************************************************************************* SkidMarks - Developed in Blitz BASIC 2 by Andrew Blackbourn - Graphics by Rod from Vision ************************************************************************* This is a demo version of Acid Software's latest racing game, (there's been others???). Due for release in July/August of 1993 with nice low low price tag, including 6 or so more tracks, more cars, and 3 or more of the following: * car editor for infinite variety of handling / control etc. * more reliable modem link, keyboard handler (MARK!) * less intoxicated computer competition * bridges, tunnels i.e. multi priority bitmap/sprite handling * smoke, damage, flipping, rolling type effects * animated backdrops (already in but not utilised, pity...) * big juicy AGA bitmaps, and perhaps AGA 8 car competetions * more realistic collisions with smash up derby stage to prove it * better sound effects Any more suggestion (or imagine models of cars or decent sound effects or clip art or track editors) should be forwarded to:- Acid Software 10 St Kevins Arcade Auckland, New Zealand fax +649 358 1658 Registered Blitz2 Users will be able to buy source code of this release in the near future for minimal price. DISTRIBUTION RULES: This archive may be freely distributed (all files intact of course). No distribution of versions with graffiti on the IFF files please, (pirates keep your smelly fingers off our PD!). Those wanting to distribute this in disk form must include the following files on the disk and also a text reader from which this file can be read, (ie no auto booting, LOADWB ENDCLI only). libs (dir) diskfont.library icon.library info.library mathtrans.library c (dir) endcli loadwb devs (dir) serial.device l (dir) Disk-Validator port-handler ram-handler s (dir) startup-sequence ;with loadwb then endcli skid (dir) ;all the files in this archive Machine Requirements: for up to 2 players, you'll need an Amiga with a minimum of 512K chip ram and 512K fast ram, such as an expanded Amiga 500, or a 1200. for up to 4 players, you will need a friend's computer, and either a modem, or null-modem-cable link between them. NOTE: 1 meg 2.0 machines should boot off the floppy as the harddrive consumes too much darn memory (see below for all files required). Instructions: At all times, "F10" will advance you through the game, and "ESC" will quit you back out. Title Screen: Press ESC to quit back to WorkBench Press F10 to enter the game Clicking on the middle box, marked "ATDT" allows you to enter a command to the modem, it is sent when you press enter Clicking on the box marked "ANSWER" will tell your modem to answer your phone. (By sending "ATA" to the modem) Pressing "Return" on the keyboard at any time will send a carriage return to the modem. This is useful to "hang-up" the phone if you cannot dial correctly. Once you have made a connection, hit the box marked "LINK", if all goes well the background will flash purple briefly, then the bottom panel will dissapear. Whatever you type will appear at the bottom of your opponents screen. As normal, press "F10" to enter the game Race Screen: You should see a white box, overlapping the map underneath. At the top of the box, you should see 4 cars, and their chosen control method underneath. To change the control method of a car, press the labelled function key. Only two local players may be chosen at a time, so you may have to change one of the cars back to "COMP" in order to choose a different colour. If a car is a "LINK" car, you may not change it's control. (press F10 to start) Champ Screen Pressing "F8" toggles between "Race" and "Champ" modes. While in "Champ" mode, you may only choose the white car. Instead of the 4 laps in a race game, you only play one. The aim is to beat your best lap time (the red car) Collisions are turned off for this mode so that you can not interfere with the other cars. Each time you enter Champ mode, your times are reset, and the other cars are now controlled by the computer, so you will need a lap-time of better than 30 seconds or so. There is also a limit to the maximum time you may spend on a lap in champ mode, probably around 1 minute. Control Methods: KEYS: Use the arrow keys, up, to accelerate, down to reverse and left/right to steer. CTRL: Use the brown keys on the left of the keyboard, CTRL to accelerate, shift to reverse, and Alt/Amiga to steer. JOY1: Use a joystick plugged into the second joystick port. n.b. The fire button will accelerate you even if you are pushing back on the joystick. JOY0: Use a joystick plugged into the mouse port. COMP: The computer will take control of this car. LINK: The other computer (modem or cable) controls this car. Champ Mode: BEST: The best lap-time your car has done since entering Champ Mode. GOOD: The second-best lap-time your car has acheived. LAST: Repeats your last lap, exactly as you drove it. Hard-Disk Installation: If you have a bootable Hard-disk containing Workbench, simply drag the Skid drawer from the disk onto your hard-disk. Hints: At all times, stay away from the edges, even if it means slowing-down to avoid them. Try and line yourself up for the final jump. If you can't, just drop over the edge. The lap-clock is seperate for each lap you do, and is started as you cross the start line. If you get off to a bad start, go back and cross the start again. The computer-cars are very bad drivers, DON"T FOLLOW THEM. In Champ mode, try and complete the whole track so you're good at all of it, not just the beginning. Remember, a lap time of 18 seconds is pretty good. Don't worry if you have a slow machine, Skidmarks was carefully designed to run exactly the same on every configuration. Known Bugs: Modem connection: On extremely slow modems, or very long distances, you *MAY* experience the two computers getting out of sync (only time it runs to a 25th). Dropping carrier, OR Line noise, has about a 50/50 chance of requiring a reboot.. an OPAL card or motherboard with slightly different clock crystal will stuff up the modem sync, unplug it immeadiately!