ROBOT REVENGE DOCUMENTATION


Whatever happened to the good ol' shoot-em-up games of the early eighties?

Robot Revenge (Version 2.0 and Version 2.0MATH) is here!
And it's more graphic than almost any of the sophisticated, ten-meg games
of the nineties!  Only "more graphic" in a different way...

Programming, Font, Storyline, and Animation by  RYAN R. ROBINSON
Concept and Art by  RYAN R. ROBINSON and STEVE DOWNIE

This game was made during December '93 and January '94, and written and
compiled in Microsoft QuickPascal Version 1.0.  All programming techniques
were learned strictly from the Pascal manual and on-line help.  Interrupt
calls are from PC Interrupts (Ralf Brown & Jim Kyle 1991).  The storyline
and 286 modifications were completed during February '94.  This game
represents a while-still-in-university-and-writing-exams effort on my part.

Official copyright processed on March 23, 1994.  Released (to a few friends)
on April Fool's Day!

New to Version 2.0:
         Music for the Sound Blaster series of sound cards
         Cool new PC-Internal Speaker sound effects!



WARNING


Robot Revenge contains numerous animation sequences of graphic violence.
If you are at all affected or offended by graphic violence, you should
refrain from playing this game.

Anyone who changes the contents of this or any other file which comes with
Robot Revenge may face legal charges, with the exception of the file
SCORE.LST (this file may be erased to renew the top-ten scoring list), which
is frequently changed by the program itself.



REQUIRED FILES


All Robot Revenge files should be placed in the same directory.

You must have the following files to play Robot Revenge:
  RR.EXE  Robot Revenge Executable Gamefile, 117056 bytes
  RRMATH.EXE  Robot Revenge Executable Gamefile (MATH), 117504 bytes
  RILEY.BMP  Bitmap Image, 7240 bytes
  RRRPROD.BMP  Bitmap Image, 1264 bytes
  ROBREV.BMP  Bitmap Image, 17404 bytes
  STORY.DAT  Robot Revenge Storyline Data, 430 bytes
  SHIP1.BMP  Bitmap Image, 2452 bytes
  SHIP2.BMP  Bitmap Image, 872 bytes
  ROBREV.CMF  Creative Music File, 1605 bytes

The following files also come with Robot Revenge:
  README.TXT  Text File containing this information, 9698 bytes
  README.EXE  Executable Text File Viewer, 6992 bytes
  SCORE.LST  Top-Ten Scoring List, 450 bytes

We are also including a "first look" version of our upcoming game called
The Great Maze, requiring the following files:
  VIEW386.EXE  The map/character viewer, 6339 bytes
  FILEGM.EXE  The data file chooser, 17872 bytes
  WGROUP11.GMW  The wall graphics, 62860 bytes
  MAIN01NN.GCC  The compressed character graphics, 1748 bytes
  TCMAP2.GMM  The map, 10256 bytes
  TCSWITCH.GWC  The switch information, 138 bytes



SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS


You must have a 100% IBM Compatible computer with the following limits:
  286 or higher (PC/AT or IBM PS models) processor
  EGA or VGA (or higher)
  128 KB (256 KB if VGA) of VIDEO MEMORY
  512 KB of CONVENTIONAL MEMORY AVAILABLE
  System Timer battery must be working!
The following are recommended for faster play:
  386 or higher processor
  33 MHz or higher CPU clock speed

For The Great Maze, you need a 386 with VGA colour (and you should try it
with the Scroll Lock ON).  A 40 MHz or higher CPU clock speed for a 386,
or a 33 MHz or higher CPU clock speed for a 486 are recommended.



HOW TO PLAY ROBOT REVENGE


Make sure you're in the directory where all Robot Revenge files are located.
Type RR at the DOS prompt and press ENTER.
If you have a math co-processor (80x87 or a 486DX), type RRMATH instead.
Be sure to watch the storyline the first time through!



REGISTERING WITH THE AUTHOR


  If you like Robot Revenge, please help the author continue releasing
   Shareware products.  This is done by registering with the author.
  To register, send whatever amount you feel Robot Revenge deserves.  It
   must at least cover postage charges for information about upcoming Riley
   Enterprises products.
  All contributions made will help Riley Enterprises bring new and better
   software to the Shareware market (like The Great Maze)!
  Join in the Shareware spirit and register!
  If you are on the Internet, and would like to e-mail the author, send
   e-mail to umrobi28@CC.UManitoba.CA



HOW TO MOVE SAM


1) MOVING
  Use arrows to begin and continue moving
  Also can use
       "J" for left,
       "I" or "K" for up,
       "L" for right,
       "M" or "," for down
   to continue moving or to turn (or dance!) if Sam is not currently moving.
  You can use the mouse, too!
2) FIRING
  Use Space, Enter, or Insert to fire
  Or the mouse button!



OTHER KEYS


1) TO LEAVE
  Press ESC to leave the game.

2) TO PAUSE
  Yes, you can use the PAUSE key!

3) THE 'S' KEY
  If all is lost and you don't feel like giving the enemy satisfaction, you
   can kill Sam with the S key (just like the chicken on the old farm!).



ENEMY INFORMATION


1) ROBOTS
  These move toward you relentlessly.
  Don't let them get near you!
  Robots are the main targets.

2) DISCS
  Swerve toward your head.
  Shoot them quick; they're fast!

3) LOGS
  Roll across the screen, veering toward you ever so slightly.
  Gunshots don't affect these!

4) BLADES
  Found on the higher levels.
  These give you very little time to move if they appear close by.
  Always leave yourself an out, or you could find yourself short a head!
  Gunshots don't affect these either! (They're too hard to hit for you!)



GAME-PLAY


  A level ends shortly after all robots on that level are terminated,
   usually within a minute.  On higher levels, there may be "residuals:"
   discs, logs, and blades which didn't get their chance at you yet!
   Once there are no more robots, stop shooting (you must be the only
   object on the screen) so that you can go to the next level quickly (and
   to preserve those points!).
  If you lose a life, you must replay that entire level.
  You reload your ammunition each time you die or complete a level.
   Use your ammo sparingly, especially on the higher levels.  You get
   250 bullets, which is more than enough to finish any level.
  Every 5000 points, you receive an extra head (life), up to a total of
   nine!
  There are ten levels.  Once you complete them all, you win (and get
   and invitation into Robot Revenge II, where Sam will take on the Planet
   of Robots)!
  The scoring list in the game gives you the first five levels; the
   pattern continues.  Note that you also receive points after completing a
   level - the amount dependent on the level completed and ammo left.
  Because appearance is partially random, there may be times where you
   become hopelessly trapped.  However, it is NEVER impossible unless
   you allow it to become that way.  Learn to HIT FAST!
  NOTE:  This game will seem easy at first, but the difficulty increases
   exponentially to the point at which you must play a completely perfect
   game.  Of course, the intervals at which you can obtain an extra life
   become closer together on higher levels, so that should help you out...
   STILL, VERY HARD!



THE GREAT MAZE PREVIEW

A fully assembly-language executable means FAST, SMALL, and EFFICIENT.
That's what The Great Maze was programmed in, using opcodes specific to the
386 to further enhance speed.  The Great Maze will feature a complex sight
restriction algorithm, fast scrolling movement (with over 50 screen redraws
per second clocked on a 486 50Mhz machine!), and a really cool intelligence
algorithm for the enemies.  Included with all this will be a full-scale
creation kit to allow you to make your own episodes (the same creation kit
we are using to make episodes).  All this from two kids in university/
college!!
The Great Maze is programmed by Ryan R. Robinson, and features the art and
animation skills of Steven Downie.  Please, distribute this copy of The
Great Maze preview!!



SOME COMMENTS FROM THE FAM


  "It is...  it's just like the chickens we slaughtered on the farm..."
   (After seeing the suicide key)
   "What's that he's throwing? ..."
   - my Mom!

  "Now I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight..."
   (After seeing the log rolling over Sam)
   "Do you have to add insult to injury? ..."
   (After seeing the robot jump on Sam's head)
   - my Dad!

  "I like the way those robots bust apart..."
   - my Brother!

  "Cool..."
   - his girlfriend!

  "Would you hurry up and finish this so I can play it..."
   "His head's flat!  Look at it! ... (Chuckle, chuckle) ..."
   - my friend Dave! (And a few other people...)

  "This guy's gross..."
   - his brother Paul!

  "Awwww!  Sick..."
   - Steve Downie! (He just came up with a few ideas...)

  "Man, how do these people make these games (like Wing Commander, X-Wing,
   Castle Wolfenstein, etc.)..." (After comparing Robot Revenge with them)
   "... (Laughing like crazy) ..."
   "I can't believe it - I actually finished something ..."
   "He's not throwing ANYTHING!  He's SHOOTING! ..." (Response to my mom)
   - me! (I suppose I COULD change those bullets...)
