WHEELIE RR - Readme

===================

Introduction
------------
This is a remake of Wheelie for the first Retro Remakes competition, 2003.
http://www.remakes.org/
The original game, for the ZX Spectrum, was published by Microsphere Computer
Services Ltd in 1983. Crash magazine gave it 93%, I saved up my pocket money and
bought it from Woolworth's on the high street.
The Your Sinclair Official Top 100 only puts it at number 88, but says;
"Your motorbike riding hero took such spectacular dives when you crashed
him into a double-decker bus that it was well worth losing a life or
five to see it."
It's that aspect that I've tried to concentrate on in the remake!
I guess the folks at Retro Remakes have been waiting for a long time for a
Wheelie remake. I hope they're not too disappointed. I also hope that the
original author isn't too upset at my interpretation of their brilliant 8-bit
classic.
This remake is freeware, but please let me know if you've got it from anywhere
other than Retro Remakes. Also, if you'd like the source code or have any
feedback, feel free to contact me.
Enjoy,
Green Eyed Monster.
x
e: monster@beeb.net
w: http://monster.members.beeb.net/

Installation
------------
Run the self-extracting Zip file.
Click 'Unzip'.
Run Wheelie to start.
If you're interested, you should end up this in your C:\WheelieRR folder;
Wheelie.exe - The main WheelieRR executable
fmod.dll - The sound effects library DLL
Readme.txt - This file
Media - A folder containing all the data for the game.
Please contact me before distributing anything in this folder
separately from this game. Some of it cost money!
Included in the archive are compiled maps of the original levels. Painstakingly
copied by hand from those generated (kind of) randomly whilst playing the game.
Initially only the first level is unlocked, subsequent levels are unlocked as
you complete each map.
The map editor version of these files are included in the 'levels' Zip file in
the Map folder. You can unzip these if you'd like to unlock and/or edit the orig
inal
levels.
Also included are the compiled and editor versions of 'The Zoo' and 'The Car Par
k'.
These are demo levels to show you the kind of maps that it's possible to create
with
WheelieRR that wouldn't be possible with the original game.

Instructions
------------
Gameplay is the same as the original, except that you don't press up/down to
take different routes, you just press space to change lanes, which affects where
you go. The 'real' dynamics engine means that the way you ride your bike is a
bit different (don't brake too hard!) but I hope I've kept it in the spirit of
the original. And there is RAT (Rider Assistance Technology) to help control the
bike.
* Ride right and find the Ghostrider.
* Then ride left and be the first to finish.
* Avoid animals.
* Jump cars and buses.
* Pick up Jerry cans, or run out of fuel.
* Watch out for pipes across the road (especially at junctions).
* Collect 'ghost' wheels for bonus points.
* New levels are automatically unlocked.
* The best score is remembered for each level.
Keys;
Left/Right - Brake/Accelerate (depending on which way you're facing).
Space - Change lanes.
Enter - Select item (on menu screens).
Secret Keys;
Ctrl +
P - Draw physical objects used for dynamics simulation.
F - Display maximum possible framerate (actually locked to 50f
ps).
X - Exit current level (you won't be asked to confirm!).
R - Turn on/off RAT.
Ins - Open level editor (using current map, if available).
Up - Move camera closer to bike.
Down - Move camera away from bike.
KP+ - Increase volume.
KP- - Decrease volume.
Shift + KP+ - Increase gamma correction.
Shift + KP- - Decrease gamma correction.
Pause - Pause / unpause
Escape - Quit instantly (again, no confirmation).
Command Line Options;
-fullscreen - Start up in fullscreen mode (default; don't).
-640x480 - Set resolution to 640x480 (default).
-800x600 - Set resolution to 800x600.
-1024x768 - Set resolution to 1024x768.
Command line options override settings made via the menu. Previous menu
selected settings will be remembered between games.
Level Editor
------------
You can create your own levels with the level editor. Choose it from the 'Play'
menu or hit Ctrl+Ins whilst playing.
* Click the buttons at the top to select that item, or to toggle through the
options available (e.g. left/right slope)
* Click (and/or drag) the map to draw that item, or add/delete sections.
* For moving things (ghost wheels, kangaroos etc) the place you choose is
where they start from.
* The player always starts from the same place, the Ghostrider position is
calculated automatically. Make sure it's possible for the player to get
there!
* Specify a name for the level (Map->Options)
* The 'Lock' code is the code that another level must supply when completed to
unlock your level (i.e. "The code that Locks your level").
* The 'Unlock' code is the code that your level will supply to all other levels,
in an attempt to unlock them, when the player completes that level.
Thus, completing one level might unlock more than one other level, if that's
what the designer intended (i.e. "The code your level uses to Unlock others").
* Compile the map to convert it from the format that the level editor
understands to one that the game does. You can't de-compile other people's
levels! So you can't change them, unless you've got their '.wme' file.
The name of the compiled level is automatically generated.
* Just copy the '.map' file to share the levels you create. If you need to renam
e
a level you must stick to the 'wh___XXX.map' naming convention (where 'xxx' is
a zero padded 3 digit number between 000 and 999) or the game won't find it.
* You can call your '.wme' files whatever you like.
* Recompile a level to re-lock it, and also reset the high-score.
Because the level editor (and the original game) are in 2D and the remake is in
3D it's possible to make levels in the editor that won't work (very well!) in th
e game.
Likewise, it's possible to create levels that look a mess in the editor but work
fine in the game.

Known Issues
------------
* When changing resolutions/fullscreen via the menu the input system can get
upset whilst killing/respawning the application. Either; use the command l
ine
options (create a shortcut) to set your preferred configuration, or when t
he
issue occurs Alt+Tab to a different application, then back to Wheelie RR.
the switch in focus should re-initialise the input system, or quit and res
tart
the game.
* When modal dialogs are open (e.g. the Map Options) the main rendering thre
ad
is blocked, so the window doesn't clear properly. This is only an aestheti
c
problem, should be easy enough to fix, but I couldn't work it out!
* The game uses a lot of processor cycles, even when not active. Minimising
the
window stops it doing this. But if you've got it running you'll be playing
it, right?
Credits
-------
Hopefully I've remembered where I beg/stole/borrowed everything from, but if you
see something that's yours and would like it removed or credited, please don't
hesitate to contact me. Before you sue me, do bear in mind that this is a
freeware 'fun' remake, so I'm not making any money from it.
Code:
Copyright (c) 2003 by Ed Jones for Green Eyed Monster.
Written in C/C++ using Microsoft Visual Studio v6.0 on Windows XP.
Test Hardware;
Compaq AMD Athlon 1500+, 512Mb RAM, ATI Mobility U1 16Mb
Gigabyte based custom P3 800MHz, 512Mb RAM, GeForce 2MX 32Mb
Dell GX260 P4 2.4GHz, 1Gb RAM, Intel 82845G/GL 48Mb
Gigabyte based custom P3 850MHz x 2, 512Mb RAM, ATI Radeon VE 64Mb
Dynamics Engine:
ODE - http://opende.sourceforge.net/ - v0.35 plus;
Opcode and tri-mesh support
Plane2D joint by Peter Serocka
Graphics:
Powered by OpenGL - http://www.opengl.org/
Taught by NeHe - http://nehe.gamedev.net/
Textures;
Landscape - http://www.the3dstudio.com/textures.asp
Roadsigns - http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/
Animals - http://www.turbosquid.com/
Titles, Icons - adapted from the original game artwork
Level Editor - adapted from the original game graphics
Models;
Motorbike - by Dark Basic - available through Turbo Squid
Vehicles - by Antti Hovi - available through Turbo Squid
Landscape - dynamically generated from map data
Animals, Signs, Titles - by Green Eyed Monster
3D Editor - AC3D - http://www.ac3d.org/
2D Editor - Corel PhotoPaint - http://www.corel.com/
Converter, Resizer - Slowview - http://www.slowview.at/
Sound:
Powered by Fmod - http://www.fmod.org/
Effects sourced from;
Flash Kit - http://www.flashkit.com/soundfx/
FindSounds - http://www.findsounds.com/
Music;
Title Music - 'Born to be Wild' by 'Stars of Stage and Screen'
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/80/stars_of_stage_and_screen.html
Absolutely the coolest version ever.
Ghostrider's Theme - 'Vocodemix' by 'Urbanlex' - from Flash Kit
Victory Fanfare - 'Maestro, Please' by 'Urbanlex' - from Flash Kit
Editor - Sampled - http://www.sylaba.com/~neurod/ - [dead link]
Compressor - Waver - http://www.waver-converter.com/
Inspiration:
Retro Remakes - http://www.remakes.org/
World of Spectrum - http://www.worldofspectrum.org/
Tyla - http://www.tylaonline.co.uk/
Jack Daniel's, Carlton Cold, Marlboro reds, Jeep, Xnxx.
My Missus.