I decided to make this thread to help players new to
Nullpomino get their game up and running. It really is a very simple process.
For Mac users Please see this thread:
http://harddrop.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3023 by Aaron
You will need to have
Java installed to play this game. Download it here:
http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jspOr you can also Download it here:
http://www.filehippo.com/download_jre_32/ for Windows 32bit
http://www.filehippo.com/download_jre_64/ for Windows 64bit
Go to the Nullpomino thread:
http://harddrop.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2035 and the very first post has the link to download Nullpo.
Because Nullpomino is still in development, it would be a good idea to check this thread weekly to see if there has been a new release.
Once you have downloaded you will need to extract to a folder of your choice. I will include a brief explanation of this, because I know there are some that do not have any experience doing this.
I use
WinRAR to do this, but there are also many other programs available(7-zip is another good program). Simply click on Extract to
Then You will see this window pop up to choose where to extract to. If you want to make a new folder for it such as C:\Nullpomino, just type it in in the destination path and click ok, or browse to a folder that you would like.
That’s it for extracting.
Now to setup the game, browse to where you extracted and open the folder, this is what you will see:
I would suggest using
play_slick.bat to play the game because this version has less bugs and is more stable. You can use play_sdl or play_swing.
Now open
play_slick, or NullpoMino.exe (also opens play_slick)
NullpoMino's default keys are:
You can change these keys by going to the main menu to Config, then Keyboard Setting.
Below is the image you see when you go to configure your Keyboard Settings:
Description of buttons
UP:Hard Drop (Drop current piece instantly) ; Move cursor up
DOWN:Soft Drop (Drop current piece faster) ; Move cursor down
LEFT:Move left ; Decrease current option's value
RIGHT:Move right ; Increase current option's value
A:Rotate ; Confirm
B:Reverse Rotate ; Cancel
C:Rotate
D:Hold (Keep a piece to use later)
E:180-Degree Rotate
F:Skip ending credits (SPEED MANIA and GARBAGE MANIA modes)
QUIT:Quit the game
PAUSE:Pause the game
GIVEUP:Return to the title screen
RETRY:Reset the game and restart from beginning
FRAME STEP:Frame step (pause screen)
SCREEN SHOT:Save screen shot to ss folder
By default A will use right rotate and B uses left. If you would like button A to be left rotate and B right rotate you can change this in the game tuning menu( See below).
It is very useful to set all of your keys so that you can practice during netplay, or retry during a single player game.
To select a rule that fits your style go to Config, then Rule Select, there are 4 Options here:
Select tetromino to change your rule:
Scroll down the list until you get to the 2nd page where you will see
Standard Plus, which is much like tetris friends/toj, and
Standard Zero which is a bit faster and has sonic drop. Select one you would like to try by pressing the key you set as right rotate. You can always go back later and change it if you decide you do not like the settings.
Game rule
Depending on the game rule, the movement of pieces will be different.
You can select which rule to use in the CONFIG>RULE SELECT screen.
You can create your own rule by using Rule Editor.
Below I included the list of rules and descriptions from the Readme file.
AVALANCHE : A rule used to play AVALANCHE type games.
CLASSIC0 : A classic rule that many Japanese players played like a monkey. Best suitable for RETRO MANIA mode.
CLASSIC0-68K : CLASSIC0 with reverse rotation.
CLASSIC1 : Only 1 piece preview, no hold function, no hard drop function, less flexible wallkicks.
If you think standard rules are too easy, this rule might be suitable for you.
CLASSIC2 : If you want faster play but dislike standard rules, this rule can help you.
CLASSIC3 : If you dislike standard rules but classic 1-2 is too difficult, this rule is for you.
I and T shaped pieces has more flexible wallkicks.
CLASSIC-EASY-A : It is much easier than other classic rules. Block colors are also different.
CLASSIC-EASY-A2 : Almost same as CLASSIC-EASY-A, but block colors are not different from others.
CLASSIC-EASY-B : Soft and hard drop behavior is reversed in this rule.
CLASSIC-EASY-B2 : Almost same as CLASSIC-EASY-B, but block colors are not different from others.
CLASSIC-S : CLASSIC0 with reverse rotation and "Wall Only" wallkick. It can kick wall, but not the already placed blocks.
DTET : That game was so good that the evil king had to kill it. This rule is a bit tricky. Has ARE/line clear canceling.
NINTENDO-L : A classical rule that was bundled with a handheld gadget which was made by king of video game.
NINTENDO-L-FAST : NINTENDO-L with faster sideways movement.
NINTENDO-R : A classical rule that was appeared before or after NINTENDO-L. Best suitable for RETRO MARATHON mode.
NINTENDO-R-FAST : NINTENDO-R with faster sideways movement.
PHYSICIAN : A rule used to play PHYSICIAN type games.
SPF : A rule used to play SPF type games.
SQUARE : Rule designed to make it easier to build squares. Best suitable for SQUARE mode.
STANDARD : Suitable for almost all kinds of players.
STANDARD-EXP : Soft and hard drop behavior is reversed in this rule.
STANDARD-FAST : Suitable for fast game play.
STANDARD-FAST-B : Suitable for fast game play. Initial actions (initial rotation/hold) is less detected in this rule.
STANDARD-FRIENDS : Pieces will spawn one space lower than usual, unless that space is occupied.
STANDARD-GIZA : hebo-MAI's rule. This rule is not too fast; giving you the opportunity to see the opponent's field in VS game.
STANDARD-HARD : Difficult than normal STANDARD rule.
STANDARD-HARD128 : Slightly easier variant of STANDARD-HARD rule. You can move/rotate the piece 128 times.
STANDARD-HOLDNEXT : A rule created by holdnext. Enjoy the power of orange sticks.
STANDARD-J : This variant has slow movements, nothing more than that.
STANDARD-PLUS : A rule created by Blink. STANDARD-FAST with no line clear delay, and faster softdrop.
STANDARD-SUPER3 : A classical rule with the rotation system of STANDARD rules but no wallkicks. Has ARE canceling.
STANDARD-ZERO : A rule created by Wojtek. STANDARD-PLUS with 20G Soft Drop and Instant DAS.
If you need Help changing or making a special rule please just ask for help.
Once you pick you rule you are ready to start playing.
Start will take you to all of the single player games as well as the map editor.
From the Readme here are a list and description of all game modes:
Game mode
MARATHON
Mode for beginner players. The level increases by erasing every 10 lines.
There are three game types: 150 lines, 200 lines, and endless.
MARATHON+
This mode is similar to MARATHON mode (200 lines game), but has following differences:
* Line clear speed is faster.
* If you complete level 20, you'll enter the 21st level: the "Bonus Level".
This level never ends (until you die), but the playfield occasionally goes invisible in this level,
so it's better to remember the shape of your playfield.
You can directly start from the bonus level by setting starting level to 21.
EXTREME
Mode for expert players. Gameplay is similar to marathon mode, but it's much faster.
LINE RACE
Clear certain number of lines as fast as possible.
Goal is selectable from 20, 40, and 100 lines.
SCORE RACE
Get certain number of points as fast as possible.
Goal is selectable from 10000, 25000, and 30000 points.
DIG RACE
Clear all garbage lines as fast as possible.
You win the game when you clear the bottommost line (the line with gem blocks).
Amount of garbage lines is selectable from 5, 10, and 18.
COMBO RACE
Try to clear all the lines in the well in one combo.
Goal is selectable from 20, 40, and 100 lines.
ULTRA
Score as many points as possible or clear as many lines as possible until the time limit.
Duration is selectable from 1 through 5 minutes.
TECHNICIAN
The main goal of this mode is to clear each level as fast as you can.
When the "GOAL" counter reaches zero, the level increases.
You can progress the game faster by erasing multiple lines.
There are five different game types.
LV15-EASY: Reach level 16 as fast as you can.
There is 2-minute level timer, but it's just a bonus counter and there is no penalty for running out of time.
LV15-HARD: This is similar to LV15-EASY, but when the 2-minute level timer runs out, your game ends instantly.
10MIN-EASY: See how far you can go and how many points you can get within 10 minutes.
When the 2-minute level timer runs out, the goal counter resets.
10MIN-HARD: This is similar to 10MIN-EASY, but when the 2-minute level timer runs out, your game ends instantly.
SPECIAL: When the level increases, 30 seconds is added to your time limit. Survive as long as you can.
SQUARE
Try placing your pieces in 4x4 squares to get more points.
There are three different game types.
MARATHON: Keep playing until you top out. Go for the most points!
SPRINT: Try to get 150 points as fast as you can. Can you do it in 8 lines?
ULTRA: Get as many points as you can in 3 minutes.
Best effect can be achieved if you use "SQUARE" rule.
RETRO MARATHON
A classic game that takes you to the nostalgic feeling.
Best effect can be achieved if you use "NINTENDO-R" rule.
RETRO MASTERY
A game based on the classics where efficiency is important.
Best effect can be achieved if you use "NINTENDO-R" rule.
RETRO MANIA
A classic game that many Japanese players played like a monkey.
Best effect can be achieved if you use "CLASSIC0" rule.
GRADE MANIA
You can earn "grade" by getting certain amount of score. Aim for highest grade!
GRADE MANIA 2
If you beat GRADE MANIA mode, try this. It's much harder!
GRADE MANIA 3
If you don't think GRADE MANIA 2 is so difficult, try this. The speed depends on your game play!
SCORE ATTACK
Score as many points as possible before you reach level 300.
This mode is designed for beginner players.
SPEED MANIA
Well, it's not so fast as EXTREME mode, but it's very difficult to go through level 500 barrier.
SPEED MANIA 2
Insane mode! Can you keep up with this crazy speed and some other dangerous things?
GARBAGE MANIA
Speed is not fast, but garbage blocks will rise from bottom of the play field, so watch out.
PHANTOM MANIA
This is mostly same as SPEED MANIA, but the playfield is "completely" invisible!
Try to remember where you placed the piece.
FINAL
This game mode is designed only for players who have super-fast-fingers and super-fast-brain.
Try to correctly control the insane-fast pieces.
TIME ATTACK
You have to complete each level within the time limit, or game will end in failure.
However, the time limit is usually long, so you won't get a time over.
The level increases by erasing every 10 lines. Time limit will be reset when the level increases.
This mode features 11 game types.
5 of them (NORMAL, HIGH SPEED 1, HIGH SPEED 2, ANOTHER, ANOTHER2) are easy games that ends at 150 lines.
2 of them (NORMAL 200, ANOTHER 200) are 200 lines game but still easy.
The rest of 4 (BASIC, HELL, HELL-X, VOID) is very difficult.
Each level has extremely short time limit, and in the case of HELL and HELL-X, there will be more dangerous things.
PRACTICE
You can practice various speed settings in this mode.
GEM MANIA
This is a puzzle mode that requires different strategy than normal modes.
Your goal is to erase all gem blocks from the playfield.
This mode features two different types of time limit: "Stage Time" and "Limit Time".
Stage Time is time limit for each stage. It starts from 1 minute for each stage, and if it reaches zero, the stage ends in failure.
Limit Time is the main time limit. It starts from 3 minutes, and if it reaches zero, the game ends.
Complete each stage within 20 seconds to increase the Limit Time.
TOOL-VS MAP EDIT
Not really a "game" mode. This is a tool for creating maps for VS-BATTLE mode and NetPlay mode.
Controls when you editing a map:
Up/Down/Left/Right: Move cursor
A: Put a block
B: Exit
C+Left/Right: Change color of block
D: Delete a block
VS-BATTLE
Battle against human or AI opponent. You can send garbage blocks by clearing 2 or more lines at the same time.
AVALANCHE 1P (RC1)
This is a puzzle mode where the objective is to clear clusters of colors, not lines.
Make chains to score as much as you can before you top out!
Only for use with "AVALANCHE" rule.
AVALANCHE 1P FEVER MARATHON (RC1)
Premade chains will drop down endlessly. Try to get the most points before time runs out!
Only for use with "AVALANCHE" rule.
AVALANCHE VS-BATTLE (RC1)
Clear chains to send your opponent garbage!
Only for use with "AVALANCHE" rule.
AVALANCHE VS FEVER MARATHON (RC1)
Premade chains will drop down endlessly. Detonate them to neutralize your garbage handicap, then send your opponent garbage!
Only for use with "AVALANCHE" rule.
AVALANCHE VS DIG RACE (RC1)
Dig down to the flashing gem as fast as you can. The first player to clear it wins!
Only for use with "AVALANCHE" rule.
PHYSICIAN (RC1)
This is a puzzle mode where you clear gem blocks by lining up blocks of the same color, like throwing pills into a jar.
Clear more viruses at once to get more points.
Only for use with "PHYSICIAN" rule.
PHYSICIAN VS-BATTLE (RC1)
Clear more than one gem block at a time to send your opponent garbage. Try to clear your gem blocks first!
Only for use with "PHYSICIAN" rule.
SPF VS-BATTLE (BETA)
A puzzle mode based on a fighting game. Use gems to clear blocks of the same color and send garbage.
Only for use with "SPF" rule.
Replay is where you can see all of your replays, the game automatically records your single player games as long as u do not quit before the final screen comes up when your game is over.
Netplay is where you can connect to the server: harddrop.com and play online.
Config is where you can change settings in game.
There are many different types of single player games, so try each one out for yourself.
If you would like more information on Single Player modes, see the Harddrop.com Nullpomino wiki page here:
http://harddrop.com/wiki/NullpoMinoBefore I get to netplay, lets look at what is in the
Config menu:
Select
General Options:
On this menu if there is an
X it is off,
O means its on.
If you do not like the background you can turn it off, and also if you do not like the Line Clear animation, which I think seems to be in the way, just turn it off(show line effect).
When you are done with your changes make sure you hit Button A in order to save the changes.
The next option,
Rule Select, is where you can select your rule if you should need to change it at any time.
Next is
Game tuning, where you can change a few minor things in the game:
Here you can change you’re
A button rotate to either right or left, or just leave it on auto(by default)
You can change your
block skin to any option that you like.
You can set you
min and max das here, I keep mine both the same. Play with different setting until you find one that is comfortable.
You can also change
das delay 0 is instant das to wall
Next is the
AI setting:
There are several different AI's to choose from.
You can change the move and think delay to make the AI slower.
Next is the Keyboard settings where you can reset your keys if you need to.
Also if you would like you menu navigation keys to be the same as your game keys go to Config then to Keyboard Navigation Setting and select copy from game keys, or customize to your liking.
Last is the Joystick setting, which I have not used but does not appear difficult to set. It has a similar menu as the keyboard settings.
On to
Netplay, Select Net play from the main menu:
Here you can put in your nickname, if you do not put a name you will be noname by default. You can also add a team name if you like. Enter a password like this: Yourscreenname#Yourpassword. Select
harddrop.com and click on
connect at the bottom.
This is what you will see when you open netplay. If there are players on they will be listed on the right. Rooms are listed at the top. 1p games are available to play online in netplay. To join a room either double click on the room you’d like or right click and select join, or watch. You can also see the room detail when you right click.
If you’d like to make a room click on create room, here are all the options available:
If you are interested in making your own custom rule or changing any of the setting in your rule this is how:
Open up
ruleeditor.bat, then go to file – open:
From here you can select a rule that you would like to edit.
As you can see there are lots of options to customize.
If you’re not sure what any thing in particular does, please ask on the HD Forum, or change things up to see for yourself.
When you are done editing, click file – save, or save as. Save will overwrite the file that you opened in the beginning, save as you can name your own rule.
When you go back to play_slick make sure you change your rule to the one that you just edited.
Thanks Blink for coding
And Thanks Meow for the tips.
Meow's Random Tips:* If holding down the left/right key is too slow when changing a setting such as sound volume, gravity, ARE, line clear delay etc, you can hold down Button C while pressing left/right to rapidly change the values.
* If you set a netplay server to be watched in the netplay window, it will display some numbers on the bottom right corner of the screen which tell you how many players (not sure what the numerator/denominator actually is) are online. This is useful if you're playing a single player mode.
Please read the Readme_en text document, this contains ALL the detailed information about the game(located in your main NullpoMino folder)
Nullpomino Guide
Jul 1 2010, 04:22 AM
