Pongeroids!
by Ben Burdette 
3-29-1999
V1.1

The Game

This game is sorta like asteroids, except in 3d.

In the old asteroids you could go off the edge of the screen, emerging on the other side.

In this version, you are limited to the interior of a cube.  Instead of being teleported to the other side of the cube when you come to an edge, you just bounce off.  Kind of like Pong.  Thus the name, Pongeroids.  

The 'asteroids' bounce off each other too, instead of going through each other.

You start off trapped in the cube with one or two asteroids.  Destroy them and more appear - or maybe just bigger ones.  Destroy that round and yet more appear.  

Besides your trusty cube gun, your asteroid blasting craft is equipped with a shield device.  It will protect you against a limited number of collisions with asteroids.  The more severe the collision, the more it is depleted.

About 1 out of 20 asteroids is colored blue; these are your source of shield replenishment.  They gradually shrink and disappear, so don't wait around too long to grab one.  They contain sheild manna according to their radius.

Controls

Click the 'key config...' button on the control panel to see the key map for the game.   Use the menus to save and restore your menu settings.

Two 'secret' keys that aren't on the key map window:

'+'  - adds another display window.

'='  - toggles global view.

Scoring

You get points for the mass of the asteroids you destroy.  Each round of asteroids adds one more unit of mass to the total mass you must obliterate.

Sounds

You can put your own sounds in the 'PongSounds' folder, naming them like the existing sounds.  All the sounds must be the same type, otherwise trouble results.  If you get tired of the sounds, you can remove them from the 'PongSounds' directory.

	fireProjectile.aiff
	newGame.aiff
	rockExplosion.aiff
	shieldPowerUp.aiff
	shipExplosion.aiff
	shipImpact.aiff
	shipEngine.aiff

Window Configuration

You are not limited to one view out the front of your ship.  You can create more views with the 'new window' button on the Control Panel, or with the '+' key.  Check the Key Config window to find out how to change each window's viewpoint.  The '='  toggles global view.

Keep in mind that more windows == less framerate.  Changing to 640x480 resolution helps too.

Once you've tweaked your window setup to perfection your can save it from the Control Panel, with the Save Current button.  Restore other configs using the Load Config button.  Pongeroids comes with some sample window configs, which you are welcome to try out.

A Few Tips

	- Speed kills.  Once you start bouncing all over the place at high speed, it becomes impossible to 		
	anticipate and avoid collisions.  Serenity and subtlety win over last-minute radical maneuvers.

	- Don't shoot perpedicular to the walls.  Shooting oneself is a leading cause of shield depletion.

	- Watch your shield bar ( in the control panel ).  When it gets below optimum, absorb a cool blue 
	shield ball.

	- you may get better framerates with resolution at 640x480 and/or lower bit depths.

Don't forget to write!

I want to hear from you!  Give me feedback and comments.  Does it run on your machine ok?  What's your high score?  No fibbing please.  How about feature requests?   will dutifully log them on the wish list.  Bug reports should include information about your system - processor, BeOS version, etc.  Contact me at:

bburdette@knology.net

If no answer is forthcoming, check the BeWare section on the Be website.  I'll keep updated contact information there, along with the latest version of pongeroids.

As an added incentive, emailers will be added to the 'official' Pongeroids mailing list - i.e. I'll send you the newest version when its ready, or a notice to that effect.   
