Program Details

PicTiles is offered as-is. While we have done our best to test the software, usage of it is at the user's own risk and we shall not be held responsible for any damage or loss of data caused by any defect of any kind in the PicTiles program.

Will there be a version of PicTiles for Windows/Linux?

A Windows Port of PicTiles has been developed and is being tested. If you would be interested in beta testing, please contact us. There are no plans for a Linux version at this time.

I tried playing the game but the keys don't work, even in the options screen! What's going on?

This is a known bug in OS 10.2 (and has been seen in 10.3 also). The operating system stops recognising keyboard input from certain applications and only starts again after you log out and back in, or restart. (Update: Apparently, this can be cured in 10.3 without a restart by opening TextEdit and typing a few letters.)

Sometimes when I launch PicTiles it freezes on the loading screen. What's with that?

There seems to be a conflict between PicTiles and Snood, a popular puzzle game by David Dobson. If you play Snood and then later try to play PicTiles, it may hang on startup. We are looking into a solution. In the meantime, if this occurs we suggest that you quit PicTiles and restart your computer. If you encounter this issue without Snood being involved, please report it using our bug tracker.

How many levels are there in the registered version of PicTiles?

There are 25 levels in total.

I tried to register PicTiles, but when I clicked "Buy Now" nothing happened...?

You need to be logged in as an administrator to register PicTiles using the integrated eSellerate interface. If you are unable to get the registration system working for any reason, please contact us and we can work out an alternative way for you to register.

Why does PicTiles try to connect to the Internet when launched?

PicTiles checks for an updated version when it is launched. This check is performed using an XMLRPC protocol call to the Charcoal Design web site. No personal details or sensitive data is transmitted. If you wish to disable this functionality, uncheck the "Check for updates" option in the preferences.

Where can I find help with using PicTiles?

PicTiles has a built-in help system which you can access from the "Help" menu in the menu bar. Alternatively, feel free to contact us if you are struggling and need advice.

1.1.3

• [chg] Increased maximum window size to 1600x1200.
• [fix] Fixed bug with antialising setting in preferences.
• [fix] Fixed compatibility issue with Shades software.
• [fix] Fixed Esellerate in-application registration system for Leopard compatibility.

1.1.2

• [fix] On the final level, continue button is now marked "Finish" instead of "Next Level".
• [fix] Fixed bug where level roundup would incorrectly report that player had one shape remaining, when actually there were none.
• [fix] Fixed bug where music would continue to play on the title screen after a game was aborted.
• [fix] Fixed bug where music would play when it had been turned off in the preferences.
• [new] Added highlight colour to the most recent high score in the scoreboard.

1.1.1

• [new] It is now possible to create a custom music playlist for PicTiles. Simply make a folder on your hard drive containing QuickTime compatible music files such as mp3 or m4a (aac), then select it in the "Sound" tab of the PicTiles preferences.
• [fix] Fixed a glitch that meant music would not play until the subsequent level after resuming a saved game.
• [new] Added default control settings to the help file.
• [opt] Reduced application size by around 10%.

1.1

• [new] PicTiles is now available as an Intel-native application, with both universal binary and standalone Intel/PPC download options.
• [new] Added anti-aliasing option to graphics preferences.
• [new] It is now possible to change the size of the game window by dragging the triangle in the bottom-right-hand corner.
• [chg] Default window size has been increased to 800 by 600.
• [new] Help screen is now displayed the first time you start a game.
• [new] PicTiles now features suitably irritating background music. This can be disabled in the preferences if you prefer.
• [chg] Improved graphics and increased resolution of textures so they look better at larger window sizes.
• [chg] Switched block sequence to a pseudorandom algorithm that ensures you never have to wait too long for a block of any given type.
• [chg] Increased reward for scoring 100% on a level.
• [opt] Improved performance by refactoring game loop into a separate thread.
• [chg] Removed CPU usage preference as this is no longer needed.

1.0.8

• [new] Added help system.
• [new] Added cheats.
• [fix] Various minor bug fixes.

1.0.7

• [new] Added drop shadows to the falling blocks.
• [chg] Added slight delay before auto-repeating horizontal movement. This should help to reduce the trouble some users have with getting blocks to move one space at-a-time.
• [new] Added CPU usage option to preferences. This allows the user to specify how much processor time PicTiles will consume. Higher processor usage should yield higher frame rates on fast systems, but it can cause side effects such as poor menu responsiveness within the game.
• [chg] Reorganised preferences dialogue to accommodate new options.

1.0.6r1

• [fix] Fixed a bug that prevented the game from being registered.

1.0.6

• [fix] Fixed crashing bug on G5s and beige G3s.
• [new] Added help messages to options screen.
• [fix] Fixed a bug that caused crashes when saving a blank string in the preferences.
• [new] Any key can now be used to skip intro screens, not just the mouse button.
• [chg] Improved controls preferences. More keys are now recognised, key graphics look nicer, and the intermittent delay when opening the panel has now been eliminated.
• [chg] Improved auto-update system, now lets you view release notes before downloading, and ignore particular release versions.
• [new] Added close box to game window. Game will quit if window is closed.
• [chg] Switched to frame-rate independent architecture. The frame rate is no longer capped at 30fps, but instead runs at whatever rate your system can handle.

1.0.5

• [fix] Fixed bug where level roundup screen erroneously reports that a new level has been unlocked in "Random" or "Choose..." gametypes.
• [new] Added difficulty level option to preferences. Previous difficulty is now equivalent to "hard" difficulty setting.
• [new] Added "Loading..." window with progress bar.

1.0.4

• [opt] Optimised performance. Game should now run better on older systems.
• [chg] Increased maximum speed setting and renamed settings accordingly.
• [new] Added option to have blocks rotate clockwise or anticlockwise.
• [fix] Fixed a bug where "paused because game is in the background" message did not appear.
• [new] Enter and Return keys may now be used to finish level once complete unless they are already assigned as controls.

1.0.3r1

• [fix] Fixed a bug where a resumed game would terminate after one level.

1.0.3

• [new] Add five new levels.
• [new] Added "level unlocked" indicator to level roundup panel.
• [opt] Switched to pre-calculated lighting, which should yield significant performance improvements, particularly on older systems.
• [new] Added ability to preserve game state when quitting. This does *not* mean you can save your game and try again if you die.
• [new] Game now saves automatically if shareware demo levels are completed. This means you can continue your game from where you left off after registering.
• [chg] Unlocked first three levels by default to give new users a bit more variety of play.
• [new] Added percentage completed stats to the "Choose..." game dialog.

1.0.2r1

• [fix] Fixed a bug introduced in version 1.0.2 where "random level" game type would not terminate after one level.

1.0.2

• [new] Added "Factory Settings" button to preferences.
• [new] Added "Clear High Scores" button to preferences.
• [new] Added option to disable automatic update checking.
• [new] Added level "Wigwam".
• [new] Added level "Fish".
• [new] Added level "Anchor".
• [chg] Shuffled level order slightly.
• [opt] Optimised graphics performance by not drawing hidden faces.
• [fix] Next shape indicator no longer shows a shape when there are none remaining.
• [new] Added option to vary game speed. This does not affect scores in any way.
• [new] Added "show frames-per-second" option.
• [chg] Delayed level from starting before transition effect has finished.
• [chg] Mouse cursor auto-hides in game window when not in use.
• [chg] Changed random level system so same level cannot come up twice in a row (unless it's the only one unlocked).

1.0.1

• [new] Added level "Wine Glass".
• [new] Added level "Lamp".
• [chg] Changed level "Apple" to avoid any misunderstandings about trademarks, etc.
• [opt] Disabled redrawing of level mask when blocks are drawn to improve performance.
• [chg] Faster block rotation.
• [new] Message displayed if user quits during game.
• [chg] Changed block rotation system. Blocks no longer continue to rotate after you release button.
• [new] Added about box.

1.0

• [new] Initial release