1996 Top Games/96topgames.iso/96topgam/dos/tronic/readme.doc

Text File | 1996-08-13 | 25KB | 954 lines

This file is 'readme.doc'

Please read this file before calling
708-257-1224 for tech-support!
Tech-support is available for REGISTERED
customers of Tronic only.
----------------------------------------
Note:  If reading this file from the
Webfoot readme file viewer, use

Cursor up / down to scroll
or
Page Up / Page Down  to scroll fast

ESCape, Enter, or Space to exit
----------------------------------------
Copyright 1996
Webfoot Technologies, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This program is shareware, or 'try
before you buy'.  It is NOT public
domain.
----------------------------------------
IMPORTANT!  Does the game fail to load?

If the screens goes blank after you see
the Webfoot logo screen and the game
will not load, either YOU NEED TO LOAD
THE EMS DRIVER or YOUR SOUNDCARD HAS NOT
BEEN CONFIGURED CORRECTLY!

The problem is most likely that you do
not have enough memory.  Place this line
in your CONFIG.SYS file (see the MS-DOS
manual for more information on EMS
memory and CONFIG.SYS):

device=c:\dos\emm386.exe RAM

For Windows 95 users:  the 'emm386.exe'
file will most likely be located in the
directory 'c:\windows\command\' instead!
If you are running Windows 95, you will
modify the CONFIG.SYS file by clicking
the 'Start' button and then selecting
'Run'.  Type 'sysedit' and click the
'Ok' button to modify your CONFIG.SYS
file.

To setup your soundcard, you must run
the SETUP program and either choose
'No Sound', or choose the correct
soundcard in your system and choose its
correct address, DMA, and IRQ numbers.

Please refer to your system's manuals or
your soundcard's manuals to determine
the address, DMA, and IRQ numbers.

Failure to setup your soundcard
correctly may cause the game to crash!
----------------------------------------
IMPORTANT!  You don't hear any sound?

If you tried to choose your soundcard,
but still hear no sound, check the
following:

1.  Have you chosen the correct sound-
card and address, DMA, and IRQ numbers
in the SETUP program?
2.  Is your volume turned up, speakers
plugged in and powered up?
3.  Do you have a soundcard?
4.  Are you inside a vacuum?

Chances are, you have a SoundBlaster
Soundcard, and your address is 220,
your interrupt is 5, and you're using
DMA channel 1.  So you'd want to place
the following actual text in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T1

By adding this line in AUTOEXEC.BAT, it
will help the SETUP.EXE
program detect your soundcard.  Of
course, if these settings are wrong,
SETUP.EXE may detect the wrong card!
----------------------------------------
What's in this file?

I. Tronic Ordering Information
II. Tronic Instructions


SECTION I
Tronic Ordering Information

----------------------------------------
1.  Why Register?
2.  USA Orders
3.  Germany/Switzerland/Austria
4.  Scandinavia (also Finland/Iceland)
5.  France
6.  Australia and New Zealand
7.  All Other Countries Orders
8.  Other Webfoot Games
9.  More About Webfoot Technologies
10. Legal Stuff
----------------------------------------
1.  Why Register?

Even more great graphics, music, and
sounds:

50 Levels

Level Editor - Make your own games!

Complete, easy setup instructions
and troubleshooting information

Eligibility for Tronic Global High
Score Hall of Fame
----------------------------------------
2.  USA Orders

Toll Free (ORDERS ONLY!)
1-800-4WEBTEC
(1-800-493-2832)
Visa MasterCard Discover
American Express

Price:                        $19.95
Add Shipping and Handling:     $4.00

Or, send a check, cashiers check, or
money order to:

Webfoot Technologies, Inc.
P.O. Box 15
Lemont, IL  60439

FAX Orders to:
708-257-0942
IMPORTANT:  After August 3, 1996  our
area code changes, so call 630-257-0942

(Your FAX should contain:
Card number, card holder's name, and
expiration date.)

Questions and Tech Support
708-257-1224
630-257-1224 After August 3, 1996!

Or, fill out the form in the
Tronic directory. It's named:
ORDER.DOC

Contact Webfoot on the Internet:
[e-mail]

Visit our web site:
http://www.WebfootGames.com/
----------------------------------------
3.  Orders in Germany, Austria, and
Switzerland

Ticsoft
c/o Juergen Egeling
Waldstr. 49
76133 Karlsruhe
Germany
Phone: [phone]
Fax.:  [phone]

Or from Germany
Tel.: [phone]
FAX.: [phone]

http://www.ticsoft.de/

Preis DM 39.90
Vorauskasse:            Plus DM 8.05 f.
Porto und Verpackung
Nachname                Plus DM 14.50
Europ. Ausland: Nur Vorauskasse
Euroscheck              Plus DM 13.80
----------------------------------------
4. Scandinavia (Including Finland and
Iceland)

Twilight Zone Software
P.O. Box 115
1712 GRAALUM
NORWAY

Price:                      119,- NOK
Plus handling and shipping:  29,- NOK

We accept orders the following ways:

1. Bankgiro for Norwegian and Swedish
customers.
Norway: Account no. 1090.21.09973
Sweden: Bankgiro no. 5986-6970

2. VISA card by FAX to [phone].
Your fax must contain: card number,
card holder's name, expiration date,
authorizing signature of the cardholder
and the order-form.

3. VISA card by Mail.
Send the same as above (2.) to TZS by
mail.

4. Money Order or Cashiers check payable
to Twilight Zone Software in either
Norwegian kroner (NOK), or local
currency.

The order-form must always be included!
----------------------------------------
5.  France

Vous pouvez vous procurer la version
finale de Tronic avec ses 50 tableaux
et de nouveaux graphismes contre un
chèque de 99 Francs à l'adresse
suivante:

TLK GAMES
BP 24
81150 Florentin
France
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Payements par carte bancaire acceptes.
----------------------------------------
6.  Australia and New Zealand

Spectrum Pacific Publishing
Level 1
30 Carrington St.
Sydney 2000
Australia

Phone: [phone];  24-hour
automated ordering service only

Pay by check, or money order.

Price: $24.95 (AUD) plus postage:
        $4.95 for Australian orders,
        $5.95 for New Zealand orders
----------------------------------------
7.  All Other Countries Orders

All other foreign orders can be taken
by Webfoot Technologies, Inc.

US Dollars only, credit card and money
orders only ... no checks.

Add Shipping and Handling:     $10.00

International Phone:
1-708-257-1224
1-630-257-1224 after August 3, 1996!

International FAX Orders:
1-708-257-0942
1-630-257-0942 after August 3, 1996!

(Your fax should contain:
Card number, card holder's name, and
expiration date.)
----------------------------------------
8.  Other Webfoot Games

TwinBlok

Why save the universe?  Better worry
about saving your butt!  The Time
Spinners do not look kindly on failure.
They'll yank your status, terminate your
entity, and zap you into the netherest
of the nether regions.  Your journey
begins when Executive Time Spinner (ol'
T.S., you know) drops you ill-prepared
and poorly armored into the fray,
fighting off everything the Razerrians
(antiquated holdouts from the Snarr
Sector) can drop, kick or throw at you.
Blast through their defenses, traverse
the 50 levels of time blocks they will
use to impede your travel.  They'll
tantalize you with pictures from your
home planet, hurl you through space,
instead of merely time, and dazzle you
with nefarious patterns reminiscent of
the arcades in the Neo-Draconian Sector
in a celebrated age long past.  It's no
cakewalk.  Some of the time blocks are
deceptive.  So what if you fail?  So
what, indeed!
----------------------------------------
H2O

A mind-teasing original.  FORTY levels
of graphics and mind jarring music.
Guide falling droplets to a drainpipe
at the bottom of the screen.  You won't
BELIEVE the smooth scrolling playfield!
It's not as easy as it looks, either.
Each level is a new puzzle.  H2O runs
under DOS and requires a standard VGA
graphics card.  Sound card is optional,
strongly recommended.
----------------------------------------
D.R.O.D.: Deadly Rooms of Death

A real 'killer.' More news in the
obituary columns. (Evil laugh)
In order to complete a level, Beethro
must destroy all of the monsters and
find the exit.  When all nine levels
have been cleared, Beethro will collect
enough money from King Dugan to retire
from the thankless dungeon
extermination trade and open a
restaurant.  'I'll call it Beethro's
Roasted Roach Grill!'
D.R.O.D. runs under Windows and
features detailed graphics and an
awesome MIDI sound track.
----------------------------------------
Interpose

Fulfilling the Webfoot promise of
incredible graphics and music, Interpose
is a stunningly fast scrolling action
game.  The action - and that DOES mean
action! - takes place in space.  Shoot
3D enemy ships while conserving energy
and fire-power.  Over 18 levels packed
with great graphics, music, and
animation.
----------------------------------------
Farocar

A strategy game with 200 mind-bending
levels.  Includes 3 different choices
of difficulty per level and a full level
editor.
----------------------------------------
Hopy-ONE

In the year 2013, seven of the
Planetariums decided to initiate a plan
to eradicate the F.L.V. (Fast Line
Virus), the deadliest strain of mutating
virus in the galaxy.  The virus caused
total population decimation on 17
Astrocolonies.  No survivor of the
dreaded virus was reported.  A team of
researchers assembled to obtain a sample
of the F.L.V. and devise a vaccine
against it.  Professor Jonathan Silt was
one of the team members sent to the
dying colonies.  He spent 13 years on an
intergalactic base, and was infected,
while learning about the infection of
F.L.V.  The bio-droid, HOPY-ONE, was
created in a laboratory Silt had set up
to research the virus.  Silt was
cryogenically frozen in 2026.  HOPY-
ONE's mission was to collect samples of
the virus to aid in the production of a
vaccine.  The fate of Silt, who waits in
cryosleep, and the fate of the entire
universe, rests with HOPY-ONE.
----------------------------------------
Keep an eye out for other Webfoot games
available through usual shareware
channels.
----------------------------------------
9.  About Webfoot Technologies, Inc.

If you have a great game you'd like
published, or if you're an aspiring
programmer, 3D renderer, artist, or
musician who would like to work on some
games, please contact us!

Webfoot Technologies, Inc.
P.O. Box 15
Lemont, IL  60439
1-708-257-1224 VOICE
1-708-257-0942 FAX

IMPORTANT!  After August 3, 1996 call
1-630-257-1224 VOICE
1-630-257-0942 FAX

http://www.WebfootGames.com/

e-mail: [e-mail]
----------------------------------------
10.  Legal Stuff

Copyright 1996
Webfoot Technologies, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
----------------------------------------


SECTION II
Tronic Instructions

---------------------
Within this file:

Cursor up / down
to scroll
or
Page Up / Page Down
to scroll fast

ESCape, Enter, or Space
returns to DOS.
----------------------------------------
System Requirements

- 80486 or higher recommended
- 1 Meg of memory
- 2 Megs free hard drive space
- VGA graphics card
- MS-DOS (or DOS shell in Windows)

Optional

- Joystick or mouse
- SoundBlaster, SB 16, SB Pro, PAS 16,
  Gravis Ultrasound, Ensoniq Soundscape,
  Windows Sound System, GUSMAX CODEC,
  or Aria sound cards
----------------------------------------
Before you start

First, run SETUP in the Tronic
directory!  Remember, Tronic is a DOS
program, although the game will run from
Windows... simply click on the
TRONIC.EXE icon in the Tronic
directory/folder.

To get going, run the Tronic SETUP.EXE
program.  This program assesses your
system as you have it configured, and
establishes your preferences for the
game.

Be sure you configure Tronic and your
computer for maximum enjoyment.  If your
computer is an older one, you can still
enjoy the game, but you might have to
experiment a little with changing some
of the options to lower the load on the
system.

Tronic will take whatever computer
system you feed it, as far as is
possible, and configure itself
accordingly.  If you don't get sound, or
the mouse doesn't work, however,
there's probably something about your
computer's memory or other configuration
that you need to deal with before
running the game.

For example, many people have multiple
I/O cards such as serial ports, parallel
ports, network boards, joystick ports,
sound cards, CD-rom controllers, etc.
All such devices appropriate one or more
of the computer's 'interrupts' for
themselves, and read from or write to
specific locations in memory.  If any of
these conflict, your system will give
trouble, plain and simple.  You might
not know anything is wrong, however,
until you try to play music, accept
input from the joystick and mouse, and
perform awesome (ahem!) feats of
graphics at the same time!

Memory
------
To allow the game to use more memory,
you can enable 'EMS' memory in your
computer.  This is accomplished by
editing your 'CONFIG.SYS' file - which
is loaded by the computer on startup.
There are many ways to add EMS to your
computer's bootup configuration, but you
can't add it after the computer is
booted - it must be done during the
CONFIG.SYS startup procedure, which is
the first thing that happens when you
turn on the computer.  So, if you have
to add EMS to your computer, you must
reboot before you'll get EMS memory.

Your CONFIG.SYS file should contain a
line that looks like this:

device=c:\dos\emm386.exe RAM

The last word 'RAM' is the important
one.  You can add this line by yourself
on most computers, but some computers
will hang if there other parameters
aren't also included.

If you have trouble adding this command,
you can use a program named MEMMAKER,
which will automatically add this line,
along with a bunch of other parameters,
relocating TSR and device drivers that
can live in high memory.  This way you
have the required EMS, plus more free
conventional memory.  In short, this is
the easy way for most computers.

If you are using Qualitas Software or
Quaterdeck memory managers, the EMM386
stuff doesn't apply to you.  The
equivalents are 386MAX and QEMM386
respectively.  Both products come with
an install program, with which you just
select EMS, or set EMS to 'YES'.

Windows 95(TM) and EMS Memory
-----------------------------
If you are running Windows 95, you will
add EMS in a different way.  First, you
modify CONFIG.SYS by first choosing the
'Run' option from the Start Menu, and
typing 'sysedit'.  Note that on systems
running Windows 95, EMS will most
probably be located in a different
directory than 'C:\DOS\'.  Most likely,
you will find the new EMM386.EXE in
'C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND'.  However, this
may vary depending on your specific
computer's setup.  Refer to Microsoft's
Window 95 documentation for additional
instructions on loading the EMS driver.

Sounds and music
----------------

The following sound cards are supported:

SoundBlaster (TM)
SoundBlaster Pro (TM)
SoundBlaster 16 (TM)
Aria sound card (TM)
Ensoniq Soundscape (TM)
Gravis Ultrasound (TM)
GUSMAX CODEC (TM)
ProAudio Spectrum 16 (TM)
Windows Sound System (TM)

Tronic's incredible music requires, of
course, a sound card.  Here are some
additional pointers for getting the most
out of some specific sound cards.

If you're using a Pro Audio Spectrum
family sound card, be sure you have the
card's driver specified in the
CONFIG.SYS file.  It's best if you can
set the card's DMA channel to a 16-bit
DMA (5, 6, 7).  The sound will work with
an 8-bit DMA channel, but it won't sound
as good.  Okay, okay, it'll sound really
awful.  Sixteen-bit sound requires a
16-bit DMA channel, so there.

With all sound cards, including Sound
Blasters, it's better to have
environment strings defined in the
AUTOEXEC.BAT.  The reason is that on
some systems, the hardware detection
process can fail or hang, and when it
does, you're stuck.  The string
definition should look something like:

BLASTER=AHHH IX DX TX

That one's for the Sound Blaster
family.  Gravis UltraSound would look
something like:

ULTRASND=XXX,X,X,X,X

(Where the 'X' represents some number
that belongs in this position.)

Any sound card not mentioned in the
SETUP program might still work, but the
users must set it up to emulate Sound
Blaster or some other card mentioned in
the SETUP program.

Defaults
--------
All this is dreadfully confusing, isn't
it?  Okay, the best thing to try first
is to take all the defaults.  If your
system is fairly vanilla, then the game
will detect everything and present its
opinions for your approval during the
setup process.  Simple.  If it doesn't
work, then dig into the manuals, using
this information as a guide for where to
look.  The most common problem is
multiple cards overlapping use of DMA
channels and interrupts.

Mouse and Keyboard
-------------------------
If the mouse does not work, the
problem is probably that you should
load your mouse driver before starting
the game.  Many computers depend on
Windows to implement the mouse driver,
and the driver isn't available to DOS
applications when run that way.  Most
computers have a directory named 'MOUSE'
or something similar which contains the
driver - usually available by typing the
command:

MOUSE

or something similar ('MMOUSE' on some
systems).  You'll have to refer to your
system's documentation if you do not
know where your mouse driver lives.


Windows(TM)
-----------
Tronic will run under Windows(TM) 3.x
and Windows 95(TM).  Simply double click
on the TRONIC.EXE file located in the
Tronic directory/folder.

----------------------------------------
Everything set up? Now for...

Tronic GAME PLAY  (Finally!)


Goal
----
Use the racket, controlled by the arrow
keys or mouse, to hit the balls.  The
balls will destroy the bricks.  When all
the bricks for a level have been
cleared, the player will advance to the
next level.

Special Keyboard Controls
-------------------------

ESCape key:  Go back to the main menu

m:  Toggles music on/off

p:  Pause the game in progress

Racket
------
Use the left and right arrow keys or
the mouse to move the racket.  When the
vertical racket is in play, the up and
down arrow keys may also be used.

There are 6 different kinds of rackets,
all with different properties.  The
rackets will change when the appropriate
'gadget' is caught.  In addition, the
racket will grow longer or shorter,
depending on the gadgets caught.

Some of the racket types are:

Normal Racket:
Use left and right arrow keys or the
mouse to control

Vertical Racket:
Move up and down with the arrow up/down
keys or the mouse

Glue Racket:
Ball will stick to racket until space
or mouse button is pressed

Fire Racket:
Will allow player to 'shoot' bricks with
the spacebar or mouse button

Robot Racket:
Works by itself to automatically hit
balls

Balls
-----
The racket is used to hit the balls.
The balls will become larger if the
appropriate 'good' gadgets are collected
with the racket.  There are 3 types of
balls:

Yellow:
The normal ball

Purple:
Use the spacebar to control direction of
these balls

Green:
Will destroy everything in their path

Bricks
------
The bricks are destroyed when hit by a
ball.  All bricks must be cleared before
advancing to the next level.  Bricks can
also be destroyed by using the fire
racket or using Gigablitz.  There are
3 different types of bricks

Destructible:
Will disappear immediately when hit by
a ball

Semi-Destructible:
Must be hit several times before they
are destroyed, depending on the size or
'strength' of the ball

Indestructible:
Can not be destroyed by a yellow or
purple ball.  However, can be destroyed
with the 'Gigablitz' weapon (see below).


Gigablitz
---------
The racket can fire rockets at any time
by using the special Gigablitz weapon.
To activate Gigablitz, hold down the
'ALT' key and wait for the red Gigablitz
indicator to reach the top.  The trick
is, in order to use Gigablitz, NO balls
must hit the racket, or the Gigablitz
sequence will be aborted!

Scorebar
--------
The scorebar will display the number of
gems collected so far, the current
player's name and current score,
the current level and remaining lives,
as well as the high scorer's name and
high-score on the right-hand side of the
Tronic screen.  The Gigablitz indicator
is located on the very bottom of the
scorebar.

Aliens
------
Aliens will appear and fly around the
playfield.  The aliens can be destroyed
with the balls, rockets, or Gigablitz.
Sometimes when an alien is destroyed, it
will release a special 'gadget' piece
(see below).

Gadgets
-------
Gadgets fall when a brick or alien is
destroyed and may be caught with the
racket to activate that gadget.

BEWARE!  There are good and bad gadgets.
If an indestructible brick is hit,
sometimes it will release a bad gadget,
so try to minimize the number of hits
to this type of brick.

Good Gadgets:
B: More balls
R: Activate robot racket
T: Enlarge racket (tall racket)
A: Anti-brick gun (fires rockets)
P: Power balls (enlarge balls)
V: Vertical racket (use up/down arrows)
G: Glue on racket (spacebar to release)
S: Slow down racket
M: Mega racket (actived for 30 seconds)

Bad Gadgets:
S: Subtract points
I: Invert racket movement
F: Fast racket
T: Shrink racket

Special Gadgets:
N: Next level
L: Last level
X: Surprise!

Level Editor
------------
To make your own Tronic levels, use the
level editor.  The level editor only
works with the mouse, not the arrow
keys!

Hit the spacebar to toggle between the
level and the brick selection screen.
Use the left mouse button on the brick
selection screen to select a brick color
and style.

On the level screen, use the left mouse
button to stamp down the piece selected
and use the right mouse button to erase
a piece.

When you are satisfied with your level,
hit the 's' key to save it to disk.

Hit the ESCape key to try the level out!
Then hit ESCape again to return to the
main menu.
----------------------------------------
The Credits

Programming
Jean-Michel Martin

Graphics
Dana Dominiak

Music and Sound Effects
Ariel Gross

Additional Coding
Pascal Pochol

Original Art
David Igreja

Original Music
Christian Druel

Music System
DSMI by Otto Chrons (C) Virtual Visions

Game Design
Jean-Michel Martin

Publications Editor
Jay A. Gross

ANSI Artist
Jon Shiring


Produced by
Dana Dominiak


Germany/Switzerland/Austria Distribution
Juergen Egeling Computer

Scandinavian Distribution
Morten Eriksen, Twilight Zone Software

French Distribution
Jean-Michel Martin, TLK Games

Australia/New Zealand
Benjamin Slabak,
Spectrum Pacific Publishing


Marketing
Brian Smolik
Mike Speyer
Martha Hauck

Special Thanks To:

Roy Manz
David Gilardi
Debra Osborn
Pierre Maloka
Bonnie Smolik
Brendan Larson
Susan Dominiak
Jim Renz
Erin and Doug Dominiak
Peep the Bird
All people who are not politicians
The Toxic Zombies
----------------------------------------
Try this popular demosite:
ftp.cdrom.com /demos

Look for the Toxic Zombie's demo
'UNDEAD'
as well as some Twilight Zone demos
----------------------------------------
This program is shareware, or 'try
before you buy'.  It is NOT public
domain.

Tronic(TM) is a trademark of Webfoot
Technologies, Inc.  All other trademarks
are the properties of their owners.

Copyright 1996
Webfoot Technologies, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
----------------------------------------
If using the Webfoot readme viewer,
Hit ESCape to return to DOS.