BOMBS AND BUGS V3.1
from AWKWARD Software


Programed by Stefan Eilert
Graphics by Hendrik Dijkstra and Stefan Eilert
Sounds and music by Uli Baier


Many thanks:
------------
- for 'Allegro': Shawn Hargreaves and eveyone who contributed to it
  (http://www.talula.demon.co.uk/allegro/)
- Greg Hackmann for his help compiling Bombs And Bugs with BCB


Inhalt
------
1.0 What's new in 3.1?
1.1 What's this?
1.2 System requirements
1.3 Installation
1.4 Shareware restrictions
2.0 How to play
2.1 Controls
2.2 Power-Ups
3.0 The menus
3.1 The bugs menu
3.2 The arena menu
3.3 The options menu
4.0 Problems
5.0 Contact
6.0 Legal stuff


1.0 What's new in 3.1?
----------------------
* Bombs and Bugs is now a "true" Windows 95/98 program using DirectX 7.0! It may
  even run on Windows ME and 2000, but this is untested.
* Due to the platform change the hardware requirements are a little higher,
  but in exchange many problems (like no sound with PCI soundcards and crashes
  on an Athlon system with 3.0) are solved.
* The controls of the bugs are now fully customizable.
* ATTENTION: You need a new registration key for version 3.1, but if you already got
  one for an older version, just send it to us ("help@awkward.de") and we will
  send you a new one for free. The key is a small file called "regis.key".
* Due to the weak Euro currency, Bombs and Bugs got cheaper!!! Now it is just
  10 US Dollar (or 7 UK pound)
* But there are sad news: This will most likely be the last version of Bombs
  And Bugs. Since we couldn't invest as much time in it as we liked (which
  everyone has noticed, I think), we will stop any develpoment on this game.
  Hope everyone had fun with this! But maybe sometime there will be a new
  AWKWARD Software game at the horizon...


1.1 What's this?
----------------
'Bombs and Bugs' is a small but funny game for up to four human players. The
computer can control as many bugs as you like, but it's much more fun with
some friends.
It's all about running around in a labyrinth, lay bombs and try to survive.
The last one is the winner. Sounds not very nice - it isn't. But it's fun!!!


1.2 System requirements
-----------------------
- a Windows 95/98 compatibible PC
- DirectX 7.0 or later
- it MAY run on Windows ME and 2000, but this is untested

Not required, but recommended to increase fun:
- one or two joypads/joysticks for the third and fourth player
- a few good friends


1.3 Installation
----------------
Usually Installation is not needed. Just copy all files to a directory of your
choice and run 'bugs.exe'.
The first time you start 'Bombs and Bugs' you can choose between English or
German language. This (along with all other options) will be saved to a small
file called 'allegro.cfg'.


1.4 Shareware restrictions
--------------------------
This shareware version has some small restrictions, you can see them as some kind
of 'motivation' to buy the full version. How you get it? Just take a look at
'RegEng.txt' for further information. In the shareware some menu options are
disabled and you only get one bug graphic (four in the full version) and
two level graphics (instead of five). When you purchase a registration key for
'Bombs and Bugs' and put it into the game directory all restrictions are gone.


2.0 How to play
---------------
After starting 'bugs.exe' you get to the main menu. Simply choose 'Start' to play
the game. All other menu topics are described later.
The playing arena consists of solid and destroyable stones. The destroyable ones
can contain some nice power-ups to improve your poor little bug. To destroy
a stone, you need to put a bomb next to it. The explosion will destroy all
non-solid stones in its vincinity. If you are touched by an explosion you will
die (or loose a shield, one of the power-ups, you can collect). If a bug dies
all his collected power-ups will fly around, eventually landing somewhere in
the arena and can then be collected again by the other players.
The last bug standing wins the round and gets five points. Whoever has the most
points after a given number of rounds, wins.
Some additional rules:
- Bombs are like stones: They block your way. Once layed you cannot cross them.
- All bombs have a time fuse by default. The time can be altered with power-ups.
- An explosion iginites all bombs it touches. You can increase the size of the
  explosions with a power-up.
- Explosions destroy power-ups, bugs and all non-solid stones they touch.
- If you have layed a bomb you cannot place bombs for a few seconds. This
  timespan can be shortend with a power-up.


2.1 Controls
------------
Here is a list of the default controls:

Player one:
  Keyboard ('w'= up, 'd'= right, 's'= down, 'a'= left,
  'g'= lay bomb, 'h'= activate special power-up).
Player two:
  Keyboard (Cursor keys and 'Return' or 'Enter' to lay bombs. The big plus-key
  is your special power-up button).
Player three:
  If available: Joypad/joystick. If not it defaults to computer control.
Player four:
  If available: Joypad/joystick. If not it defaults to computer control.

Attention: The pads/sticks have to be installed correctly, or they will
  not be recognized.

Just press 'F1' to pause the game and 'ESC' to quit a round.


2.2 Power-ups
-------------
Big yellow star:
  Increase explosion. Collect up to seven of them.
Plain black bomb:
  You can lay bombs faster. You can collect five of them.
Clock with a minus:
  The bomb takes less time till it ignites. The shortest time is one second.
Clock with a plus:
  The bomb takes more time. The longest time is nine seconds.
Shield:
  The bug survives one explosion. You can carry as much as five shields at a
  time.
Evil face:
  You loose all your power-ups.

There are three special power-ups. You can only carry one at a time. If you
collect another, you loose the first.

Arrow:
  Speed-up: The bug gets faster.
Bomb with arrow:
  If you press your special power-up button, you can bowl a bomb across the
  arena. If it touches anything it explodes! The shorter your fuse is, the
  faster the bomb move.
Bomb with remote control:
  Every bomb you lay takes ten times more to iginite. But if you press your
  special power-up button, all bombs you placed explode at once!

You can the how much power-ups you collected on the right side of the screen
just under your bug's face.


3.0 The menus
-------------
The control of the menus is very easy: Use the cursor key 'up' and 'down'
to choose a topic and press 'left' or 'right' to change it (if there are
two arrows pointing away from the topic), or press 'return'/'enter' to select
this topic (if the arrows point towards it).
Selecting 'back' or pressing 'ESC' takes you back to the last menu.


3.1 The bugs menu
------------------
First select the player you like to change. In the next menu you can
change his look, his colors and if he is controled by a player, the computer
or if he switshed off. There are two levels for the computer: 'nice'
(usually gets power-ups first, then attacks other players) or 'mean' (the other
way round, very annoying).

If you choose to control the bug with keyboard or joypad/joystick you will
be prompted to enter the respective directions/buttons and keys.


3.2 The arena menu
------------------
You can change the arena graphic set or choose 'random' and let the computer
decide.


3.3 The options menu
--------------------
Here you get three sub menus:

Game optins:
- Choose where your bugs start: in the corners or at random positions.
- Change the number of rounds a match takes and how long a round should be.
- Change the language.

Graphics options:
- Should a big explosion make the screen tremble? This can cause problems
  on slower computers.
- Flying rubble after explosions on/off. Turn off on slower machines.
- Do you like to see the power-ups fly around after a bug dies? If you turn
  this off they just appear on random tiles. Again, switch this off it the
  game is too slow.

Sound options:
- Change volume of the music and sound effects.
- Flip speakers if the sounds appear on the wrong side.


4.0 Problems
------------
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about 'Bombs and Bugs':

Question: If I press ALT-TAB during Bombs And Bugs and get back to it later, all
  the graphics are scrambled!!!
Solution: Well, do not ALT-TAB out of Bombs and Bugs then. This is the standard
  answer form all big game companies... :-) The whole ALT-TAB problem is very
  compilcated when you are playing games under Windows.

Question: Sometimes the game gets incredibly slow. Especially when there are
  many computer controlled bugs.
Solution: Turn off all graphic options. Try also to keep the number of computer
  bugs low on slower machines.

If you have another problem, just email 'help@awkward.de'. We try
to help you then. Just send a precise description of your problem.


5.0 Contact
-----------
Snail mail:
AWKWARD-Software
Stefan Eilert
In den Heidekämpen 44
49088 Osnabrück
Germany

World Wide Web:
http://www.awkward.de
Email:
info@awkward.de


6.0 Legal stuff
---------------
Alle copyrights of 'Bombs and Bugs' belong to AWKWARD Software.
You are not allowed to re-use or change any part of the game. CWSDPMI is a
exception. Take a look at its homepage for further information.
AWKWARD Software is not liable for any problems or damages caused by using
this software. But we always try to locate bugs and solve problems.
Only the shareware version is freely distributable. Nobody is allowed to
distribute his/her registration key. It is not allowed to charge money for
the distribution of the shareware version. Exceptions have to be discussed with
AWKWARD Software.


(c) 1997-2000 AWKWARD Software