Maltese Joe's 3D Pool Challenge

               Amiga, Atari ST, and Archimedes Version

When you see the table for the first time.
When you first take a look at 3D Pool, you may be slightly surprised to
notice that there's no cue.  This is because you don't need one!  If,
however, you take an imaginary line straight 'out' from the cue ball to the
center of the screen, this will suffice.  This means that instead of moving
your cue around the table, we have introduced a revolutionary twist - you
move the table around the cue!

You start off looking down the table.  Closest to you is a dark green line
with a semi-circle in the middle of which is called the 'D', with the cue
ball placed somewhere within.  Right down the other end of the table are
the game balls, arranged neatly in a triangle, with the 8 ball (black)
nestling in the middle. The table rotates clockwise and anti-clockwise,
allowing you to change the direction of your shot, it also tilts up and
down, allowing you to change spin strength an type (ie. top or back spin).

At the top of the screen, there are six tiny pool tables, each with an
arrow on or near them, these are the icons you use to tile and rotate the
main table.  Next to this is the 'reference ball', which is a cue ball with
a little black cross on it (see below).  Next comes the power-bar (which
shows the strength of the shot).  Then comes two cue balls, one with a curly
arrow pointing left and the other with an arrow pointing right.  These are
the 'swerve balls', which you use to apply 'swerve' to your shot.  Finally,
comes the MENU square which is used to bring up the selection menu during
the game.

When a game is in progress (and a colored ball has been potted) the
colored ball for player one is shown underneath the top row of icons, on
the left, and player two's color is shown on the right.  Various other
information is shown here, but more about that later.

A few things you should know about mice
The screen is divided into two areas as far as mouse control is concerned,
the top part containing all the icons, and the rest - the table.  The
program uses both the mouse buttons on the ST and Amiga, and the leftmost
two on the Archimedes.  Generally, pressing the right mouse button will
perform an operation once, and pressing (and holding) the left mouse button
will allow you to continue the operation until you release it.  Holding
down both buttons is usually the same as holding the left button down (only
more so - ie faster).

All the game options have a little square (which resembles the MENU and
CONTINUE squares) to their right - to select an option, simply move the
pointer over the square and press the left mouse button.

The little pool table icons
If you click one of these with the left button, the action you have
selected will happen continuously (except up/down & in/out, where the table
can only go so far).  If you click with the right button, the action will
be very fine and happen once.  If you click and hold both buttons, the
action will happen rapidly and continuously.

The reference ball - what does it do?
The cross on this ball shows you exactly where the cue is going to strike. 
It moves up and down when you tilt the table, or left and right when you
apply swerve (see below).  if the cross is close to the bottom, the ball
will spin back, if the cross is to the left, the ball will spin left, etc.

This icon is also used to take the shot (click with the left button), and
to flip the viewing angle by 180° (click with the right).  Once a shot has
been taken, if you click both buttons the shot will be played in super-fast
mode.

The POWER BAR
You can use this a number of ways.  There is an arrow at each end of the
bar and clicking either of these will increase or decrease the power
respectively.  You may also click the actual bar itself.

The MENU square.
If you click with this with the left mouse button the menu will appear
opaque in the middle of the screen (or transparent if you click with the
right).  Double click with the right button (while a menu is on the screen)
will change between opaque and transparent.  However, while balls are still
rolling, menus will appear transparent.

The action of the mouse in the lower part of the screen.
If you click and hold the left button anywhere below the top row of icons,
the cursor will turn into a diagonal cross.  If you push the mouse away
from or toward you, the table will tilt.  If you move it left or right, the
table will turn, click the left mouse button twice quite quickly, and you
will take the shot.  If you hold the right button down, you can similarly
change the power (up or down) and side-spin (left or right).  If you hold
both buttons, pushing the mouse away from or towards you, you will zoom in
or out of the table.  Moving left and right will 'slide' the table, so you
can view any part of it.  When you release the buttons, the table will move
so the white ball is back in the center of the screen.

Playing the game
When the game has loaded, you will be presented with a menu.  Each option
on the menu can be selected by moving the mouse cursor over the square to
the right of the option and clicking the left button.  See below for an
explanation of what happens when you click one.

MATCH TYPE		Tournament
			Two player
			Practice
			Trick play
			Demo mode

Click on the square at the top left hand corner of the menu box to start
your selection.  This square is referred to in the rest of the instructions
as the CONTINUE square. Alternatively, you can exit from each menu (or
submenu) by double-clicking the left mouse button.

Tournament
You start off in the quarter-finals, set against a randomly-chosen
opponent.  After playing the best of three games, you enter the
semi-finals, again playing the best of three games.  After that, winning
the qualifying finals (this time the best of five games) will let you play
Maltese Joe himself (Well, a computer version of him!)

		VIEW PAIRINGS		Shows a list of opponents
		NEW TOURNAMENT		Will re-shuffle the opponents

During the game, clicking the MENU square when it is your turn will print
up another menu.

		CONCEDE GAME		Means you lose this game

Two player
You play against a friend, taking alternate 'visits'.
During the game, clicking the MENU square will print up another menu.

		QUIT			Return to main menu.

Practice
You can practice as many times as you like against a particular opponent.
		
		CHANGE OPPONENT		Runs through a list of possible
					opponents (sadly you can't
					practice against Maltese Joe).

During the game, clicking the MENU square when it is your turn will print
up another menu.

		STOP GAME		Returns you to the main menu.
		CHANGE OPPONENT		You can change your mind in the
					middle of a game.

		CONTINUE resumes play.

Trick Play (which deserves a while long section all to itself)
Better than in real Pool, once you've tried a trick-shot, 3D Pool sets it
back up exactly as it was!  To 'solve' a trick-shot, you must pot all the
yellow balls without fouling (ie, hitting a red ball first).  A clever
combination of side and back (or top) spin usually 'does the trick!'

	TRICK NUMBER 	Select next trick (The trick number changes). The 
			right hand mouse button decreases the trick number
			by one.


	EDIT TRICK	This allows you to design your own tricks (or edit
			existing ones) - See below.

	RETAIN
	TRICK SHOT	Keeps the trick you have just edited in memory.

	Clicking CONTINUE allows you to try out a trick.

During the trick, clicking the MENU square will bring up the main menu.
Like anything that has a structure, trick shots has a certain 'logic' to
them.  Here's a description of some of the common patterns found (there are
certainly many others; can you design new ones?)

	(a) Goalhanger - a ball sitting on the edge of a pocket.  Football
	fans will see the similarities here...the slightest passing touch
	and it'll jump in.

	(b) Peashooter - two balls touching. Hit the back of one and the
	other flies off along the line passing through their centers.  A
	favorite among the real trick-shot players, because if you point
	them at a pocket, you can't miss!

	(c) Guard - a ball or set of balls whose function (in the
	trick-shot) is to stop a shot being possible.  For example, a ball
	you have to swerve around, or a black sitting over a pocket (goal
	hanging).

	(e) Chain - a line of balls that, if hit (in the right sort of
	way) at one end, cause the ball at the other end to move.  In
	snooker terms, this is called 'a multi ball plant'.

	(f) Plant - a ball (not the cue ball) hitting a second ball. A
	'peashooter' is a special kind of plant (touching).

Trick-shot EDITOR
	The controls for trick-shot editing are the same as you use for
	playing the game, but they do different things.

	<- ->/|\ \|/	Move viewing position (note this is different from
			the shooting position in edit mode - further
			explanation below)

	Right Button	Move current edit ball (the flashing ball) around
	& <- -> /|\ \|/ the table, relative to your viewing position. This
			is the same as moving the cue ball around the 'D'.

	Right/Right	Flip viewing position around.

	Left/Left	Try/test shot from last defined shooting point so,
			if you wish you can view a shot from a different
			angle).

There is a row of 16 balls across the top in edit-mode.  The currently
selected ball will be flashing.  It is not flashing more 'on' than 'off',
then the ball is active; otherwise it is disabled, and it not involved in
the current trick shot.  Click on a ball with the right mouse button to
enable/disable it - or click on a ball with the left button to select it. 
If you click on the swerve balls at the top with the left button, the 'ball
number' increases or decreases.

Shooting position for Trick-shots
The current shooting position is set up when you take a shot from within
the trick-shot player.

Generally, the most effective way to design a trick-shot is to go into
editing mode, move the cue ball to where you intend it should start from,
in playing mode set up the power, angle and spin of the trick (even though
the problem hasn't been set up).  Then, in editing mode, when ever you
double click the left mouse button, it will replay the shot from the angle
that you have set up!  It's quite nice to note that once you have solved a
trick, you can view it from an entirely different angle using this method.

Placing the cue ball in the 'D' at the start of a game or after a foul
Holding the right button down while moving the mouse moves the cue-ball
around in the area allowed (ie the D).  (This is the same mechanism used in
the trick shot editor).  When happy with the position, double click the
left mouse button, and the cue-ball will be placed there - and the
'placing' message will disappear.

Swerve, what it does and how to do it.
When you apply swerve to your shot, you are actually making the cue ball
spin on it's axis.  This means that if you move the dot on the reference
ball to the left, the ball will spin clock-wise, and the shot will curve
right.  The amount the shot deviates depends on how hard you hit the cue
ball and how far across the reference ball you have moved the dot.

To produce swerve, simply click on either of the two 'swerve balls' at the
top of the screen.

Choosing colors after potting two different balls after a break.
If players are still trying to establish their colors after a break, and
someone pots one ball of each color, the option will come up for them to
choose.  When a player has the option to choose, a dual-colored ball with a
little arrow in it will appear next to their icon.  Before trying to pot
the next ball, clicking this ball swaps colors.  This can be done as many
times as is necessary but once the shot is taken the color is fixed.  So
make the most of it!  If the last show was also a foul, you can swap colors
after the free-shot, as well as before.

When it's your turn to play
A flashing cue ball will appear next to your ball at the top of the screen.
This ball will continue to flash until you fail to pot a ball of your
color, or play a foul shot.

When you play a foul shot
According to the rules, if you play a foul shot, your opponent will be
awarded a free-shot.  This is denoted by a 'free ball' sign, and an extra
cue ball next to the player's color at the top of the screen.  The opponent
will also be allowed to replace the cue ball anywhere in the 'D' - see
above.

However, if on your (extra) free-shot, you pot a ball without fouling, you
lose the extra shot.  This is to encourage tactical play - you obviously
didn't need the free-shot!

Loading the game
All your systems should be set up exactly as stated in the manuals.  Remove
all peripherals not connected with the running of the game, ie. cartridges,
etc.

Amiga 500/1000/2000
If your Amiga does not have Kickstart built in, insert your Kickstart disk
at the prompt.  At the Workbench prompt, insert the 3D Pool disk, label
side up.  The game will load and run automatically.

Atari ST
Insert the 3D Pool disk in the drive, label side up, and switch the
computer on.  The game will load and run automatically.

Archimedes
While holding SHIFT down, press and release the BREAK key - the program
will then auto-run.

                  MONTE CARLO 8 BALL VS. AMERICAN 8 BALL

This is no ordinary 8 ball... this is how the game is played in Monte
Carlo.  It's subtler.  A little more strategic.  Some say it's more
sophisticated as well.  Here are the differences you'll need to know!

1. BEFORE BEGINNING PLAY

(a). In the Monte Carlo game, the rack is referred to as a "frame".
(b). Putting "English" or "backspin," "topspin" or "sidespin" on the ball
     is known in Monte Carlo play simply as "bottom," "top" or "side."
(c). Balls are racked exactly as they're racked in the American version,
     with the 8 ball in the center of the triangle.  But in the American
     version, the apex ball (the ball closest to the cue ball) is placed
     on the foot spot. Monte Carlo rules specify that the 8 ball be placed
     on the foot spot instead.

2. OPENING BREAK

(a). American rules allow the cue ball to be placed anywhere behind the 
     head string for the opening break.  Monte Carlo rules require the
     cue ball to be on or in the "D."
(b). American rules specify that unless a ball is pocketed, 4 balls are
     required to hit the rail after a break; Monte Carlo rules require
     only that if no ball is pocketed 2 balls must go to the rail.
(c). American rules specify that the choice of stripes or solids is
     determined when a player legally pockets more balls from one group
     than the other.  The group from which the greater number of balls was
     pocketed is the shooting player's group. Only if he has pocketed an
     equal number of balls from both groups must the player specify his
     group.  Monte Carlo rules require that if a player pockets balls from
     both groups, even if he has pocketed more from one group than the
     other, he must specify ("nominate") his choice of group before play
     continues.

3. FOULS

(a). In American rules, when a player commits a foul the opposing player
     takes over and begins his turn from anywhere behind the head string
     and may shoot only at balls in front of the head string.  Monte Carlo
     rules specify that following a foul, the opposing player gets at least
     two shots, even if he misses his first.  For the first shot the cue
     ball must be placed on or in the "D" and can be aimed at any ball on
     the table.
(b). Unlike American rules, which specify that 3 fouls in a row loses the
     game, there is no limit to the number of fouls allowed under Monte
     Carlo rules.

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         DOCS PROVIDED BY  -+*+-THE SOUTHERN STAR-+*+- for M.A.A.D.         
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