ASTRAWARE | palm os products

Zap!2000/2016 Release Notes

Current released version: 1.45 (5th February 2001)
Highlights: Better memory handling on Palm III, improved graphics, GamePad support
Current release expires: never
Feedback to: David Oakley (zap2000@astraware.com)
Game Info: http://www.astraware.com/palm/zap2000/
Copyright (c) 1999-2001 Astraware Ltd.
All rights reserved.

Warning: be careful with your handheld! Some people have reported that they have broken the buttons on their Palm by pressing them awkwardly or too hard!

Note to colour users:
Displaying Zap! in colour puts great demands on your colour organizer. If you find that the game runs too slowly, try one of the following:

- Turn off some scenery, using the 'Preferences' form
- Use a performance booster: we recommend Afterburner. These make a big difference to the game speed, but will drain your handheld's batteries quickly and may cause other incompatibilities. Astraware isn't responsible for any problems caused by using this type of software!

Introduction

Zap!2000 opens a new era in gaming for the Palm: smooth colour or grey-scale graphics, scrolling backgrounds, more aliens, bigger bosses, more power-ups! Playing it is simple, just shoot the aliens, dodge the incoming shots, and pick up the power-up gems! The further you go, the harder it gets. The boss which is found at the end of each mission has a special attack (watch our for it), but also a weakness that you can exploit to destroy it and move on!

Zap!2000 (for greyscale and 8-bit colour) and Zap!2016 (for 16-bit colour handhelds) are now the same price, and so we've merged the instructions. Where we refer to Zap!2000, the same applies to Zap!2016!

If you enjoy

Zap!2000, please take the time to enter a review at PalmGear HQ or Handango.

How to install

To reduce the occurrence of piracy of our games, we have a separate version of Zap!2000 for our registered users. If you have registered Zap!2000, please read the registration email that we send to you to check where to download the full version.

Zap!2000/2016 comes in three varieties, and you'll need to install the correct one for your handheld:

- Greyscale handhelds (Palm III, IIIx, IIIe, IIIxe, V-series, VII-series, Handspring Visor, Visor Deluxe, Visor Platinum, et al)
  double-click the file that starts 'zap2000-grey' to get it ready to HotSync onto your Palm
- 8-bit colour handhelds (currently only Palm IIIc)
  double-click the file that starts 'zap2000-colour' to get it ready to HotSync onto your Palm
- 16-bit colour handhelds (currently only Handspring Visor Prism)
  double-click the file that starts 'zap2016' to get it ready to HotSync onto your Palm

If the version you need isn't included in the zip file you downloaded, go to the Zap!2000 or Zap!2016 web page and get the correct one. Use the HotSync button as usual to install the game onto your handheld.

Now run Zap!2000 or Zap!2016 and tap the screen to play the game. If you are running the full game for the first time and haven't registered by entering your code in the game yet, you will be asked to do so. Your registration code is included in your registration email.

If you've got any queries about Zap!2000 or the registration process, first check out our frequently asked questions page on our website (you must be connected to the internet to access this). If this doesn't help, get in touch with us at support@astraware.com. If you've got any questions (or suggestions, we love those) about the game itself, please get in touch with us at the email address at the top of this page.

Known Problems with Hacks

Zap!2000 graphics and gameplay push the capabilities of your palm to its limits! To do this, we've had to make direct use of much of the hardware of your machine. While this causes no problem for most users, we've had reports from a few users running lots of hacks that the game reports memory problems - even when there is plenty to spare.
Since many hacks also try to use the same hardware calls, sometimes they might be incompatible. If you get the memory error, and you know that you've got enough space, then try de-activating your hacks one by one until you can narrow down which are causing the problems. So far, we have had confirmed reports that Padlockhack and Switchlock hack seem to be incompatible with Zap!2000.

Speed Up Hacks
There are quite a few hacks available ( Afterburner, Tornado, and I personally use Eco-Hack) which allow you to change the speed your main processor runs at. At the expense of some battery life (about 20% less) your palm can run faster by overclocking. This does not cause any problems with

Zap!2000, and many users use these hacks to make the game run faster (or slower) than normally allowed by the standard Zap!2000 speed settings. For those concerned with getting high up the internet high score table, using these hacks makes the game run at a relatively higher speed - so you will get a difficulty bonus added to your score!

Playing Zap!2000

Install and run the game on your Palm.
Tap the screen to start a game.

(Datebook) Left | (Phonebook) Right | (Up) Special Attack | (To Do List) Thrust | (Memo pad) Fire
(Down) Shields

The control buttons can be fully customised if you wish, by selecting the 'Controls...' menu option! You can also turn 'auto-fire' on or off using the 'Game Preferences...' option.

You get an extra ship every 5000 points.

Zap!2000 has a facility to allow you to save your position at key points throughout the game. You can use 'Save game' only at the end of each mission. After you kill a boss you will see a 'Save' icon while the Summary is shown. Tap it and your score, lives and power-ups will be saved at the start of the following mission. You can use the 'Game' menu to use 'Resume game' and continue from where you were.

Registering

When you register for Zap!2000, you'll get a key which will unlock the full version of the game remain valid for the grey-scale and colour versions and future upgrades. Go to the Zap!2000 web page at http://www.astraware.com/palm/zap2000/ or the Zap!2016 web page at http://www.astraware.com/palm/zap2016/ for more details.

Astraware Products

Palm Games Pack 2001 - get Zap!2000/2016, Biplane Ace, Bzzz! and Fire! for your Palm at 20% off the price if you bought them separately.

- Zap!2000 - A smooth colour and greyscale shoot-em-up in the best traditional style! Let out some stress on the invading aliens!

- Biplane Ace - Battle through to mastery the skies in a one- or two-player arcade game
- Mahjongg - the most realistic Mahjongg solitaire for the Palm platform, expandable with extra backgrounds, tiles and layouts
- Fire! - a fast paced remake of the old 80s handheld classic, Fire! (Shareware)
- Bzzz! A cute screen-tapping game of catching flies - suitable for kids and adults! (Shareware)
- Timetable for Palm - An organiser for teachers and students. (Shareware)
- Bang! Bang! A fast screen tapping game of backyard shooting - shoot cans, bottles, ducks and more!
Astraware PC Products

- Bzzz! A cute game of catching flies - suitable for kids and adults!
- Fire! The PC version of the 80s Handheld classic, Fire!

Release Revision History

Release 1.45 : 18th January 2001

- Better memory management, should give more help when the handheld runs out of memory
- Uses less working space on a Palm III which doesn't have much heap memory
- Better backgrounds, as used in Zap!2016
- WorldwideWidgetWorks GamePad support
- More help for user registration

Release 1.30 : 9th September 2000

- Zap!2000 has now been Platinum Certified by Palm to be one of the most stable and usable games on the Palm.
- Using the 'Find' facility when in Zap!2000 no longer crashes the machine.
- No longer accesses screen memory directly
- Better handling of low memory conditions

Release 1.20 : 21st June 2000

- Two new levels for registered users, with new bosses, turrets, canyons, alien launchers, mines!
- Save game available at end of each level, resume game restores you to the start of the next level with all lives and power-ups preserved
- Tapping the top of the screen now opens up the menu, which is behaviour that Palm OS 3.5 users expect
- Better compression techniques mean that the full colour 7-level version of Zap!2000 is now the same size as the old 5-level version was
- Better error messages if game runs low or out of memory

Release 1.12 : 10th April 2000

- Auto-fire (only available in registered version)
- Now compatible with Chrome alternate colour settings on Palm IIIc
- Now only loads graphics when needed - much quicker to load
- Fix: used to crash when you tryed to use 'Reset Highscores'
- Fix: used to crash if you cheated to jump past level 5

Release 1.1 : 10th March 2000

- First colour release for Palm IIIc
- Completely configurable controls (map any button to any action)
- Shields countdown clock
- Ability to turn scenery off and on for a faster game

Release 1.01 : 25th February 2000

- Palm OS 3.5 compatibility (Palm IIIc and Palm IIIxe)
- Removed duplicate printing of Game Over
- Added 'Zap!2000 is loading' message

Release 1.0 : 1st January 2000

- New completion screen
- Redesigned highscore page
- Boss aliens are harder to defeat
- Shields
- Nuke bomb (registered version only)
- Fix: aliens don't disappear anymore

Items still to do...

We have ways of making the colour version run quicker...

Thanks!

The evolution of Zap! and Zap!2000 was helped by...

- Kevin Mohinani - for input to the design of graphics, and for providing some raw ship graphics to work with.
- Pete Moss for the endless constructive feedback on how to improve the game.
- Tim Adams for testing and nitpicking ;-)
- All the beta testers who fed back with comments.

Feedback

If you've got suggestions about how to improve Zap!2000 - or with reports of any problems you've had, then please contact us!

Zap!2000 enquiries/feedback: support@astraware.com
Registration problems: registrations@astraware.com
General Astraware enquiries: feedback@astraware.com

Legal

Astraware Ltd takes no responsibility for any adverse effect that this software could cause to your machine or the data on it: backup important data before using Zap!2000. Zap!2000 is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. Zap!2000 is licensed, not sold.

You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble this software.
Astraware’s and its suppliers’ entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall be, at Astraware’s option, either (a) return of the price paid, if any, or (b) replacement of the product that does not meet the warranty and which is returned to Astraware with a copy of your receipt. This warranty is void if failure of the product has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication. Any replacement software product will be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or thirty (30) days, whichever is longer. These remedies are not available without proof of purchase from an authorised source.

Zap!2000, Astraware and the planet logo are trademarks of Astraware Limited. All rights reserved.