Welcome to Super-Skoda-Challenge (or whatever it it currently being called.)
The programs Super-Skoda-Challenge, and Map Editor have been written using AMOS V1.3, and compiled using the AMOS Compiler.
The Programs Super-Skoda-Challenge and Map Editor were written by:-
Mike Dodd (Program Code, Graphics, Design, Map Detail)
Ste Bleasdale (Graphics, Music, Map Detail)
You are welcome to copy and distribute these programs, together with the "cars.map" data file and this document file, providing all four files are kept on the same disc, and that this document file is left unchanged.
To run either Super-Skoda-Challenge, or Map Editor simply click on the relevant Icon on the WorkBench screen.
Note: There seems to be a slight bug on the compiled programs, in that sometimes when the programs have loaded you are left with a blank screen. If this happens (and the disc-drive has finished whirring away) try pressing Left Amiga - A together a couple of times, this is used to swith between AMOS and WorkBench, and seems to clear the problem.
Be aware: Super-Skoda-Challenge requires a considerable amount of CHIP Mem to run properly, If you experience problems getting the program to run, especially if the program exits after the title screens then try running again, after closing as many WorkBench windows as possible.
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Super-Skoda-Challenge is a simple 2-4 player game. Each player controls a car that travels around a map. Each player can view only a small part of the map around his own car.
In keeping with the tradition of the good old ZX81 style games, these cars only seem to be able to turn left and right. For some strange reason they insist on always driving forward, in the direction that they are facing (unless they hit the side of the road).
Unlike your typical Skoda, these cars are also fitted with forward firing guns.
So whats the plot ? , well, you guessed it, each player is to travel around the map blasting each of the other player's cars. It's as simple as that !
Actually, the game is made slightly more complex by the various powerups that are in the game. These are described below:
Shield Energy (Shield) : Tops up your car's shield. Each car has a limited shield, crashing into the scenary reduces this shield. When the shield is depleted, your car will explode and lose a life. (The shield does not protect you from collisions with other cars, or their bullets)
Extra Life ( 1 UP ) : Each car is initially given 3 lives. Collecting one of these powerups adds one to the current number of your lives.
Forcefield (Sort of a Bubble) : This will make you invunerable for a short time against collisions with other cars. (Any car that you collide with will be destroyed, unless they also have a forcefield). It does not protect you against bullets or collisions with the scenary.
SpeedUp ( FAST ) : This will speed your car up by a small amount, and lasts until you lose a life, or complete a map.
The game is played over 10 maps. At the start of each map, each player is given 3 lives. The map is completed when all, or all but one players have lost all three lives. The score table is then displayed, showing the number of cars of each colour, each player has shot, and the number of points each player has. One point is scored for each player shot (no points for collisions), and a number of points equal to the number of lives left at the end of each map is awarded to the player (if any) that is left at the end of the map.
Each player controls his cars using simple Left, Right, and Fire controls.
Player one uses the joystick plugged into the mouseport
Player Two uses the joystick plugged into the normal joystick port
Player Three uses the following keys on the keyboard:
Left Shift Key:Fire
Left Alt Key :Turn Left
Left Amiga Key:Turn Right
Player Four uses the following keys on the keyboard:
Right Shift Key:Fire
Right Alt Key :Turn Right
Right Amiga Key:Turn Left
Note, if less that four players are playing then any of the above four players may be used, i.e. Two players could both use the keyboard, signing in as Players 3&4, disabling players 1&2.
The number of players playing is selected from the opening screen by moving the Mouse Pointer Up and Down with the JOYSTICK IN THE JOYSTICK PORT (The mouse will move the pointer, but so will the joystick, and the program waits for the fire button on the joystick to be pressed). Click in the boxes opposite each player to enable/disable that player. Click on the large green box to start play.
During the game, each of the player's cars is viewed in his own window on the screen. Each window is bordered by the colour of the car around which that window is centred.
We make no apologies for the quality or technical content of the game, it was simply written to be fun to play.
The Map Editor has been included on this disc as a freebie, I'm not going into detail as to how to use it, it's fairly self explanatory anyway, Mouse-Right button to pull down a component menu, left button to select and to place, play around with it, it comes naturally !
The map editor can handle up to 100 maps, although Super-Skoda-Challenge at the moment only handles 10. If enough people write to us showing an interest in having the program extended then, who knows, maybe we'll think about it.
Also on this disc is a demo of a game that we are currently writing (for currently, read the last eleven months, and we're sick to the back teeth of it !), called SpellBreaker. If enough people pester us about this, we might actually get around to finishing it and releasing as PD. Play the game, see if you like the concept, let us know. The game at the moment is based around a ten room area used purely for testing purposes so it doesn't make a lot of sense to play, but persevere !!
(Note from Ste: In the final version (is there going to be one ?, Mike) the map will be much bigger, about 250 rooms, with about 600 interacting creatures (at the moment they are all a bit vicious) and they won't all charge through the doors immediately.)
Hints: The menu system is activated by pressing the fire button down for a second or so, actions are performed by hitting fire briefly. After an option has been selected from the menu you still have to perform that action. Spells are learnt by reading scrolls, although in this version all items that can be picked up can be read (yep, even the cog). Not all items may be picked up. (Pick up is a menu option). To open closed doors, walk into them, some may require keys. Outside, doors may not be visible, just walk off the edge of the screen. Each spell requires so much magic to operate, and if you don't have enough the spell will fail. Somewhere on the screen is a bar signifying the amount of magic you have left. This slowly recovers in time to a fixed amount.
Similarly, you must have enough strength to pick things up, if you are weakened, you may well be forced to drop an item.
Anyway, play the game, see if you like it.....
Run SpellBreaker from the CLI.
Anyway, you can contact us :
Ste Bleasdale: 49 Ainsdale Drive,
Savick Est.
Ashton,
Preston,
Lancashire.
PR2 1TU
Mike Dodd: 23 Queensway,
Ashton,
Preston,
Lancashire.
PR2 1SN
Donations of hard currency, cans of beer (or bottles, for that matter), decent jokes (but not necessarily DECENT, if you know what I mean, nudge nudge, wink wink), interesting PD Software, etc, etc, etc are always welcome.
If you experience problems with these programs, please let us know so that we can improve them for the next release. If anyone is having problems with AMOS or the Amiga, we are always willing to help if we can, although send us a blank disc to cover postage if you can spare one ?!
