events you will come across as you play. After you have created a number of atoms, you will see the Bonus Molecule window swing out on the left sidebar. This will display a special molecular configuration you can complete to get a Bonus Molecule. You must arrange atoms on the board so that they match the configuration shown in the Bonus Window. If you do so, they will merge into a brand new Bonus Molecule. Bonus Molecules do not combine with other atoms, but they can be moved around the board like a regular atom. To trigger a Bonus Molecule's powers, DOUBLE-CLICK on it. This will destroy the Bonus Molecule in the process. There are 5 different types of Bonus Molecule. Each has a different effect. In addition, if you keep the Bonus Molecule on screen for a while, you'll get the chance to combine it with other atoms into a Level 2 Bonus Molecule. These have even greater powers. Level 3 Bonus Molecules? If they exist, they'd have astonishing abilities... You may occasionally see a strange reflective atom appear on the grid. These are CHROMIUM atoms. They basically act as wildcards. A Chromium atom will take on the characteristics of any atom it is next to. So you can use one to complete any molecule with 3 other colored atoms, for instance. Chromium atoms cannot, however, be used to complete Bonus Molecules. Occasionally you will see Biohazard atoms appear on the grid... these pulsating atoms will have a countdown printed on their side. Biohazards are very dangerous, because they replicate. With each move, the countdown will tick down, and when it reaches zero, the Biohazard will duplicate itself, spawning a new Biohazard atom in an adjacent square. This new Biohazard will also begin counting down... if you're not careful, they can quickly choke off the board! Biohazards can be eliminated by making them into a molecule, as with any normal colored atom. After a certain number of levels, you will see your first Radiation Round. This is a bonus round where you are challenged to remove all the atoms from the screen. If you can do so, you'll receive a bonus. These are special levels that occasionally occur, in which the atoms will all "fall" to one side or another of the grid, drawn by a powerful magnet. This artificial "gravity" makes your job much trickier. The Bomb gets charged by completing Combos! Keep your eyes out for other special rounds as you play! | ||
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You can access various options for Atomica Deluxe by clicking the Options button on the sidebar. You can raise or lower the volume for either of these independently by moving the respective slider. To turn music or sound off, move the slider all the way to the left. You can play Atomica in either windowed or full-screen mode. To toggle between the two, click on the checkbox next to Fullscreen. You may see faster performance in full-screen mode, depending on your system. Colorblind players may have difficulty distinguishing atoms from one another. Turning on this option will put Atomic Symbols on each atom. This will disable the hints that normally appear when you first play the game. You can also disable these by clicking "Don't Show Me This Again" on each hint. If you want to reset all the hints (for instance, if a new player is trying the game on your computer), click this button. Click this to see the high scores list for Action and Strategy modes. Click on this to register your copy of Atomica. Click this to see a list of the people involved in making Atomica! | ||
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You receive 80 pts for each Molecule you create.
Combos will increase this by the level of the combo. A basic combo is worth 80 additional points. The next combo in the sequence is worth an additional 160 points, the next 240 and so on. For creating Bonus Molecules, you receive 100pts multiplied by the level of the bonus molecule. For completing the first Radiation Round, you receive 500 points. You get 1000 points for the second, 1500 for the third, and so on. If you're playing in Expert mode, all point values are doubled. You can access various options for Atomica Deluxe by clicking the Options button on the sidebar. | ||
| 1.0 | Initial release! | |
| 1.0.2 | Bug fixes | |
| 2.50 | Bug fixes, minor interface changes | |
| 2.51 | Bug fixes, added Pause feature (use Spacebar to pause) | |
| 2.52 | Bug fixes | |
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Atomica Deluxe was created by PopCap Games, Inc. | ||
| Game Design: | Jason Kapalka | |
| Programming and Art: | John Raptis | |
| Additional Art: | Josh Langley | |
| Music: | Hannu Salonen | |
| Additional Cartoons: | Stephen Notley | |
| Software Libraries: | Brian Fiete | |
| Biz Guy: | John Vechey | |
Thanks to all our beta testers and players on PopCap.com for their valuable feedback! | ||
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LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH WARRANTY [back to top] Please see the End User License Agreement applicable to this game. |
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©2000 PopCap Games, Inc. All rights reserved. The PopCap logo and all other trademarks used herein that are listed at www.popcap.com/trademarks are owned by PopCap Games, Inc. or its licensors and may be registered in some countries. Other company and product names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners and are used for the benefit of those owners. | ||