@database amigaguide.guide @rem $Date: 92/08/26 15:52:49 $ $Revision: 39.1 $ @wordwrap @node MAIN @title "GP. Guide To The Game" *************************************** *** The Gravity POWER Documentation *** *************************************** -------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{" Introduction " link INTRO} @{" Requirements " link REQ} @{" Installation " link INSTALL} @{" How to play! " link PLAY} @{" LinkUp Mode " link CABLE} @{" Technical Info " link TECH} @{" LogMerge Prog " link LOGMERGE} @{" Improvements " link IMPROVE} @{" How to get this game & Addresses " link ADDRESS} @{" Trouble-Shooting " link TROUBLE} @{" Bug reports " link BUGS} @endnode @node INTRO "GP. Introduction" @{b}GP v1.10@{ub} - Copyright (c) Bits 1992-1995. All rights reserved. GP v1.10 is "CoverWare", and may NOT be copied freely. The @{"programmers" link ADDRESS} take no responsibility for eventual errors that the program may create in any way. We have tested everything for many hours to assure that it functions correctly, but if you find any bugs, please don't tell your friends, :) tell us! No, really, don't tell us either. :) This game, Gravity Power, may NOT be sold by any PD companies. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- @{b}What is Gravity Power?@{ub} GP is Bits' version of the original Gravity-Force from Kingsoft. Some improvements to a fantastic game! The *original* idea is old, and many games like this exist, f.ex. "Thrust", "Mayhem", "TurboRaketti", "The Executioner", "Zarathrusta" aso. But we wanted our own, special version which should have what the other games hadn't. We concentrated on the 2 Player Dogfight Mode, with some special weapons and many other settings. The Race Mode was something we added later to make it possible to play on your own. @endnode @node REQ "GP. Requirements" @{b}What do I need?@{ub} An Amiga with at least 1Mb memory. GP should work fine on all Amiga models (including those with AGA chipset). GP will benefit from a faster CPU, even if a 68040 isn't used to its maximum. :) Preferably, a friend. GP is originally made for 2 players, even if the Race mode makes it possible to play on your own. Even better, a friend and his computer. The 0-modem LinkUp mode is the ultimate GP experience! :) A simple @{"serial cable" link CABLE} is all you need. @endnode @node INSTALL "GP. Installation" @{b}I have a harddisk. What to do?@{ub} Just drag/copy the GP drawer to your harddisk, and everything works fine. Take a look at the Environment Menu too, and change "Loading from disc" to "Loading from harddisc". That'll speed up the loading a bit. @{b}How to start GP?@{ub} a) From WorkBench: Click on the 'Gravity Power' icon. b) From CLI: Type 'cd xxx/GP' and then 'execute "Gravity Power"'. GP uses DOS filesystem and should work fine together with programs like EPU or PP_DataPatch. GP takes over your computer, but in a system friendly way, and returns your system intact. @endnode @node PLAY "GP. How To Play!" @{b}How to get the most out of GP@{ub} We have discovered that GP is fun even without the Cannon. :) For example "Knocking" - the Sport where you never shoot your enemy, you crash into him! Experiment with the Special Weapons, each level has its ultimate settings, f.ex. "The Tower" and Non-guided missile. Even some Race levels can be interesting as Dogfight levels. If you play a Tournament on a Race level it will "become" a dogfight level. "Grass- Twisted" with Non-guided missile is a good example. Especially for LinkUp mode, we recommend "Slime-Mushrooms" or "GrassLands-Diving". If you want to use the Free Fall Bomb, "Slime- Coulter's Face" is a good choice. Other levels we have played quite a lot ourselves are: "LegoLand-Work Out": quick action, "Arctic-Cold War": cock-of-the-roost, "Arctic-Ice Cold": well, try it. "Boring-One Shooter Each" is one of the oldest levels, still goin' strong. Check out all menus carefully, since there are many things to change and many different combinations to try. Wherever possible, use the Full Screen/Smart mode, since we now have understood that the Split Screen mode is a bit claustrophobic. :) We recommend that you use the Tournament mode as often as possible. You'll get some statistics about how good/bad dogfighter you are. And, by the way: GP contains some hidden menus, keys and modes. We don't guarantee that all the hidden functions will WORK, but: Hey! Why are they hidden? @endnode @node CABLE "GP. LinkUp Mode" @{b}The LinkUp Mode@{ub} This requires a serial cable to connect the two computers with. The one who's first to select LinkUp mode, will become Master. The Slave will automatically use the Master's Preferences, and load the same level. The Master will be Player 1, and the Slave will naturally be Player 2. @{b}The Serial Cable@{ub} A 3-wire cable is enough, which can be obtained from your local computer store, or simply home-made. How to make the cable yourself? The trick is: Find the serial port. Connect pin 2 (computer 1) to pin 3 (computer 2) and vice versa. Then connect the two computers' pin 7 to each other. Observe that we DON'T take ANY responsibility if your computer blows up. :) If you are uncertain, go buy yourself a real cable instead of jeopardizing anything. @endnode @node TECH "GP. Technical Information" @{b}Some Tecnical Information@{ub} * Time of development: Two days of hard work. And an endless number of nights. :) * Equipment used: 3 A500 (Slow coding, v1.00-1.03) 2 A1200HD (Fast coding, v1.10) 1 Trilogic Sound Sampler (SFX) 1 orange (SFX) 1 lousy tape recorder (SFX) 1 extension cord (SFX) 1 coffee pot + water (SFX) 1 pencil (SFX) 1 glass (SFX) 4 Tac-II (Rest in peace...) (Debugging purposes) ? Coca-Cola (Yeah) ?? Pepsi (Light) (Yuck) ? Pen & Paper (Development kit) Seka, AsmOne, Trash'm-One (Guess what?) * Size of assembler sources: About 250 kb. 15000 lines or so. :( * Estimated tranfer rate through serial cable: 224000 bits per sec. * Favorite expression while coding: "Who the F**K has coded this worthless routine?" (Usually used by the same person who coded it...) @endnode @node LOGMERGE "GP. The LogMerge Program" @{b}What is the LogMerge Program?@{ub} It is a small util (run from CLI) which we coded because we wanted to "spread" our Race Records. The LogMerge program extracts the best record for each level, and saves it back to the both LogFiles, without touching the statistics. More info: 'LogMerge ?' @endnode @node IMPROVE "GP. Improvements" @{b}v1.00: First official release.@{ub} @{b}v1.01: Improvements since v1.00@{ub} We have, on request, added 'Save Prefs' and 'Default Prefs'. They can be found in (surprise!) the 'Preferences' Menu. If your disk is Write-Protected, 'Save Prefs' will just freeze. If this happens, remove the disk, Write-Enable it, re-insert it and everything should be OK. An 'Intro Picture' has been added to have something to look at while the computer searches for levels. Thanx to Kenny Stenmark for the Pic. We have changed the archive from DMS to LhA because AmiNet don't want DMS files. To start the game from CLI you have to have GP as the current directory and then 'execute Start_GP'. The 'LogMerge' program is now placed in 'GP/' instead of 'C/'. > The following files are new or altered: > GP.EXE, GPX_SPEC.DAT, GPX_M.DAT, GetPath, Start_GP, Install_GP, > GFX/GPX_IJX.DAT, GP.DOC, LEVELS/ARIcy Cave.GFB @{b}v1.02: Improvements since v1.01@{ub} Two minor bugs fixed, the Start_GP script was incorrect and GP turned off the mouse pointer. Version 1.01 doesn't really exist but was accidentally released. Sorry! :] > The following files are new or altered: > GP.EXE, Start_GP, GP.DOC @{b}v1.03: Improvements since v1.02@{ub} One minor bug fixed, the sprites freaked out when ESC was pressed several times on AGA machines. Thanx everybody who reported this bug! > The following files are new or altered: > GP.EXE, GP.DOC @{b}v1.10 - Registered Version: Improvements since v1.03@{ub} Added: * Null-Modem LinkUp mode. * Optional Full Screen Mode. * More than 50 new levels. * Two new level types, Slime (by Scanner/Nexus) and Desert (Zipper). * In-Game Keyboard control. * Changing water level supported. * Missile and Cannon Recoil. * Variable Missile/Bomb Hit Area. * AmigaGuide documentation. * More advantage of 68020+. * Landing upside down. Removed: * 1 tiny, tiny little bug which you haven't noticed anyway. > We don't think you'd like to see the list of all the altered files. @{b}v1.20 - AMIGA POWER version: Improvement since Reg version@{ub} Added: * A few new levels. * "Ignore Ply 2 settings and use Ply 1 settings for both players." * Ship explosion = Multi fire. (Optional, ON by default.) * SpecWeapon: Air Mines. * SpecWeapon: Bombs that explode when they get near something. * SpecWeapon: Bombs that explode when you fire the cannon. * Automatic cannon turrets on some levels. (Grasslands: Defenders fex) * Pickup-Pods that refill Fuel/Shield/Cannon/Spec/XtraLife. * New Intro-picture and a new status bar. * Smart Screen Mode. Changed: * We have changed some settings to fit AMIGA POWER's needs. The guided missile isn't that deadly any more, the mines explode sooner, and some other things we've forgotten about. Removed: * Some of the in-game help & information screens, since nobody reads them anyway. @endnode @node ADDRESS "GP. Addresses To The Creators" @{b}Our addresses@{ub} Our addresses are: Jens Andersson Jan Kronqvist Plogvägen 2 Volontärbacken 7c 372 33 Ronneby 372 32 Ronneby SWEDEN SWEDEN Or by phone: +46-457-12339 +46-457-15957 If you want a copy of this game, send us a letter (including £5 or 50 SEK) or buy AMIGA POWER issue 50. @endnode @node TROUBLE "GP. Trouble-Shooting" @{b}Problem Action@{ub} GP doesn't start. Check available memory? Is GP current dir when you run it? Re-install GP. Slow loading. Harddisc: Turn on "Loading from Harddisc" Floppy: Optimize the disk, or delete/move some of the levels you never play. Flashing red screen. Delete GP:GPX_Prefs.Dat. You have deleted the default level. Screen saying: Wait about 15-20 seconds, and try again. "Serial transmission error" It depends on the inaccurate VB clock. @endnode @node BUGS "GP. Bugs and bug reporting" @{b}Known Bugs@{ub} There are some problems with the serial transmission, but as they exist due to inaccurate vertical blanking timing, we don't really know how to fix it. GP relies on perfect 50 Hz frame updating. This problem might depend on our lousy equipment, so it's not the end of the world. :) GP will detect the bug if it occurs, and will inform you about the problem. If you wait about 20 secs or so, and then retry, the problem should be gone. Any Tournaments going on will not be affected, as the match which was interrupted will be cancelled, and the players' scores won't change. Thank you for your understanding. We have also had a LOT of problems with Guided Shots. They just freaked out because of computers with different speed. After many hours of coding, we gave up. This means that Guided Shots isn't available in linkup mode. @endnode