INTRODUCTION "The most exciting baseball simulation - ever!" Tony LaRussa's Ultimate Baseball sets a new standard! This superb game has everything: State-of-the-art graphics. Stunning animation. Ultra realistic action. The biggest, most detailed ballpark ever created. Plus, you get stats of yesteryears' stars - 26 teams loaded with all-time great players are included. Varying levels of difficulty and detail make Tony LaRussa's Ultimate Baseball as challenging or as easy as you like. So step up to the plate - it's time to play ball! Highlights: - Tony LaRussa helped create this exciting simulation. - Biggest, most detailed ballpark ever created - over twice as big as any other game. - Includes more frames of high-quality animation than any other C-64 baseball game ever published. - Unique fielding system makes catching fly balls easy - even lets you react to sharp grounders. - Bring your defense in for the play at the plate, or hang back and hope for the double play. - Every aspect of real big-league players' hitting and pitching is considered. - Includes a variety of special "trademark" pitches such as knucklers, screwballs and even splitfinger fastballs. - Includes 26 teams of the hottest superstars of yesteryear. - The computer is a lively opponent - fielders back up plays and execute complex run-downs. Fast runners take the extra base to set up scoring opportunities. - Play against the computer, against a friend, or sit back and let the computer handle everything. - Two levels of game play make Tony LaRussa's Ultimate Baseball easy to learn. GETTING STARTED Before you begin playing, please make a copy of your original game disk and play from the copy. Using the Menus Use the joystick to move the yellow highlight through menu selections. Press the joystick button to select a highlighted option, which will change to red. The joystick also select commands such as DONE or CLICK TO NEXT SCREEN at the bottom of many screens to take you to different menus. On some menus, selections are made simply by pushing the joystick in a direction or pressing the joystick button. This is to hide decisions from your opponent during play. On any menu where you are moving players into and out of the game, the changes are not permanent until you leave that menu. For example, if you replace a player with a pinch hitter and then change your mind before you leave the Pinch Hitter Menu, you can return the players to where they were (following the same procedure you originally used to change them) and bo change will take place. Starting The Game To load the game: 1. Remove your Fastload Cartridge. 2. Type LOAD"BASEBALL",8 and press [Return]. 3. When the computer says READY, type RUN and press [Return]. Before you can play the game, you will be asked to type in a word from a specified page in this manual. Type in the requested word and press [Return] to begin the game. Remember: Count section headings as well as paragraph text. SETTING UP THE GAME "When you've got a leadoff guy with real speed, it opens up a whole range of choices, gives you lots of things you can do to make the other team work a lot harder to get you out." You'll be offered a list of teams to play in this game. Use either of the joysticks to highlight first the visiting, then the home team for your game. Press the button to select each team. Select DONE to display the Ground Rules Menu Ground Rules Menu First, select if either team will be controlled by the computer. To place a team uner computer control, use the joystick to highlight the YES setting for that team and press the button. Next, select the difficulty level: PRO You do everyting yourself: pitching, batting, running and fielding. The game resets rapidly at the end of each play. ROOKIE The computer fields the ball, but you tell the computer which base to throw to in the usual way. The computer always tries to throw strikes when it pitches (although a pitcher who is tired or who has poor control may still miss the plate). All other game play is the same as for PRO. You can also choose on this menu whether or not to use the Designated Hitter (DH) rule. Highlight CLICK TO NEXT SCREEN: STARTING LINEUP SCREEN and press the joystick button to go on. Note: If you don't want to worry about the starting lineups, just press the joystick button when each of the lineup menus described below appears. This accepts the default lineups and starts the game. Setting Starting Lineup There are two menus to set your lineup. The first is to select your actual roster: who plays and who is on the bench. The second is to select batting order. Choose Players Highlight any player on either team whom you wish to replace - the names and statistics of eligable replacements will appear at the bottom of the screen. Press the joystick button to move the cursor to the list of bench players at the bottom of the screen. Highlight the desired bench player and press the button to make the change. Choose CLICK TO NEXT SCREEN: BATTING ORDER to go on. Batting Order Highlight any player on either team and his stats will be displayed at the bottom of the screen; press the joystick button to select him and continue displaying his stats. Highlight any other player to compare his stats with those of the first player; press the button to reverse their positions in the batting order. Selecting the first player a second time, without selecting someone else, removes the highlight from his name. Choose CLICK TO NEXT SCREEN: PLAY GAME to begin playing. PLAYING THE GAME "You want to try to make it hard on the other manager. If you bat three lefties and then four right-handed guys in a row, you're doing his work for him; he knows when to bring in his role guys from the bullpen. Go right-left-right-switch hitter and he's got a problem. Now he has to figure out what you're going to do next and he doesn't know what move to make. That's why I love switch hitters." The Game Screen shows a close-up of the field at the top and the score-board at the bottom. The "Radar Screen" in the center of the score-board shows the locations of the runners at all times. Managing Your Team If you chose to let the computer control a team's players, you can still make the managerial decisions and plan your team's strategy on the field. Allow the computer to manage the team by selecting YES for the computer manager on the Ground Rules Menu. Whenever you want to make a managerial move of any kind (using relievers, pinch hitters, different defenses, etc.), regain control of your team pressing the joystick button while the big batter and pitcher are displayed and before the ball is pitched. This allows you to temporarily take over for the computer manager and give instructions to your team. See the Managerial Decisions section on page 10 for more informations. CONTROLLING PLAYERS "We want to have players who can do a lot of different things, because that means the other team has to worry about what we'll do next. We never want to let the other team be comfortable out there. Sometimes we'll do crazy things - like pitch out on a 2-0 count - just to make them worry more. The more they worry, the less they concentrate on what they have to do, which is field the ball and get us out." When all your orders have been given, select COMPUTER (from the Manager Menu) to return control of the team to the computer. If you select NO for the computer manager on the Ground Rules Menu, pop-up menus allow you to control your pitcher or batter on each play. Joysticks control fielding and baserunning. Hints: If you want to bring in a new pitcher, place that pitcher in the bullpen: the computer will bring him in when he's warmed up. If you pinch hit for the pitcher, the computer will warm up a new pitcher automatically for the next inning. Pitching All pitchers have fastballs, curves and changeups. Their fourth pitch varies, and may be a knuckleball, slider, screwball, or any of several other choices. If you want to throw a fastball, just press the joystick button. To throw a different pitch or get to the Manager Menu, move the joystick in the direction indicated by the menu arrow, and the menu will drop away when your selection registers. The pitcher will start his windup, stopping in the "set position." Do not press the joystick button to throw a pitch. The button will cause the pitcher to try to pick off the lead runner. Choosing Pitch Direction While the pitcher is stopped in his set position, choose where you'll try to throw the pitch by moving the joystick in the pattern shows below: Moving the joystick in a direction for just a moment means you want the pitcher to try to throw the ball almost "down the pipe." The longer you push the joystick in a given direction, the farther in that direction you want the ball to go. Remember that your pitcher's control will affect whether or not the ball hits the desired target: a pitcher with 40 walks in 200 innings will hit the mark far more often than a pitcher who had 120 walks in the same number of appearances. LEFT - Inside LEFT+UP - High & Inside UP - High UP+RIGHT - High & Outside RIGHT - Outside RIGHT+DOWN - Low & Outside DOWN - Low DOWN+LEFT - Low & Inside Note: Reverse for left-handed batter. Pickoffs To attempt to pick off an opposing baserunner whos taken too long a lead, press the joystick button while the pitcher is in the set position. The pitcher will always try to pick off the lead runner. "You don't want to have too many really slow guys batting next to each other in the lineup. They'll clog up the basepaths and you lose all your options for putting pressure on the other team." Batting Like the Pitching Menu, you make batting selections by pushing the joystick in the indicated direction. The following are your options: NORMAL Take a normal swing. POWER Tells the batter to swing for the fences. This increases both his power and the likelihood he'll miss the ball and/or strike out. CONTACT Instructs the batter to choke up and just meet the ball. This reduces his power but makes it much more likely he'll put the ball in play. BUNT Tells the batter to square around to bunt. You still must press the joystick button while the pitch is in the air to tell him to try to bunt the ball. Once both sides have made their selections the menus drop away and the runners take their leads. Press the joystick button to swing the bar. Hint: Try swinging the bat a little sooner than you think you need to. Watch the ball's shadow during the pitch to get a feel for when it actually crosses the plate. Baserunning You always control the lead runner on any play. Use the joystick to move the runner, including the batter after he hits the ball, as indicated below: LEFT - Towards Previous Base RIGHT - Towards Next Base FIRE - Slide/Overrun First Base Pressing to the right always means go forward, to the left always means go back, no matter where in the baseline the runner is. After the Batter and Pitcher Menus drop and when the pitcher comes to his "set position", move the joystick to take a lead with your lead runner. Very long leads will cause the window showing the batter and pitcher to drop away to display all the action. To steal a base, take your lead and, when you're ready to go, hold the joystick to the right. The runner will break for the next base. To slide at second, third or home, press the joystick button as you approach the base. The runner will slide automatically. To overrun first base on a close play, press the joystick button as you approach the base. The runner will overrun the bag and cannot be tagged out after he crosses first. Runners never slide at first base unless retreating there after having rounded the bag. If after overrunning first you want to try go to second, hold the joystick to the right to advance the runner. Once he turns to head for second base, as in real baseball, the runner is vulnerable and can be tagged out. Fielding and Throwing When the ball is hit, the window in which the batter and pitcher were shown drops away. Time is "turned back" by about a second to allow the defense time to react, and the swing of the bat is replayed on the main field display. The computer will automatically select the closest fielder to the ball and place him under your control. If the ball gets by the first fielder, the computer may select another. For example, when the ball gets by the shortstop, the left fielder is selected. Once the ball touches a fielder he'll catch it, unless he makes an error. Once the player has the ball, throw it by pressing the button and moving the joystick to indicate where to throw: DOWN - Home Plate RIGHT - First Base UP - Second Base LEFT - Third Base FIRE - Pitcher/Cutoff Man If you press the button without indicating a direction, an outfielder who has the ball will throw it to the cutoff man. As infielder will throw it to the pitcher. Press the joystick button to start another game. Managerial Decisions Whether you manage only, or manage and play, selecting MANAGE from either the Pitcher or Batter menus allows you to make managerial decisions. The Pitcher's Manager Menus The following are managerial options from the Pitching Menu: DONE Returns to the Game Screen. PITCHERS Offers the following choices: MOUND Instructs your manager to visit the mound. This tells the condition of your pitcher and who's warming up in the bullpen. You can highlight a bullpen pitcher and make a pitching change. BULLPEN Shows the status of pitchers currently warming up and on the bench. Highlighting a pitcher and pressing the joystick button moves him back and forth between the bench and the bullpen. DONE Returns to the Manager Menu. INFIELD Offers the following choices: PLAY BACK Moves infield to double play depth. PLAY IN Moves the infield in to try to make a play at the plate. HOLD RUN/PLAY OFF If there is a runner on first and second base is open the computer will automatically have the first baseman hold him on the bag to prevent steals. If you want the first baseman to play in his regular position, choose PLAY OFF. CHARGE Instructs the first baseman and third baseman to charge so they can field a bunt. NORMAL Appears if you have chosen a different defense so you can change it back to normal. DONE Returns to the Manager Menu. OUTFIELD Offers the following choices: DEEP Tells the outfielders to play especially deep. SHALLOW Tells the outfielders to play especially shallow, usually for a potential play at the plate. NORMAL Appears if you have chosen a different defense so you can change it back to normal. DONE Returns to the Defense Menu. COMPUTER Tells the computer to take over control of this team. The Batter's Manager Menu The following are the managerial options from the Batting Menu: DONE Returns to the Game Screen. PINCH HIT Allows you to put in a pinch hitter, sending the current batter to the showers. All players on the bench are displayed, along with their stats. Highlight a player and press the joystick button to make the change. PINCH RUN All available players on the bench are listed with their stats, as are those players currently on base. Move the joystick left and right to select different bases if more than one runner is on. Highlight a player and press the joystick button to reverse their positions, choose DONE to make the charge official. BULLPEN This option is the same as described for the pitching team on page 10. If you pinch hit for the pitcher, the computer will start warming up a reliever in the bullpen. You can change the reliever it selected if you wish. COMPUTER Tells the computer to take over control of this team. After the Game At the conclusion of the game, the computer will display the final line score. If the game ran more than 12 innings, move the joystick in any direction to see the line score for innings after the 12th. Only 24 innings can be displayed.