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- CATEGORY SHOWDOWN
- by D. J. B. Shibley
-
-
- [DAVE'S PREFACE]: Oh, the weather
- outside is colder. Friends just aren't
- interested in a Pool Party or Backyard
- Barbeque. It's time to drag out "Old
- Brown Betty" (the early C-64 you never
- had the heart to throw away) and plug
- it to the TV set. Call your friends
- and invite them to a "JEAPORDY Party!"
-
- The "moderator" sits at the keyboard,
- with the two players at either side,
- fingers poised over their "response
- buttons." The rest is better than TV
- -- because it's live!
-
-
-
- So....you're pretty good at trivia
- games are you? Your pies are always
- filled to overflowing during TRIVIAL
- PURSUIT? You always have the answers
- ---but what about the questions?
-
- QUICK---
-
- The category is "SIT-COMS", and a
- correct response is worth $300. The
- answer is ---- 'The character played
- by Gleason in the HONEYMOONERS'. But
- what is the question?
-
- If you answered, 'Who is Ralph
- Kramden', CATEGORY SHOWDOWN might
- become your favorite trivia game. If
- you haven't guessed yet, CATEGORY
- SHOWDOWN is like a home computer
- version of JEPORADY(tm), and has over
- 60 categories of mind teasing
- questions.
-
- When the game starts, you will be
- asked for the name of Player 1 and
- Player 2. If, for some reason you want
- to play by yourself, just press RETURN
- for the name of Player 2. Next, the
- computer will ask you for a response
- key for both Player 1 and 2. The
- response key is that key on the
- keyboard that you will press when you
- think you know the answer to a
- question. If you can press your key
- before your opponent presses his when
- the computer asks the question, you
- get first crack at answering it.
-
- After the first few formalities,
- the computer will select 6 categories
- from which to choose. The complete
- names of the categories will be listed
- and the computer will tell who has
- control of the board.
-
- After this, a screen with 6 columns
- and 5 rows will be displayed. This is
- the actual screen from which you will
- pick a category and a money amount.
- Towards the bottom of the screen you
- will see a statement telling you who
- gets to choose a question. The
- columns are numbered and you simply
- enter the number of the category you
- want. Next you enter the money amount
- you want to play for. You cannot
- choose a category that has no
- remaining questions.
-
- During the game, entering a "c"
- when choosing a category displays a
- list of the current categories and
- scores. Entering a "q" at this point
- quits the game. You receive the
- option of beginning a new game or
- game or returning to LOADSTAR.
-
- After you have chosen a category and
- a money amount, the computer will
- display your question. At this point,
- whoever thinks he knows the correct
- answer should press his response key.
- If no one presses a key after a
- certain amount of time, a timer will
- sound, the answer will be shown and
- you will return to the main game
- board to try another question.
-
- If someone presses a response key,
- that player will be asked to answer
- the question. If it is answered
- correctly, that player will be awarded
- the chosen money amount. If the
- question is answered incorrectly, then
- the other player will have a chance to
- answer the question. If neither
- player correctly answers the question,
- then play returns to the main game
- board.
-
- It is important to note that every
- time you attempt to answer a question
- and are incorrect, the money amount is
- deducted from your account. This
- keeps the game interesting. In fact,
- you can wind up with a negative score.
-
- When all questions have been chosen,
- if either player has a positive amount
- of money, a new category will be
- chosen. If a player has any money, he
- can place a wager on one final
- question. If both players have some
- money, then both players will attempt
- to answer the same question. As
- before, if you answer the question
- correctly, you are awarded the amount
- you wagered. If your answer is
- incorrect, you lose the amount you
- wagered.
-
- After the final scoring, the
- computer will decide the winner. This
- is, of course, based upon which player
- has the most money. At this point,
- you will be asked if you want to test
- your trivia knowledge again with
- CATAGORY SHOWDOWN.
-
- JBS
-
-
- [DAVE'S AFTERWORD:] I monkeyed around
- with this program a bit -- using Lee
- Novak's QuickSmith music processor to
- write a little ditty you all will
- recognize. And though I did not have
- time to create any new categories, I
- have a answer/question writer. Send me
- some trivia, and we will have another
- go at Question Please!
-
- DMM
-
-
-