Astraware Zap

palm os products

Zap!2000 Release Notes

Current released version: 1.20 (21st June April 2000)
Highlights: Save/Resume game, two new levels (registered users), more memory efficient
Current release expires: never
Feedback to: David Oakley (zap2000@astraware.com)
Game Info: http://www.astraware.com/palm/zap2000/

Copyright (c) 1999,2000 Astraware Ltd.
All rights reserved.

Warning: be careful with your handheld! Some people have reported that they have broken the buttons on their Palm by pressing them awkwardly or too hard!

Note to colour users:
Displaying Zap!2000 in colour puts great demands on your Palm IIIc or other colour organizer. If you find that the game runs too slowly, try one of the following:

Turn off some scenery, using the 'Preferences' form
Use a performance booster: we recommend Afterburner. These make a big difference to the game speed, but will drain your handheld's batteries quickly and may cause other incompatibilities. Astraware isn't responsible for any problems caused by using this type of software!

Introduction

Zap!2000 opens a new era in gaming for the Palm: smooth colour or grey-scale graphics, scrolling backgrounds, more aliens, bigger bosses, more power-ups! Playing it is simple, just shoot the aliens, dodge the incoming shots, and pick up the power-up gems! The further you go, the harder it gets. The boss which is found at the end of each mission has a special attack (watch our for it), but also a weakness that you can exploit to destroy it and move on!

How to install

After unzipping (or Stuffit extracting), simply double click on the one of the following files to start your Palm Install program:

zap2000-colour-shareware.prc - colour version for Palm IIIc only (at this time)
zap2000-grey-shareware.prc - grey-scale version for any Palm III, V, VII, Handspring or TRGpro

If you have the registered version of Zap!2000, then the files will be similar but will have 'full' in their names.
Zap!2000 does not require any databases (.pdb files) to be installed.

Playing Zap!2000

Install and run the game on your Palm.
Tap the screen to start a game.

(Datebook) Left	(Phonebook) Right	(Up) Special Attack	(To Do List) Thrust	(Memo pad) Fire
		(Down) Shields

The control buttons can be fully customised if you wish, by selecting the 'Controls...' menu option! You can also turn 'auto-fire' on or off using the 'Game Preferences...' option.

You get an extra ship every 5000 points.

Zap!2000 has a facility to allow you to save your position at key points throughout the game. You can use 'Save game' only at the end of each mission. After you kill a boss you will see a 'Save' icon while the Summary is shown. Tap it and your score, lives and power-ups will be saved at the start of the following mission. You can use the 'Game' menu to use 'Resume game' and continue from where you were.

Registering

Registrations for Zap!2000 costs just $7.95, and your key will remain valid for the grey-scale and colour versions and future upgrades. Go to the Zap!2000 web page at http://www.astraware.com/palm/zap2000/ for more details.

If you wish to send us a cheque (check), then email first so that we can advise on the details.

Other Astraware Products

Palm Games Pack - get Zap!2000, Astroids, Bzzz! and Fire! for your Palm for just $17.95 (price correct as of March 2000)! That's more than 20% off the price if you bought them separately.

Astroids - asteroid-blasting action with authentic grey-scale and colour gameplay and sound effects as well as a high score table and an enhanced mode with powerups! A Handango Hot Product, Gear's Choice at PalmGear, PilotZone 5-plane rated game! (Shareware)

Fire! - a fast paced remake of the old 80s handheld classic, Fire! (Shareware)

Bzzz! A cute screen-tapping game of catching flies - suitable for kids and adults! (Shareware)

Timetable for Palm - An organiser for teachers and students. (Shareware)

Astraware PC Products

Bzzz! A cute game of catching flies - suitable for kids and adults!
Fire! The PC version of the 80s Handheld classic, Fire!

Release Revision History

Release 1.20 : 21st June 2000

Two new levels for registered users, with new bosses, turrets, canyons, alien launchers, mines!
Save game available at end of each level, resume game restores you to the start of the next level with all lives and power-ups preserved
Tapping the top of the screen now opens up the menu, which is behaviour that Palm OS 3.5 users expect
Better compression techniques mean that the full colour 7-level version of Zap!2000 is now the same size as the old 5-level version was
Better error messages if game runs low or out of memory

Release 1.12 : 10th April 2000

Auto-fire (only available in registered version)
Now compatible with Chrome alternate colour settings on Palm IIIc
Now only loads graphics when needed - much quicker to load
Fix: used to crash when you tryed to use 'Reset Highscores'
Fix: used to crash if you cheated to jump past level 5

Release 1.1 : 10th March 2000

First colour release for Palm IIIc
Completely configurable controls (map any button to any action)
Shields countdown clock
Ability to turn scenery off and on for a faster game

Release 1.01 : 25th February 2000

Palm OS 3.5 compatibility (Palm IIIc and Palm IIIxe)
Removed duplicate printing of Game Over
Added 'Zap!2000 is loading' message

Release 1.0 : 1st January 2000

New completion screen
Redesigned highscore page
Boss aliens are harder to defeat
Shields
Nuke bomb (registered version only)
Fix: aliens don't disappear anymore

Items still to do...

We have ways of making the colour version run quicker...

Thanks!

The evolution of Zap! and Zap!2000 was helped by...

Kevin Mohinani - for input to the design of graphics, and for providing some raw ship graphics to work with.
Pete Moss for the endless constructive feedback on how to improve the game.
Tim Adams for testing and nitpicking ;-)
All the beta testers who fed back with comments.

Feedback

If you've got suggestions about how to improve Zap! - or with reports of any problems you've had, then please contact us!

Zap!2000 enquiries/feedback: support@astraware.com
Registration problems: registrations@astraware.com
General Astraware enquiries: feedback@astraware.com

Legal

Astraware Ltd takes no responsibility for any adverse effect that this software could cause to your machine or the data on it: backup important data before using Zap!2000.