Orbz 2.0 Demo Release Notes----------------------------------Thank you for downloading the demo of Orbz and supporting independent game developers. We hope you have as much fun playing Orbz as we had building it .. see you online!Overview----------------------------------Orbz is an action/arcade game set in Mario-like 3D environments. The object of the game is to shoot your orb at targets located throughout 13 distinct courses in a race to score the most points. Game play contains both intense action and also strategy in planning the best scoring shots. Power-ups, like the "Money Shot" and "Curse of the Goober", are also available to either give you a scoring advantage or to slow down your opponents.In Solo Mode, the player completes a series of progressively difficult challenges that focus on scoring the most points in different scenarios. Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals are awarded for scoring performance and high scores for each challenge are tracked world-wide against all other Orbz players. For every 5 gold medals achieved, the player will also unlock a fancy new Orb to use in Solo or Online mode. Finally, there is a tutorial mode that will teach the player basics controls and scoring strategies.The Online Mode allows Orbz players to compete against each other over the Internet or Local Area Network. Up to 10 players, including computer opponents called Botz, can join a Lobby where the matches will be coordinated by selecting the course to play, number of rounds in the match, and a per-round time limit. A world-wide ranking system is also available for those who wish to compete for the ultimate title of Orbz Champion.Controls----------------------------------It is recommended that you play the Tutorial in Solo Mode in order to learn the basic controls and strategies of the game. Following is a high-level overview of the controls.Click the left mouse button to start the power bar. Click it again to set power for the shot.Click the right mouse button or press the spacebar on the keyboard to activate a power-up.Use the mouse to aim and look around while your Orb is at rest or in flight - even during a Freeze Frame.R - Toggle the zoom level for the radarEnter - Chat with others while in the game0-9 - Number keys play humorous voice tauntsV - Play a random voice tauntF1 - Display HelpF2 - Display or hide the Player List during a gameF3 - Resize or hide the Radar during a gameFrequently asked questions:----------------------------------Question: Why does the game bring up a dialog saying it can't find a compatible display device? Answer: Make sure the drivers for your graphics card are up to date, usually by getting the latest Mac OS X updates. Orbz requires an OpenGL-compatible graphics accelerator with up-to-date drivers. On older machines/hardware, there could be some compatability issues. Also note older machines and laptops might have issues with not enough video memory for the game.----------------------------------Question: I've practiced and am ready to play online. What's the quickest way to get in on the action?Answer: Press Play on the Main Menu, enter your player name, and then choose the "Quick" option from the Play Menu. Using this option will automatically find a game to play and drop you into the action.----------------------------------Question: I'm the only one in the lobby when I start a game, where is everyone else?Answer: Sometimes you will be the first person to enter an Orbz lobby. Just hang out for a little bit and other people should join the game shortly afterwards. As the first player in the lobby, you will have the ability to choose match settings (course, number of rounds, time limit) and also start the match when everyone is ready.----------------------------------Question: Why can't I see LAN games in the Search window?Answer: There have been a few reports that LAN games are not always appearing in the Search window. The work-around is to change your network filter (by pressing the "Filter" button on the Search window) to "LAN". If you want to see Internet games again, you will need to switch your filter back to "Internet" or "Any".----------------------------------Question: When I host a game of Orbz, my friends are unable to see it in the Search window. What's going on?Answer: If your network uses internet connection sharing software or hardware, special configuration settings may be required in order to host a game of Orbz. In particular, ports 28000 and 28002 need to be opened up. For more information, please visit the Orbz customer support forums.----------------------------------Question: Can I use command-line parameters for Orbz/Mac?Answer: You can if launching from the Terminal. Otherwise, you can create a file called "maccmdline.txt" with the command-line settings on the first line of the file, and it will be processed. The file must be placed in a special location for it to be read properly:
- right-click the Orbz application, which will pop-up the context menu - select "Show Package Contents" from the menu - go into the Contents folder - go into the MacOS folder - drag/create a maccmdline.txt file inside the MacOS folder
Note that when launching from the terminal, you must run the 'real' executable, the one inside the <app>/Contents/MacOS subfolder, as the terminal shell just sees the 'application package' as a folder/directory.----------------------------------Question: Can I host a dedicated server for Orbz?Answer: Yes. Refer to the ded_server.txt file for general details, and ded_server_mac for details specific to OSX.----------------------------------Question: Where do I go for more information on Orbz?Answer: Make sure to review the Help for Orbz by pressing F1 while in the game. Also, official customer support for Orbz is handled via web forums located at: http://www.garagegames.com/pg/product/view.php?id=5
(scroll down to the Customer Support section for a link to the forums)Finally, if you have an IRC client, we also have a channel set up on irc.maxgaming.net (or www.maxgaming.net) called #orbz. Feel free to stop by and discuss anything Orbz.
