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All Games

This dialog box allows you to set your preferences for all Action Pack 2 games. The settings presented here are:

Keyboard Setup

You can customize the keyboard so that you can control the game with whatever keys you select. Three different keyboard setups are allowed. The defaults are:

Key Setup 1: up, down, left and right arrow keys, and spacebar

Key Setup 2: W, S, A, D, Tab

Key Setup 3: (all keypad keys) 8, 5, 4, 6, Enter

PCM Volume and FM Volume

Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) regulates white noise and is the equivalent of waveform or VOC on the Sound Blaster card; its default is 50%. Frequency Modulation (FM) is the equivalent of the MIDI device on the Sound Blaster card; its default is 100%. If a game’s sound effects (such as explosions) are too loud or soft, adjust PCM. If the sound in general is too loud or soft, adjust FM and your external amplifier to the desired volume.

Mute Sound (F7)

When the box next to Mute Sound is checked, all games will play without sound. The default is unchecked (sound is on).

Mom On/Off (F8)

Toggles your mom’s voice on and off.  When the Mom Active box is checked, Mom's voice will periodically interrupt the game sounds to put her two cents in.  The default is checked (Mom is On). The Nag Factor slide bar lets you decide how much nagging you want to hear from Mom (something you weren't able to do as a kid!)  The bar can be set anywhere from "Rarely" (every 10 minutes) to "Constantly" (every 30 seconds).


Commands

Shortcut Keys

F1   = Help

F2   = New Game/Restart

F3   = Pause/Resume

F4   = Select Game Option (default Game Option 1)

F5   = Difficulty Switch #1 A/B (default varies for each game)

F6   = Difficulty Switch #2 A/B (default varies for each game)

F7   = Sound On/Off (default On)

F8   = Mom On/Off (default On)

F12 = Boss Alert On/Off (default Off)

Description of Shortcut Keys

F1 = Help
Press F1 to see Contents of the Help menu.

F2 = New Game/Restart
Press F2 every time you wish to start or restart a game.

F3 = Pause/Resume
Press F3 when you wish to pause the game (the menu bar will become accessible), and press F3 again when you wish to resume the game where you left off.

F4 = Select Game Option
Press F4 repeatedly until the number of the game option you wish to play appears on the screen. See “Basics” under “How to Play” for a description of various game options. Note: This key can only be used while a game is running.

F5 = Difficulty Switch #1 A/B
Press F5 when you wish to change Difficulty Switch #1; it will toggle between settings A and B.

F6 = Difficulty Switch #2 A/B
Press F6 when you wish to change Difficulty Switch #2; it will toggle between settings A and B.

F7 = Sound On/Off
Press F7 to toggle the sound on and off.

F8 = Mom On/Off
Press F8 when you want to hear your mom calling (or to shut her up!)

F12 = Boss Alert On/Off
Press F12 when your boss walks by and you want to hide the game.

Menu Options

Play

New Game (F2)

Starts or restarts a new game.

Pause (F3)

Toggles between pausing the game and resuming where you left off.

Top Scores

Lists the highest scores for every game, which you must record manually. You can also enter timed scores.

Exit

Exits you out of the game.

Settings

All Games

This dialog box allows you to set your preferences for all Action Pack games. The settings presented here are:

Keyboard Setup

You can customize the keyboard so that you can control the game with whatever keys you select. Three different keyboard setups are allowed. The defaults are:

Key Setup 1: up, down, left and right arrow keys, and spacebar

Key Setup 2: W, S, A, D, Tab

Key Setup 3: (all keypad keys) 8, 5, 4, 6, Enter

PCM Volume and FM Volume

Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) regulates white noise and is the equivalent of waveform or VOC on the Sound Blaster card; its default is 50%. Frequency Modulation (FM) is the equivalent of the MIDI device on the Sound Blaster card; its default is 100%. If a game’s sound effects (such as explosions) are too loud or soft, adjust PCM. If the sound in general is too loud or soft, adjust FM and your external amplifier to the desired volume.

Mute Sound (F7)

When the box next to Mute Sound is checked, all games will play without sound. The default is unchecked (sound is on).

Mom On/Off (F8)

Toggles your mom’s voice on and off.  When the Mom Active box is checked, Mom's voice will periodically interrupt the game sounds to put her two cents in.  The default is checked (Mom is On). The Nag Factor slide bar lets you decide how much nagging you want to hear from Mom (something you weren't able to do as a kid!)  The bar can be set anywhere from "Rarely" (every 10 minutes) to "Constantly" (every 30 seconds).

This Game

This dialog box allows you to select various settings for the game you are currently running (the game title appears at the top of the dialog box). The settings presented here are:

Difficulty Switches

Select either A or B for both switches (some games only use Switch #1). The default varies with each game, as does the indicator of difficulty (sometimes A is more difficult; sometimes B). See “Basics” under “How to Play” for more detailed information.

Monitor Type

You can choose between Color and Black & White display; the default is Color. Note: Some games will not display in B&W because this feature was not offered in the original cartridge game.

Controllers

Using the pull-down menu, select the controller(s) you wish to use. If you’re using the keyboard, select the appropriate keyset(s). The defaults are Keyset 1 for Player #1, and Keyset 2 for Player #2.

Animation

As you move the bar to the left, the picture on your monitor gets smoother; as you move it to the right, the game speed increases. The number of frames per second (fps) is indicated. The default is 15 fps.

Sound Options

Click on one of the three ways that PCM sounds can be emulated:

Most accurate: Allows for the best sound quality, but can also slow gameplay.

Fastest: Allows for a less accurate sound emulation, but faster gameplay.

Disabled: Turns off PCM sounds completely for the fastest gameplay possible. Note: FM sounds will still be heard.


Contents

Commands

Shortcut Keys

Description of Shortcut Keys

Menu Options

How to Play

Basics

Keyboard

Joystick

Scoring

Hints

Game History


Hints

Getting the Feel of Keystone Kapers

If you’re a new recruit to Kelly’s force, some basic training is all you need. First of all, practice your jumps — running jumps and jumping in place. Perfect timing is the real key here. Another thing . . . Harry Hooligan is no dope. He’s pretty crafty at switching floors when Kelly takes the elevator. So, when you hop on, watch Harry on the Security System Display (he’s the white dot). Don’t get off until you’re as close to that Krook as possible.

Original Tips from Garry Kitchen, Designer of Keystone Kapers

“Hi, gang! I’ll begin by saying one thing: DON’T GET STUCK ON THE ROOF!! Because — surprise — you can’t get back down! To avoid this embarrassing predicament, stay behind the Krook and don’t go to the roof until he’s up there.

“As your score rises, the beach balls bounce higher. Forget about trying to jump over them. Instead, DUCK! Also, the biplanes and shopping carts start coming in waves, so learn their rhythms and do the ‘Keystone Strut’. To the tune of the shopping carts, for example, it’s ‘Jump . . . run two steps . . . jump . . . run two steps . . . etc.’ To the biplane beat, it’s ‘Duck . . . run three steps . . . duck . . . run three steps . . . etc.’ Learn to adjust to changing rhythms.

“And, to save yourself a few steps, have Kelly JUMP onto the escalators. He’ll be halfway up already. Now, go out and get those guys!”


History

Gary Kitchen on "Keystone Kapers"

Sometimes the creation of one game inspires the development of another, as Garry Kitchen knows full well. “I had just finished designing the home version of Donkey Kong so my mindset was on a little man character running and jumping,” said Kitchen. “Also, I wanted to do a game that was funny. The idea of a Keystone Kop chasing a Krook was both funny and supplied the player with a good guy/bad guy conflict.” Using this scenario, Kitchen set out to create Keystone Kapers.

In designing Keystone Kapers, there were two major obstacles that Kitchen had to deal with: the ROM size and the number of objects that could be displayed on a scan line of a TV screen. “The ROM size was extremely tight in this game. I probably spent the last month of development (out of five months) cutting bytes and packing the code to fit. It was probably the tightest fitting game cart I ever programmed.” Kitchen also developed a new technique that allowed him to display two objects with multiple colors on the same TV scan line. “It wasn’t the only game, or the first, with two multicolored objects per line, but the technique allowed some added flexibility in programming the display. I used the technique again later in future 2600 products.” By overcoming these technical hurdles, Kitchen was able to produce a game that is fun and challenging to this day.

As is the case in many games, there were things that Kitchen had hoped to include in the game that simply could not be done. “I’ve never had a game where every idea I wanted got in. At one point, Keystone had a really neat old- fashioned car parked in front of the department store as window dressing, but because of memory restraints I had to remove it. Early versions of the game had the Kop scaling the side of a vertically scrolling building, chasing the Krook, who was dropping objects down on [the Kop] — chairs, bowling balls, etc.” After talking to David Crane, Kitchen decided to make it a side scrolling game like Pitfall!, since they felt it looked too much like Donkey Kong or Crazy Climber. One can only guess what other Atari 2600 games originally looked like before they were actually put out on the market!

Some might say that Garry Kitchen entered into designing video games because it was the family business, since he and his two brothers were eventually all game designers. “My brothers Dan [Crackpots] and Steve [Space Shuttle] and I worked at a consulting firm doing consumer electronics engineering: clocks, calculators, etc. One day we came up with an electronic toy idea and, from that point on, concentrated all our efforts on entertainment. At the same time, Dan and I had bought very early versions of the Apple computer and were programming graphics and games on it in our spare time. When the 2600 became popular, we decided that it would be fun to write games for it.”

Kitchen is credited with creating Space Jockey (US Games) and Donkey Kong (Coleco) for the Atari 2600 VCS. In 1982, he joined Activision where he designed Keystone Kapers and Pressure Cooker. Kitchen left in 1986 to form Absolute Entertainment, where he is presently the Chairman, President and CEO(!). He currently is living in New Jersey and has “two wonderful little girls: Laurette, age 11, in the sixth grade; and Alyssa, age 6, in the first grade.”


How To Play

Officer Kelly reporting for duty. Leaping Leprechauns!! If it isn’t Harry Hooligan . . . up to his old shenanigans. That blunderous hoodlum is robbing Southwick’s. And on a Sunday at that! C’mon then . . . lend a hand. We’ve got to catch the Krook, recover the loot and be careful to boot! Listen up! Don’t get KO’d by wild shopping carts, beach balls or biplanes. And get moving! There’s not a moment to lose!

KEYSTONE KAPERS BASICS

The object of this game is to capture the Krook before he escapes from the roof and before time runs out.

1.	Go to the Settings menu, select This Game, and designate your controller type by choosing a controller option for Player #1.

Note: This is a one-player game.

Note: Difficulty switches and the game select key are not used in this game.

2.	To begin play or restart, press F2 or click on New Game in the Play menu. The timer will immediately begin to count down. You’ll begin with Keystone Kelly on active duty and three Kops on reserve.

3.	The game ends when all of your Kops are gone. Any of the following will cause you to lose a Kop: colliding with a biplane, running out of time, or allowing a Krook to escape off the roof.

4.	The Bonus Timer is beneath your score. It starts to count down as the game begins. When only 10 seconds remain, it flashes. Be warned!

Using the Keyboard

•	Keystone Kelly will run to the left or right when you press the left or right arrow key.

•	Kelly will jump when you press the spacebar. For a long, running jump, press the spacebar while pressing the left or right arrow key.

•	Kelly will duck down when you press the down arrow key.

•	Kelly will step into an open elevator when you press the up arrow key; he’ll step out when you press the down arrow key.

Using the Joystick Controller

•	Keystone Kelly will run to the left or right when you push the joystick left or right.

•	Kelly will jump when you push the joystick button. For a long, running jump, press the button while pushing the joystick left or right.

•	Kelly will duck down when you pull the joystick back.

•	Kelly will step into an open elevator when you push the joystick forward; he’ll step out when you pull the joystick back.

Special Features

•	Elevators and Escalators
The elevator can take Keystone Kelly up and down to any floor except the roof. Place Kelly in front of it and wait until the door opens. Then press the up arrow key (or push the joystick forward) to move Kelly into its blue interior. Press the down arrow key (or pull the joystick back) to exit.

Kelly can also ride up on an escalator just by touching it. An escalator is the only way to get to the roof.

•	Southwick’s Security System
Lucky for you, Southwick’s has security cameras scanning the store. The display at the bottom of the screen gives you an overview of all floors, from the bargain basement to the rooftop. Kelly is the black dot, the Krook is the white dot. The elevator is the moving gray square in the middle and the escalators are the black slashes on either end. Using the security system, you’ll know which way Kelly should run to catch an elevator, an escalator or a Krook.

•	Look Out!!!
You must jump to avoid a rapid onslaught of shopping carts, beach balls and cathedral radios. If you collide, a valuable nine seconds will be deducted from your time. As your score rises, toy biplanes whiz by. Duck to avoid them. With each collision, you’ll lose a Kop. However, DON’T avoid moneybags and stolen suitcases. You’ll earn 50 points each time Kelly picks one up.


Scoring

Points are earned each time a Krook is apprehended. The sooner you catch him, the more points you’ll get. Krooks 1 through 8 are worth 100 times the amount left on the Bonus Timer. Krooks 9 through 16 are worth 200 times the amount left on the Bonus Timer. After your sixteenth arrest, each Krook will be worth 300 times the amount left on the Bonus Timer. Also, every recovered moneybag and suitcase is worth 50 points.

Bonus Kops

Every time your score increases by 10,000 points, a Kop is added to your reserve squad, up to a maximum of three on-screen at a time.


This Game

This dialog box allows you to select various settings for the game you are currently running (the game title appears at the top of the dialog box). The settings presented here are:

Difficulty Switches

Select either A or B for both switches (some games only use Switch #1). The default varies with each game, as does the indicator of difficulty (sometimes A is more difficult; sometimes B). See “Basics” under “How to Play” for more detailed information.

Monitor Type

You can choose between Color and Black & White display; the default is Color. Note: Some games will not display in B&W because this feature was not offered in the original cartridge game.

Controllers

Using the pull-down menu, select the controller(s) you wish to use. If you’re using the keyboard, select the appropriate Key Setup(s). The defaults are Key Setup 1 for Player #1, and Key Setup 2 for Player #2.

Animation

As you move the bar to the left, the picture on your monitor gets smoother; as you move it to the right, the game speed increases. The number of frames per second (fps) is indicated. The default is 15 fps.

Sound Options

Click on one of the three ways that PCM sounds can be emulated:

Most accurate: Allows for the best sound quality, but can also slow gameplay.

Fastest: Allows for a less accurate sound emulation, but faster gameplay.

Disabled: Turns off PCM sounds completely for the fastest gameplay possible. Note: FM sounds will still be heard.


Top Score
Top Scores

This dialog box lists the highest scores for each game, which you must record manually. You can also enter timed scores.