Classic - let's talk about Tetris.

© Condor Soft, 1995                       
© Dubilt Vadim, 1991                     
                                          
  P O G O V O R I M  O  T E T R I S E   
                                          
                                          
Dear reader of our magazine!       
 Have you ever wondered what 
reason for huge mass popularity 
computer games?  What motivates millions 
people for hours, often to the detriment of health and 
business, sit at the display, watching 
adventures of brave Dizzy, performing 
the most difficult combat missions in the regions 
economic interests of a famous (?) 
capitalist state, or 
playing the role of a spaceship captain 
distant future?                        
 In my opinion, there are several reasons.  First 
- entertaining.    Everyone knows that 
computer games have long become 
a great way to pass time sometimes 
to the detriment of traditional methods of recreation: read- 
nuyu, sports, TV, etc.                    
 The second reason iseducational that 
By the way, game developers realized long ago 
programs.   Searching for an answer to a well-known 
children's question: "What's next?"  - not 
allow particularly curious players to bro- 
beat the most difficult game halfway and serve 
a good incentive to continue the process 
knowledge.                                 
 And finally, the third is competitive. 
Tell me, it must be nice when you pass 
some complicated toy, you'd like 
boast about it (it’s not good to boast) 
in front of your friends, huh?    No wonder that 
computer games with a list of the best 
results (the so-called Top List) -  
ideal means of self-expression for 
ambitious players.                     
 And here, the palm belongs to 
a well-known game - of course TETPUCY! 
 Let's make a reservation right away: Tetris games 
type we will attribute all those where the player 
it is proposed to carry out certain 
actions with various objects, 
blunt into the receiver-glass, different sizes 
measures and configurations.                     
 The first game of this type (genre), quickly 
conquered the global computer market 
games, was actually Tetris,fruit 
joint work of the staff of the Computing Center of the USSR Academy of Sciences 
A. Pajitnova  and V. Gerasimova.  Script 
The game is extremely simple: in a glass the size 
15*10 cells, figures of different colors fall, 
and the set of these figures is completely exhausted 
tries all possible combinations of 4 
cells.                                   
This is where the name actually comes from 
games, which by the way gave rise to other similar 
other names: Petris, Pentis,  Mentis 
Veltris, etc.   Using three buttons: 
movement of the figure horizontally, to the right and 
to the left (within the glass), and also 
rotation of the falling figure by 90 degrees 
clockwise - the player is offered 
must be laid out in accordance with 
principle of least volume, maximum 
minimizing the number of unfilled 
cell figures.    For each laid 
points are awarded to the figure.   Additional 
Points are also given for a complete line, i.e. 
rectangle size 1*10 cells, after 
why does she disappear, making room for 
placement of new falling figures.     Game 
ends if in the receiving glass 
turns out to be impossible to post moreat least one figure.                      
 With external simplicity, but obvious 
success, the first version of Tetris gave impetus 
to the emergence of a mass of games of a similar genre.
Unfortunately, most authors follow 
The new versions of the game reduced their task to 
mechanical transfer of Tetris to cars 
other architecture, without caring about 
external design, nor about creative 
development of the Tetris idea.                    
 Let's note the version of the company "Spectrum Holobite" 
(Spectrum Holobyte) 1987,made 
a team of programmers led by Sean 
Barger (Sean Barger). She clearly 
demonstrated enormous capabilities 
machine graphics as an artistic medium. 
design of game programs.    Remembering 
Soviet origin of the game, authors 
programs have diversified the neighborhood 
playing field with images, either 
otherwise connected - in their understanding - with 
life of Soviet people.    Of course not 
there were no embarrassments.   Must have 
a very developed imagination to 
recognize in one of the posters in Russian 
language favorite slogan of May Day marches 
"Glory to the CPSU!"  To the undoubted merits 
authors include the creation of a new regime, 
when, at the request of the player, the original 
glass alreadypartially filled to the beginning 
games for a given number of lines and a task 
player is not only about placing 
'their' figures, but also the 'disassembly' of the filled 
levels.                                  
There are also some records here.   The author succeeded 
disassemble 'blockage'  from 13 lines, starting 
game on level 8.  But, unfortunately, this one too 
version is not without its shortcomings (tell me, but 
where is 'wealth'?).   Fall speed 
figures turned out to be directly related to 
clock frequency of the microprocessor, 
why are the results shown in slow motion? 
- machines, turned out to be an order of magnitude higher 
results when playing on faster 
cars.  In addition, not very high quality 
but the sequence generator itself was written 
of the falling figures, which led to 
predictability of the game and, in its own way 
turn reduced the interest of 'users' to 
program.    But let's not talk about sad things!     
 1989  year  was rich in surprises for 
Tetris fans.      Having saturated the market 
various traditional Tetris 
concepts, computer manufacturers 
games have moved on to the development of game 
new generation programs combininglong tradition with revolutionary 
transformations in Tetris construction.     
 The first sign wasthree-dimensional Tetris, 
released by "California Dreams" 
(California Dreams)  and named by her - 
"Block-Out".  This is the first of 
games I've seen with a developed interface 
"man-machine".  All information about this 
the game is provided to the user in the form 
multi-level menu system, why choice 
game mode has become more visual and 
informative.                            
 The idea of Tetris itself has also undergone changes. 
Instead of the traditional two-dimensional glass 
(frontal projection), playing pre- 
is supposed to fill a three-dimensional area 
(top view) with three-dimensional figures. 
Management has changed accordingly: 
to the traditional horizontal re- 
the movement of the figure has been added vertical, and 
also rotation of a figure around three ortho- 
nal axes.                             
 In the same 1989 company "Spectrum Holo- 
byte"released a new version of your favorite game 
million, calling it "Welltris". Authors 
programs - our compatriotsA.Pa- 
Zhitnov and A. Snegov, programmer Dan Kauf- 
man (Dan Kaufman), graphics - Dan Guerra 
(Dan Guerra),  so beloved advice - 
Chinese fans of Tetris.     Creators 
games this time did not change the Soviet 
themes, and depicted scenes from life 
Soviet (I don’t know which ones now) people.   
 The concept of the new game is also original: 
two-dimensional figures 'sliding' down the walls 
three-dimensional glass, placed on the bottom 
receiver   The player can rotate 
falling figures and move them 
along the walls of the glass.    If the figure is not 
can be placed entirely at the bottom of the glass 
the remaining part of it occupies one of the walls 
nok, making it inaccessible to the player.  Tse- 
face filled horizontal or vertical 
The tick strip on the bottom of the glass disappears 
and in its place the existing row is put forward 
house figure, including from the walls of the 
kana.  The game ends when everything is 
Three surfaces of the receiver are not 
available to the player.                       
 Combination of original idea andhigh-performance 
professional execution make this game 
one of the best tetris-type programs. 
 I would like to mention one more type of games 
Tetris type is "Columns".        
The receiving two-dimensional glass receives 
strips of size 3*1 cells, each time 
new color.   The player can move 
them in any direction within the glass 
and cyclically change the color of each cell. 
The task is to place the falling 
forming figures, in which, along any horizontal 
tallies, verticals and diagonals would be next to each other 
there were cells of the same color.      
 And in conclusion - some tips for... 
for beginner Tetris players:                
 1.Before you start the 'real game', 
   study the configuration of falling figures and 
   the program's ability to change them 
   sizes, as well as the dimensions of the receiving 
   glasses.                               
 2.Try to develop an algorithm for 
   the location of each specific figure.  When 
   the game at high speeds is even 
   can be very useful and give you a feeling 
   my increase to the result.             
 H. Never try to get there right away 
   to the list of best results.  Believe me 
   that one day confidence will come to you 
   in your power, and then shown by youthe result will confirm your qualifications 
 4.Never play before "Tetris of Blood" 
It's amazing in the eyes."   At the first recognition 
   when you get tired, stop the game (advance 
   I sound like an experienced player).  Have a good re- 
   As a result, in this state you are all equal 
   but you won't show it.                        
 So, PLAY TETRIS!                  
                                          
 By the way, if you are interested in games 
 Tetris direction, then on the disk 
 at number 104, you will find ALL Tetris games, 
 which are on "ZX".