Water Polo
Copyright/Publisher: Gremlin, Graphics: Janos Zana, Sound: Miklos Herendi, Programmed by: Gabor Pongyor &
Antal Zolnai, Release Year: 1987, Genre: Watersports, Number Of Players: 1 or 2

JOYSTICK CONTROL IN THE GAME:
The player can always control the team member who is nearest to the ball. The currently activated man has a distinctive cap colour. As long as the man is in motion, the player will not lose control of the selected man, without respect the current distance from the ball. If the currently activated man is stopped by the player, the program will monitor the distance of each man from the ball and select again.

- At the beginning of each quarter, the teams will swin for the ball, and the ball will be obtained by the player who presses FIRE first.

- If the selected man does not have the ball: 8 directions of the joystick: turn and swim in the given direction.

- If the [FIRE BUTTON] is pressed, then the man will raise the ball high in the air and start to swing it. A shot can pnly be made from this position.

- While swinging the ball, the player can define the shot parameters:-

Joystick in the middle position: normal shot

Joystick pushed in the direction of the shot: increase shot power (the shot will be low and powerfull).

Joystick pushed in the opposite direction: decrease shot power (the shot will be higher but weaker).

Joystick pushed sideways (compared to the direction of the shot): spin the ball in the given direction. The trajectory of the ball will crescent-shaped, and the amount of "hook" or "slice" given to the ball will be set according to the time how long the player holds the joystick in the sideways position.

The player can combine power and spin adjustment by pressing the joystick diagonally.

Shoot:
Release the [FIRE BUTTON] and press it agein rapidly. The man will throw the ball in the direction and with the power set in the way described above.

Controlling the goalie:
The goalie will also be activated automatically by the program if the game situation requires it. Controlling the goalie is similar to the other man, except that if he has not got the ball, and the FIRE BUTTON is pressed, he will raise his arms and throw himself in the direction of the shot.

RULES OF THE GAME:
The rules are by and large identical to real-life waterpolo. Ther is a chance to take the ball away from the opposing team's member, by attacking him from the front 5 directions. If the opponent is inactive (not swinging the ball in the air), the ball will change hands.

The three rear directions (back left, back and back right) are illegal to attack from, and the referee will signal a foul if a player tries it.

Fouls, goals and quarter ends are indicated by the referee's whistle.

Attacking the goalie in front of the goal is also considered a foul.

Fouls are recorded individually for both team's members. After a man's third foul, the referee will send him off (for 1.5 minutes or until the next goal is scored by the opponent), and the opposing team will have the ball. Team members only return to the pool after a goal, or when the ball is out of the pool, or when a game quarter is over (so when neither of the teams are in action).

A quarter lasts for 5 minutes, and the time for both teams to attack is 35 seconds. If the 35 seconds expires without a shot at the opponent's goal, the other team will get the ball.

There is an instant replay when a goal is scored.

If any of the teams score 50 goals, the match ends - because there is a suspicion of cheating.

MENU:
4 options are available:

A. DEMO
This option is highlighted by default and if the player does not intervene, the demo will be selected automatically after 30 seconds.

B. ONE PLAYER
The player can determine the skill level. The human player will control the team with the black cap (joystick in Port 2).

C. TWO PLAYERS
Blue team: Port 1; Red team: Port 2.

D. CHAMPIONSHIP
The program provides a chance to play a championship of 4 teams. First the skill level can be set, then (in the championship chart) any of the four names displayed can be re-typed for a team name the player chooses to use (up to 5 characters). Re-naming the team also means that the team will be human-controlled in the championship. Selecting EXIT on the chart will start the championship.

At the beginning of each round the names of participating teams are displayed, with the human vs. human and human vs. computer matches highlighted. The player can also highlight the computer vs. computer matches; in that case these matches will also be played as demos.

Results of matches not played will be calculated by the computer, and included in the championship score chart. (In this case the skill level of the team playing on home ground is 1 degree higher than the opponent's.)

The score chart is organised in the order of points scored in the subsequent rounds. The columns of the chart are from left to right as follows:
POINTS
NUMBER OF MATCHES WON
NUMBER OF MATCHES DRAWN
NUMBER OF MATCHES LOST
NUMBER OF GOALS SCORED
NUMBER OF GOALS SCORED BY THE OPPONENTS

CONTROL KEYS:
[RUN/STOP] key will freeze the game.
Re-start: press [RUN/STOP] again or press [FIRE].

Gremlin Graphics Software Limited. All rights reserved.