Stellar Sweeper Rules

[avs1roy33]

How to play Stellar Sweeper

The Basics

Meep the Alien works for the Martian Mining and Mineral Company collecting energy crystals from exotic locations all over the Universe. The crystals are very valuable, but also highly unstable and will explode if great care is not taken when mining them. You'll need a keen eye and sharp wits to help Meep locate crystals without triggering an explosion.

The goal of Stellar Sweeper is to find all the crystals hidden within the game area without blowing them up. You can deduce the location of crystals in the grid by analyzing the numbers displayed in the game area. The numbers indicate how many crystals are adjacent to each space.



The Crystal Counter will help you keep track of the number of crystals in the game area. The Game Timer tracks how long it takes your to clear the puzzle. Finding all the crystals quickly will score you a time bonus. Your points are displayed in the Score Area.

Occasionally, you'll discover special gas jets nearby a crystal deposit. The gas is automatically stored in one of the four jars in the Spin Indicator area. If you can successfully complete the puzzle, the gas will transform into a solid letter. Spell "SPIN" to earn a Jackpot spin.

The Blast Shields will protect you from the exploding crystals. Each time a crystal explodes, one of the shields will slide down, disappearing into the console. If you lose all your shields, the game is over.

As you clear the spaces in the grid energy particles will be released, filling your Power Up Meter. When the Power Up Meter is partially full, you can use the "Hint" button to ask Meep for a tip. When the Power Up Meter is totally full, you can use the "Scan" button to clear an area of the puzzle without exploding any crystals.

As you collect crystals, you'll unlock enough energy to reach a new rank. Each rank is represented by a planet, asteroid or other stellar body you can visit. You can use the "Choose Planet" button to see which planets you've collected, to select a specific planet to explore or set "Autopilot" to take you to random destinations you have unlocked.


How to Play

The basic rules for Stellar Sweeper are very simple.

* You can uncover a space by Left-Clicking it (just click on the Mac).
* When you Left-Click a space, the tile will vanish and the area beneath will be revealed.
* The area beneath each tile may contain a crystal, a number or it could be empty.
* The first space you click in each puzzle is always safe. After the first click, you may find crystals in the puzzle.
* If a number appears in a space, it indicates how many crystals are in the eight spaces that surround the number.
* If you uncover a crystal, it will explode.
* To mark a space that you suspect contains a crystal, Right-Click it (or Ctrl-Click on the Mac). You can also Left-Click on the button next to the Crystal Counter to drag a marker out of the marker well.

When you mark a space (Right-Click or Ctrl-Click) that you think may contain a crystal, several things will happen.

* The Crystal Counter will decrement, showing the number of crystals still remaining in the puzzle. This number can go negative if you mark more spaces than there are crystals.
* If there are enough numbers showing to show that the space you've marked definitely contains a crystal, the crystal will automatically appear.
* If there is not yet enough information to determine whether a crystal is located in the space, a marker will appear showing a crystal with a question mark inside.
* Once you've reveal enough numbers to show there is a crystal in a marked location, the crystal will automatically appear.
* If you are uncertain about whether a space contains a crystal, Right-Click it to place a marker. Later, you can either unmark it or move the marker to another space.
* You can drag and drop a crystal marker to another space, if you misplace a marker. The marker must be removed from the space before you clear the tile.

Power Ups
As you clear number spaces, energy particles will move to the Power Up Meter. When the Power Up Meter fills, the Hint Button and the Scan Button will become available.

When you click the Hint Button, Meep will prompt you with a clue regarding one or more spaces in the grid. He may tell you where to mark a crystal or where you can safely Left-Click. Pay careful attention to the tip he gives you, so you know what to do. Meep will always try to give you a hint based on information already available, so be sure you've checked all the available moves before asking for a hint.

When you click the Scan Button, a special animation will follow your cursor in the game area. The animation indicates the area that will be scanned with the power up is activated. The Scan area is a 3 x 3 group of spaces. When you click in the game area, all the spaces in the Scan area will be revealed. Any crystals in the scanned area will be automatically marked.

Blast Shields
You'll start each game with 3 -5 blast shields, depending on the level of difficulty. Each time a crystal explodes, you'll lose one of your blast shields. When they are exhausted, the game is over. However, you can occasionally find another shield hidden in the puzzle.


Rank Planets

You will earn rank progress for each crystal you collect (in a winning game). At the end of each winning game, the rank dialog will display an image of the next rank and the number of crystals needed to unlock it. The game will automatically load the Planet Map when you earn a new rank, or you can select "Choose Planet" from the new game, change level or end game dialogs. You can check out the planets you have your rank progress on the map screen.

[avs1roy33]

Roll the cursor over each unlocked planet to see a short description and the shape of the puzzle.

When you click on a planet, the spaceship will move into orbit around it. The game will continue to play that puzzle until another is selected.

Activating the autopilot button will cause the game to randomly select form the puzzle planets you have unlocked.

* Clicking the cancel button on the map screen will return you to the game with no change to the planet options.
* Clicking the play button will start a new game with the currently selected planet option.

The game will award a special badge when you complete ranks 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25.
Tips

Start by selecting a space in the middle of the puzzle. This will give you the maximum expansion on every side.

Use the numbers that you have revealed to pinpoint the location of crystal spaces. Once you have identified the location of a crystal, clear out the spaces around it that you now know are safe. Any spaces adjacent to the crystal that show the number 1 can not have any other crystals around them.

Mark spaces you think may contain a crystal, you can always remove them later.

You can use more markers than there are crystals — when the Crystal Counter displays a negative number, you know that there are too many markers in the puzzle.

If you Right and Left-Click (or Option-Click on Mac) on a revealed number space, and you marked all the crystals that account for that number, the game will clear all of the unrevealed adjacent spaces.

Over time you will begin to notice recurring patterns of numbers and the positions of crystal. Memorizing common configurations will speed up your game.

When presented with multiple options, think through the expected results of each move — will uncovering a mine contradict any number already visible?

If you can't find a safe place to click, use the Hint Button for a tip.

Save the Scan button for situations where:

* You have to click blindly into a block of tiles.
* Crystals are pinned in a corner
* 4's or 5's are showing
* You can maximize the number of spaces revealed.


Controls

Hint: Meep the Alien will prompt you with a clue to mark or clear a space when you click on the hint button. Meep will try to give you a tip based on information already available, so make sure you've examined all the possible moves before using the hint. Using the hint button will drain a little power from the Power Up Meter.

Scan: Clicking the scan button will activate a special cursor highlight. As you move the cursor over the game grid, you'll see glowing squares that indicate which spaces will be "Scanned" when you click. Clicking on an area of the puzzle will reveal the tiles and automatically mark any mines beneath. Using the scan button will drain all the power from the Power Up Meter.

Marker Well: You can click the marker button next to the Crystal Counter to drag and drop a marker into the puzzle. When you mark a space that can be determined from the visible numbers to contain a crystal, it will automatically appear. Otherwise, the marker will remain in position with a "Question Mark" until enough information is available to prove a crystal is present.

NOTE: The Crystal Counter next to the marker well can go negative. You can place more markers than there are crystals.

Adjacency Indicator: Click on a number to automatically highlight all the nearby spaces that either do or could contain a crystal.

Left-Click (Click on Mac): Left-Clicking a tile will remove it and display the area below containing a crystal, number or empty space.

Right-Click (Ctrl-Click on Mac): Right-Clicking a space will drop a marker. If enough numbers are showing to prove the space contains a crystal, the marker will transform to reveal the crystal.

Dual Click (Option-Click on Mac): Advanced players may want to use the dual click technique. If you Right and Left-Click on a revealed number space, and you marked all the crystals that account for that number, the game will clear all of the unrevealed adjacent spaces. Be careful however, if all the crystals have not been accounted for using this technique can trigger an explosion.

Choose Planet: Click on the Choose Planet button from the new game, change level or end game dialog to transition to the map screen and see your current rank progress.

New Game: Clicking the "New Game" button will allow you to reset the current puzzle or start a new location (if autopilot is selected).

Pause: Clicking the "Pause" button (or engaging other game dialogs that pause the game) will blank out all the tiles. No peaking!

Sound: Click this button to turn off sounds on or off in the game.

Scoring

Each number you reveal is worth an equal number of points. For example, a "2" space scores 2 points.

At the end of a winning game, you also score points for each crystal you have discovered.

The number of points scored in the game (displayed in the Score Area) is divided by ten to award your game tokens.

You can also earn bonus tokens depending on how quickly you were able to solve the puzzle. The number of tokens awarded also depends on the number of mines in the puzzle.

If you can find all the crystals without any exploding, you'll score "Perfect Game" bonus tokens:

* Easy - 50 tokens
* Medium - 70 tokens
* Hard - 100 tokens

Remember, you must win the game in order to collect the tokens you've earned.


JACKPOT

As you clear the puzzle, you will occasionally discover deposits of Spin Gas. At the end of a successful game, any gas you have collected will transform into a solid letter. When you have collected enough letters to spell, "SPIN" — you will earn a jackpot spin.

Stellar Sweeper is an exclusive game for Club Pogo members!

[avs1roy33]

Sorry this is so long.

[Gerald]

First scrabble i mean Qwerty and now mine sweeper i mean stellar sweeper

[Lish]

First scrabble i mean Qwerty and now mine sweeper i mean stellar sweeper

don't forget tetris- I mean penguin blocks ;)

[Capt. Morgan]

The  rules state.
"Activating the autopilot button will cause the game to randomly select form the puzzle planets you have "

I know I will be activating my auto pilot >:D

[PogoNutz]

Me three ;)

[ME4SPADES_]

wow alot to that  game i see auto in all that will play ...and boy do they have there work cut out for them but i know they can do it they  :D always come throught for us seekers for the good ole auto

[Barbara]

The only rule you need for this game is to remember to put the pass code in the "message to seller" box.  That's it.

[BadgeHelpOscar]

We are making the engine right now for stellar

[christina]

wow, they lost me the third sentence in.  :o

[bubblegum]

when will it be out or is pogo playing the will they or won't they screw with us button?

[greenflash]

ROFL    ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D  @ Barbara. You got that one right!    ;)