Aminet 33/Aminet 33 - October 1999.iso/Games/Marblelous2/Manual.asc

Text File | 1999-09-10 | 23KB | 566 lines

                                Marblelous 2


                       Copyright © 1998/99 APC&TCP, Andreas Magerl & Frank Otto


System

Marblelous 2 requires 1 MByte Ram, and therefore runs on all Amigas,
supports all Graphic Chipsets (OCS/ECS/AGA)* and of course Graphic
Boards.

The PAL-Version (OCS/ECS/AGA) produces 50 frames per second, the RTG-Version*
runs with the same speed on a graphic board, depending on the configuration used.
Required is a fast graphic board or bus system (Zorro). A fast processor is also
an advantage.

If you own a Cybervision64-3D-Grafic board, you should set the ENV-Variable CPU2C
to 0 (as described in the instructions). You should select a screenmode of 256
vertical pixels. Higher Resolutions will only slow down the game. If you don't
have a screenmode of 256 vertical pixels, you can generate one yourself (more
information how to do this can be found in the manual of your graphic board).

A Cybervision64/3D with Zorro3-Bus und 68040-Prozessor runs the game with just about
original speed. A 68030-Prozessor is the minimum for a playable RTG-Version of
Marblelous 2. The same can be said, if you have a Zorro-2-graphic board ( which
will produce approx. 25 frames/secs).


* OCS, ECS and AGA describe the graphic-chips of the Amiga. OCS (Original Chip Set)
were introduced in the early Amigas (A500, A1000, A2000), ECS (Enhanced Chip Set)
in the newer versions (A600, A3000). OCS und ECS mean the same for Marblelous,
as both can only produce 32 colours.

The newest of the graphic chips, AGA (Advanced Graphics Architecture),
which is present in the latest models (A1200/A4000), is needed for the
256-colour graphics. RTG (Retargetable Graphics) will make it possible to chose
any required screenmode and therefore is practical only for graphic boards.



Install

You can play the AGA/graphic card version from CD. If you want to install it on your
hard disk you can use the installer script.

If you want to play the ECS version or do not have the AGA chipset, you have to install
the game on your hard disk.


On the CD or after hard disk installation, you will see these three icons:

Marblelous2 (OCS/ECS/AGA version), Marblelous2RTG (for gfx board) and the Editor.

NOTICE: To reproduce the proper icon colours of some of the icons,
your workbench has to be set to 256 colours!



History

The programming for Marblelous 2 started halfway through '96. It was envisaged
at that time to have it ready for the end of that year. It proved impossible
however to complete it in such a short time, and a new date was set for the end
of '97.

Marblelous 2 could have been finished by then, given the then current requirements,
which were:

OCS/ECS-graphics (32 colours)
100% identical gameplay with Marblelous 1
the only new item: the editor.

But towards the end of '97 I aquired a graphic board and I noticed, how
cumbersome it was to have to switch back to the normal Amiga display to be able
to play games. Almost all games required that procedure. Marblelous was not
going to be one of those, and therefore the finishing date was delayed once
more.

After some learning period to get to know the properties of graphic boards and
more research of their programming, as well as some programming breaks (after
all, I also had to take care of the majority of the sounds and graphics) the year
'98 was upon me. The graphic board support was finally built into the editor and
a new GB-compatible version of the game was written. The latter was achieved in
2 days (2-3 hrs a day), the editor took only a few minutes to change.

Many programmers complain about the difficulties of making games compatible to
graphic board screenmodes. All one has to do, if the game is NOT 100%
assembler-code (who'd do that anyway?) is to take care of a few adjustments like
removing all copper- (which produce the fancy colour-steps) and sprite commands.

You probably noticed, that there are no colour-steps in the RTG version (i.e.
the timer).

Hereby I call upon all Amiga games programmers: Please support graphic boards at
last !

Shortly before the planned distribution of the game the graphics were once again
given a work-over. 32 and 256 colours are now integrated. 1998 is really too
advanced for a 32-colour game.


And now: Have lots of fun with Marblelous 2 !

 Frank Otto


Copyright

Marblelous 2 is not copy protected, however the game has a serial number, which
is keyed into a file. Should the game be detected as a pirated copy (i.e.
Internet or mailbox), we will try to find out the responsible party with help of
the serial number.

This program is copyright protected. It must not be copied and may only be used
by the owner of this Aminet CD!


RTG

When you select "Marblelous2RTG", a requester for choosing your screenmode
appears. Because there will always be a screen with the size of 320x256 pixels,
the playing field is going to be very small, if you choose a very large mode
(i.e. 1260x600). If there is no screenmode of 320x256 available, you can
generate one yourself (you can find instructions how to do this in your graphic
board manual). The game runs fastest in this mode.


Tooltypes :

Click the icon once with your left mousebutton and then choose the "information"
option in the Icons menu of your workbench ("Icons/Information...").
A window appears, where you can set the following tooltypes:

1) With "ID=" you can set the number of a screenmode, in which the background
   and object screens appear. There is no need to do this in the editor anymore.
   You can find the options of IDs in the editor, when you select a mode with
   "B" (Bildschirm = screen).
   Example: "ID=0" means "PAL:Lowres".

2) In Marblelous 2 the pointer normally changes to a different display.
   You can disable this change, if you add "POINTER" as a tooltype.


Editor

The editor window automatically appears in the language you have chosen for your
workbench, either english or german. Any language other than that will activate
the english version.

Tooltypes :

Click the icon once with your left mousebutton and then choose the "information"
option in the Icons menu of your workbench ("Icons/Information...").
A window appears, where you can set the following tooltypes:

1) If you add "DEUTSCH" or "ENGLISH", the editor opens in the corresponding
   language, regardless of your workbench settings.

2) With "ID=" you can set the number of a screenmode, in which the background
   and object screens appear. There is no need to do this in the editor anymore.
   You can find the options of IDs in the editor, when you select a mode with
   "B" (Bildschirm = screen).
   Example: "ID=0" means "PAL:Lowres".

The Gadgets

Background:

Here you can design the background of a level. For this purpose you have 320
different blocks at your disposal.
You can drop these blocks with your mouse and build walls, obstacles and
different floors. At the beginning the level is an empty field without walls.

Blocks 1-40 are the floortiles, over which the marbles roll. All other blocks
(41-320) are walls.
The arrow keys <- and -> select the previous or next block respectively.
The <up-arrow> selects the last block (number 320), the <down-arrow> selects
the first block (number 1).
The escape-key takes you back to the main editor window.
The already laid blocks remain in place. If you want to change the background
again and you re-click on "Background" in the main window, yor level reappears
as you had left it.

Objects:

Once you have designed a background, you can use these gadgets to adjust your
level objects (parts, marbles and extras).

The procedures here are similar to the "Background" settings.
The background fills a big part of the screen, and on the right hand side you
find all your 34 objects to choose from. You can select these with your arrow
keys. The selected object is then marked by a square.

NOTICE: You cannot place objects at the extreme outside border. You should
always have walls there. If you leave these borders free and a marble rolls onto
it, it will explode.

The number of objects is limited.
From top left to bottom right you can place the following amounts in each level:


Object          max. number   Info

Blue ball       1             the first ball
Brown ball      1             the second ball
Yellow ball     1             the third ball
Blue item       8             has to be collected by the blue ball
Red item        8             has to be collected by the brown ball
Yellow item     8             has to be collected by the yellow ball
Continue        1             shows level password in the "get-ready" picture
Ying-Yang       8             extra life
Speed Up        222           higher speed
Speed Down      222           slower speed
Energy-Barrier  16            deadly obstacle
Tracks          222           ball lays tracks
Energy-Up       222           recharges stop time
Get-All         8             sets number of collectable objects to 0
Shield          222           powerball, overcomes crystals & energie barriers
Scorepod small  222           150 points
Scorepod large  222           400 points
Colouryellow    222           only the red and brown ball may pass
Colourblue      222           only the blue one
Warp            8             warp into one of the next five levels
Exit            8             exit
Teleport        8             teleports the Ball elsewhere
Box-Destroy     222           destroys the box, when it's pushed up
Box-Stone       222           fossilizes the box, deadly obstacle
Box             8             the box to be pushed
Switch          222           opens or closes all doors
Button          222           starts a ball off
rotted floor    222           pass this twice and the ball falls through
Arrow down      222           moves the ball down
Arrow up        222           moves the ball up
Arrow left      222           moves the ball left
Arrow right     222           moves the ball right
Timer           222           sets the remaining time to start time
Crystal         222           obstacle
Door            8             obstacle
Grey ball       1             opponent

If the maximum number of objects is exceeded, a stop-sign notice appears on the
object.
Too many animated objects can slow down the game, so don't be too wasteful.
The game runs nicely with 50 frames per second if you don't exceed 25 animated
objects. But you can set as many non-animated objects as you like.
Furthermore, you cannot put objects in the outer frame, as the ball will explode
on impact.

The escape key takes you back to the editor window.

Save Lev:

Now the level can be saved. Nominate the number of the level in the field
adjoining "Save Lev", not in the file requester. All levels are stored in
the "Levels" directory within the "Marblelous 2"directory. When saving, the name
and level number, which you have chosen, already appears and all what you have
to do is klick on "OK". Don't edit the levelname, or it will not be loaded by
Marblelous 2.

NOTE: Because the level directory is full and you cannot store more than 100
levels, you can either rename the original directory "Levels" (i.e. workbench
menu "Icons/rename.....") or you can delete it - you still have the original on
your floppy disks. Then you can create a new, empty directory named "Levels"
("window/new drawer...), in which you can store your own levels.


Load level:

This loads a level.

Empty level:

Removes all set objects in the background- and object windows.

Level-Coding

If you want to secure a level from unwanted access, you can set a codeword in
the field underneath the passwords. Normally this will be taken over into the
list, but if you don't choose a position in the list, the codeword will only be
put into the inputfield. If you now save a level, then this codeword will be
required to load this level. (Of course this codeword is only needed in the
editor and not the game).

Passwords

Passwords for maximal 100 levels can be set in the right half of the editor
window. With "Load P." and "Save P." they are loaded from or
stored in the "password" file. Passwords can be protected the same way as levels.

Tips for the game:

If you want all balls to roll simultaneously. you have to set the blue and brown
balls in such a way, that they roll straight onto the switch. (It's best to put
the switch right next to the capsule). After leaving the capsule, the balls always
roll in one free direction. To avoid rolling onto a wall which is only a few
fields away, you should always use the editor to set the balls on a big empty
field, or place walls next to the capsule to direct the balls.

Adding your own graphics

All graphics in Marblelous 2 are easily exchanged. You can draw your own
pictures with any IFF-compatible paint program and place them into the
Marblelous 2 directory. It is important however, that your pictures use the
names of the existing picture files:

"background.iff" (for the backgrounds)
"objects.iff"    (for all objects)
"title.iff"      (for the title page)
"display.iff"    (for Info-bars, titel menu and "Get Ready")

You also have to take care to set the individual blocks onto the right spot of
the picture. In the background picture, the first 40 blocks are floortiles to
roll on, any further blocks are deadly obstacles.
In the "objects-picture" the animations for the balls must be set onto the
identical positions as well.
It is easiest to use one of the Marblelous 2 pictures as a template and simply
draw your own graphics over the top. The resolution always has to be LowRes
(320x256 pixels). You should however only use either 32 or 256 colours, as
Marblelous 2 opens a screen in either of these 2 screenmodes. a picture with 128
colours will open on 256.

Add your own modules and sound effects

You can add your sound files by replacing the existing ones in the "sound"
directory. Make sure, you use the original filenames.

Effect-files must be in IFF-format:

"open.iff"      (sound of an opening door or capsule)
"explosion.iff" (explosion)
"pick.iff"      (when an item is picked up)
"scores.iff"    (sound to count down the score at the end of the level)
"teleport.iff"  (teleport-sound)

The music files must be stored in ProTracker-format:

"mod.title"    (titelsong)
"mod.getready" (get ready tune)
"mod.game"     (tune at all odd levels)
"mod.game2"    (tune at all even levels)


The game
generally:

In each level the player has to control one to three balls. Each ball has to
collect a certain number of "poweritems" and must then be directed through an
exit field.

Each ball has to pick up poweritems of it's own colour. There are three
different colours: Blue (blue-green), brown (reddish brown) and yellow.

Ballcontrol:

The balls are not directly controlled, but steered in the required direction by
placement of arrows. When a ball rolls onto such an arrow, it's direction
is changed to the one the arrow indicates. The arrow itself then disappears.

Setting of directions as follows:

Point your mouse pointer to the required field position and click and hold your
left mouse button, then move it in the direction which you want to point the
arrow. By releasing your mouse button the direction for your ball is set.

Instead of an arrow you can also set a stop field. On pressing the left
mouse button, your mouse must stay stationary (no movement). Releasing your
mouse button will set the stop field. When a ball rolls onto this field, it stops
(this feature will be explained later).

You can set as many arrows and stop fields on the playing area as you like. By
clicking on them with your right mouse button you can erase them again.


Screen information:

a) info field:

There is an info field for each in-game ball at the right side of the screen. It
contains a picture of the ball, a picture of the item to be collected, a field
which shows the number of items to collect, and a bar for the stop timer.

b) Status line:

On the top of the screen there is information about the time (not always),
points collected, level number and number of lives left.

Game progress:

At the beginning of each level the balls are hidden under a dome. After the dome
opens, the ball is freed and after a short time beginns to roll. The player then
has to set the arrows to allow the ball to pick up all required poweritems.

In the info field of each ball you find a number for each of the four different
poweritems, which shows you how many are still to be collected. Only when all 4
numbers have decreased to Zero, this ball can leave the level, but not before
rolling through an exit field. The level is only finished, when all balls of
this level have finished this procedure.

Sometimes it may be necessary to stop a ball for a short time, i.e. to avoid
collision with another ball or your opponent. For this reason you can set a stop
field. When a ball runs onto one of these fields, it will stop (depending on
any stop time left).

When a ball has stopped, the stop timer bar in the info field slowly moves
downwards.  When the bar reaches the bottom and therefore no stop time is left, the
ball continues it's run and cannot be stopped anymore. You can however start the
ball again from a stop field by either erasing the stop field with your right
mouse button or by setting an arrow at this spot. The remaining stop time can
then be used for further stops.


Game elements:

In some levels, the number of arrows which can be set by the player, is limited.
In that case a number will be visible in the bottom right quarter of the screen
(under the info fields), which will show you the remaining arrows for this
level.

timer: The timer, which appears in some levels in the status bar,
counts from a certain value down to Zero. When it reaches Zero, the level must
be started again.

Energy locks: These energy locks cycle between on and off. As a
collision would be deadly, you have to pick your right time to roll through.

Switch (black): Rolling over these switches will open or close all
doors.

Button (red): Starts a new ball. The blue ball activates the brown one,
the yellow ball can only be activated by the brown one.

Arrows: When a ball rolls over an arrow, it changes direction
accordingly. These arrows cannot be manipulated by the player.

Colour barriers: The ball can only pass barriers of it's own colour.
There are 2 colour barriers: a blue one and a yellow/brown one. The blue ball
can pass the blue barrier, both other colours can pass the yellow/brown barrier.

Holes: Sometimes the floor is degenerating. By rolling over the holes,
these get bigger to the point of total destruction of the floor, and so become a
deadly obstacle.

Teleport: When a ball rolls into this field, it will be teleported to a
different location on the playing field. As this can also mean the immediate
vicinity of a wall, the game should be paused (space bar) to allow the setting
of an arrow.

Warp: By rolling into this field, you will be WARPed into one of the
next levels.

Codewort: When the rotating "C" is collected and the level has also
been finished successfully, the player is given a codeword for the next level,
to enter in the Introscreen.

SpeedUp und SlowDown: To speed up (+) or slow down (-) the ball.

EnergyUp: This symbol recharges the stop time.

Box: These boxes can be pushed by balls over normal floors, but not
over other items. The box disappears, when it is pushed onto a "box-destroy
field", a "box-stone field" however will turn it into rock and becomes a fixed
obstacle.

Bonus items: Collecting a Ying-Yang will add a life. You cannot have
more than 9 lives however. The score pods give you bonus points (the bigger the
pod, the more points you get).

GetAll: Collecting "GetAll" will set the number of yet to be collected
power items for this ball to Zero.

Shield: Collecting this extra will allow the ball to run through energy
barriers and destroy opponents and crystals.

Track: Collecting this extra will allow the ball to lay tracks over
deadly ground (i.e. holes) and so overcome this hindernis.

But take care! No arrows can be set on tracks. If you set all tracks, you will
eventually end up against a wall.

For the same reasons you should avoid setting a stop sign, while you're laying tracks.
The ball will stay there, til the timer has timed out.


The grey ball This ball is an opponent of the other three balls and
constantly on a course of collision to destroy them. It cannot be redirected by
arrows. If your ball has a shield and the grey ball has not, you can destroy it
and collect 5000 points. Watch and collect your power items, before the grey
ball can steal them from you. If the grey ball takes one of your important
items, the level cannot be finished. The grey ball will also attack extras like
Speed-up, extra-life, continue etc.


key shortcuts:

       During the game:
        - Space will pause the game and also restart.

        - Escape will quit the game and take you back to the titlescreen.

        - Return will "suicide", where you will loose one life. This is
          sensible, if you got yourself in a "no-return" situation.



Tips and tricks:

- Sometimes it maybe wise to pause first, after entering a new level. This will
  give you an overview and some time to work out escape routes.

- Have a look at the messages in the GETREADY-screen. Often you'll find hidden
  tips how to finish a level.

- It can be stressful to direct two or three balls at the same time. You can get
  around this by looking for a long, straight track and placing some arrows in a
  way to let the balls run idle for a while. This gives you time to concentrate
  on the remaining ball.

- A second ball is only started after running over a switch. If you fail to
  activate the switch before you finish the level with your first ball, you can
  only commit suicide with the "Return" key.

- A way to get past energy barriers for example, after your stop time has run out:
  You can roll your ball close to the obstacle and let it run up and down by
  setting arrows. When the way is free (i.e. the energy has run out), you can
  direct your ball through.


Other:

- After finishing a level you collect at least
  1000 bonus points. If you finished the level
  at the first go, the points rise (2000, 3000, 4000).
  If you loose a life, you start back with 1000 points.


Support

APC&TCP
Postfach 83
D-83236 Übersee
Germany


http://www.chiemgau.com/apc&tcp

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/9597/

[e-mail]


Credits


Programming, Grafik, Musik, Leveldesign: Frank Otto

Producer: APC&TCP, Andreas Magerl

2. Level-Musik: Rafael Biermann

Title picture: Michael Zimmer