Repairing CHIP'S CHALLENGE (or Why don't my .. @#$#%&.. clones & traps work??) by Don Gregory (dgregory@dmci.net) 1/1/98, last revised 4/25/98. Email me if you want this text in Write format (much nicer). The entpack.ini and levels 20, 49, 68, 70, 111, 118, 128, and 135 of the original chips.dat file have problems. These levels can be corrected with CHIPEDIT by John Elion. The reasons the problems exist can be better understood by studying the behavior of the clone machine and the bear trap. ---- Take CONTROL of your Bear traps ---- Blobs will exit a trap any direction thats open. They ignore their pointed direction and always move randomly. Balls, Dumbbells, Ghosts and Flames exit the same direction of entry. A north moving Ball leaves the north side of a trap, etc.They cannot turn in a trap. If the direction of exit is blocked, they are "stuck". Tanks exit the direction that they point and can be turned in the trap. If the trap is released when the exit is blocked, they are still set free and will leave the trap when unobstructed. Centipedes, Bugs and Frogs (C/B/F) need help to get out of a trap, the direction they face in the trap is meaningless. They get "help" from the previously created monster in the level. This monster is the CONTROLLER. A C/B/F is a CONTROLLER only if it's moving. Whatever direction the CONTROLLER is moving (or trapped), will be the direction that it's C/B/F can exit a trap. This has nothing to do with when the traps are created. An edited CONTROLLER needs to be created BEFORE making any of the C/B/F that are to be released from traps. Any moving or trapped monster can be the edited CONTROLLER, except a C/B/F. During game play some CONTROLLERS might be destroyed (or trapped if it's a C/B/F) and the monsters they controlled will no longer be able to exit a trap. A Centipede, Bug, or Frog that has no CONTROLLER cannot exit a trap. CONTROLLERS can be single-directional (a trapped Ball), bi-directional (a bouncing Ball), multi-directional (a Ghost or Flame in an enclosure), random-directional (a Blob), and temporary (a Tank). Examples of CONTROLLERS: Make a new level. Create a Bug E in a trap with a button somewhere. Make a Flame N. Play the level. Notice the trap will not release the Bug. This Bug has no CONTROLLER. Next try this: Make a new level. Create a Flame N. Make a Bug E in a trap with a button somewhere. Now play the level. Notice, when the trap is released, the Bug will exit in the same direction that the Flame is moving. The Flame is the edited CONTROLLER in this example. These two levels are the same, but the monsters were created in reverse order. It is the order of creation that is important. Unless you create it yourself, there is no good way of knowing the order of creation. Now add some water to your level, so the Flame will fall in. Play it again. The Bug can't exit after the Flame is destroyed. Another example: Create a new level. Place a Ball N in a trap with a button. Create a Bug W in a trap with a button. Play the level. Notice the Bug exits to the north when it is released first. Now release the Ball and wait for it to return to the trap, then release the Bug. The Bug now exits the trap to the south. This is because the Ball is now trapped headed south. One more: Create a Ball E in a trap. Make a Frog in a trap, put its button two squares west of the trap. Play the level. Stand Chip on the button, notice the Frog can't get to Chip. The Frog has to exit east. *** RULE 1 *** To free a Frog, Centipede, or Bug from a bear trap, there must be a CONTROLLER for that monster. ---- Be the BOSS of your Clone machines ---- Blobs are cloned in any direction thats open. They ignore their pointed direction and always move randomly. Balls, Dumbbells, Tanks, Blocks, Ghosts and Flames are cloned the direction they point. Centipedes, Bugs, and Frogs (C/B/F) ignore thier pointed direction when cloned, they need a BOSS. The edited BOSS is the last monster you create, AFTER any C/B/F clone machine is made. It gives direction to the FIRST C/B/F clone to appear in the level and also serves as a CONTROLLER for clones caught in traps. Avoid making a C/B/F the edited BOSS, this can lead to trouble. During game play the BOSS is the youngest monster clone that's moving. A level has one BOSS at a time. The BOSS can be destroyed. An activated C/B/F machine without a BOSS will remain dead, until the level is restarted. You cannot clone a Centipede, Bug, or Frog, unless that level has a BOSS (edited or cloned). Clone Machines can sometimes give a delayed effect. If the BOSS says "clone south" and the south side is blocked, the clone will be released later, when the BOSS moves a favorable direction or when the exit is open. Example of a BOSS: Create a new level. Make a Bug machine. Play the level. The machine does not produce a clone. Edit the level. Add a Ball S in a trap to be the edited BOSS. Play the level again. The Bug will exit south. Edit the level again. Add a Flame W clone machine. Place water some distance to the west. Play again. If you clone a Flame then clone a Bug, what happened? Try cloning the Bug before and after the Flame hits the water. Do you see how the current BOSS changes? *** RULE 2 *** To produce a Frog, Centipede, or Bug from a clone machine, there must be a BOSS in that level. ---- My Bugs have bugs ---- If your freshly created level contains Frogs that can't leave a trap or Bug machines than won't clone, you will have to troubleshoot. These steps can help, if followed in order. Step 1 Erase all the offending C/B/F by replacing them with floor tile. This is necessary. Step 2 Find or make a suitable edited CONTROLLER for the direction you want the C/B/F to exit a trap. If you found one, erase it with floor and remake it. Step3 Remake all the C/B/F that are to exit traps in a desired direction. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for other C/B/F to exit traps a different direction. Step 4 Erase and rebuild the C/B/F clone machines. Depending on the design of your level, you may find it necessary (easier) to let all machines clone in one direction. Multiple C/B/F machines can be difficult to troubleshoot, because once a clone is produced it bocomes the BOSS. Step 5 Find or make a suitable edited BOSS for the direction you want the C/B/F to be cloned. If you found one, erase it with floor and remake it. Be careful not to erase edited CONTROLLERS. *** RULE 3 *** Creation order (during editing or cloneing) determines if a C/B/F is a CONTROLLER or a BOSS. ---- Repairs possible with CHIPEDIT ---- With CHIPEDIT by John Elion, the following repairs can be made to the original chips.dat file. These repairs follow "The RULES" and try to keep the level as it was intended to be played. What will this do for the highest possible score? Follow these instructions carefully, the order of creation is important. Level 20 - Problem: This level can be exited without picking up any chips. Solution: Put a socket in the corridor that leads to the exit. Cursor 12,16 maybe? Level 49 - Problem: The Centipede doesn't exit the trap. Solution: Place floor tile at cursor 3,12. Create a Ball S in trap at 1,12 (no button), for a controller. Recreate the Centipede N at cursor 3,12. The Centipede can now exit south. Level 68 - Problem: Only one Centipede is cloned. Solution: Place floor at 22,18. Now the block becomes more important! Level 70 - Problem: Two traps fail and some monsters do not chase Chip. Solution: Replace all 7 monsters in traps and the wall at 13,1 with floor tile. Create the following monsters IN TRAPS and reconnect the buttons. Ball N/trap 30,9 connect to 25,9 north controller for the next two monsters. Frog N/trap 29,30 connect to 30,27. Bug E/trap 13,2 connect to 16,1. Flame W/trap 15,8 connect to 10,8 east controller for the next monster. (the Flame will be trapped east when you release the Centipede E). Centipede E/trap 6,27 connect to 4,27. Dumbbell W/trap 19,25 connect to 16,25 west controller for the next monster. Centipede W/trap 4,18 connect to 1,18. The only change, was to removed the wall at 13,1 so the Bug E can exit to the north (because it has a north CONTROLLER). Level 111 - Problem: The Bug clones cannot reach the trap or the water. Solution: Put Force N at 17,8. Place floor at 24,11 and 22,11. Level 118 - Problem: The frog and the centipede do not exit their traps. Solution: Place floor at 22,15 and 8,22. Ball S/trap 0,31 no button. South controller for the Centipede. Centipede N 22,15. Ball E/trap 31,31 no button. East controller for the Frog. Frog N 8,22. Level 128 - Problem: The Bug machine fails to clone. Solution: Place floor at 4,19 then recreate Flame E at 4,19. This is the edited BOSS. (Even though the button is pressed three times in succession, the machine only clones one Bug. The last monster cloned becomes the BOSS. When the last Flame of every group of three Flames, that are being cloned in the left corner, turns north the Bug machine can clone a Bug.) Level 135 - Problem: Two clone machines fail. The Tank has no button. Solution: Place Tank button at 11,20. Place floor at 20,25. Centipede N machine at 19,25 connect to 10,23. Put blue wall at 12,5. Make Bug E machine at 9,5 connect to 10,5. A General Protection Fault occurs in ANY level where Chip, a Monster, and a Key all try to occupy the same square. Just restart the game. This is not readily repairable, but it is avoidable in new levels. ---- Other Stuff ---- Teleports- Step into a Teleport and you will be transported to an open Teleport directly to the west. If there is no open Teleport west the search continues by going north one row, starting at the east and again searching west. It is a numerically backwards search of the map, square by square, until 0,0 then back to 32,32. All monsters can teleport. Water- Ghosts are the only monster that can survive Water. Ice- All monsters slide on Ice. Bombs- All monsters are destroyed by Bombs. Fire- Bugs and Dumbbells are blocked by Fire. Fire has no affect on Flame. Fire destroys other monsters. Dirt and Gravel- All monsters are blocked by Dirt or Gravel. Force Floor- Chip can step side-ways on Force floors. Boots and the Thief- All monsters are blocked by Boots and the Thief. Question Mark and Keys- Monsters are not blocked by Question Marks or Keys. ---- Notes in the ENTPACK.INI ---- The section [Chip's Challenge] in the entpack.ini contains references to sound files not included with the game! Any of the sounds and music can be changed to .wav and .mid files of your choice. Try these sounds: BombSound=jezzdead.wav ThiefSound=wipe.wav SocketSound=gap.wav Tired of only three tunes in the game? Change the entry: Number of Midi Files=10 (or more?) Then add: MidiFile4= MidiFile5= MidiFile6= MidiFile7= MidiFile8= MidiFile9= Put the path to your favorite midi files after the equal signs. ---- Cheaters only ---- Can't get past a level? CTRL D will disable password checking and adds the option Ignore Passwords to the Game Menu until the game is restarted. Use CTRL N (or the Level Menu) to go to the next level. A password is written to the entpack.ini for any level reached. So CTRL D, CTRL N, CTRL N, etc.... until last level, will permanantly disable all passwords.