If you register, it is helpful to me if you mention on your check/envelope/letter which product(s) you are registering for, what version you have, and where you got it from.
Summary
------------
3d Paddle Bash! (v1.04) is a 3d version of pong with customizable computer opponents. Described in passing by Compuserve Magazine (10/93, p.55) as "a wonderful implementation of Pong..." It requires: Color Quickdraw, System 6.0.5+ or 7.0+, 68020 CPU or greater, and 1,000K free memory to run in 8-bit color (700K for 4-bit or less.)
1.04 has no major changes over version 1.03 (though my addresses all changed), but it DOES contain several important bug fixes over version 1.0. Players of 1.03 who haven't had problems don't need this update. But if you are a sysop, member of a user's group, or are otherwise likely to distribute the game further, I'd appreciate you spreading this version instead.
Shareware. *This version is free to users who registered for previous versions.*
Change History
------------
1.04 - (10/93) Removed potential screen-display error that never affected anyone. New mail addresses. Recompiled with latest versions of my libraries and compiler. Cosmetic fixes.
1.0.3 - (3/93) Removed a possible 32-bit addressing conflict in some of the code; it seems to work. At least two people with >8 meg. memory had problems until this release.
1.0.1 - (3/93) Changed title of backgrounded window. Game now pauses itself and shrinks window when control is passed to another application. Added email user-id to docs. Fixed potential case where opponent file might not be closed if an error occurred.
1.0 - (3/93) Original release.
List of Files (do not redistribute game without all four files)
------------
3d Paddle Bash! -executable
3d Paddle Bash! README -text
3d Paddle Bash! WHY? -text
Basic Anticipates - example saved opponent
Requirements
------------
Color Quickdraw
System 6.0.4 or greater
68020 CPU or greater
1000K to run in 8-bit color, 700K for 4-bit or less.
Trouble-shooting
-------------------
IF THE GAME MOVEMENT IS UNEVEN:
The ideal setting for this game is 4-bit color (16 colors); more colors will not change the appearance of the game and will slow it down. Certain configurations (i.e. 16 MHz CPU's like the LC and LC II) may even run better in 2- or 4-color mode.
Some inits slow the game down, and so does System 7. Although it is inconvenient, rebooting and turning off extensions may make the game more responsive. For most people, it's not necessary.
IF THE GAME WON'T RUN (CRASH, OR ERROR BOX DURING STARTUP):
Check the memory setting: 1000 K is required to run under 8-bit color, 700 K for 4-bit color.
AN ERROR OCCURS DURING PLAY:
Note the error condition if possible, as well as the conditions that led to the error and whether or not it can be repeated at will. I am definitely interested in any problems that are found, though I make no guarantees to fix them.
A SCREENSAVER, VIRUS SCANNER, AUTODOUBLER etc. KICKS IN DURING PLAY:
Screen savers and other utilities that activate when the mouse is moved to a particular spot on the screen may sometimes kick in. They can be ignored, or turned off beforehand.
NOTE: Changing screen depths while the application is running is not handled. Please don't do it!
Guide to Enemy Customization Options
------------------------------------
The game has 5 built-in opponents in increasing order of difficulty. You can also customize the current opponent by selecting "Customize Opponent..". You can even pause a game in progress, change the opponent parameters, then continue play.
Edited opponents can be saved or loaded from disk. There is one sample opponent file, "Basic Anticipates", which is the "Basic" opponent except that anticipation has been turned on, making it a little harder.
A brief explanation of each opponent parameter follows. I recommend playing the built-in opponents for a time before reading this section, because it's more fun to figure out their behavior. But hey, it's up to you.
CLOSE DISTANCE IS:
Defines how close the ball is to the opponent before it uses the close strategy instead of the distant strategy. See the Reflexes opponent for an example of an enemy that waits until very close before doing anything.
CLOSE STRATEGY:
Inert - opponent does not move at all
Follow - opponent tries to follow ball movement exactly
Antic. - opponent anticipates where ball will be and moves towards that location.
Smart Return - if checked, opponent tries to hit the ball straight unless player's paddle is almost opposite, in which case opponent tries to hit it obliquely away from the player. (The SMART HIT OFFSET control helps determine how obliquely to hit it.)
DISTANT STRATEGY:
Same as CLOSE STRATEGY, but is the strategy when ball is not yet close enough (which is determined by the CLOSE DISTANCE IS parameter.)
SMART HIT OFFSET:
Is a fraction of the paddle's width. When opponent tries to hit the ball obliquely, this is the offset from the center of the paddle it will try for (though the precise direction is randomly determined.) For example, .50 means the outermost edge of the paddle.
PREFERRED SPEED:
Is the speed the opponent prefers that ball to travel at. Higher speeds can be very hard on the player, but note that if the opponent slows down the ball constantly it is that much harder for the player to whiz it past the opponent. The opponent will always accelerate or decelerate the ball towards its preferred speed.
SPEED DELTA:
Is the maximum amount the opponent can slow down/speed up the ball on any given hit. If 0, the enemy is unable to change the ball speed. Note that the player can at best speed/slow up the ball by 6 units on any given hit, depending on how close he or she clicked before the ball hit the player's paddle. So if the opponent can change it 8 units, in the long run the player will have no lasting effect on the ball's velocity.
MAX X MOVEMENT:
The maximum distance in the X direction the opponent paddle can move at one time.
MAX Y MOVEMENT:
The maximum distance in the Y direction the opponent paddle can move at one time.
