H2O (DOS)

H2O

Platform: DOS Year: 1996 Developer: Extremely Kriminal Organisation

H2O is a puzzle game with 40 levels. In each level, water falls from the top through a landscape, and a huge minimum of it must flow into a drainpipe or a hole in the bottom. To accomplish this, you control a man riding a vehicle and throwing a limited amount of blocs, bombs and bricks. In later levels, new elements give you extra blocs, force you to automatically throw blocs or instantly exit the level.

The difficulty increases quickly, but you have an unlimited number of lives and can restart at any level using codes. There are no high scores for the entire game, but one high score per level.

Screenshots

The animated title screen reflects the gameplay. The main menu. Every level has the same statistics and either a hint or some pointless words. That is what it is for! Oh dear, a few drops flow off the wrong end! Can't win 'em all.

Music

The music is largely upbeat and often rock'n'roll-flavored, once carribean, at other times tense and techno-flavored. Most actions are mute; only 3 sound effects altogether for main menu, blocs, bombs and enemy shots have been heard.

The titles are based on the filenames. Each level song is repeated every 7 levels. For example, Level 1 is also played in levels 8, 15, 22, 29 and 36, Level 2 also in levels 9, 16, 23, 30 and 37, and so on.

Recording

All songs were recorded from a Pentium 60 MHz with a Sound Blaster 16 CT1740. Getting a decent recording from the game requires multiple attempts, since many notes stumble at random, as if the music driver is called too irregularly. However, the mixer seems to run at a high-enough priority, since the instrument samples do not click.

The game fades every level song in. The game cannot be paused, so the music is only heard until the player runs out of time. Fortunately, the longest levels allow one complete loop for each song. Level 3 was recorded from the ending where it plays infinitely.

#	Title	Composer	Length	Listen	Download
01	Muscho	Reynald Deliens	2:23		Download
02	Wait	Reynald Deliens	1:46		Download
03	Loose	Reynald Deliens	0:04		Download
04	Win	Reynald Deliens	0:07		Download
05	Level 1	Reynald Deliens	2:25		Download
06	Level 2	Reynald Deliens	2:10		Download
07	Level 3	Reynald Deliens	3:43		Download
08	Level 4	Reynald Deliens	2:39		Download
09	Level 5	Reynald Deliens	3:08		Download
10	Level 6	Reynald Deliens	2:53		Download
11	Level 7	Reynald Deliens	2:53		Download

Credits

• Ripper: Professor Chaos
• Recorder: Professor Chaos
• Game Credits:
  • Synthese By (Main Menu): J.Senet
  • Music By (Main Menu): Reynald Deliens credited as R.Deliens
  • Music (Readme): Reynald Deliens credited as R. Deliens
  • Sound Effects (Readme): J. Senec
  • Sound System (Main Menu): Otto Chrons credited as O.Chrons
  • Music System (Readme): DSMI by Otto Chrons (C) Virtual Visions

(Sources: 1, 2, 3)

Game Rip

Format	Conversion	Download
		Download (Info)

The used formats DMF and DAW appear to be custom versions of the AMF and RAW formats with the song and sample names deleted, the samples delta-encoded and the first letter of the format names changed to what happens to be the first letter of "delta". This is further supported by the fact that the samples are added up in RAM.

The filenames and files were extracted from H2O.EXE, the above differences undone and the sample rates determined using manual hex work and quick tools.

Audio Devices

Music
Sound

(Source)

Releases

The full game was released on May 31 or earlier in 1996. One known shareware EXE is dated 1996-07-08, lacks the song Level 1, and has Level 7 renamed to Level 1. It was available from Ticsoft's website and catalog CD.

World Title: H2O Platform: DOS Released: 1996-0?-?? Publisher: Webfoot Technologies, Inc.     Germany Title: H2O Platform: DOS Released: 1996-??-?? Publisher: Ticsoft

Links

• mobygames.com/game/dos/h2o - MobyGames.
• gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/971333-h2o - GameFAQs.
• amp.dascene.net/detail.php?detail=modules&view=2054 - Original MOD files (except for Loose) and 3 not published songs from the composer.