Grog's Revenge
arcade collect'em up game for Commodore 64, 1984
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Use Control Port 2.
THE GAME
[ Graphic 2 omitted: Two "mountains" which look like precarious stacks
of boulders with ramps up their sides and having cave entrances, the
mountains are connected by two bridges. ]
Thor has completed his Quest for Tires. Now he must descover the
Meaning of Life.
But it won't be easy. The Meaning of Life is hidden away; somewhere
in a long maze of mountains.
Each mountain is covered with clams and Thor needs to gather 100 clams
in order to pay the tolls and advance through each mountain.
The only way to Peter and the toll bridge is through the "real scary
caves". There are lots of clams in the caves but watch out for
stalagmites. Keep Thor's headlight sweeping back and forth for
maximum clams.
Out of the cave, watch out for Grog, who saves clams from Thor.
Thor also has contend with rocks, potholes and Tyredactyls (they'll
eat his wheel) in his Quest for Clams and the Meaning of Life.
HOW TO PLAY
[ Graphic 3 omitted, two parts: Top shows Thor on wheel near some
clams, a cave entrance, a Tiredactyl, all on the mountain path. There
is a Dead End which is a chasm break in the path. Bottom part shows
the Preview Screen, which also contains the Score Screen, which is
depicted below. Remainder of Preview Screen has a zoom-out side view
of the mountain with a Toll Bridge, Grog Position, Corner, Thor
Position, and Cave. ]
PREVIEW SCREEN
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| [Player | [ This portion of Graphic 3 described above. ]
| Head] 105 |
| [Grog] 222 | [ See Graphic 1 statement for description of Grog. ]
| PLAYER 1 3450 |
| PLAYER 2 1630 |
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SCORE SCREEN
Note: If you are playing a two-player game, players take turns. Player
1 begins, and each turn lasts until the player completes a level or
loses all his tires.
Getting started:
Use the function keys to select the number of players when you are
asked.
FOR 1 PLAYER - F1
FOR 2 PLAYERS - F3
Game Variations: You can reach the Meaning of Life by playing the game
on any one of three mountains. Use the function keys to select one.
F1 - Mountain 1 - the easy mountain
F2 - Mountain 2 - more difficult
F5 - Mountain 3 - super-challenge
Within each mountain, there are levels. To find out how to warp to
different levels, see TRAVEL NOTES.
USING YOUR CONTROLS
Joystick: Move the joystick in any of ist [unkown word] 8 directions
to move Thor. Thor moves in the direction you point your joystick.
Keyboard: In each level there is a special cave. If you type the
correct sequence of number keys (NOT function keys) while in the cave,
you will warp up one level (within the mountain). Read the "TRAVEL
NOTES" section for more details.
Fire Button: Thor will move at a faster speed when the Fire button is
pressed.
The screen has 3 sections - the play area, the scoring area and the
preview screen. Grog is shown as a diamond and Thor as a square on the
preview screen.
1. The Play Area:
You are in control of Thor. Steer him along path. Avoid driving into
the wall, over the edge of the cliff, or into rocks and potholes. You
can drive into caves or aroun corners. Try to pick up as many clams as
you can. You will need them to play your toll at the toll bridge.
2. The Scoring Area:
The number of clams you have collected is shown beside the picture of
Thor. But you are not the only clam-digger around. Grog is also after
clams. Make sure you get enough clams to pay the toll before Grog gets
them all. The number of clams Grog has is shown beside his picture. If
you make it past a toll bridge, Peter will take away the number of
clams needed for the toll.
Note: If you have 25 clams extra AND have lost at least one tire,
Peter will sell you a new tire for 25 clams. If you choose to warp up,
you will lose your clams.
POINTS CLAMS
Blue path Clams 10 1
Resting Cave Clams 10 1
Walking Cave Clams 10 2
Cave Clams while going fast double double
Warping up a level 1000
EACH TIRE LEFT
at Meaning of Life 1000
3. Preview Screen:
To get to the toll bridge you must know where Thor is and where you
are sending him. The Preview Screen acts like a map. Where you are is
marked by a square black cursor. When you go around a corner you will
see the other side of the hill. WATCH WHERE THE TOLL BRIDGE APPEARS.
Learn which path are connected. Discover where caves can lead you.
Find the best route to each toll bridge.
4. Grog:
Grog is also shown on the preview screen as a blue diamond cursor.
AVOID GROG at all costs. If he should be on the same screen as you,
it's "game over". Then only visual warning you will get get is on the
Preview Screen. Be careful that Grog's not just around the corner, or
at the mouth of the cave which you are about to exit. Learn his ways.
When Grog is about to come around a corner he will give a "beep-beep".
Drive away ... FASTER! When there are no clams left, Grog will hunt
Thor. While hunting for clams or Thor, if Grog can't get to what he's
hunting along a path then he will jump to another path. He always
jumps from the middle of his path, and only if he is showing on the
preview screen.
Grog doesn't move while Thor is in a cave.
[ Graphic 4 omitted: Triangular top-down headlight view of cave
interior with stalagmites and clams. ]
5. Caves:
In caves, Thor turns on his headlight. Collect clams and avoid
stalagmites. Some caves have forked paths. Where you come out depends
on which side of the screen you were on the end of the tunnel. In each
level the caves have only so many clams. The more you collect in caves
the harder they are to find.
[ Graphic 5 omitted, "The hideous Tyredactyl": On the left a wheel is
bouncing toward the wide-open mouth of a reclining reptile that
resembles an alligator. On the right sits the Tyredactyl with a
somewhat smug look on his face, licking his chops, with a sinister
look in his eyes. Again, he looks like an alligator with a very short
maw, and a single row of chunky spike-plates running down his spine
similar to those of a stegosaurus. Stone fragments lie before him. ]
6. Tiredactyl:
Tiredactyls are another fun foe ... prehistoric beasties that eat
tires as their tread and butter. They may decide to persue you as you
drive by. Tiredactyls are afraid of the dark and of hair-pin turns, so
you can always shake one by going into caves or around a corner. If
you just go plowing through, you will have a hard time not feeding the
little critter. If you manage to outrun one, he will not persue you,
but will sit on the path and wait for you to go by again. Learn where
they sit on each level.
If you meet up with a Tiredactyl travelling toward you in the same
lane, turn around and travel in the opposite direction, OR go around
him by changing lanes and going faster. If you are not in the same
lane as he is, to escape him, just speed up. The Tiredactyl may change
lanes, or turn around and persue sometimes.
At the higher levels, the Tiredactyls are smarter. They can change
lanes and directions more often than they do at lower levels. Thor
will have to do some fancy riding to avoid them. If you meet one on a
corner, your best position is to be in his lane as near to the middle
of the path as possible. This will put the Tiredactyl in the LOWER
lane. Then drive towards the Tiredactyl and, at the last moment, speed
up and go up and around him. Continue on quickly until you have lost
him.
Tips:
* Try to choose paths where Grog is gathering clams and pick up a few
clams while you can. Grog is greedy and leaves none to chance.
* Leave a few clams lying around. If a path has no clams at all, Grog
moves faster.
* When Grog is on the same path as you, he forgets about clams and
goes for you. Try to lead him astray.
* Grog is afraid of dead ends, so use them as hiding places. But if he
traps you he will not leave his side of the mountain.
* Study the caves on all sides of the mountains. Remember where you've
been.
Travel Notes:
Mountain One: The Easy Mountain
The secret warp code is always the first cave to your right on Thor's
starting path.
To warp from Level A - hit number 2 key twice
To warp from Level B - hit number 3 key twice
To warp from Level C - hit number 4 key twice
To warp from Level D - Figure it out!
Mountain Two: Six Levels of Challenge
Level A - Enter the first cave on Thor's starting path. To warp to
Level B, hit number 2 key twice.
Level B - Every cave goes one way. To warp to Level C press number key
2, then 3.
Level C - Deadend Paths, Deadend Caves. Hit number key 4 twice to get
to Level D.
Level D - Some caves go twoways. Go around the corner, through the
cave, out of the cave, back in again and press two keys, number 4 and
number 5.
Level E - Drive down the path, around the corner, into the cave. Out
and back into that cave and get to Level F by pressing keys 6 and 2.
Level F - Good Luck!
Mountain Three - The True Meaning of Life (This one will leave you
PIE-EYED)
Level A - "The Flying Buttress"
Level B - "Cave of Caves"
Level C - "Double Vision" or "One bad turn deserves another"
Level D - "Utter Madness"
END OF GAME
Whenever you have finished playing the game, (you have lost all your
tires or reached the Meaning of Life) your score will be checked
against the High Score List. If you have a new high score, you will be
asked to enter your name using the keyboard. You may use any letters
or numbers. If you make a mistake, use the DEL key.
When you have finished, press RETURN. If the High Scores List has
never been read from the disk, high scoring names are not asked for.
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Some useful keyboard shortcuts
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[PAUSE] - stop/continue game
[F9] - quick load game state
[F12] - quick save game state (still stored after leaving the site)
[F10] - toggle performance meter
[F11] - toggle fullscreen mode
[ScrollLock] - quick switch control ports
[PageDown] - make a screenshot (320x200)