JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL II The greatest football game on the PC just got better! All the features that made John Madden Football the "Best Computer Sports Game of the Year" according to OMNI Magazine, are here: player rating, matchups, field conditions, injuries, penalties and more. Call plays from Madden's own playbook or design your own. And now there's new 3D field perspective, play-by-play analysis, icon menu, instant replay - even help from Madden himself! You played the rest, now play the best - John Madden Football II. "John Madden Football wins the Super Bowl of football simulation games. " - PCM Magazine #4248 (5.25") #(3.5") JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL II DEMO The instructions below are divided into 8 sections: I. HOW TO VIEW THESE INSTRUCTIONS II. LOADING THE GAME III. USING A JOYSTICK, MOUSE OR KEYBOARD IV. PLAYING THE GAME V. CONTROLLING THE PLAYERS VI. SELECTION SCREEN ICONS VII. KEYBOARD COMMANDS VIII. MADDEN'S TIPS TO OFFENSIVE SUCCESS I. HOW TO VIEW THESE INSTRUCTIONS: You will find instructions in a text file called README.TXT. You will be able to load the text file into your word processing program and read or print the file from there. II. LOADING THE GAME JOHN MADDEN II automatically detects and selects the best graphics mode for your computer. There might be times, however, when you'll want to change the graphics mode to give the game a different look. To change the graphics mode of JOHN MADDEN II, you need to type an argument after the loading command, MFB2D. Available arguments are: V Run the game in VGA mode e Run the game in EGA mode If you are running in VGA mode, you can also change some of the detail on the field. The game detects your computer's speed and selects detail level for your system. The more detail, the slower the game will play. S Shows shading on the field s Doesn't show shading G Shows grass strips on the field g Doesn't show the grass strips Once you choose a detail parameter MADDEN saves your settings to a configuration file, so the next time you load MADDEN II DEMO, you don't have to choose a parameter until you want to change it. N Loads the game with the sound off. J Loads the game with the joystick overriding the mouse. If you have both the mouse and joystick plugged in and you don't use this command, the mouse will work, but not the joystick. Add a space between the loading command and any argument. If you do not wish to enter any special instructions, simply type MFB2D and press Enter. MADDEN II DEMO does not support the following graphic modes: Hercules/Monochrome CGA Tandy 16 color MCGA 256 color (which include the IBM PS/2 Model 25 and 30*) *Original IBM PS/2 Model 30's were MCGA graphics only. MADDEN II DEMO does not support additional sound cards. The complete version will support AdLib (and 100% compatibles). III. USING A JOYSTICK, MOUSE OR KEYBOARD NOTE: If you're using a joystick or mouse, plug it in before you turn on your computer. Mouse users must install their mouse driver (not supplied by Electronic Arts). Consult your mouse manual for more details. Run without a mouse if you have insufficient memory. JOYSTICK USERS If your joystick isn't responding, it might be because a mouse is plugged in. The mouse overrides the joystick when they're both plugged in. Exit the game and reload it by typing MFB2 J. This loads the game with the joystick enabled and the mouse disabled. SELECTING FROM MENUS: Move the arrow cursor on top of one of the 3 menu selections, press and hold the joystick button and pull the joystick back to pull down the menu. When you pull down a menu, you see a list of additional options. Highlight the option you want and release the button. MOUSE USERS The documentation below, PLAYING THE GAME, contains joystick-specific information. Roll your mouse in whatever direction you're told to push your joystick. When you're told to click your joystick button, click your left mouse button. SELECTING FROM MENUS: Highlight an option from the menu bar with the arrow cursor, click and hold the mouse button, and roll the mouse back to pull down the menu. When you pull down a menu, you see a list of additional options. Highlight the option you want and release the button. KEYBOARD USERS If do not have a mouse or a joystick, the game automatically loads with the keyboard enabled. Press F1 to toggle keyboard mode. You'll hear one or two beeps. One beep means you've disabled the keyboard, two beeps mean you've enabled the keyboard. If you have a mouse or joystick attached, the program will automatically make that device the controlling device in the program instead the keyboard. To use the keyboard, make sure neither the mouse nor the joystick are plugged in. The documentation below, PLAYING THE GAME, contains joystick-specific information. Whatever direction you're told to push your joystick, press the key on your keypad corresponding to that direction. When you're told to click your joystick button, use the + or ENTER key on the keypad. SELECTING FROM MENU BARS: Use the keypad to move the arrow cursor up to the menu bar at the top of the screen and place the cursor on the menu you wish to open. Press and hold down the + or Enter key on the keypad to pull down the menu then, press the arrow down on the keypad to highlight an option. When the option you wish to select is highlighted, release the + or Enter key to select it. CONTROLLING THE PLAYERS: Use the numbered keypad to control the direction of the player. CALLING PLAYS: Use the keypad section of the keyboard to call plays. To call a play: move the cursor to the up/down arrows along the right side of the screen. Press the + or Enter key on the keypad to scroll through the plays. IV. PLAYING THE GAME PLAY SELECTION SCREEN: This is where you call your plays or access additional functions from within a game. The Play Selection screen displays general game information along the top and bottom of the screen and control icons for the offense along the lower right edge of the screen. On the Play Selection screen as it appears on the field the offensive team is always at the bottom of the screen moving towards the top. Pick an offensive play: Use your joystick to move the cursor to the up/down arrows next to the play number. Press the up arrow for the next play or the down arrow for the previous play. Once the play number you want is displayed, move the cursor down to SEL button to select that play. Then press the BRK button to break the huddle. When the defense is set, the SET button will flash. Press it to move to the playfield and the action. 11. TOSS LEFT: Pitch to runner going left 12. DIVE: Hand off to runner going up the middle 13. SWEEPRIGHT: Hand off to runner going right 14. SHORT PASS: Short-range pass 15. PLAYACTION: Fake a hand off to runner and then pass 16. LONG PASS: Long-range pass 17. PUNT: If you punt, you lose the ball. 18. FIELD GOAL To cancel your play selection, select a new play and press SEL again. PLAY FIELD: Once you leave the Play Selection screen, the players move to formation on the field. This is the Close up view, where you see the players in their actual formation. Click to snap the ball; when the ball is snapped, you'll see the quarterback drop back to pass or hand off. If you don't move your joystick, the computer will control the players' movements. Watch how the players move before you take control. AFTER THE PLAY: When the play is whistled dead, you'll see a recap of the down. The play announcer shows you the results of your play and lets you check out which play Madden called against you. Click when you're ready to return to the Play Selection screen. PENALTIES: Penalties result in a loss of yardage and a replaying of the down. If the penalty is against the other team, you can accept or decline. If the penalty is against your team, click to accept Madden's choice. V. CONTROLLING THE PLAYERS Now that you've watched how the players move on their own, you can take over some of the movement controls. Here are the things you can do: RUNNING PLAYS 1. Wait until the hand off (possession being depicted by the yellow trapezoid) before you move the joystick. 2. The joystick controls the runner. Move the joystick in the direction you want the runner to go. 3. Press and hold the joystick button for a burst of Quickness. PASSING PLAYS 1. Pull the joystick back right after you snap the ball so the QB can drop back to pass. If you wait too long to move the joystick the computer won't give you control. 2. Once your QB is back in the pocket, click the button once to bring up the passing crosshairs (the crosshair). Use the keypad to direct to a receiver. Be sure to lead the receiver and throw away from the defenders. Click the button to pass the ball. PASS RECEIVING After a catch, use the joystick to control the receiver and the button for Quickness. KICKS AND PUNTS Field goals are automatic. Just press the button to snap the ball. If you punt, you lose. KICK RETURNS Use the joystick to control the returner and use the button for Quickness. VI. SELECTION SCREEN ICONS INSTANT REPLAY You can view an instant replay of the previous play at anytime by clicking the first icon at the lower left of the screen (tape player). The counter in the upper-right corner displays the duration of the play. Along the bottom of the screen are VCR style icons. From left to right you have Play, Rewind, Reverse, Forward, Fast Forward and Exit. RATINGS The next icon to the left is Ratings (head to head). From this screen you will be able to compare offensive and defensive matchups comparing various ratings on a play-by-play basis. Select a play from the Play Selection screen, click on the SEL button and then once on the BRK button. Then click on the Ratings icon. The Ratings screen will display the diagram of the play you selected along with the play the defense selected. Use the cursor to click on an offensive player. The player's name, position, and rating will appear in the box in the lower left corner. The defense's play and player information will appear in its respective position at the top of the screen. To select the various rating for that player position, click on the R button (R). The remaining icons Play (x/o) and Team (T-helmet) are disabled for the Demo. They will allow you to select various plays and teams from this screen. STATS The next icon is Stats (football in motion). This feature is disabled for the Demo. Clicking on this icon will show data on the current game.. TIME OUTS To call a time out, click the Time-Out icon (stopwatch) from the Play Selection screen. You can also choose to throw an incomplete pass if you've run out of time outs. Time outs last until you resume play. LINEUP Click the next icon to display the opponents Lineup (single helmet). PLAY DIAGRAM Click the next icon to display the current play selected on screen. This icon toggles on/off so you can always keep this function on if you like. As you scroll through the available plays, the diagram will display the currenlty selected play. MADDEN ADVICE Clicking on Madden Advice (balloon) will display Madden's personal philosophy about the current situation you are facing. He also recommends some plays that he feels will be successful for the situation. This icon can also be toggled on or off. PLAY LIST The last icon displays a list of suggested plays (head with whistle) above the current play selected. This is in addition to the advice that Madden Advice provides. VII. KEYBOARD COMMANDS SLOW MOTION You can watch a play in stop-action slow motion by pressing the space bar once play begins. The play will advance a frame each time you press the space bar. Press any key to return to normal action. QUITTING THE GAME To exit the Game, press at the Play Selection screen. Select Exit from the menu bar or press to return to DOS. KEYBOARD COMMANDS Spacebar Activate slow motion. Press any key to cancel Ctrl-C Exit the game from anywhere Ctrl-S Toggle digitized sound on/off Esc Return to the opening menu screen F1 Toggle Keyboard Only mode on/off + or Enter * Same as joystick button Cursor keys * Controls direction and play selection when you're in keyboard mode * Refers to the keys in the 9 key keypad area VIII. MADDEN'S TIPS TO OFFENSIVE SUCCESS Play calling separates tomorrow's Hall of Fame coaches from forgotten assistant coaches; knowing the playbooks is an important element in your coaching success. "I always had a game plan that was very simple. I just had starting points... In other words, I'm gonna do this. Now, if you take that away, then you're going to give me something else. Then I'll take the thing you give me the next time." Madden-style offensive play calling revolves around some key factors: Primarily down situation and field position DOWN SITUATION You need to bring the down situation into your play calling strategy. A smart coach is going to evaluate the odds of success for certain plays in a given down situation. If you're 1st and 10, you'll want to choose from a certain group of plays. 3rd down and 2 suggests short yardage plays. Occasionally, you might want to go against the odds in an effort to trick the defense. Most of the time, though, stick with what works and emphasize the basics. Fundamental play calling that leads into your offensive strength is going to pay off more than a lot of pretty gimmicks. But remember, you only have 2 minutes!!! FIELD POSITION As you put your game plan together, mentally divide the 100-yard field into five separate sections. Adjust your play calling to fit the section where the line of scrimmage is, since each area calls for a different play calling strategy. The five sections are: 1. Your goal to the 5 yard line 2. Your 5 to the 20 yard line 3. Between the 20s 4. The defense's 20 to the 5 yard line 5. The defense's 5 to the goal line YOUR GOAL TO THE 5 YARD LINE In the first of these five zones, your job is to get out of trouble. Accomplish this with quick-hitting runs by a big running back; keep the hand offs simple and the execution crisp. YOUR 5 TO THE 20 YARD LINE Between your 5 and your 20, safe plays are still your best bet. With the bit of extra room for maneuver, you can add some passes to straight-ahead runs. Just be sure that your passer has ample pass protection to avoid being sacked near or behind the goal line. BETWEEN THE 20S Once you reach the third section of the playing field between the 20 yard lines, you can introduce variety and creativity to your play calling. Your offensive unit is out of danger: no longer vulnerable to a safety. You can mix up your play calling, avoiding predictability by using formations that confuse the defense, and generally become more aggressive. THE DEFENSE'S 20 TO THE 5 YARD LINE When you reach the opponent's 20 yard line, you've entered the fourth section of the field. Now, you're able to complete medium passes into the end zone. The defense usually goes into man-to-man coverage in the heart of the field, so you get to experiment with some pass plays that are effective against this kind of coverage. In some ways, though, you should be more cautious here than in the middle of the field. You have entered field goal range, and don't want to give it up by attempting high-risk plays that get you pushed back out of field goal range. THE DEFENSE'S 5 TO THE GOAL LINE The fifth and final section of the field is between the five yard line and the opponent's goal line. Here, you go with strong, reliable backs and extra tight ends. Plays that work well in this part of the field are straight-ahead run plays and play action passes that encourage defenders to react to a run, freezing them long enough for your receivers to get open for a touchdown. FROM THE SNAP SACKS If you're getting sacked when you don't think you should, think how real QBs feel. After you drop back, the first time you hear a click, you're "in the grasp." So evade the rush and get rid of the ball. PASSING GAME To throw a short route, press the button early to bring up the passing crosshair. Vary the lead of the throw depending on pattern depth. Run away from the pass rush, but don't hold the ball too long. Just as in real life, you can't really see precisely when the rushers are going to sack you, so you need to be on the safe side. TWO-MINUTE DRILL To preserve your time-outs, use the option of throwing an intentional incompletion. Like real players, get out of bounds to stop the clock. Pay attention to how long typical plays take in seconds so you don't run out of them faster than you expect.