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! THE SNAPPER !
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! PRESENTED BY BETS C. !
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The game begins by asking you a series of questions; if you make a
mistake, press 'ESC' to start over. When you select a 2 player game
you can choose a different skill level for each player.
J = Joystick
K = Keyboard
The joystick has 8 different directions. The four diagonal directions
cause the Snapper to alternate left and right turns. If the joystick
position is near the center, then the Snapper will continue in the
same direction. While the joystick control is rather unusual and takes
some getting used to, it also provides for quick and sure response for
the advanced player, and was chosen with that in mind.
With the keyboard, there are 4 directions.
N = Up
M = Down
, = Left
The Snapper will not change direction if the key is just held down
(unless holding repeat too)...it will continue in the same direction
till the next key press.
When you start playing the game, you'll see a gridwork of lines with
scoring and status information above it. You control the Snapper,
directing it about the grid; the Snapper starts in the exact center of
the grid. In addition, you will see 4 bases, a number of blots in 2
different colors, 2 whirlers which start near the top corners of the
grid, and a Gamma-Field which starts in the lower center below the
Snapper. The whirlers and the Gamma-Field move about and are
controlled by the Apple; the whirlers move on the grid lines (like the
Snapper) and the Gamma-Field moves at random over the display. The
bases stay fixed, and the Blots also stay fixed until eaten by the
Snapper.a
The scoring and status area above the grid displays on-going
information about the game. The top line indicates the total score for
each player, the number of shields available (yellow X's) and the
number of lives left (Snapper symbols). The next two lines are
organized into 3 boxes. The center box gives you the amount of time
left in this round; you'll lose your Snapper if time runs out. (The
normal game sounds will change at 10 and 5 counts left, as an audible
warning that time is running out.) The left-hand box shows the current
values for each of the two colors of blots; each time that you eat a
blot, these values will increase. The right box gives the accumulated
round score, plus the player's current score multiplier. You don't get
the round score added to your total score until you touch one of the 4
bases. An extra line below the 3 boxes is used to send messages to the
player.
You score points by guiding the Snapper to eat blots which are
scattered about the grid. You don't actually get the points for eating
the blots, however, until you touch one of the 4 bases. Since the
blots increase in value for each blot eaten, but are restored to their
original values when the round ends (when you touch base or die),
you're encouraged to get as many blots as you can before touching
base. Also, as the game progresses, you'll find that you must get a
minimum number of blots in the round before you are permitted to touch
base. (This is indicated in the 'special message' section of the score
area.)
Your Snapper is killed if you run out of time or if it touches either
a Whirler or Gamma-Field. You have a limited number of shields
available; a shield is activated by either pressing down (not holding
down) the first joystick button or if using the keyboard by either
pressing the shift key while pressing one of the direction keys or by
pressing '/'. You'll get one shield for each new round, up to a
maximum of 3. The shield is on when the Snapper is yellow. It will
protect you from the whirler, but not from the Gamma-Field (which must
simply be avoided). The shield can also be used to prevent you from
actually touching base, should you desire not to do so, but can't
avoid going over it.
At the outset, the grid lines show in purple. However, as you progress
to higher rounds, more and more of these lines will turn blue-green in
color. Such lines are slicks; whenever the Snapper turns onto a
slick, it will move twice as fast as usual. However, the Snapper can't
turn off the slick until it reaches the end of that slick. When the
Snapper reaches the end of the slick it may immediately turn back onto
the same slick by reversing direction; if this is done, the Snapper
will continue at double speed, but it may now turn off onto any
available path along the way. At the uppermost rounds available in the
game, every path is a slick.
The Whirlers travel along the grid lines (and aren't affected by the
slicks) in addition, they occasionally remove grid lines, preventing
the Snapper from going over such removed lines. These lines are
restored at the next round if the Snapper is killed, or if you get a
ring.
After every 10 blots or so that you get, you will have a chance to get
a ring. The ring appears in the center of the grid, and is signalled
by an extra audible tone. The ring only stays up for a fixed amount of
time and will flash when it starts to disappear. You'll want to get
the ring whenever possible because your score multiplier will be
increased by one (to a maximum of 40) and the new multiplier affects
the entire value of the round score added to your total score, the
grid lines that have been removed will be restored, and after every
fifth ring you get an extra life. You may have up to 12 total lives as
a result of extra lives, but only 6 lives (your Snapper on the grid
plus 5 more next to your score) will be shown.
When 2 players play, they share the keyboard or joystick in turn. If
you end your round by touching base, it will remain your turn for
another round. If your Snapper is killed, however, then it becomes the
other player's turn, unless he has no more lives.
You may restart the game at any time by pressing 'ESC'; when the game
ends press 'ESC' to restart, the game won't restart itself.