QUICKPLAY: This is a way to quickly get into a game of MiniGolf. This method allows you to bypass all setup screens which means the default settings are in effect. You'll play all 18 holes in Easy Putt mode unless you make a change. To change the putting mode once you're into Quick Play, right click the mouse anywhere on the game play screen, or click once on the Options icon in the upper right corner of the screen and select True Putt.
WEB SITE (no longer existent) Choose this to go to the Sierra web site where you can find out about new game releases, updates and upgrades on existing games, or correspond with other Sierra customers about your favorite game.
NEW GAME: This takes you to the New Game screen for setting up a round of MiniGolf. Once there, you'll set the number of holes to play, the style of MiniGolf you prefer, and you'll select the players.
PUTTING PRACTICE: Sharpen your putting ability before heading out for the real thing. Practice on three holes, each with different types of difficulty.
BEST SCORES: Let's face it: winning is everything in MiniGolf. And this is how you keep track of those finer moments in the game.
PREFERENCES: This allows you to customize the game to your liking. Set sound, music, animation, brightness, and target help options.
HELP: Click on Help to bring up the Rule Book. You'll see this Help icon in other set-up screens, as well as on the scorecard while you're out on a round. It always brings you right here.
EXIT: Click here only if you intend to terminate this recreational activity. You may also exit the game at any time by selecting Exit from the File menu at the top of the screen.
New Game
Once you click the New Game icon, you'll see this New Game screen. Here, you select which mode and which holes of MiniGolf to play.
Modes
NORMAL MINIGOLF: Just like the outdoor version. Start on the first hole and the score is kept according to the number of shots you take on each hole. All holes are totaled at the end to give you your final score.
HOLE-BY-HOLE: This is like "skins" play in real golf. Hole-By-Hole is designed for two or more players. All players compete one hole at a time, where the lowest score wins the hole. If two players tie for the lowest score on a hole, then no win is awarded for that hole. Instead, the point for that hole is carried over to the next hole, making it worth twice as much. This "carryover" continues until a single player wins a hole outright. The player who wins the most number of holes at the end of the round is the overall winner.
RACE PLAY: You won't find this style of miniature golf on just any course. It's you against the clock in this version of 3-D Ultra MiniGolf. A combination of shots and timing determine your score. With Race Play, the only score you receive is your time. Compete with your friends for the fastest time. The scorecard tallies your total time.
Holes selection
WHOLE COURSE: Select this for an entire 18-hole round.
FRONT NINE: Select this to play only the front nine holes.
BACK NINE: Select this to play only the back nine holes.
SELECT A HOLE: Select this to choose an individual hole. This will take you to the Hole Selection screen where you can choose any hole on the course to play.
MAIN MENU: Click this icon to return to the introductory screen.
Hole Selection Screen
To select an individual hole, click the icon that represents it. To see the name of the hole first, place your cursor over the icon and a text box will appear that displays the name of the hole. Once you click the icon, you will be taken to the first of two Setup Screens as part of the process to begin play.
Setup Screens
Here's where you select the number of players for a round (up to four), enter names for each player, and select ball color for each player. These two screens will appear whenever you start a new game, unless you're in Quick Play mode.
Select the number of players for the round by clicking the appropriate ball number (1 through 4). This will take you to the name selection screen.
Type the name of the first player in the text box provided. Click the down arrow button to the right of the text box to reveal a list of names that have been previously entered. If this is your first time playing 3D Ultra MiniGolf, this list will be blank.
After you type in the name of the first player, select the ball color for that player. Click Next to enter the next player's name and ball color (if more than one player). Once all players have been entered, click Next to start the round.
Game Options
Anytime you are out on the course, you can click the right mouse button within the central window, or select the Options icon in the upper right-hand corner of the central window to access the Options Window. The Options can be customized for each player in the round.
CONTINUE PLAY: Resume play after making your selection(s) from the bottom of this menu.
MAIN MENU: Cancel play and return to the Main Menu. This is also available from the Options menu at the top of the screen.
RESTART THIS HOLE: Restarts play on the current hole at the tee box. Resets the stroke total for the hole to zero. This is also available from the Options menu at the top of the screen.
PICK UP BALL/NEW HOLE: In 18 hole, Front Nine, or Back Nine play Pick Up Ball will give you the maximum strokes for the hole, and, as long as all the other players have completed the hole, will take you to the next hole. If you are playing just a single hole, the New Hole option appears instead. Choosing this will return you to the Hole Selection screen. This is also available from the Options menu at the top of the screen.
AIMING LINE: The aiming line helps you line up a putt. Deselecting this checkbox increases the challenge of the game. Check the box to turn the aiming line on.
POWER BAR: The power bar helps you determine how much of a backswing to take during a putt. Check this box to turn the power bar on. This is also available from the Options menu at the top of the screen.
EASY PUTT: Check this box to play in Easy Putt mode. EASY PUTT
Let the computer do the work. First line up the putter icon in the direction you want to putt the ball. A thin white direction indicator will show your aim. Click and hold the left mouse button to start the backswing. Release the mouse button to discontinue the backswing and stroke the ball. The longer you hold the left mouse button, the harder the putt and the farther the ball will go. All putts are straight and only the terrain of the hole and any obstacles affect the direction of the putt.
TRUE PUTT: Check this box to play in True Putt mode. First line up the putter icon in the direction you want to putt the ball. Then click the left mouse button anywhere in the central window. Drag the mouse in the direction you want to move the putter to begin the backswing. Then move the mouse toward the ball to create the shot. The farther you move the putter back, the longer the backswing. However, the speed of the stroke, not the length of the backswing, determines the speed of the shot. The faster you move the putter toward the ball, the stronger and farther the shot. You will need to experiment a few times before you learn this putting method.
With True Putt, any lateral movement of the mouse as you move the putter toward the ball does not affect the direction in which the ball travels. Assuming no obstacles or slope (not likely), only the direction in which the putter strokes the ball determines the ball direction.
The Game Screen
Once you're out on a round of 3D Ultra MiniGolf, you'll see the opening shot of the hole displayed in a central window. To begin play on any hole, you must click anywhere within the central window. A putter icon will appear behind the ball and you'll be ready to take your first stroke. Shots can be made in any direction and angled off of any object. Some objects are friendly; others aren't so nice. Be careful. If a shot is too hard, the ball can fly out of bounds. If this happens, it will reappear at the original point where you took your last shot and one penalty stroke is assigned.One penalty stroke is assigned anytime your ball is dissolved, vaporized, disintegrated, plowed under, rolled over, sunk, eaten, melted, zapped, or otherwise meets its demise.
There are two ways to putt, Easy Putt and True Putt. These options can be selected from the Options Window. The default method is Easy Putt.To open the Options window, right click anywhere within the central window, or left click once on the Options icon in the upper right corner of the central window. You can also access the Options menu at the top of the screen. To close the Options window without making any changes, click the Continue Play option.The scorecard can be displayed by clicking its icon in the upper left corner of the screen. Keep track of your total as you go. To close the scorecard window, click Continue.The Leader Board in between holes displays your score total and the number of strokes over par in Normal Play; the total amount of time and the number of seconds above or below average in Race Play; and the number of holes won by each player in Hole-By-Hole Play.At the end of a round, an "End of Game Results" scorecard comes up with all of the players' hole-by-hole results.
