Software Vault: The Diamond Collection/The Diamond Collection (Software Vault)(Digital Impact).ISO/cdr18/ball23.zip/BALL.DOC

Text File | 1995-01-28 | 12KB | 224 lines

Ball, v2.3                                               BALL.DOC
by Shawn Bayern

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Introduction

     Ball is a space battle taking place in the far future, when
two enemy governments have gone to war.  Ball is simple to learn
but extremely addictive.
     The game is similar in essence to the classic "space combat"
game, where two opposing ships orbit a central star and shoot at
each other.  Ball, however, takes this game to new levels of
complexity and strategy.  In Ball, the two opposing commanders must
manage the funds that they gain from killing each other in order to
try to earn enough credits to buy a promotion; they must protect
allied merchant routes while trying to destroy enemy transport
vessels; and they must invest their funds in high-tech weapons,
defenses, and other auxiliary items so that they'll have an easier
time destroying their enemies.
     In Ball, each player acts as a commander in his/her
government's military.  One player is a member of the Blue Empire
(and, not too surprisingly, his ship is a blue sphere), while one
player is a member of the Red Empire (and I'll let you guess what
color his ship is).
     The BALL.EXE file is fully self-documented; at every stage of
the game, users will have access to descriptive menus that make the
game easy.  At the title screen, the user can press "H" (or click
in the "Help" box) for complete online instructions.

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Getting Started Quickly

     ∙ To run Ball, just type "Ball" at the DOS prompt.

     ∙ If Ball runs too quickly on your system, type BALL /d=xx at
the DOS prompt.  "xx" must be an integer; the higher this number
is, the more slowly Ball will run.  Try starting with values
between 20 and 30 on 386 or 486 DX's.  (A version of Ball that
uses math coprocessors--8087's, 80287's, and 80387's--is available
to registered users.)

          For example:

          C:\BALL> BALL/d=20

     ∙ At the title screen, press "S" to begin the game, press "C"
to set your preferences, press "H" to read the documentation and
help files, and press "Q" to quit.  You may use a mouse (the mouse
pointer is a small, white ball) to click on the boxes.

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More Detailed Instructions (But Still Rather Brief)

     Ball is generally self-documenting.  At the title screen, when
you press "H" (or click the mouse in the "Help" box), you will see
a series of screens that explain everything you'll need to know
about Ball.
     The game essentially progresses as follows:  After you have
configured the game to your tastes (through the self-explanatory
"Config" menu from the title screen), the game begins when you
press "S" or click in the "Start" box.  The game first asks you if
you wish to load a saved game; saved games will be discussed
later--for now, you just need to know that here is where you can
load one.
     After you have either loaded a game or pressed ENTER to begin
a new game (as the screen describes), the actual combat will begin.
(If you have loaded a game, the computer will give each player the
option of buying weapons and maintaining their finances--a process
that is described below).  The combat phase ends when one--or both-
-of the spaceships are killed.
     After every combat round, you are presented with a self-
documenting menu that allows you to buy items that you can add to
your ship.  From this screen, you may also take out a loan to help
you in the short run--but be aware that you have to pay back loans
at interest (the interest rates are described in the "help"
screens).
     After both players have finished buying weapons and
maintaining their finances, the computer will give the players the
option of saving the game.  If you type "save" at the computer's
prompt, your status--including your weapons and finances--will be
saved.  Note that configuration options (set at the "Config" menu
off of the title screen) are *not* saved along with your game.
     If the game is not saved, then play will continue:  the next
combat round will begin.  If the game is saved, then the players
have the option of returning to the title screen or continuing the
game.
     The game ends when either--
     ∙One--or both--of the commanders earns an amount of credits
greater than (or equal to) the number of credits required for a
promotion.  The required number of credits can be configured from
the "Config" menu off the title screen.
     ∙One--or both--of the commanders ends the round with an
outstanding loan of more than 5,000 credits.  If this happens, then
the offending players are disqualified by their governments and are
forced to spend the next few years in debtor's prison.

A few miscellaneous notes:
     ∙ Each fired missile stays on the screen for a certain amount
     of time.  If a player has improved his missile speed by buying
     better missiles, then the missiles can travel a greater
     distance.  Further, only one missile fired from each spaceship
     may be on the screen at once.  Thus, each commander must wait
     for his missile either to hit his opponent or to "run out"
     before firing another missile.

     ∙ When firing lasers, it's probably best to hold down the
     firing key (rather than pressing it many times).  Just be
     careful not to fire too waste too much energy on missed laser
     shots; the level-3 lasers can be somewhat draining.

     ∙ At the menus that allow you to buy items for your ship, note
     that you must sell the item that you have in a particular
     category before buying another one.  Thus, for instance, you
     must sell your level-1 lasers before you buy level-3 lasers.
     This selling is accomplished automatically; as soon as you buy
     one item, the one that you have is "traded in" for the
     appropriate number of credits (this "appropriate number" is
     listed whenever you enter a particular screen, such as "Laser
     Type" or "Missile Strength").  Why bother with this "selling"
     of items?  Because it allows you to sell your present item and
     buy a lesser one--effectively trading in your better item for
     a lesser item plus cash.
          Perhaps this is best explained by example.  If you have
     level-3 lasers, you may "buy" level-1 lasers.  When you "buy"
     the level-1 (default) lasers, your level-3 lasers will
     automatically be sold.  This can be useful if you quickly need
     some money (to pay back a loan, or to buy a piece of equipment
     that might seem to be more important against a particular
     player).
          Players should be aware that money acquired by selling
     pieces of equipment can still be used to win the game.  For
     instance, if the players need 500 credits to win the game, and
     if one players has 400 credits and many items, he may sell his
     items and gain enough credits to win.

     ∙ As you might notice from the "Config" menu, only the red
     player can be set to "computer" mode.  In a one-player game,
     the human player must play as the blue commander.

     ∙ Some players might want to know exactly how the program
     calculates the number of credits that each player gets at the
     end of each round of combat.  Every player starts off with 100
     units of energy; at the end of the round, the winning player
     receives a number of credits equal to the number of remaining
     energy units he/she has.  For instance, a player who wins a
     round with 32 energy units remaining receives 32 credits.
          Further, a bonus is awarded for each transport (see the
     help screens for a description of transports, or merchant
     trading vessels) that comes across the screen.  If a player
     successfully destroys an enemy transport, or if he
     successfully protects an allied one, he will receive 25
     credits.  If both players die while a transport is on the
     screen, the player who is allied with that transports receives
     the bonus (since he did, effectively, carry out his mission;
     the transport will have safe passage through the sector).  For
     other cases, see the "frequently-asked questions" list on the
     last help screen.

     ∙ The game can not actually be played with a mouse.  Only the
     title screen can be used by a mouse.

     ∙ People often ask why the game is called "Ball."  There's no
     particular reason, aside from the shape of the spaceships (as
     if you couldn't figure that out).
          Why do I bother to mention this?  Though the idea of a
     "space-battle" game is classic, I've never seen a game like
     this where the spaceships have been completely circular.  The
     shape of the spaceships leads to an easier system of
     controlling the ship:  if you want to move "up," press your
     "up" key; if you want to move "left," press your "left" key.
     In many other games of this type, the players must learn how
     to rotate their ships; usually, there is just a single
     "thrust" key that moves you in the direction that you're
     facing.  Further, in these games, you must rotate your ship so
     that your weapons are aimed at your enemy.
          Ball allows you to forget about complicated controls and
     weapon targeting.  All the weapons are auto-aiming, the
     directions in which you move are absolute ("up, left, right,
     and down" versus "forward, backward").
          Have fun playing Ball.  I hope you enjoy it.

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Remember, Ball is shareware.  If you like this game, it would be
great if you could send a small, $5 registration fee to the author
(at the address below).  Registered users will receive all updates
and new versions of Ball and will be notified of any other programs
by the same author.  "And registered users can rest easy knowing
that they've supported something as wonderful as the shareware
concept"--I know, I know; it's corny, but it's true.  Nobody
releases a program as shareware as a "get-rich-quick" scheme;
shareware authors often release their programs just because they
feel that other computer users might enjoy them.  If you use and
enjoy this program, please do your part by registering.

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I'd be happy to hear of any comments, ideas, or problems concerning
Ball.  Actually, on second thought, I *wouldn't* be too happy to
hear about problems, but if there *are* any bugs, it would be very
useful if you found the time to send information about them to me.
I'd love to hear from you regardless of whether or not you're a
registered user.

Shawn Bayern
5 Cedarwood Court
Laurel Hollow, NY 11791

INTERNET: [e-mail] (I share this account with a few
other people, and it might change without *my* even knowing it.
Use this account until July, 1995.)

PHONE:  [phone]  (Though I can't imagine why you'd want to
call me, feel free.  And no, I don't mean that literally; I will
*not* take collect calls <smile>.)

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LEGAL NOTICE

     Ball is copyrighted by the author, Shawn Bayern.  Ball and the
files that come in BALL23.ZIP can be distributed *anywhere* for
*any* reasons--as long as the files are not modified and are kept
together in the BALL23.ZIP file.  The author takes no
responsibility for damages resulting from the use or misuse of
Ball.