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Amiga Format CD 23
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Amiga Format AFCD23 (Feb 1998, Issue 107).iso
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shareware
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bounce_ball
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bounce_ball_shareware.txt
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1997-12-01
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********************************************
* *
* BOUNCE BALL (SHAREWARE VERSION) *
* V0.85 *
* *
********************************************
By Ben Darling, Matt Gorle/Madhouse Software
Temporary text file, an AmigaGuide file will follow shortly!
Legal Information (you know the drill by now)
-----------------
Disclaimer:
We make no warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the
software described in this document, its quality, performance, or
fitness for any particular purpose. Any risk concerning it's quality or
performance is solely the user's. Should the program prove defective, the
user assumes the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, or
correction and any incidental or consequential damages. In no event will we
be liable for direct, indirect or consequential damages resulting from
any defect in the software.
You may freely distribute this archive as long as all files contained
in the original archive(s) are included and remain unaltered.
Although this is the shareware version, no one shall make a profit through
its distribution. You should pay no more than the cost of the media upon
which it is transferred. If included in a public domain library it is the
responsibility of the PD library to always carry and redistribute the most
recent version available.
If this game is to feature on any magazine cover disk then please contact
either Ben Darling (bombus@geocities.com) or Matthew Gorle, because we may
have made unreleased improvements since the last release.
Bounce Ball and all associated files are ©Copyright 1997 Madhouse Software.
Requirements
------------
Nothing much.... Just a base A1200 will do very nicely thank you, although
the game WILL make use of extra memory/speed! If you have a small (ie
1/2Mb) memory expansion, and the game keeps freezing, you'll probably have
to say "n" to the question asked about the memory expansion at the beginning
of the game. That's life....
And for you non-AGA owners, I really don't have much to say. I'm sorry, but
it's people like you who are stopping the Amiga from moving on. Certainly,
all our future releases will be AGA-only.
Bounce Ball Installation
------------------------
First things first: Bounce Ball is hard-drive only, and unless there is a
great demand for a floppy version, it won't happen. Go on, get a hard
drive - you'll like it. Many A1200 owners don't seem to realise how easy it
is. You don't need a 2.5" hard drive - I'm currently using a nice 2.5Gb
3.5" hard drive sticking out the side of my computer, and all you need is an
adapter costing a measly fifteen quid.
Anyway, enough lecturing. Just copy the contents of the "fonts" directory
to "fonts:", and "bounce_ball_shareware.exe" will run from anywhere
providing that the "data" directory is still there.
Registration
------------
You cannot fail but to have noticed the annoying message which comes up all
the time in the game, imploring you to register. Before you say "Well I'm
not paying good money just to get rid of a stupid screen", read this list of
benefits which you will reap upon receipt of your registration fee:
- 3 additional bonuses:
TRACTOR: Control your opponent's movements for the duration of the point
SUPER SPEED II: First there was Super Speed. Now there's Super Speed
II! Nuff said.
SUPER BALL SPEED II: Make your opponent tremble.
- 10 ships (11 with the cheat), as opposed to the 6 which you've got at
your disposal at the moment. Here's the lowdown:
MIRALIS II: A medium-sized ship with the Tractor bonus.
DARTEX: A small ship with Super Speed II and Super Ball Speed II.
BLACK LIGHT: A small ship with Super Speed II and Stun Gun.
RADIUM V: Quite a large ship with Super Speed II.
????: A cheat ship not available in the shareware version!
- 10 pilots (and the Challenge boss), as opposed to the 6 in the shareware
version. And these people are all better than their shareware counter-
parts, so good games-players who are getting bored know what to do! The
pilots are Graeme, Jonathon, Matt, Ben and a mysterious end-of-Challenge
boss....
- MUCH longer games. Wouldn't you just love it if games could be longer
than 60 seconds or first to 10 points? And what about massive friendly
matches - maybe first to 15 games? You've got it all in the registered
version: as long as 9999 seconds, first to 9999 points and first to 9999
friendly games. Enough, basically.
- Two subsequent updates. When you decide you want more, just send us a
couple of disks (the game will expand, and you're better safe than sorry)
and we'll put the latest version on.
- It's only five pounds! If you have made the one and only wise decision,
and opted to cough up, then here's how:
I'm afraid that, at the moment, there is only one method of payment - the
postal order (although I suppose you could send cash as well). Also,
payments must be in pounds sterling - sorry, but we can't afford commission.
We'll also have to snail mail the game to you on floppy - the online costs
of e-mailing are too high. And could users outside the EC inlude something
in the region of what they think that the postage will cost?
Here are the two addresses to which you may send the payment:
Ben Darling
81 Wallingford Road
Goring
Reading
Berks RG8 0HL
United Kingdom
Matthew Gorle
The Firs
St Marks Road
Binfield
Bracknell
Berks RG42 4BA
United Kingdom
Gameplay
--------
As you will have gathered if you have yet braved the depths of the game,
Bounce Ball is a much-enhanced Pong game. Just try and stop the ball from
getting past your bat, which can move up or down within the range of the
screen. The square things which randomly come from the middle of the screen
are bonuses, which, if you manage to pick them up, give you an advantage
over your opponent. The 3 shareware bonuses are as follows:
SUPER SPEED: Makes your bat move faster for the remainder of the point.
SUPER BALL SPEED: You hit the ball faster for the remainder of the point.
STUN GUN: Gives you the ability to shoot your opponent (by pressing fire)
for the remainder of the point. If you hit your opponent, he or she is
immobilised for the rest of the point.
The Future
----------
Make no mistake, we intend to continue the development of this game - we
feel that longevity (or lack of it) is a problem in the Amiga world. Some
ideas that we've got lined up are as follows:
- Blocks and destructible bricks off which the ball will reflect
- Leagues and cups (registered version only!)
- More ships/pilots/bonuses (eg ball invisibility)
Any ideas? See the Credits section!
Thanks!
-------
First of all, a BIG thank you to Acid Software for their excellent Blitz
Basic v2.1. I've heard that development of it has ceased - this is a pity,
as it's the sort of thing which we need at the moment.
Other software used was Personal Paint v6.4 (for most of the graphics),
Imagine v4.0 (for the Madhouse logo) and Octamed Soundstudio v1.03 (for the
title tune).
Er.... That's about it for the "Thanks!" section. If you'd like your name
added to this, then by all means send a few ideas about what needs to be
done with the game. Put it this way: you'll get your name here if your idea
is implemented, and, assuming that you've registered already, the update in
which any of your ideas is included will be yours, and you'll still have two
updates (or whatever) left! What better value could there be?
About us
--------
Madhouse software is Ben Darling and Matthew Gorle. At the moment, we're
both 16, and are doing our 'A'-Levels. Of course, we both do maths and
physics. This is not the only game we're making - in the pipeline as well
is a rolling ball type game and a scrolling shoot-em-up. Any other people
like us out there who are thinking about programming, get off your arse and
do it. It's not really that difficult to produce a reasonable game, it just
takes a bit of work. And boy does the Amiga need you.
History
-------
Ahem....
v0.85 First Aminet release.
That's about it at the moment. Long live Bounce Ball!