                          XPLOSIVE
                  A Triple Team Production
                            1995
                     - reference guide -

Contents

     1. Introduction

     2. Getting installed...

     3. XPLOSIVE DUEL GAME

     4. XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME

     5. XPLOSIVE LEVEL EDITOR

     6. Short summary of the game

     7. Keyboard reference

     8. The Extras

     9. The Monsters

    10. Remarks about the freeware version

1 Introduction

  Just like the registered  version,  this  freeware  version
  consists of three parts.  The  XPLOSIVE  DUEL  GAME  is  of
  course the classic one. It is great fun when  two  or  more
  players happen to be in the vicinity. Find out, who is  the
  best player!

  The XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME is the  second  part  of  XPLOSIVE.
  Here the Triple Team and  many  ingenious  level  designers
  (whom we would like to thank again in  alphabetical  order:
  Frank & Florian Dietrich, Armin Herbertz,  Michael  Heuser,
  Stefan Kohl, Bjoern Stahmer) designed over one hundred (154
  to be exact) levels  which  you  (and  your  friends)  must
  solve. One to four players can participate and  their  task
  is to kill all the  monsters  (some  of  them  will  REALLY
  surprise you!). Warp codes will  keep  up  your  motivation
  since you can reenter the level in which you last died. The
  third and last part of  the  game  is  the  XPLOSIVE  LEVEL
  EDITOR. This tool allows you to  create  your  own  levels,
  test them, save them and make passwords for them.  You  can
  easily bundle single levels to sets of levels.

2 Getting installed...

  To install the  game,  copy  all  the  files  in  a  single
  directory (this is necessary for  all  the  parts  to  work
  consistently). Change into this directory if  you  want  to
  play the game.

3 XPLOSIVE DUEL GAME

  Start the XPLOSIVE DUEL GAME by typing 'XDR <ENTER>' at the
  DOS prompt. The title  screens  will  show  up.  Press  the
  <ESCAPE> key early to skip them (you cannot avoid the first
  first screen, though). The menu will show up.  Use  <CURSOR
  UP> and <CURSOR DOWN> to select (highlight) an option.  Use
  <SPACE> or <ENTER> to change the option.

  The options are:

  PLAYERS -- 2-4; select  the  number  of  the  participating
    players

  MATCH POINTS -- 1-9; determines the points a  player  needs
    to win a game

  BLOCKS -- 0-9;  the  block  density  in  the  game;  higher
    numbers mean more blocks

  MONSTERS -- 0-9; the monster density; higher  numbers  mean
    more monsters (you may like to select a  low  number,  if
    your computer is too slow for a high monster density).

  SELECT (MONSTERS) -- switch on/ off the monsters  according
    to your liking by using <CURSOR LEFT>, <CURSOR RIGHT> and
    <SPACE>.

  LET'S GO -- Starts the game.

  QUIT -- Ends the game and saves the current options

  Now everything is ready for an exciting  XPLOSIVE  DUEL.  A
  sort of sennet sounds just  before  the  game  starts,  the
  screen fades out and fades in with the first level. In  the
  left area of the  screen  the  current  game  situation  is
  displayed while in the right area there is the score panel,
  showing the number of victories in a match for every single
  active  player.  Victory  means  survival.  And   that   is
  therefore the aim of  the  XPLOSIVE  DUEL  GAME:  survival!
  Challenge the other players and monsters and show them  who
  is the best by throwing bombs or heating them with a  flame
  thrower, so that they cannot react anymore and will  prefer
  the agony of death to  the  stress  of  the  game!  But  be
  careful: the fate may suddenly turn  against  you  and  you
  will certainly be very astonished to note  that  the  other
  players team up against you.

  Pressing <ESCAPE> "skips" a level: no one will get a point,
  the screen fades out and a new level fades in.  The  Triple
  Team strongly recommends, based on  their  own  experience,
  that the players may agree BEFORE the game on  the  use  of
  the <ESCAPE> key  to  prevent  physical  violence  because:
  "that idiot pressed <ESCAPE> again. That's enough!" (POW!).

  Holding down <ESCAPE> until the screen is dark returns  you
  to the menu.

4 XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME

  Start the XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME by typing  'XLR  xxxxxxxx.LEV
  <ENTER>' at the DOS prompt. Exchange  'xxxxxxxx'  with  the
  level file you want to play. To start  the  game  with  the
  original Triple Team level files, start it with 'XLR XP.LEV
  <ENTER>'. The title screens will show up,  skip  them  with
  <ESCAPE> and the menu will fade in. Highlight an option  by
  using <CURSOR UP> and <CURSOR DOWN>. Change  an  option  by
  using <SPACE> or <ENTER>. The first option  is  the  PLAYER
  number, the second the number of LIVES.  The  third  option
  (WARP) is special: by using the number keys <1> to <4>  you
  can enter a warp code  which  will  warp  (teleport,  beam,
  move) you to the level in which you obtained that code.  At
  the beginning,  you  don't  know  a  code,  but  after  the
  completion of each level the appropriate warp code for  the
  following level will be displayed. However,  this  is  only
  true for the xp.lev file (113 levels). The  more  difficult
  levels found in pro.lev (41 levels) and adv.lev (60 levels,
  taken from both xp.lev and pro.lev) do  not  yield  a  code
  after each level. In order to avoid typing in  'XLR  XP.LEV
  <ENTER>' at the DOS prompt each time, you  can  also  start
  any of the three  level  files  by  executing  one  of  the
  batches: PLAY_STD.BAT,  PLAY_ADV.BAT  and  PLAY_PRO.BAT.  A
  non-existing warp code lets you start with the first level.
  Feel free to fiddle around with these  codes,  but  beware:
  warping to a higher level accidentally a  beginner  doesn't
  stand a chance. The option LET'S GO starts the  game  while
  the option QUIT ends the game.

  In the game the left area of  the  screen  shows  the  game
  situation, while the right area (the "score panel"  of  the
  XPLOSIVE DUEL GAME) indicates, how many extra  lives  every
  players has.

  The <ESCAPE> key means "Surrender". You lose  a  life,  the
  level restarts and you can try to complete it. A  level  is
  completed if all the monsters are killed. A warp code  will
  show up (don't forget to scribble the code down!)  and  the
  next level will start. Since you must kill all monsters  to
  finish  a  level,  read  the  monster  descriptions   below
  carefully to find out, what you must do exactly to  kill  a
  specific monster.

  IMPORTANT NOTE: if you're really a hot shot, also  try  the
  PRO.LEV level files on your game disk.

5 XPLOSIVE LEVEL EDITOR

  Start the XPLOSIVE LEVEL EDITOR by typing 'XE' at  the  DOS
  prompt. Don't get confused when the screen shows  up,  it's
  all very easy.

  IMPORTANT NOTE: You need a (Microsoft-compatible) mouse for
  the XPLOSIVE LEVEL EDITOR.

  In the left area of the screen is the level. In  the  right
  area are the different control options to edit the level.

  In the upper right corner, there are five buttons, to  make
  a NEW level, to LOAD a level, to SAVE a level,  to  TEST  a
  level, to select a warp CODE, and to return to DOS.

  Beside these buttons there are the elements with which  you
  can edit a level. There are  blocks,  the  extras  and  the
  monsters. Use the arrow buttons to scroll the lists up  and
  down. Pick out the element which you want to use and  place
  it in the level using the left mouse  key.  Note  that  the
  layout of the empty levels cannot be changed and trying  to
  put an element into one of the reserved positions  will  be
  rejected. You can change the players' starting position  by
  picking out the appropriate player and placing  it  on  the
  map. You  can  stack  monsters  and  players  on  the  same
  position but don't lose track. The right key of  the  mouse
  is used to delete single elements in the map. Monsters will
  be deleted first and then the map  element  is  changed  to
  floor. You cannot delete players.

  After you create a level you should enter a code  by  using
  the CODE option. Then you can TEST it (simply click on  the
  button and the XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME will start) or  SAVE  it
  (enter the level  name  WITHOUT  extension:  if  you  enter
  'STONED' as level, then 'STONED.LEV' will be save). LOADing
  works much the same.

  Notes:

  * Don't forget to place monsters in the levels. If you want
    a duel, play XPLOSIVE DUEL GAME.

  * Impossible things can be created with the editor  and  it
    won't complain. But  you  cannot  solve  these  kinds  of
    levels in the XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME.

  * The editor cannot cope with multilevel sets. So,  if  you
    try to load the original levels (XP) it  will  only  load
    the very first of them.

  XPLOSIVE LEVEL EDITOR only saves single  levels.  By  using
  the ordinary DOS 'COPY' command you can bundle  several  of
  these files to a single file. Suppose you have 'STONED.LEV'
  and 'FIREFIRE.LEV' on  your  harddisk.  Type  in  'COPY  /B
  STONED.LEV + FIREFIRE.LEV SET.LEV' at  the  DOS  prompt  to
  produce 'SET.LEV' which contains two levels (and that's why
  it is 468 bytes long). Start the XPLOSIVE LEVEL  GAME  with
  'XLR SET.LEV' and you can play these two levels  in  a  row
  with warp codes and all the stuff. If you know  how  'COPY'
  works you can probably  work  out  easier  ways  to  bundle
  levels, for example by given them  similar  names.  If  you
  have ten levels named 'L0.LEV' to 'L9.LEV' you can use  the
  following  command:  'COPY  /B  L?.LEV  SET.LEV'.   It   is
  important that you don't forget the  '/B'  switch  directly
  after the 'COPY' command. Caution: don't delete your single
  levels since you can't edit them easily with  the  XPLOSIVE
  LEVEL EDITOR.

  One last hint concerning the warp codes: if  you  have  the
  same warp code twice or more times in a level set  it  will
  cause problems.

6 Short summary of the game

  You as player control a rabbit. You  can  move  the  rabbit
  using the direction keys described below. You can  plant  a
  bomb by using the fire  key.  A  bomb  will  explode  three
  seconds after it is planted, so make sure  that  you  won't
  get killed  by  the  explosion.  The  explosions  are  only
  horizontal and/  or  vertical.  Explosions  will  kill  you
  (unless you are invulnerable), certain  types  of  monsters
  (see the monster reference) and will atomize all extras and
  destructible blocks. If blocks are destroyed,  there  is  a
  chance, that extras will appear. These are described below.

7 Keyboard reference

  The four players use always  the  same  keys  in  both  the
  XPLOSIVE DUEL GAME and the XPLOSIVE LEVEL  GAME.  Here  are
  the keys::

    Player Color   Up      Right    Left     Down    Fire
    1      Red     NUM: 8  NUM: 6   NUM: 4   NUM: 2  NUM: 0
                   (or use the cursor   keys)
    2      Yellow  W       D        A        S       CNTRL
    3      Green   P               L               R. SHIFT
    4      Blue    Z       J        G        H       V

  You can also use KEYCFG.EXE to reconfigure  your  keyboard.
  If strange things happen, just  delete  'XPLOSIVE.CFG'  and
  start the XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME to get things fixed...

8 The extras

  In the XPLOSIVE LEVEL  GAME  and  the  XPLOSIVE  DUEL  GAME
  several extras appear in the game. You can  take  them  (by
  moving over them) or destroy them (by placing a  bomb  next
  to them). Sometimes you may wish to  do  the  latter  thing
  rather than the former in order to  prevent  other  players
  from getting stronger or you just don't like  the  risk  of
  taking the extras. The following extras appear in the game:

  Range extra -- (looks  like  a  double  arrow)  this  extra
    increases the  range  of  your  explosions  by  one.  The
    starting range is two.

  Bomb extra -- (looks like a bomb with a plus  sign  on  it)
    this extra increases the number of  bombs  simultaneously
    available to discharge. The starting number is of  course
    one.

  Risk extras -- (look like question marks) these extras  can
    have different effects. Each of the four  question  marks
    available (red, green, blue, white) has a good effect and
    a bad effect. If you take a question mark,  the  computer
    randomly chooses between the two effects.  We  think  you
    should find out in detail which effect  belongs  to  each
    question mark: flame thrower  (the  fire  key  invokes  a
    flame thrower), slow motion (you're only half as fast  as
    usual),  confusion   (your   direction   keys   will   be
    exchanged), range reduction  (your  bomb  range  will  be
    reduced to one), stone explosion (the next explosion will
    cause blocks to appear), dematerialization (you can  move
    through solid rock, but are not invulnerable), auto  fire
    (you lay bombs automatically), invulnerability  (monsters
    and explosion won't harm  you).  Each  effect  lasts  ten
    seconds.

  Star -- (looks like, well,  you  can  guess  that...)  this
    extra comprises all the four good  effects  of  the  four
    question marks.

  Shield -- (...) take this extra to become invulnerable  for
    ten seconds. But be careful: if  you  take  another  risk
    extra, the effect probably will be deactivated. There can
    only be one special effect activated at a time.

  Hour glass -- (...)  stops  the  monsters  for  about  4.25
    seconds. Note that this time is  sufficient  to  plant  a
    bomb under them that will detonate before they spring  to
    life again.

  Carrot -- (...) eating this extras will speed you up for an
    indefinite amount of time. Beware: the slow motion  extra
    described above will negate the effects.

  Exchange -- (green arrow and white arrow in a circle,  sort
    of ying- yang)  this is probably the most fiendish  extra
    in the game and especially in  the  XPLOSIVE  DUEL  GAME.
    Many suggestions were made to abolish this extra and  put
    its use under severe punishment of law. But under  expert
    players as well as beginners this extra  will  cause  the
    most fun and satisfaction and  confusion.  What  are  the
    effects of this extra? Well, if you step on it, you and a
    randomly determined second player will  change  position.
    Why should this be so fiendish? Well, find out  yourself.
    Note that in the XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME and one player  mode
    nothing happens at all.

9 The monsters

  There are 16 different monsters in the XPLOSIVE  DUEL  GAME
  and the XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME. There are rumors, that in  the
  XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME some more monsters are to be found.  So
  watch out! Following is a  description  of  all  the  known
  monsters in alphabetical order.

  Critter -- a critter is a furry creature that wants to  eat
    you. When you come near it, it will smell  you  and  will
    become very  excited  at  the  prospect  of  eating  you.
    Critters die in explosions.

  Crusher -- a crusher is a gleaming red creature  with  very
    big teeth. A crusher loves to eat rocks but is  otherwise
    harmless. A simple explosion will kill it. Crusher can be
    dangerous in  combination  with  other  monsters.  You'll
    see...

  Dwarf -- dwarves love to surprise the players  by  stealing
    their bombs. They will  teleport  on  a  bomb  set  by  a
    player, disarm it,  put  it  in  a  great  blue  bag  and
    teleport again to escape.  A  simple  explosion  kills  a
    dwarf.

  Extra eater -- an extra eater paralyzes you for 1.5 seconds
    if you touch it (watch out for incoming explosions!).  It
    eats all the extras and is killed in a normal explosion.

  Fireball -- a fireball is a very nervous and  unpredictable
    creature. It will move to and fro and explode  from  time
    to time. Kill a fireball with a stone explosion.

  Ghost -- a ghost kills you, if you touch it, and is  easily
    killed in an explosion.

  Golem -- a golem is said to be a creature  made  of  stone.
    Our golem is not only made of  stone  but  also  has  the
    ability to make stone. So, if you see  a  golem  charging
    you from a distance, watch out, that he does not build  a
    wall around you which prevents your escape. Additionally,
    if you touch a golem, your character becomes  immediately
    confused (see the extras) for five seconds. This can be a
    nuisance, for you lose every other  special  effect  that
    may have been active. Golems can be killed. Because  they
    are so giant and  immensely  strong  creatures,  "normal"
    explosions do not knock them out but merely paralyze them
    for 4.25 seconds. But if they stand in the center  of  an
    explosion (a point in an explosion is called center  when
    in at least three different  direction  there  is  fire),
    they will get killed.

  Killers -- these evil creatures only  appear  in  packs  of
    three. They are very fast and their only goal it to  gnaw
    your ears off which is the  unhappiest  thing  which  can
    happen to a rabbit and will cause the  rabbit  to  commit
    suicide. Killers die in explosions.

  Living wall -- this monster is not  easily  recognized  and
    will often block the way of an unsuspecting player.  Kill
    a living wall by waiting on a crossroad until it moves on
    you. Then plant a bomb and flee. That means, if a  living
    wall is surrounded by fire in all the four directions  it
    will die.

  Mage -- a mage is very, very dangerous. It tries to get  at
    you and then it will kill you  with  its  attack  spells.
    Kill a mage like a golem.

  Ninja -- this monster kills you and is killed in explosion.
    Because it is only a ninja's  apprentice  it  is  not  so
    dangerous  after  all.  From  time  to  time  a   ninja's
    apprentice will stop  and  analyze  the  situation.  This
    makes it very vulnerable.

  Pit -- a pit is immobile. From time to time  it  will  open
    and kill every players who steps in  the  great  gap.  To
    kill a pit an explosion must hit it, while it is  opening
    or closing. Pits only appear in the XPLOSIVE LEVEL GAME.

  Predator -- they are invisible. Okay, if they move you will
    see them a little bit, but if they stand still you cannot
    see them. Predators kill you and die in explosions.

  Slime --  this  monster  can  change  its  appearance   and
    characteristics  and  that's  why  some  call  it   shape
    shifter. Slime can convert in a  golem,  a  ghost  and  a
    extra eater. It  will  return  to  slime  form,  when  it
    touches a bomb or after a specific time. When  it  is  in
    slime form, it is invulnerable. So, what you have  to  do
    to kill a slime, is to plant bombs in  a  distance.  They
    will kill it when it is in ghost or extra eater form.

  Spider -- a spider kills players and spins webs  from  time
    to time. If you step on a web you will be paralyzed for a
    short time and the web will disappear.  You  can  destroy
    webs with explosions just as the spider itself.

  Turtle -- a turtle is harmless but very easily  frightened.
    If you pester a turtle, it will stop and  block  the  way
    for all the monsters and players. An explosion causes the
    same behaviour. Brutal is it may sound, the only  way  to
    kill a turtle is a stone explosion.

10 Remarks about the freeware version

  This is the freeware version of XPLOSIVE, which is for  the
  most part identical to the registered version.

  The major difference is, that the freeware version  may  be
  distributed freely (i.e. without charging for it), as  long
  as all the original files are included:

  File list of the freeware version:

  * 1.cpc

  * 2.cpc

  * 3.cpc

  * 4.cpc

  * 5.cpc

  * 6.dmp

  * 6.pal

  * adv.lev

  * Grafix.dmp

  * Keycfg.exe

  * Mouse.spr

  * Play_adv.bat

  * Play_pro.bat

  * Play_std.bat

  * Pro.lev

  * Sprite.spr

  * Warp.blk

  * Xdr.exe

  * Xe.exe

  * Xgrafix.dmp

  * Xlgmenu.blk

  * Xlr.exe

  * Xp.lev

  * Xplosive.cfg

  * xplosive.html

  * xplosive_de.txt

  * xplosive_en.txt


                          HAVE FUN:
                      YOUR TRIPLE TEAM


                    Contact Information:
         "Kai Herbertz", mailto:Kai.Herbertz@Gmx.De


  THE TRIPLE TEAM CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE
            THAT MIGHT OCCUR USING ITS PROGRAMS.
