Dan's Remakes presents:

RetroRoids - Version 1.21 (26/05/2008)

Another retro arcade classic: Asteroids.  While this game is newer than Space Invaders (just), it's heritage goes all the way back to 1971's Computer Space arcade machine.  Ed Logg's classic blaster STILL plays well even now, which is probably why there are so many remakes (including mine).


Gameplay:

Shoot the Asteroids, collect the bonuses.


Differences between game modes:

RetroRoids mode (default)

Shoot the asteroids, avoid collisions, destroy the UFO for bonus items (triple shot, shields, bonus life).  Clear a round without loosing a life to activate the bonus multiplier.

On later levels "Killer Satellites" may appear.  Once they have been shot watch out because the pieces home in on you. . . .


Original mode

Very similar to the original Asteroids.  Shoot the asteroids, avoid collisions, destroy the UFO for bonus points.

This mode doesn't contain the special features of RetroRoids, so no power ups, no score multiplier, smaller explosions and no killer satellite.


Scoring:

RetroRoids and Original modes:

	Asteroids   - 20, 50 and 100 pts
	UFO         - 100 pts

RetroRoids mode only:

	Killer Sat  - 20, 50 and 100 pts
	Bonus Items - 200 pts

Bonus life awarded at 10,000 points


Controls:

Cursor keys - Movement
Cursor down - Hyperspace
Space       - Shoot
ESC         - Quit
F10         - Take screenshot
G           - Switch between DirectX and OpenGL graphics (Windows only)

Or use a joystick.


Notes:

Windows version should run on Windows XP or higher with a DirectX 7 or OpenGL compatible graphics card.  Earlier versions of Windows are unsupported but may work.

Linux version requires libsdtc++.so.6 or higher and a hardware accelerated X server.


Legal Bit:

RetroVaders is not endorsed by or associated with Atari and is intended as a tribute to a classic game.  Let's face it, there are plenty of unofficial versions of this game (both freeware and commercial) so if they want to sue over this one there are a couple of hundred people in the queue ahead of me.


License:

Freeware.  Please feel free to copy this game for your friends.  If you like this game then please visit us at http://dans-remakes.sytes.net for more free retro games.


<guilt trip>
Don't forget to support your friendly neighbourhood freeware programmer by dropping something in the PayPal tips jar (even $1 as a thank-you is appreciated), or by dropping by the site and clicking on an advert or two.
</guilt trip>


Permission is NOT granted to include this game on compilation disks.  If you wish to include this game as part of a commercial collection / magazine cover disk then please get in touch via mailto:dans.remakes@googlemail.com to discuss it first.


Asteroids      (c) 1979 Atari Inc.
RetroRoids     (c) 2007 Dan's Remakes


History:

Version 1.21

Bugfixes:

	* None

Updates:

	* Configuration files saved to users home directory (all versions)
	* Command line parameter support added to Windows version.

		/DX	-	Force DirectX graphics mode
		/GL	-	Force OpenGL graphics mode


Version 1.20

Bugfixes:

	* Check made before stopping Thruster SFX
	* "Deadzone" added to analog joypad (defaults to 0.5, can be adjusted in the config file)

Updates:

	* Sample format changed from WAV to OGG (reduces executable size)
	* Graphics format changed from BMP to PNG (reduces executable size)
	* Graphics depth changed from 24 to 8 bit (reduces executable size)
	* SFX added to Bonus pickup
	* Set DirectX to default graphics mode (with OpenGL as a fallback) on Windows PCs.


Version 1.10

Bugfixes:

    * Bonus life at 10000 points now working
    * Explosion list cleared at start
    * Thrust sound now stops if quit is selected
    * Player shot correctly removed after destroying 'roid

Updates:

    * Sound driver set to DirectSound (Vista only)
    * Player ship now affected by friction effect (player speed slows over time)
    * UFOs appear from both sides of the screen
    * Changed explosion SFX to run on a single channel
    * Added multiple game modes (RetroRoids and Original)
    * Maximum number of asteroids set to 12
    * Heartbeat SFX speeds up as asteroids destroyed
    * 1 in 10 chance of exploding in hyperspace (original mode only)
    * Asteroid speed increases each level (starts slower, full speed by level 8) (RetroRoid mode only)
    * Score font size reduced
    * Added colours to smoke
    * Added "twinkly" effect to stars
    * Added flicker to thruster effect
    * Added extra glow to ingame graphics
    * Added joystick control
    * Added extra "special effects" (RetroRoids mode only).
    * Bonus multipliers (X2 and X4) added (RetroRoids mode only).
    * "Killer Satellite" added, appears randomly after first level (RetroRoid mode only)


Version 1.00

Initial release