This topic covers all technical game interface issues of and relating to the question, "What buttons do I have to push to play this thing?"
Selecting One of the Games:
From your Program Manager, point and double click on any of the Pinball game icons. When the game is finished loading, drop a quarter into the slot, press Start and the first pinball will clunk into position at the plunger. You are now ready to play. NOTE: If you want to have multiple players, you must add them by adding quarters (or by pressing the F5 key) before you start the game. You may add up to 4 players.
Introducing the Pinball into Play:
The pinball is introduced into play by use of the plunger, located at the lower right of the Playfield Window. With a mouse, position the cursor over the plunger, depress the left button. The plunger pulls back. Releasing the mouse button will initiate the plunger. With a keyboard, the plunger is controlled by the Arrow Key on your computer keyboard. Depressing the down arrow key pulls back the plunger. Releasing the down arrow key releases the plunger and introduces the pinball into play.
Flipping your Flippers:
With a mouse, clicking on the right button causes the right flipper to flip; clicking on the left button causes the left flipper to flip. With a keyboard, the flippers are controlled by the Shift Keys on your computer keyboard. Depressing the right Shift Key flips your right flipper. Depressing the left Shift Key flips your left flipper.
Smacking the Machine to Keep the Ball in Play or Grunching:
Grunching is done by pressing the Shift and Control keys together. If you press the right Shift and Control keys, the ball's direction corrects to the left. If you press the left Shift and Control keys, the ball's direction corrects to the right. As with real pinball, touch is the key. If you press the keys too long, the game TILTS, disabling features and scoring for the ball then in play.
Pausing, Saving and Restoring a Game:
The player may pause the game by pressing the Control and P keys simultaneously or by selecting Pause from the Game pulldown menu. An option of saving the game is offered if the player exits a game after the Start button has been pressed. The game may be saved at any time by pressing the F2 key or by selecting Save from the Game pulldown menu. The player may restore an unfinished game by selecting Restore from the Windows pull-down Game Menu or by pressing F3.
Sizing, Resizing, and Relocating Your Take A Break!: Pinball Windows:
Sorry, but because this product is so cool, you may not Size or Resize the separate Windows that together makeup the pinball game. These are the Playing Surface, Backglass, Quarter slot and gray background Windows. You see, we're talking high-end, highbrow art and animations in this product. But, because we're so nice, we'll let you Relocate any of the Windows including the background in order to access other Program icons for multitasking.
PLEASE NOTE: Minimizing the Backglass Window minimizes the entire game to an icon.
Pinball strategy
This topic contains information on what to do if you're ready to take a large blunt instrument and bludgeon your computer senseless because grandma keeps trouncing you at pinball.
Pregame Preparation:
Before you begin play, examine the game's playfield, it's art and all it's ramps, bumpers, targets, trap holes and other features, for together these functions tell a story. By understanding your playfield, you will understand how to progress through the game's story to collect the maximum points available.
What to look for:
During play, keep a vigilant eye on playfield animations such as flashing lights. These are intended to inform the player when it is the best time to direct a ball to a given playfield item or feature. And, when a ball stops during play, as when it drops into a trap hole, take a look at the Backglass Readerboard. It will tell you what to do next.
Keep the ball in play:
When your back is against the wall, it's fourth down and seventy yards to go, and all hope appears lost as that little ol' pinball is hurtling down the playfield right toward the vast dreaded emptiness between your two flippers, I want you to grunch! Grunch it good. But, not too good. You don't want to overdo things. You might tilt the machine.
Assign fault:
And, remember, when all else fails, blame the machine. Blasted Computer! I can't believe it keeps doing that! Why I can remember the days...
