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The Project 64 etext of Galactic Games 
Converted to etext by Neil Tomlinson.

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                            GALACTIC GAMES
                            --------------


 You're a worm.
 --------------
 Never mind.  Even worms have the occasional fling.  And here's your
 chance to fling, or rather, wriggle yourself against the inter
 galactic vermicular champion.
 
 Galactic games, like its more mundane Olympic predecessors gives you
 the chance to pit joystick speed and timing against other players or
 the computer in a variety of athletic events that can only be
 described as bizarre.  Bizarre as in the 100m Slither; Space Hockey;
 Psychic Judo; Head Throwing and Metamorph marathon.
 
 
 INTRODUCTION
 ------------
 Successor of our modern Olympics the Galactic Games are the true
 pinnacle of stellar sport.  Held every 0.00002 of a galactic
 revolution, they are organased by the AAA (Astronomical Athletics
 Association) and make full use of the bizarre physical forms that
 inhabit the Galaxy to produce competitive events that are just that
 little bit different.
 
 
 OPTIONS
 -------
 
 EVENT SELECTION
 When the preliminary program ahs loaded, players leave the title
 screen and open the games by pressing any key.  The opening ceremony
 involves the lighting of the Galactic Games Flame by a plasma bomb,
 ferried by warp cruiser to the host planet from the legendary site of
 the first Games.
 
 Galactic Games is a multiload program - there are five different
 events, and an option of entering the Galactic Games Championship in
 which the player enters all events.
 
 Cassette users should first reset their tape counters to zero at the
 start of the cassette, then play the five events in order, noting down
 the counter readings at the start of each program segment.  On
 subsequent occasions you will be able to rewind or fast-forward to any
 required event.
 
 
 NUMBERS OF PLAYERS
 Events 1-4 can be played either head-to-head against another player,
 or against a computer-controlled opponent.  Event 5 is a one-player
 game.
 
 In games 1-3 the computer takes control if it detects that the same
 FIRE control has been pressed in response to both PLAYER READY?
 questions.
 
 In game 4 the computer takes control if, when player 2 is asked to
 press FIRE, you do nothing.
 
 
 GAME CONTROLS
 -------------
 Throughout the instructions, the controls are referred to as UP, DOWN,
 LEFT, RIGHT, FIRE and QUIT.  For joysticks, the first five controls
 are self-explanatory.  For keyboard equivalents and the key used for
 QUIT, consult the table below.
 
 
                  UP       DOWN      LEFT     RIGHT    FIRE    QUIT
 SPECTRUM
 Cursor         6 or ^    7 or v    5 or <    8 or >    0
 Player 1 keys    Q         A         Z         X       C       T
 Player 2 keys    O         K         B         N       P
 
 AMSTRAD CPC     N.B.: Space/Fire to select 1/2 Player on Amstrad
 Player 1 keys                      JOYSTICK
 Player 2 keys    J         /         X         Z     SPACE    ESC
 
 COMMODORE 64/128
 Player 2 keys    @         :         K         H       ^    RUN/STOP
 
 
 QUITTING AN EVENT
 -----------------
 Players may end an event at any time by pressing the QUIT key.  An on
 screen prompt then offers the choice of continuing with a new game in
 the current event, or returning to the event selection menu.
 
 
 1. 100m SLITHER
 ---------------
 Players control specially-bred racing worms, which move by bunching up
 the central body and then sliding forward (similar to the motion of a
 caterpillar).  A singal movement cycle begins by pressing DOWN, which
 locks the head and bunches the body, drawing the tail forward. 
 Pressing UP now extends the body so it is flat and causes the worm to
 slide forward.  Repeating this action at speed drives the worm forward
 along the track, although for maximum speed you must find the right
 rhythm for the up and down strokes.  Press DOWN and then RIGHT for a
 "super-slither".
 
 To lubricate its passage along the ground, the worm exudes slime from
 a gland when FIRE is pressed.  If the slime gland runs dry, the worm
 will start to overheat.  Unless the player slows down to allow the
 gland to recharge the excessive friction will eventually make the worm
 burst into flames.  The slime level and temperature of the two worms
 are displayed on meters at the top of the screen.
 
 Both worms are always displayed on the screen, even if one player
 races much faster than the other.  The two lanes scroll sideways
 independently and the progress of each worm is indicated by the
 trackside numbering.
 
 A worm is disqualified if it fails to complete the course within 70
 seconds.
 
 
 2. SPACE HOCKEY
 ---------------
 Space hockey is played with black holes for goals at the left and
 right of the field.  Thus players have a tendency to be sucked into
 the goals if they stay too close, whereas the puck - a living creature
 - does its best to stay out.
 
 Player control is simply by means of the UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT
 controls, with FIRE acting as a brake.  The brake is essential for
 players to retain control because, being spheres themselves, the
 players will rebound from the puck and each other on impact.
 
 The best tactic is to ram the puck in the required direction and press
 FIRE immediately after the impact so that you don't rebound and can
 regain control rapidly.
 
 The main screen window shows the area around the puck (and thus not
 necessarily either of the player).  The location of this area relative
 to the entire hockey field is displayed in the second box at the top
 of the screen, as are markers for each player (this lets you find your
 way back to the puck if yoiu disappear off the main screen).  The
 background grid on the main screen also offers some indication of the
 puck's location: the squares get narrower near the goals.
 
 Players score three points if the puck falls into the opponent's black
 hole and one point if the opponent falls into either black hole.  The
 scores are displayed in the boxes at far left and right of the screen.
 
 A match consists of four rounds of 60 seconds each.  The round number
 and time remaining are displayed in the other two display boxes.
 
 
 3. PSYCHIC JUDO
 ---------------
 The left-hand window of the split-screen shows Player 1's view of
 Player 2, while the right-hand window shows Player 2's view of Player
 1.  The two players, whose over-developed brains are located in their
 stomachs, belch bolts of psychic energy at each other and defend
 themselves with mental shields.
 
 To attack, press FIRE to transfer psychic energy from your reserve
 (upper bar) to your bolt lower bar).  When the bolt is at the required
 strength, release FIRE to launch the bolt.  You will see it travel
 away from you, and towards your opponent.  Steer the bolt using LEFT,
 RIGHT, UP and DOWN, trying to avoid any shields your opponent may have
 erected.
 
 There can only be one psychic bolt travelling at a time, so if your
 opponent gets his attack in first, you are forced into defensive mode. 
 Here, you control the erection of mental shields in front of selected
 areas of your body in an attempt to catch the on-coming bolt.  The
 larger the shield and the longer you hold it, the more energy is
 drained from your reserves - however, if you catch the bolt a portion
 of its energy is transferred to your reserves.  The joystick controls
 the erection of shields as follows.


                                                 _______ 
                                                /   |   \
    ----------------------------               |    |    |
   |         1 |  UP and LEFT   |             /   1 | 4   \
   |         2 |     LEFT       |          __|______|______|__
   |         3 | DOWN and LEFT  |         /         |         \
   |         4 |  UP and RIGHT  |        |          |          |
   |         5 |     RIGHT      |        |        2 | 5        |
   |         6 | DOWN AND RIGHT |         \         |         /
   |-----------|----------------|          \        |        /
   |     1 + 4 |  FIRE and UP   |           \       |       /
   |     2 + 5 |     FIRE       |            \______|______/
   |     3 + 6 | FIRE and DOWN  |            /      |      \
   |-----------|----------------|           /   3  _|_  6   \
   | 1 + 2 + 3 | FIRE and LEFT  |          |      /   \      |
   | 4 + 5 + 6 | FIRE and RIGHT |         /     /       \     \
    ----------------------------         /    /           \    \
                                         \__/               \__/
 
 
 During defence, the drain on the psychic energy reserve depends on the
 size of shield and the time for which it is held.  You can alter the
 shield pattern during the flight of the bolts if the attacker uses
 evasive maneouvres.
 
 The shield appears as a dark area over the selected area of the body. 
 If the bolt hits the shield, the shield flickers and the energy
 reserve increases: if it hits the unprotected areas, the player
 flickers and energy is lost.
 
 There are two strategies.  First allow your opponent to attack you and
 try to catch his bolts with your shields.  This drains him and adds
 the bolt energy to your reserves, if you catch it, but drains you if
 you miss.  Second, you can try attacking your opponent and rely on
 your ability to dodge your bolts around his shields.  In practice, a
 combination of the two strategies will be required as the relative
 energy reserves ofthe players shifts during a round.  For example, if
 you're low on energy, wait for your opponent to launch a bolt and try
 to catch it.  Or if you have much more energy than your opponent, try
 to finish him off with a single well-aimed attack.
 
 The game consists of 60-second rounds, played on a best-of-five basis. 
 The time remaining in a round is displayed in the central window at
 the bottom of the screen - if a round times out without either player
 losing all his energy reserve, it is replayed.  The rounds won by each
 player are displayed at the far left and right of the score area.
 
 
 4. HEAD THROWING
 ----------------
 The participants in this event have detachable heads: the object is
 for players to throw their own heads as far as possible down the
 field.  The throw has several stages.
 
 First the combined head and body makes a run up to the throwing line,
 by alternately pressing the LEFT and RIGHT controls.  The faster the
 "waggle", the faster the Hruntan runs.  The speed is displayed by a
 moving bar in the left-hand box at the top of the screen.
 
 Just before crossing the line, the players must press and hold FIRE. 
 This freezes the action, while the second display box shows the head
 rotating up from the horizontal to the vertical.  This is the angle at
 which the head will be thrown when FIRE is released: for maximum
 distance, you should get it as close to 45 degrees as possible.
 
 When you release FIRE, the head is thrown and the second box now
 displays the length of throw.  Once the head straightens out into
 level flight, some extra distance can be gained by pressing UP and
 DOWN alternately - this waggles the ears to generate lift.
 
 Finally, the throw only counts if the nose sticks in the ground on
 impact, so before landing, the player must press FIRE again to make
 the head rotate.  Pressing FIRE too early means the head will topple
 right over: too late and the head will not tip enough to stick in and
 be counted.
 
 So the length of hte throw depends on four factors: the speed at the
 end of the run-up: how close the Hruntan is to the throwing mark at
 the end of the run: the angle that the head is thrown: and the amount
 of lift generated by ear-waggling.  Each player has three attempts -
 whoever achieves the greatest distance, wins the round.
 
 A throw is disqualified if the player steps over the mark, or if the
 nose fails to stick in the ground.
 
 
 5. METAMORPH MARATHON
 ---------------------
 In this event, the player has to negotiate an obstacle course against
 the clock.  The creature tackling the marathon is a Metamorph, capable
 of altering its body shape to suit the terrain.  The player must
 decide which form is most appropriate to the current section of the
 course.
 
 At the top of the screen are five displays, which have the following
 functions.
 
 The box at top left is the speed/power meter and indicates either the
 speed (when running or flying) or the stored jump energy (for
 jumping).  The box below it shows how much of the course the player
 has covered so far.
 
 The third box displays four red bars which represent the total energy
 left.  Movement and heavy impacts cause more rapid energy loss,
 finding power pills restores energy.  The marathon ends if the
 metamorph runs out of evergy.
 
 The fourth box displays the elapsed time in minutes and seconds, while
 the final box displays the active control keys for the currently
 selected body shape.
 
 The metamorph has five forms available as follows.
 
 
 REST STATE
 At the start of the marathon, the metamorph is in its rest state,
 depicted as a pulsing blob of unstable cells.  Pressing LEFT, RIGHT,
 UP and DOWN while in the rest state will transform the metamorph into
 one of its four mobile forms.  Conversely while in one of its four
 mobile forms, the rest state may be achieved by pressing FIRE.  To
 convert from one mobile form to another the metamorph MUST first
 return to the rest state.
 
 
 RUNNER
 This form is acquired by pressing RIGHT.  The metamorph sprouts legs
 and will run towards the right if the LEFT and RIGHT controls are
 pressed alternately.  The metamorph's speed depends on the rate of
 waggle.  This form can only travel over level ground.  Hitting a wall
 at speed costs energy.
 
 
 BURROWER
 This form is acquired by pressing LEFT.  The metamorph converts to a
 smooth streamlined bell-shape which can pass horizontally through
 certain obstacles (to the right only).  This movement continues as
 long as the UP control is pressed.  The burrower can also move over
 level ground but at an increased energy drain.
 
 
 JUMPER
 This form is acquired by pressing DOWN.  The metamorph grows a spring
 like piston enabling it to jump to great heights (Falling a great
 distance in any form other than the jumper will cause excessive energy
 loss on impact).  Pressing DOWN tensions the spring (the time that
 DOWN is held determines the strength of jump, as indicated on the
 speed/power meter).
 
 Also, simultaneously holding either the LEFT or RIGHT control stores a
 left or right bias to the jump.  When the controls are released AND
 the metamorph is on the ground then the piston is triggered, causing
 the metamorph to jump straight up to the left or to the right.  A
 series of consecutive boiunces can build up the jumping height.
 
 
 FLYER
 This form is acquired by pressing UP.  The metamorph sprouts
 helicopter blades which allow it to fly either vertically or
 diagonally up and to the right.  The blades are spun up to speed by
 pressing LEFT and RIGHT alternately.  The speed/power meter indicates
 the flying speed.
 
 Once the metamorph lifts off, the player can either continue
 "waggling" to rise vertically, or pressing UP (without waggling) to
 fly across the course at the speed stored during the "waggle" phase. 
 Releasing the controls causes the flyer to lose its aerial velocity
 and drop from the sky until it lands, or you "waggle" back up to
 flying velocity again.
 
 
 
 
  Alternative Software Limited 1990
 
 PROGRAMMERS - If you have written a good programme for ANY home
 computer, send it to us now for evaluation.  We pay EXCELLENT
 royalties!
 
 SEND TO: The Evaluation Department, ALTERNATIVE SOFTWARE, Units 3-7
 Baileygate industrial Estate, Pontefract, West Yorkshire.  We will
 acknowledge receipt of your programme same day.
 