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Basic Setup
1. With the power off, the host loads the game cartridge into their Nintendo DS system.
2. The host powers their system on, then taps on the "Warning" screen and then on the graphic for the game.
3. If this is the first time the game is being played, the introduction tutorial will start automatically.
Downloading
1. The host taps on "DS Wireless Communications" (the middle option on the right) twice.
2. There are two Single-Card Download game options: "Multi-Picross" (the top option) or "Send a demo Puzzle" (the bottom option).
2a. Multi-Picross: "Up to 5 players can compete using DS Wireless Communications. DS Download Play allows players without Game Cards to join in too."
2b. Send a demo puzzle: "Players without Game Cards can use DS Download Play to receive single puzzles as demos."
3a. The host taps "Multi-Picross" (the top option) -- once if it was already highlighted and twice if it was not.
3b. The host taps "Invite players" (the top option).
3c. The guest(s) will power on their Nintendo DS system.
3d. The guest(s) tap on the "Warning" screen and then on the "DS Download Play" button.
3e. When the graphic bar appears saying "Picross DS", the guests tap on it.
3f. The guests' DS systems will ask "Would you like to download this software? Tap "Yes".
3g. When the host's DS says that all guests trying to connect are connected, the host taps "Begin" (in the bottom center of the lower screen) twice.
4. For Send A Demo Puzzle...
4a. The host taps "Send a demo puzzle" (the bottom option) twice.
4b. The host chooses Picross, Original, or Classic by tapping on their choice once to highlight it and again to select it.
4b1. Picross: This section contains the pre-made puzzles from Picross DS.
4b2. Original: This section contains puzzles created by the host (or given to the host by other game owners).
4b3. Classic: This section contains puzzles downloaded via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
4c. If the host selected Picross, they select the mode the puzzle can be found in (Easy Mode, Normal Mode, or Free Mode) by tapping the chosen mode twice.
4d. If the host selected Picross and then either Normal Mode or Free Mode, they select a level to choose a puzzle from.
4d1. Initially, Level 1 through Level 4 will be available in Normal Mode and in Free Mode.
4d2. Additional levels will become unlocked by solving more puzzles in single-player gameplay.
4d3. If additional levels (beyond Level 4) have been unlocked, the host can scroll by tapping the arrows or pressing up or down on the direction pad.
4e. If the host selected Original or Classic and there are more than ten puzzles available, the host can scroll through them by pressing the "L" or "R" button.
4f. The host taps on the puzzle they wish to send and then they tap "OK" or "Confirm" in the bottom center of the lower screen.
4g. The host then taps "Send" in the bottom center of the lower screen.
4h. The guest(s) will power on their Nintendo DS system.
4i. The guest(s) tap on the "Warning" screen and then on the "DS Download Play" button.
4j. When the graphic bar appears saying "Picross DS", the guests tap on it.
4k. The guests' DS systems will ask "Would you like to download this software? Tap "Yes".
4l. When the host's DS says that all guests trying to connect are connected, the host taps "Send" in the center of the lower screen.
Game/Feature/Options Selection
1. Word Picross ("Write a word with up to 10 letters. Each guest solves one letter at a time and can answer when ready. The host decides is the answer's correct.")
1a. The host taps "Word Picross" (the top option).
1b. The host enters a word using the on-screen keyboard.
1c. When the word is entered as intended, the host taps "Confirm" in the bottom center of the lower screen.
1d. The game will ask the host to confirm their entry. To do so, the host taps "Yes" on the left side of the lower screen.
1e. Guests determine if they'd like to use touch controls (default) or button controls (tap the "Button Controls" button to highlight it).
1f. Once guests have selected their control scheme, they tap "OK" in the bottom center of the lower screen.
2. Picture Picross ("Draw a quick picture. The guests guess what the picture is and send their answers. The host decides if the answer is correct or not.")
2a. The host taps "Picture Picross" (the second option from the top) twice.
2b. The host draws a picture in the white box using the stylus.
NOTE: The host can change the width of their lines and clear the screen using the icons on the right side of the screen.
2c. When the picture is complete, the host taps "Finished" in the bottom center of the screen.
2d. The host then confirms their puzzle by tapping yes along the bottom edge of the lower screen (on the left).
3. Multiplayer Match ("The host competes with the guests and plays two puzzles in a row.")
3a. The host taps "Multiplayer Match" (the third option from the top) twice.
3b. Each player sets their hint level by tapping on their selection.
NOTE: The choices are Nothing (default), +1, +2, +3, +4, and +5.
3c. Each player determines if they'd like to use touch controls (default) or button controls (tap the "Button Controls" button to highlight it).
3d. When players haven selected their hint level and control type, they tap "OK" in the bottom center of the lower screen.
1. The game will ask the player if they would like to use hints.
2. If the guest taps No, the game will begin.
3. If the guest taps Yes, the Helpful Hint Roulette will begin.
4. The guest taps the touch screen twice or presses the "A" button twice.
5. Each time the touch screen is tapped or the "A" button is pressed, a column or row is selected randomly to be completed.
6. When the Helpful Hint Roulette is done and one row and one column are completed, the game begins.
Game Controls / How To Play
1. The main goal in Picross is to complete the puzzle using the number clues.
2. Above each column and to the left of each row, numbers will be listed.
3. If a particular row/column has one number (i.e. 5), there is a single group of that many connected squares that need to be filled in somewhere in that row/column.
FOR EXAMPLE: If a row/column is labeled "5", then there's a group of 5 somewhere in that row/column without any spaces within that group.
4. If a particular row/column has many numbers, there are that many groups of those specific sizes -in that order- that need to filled in somewhere in that row/column.
FOR EXAMPLE: If a row/column is labeled "5 2 3", then there's a group of 5 followed by a group of 2 followed by a group of 3.
5. When there are multiple groups, there could be any number of spaces in between them. The numbers only indicate how many squares are filled in.
6. No matter where you are at in the puzzle, the numbers for the current (and surrounding) column and row are always visible on screen.
7. Stylus Controls: In the top left corner of the lower screen, there are four icons (Mode icons) that indicate how to do different things...
7a. The top icon is the Pen Icon. When the Pen Icon is highlighted, tap a square in the puzzle to fill it in (or empty it if it is already filled).
7b. The bottom icon is the X Icon. When the X Icon is highlighted, tap a square in the to mark it as not filled in (or empty it if it is already filled).
7c. The right icon is the Look Icon. When the Look Icon is highlighted, tap anywhere on the lower screen to move the puzzle without affecting the squares.
7d. The left icon is the Zoom Icon. When a puzzle is big enough and the Zoom Icon is highlighted, tap the puzzle to zoom out or back in.
7e. To highlight a particular icon, tap it.
7f. To highlight a particular square within the puzzle, tap it.
8. Button Controls: Highlight a square by pressing left, right, up, or down on the direction pad until the desired square is highlighted.
9. Button Controls: Fill in a square by pressing the "A" button.
10. Button Controls: Place an X in a square by pressing the "B" button.
11. Button Controls: Empty a square by pressing the "A" or "B" button while a square that is either filled or containing an X is highlighted.
12. Button Controls: Zoom in or out (if the puzzle is big enough to allow zooming) by pressing the "Y" button.
13. To switch between Stylus and Button controls, pause the game by pressing Start and then tap on "Control Option" (the middle option on the left) twice.
14. "Send A Demo Puzzle" Only: To turn on Overlay Mode, pause the game by pressing Start and then tap "Overlay On" (the bottom option on the left) twice.
14a. In this mode (also known as Try It Out mode), the game keeps track of exactly what the puzzle currently looks like when the mode begins.
14b. Play the game normally and make any changes as if the game were in normal mode.
14c. To exit this mode, pause the game by pressing Start and then tap "Overlay Off" (the bottom option on the left) twice.
14d. The game will then provide two options.
14e. Option #1 is "Apply Overlay", which tells the game to keep all changes made while in Overlay Mode.
14f. Option #2 is "Discard Overlay", which tells the game to undo all changes made while in Overlay Mode.
15. "Multi-Picross/Word Picross" Only: Guests can press the "L" and "R" buttons to switch between puzzles.
16. "Multi-Picross/Word Picross" & "Multi-Picross/Picture Picross" Only: The host can select a guest to mess with by tapping the name of the guest on their lower screen.
What To Look For
1a. On the guest's upper screen, the guests' names, ranks, and completed puzzles (noted in yellow) are displayed in the top 2/3 of the screen.
1b. On the guest's upper screen, squares (representing individual letters/symbols) are displayed across the lower 1/3 of the screen.
1c. On the guest's upper screen, squares with letters/symbols in them are completed puzzles.
1d. On the guest's upper screen, the square outlines in a blinking red box is the current puzzle (viewable on the lower screen).
1e. On the guest's upper screen, the timer is displayed along the bottom edge of the screen.
1f. On the guest's lower screen, the current puzzle is displayed.
1g. On the guest's lower screen, the pen icon and the X icon are in the top left corner.
1h. On the guest's lower screen, puzzles can be cycled through by tapping the "L" and "R" to the left and right of each puzzle.
1i. On the guest's lower screen, the answer icon ("!") is in the bottomleft corner.
1j. On the guest's lower screen, the lock icon (to lock out the the entire touch screen (except for the answer & lock icons) is above the answer icon.
1k. On the host's lower screen, the host can tap on any guest's name to effect their screen.
1l. On the host's lower screen, the player icon (the top icon on the left) allows the host to select a guest to mess with.
1m. On the host's lower screen, the pen tip icon (to change the thickness of written lines) is the second icon from the top, on the left.
1n. On the host's lower screen, the lock icon (to lock out the the puzzle part of the touch screen) is the third icon from the top, on the left.
1o. On the host's lower screen, the clear icon (to clear all written info from the screen) is the fourth icon from the top, on the left.
1p. On the host's lower screen, the color icon (to change writing colors) is the bottom icon on the left.
2a. On the guest's upper screen, the guests' names and ranks are displayed in the top 2/3 of the screen.
2b. On the guest's upper screen, the timer is displayed along the bottom edge of the screen.
2c. On the guest's lower screen, the puzzle is displayed.
2d. On the guest's lower screen, the pen icon and the X icon are in the top left corner.
2e. On the guest's lower screen, the answer icon ("!") is in the bottomleft corner.
2f. On the guest's lower screen, the lock icon (to lock out the the entire touch screen (except for the answer & lock icons) is above the answer icon.
2g. On the host's lower screen, the host can tap on any guest's name to effect their screen.
2h. On the host's lower screen, the player icon (the top icon on the left) allows the host to select a guest to mess with.
2i. On the host's lower screen, the pen tip icon (to change the thickness of written lines) is the second icon from the top, on the left.
2j. On the host's lower screen, the lock icon (to lock out the the puzzle part of the touch screen) is the third icon from the top, on the left.
2k. On the host's lower screen, the clear icon (to clear all written info from the screen) is the fourth icon from the top, on the left.
2l. On the host's lower screen, the color icon (to change writing colors) is the bottom icon on the left.
3a. On the guest's upper screen, the guests' names, ranks, and completion status are displayed in the top 2/3 of the screen.
3b. On the guest's upper screen, the timer is displayed along the bottom edge of the screen.
3c. On the guest's lower screen, the puzzle is displayed.
3d. On the guest's lower screen, the pen icon and the X icon are in the top left corner.
NOTE: A big puzzle is 15x15 (or larger) and a small puzzle is 10x10 (or smaller).
1. Big Puzzle (Zoomed In): On the upper screen, the puzzle category and location code are displayed in the top left corner.
2. Big Puzzle (Zoomed In): On the upper screen, the timer is near the top left corner, beneath the puzzle category and location code.
3. Big Puzzle (Zoomed In): On the upper screen, the entire puzzle is displayed.
4. Big Puzzle (Zoomed In): On the lower screen, the portion of the puzzle currently zoomed in on is diplayed.
5. Big Puzzle (Zoomed In): On the lower screen, the Pen, X, Look, and Zoom Icons are in the top left corner.
6. Big Puzzle (Zoomed Out): On the upper screen, the puzzle's picture (in it's currently-completed state) is displayed in the top half of the screen.
7. Big Puzzle (Zoomed Out): On the upper screen, the puzzle category and location code are displayed in the bottom left corner.
8. Big Puzzle (Zoomed Out): On the upper screen, the timer is in the bottom right corner.
9. Big Puzzle (Zoomed Out): On the lower screen, the entire puzzle is displayed.
10. Big Puzzle (Zoomed Out): On the lower screen, the Zoom Icon is in the top left corner.
11. Small Puzzle: On the upper screen, the puzzle's picture (in it's currently-completed state) is displayed in the top half of the screen.
12. Small Puzzle: On the upper screen, the puzzle category and location code are displayed in the bottom left corner.
13. Small Puzzle: On the upper screen, the timer is in the bottom right corner.
14. Small Puzzle: On the lower screen, the entire puzzle is displayed.
15. Small Puzzle: On the lower screen, the Pen and X Icons are in the top left corner.
Overall Goals
1a. Solve the puzzles first. (guests)
1b. Don't make any errors. (guests)
1c. Make challenging puzzles. (host)
1d. Mess with the guests. (host)
2a. Solve the puzzle first. (guests_
2b. Don't make any errors. (guests)
2c. Make the solvable puzzles. (host)
2d. Mess with the guests. (host)
3a. Complete the puzzles first.
3b. Don't make any errors.
2. Make as few errors as possible.
3. Complete the puzzle as quickly as possible.
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