Ballblazer Released in 1986 Published by Activision Inc Re-released by Dro Soft and Ricochet Produced by Program Techniques Instructions typed and grammatically corrected by Digital Duck --------------------------------------------------------------- BALLBLAZER: The simplest, fastest and most competitive sport in the known universe. It grew from dark roots in an ancient space war to become king of all games among every lifeform within range of Interstellar ethercasting. There's only one regulation Ballblazer game - three minutes, two players, one victor. Ballblazer can make you a hero - or destroy a lifetime of dreams. The year is 3097, and the place is a null-gravity nexus midspace in the binary star system Kalaxon and Kalamar. Moments from now, on the luminous surface of an artificial asteroid, the final round of the Interstellar Ballblazer Conference - the greatest tournament of all time and space - will begin, and history will be made. For the first time a creature from the planet Earth has battled through the countless qualifying rounds and eliminations, enduring and then triumphing, across vast parsecs, to win the right to compete for the honour of his planet and the ultimate title any being can possess: Masterblazer. ROTOFOILS Two metres high, with foot-pad 2.5 metres in diameter. Mass = 3000 kilograms Two-axis thrusters; cruising velocity = 50 metres per second Roto snap: On-board computer automatically rotates Rotofoil 90 degrees to face ball. Rotofoil rotosnaps to face goal when you capture the ball. THE PLAYFIELD GRID * One Square on Ballblazer Grid = 5 x 5 metres * Ballblazer Grid = 55 Squares (275 metres) x 21 Squares (105 metres) * Curvature of Grid: an object 2 metres high may be seen at distance up to sixteen Squares (60 metres) * Electroboundary surrounds the Grid and keeps Plasmorb and Rotofoils within Grid field. GOALBEAMS * Pure energy, in visible range. * One set at each end of Grid. * Motion: approx 5 metres/second. * Initial Spacing = 12.5 metres. * Spacing shrinks each time goal is scored. * Spacing after seven goals = 2.5 metres. PLASMORB * Diameter = 5/8 metre * Mass = 1000 kilograms * Floats 2 metres above Grid * Normal colour: yellow * Initial velocity = 450 - 600 metres/second FORCEFIELDS * Imagine your Rotofoil is surrounded by a big pillow of energy - that's your Bumpfield, and objects, like other Rotofoils, bounce off it. * When the Plasmorb gets close, your Pullfield is activated. It's as if the pillow caves in and captures the ball. The forcefield centres the ball on the goal side, as your Rotofoil snaps around to face it. Then you are ready to charge downfield and make a goal. * Finally, you activate your Pushfield with the fire buttons/keys. It is as if the big energy pillow is suddenly pushing out. It only works when the Plasmorb is within ten metres. You can tell when the ball is close enough to use the Pushfield by listening for the buzz. OFFENCE Offence is ball control - learning the ways of the Plasmorb. At the face-off, have your stick forward/forward key depressed (even before the orb appears), move out and capture the Plasmorb - it will change to your colour and you will Rotosnap to face the goal. Do not balst the moment you capture the ball - wait for the Rotosnap, get orientated and then wait for the Goalbeams - they'll be moving in the same direction the ball was blasted in. Watch your screen. When the Plasmorb is centred between the Goalbeams, blast. If you're in close, you get one point. Further back, two. and if you can't actually see the Goalbeams (an Over-The-Horizon shot) - you get three. Shoot when you can still make out the Goalbeams. The reaction of the blast knocks you back, over the horizon - and the score is based on your position when the Plasmorb actually passes through the goal. The Goalbeams narrow after each score, so go for two and three pointers first. Practice your goal shots by aiming just outside the Goalbeams. The Plasmorb bounces back, instead of going through the whole goal sequence. If you get ten points, it's a shut-out, otherwise, the winner has the highest score at the end of the game. If you are tied, you go into overtime, and the next score takes all. Once you get the feel of it, try some angle shots. Let the Plasmorb swing to one side of your view screen, then blast - it will go in that direction. To get around a blocker, use an angle shot off the wall. Bounce the ball off the electroboundary, past your opponent's Rotofoil, then rush forward and capture it again. If you have the Plasmorb, but you're up against the boundary and need to move back to shoot, have your stick forward/forward key depressed and blast - you'll bounce back to three-point range and you can catch the ball on the rebound. When you get good, try Pushfield dribbling. Keep your fire button/key down as you approach the Plasmorb. Instead of catching it in your Pullfield - which uses 25% of your energy - just nudge the Plasmorb along in front of you. Then capture it when you want to blast a goal. If you are moving downgrid with the ball and your opponent is directly behind you, blast. The ball will go forward, you'll recoil back into him, blasting him back so you can get to the ball first! DEFENCE Even the best Blazer doesn't have the ball all the time. When you don't, you're on defence and then you've only got two choices: buzz-blasting and blocking. If you're chasing your opponent downgrid, don't get directly behind him - jam in from the side to buzz-blast the ball away. Remember part of his energy goes into activating his Pullfield. Listen for the electromagnetic buzz, the closer you are, the louder the buzz, the better the blast. When you hear it blast the ball free, go grab the free ball for yourself. The hardest part of buzz-blasting is knowing when you've rotosnapped to face the ball. Keep rotosnapping back and forth and listen for the sound of the Rotosnap - that's how you know you've changed direction. Then when you overtake your opponent, you've just got to remember which side you're on. It's easier to do it than to try to talk about it. Blocking is a tougher kind of defence. It means situating yourself between the goal and your opponent. Keep him centred in your view screen. Try to keep yourself right between the Goalbeams, and watch out for good angle shots! TM & (c) 1986 LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ACTIVISION, INC., AUTHORISED USER Ballblazer Bumpfield Buzzblast Droid Ethercast Goalbeams Grid Interstellar Ballblazer Conference (IBC) Kalaxon Kalamar Masterblazer Plasmorb Pullfield Pushfield Rotofoil Rotosnap and all other character names and elements of the game fantasy are trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd. ACTIVISION TM IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ACTIVISION, INC. Ballblazer was created by the Lucasfilm Games Division. David Levine created the concept, directed the project and designed and implemented the screen graphics, physical dynamics, control structures, and mainline program. Peter Langston, the Games Group Leader, designed and implemented the sound effects and practice Droid intelligence, composed and programmed the music, and helped devise the gameplay mechanisms and strategy. David Riordan and Garry Hare of Search and Design contributed game design elements and game rules. Charlie Kellner helped conceptualise game dynamics. Ideas and support were provided by other members of the Games Division: David Fox provided aesthetic support and Gary Winnick contributed to the Rotofoil design and the introductory animation. The game was converted from Atari Home Computer to Sinclair ZX Spectrum by Program Techniques. Special thanks to George Lucas.