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|D ^0Diskussion |D ^1On The Editor's Desk |Dͺ ^0Diskussion |D
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^C^1Qix

    It's here at last!  The popular arcade game of the early 80's finally makes
 it to the PC!  What I am talking about is the game QIX by Taito.  This game
 will run with a CGA/MCGA, EGA/VGA or Tandy graphics adapter under DOS 2.1 or
 higher.  If you have an AdLib or CMS card (or Tandy system), this game will
 pipe music through it (of course, you can turn the sound off at any time).

    The object of the game is to use your marker to block the QIX computer
 virus into a small space by creating filled boxes, while avoiding the SPARX
 creatures that endlessly travel the borders of the filled screen areas.

    Each time you fill an area of the screen by creating a box, you increase
 the PERCENTAGE of filled screen space.  At the start of the game, you need
 to fill only 65% of the screen in order to progress to the next level.
 This minimum percentage increases as you proceed to higher and higher levels.
 If you fill more than the minimum required percentage of screen space, you
 get 1000 points for every percent over the minimum.  The smaller the space
 you trap the QIX in, the more points you get!

    To create a filled area, you press the FIRE key (all keys can be redefined)
 and move in whatever direction you wish.  You are now in SLOW DRAW mode, as
 designated by the red line you are drawing.  If you want to be in FAST DRAW
 mode (to get around faster), release the FIRE key, and your line will turn
 blue.  SLOW DRAWn areas are worth twice as many points as FAST DRAWn areas.

    If the QIX touches any part of the line you are drawing or touches your
 marker, you lose one of your three lives.  You accrue extra lives every 50,000
 points.

    This game is very well programmed and is easy to understand once you
 start playing.  The many factors involved in QIX integrate very well, as
 you will discover in this superbly written piece of software.  Yes, QIX is
 addictive.  Yes, I couldn't stop playing it for 5 hours straight when I first
 saw it on the PC.  Yes, you should run out and buy it.  Now!

    System requirements: CGA/MCGA/EGA/VGA/Tandy graphics adapter, DOS 2.1,
 joystick optional, music card optional.  No RAM requirements were given, but
 256K is probably acceptable.

