<hr WIDTH="100%">
<p><b>System Requirements</b>: The color version of Ababall is compatible
with the following COLOR devices running Palm OS 3.5 or higher: Palm IIIc,
Palm m505, Visor Prism, Sony PEG N700C and N710C and requires at least
610kb of free storage space on the device. Note: the color version of Ababall
does not work on non-color devices.
<br>The monochrome version of Ababall requires at least 418kb of free storage
and work on all devices running OS 3.1 and higher and supporting 16 shades of gray.<center>
<p><a NAME="description"></a><b><u><font size=+2>Instructions:</font></u></b></center>
<p>The goal in playing Ababall is very simple, destroy all the bricks on
the screen in order to be able to go to the next level: the demo version
only has 4 levels while the registered version has 32.
<p>To get through all 32 levels you need to prevent the ball from falling
off the bottom part of the screen, by using the paddle which you move so
that the ball bounces off of it in the direction of the bricks.
<p>There are different <a href="#briques">kinds of bricks</a> in Ababall
and some of them, once destroyed, can release a <a href="#options">powerup.</a>
<p>On most levels, there are <a href="#monstres">monsters</a> which will
make playing the game difficult.
<p><b>Playing the game:</b>
<p>There are two ways to play Ababall. You can play the game alone, by
trying to improve your own high score and by comparing it with the ones
obtained by other players throughout the world, thanks to the "Internet
High Score Code," or you can play with your friends in 2 player mode which
alternates between players one after the other (turns alternate as one
player dies).
<p>If you leave the program with an unfinished game, the program automatically
saves the game where you left off so that you can resume play the next
time you enter the program.
<p>When you destroy all the bricks of a level, the side gates at the bottom
corners of the screen will open: you then simply move the paddle through
one of the doors to exit the level.
<p>Each time you start a new game, you will have 3 <i>continues</i>: when
you lose all your lives in a game, if there are <i>continues</i> remaining,
you will be able to continue the game at the point it was when you lost
your last life.
<p>You will find below the documentation of the game, allowing you to benefit
fully from the experience of playing Ababall and its possibilities.
<p>Don't forget to visit often the official site of the game
<a href="http://www.ababall.com" TARGET="new window">http://www.ababall.com</a>
in order to be informed of the latest news about it, reading or writing
messages in the dedicated forum, or simply to know what is the current
state of the best high scores by Ababall players from around the world!
<center>
<p><a NAME="briques"></a><b><u><font size=+2>Bricks:</font></u></b></center>
<p>There are several kinds of bricks :
<p>- <b><i>colored bricks</i></b>, which are destroyed after being touched
by the ball:
<p><img SRC="pictures/BriqueBleue.jpg" ALT="brique bleue" NOSAVE height=31 width=49><img SRC="pictures/BriqueMauve.jpg" ALT="brique mauve" NOSAVE height=31 width=49><img SRC="pictures/BriqueOrange.jpg" ALT="brique orange" NOSAVE height=31 width=49><img SRC="pictures/BriqueRose.jpg" ALT="brique rose" NOSAVE height=31 width=49><img SRC="pictures/BriqueVerte.jpg" ALT="brique verte" NOSAVE height=31 width=49>
<p>- <b><i>gray brick</i></b>, which needs to be touched twice to be destroyed
:
<p><img SRC="pictures/BriqueGrise.jpg" ALT="brique grise" NOSAVE height=31 width=49>
<p>- <b><i>black brick</i></b>, which can't be destroyed with the "normal"
ball :
<p><img SRC="pictures/BriqueNoire.jpg" ALT="brique noire" NOSAVE height=31 width=49>
<p>It is not necessary to destroy black bricks to be able to finish a level.
<p>In some levels, you will also find <b>special bricks</b> :
<p>- <b><i>dynamite brick</i></b>: when a ball touches this brick, there
is an explosion and all the bricks around are destroyed, even the black
ones.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BriqueDynamite.jpg" ALT="brique dynamite" NOSAVE height=56 width=55>
<p>- <b><i>multiball brick</i></b>: when a ball touches this brick, an
additional ball will appear.
<br>This brick can't be destroyed with a normal ball, so it is not necessary
to destroy it to finish a level.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BriqueMultiball.jpg" ALT="brique multiball" NOSAVE height=56 width=55>
<p>- <b><i>recompose brick</i></b>: when a ball touches this brick, all
the bricks around which was destroyed are regenerated.
<br>This brick can't be destroyed with a normal ball, so it is not necessary
to destroy it to finish a level.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BriqueRecompose.jpg" ALT="brique recompose" NOSAVE height=56 width=55>
<p>- <b><i>warp brick</i></b>: when a ball touches this brick, it is randomly
teleported to another warp brick.
<br>This brick can't be destroyed with a normal ball, so it is not necessary
to destroy it to finish a level.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BriqueTeletrans.jpg" ALT="brique warp" NOSAVE height=56 width=55>
<center>
<p><a NAME="options"></a><b><u><font size=+2>PowerUps:</font></u></b></center>
<p>When you destroy a colored brick, it can release a powerup that you
can catch with the paddle, before it goes off the bottom of the screen.
<p>These powerups can be good or bad, depending on the powerup and the
situation:
<p>- <b><i>slow ball</i></b> powerup: makes the ball go slower.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusBalleLente.jpg" ALT="option balle lente" NOSAVE height=45 width=48>
<p>- <b><i>fast ball</i></b> powerup: makes the ball go faster.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusBalleRapide.jpg" ALT="option balle rapide" NOSAVE height=40 width=44>
<p>- <b><i>500 points</i></b> powerup: when you catch it, your score is
increased by 500 points, in addition to the 100 points granted when
any powerup is caught.
<p><img SRC="pictures/Bonus500.jpg" ALT="option 500 points" NOSAVE height=39 width=68>
<p>- <b><i>big paddle</i></b> powerup: when this powerup is caught, your
paddle becomes larger.
<br>This powerup has a limited duration and cancels the effects of the
fireball.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusGrandeRaket.jpg" ALT="option grande raquette" NOSAVE height=34 width=64>
<p>- <b><i>small paddle</i></b> powerup: when this powerup is caught, your
paddle becomes smaller.
<br>This powerup has a limited duration and cancels the effects of the
fireball.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusPetiteRaket.jpg" ALT="option petite raquette" NOSAVE height=35 width=63>
<p>- <b><i>magnetic paddle</i></b> powerup: when this powerup is
caught, your paddle gets magnetized, meaning that the next time the ball
hits the paddle, it will remain stuck to it, until you press the release
button or after a timeout of 5 seconds (there are 5 green LED lights on
the right side of the screen, one of these five lights will go off every
five seconds when a timed powerup has been obtained).
<br>This option allows you to aim the ball more easily at the bricks you
want to destroy.
<br>This powerup has a limited duration and cancels the effects of the
fireball.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusRaketAmantee.jpg" ALT="option raquette aimant�e" NOSAVE height=35 width=64>
<p>- <b><i>gun paddle</i></b> powerup: when this powerup is caught,
your paddle becomes a machine-gun, which means that it will shoot bullets
each time you press the fire button: if the paddle size is small, there
will be only 1 bullet, 2 for normal size and 3 on the big paddle.
<br>These bullets can destroy the colored bricks and the monsters, but
note that you will obtain less points for a target being destroyed by a
bullet than for one destroyed with the ball.
<br>This powerup has a limited duration and cancels the effects of the
fireball.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusRaketGun.jpg" ALT="option raquette mitraillette" NOSAVE height=37 width=62>
<p>- <b><i>surprise</i></b> powerup: when this powerup is caught, the program
chooses randomly one of the previous powerups (slow ball, fast ball, 500
points, big paddle, small paddle, magnetic paddle, gun paddle).
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusInterrogation.jpg" ALT="option surprise" NOSAVE height=46 width=44>
<p>- <i><b>multiball</b> </i>powerup : when this powerup is caught, your
ball becomes 3 balls (you can have up to 5 balls on the screen at a time,
the ball which splits into 3 is the one highest on the screen when the
multiball powerup is caught).
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusMultiball.jpg" ALT="option multiball" NOSAVE height=46 width=52>
<p>- <b><i>fireball </i></b>powerup: when this powerup is caught,
your ball becomes a fireball: this is a very powerful ball and is capable
of destroying many more bricks than the normal one ball can. It can destroy
black bricks and also special bricks, and when it touches a colored brick,
it also destroys the bricks on the left and right of the brink the fireball
touched.
<br>This power up has a very limited time duration, so make good use of
it !
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusFireball.jpg" ALT="option fireball" NOSAVE height=52 width=41>
<p>- <b><i>sudden death</i></b> powerup: if your paddle touches this powerup
while it is falling, then you will loose one life!
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusDead.jpg" ALT="option mort" NOSAVE height=44 width=41>
<p>- <b><i>extra life</i></b> powerup: when this powerup is caught, you
will have gained an additional life. The number of remaining lives is displayed
on the left side of the screen, with orange LED lights (5 LED lights can
be displayed at one time, but the program handles up to 9 lives).
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusXtraball.jpg" ALT="option vie gratuite" NOSAVE height=33 width=65>
<p>- <b><i>reverse paddle</i></b> powerup : when this powerup is caught,
the movements of the paddle are reversed: if you move left, the paddle
will go right, and vice-versa !
<br>This powerup has a limited time duration and it's effect is canceled
if you catch any powerup which effects the paddle.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusRaketInversee.jpg" ALT="option raquette invers�e" NOSAVE height=31 width=62>
<p>- <b><i>end of level</i></b> powerup: when this powerup is caught, the
side gates at the bottom corners of the screen will open, as if you destroyed
all the bricks. This will allow you to exit the level (by moving the paddle
through a door) if you want to. This decision can be made depending on
your strategy: you may prefer to stay in the current level to score as
much points as possible, or you can choose to exit immediately to increase
your chances of going go as far as possible with the game.
<br>If you die while the doors are open with this powerup, they will be
closed when you reappear.
<p><img SRC="pictures/BonusFinLevel.jpg" ALT="option fin de niveau" NOSAVE height=41 width=54>
<p>Each time you get one powerup, your score is increased by 100 points.
<b>Tip:</b>
This may cause you to catch a powerup even if it is a bad one (in this
case your objective would be to get the highest possible score).
<p>A picture of the powerup you just caught is displayed in the top center
area of the screen for one second, which is cool if you don't remember
which powerup it was, but even more useful with the surprise powerup.
<p>Some of the powerups have a timed duration, like the small paddle, big
paddle, magnetic paddle, gun paddle, reversed paddle and the fireball.
<br>When you catch one of these powerups, you will see in the top center
area of the screen a picture which will begin as green with a slow flickering
and become red with a fast flickering as the time runs out. When the flickering
ends, the powerup effect will be canceled and you will have a normal paddle
if it was a paddle related powerup.
<p>The fireball effect is also canceled at the end of its timeout or when
you catch a paddle related powerup.
<p>Some of the powerups are cumulative, for example the big paddle powerup
and the magnetic paddle powerup can be an interesting combination. Or when
you see that you are near to the end of the timed duration of a powerup,
you may choose to take a powerup which is considered bad: for example you
have a machine gun paddle and you know that it will end in a few seconds
but you see that there is a small paddle powerup falling, you then have
two choices, you can either let the machine gun paddle powerup terminate
by itself, making your paddle normal, or you can try to catch the small
paddle powerup and you will then have a small machine gun, but with the
timeout starting at the beginning !
<p>As you can see, you will often have to make some decisions, depending
on your strategy and goal; playing as many levels as possible or trying
to beat your own high score.
<center>
<p><a NAME="monstres"></a><b><u><font size=+2>Monsters:</font></u></b></center>
<p>On most levels, you will see some monsters.
<p>The purpose of the monsters is to disrupt your game. When the ball hits
one monster, its trajectory is modified, which can cause you miss the ball
and lose a life.
<br>Here are just a few of the monsters you might encounter :
<center>
<p><img SRC="pictures/streumDe.jpg" ALT="monstre d�" NOSAVE height=83 width=75><img SRC="pictures/streumMonstreA.jpg" ALT="monstre yoyo" NOSAVE height=28 width=75><img SRC="pictures/streumBouleverte.jpg" ALT="monstre boule verte" NOSAVE height=74 width=75><img SRC="pictures/streumRessord.jpg" ALT="monstre ressort" NOSAVE height=30 width=75><img SRC="pictures/streumtoupie.jpg" ALT="monstre toupie" NOSAVE height=75 width=90></center>
<p>You will also sometimes find acid monsters : when they are on a brick
of the same color that them, they destroy it.
<br>If there are no more bricks under them, then they will fall: Avoid
them or they will kill you!
<center>
<p><a NAME="controles"></a><b><u><font size=+2>Controls:</font></u></b>
<p><img SRC="pictures/buttons.jpg" ALT="boutons du palm" NOSAVE height=62 width=200></center>
<b>In the menus :</b>
<p>When you are in the menus, you can change your selection with the up
and down buttons and validate your choice with any of the 4 others buttons.
<br>You can also use your stylus, by just taping on the choice you want
to select.
<p><b>In the game :</b>
<p>When you are in the game, the up and down buttons will pause the game.
<p>You can move the paddle to the left by pressing the <b>date book</b>
button and to the right by pressing the <b>address book </b>button.
<p>The <b>to do list</b> button allows you to move the paddle very slowly
and precisely, while you continue to control direction with the <b>date
book</b> and <b>address book</b> buttons.
<p>To release a magnetized ball or to fire some bullets when you have the
machine gun paddle, just press the <b>memo pad</b> button.
<p>This is the default configuration, which can be modified in the options
menu.
<p>We recommend you use the stylus, which allows you much better control
of the paddle: you just need to keep it down in the graffiti area and move
it left or right.
<p>To shoot with the pen or to release a magnetized ball, just release
the stylus from the graffiti area and put it down again.
<p>The touch screen of the Palm is very sensitive, you don't need to press
hard with the stylus: use it gently to avoid striping the surface of the
screen accidentally.
<p>The way the ball bounces depends on where it touched the paddle and
is explained in the following picture: as you can see, there are a lot
of possible trajectories, which allows you very fine control of where you
want the ball to go.
<center>
<p><img SRC="pictures/trajectoires.jpg" ALT="trajectoires" NOSAVE height=82 width=200></center>
<p>The <a href="http://www.palmgamepad.com" TARGET="new window">GamePad</a>
as the <a href="http://www.sonystyle.com/micros/clie/features/jogdial.html" TARGET="new window">Jog
Dial </a>are also handled, in the menus and in the game.
<center>
<p><a NAME="menu-principal"></a><b><u><font size=+2>Main Menu:</font></u></b></center>
The following picture shows the main menu :
<center><img SRC="pictures/MAINMENU.jpg" ALT="menu principal" NOSAVE height=160 width=160></center>
<p>You can change your selection with the up and down buttons and validate
your choice with any of the 4 other buttons.
<br>You can also use the stylus, by just taping on the choice you want
to select.
<p>The various choices are :
<p>- <b>start a new game</b> : select this choice if you want to start
a new game.
<br>Warning : if you have stopped a game in progress and, it will be lost
since you will start on level 1.
<br>If you intend to continue a previously stopped game in progress, just
use the next choice.
<br>- <b>resume current game</b> : select this choice if you want to continue
a previously stopped game in progress.
<br>If there is no previously stopped game in progress, a new game starts.
<br>- <b>hall of fame</b> : select this choice to display the 10 best high
scores and to see the <b>Internet High Score Code</b>.
<br>- <b>options</b> : select this choice if you want to change any of
the options.
<br>- <b>registration</b> : select this choice to go to the screen allowing
you to register the game.
<br>- <b>exit program</b> : select this choice if you want to exit the
program.
<center>
<p><a NAME="menu-options"></a><b><u><font size=+2>Options Menu:</font></u></b></center>
<b>The following picture shows the options menu :</b>
<center><img SRC="pictures/OPTIONS.jpg" ALT="menu options" NOSAVE height=160 width=160></center>
<p>In this screen, you can change some settings.
<br>Each choice has 2 states : on/off for example for the sound, or 1/2
for the number of players.
<br>To change the state of one option, select it with the up and down buttons
and then press any of the 4 other buttons, or you can just tap on it with
the pen.
<p><b>Option definitions:</b>
<p>- <b>sound on / sound off</b>: this option allows you to cut the sound
effects off or to put them back on again.
<br>The game uses the amplitude selected in the General menu of the system
preferences of the Palm OS, relating to Game Sound.
<br>So, if you don't hear any sound effect while the sound option is ON
in the game, just change the value used in the system preferences for Game
Sound.
<br>- <b>numbers of players 1/2</b> : this option allows you to choose
the number of players for the game.
<br>If you want to play Ababall with a friend, just choose
<b><i>number
of players 2</i></b> and you will be able to play together, one at a time,
the turn of a player ending when he looses one life.
<br>- <b>performances / compatibility</b> : This option has been added
to allow the game to run on future versions of Palm OS or on devices that
didn't exist when the game was created.
<br>The game display some very smooth animations, at a framerate of 50
frames per second on any color Palm OS device.
<br>To be able to do that, the authors of the game have used some special
technics which work perfectly on all the current devices, but which might
not work on some new version of Palm OS or on some new device.
<br>So, if you have a very new model of PalmPilot or a new release of Palm
OS which is not yet supported by the program and you find that the game
does not work correctly, just select the option <b>compatibility.</b>
<br>In general, <b>you don't need to change this option</b>, unless you
are having difficulty making the game work with your device.
<br>So please leave this option on <b>performances</b>, which is
the default choice.
<br>- <b>control option </b>: This option allows you to change the configuration
of the buttons.
<br>- <b>return to main menu</b> : select this choice to return to the
main menu.
<center>
<p><a NAME="scores"></a><b><u><font size=+2>Hall of Fame:</font></u></b></center>
This screen displays the 10 best highest scores :
<center><img SRC="pictures/HALOFAME.jpg" ALT="page des scores" NOSAVE height=160 width=160></center>
<p>It also displays the <b>Internet High Score Code</b> of your best score
(the one ranked at first position).
<p>This code allows you to prove that you scored well and enables you to
enter it on the official web site of the game ( <a href="http://www.ababall.com" TARGET="new window">http://www.ababall.com
</a>)
so you can compare your results with those of other players from all over
the world.
<p>Just click on OK to return to the main menu.
<p>The next picture shows the screen you will see at the end of a game
(Game Over), when your score is better than one of the 10 high scores :
<center>
<p><img SRC="pictures/HALOFAM2.jpg" ALT="saisie du score" NOSAVE height=160 width=160></center>
<p>It displays the ranking ( from 1 to 10 ), the score value, and also
a keyboard.
<br>Tap your pen on the keyboard to enter the name you want to associate
with this score.
<br>When you are done, tap OK.
<center>
<p><a NAME="enregistrement"></a><b><u><font size=+2>Registration :</font></u></b></center>
This picture displays the registration screen :
<center>
<p><img SRC="pictures/REGISTRATION.jpg" ALT="menu enregistrement" NOSAVE height=160 width=160></center>
<p>When the game is not registered, you can try it in demo mode, which
contains only 4 levels.
<br>To register the game and play all 32 levels and to encourage the authors
to make other awesome games for the Palm OS, just go to <a href="http://www.iambic.com" TARGET="new window">http://www.ababall.com</a>
.
<br>You will then have to communicate the <b>Device ID</b> displayed by
the program on the top of this screen and you will receive in return (once
the payment will is validated) an <b>Unlock Code</b> that you will have
to enter in this screen using the displayed keyboard and the stylus.
<p>Once the unlock code is accepted, you will never have to enter it again
and you will finally be able to discover the 32 available levels and other
surprises contained in the game.
<p>All the development team wish you lots of fun playing Ababall!
<center>
<p><a href="#description">Description</a> - <a href="#briques">Bricks</a>
- <a href="#options">PowerUps</a> - <a href="#monstres">Monsters</a>
- <a href="#controles">Controls</a> - <a href="#menu-principal">Main Menu</a>
- <a href="#menu-options">Options Menu</a> -
<a href="#scores">Hall
of Fame</a> -
<a href="#enregistrement">Registration</a></center>