MacWorld 1998 May/Macworld (1998-05).dmg/Games World/Shareware Games/Arcade/darts 201/DevilDarts Manual

Text File | 1998-01-31 | 12.3 KB | 287 lines | [TEXT/ttxt]

DevilDarts v2.0.1

by Jason Kravitz (copyright 1997-1998 -- [e-mail])
Character artwork by Brian Brasher
Special thanks to Chris Dillman for programming assistance


Welcome to DevilDarts!

Thank you for playing.
I originally designed this game with the idea of making a
true life dart simulator but it kind of mutated into this.
DevilDarts is a dart game with a twist.

You must battle your way against of six of the best
darn dart players in damnation!

This file contains instructions on how to play DevilDarts as
well as instructions  on how to play the dart games in general.

Feel free to distribute DevilDarts.  Make sure you include the
game file, the register file, the MUSIC folder and this manual.
If you would like to include DevilDarts on a CD collection,
please contact me first.

Although I have not crippled the game in any way, DevilDarts
is not free.  If you enjoy playing, please compensate me by
registering the program.  The game only costs $5, a small
price to pay for any game.  Your registration will help me
to make more games in the future.  You only have to pay
one time for this and any future versions of the game.
There are detailed instructions on using the register
program at the end of this manual.


Requirements:
DevilDarts requires any Power Mac
68040 Processor recommended for non Power Macs
4000k free memory
System 7.0 or later
Sound Manager 3.0 or better

Screen Resolution:
If you are having graphics problems, try setting your
screen to a lower monitor resolution such as 832x624
or 640x480.  You can do this in the monitors control
panel (may be called monitors and sound).


DevilDarts Instructions

Choosing Players:
DevilDarts can support up to 4 players.  To configure the player
setup, choose Select Players from the Options Menu.  Any player
can be a human player or a computer player.  If you want to play
against a computer player, click on the computer button.  This will
present you with a list of 6 different computer players.  Each
computer player has a different skill level.  This bar to the left of
the picture represents the player's skill.  The higher the bar, the
harder the opponent.  You can also change a human player's picture
by clicking on the portrait next to the radio buttons.  You may choose
from 6 different human player pictures. Once you have made your
player selections you are ready to start the game.

Starting a Game:
Select a game from the games menu.  The default game is
Cricket.  Once you have chosen your game, select New Game
from the File Menu.

Throwing Darts:
The current player is listed in the information panel at the
bottom left of the screen.  If the current player is a human
player, that player may throw their darts.  Computer players
will throw automatically on their turn.

Throwing requires two actions.  First, click on one of the small darts
under the board. These are the players darts they may throw for the turn.
Each player can throw 3 darts each turn.  Next, move the mouse over the
board and you will see the dart and the power and accuracy meters.
The goal to throwing is to position the tip of the dart over the section of
the board you are aiming for.  Once the dart is positioned, click the mouse
to throw.  The meters determine how your dart flies to your target.

The meter above the dart controls the left/right direction of the dart.
This meter is represented by a blue rectangle that moves from side to
side.  The object is to get the rectangle in the center right above the tip
of the dart.  This will cause the dart to fly straight towards the target.

The power meter on the side of the dart controls how hard the dart will
be thrown. When this meter is full (and red) the dart will not drop at all
and will fly directly to your target.  The smaller the power bar, the more
the dart will drop.  Sometimes the throw is so weak the dart falls out of view.

After a player has thrown three darts, the player change button must be
pushed to switch to the next player.  This button on the right side of the
information panel.  It is the button with the letter "P" over it.  This button
will flash red when the turn is over.

The Scoreboard:
The scoreboard is the large frame on the right side of the board.
At the top of the scoreboard are the player columns.  See the
specific game instructions below to learn how each game is scored.

The Information Panel:
The information panel displays many useful game statistics.
On the far right is the current player's picture.  Next to the
picture in yellow is the current player's name. Above the name
in red text is the hit status.  This will tell you what board value was hit.
To the left of the panel is the round number.  After each player has
taken their turn, the round number increases.  Next to the round
number is the Player Change button.  This button will flash when
a player's turn is over.  You must push this button to change turns.

Strategy:
Accurate throwing is only the first step in mastering DevilDarts.  Strategy is
equally if not more important.  Each computer opponent plays with some
degree of strategy.  It is up to you to learn how to beat them.



The Game of Darts

There are many different ways to play darts.  DevilDarts only
covers a few different games.

The Board:
The board is divided into 20 numbered sections. The small outside region
is the double ring.  Any dart that hits this section counts as double the value.
The ring towards the center of the board is the triple ring.  Any value that
hits this section counts as triple the value.  All other areas count as single
values.  In the center of the board there are two bullseye regions.  The outer
bull counts for 25 points and the inner bull (the cork) counts as 50 points.

Cricket:
Game Skill Level:  Moderate

Cricket is utilizes seven numbers on the board, 20,19,18,17,16,15 and bullseye.
The object of the game is to "close out" each number.  To close a number
you must hit the number three times.  This can be done by hitting three
singles, one triple, or one single and one double.  After you have hit a number
three times, the number becomes "open" until all the other players have
closed this number.  If you have an "open" number, you may attempt to give
other players points.  You do this by hitting the number.  Any player who has
not closed the number will get points.  To win the game you must close out the
numbers and have the lowest points.

The scoreboard contains a panel with the numbers 20-Bull going down
vertically.  When you have hit one of these values, you will see a " / " on
the scoreboard.  When you have hit two of a number you will see an " X "
and when you close a number you will see a " 0 " with an " x " in the center.
At the bottom of the scoreboard is the points row.  Player's with zero points
will not have anything under their score column.  Remember, the lowest score
is the winner.


Clock:
Game Skill Level:  Easy

There is not very much strategy in the game of Clock.  The object is to
go around the clock from 1 to 20.  Each player starts out at 0 and must
hit the next highest number to move on.  For example, to start the game
you must hit a 1.  Once you have hit a 1 you must hit a 2.  Next you must
hit a 3 and so on until a player has hit the 20.

The scoreboard reflects the current value the player has hit.  So to start,
each player has a 0.  After a 1 has been hit, that player's score becomes a 1.
To figure out what value you must hit, look at your score and aim for your
score plus one.

All Fives:
Game Skill Level:  Easy

This game requires a little math (and you thought darts was a simple game!)
Every throw must hit a number divisible by five.  Double and triples are
used in scoring this game.  For every 'Five' that is hit, the player gets one
point.  For example:  The player throws a 20, 10 and 5.  The score for the
turn would be 7 (20+10+5) / 5  or 35/5.  If the total score for the turn
can is not divisible by five, the turn is wasted. The last dart in the turn
can not miss the board or the turn is wasted (even if the first two darts
are divisible by 5).  The game is over when a player has scored 51 points.

To win the game, all three darts must be used and the score must be exactly
equal to 51.  If the player fails to hit a 5 multiple on a dart, or they go over
51 points, they bust and the turn is over.

The scoreboard shows each player's current score.  Each player starts
with zero points.  The value for each dart thrown is listed under the
scores so you can figure out how many points you need to win.


301, 501, 701, 901:
Game Skill Level:  Moderate

Each player starts out with 301,501,701 or 901 points.  The object of the
game is to get your score down to zero.  You may hit any value on the board.
This game uses the "Double In" and "Double Out" features in the "Options" menu.
If "Double In" is checked, the player must hit a double to start the game.  If
"Double Out" is checked, the player must hit a double to win.  For example
if you have 10 points remaining, you must hit a double 5 to win.
If you go below zero points, you will bust and your turn is over.  When using
the "Double Out" option, you can not get any lower than 2 points (then you
must hit Double 1 to win)  When you bust, your score rolls back to whatever
it was on your first dart of that turn.

The scoreboard shows each player's current score.  Each value you hit
will decrease this score until it reaches zero.


Updates
Soon after I am hoping to get out a networked version of DevilDarts which
will allow play over the internet.

Keep up the support!!
I have already gotten some great feedback about how to make the
game better but I need to hear from you.  Please send all bug fixes,
suggestions, and above all please register!

Contacting the Author
Please send questions, suggestions, comments and bugs to:

Jason Kravitz
[e-mail]

If you liked the character artwork, or you would
like some killer icons, please contact:

Brian Brasher
[e-mail]
http://members.aol.com/ikthusian

For some other really cool games check
out Plaid World Software and contact:

Chris Dillman
http://www.plaidworld.com

Thanks again and enjoy!

Registration

As I stated above, DevilDarts costs only $5.  A small price to pay
for all of the work I put into this game.  The payment process is
quite painless.  Open the register program that accompanies
DevilDarts.  Enter your name, email address and the number of
copies you wish to purchase.  Save or Copy or Print the data from
the Register program and send the payment to Kagi.

Kagi is a great service which allows you to pay in many different ways.
If you pay by Credit Card or First Virtual, you can email or fax the
data to Kagi.  Their email address is [e-mail] and their fax number
is [phone].  You can either Copy the data from the register program
or Save the data to a file and attach that file to an email message.  If you have
a fax modem, just Print the data to the Kagi Fax number.

Payments sent via email are process within 3 to 4 days.  You will receive an
email acknowledgement when it is processed.  Payments sent via fax take up
to 10 days and if you provide a correct internet email address you will receive
an email acknowledgement.

If you are paying with Cash or USD Check you should print the data using the
Register application and send it to the address shown on the form, which is:

Kagi
1442-A Walnut Street #392-3QP
Berkeley, California 94709-1405
USA

You can pay with a wide variety of cash from different countries but at
present if you pay via check, it must be a check drawn in US Dollars.

That's all there is to it!

As a reward for reading this whole file here is a tip:
You can slow the power meters by hitting command-L.
This will allow you to throw more accurately.

Now go play the game and have fun.