THE FASTEST GAME ON EARTH Linux version published by Linux Game Publishing LTD Linux Game Publishing LTD 17 Rossington Rd Nottingham NG2 4HX England http://www.linuxgamepublishing.com Windows version by Grin Inc. Hitechbuilding 22 101 52 Stockholm Sweden http://www.grin.se Linux version © 2007 Linux Game Publishing LTD. All rights reserved. Grin and the Grin Logo are trademarks of Grin Inc. Ballistics and the Ballistics logo are trademarks of Grin Inc. Linux Game Publishing is a trademark of Linux Game Publishing LTD. Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. Ah other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Printed in the UK. 1 Contents Setup and Installation.3 System Requirements.3 Installation.3 Uninstalling.3 Running the Game.4 Starting Ballistics.4 Startup Hints.4 The World of Ballistics.5 The Leagues.5 Rookie League.6 Pro League.7 Ballistics League.7 Pilots.8 Speeders.9 Main Menu.12 Game Controls.13 The HUD.16 The Race.19 The Tracks.20 The Multiplayer Game.24 Technical Support.24 Credits.25 End User License Agreement.26 2 Setup and Installation System Requirements Linux Kernel 2.2.x or later Glibc 2.1.x or later XFree86 version 3.3.5 or later 500 MHz or better x86 processor 160 MB RAM 3D Graphics card with at least 32MB of memory OSS or ALSA compatible sound card 4x CDRom 1.1 GB Hard disc space Installation Insert the CD, mount and run the setup.sh script on the mounted CD. This is accomplished with the following commands typed into a terminal window. mount /mnt/cdrom sh /mnt/cdrom/setup.sh You will then be prompted for install options. If you have not previously installed the LGP update tool, this will be installed before the initial game installation. This will automate the process of finding and applying patches. You may wish to run it occasionally to check for updates to Ballistics. Sometimes the CD-Rom is not located in /mnt/cdrom, you should consult your Linux documentation if it is not. Uninstalling To uninstall Ballistics, simply select the LGP Uninstall tool from your Program Menu, or type lgp_uninstall from the command line. 3 Running the Game Starting Ballistics Once you have installed Ballistics, you may play it by selecting your Program Menu button on your toolbar, and choosing Ballistics from the Games menu. To start the game from the command line, simply type ballistics from the command line. Startup Hints If you would prefer to play Ballistics in a window instead of full-screen, simply use -w on the command line. For example: ballistics -w . If you wish to switch between windowed and fullscreen during the game, use Alt-Enter. When windowed, Ctrl-G will keep your pointer within the window so you can play Ballistics more easily. To release your pointer press Ctrl-G again. Configuring Ballistics When you first start Ballistics, you will be shown a dialog box asking for the resolution to run the game at. This will only be shown the first time you run the game. To access this dialog again after the first time you play, simply type ballistics-config from the command line. 4 The World of Ballistics The year is 2090, and humankind has become a high tech society. Diseases are gone, and almost everyone lives a comfortable and secure life. The world is simply a stable place. But when times are calm and money is plentiful, people always start to search for entertainment to fill their everyday lives with. Extreme sports have developed and Ballistics is one of the biggest. You are one of the contenders. You are a Ballistics Pilot, ready to throw yourself headlong into the most awesome speed sensation in the world! The Ballistics races evolved from the Formula One races. The Ballistics pilots are trained from their teens and, using electronic enhancers, their reflexes are much faster than any ordinary human. Wearing G-suits like fighter pilots, they set out to race in these insane speed fests in their hunt for fame and fortune. Not only do you race through high tech scenarios, as a pro league pilot you get to travel the world and compete with other daredevils in the most spectacular tracks ever built. Rushing through settings such as the Belize jungle, the Grand Canyon, and the city center of future Houston, you are in for some serious action and challenges. The tracks are built using tunnels that allow a racing surface that is curved and twisted in any direction. The Pilots who race in these tunnels are all using Speeders. Speeders are high tech hover bikes with a magnetic repel unit keeping them floating in the air when inside the track. To be able to keep the Speeders floating, a magnetic field has been generated close to the track walls. This magnetic field, called the MF by some, will keep the Speeder in the air, or if the pilot chooses to, it will keep the Speeder attached just a few millimeters from the wall. Being a Speeder pilot has its pros and cons. The pros include fame and good old hard cash for your performance. The cons being high speed impacts with concrete walls. Each race pays a fortune, and you certainly deserve it for throwing yourself into this furious racing grind. The Leagues When starting a new career you will be placed in the lowest division, where the tracks on offer cater for the novices, but have their limits when it comes to enhancing your reputation as a daredevil. On these tracks, the MF is set to allow less acceleration than in the Pro and Ballistics leagues. If you wish to move onto the higher leagues, you have to show yourself capable of consistently beating the competition. To help you realise your ambition, you have your Speeder build team. At your command, engineers will fit new parts to your Speeder, and give you even more power to throw around while out on the track. The parts don’t come for free, but winning a few races now and then will go a long way towards raising the funds you need to set up a Speeder ready take you to the next level. The position gained in a race will determine if you are qualified to continue in the league or if you must re-race the current track. If you fail in three consecutive attempts to place in a qualifying position, your team will be thrown out of the league. 5 The qualifying position depends on which league you are in. The leagues are the Rookie, Pro and Ballistics leagues. To get ahead in the Rookie league you need to place in the top three in each race. For Pro you must reach the top two, and in the Ballistics league you need to win them all. As prize-money is determined by race placement, winning every race throughout a whole league season will earn you a lot of money - enabling you to afford those top-notch parts for you Speeder. Reaching the highest division and winning that league will, of course, be the ultimate goal. Many pilots will try, but very few will succeed. The world champion title is a great achievement and requires a pilot with extraordinary skills and reflexes, not to mention an almost perfect Speeder setup! Rookie League The Rookie league is open to all professional Speeder pilots who wish to have a try at the higher divisions, or simply play a part in the professional society of global Ballistics racing. The Rookie- league is a worldwide event where the best nationals gather to qualify for the higher divisions. No Pilot may side-step the Rookie league on his way to the top. Showing top performance race after race in the Rookie league will earn the right pilot a place in the Pro league. The Rookie league is hosted by three of the largest Ballistics track on the global scene. These hosting tracks are: The Belize Brilliance - Belize Novosibirsk - Russia Sky town - West district Houston - USA When racing in the Rookie league the magnetic field will be very strong. The pilots will NOT be detached when colliding with obstacles or hitting inner curves at a too high a speed. The detach maneuver has been replaced by a 180 degree flip in the open air. When used, the Speeder flips from one side of the tunnel to the other. This can be used to collect power ups and avoid certain obstacles. Don’t get too comfortable with this easy way of racing - it will change when hitting the Pro league. The strong MF will also reduce your acceleration, so top speeds are generally lower in this league. To advance in this league you need to place in the top three positions in each race. 6 Pro League Proving yourself worthy and skilled enough for the Pro league is one thing, but winning it is a totally different story. In the Pro league money starts to become very important. The more funds you have, the greater your chance of snatching a good position or two. The other professional competitors will be upgrading and out gunning you if you cannot afford to keep up. The Pro league is hosted by the following tracks: The Belize Brilliance - Belize Grand Canyon - USA Sky town - West district Houston - USA Novosibirsk - Russia Zensoku - Tokyo In the Pro league the magnetic field will be much less forgiving, but it will also allow you to go faster. Remember to re-attach to the wall if you collide or get pushed off the magnetic field by an opponent. To advance in this league you need to place in the top two positions in each race. Ballistics League To reach the Ballistics league, a pilot is without doubt one of the superstars of the sport. Having come this far, few will halt and settle for second place. The competition here is fierce and the prize money is huge! Competing with the elite, you can count on your opponents to own most of the speeder parts and upgrades available. It is now up to you to find the best combination that suits every individual track. Technology is a must but it is not a sure ticket to success. Only lightning fast reflexes and the experiences of the lower leagues will take you to victory. This league is your chance to claim the world champion title. The following tracks will be the stage for this challenge: The Belize Brilliance - Belize Grand Canyon - USA The Houston sewers - USA Novosibirsk - Russia Sharp Reef - Jamaica Sky town - West district Houston - USA Zensoku - Tokyo In this league winning is all. To advance you need to win every race. 7 Pilots ballistics Pilot name //j new nil at l —— All good pilots must have a name. A name to be reckoned with and a name that will show up on the high scores in the Ballistics league. Choose it with care. ///JHpB/ //irt* Cash ballistics fiighscnre quit ///jgocTplfDl; //faster /into pilot title raoltie cash 3Bssn$ _ races i mins avg. mins mm avg. pas i tap speed BBsmpti //fi erase Hi nmu //JlH Earning is fun, but spending is better! Cash shows the funds you have available for purchasing new parts to your speeder. Keep the cash flowing in, and you will soon be riding a real top notch setup. Races/Wins Each pilot has a track record and it is shown here. Every race is written into your career log and you will be able to see how many races you have participated in and how many you have won. This counts in your high score, and when deciding which pilot is to be ranked higher if more than one pilot has the same score. 8 Speeder Speeders are one man piloted vehicles, with their propulsion based on an extremely powerful jet engine. The Speeder has sprung from a hybrid of designs dating back to the original motorcycle, and a fighter jet, with a raw power source and a slick and aerodynamic design. Speeders are very expensive and luxurious items, giving their pilot the feeling of riding a bullet at insane speeds, while still giving them tremendous maneuverability. It doesn’t matter how fast you are going, you can always go faster! The technology in a Speeder is optimised for racing. Speeders come in many different models, and each pilot will have their own favorite. Speeders are built up of several different parts. A Speeder contains one engine, one front shield, one cooler unit and one chassis. There are ten different types of each different part available for purchase. Each engine, cooler, chassis or front shield has its own unique set of properties. For example while an engines power thrust causes acceleration, it also causes heat production that varies from model to model depending on its efficiency. Parts The parts available for purchase will alter the performance of your Speeder. A pilot who is aiming for a very high acceleration, but doesn’t worry about the stability of their vehicle, can buy parts that, when combined, provide the best racing setup from that pilot’s point of view. The parts all come from different manufacturers, who all have different approaches to the technology and features of their components. Some companies focus on single parts such as Engines, while some make the whole set up that can be combined into a Speeder. As a professional pilot, you will want to try many different combinations before you find the one that suits your racing style and budget the best. Remember that the most expensive part may not always be the best one, when used in combination with the parts you already own. Lots of testing and practice runs are recommended to find the perfect set up. You can find the shop function in the interface, and there you will also have the opportunity to experiment with different combinations. When buying parts you need to look into the features of each part. The key to a good setup is to find matching parts. Some engines just don’t mix with certain coolers and vice versa. To give you a hint in the right direction, here is a briefing on the different types of parts and their specifics. Engine A highly efficient jet engine provides the Speeder with the needed thrust to accelerate forwards. The jet engine is placed at the back of the Speeder, and actually consists of two different thrusters. One for the ordinary acceleration and one thruster for the booster. A combustion fuel propels the engine itself. This fuel provides the engine with a powerful and constant energy. The pilot will not run out of this fuel during any race. The only fuel restraint is the booster which is run on electric ballistics shop engine 'pilot: shin speeiler shin supersonic f dragon. spend booster gain at ion ox II selected aurabillbu cash 30550 $ price osooo s select 9 energy. This energy can be loaded from zones in the racetrack called Booster Load Zones (BLZs). The booster heats up your speeder and you should balance the use of this with the internal cooler, or cooler zones in the track. When choosing your engine you must consider a number of different properties. Some engines tend to heat up more quickly than others and some have better power output for higher acceleration. Also take notice of the weight of your engine. Acceleration is related to mass, and so a heavier speeder accelerates more slowly. Chassis ballistics snap engine pilot shin front supersonic i speeiler shin spend dragon, l-prafller cant afford cash 3Bssa $ flnnsi. gr gain heat generation durabilitg price lasaaa s The chassis is the skeleton of your Speeder. It holds the other parts in place. Choose your chassis depending on the weight of your other components. Together with the cooler, the Chassis is also responsible for how much heat the Speeder can take before exploding. Chassis are made of several different materials, some are made of steel, others of titanium. Titanium is often more expensive but gives you greater heat reduction. select Located in the chassis, you also have the most vital part of the whole Speeder. The MRU or magnetic repel unit. This unit is an electromagnetic repulsion device that is used to repel you from, as well as attach you to, the magnetic field that is set up by generators in the track walls. The chassis have different MRUs. Some are strong, and allow fast and easy attachment. Others generate less friction when attached, thus having a weaker attachment pull. The choice is up to the pilot and their desired racing style. Cooler To keep the engine running smoothly, the Speeder is equipped with a highly efficient cooling system. At the front of the chassis there are intake ports, which funnel air into the engine to cool it down. While racing, the pilot regulates these ports. The problem with the ports is that the more they are open, the more instability they create for the Speeder. It is up to the pilot to monitor and alter these ports with his controls, to obtain the best performance/cooling tradeoff from the vehicle. Some coolers use chemicals instead of air to reduce heat from the engine. The choice is one of price and stability. Air vents tend to be more efficient coolers, but they induce greater instability to the Speeder, and are considered less reliable by some. Some pilots prefer running with a cheap and inefficient cooler, and aim for the cooler zones in the track as a means of cooling. Coolers are also used as brakes as energy is drawn from the engine and into the cooling system. Air vents brake through air resistance, while chemical coolers cause the engine to create negative thrust when used. ballistics //Iff hap mtarne pilot shin supersonic i dragon, s pee d boos ter gain so cual cant afford coni ■ durahilitg cash nossa s price 7oaaa s select 10 Front Shield OalliBEins shop engine glint shin supersonic t front dragon , boost er gain heat generation tuilnplate cobra cash 3issd $ ah IMi Price isDoo s select//buy The front shield is your protection against every Speeder pilots sworn enemy - air resistance. A streamlined shield ensures low friction and provides the pilot with higher acceleration. On the other hand, aerodynamic optimisaton can often lead to the front shield being physically weak, resulting in collisions causing more damage to the Speeder. Front shields also hold much of the look, which is important to the ego of many pilots. Some companies have turned the front shield into more of an image statement than an efficient racing component. 11 Main menu Using the interface in Ballistics you may choose to play different styles of race, and alter the settings of the game as you prefer them. The main areas are: Single race In single race you will be using your current pilot. During single races you will not earn any prize money or gain league positions. You will be able to beat speed records, lap records and total time records. You can chose to compete against between one and seven other pilots. This is a good practice opportunity, as a Single Race does not use up your league race retry allowance. Championship To get serious and go after the fame and fortune, you have to compete in the Ballistics leagues. Here you can chose to continue in a league you have already started, or join from the beginning. When continuing an old league, you will be placed in the league that your current pilot profile holds. Before racing the next league track you can choose to upgrade your speeder with the cash you have at hand. To join the league you simply choose the new league option. Your pilot will now be entered into the Rookie league, at the start of the first race. Once a league is started you cannot change your pilot profile, so you must do this before you join a new league. Multiplayer To take part in multiplayer races the player can chose either to host a game or to join it from this menu. If you chose to join a game, type in the address of the computer that hosts the game. High scores This is the place where the stars of Ballistics get their names in print. Here the pilot can check out who to beat and what time to aim for. The greatest record of all is of course the all-time-high Speeder record. To get your name here will require you to be a very skilled pilot running the hard courses - nothing else counts. Furthermore, the pilot can chose to look at lap times, track times and speeder records for each individual track and for every level of difficulty. The records keep the ten best pilots in display. Options The option menu features settings that can turn up your game quality or raise the performance of the game. You will also find options for configuring your controls as well as setting the difficulty levels of the game. Tutorial Selecting this option will take the pilot to a hands-off tutorial. The tutorial explains and shows the basic controls system to be used while racing. Looking through this tutorial is recommended even for the more experienced racing gamers out there. 12 Game Controls [ESC | This key will pause the game currently in play and you may then choose to restart, resume or abort the current game. Of course you will not be allowed to restart a league race without losing a retry. You can choose to alter your view using these keys. This will take you from first person to third person in different set ups. Speeder Control Below is a brief guide on how to control your Speeder and learn the game. It is recommended that you read through this, and then watch the tutorial that can be reached from the main menu. The keys shown are the defaults, all of these can be changed in the Options menu. Speed Up - Left Mouse Button To increase speed, you need to use the throttle. DON’T push the throttle at all times! This will overheat your Speeder, which, if not cooled, will explode! Cooler - Js] To cool down from high heat levels, use the cooler. The cooler will decrease your heat but it will also reduce your velocity. When using the cooler at high speeds, you will experience a shaking sensation - that is the air resistance of the cooling vents destabilising your speeder. The cooler is not the only efficient way of cooling your Speeder. You can also pass over Free Cooler Zones J . These will take heat out of your system, and the longer you stay over such a zone, the more heat will dissipate. Use these as bonuses, as they don’t slow you down the way the onboard cooler does. Detaching/Attaching - Right Mouse Button The Speeder controls are built on a dual system. When attached to the tunnel walls, you will be able to rotate 360 degrees around the tunnel attached to a magnetic field. The top of your head always points towards the middle of the tunnel. When detached, you have full free movement within the tunnel, and are not restricted by the magnetic field. You attach and detach by pressing the key of choice. When attached, the speeder has greater stability, and the acceleration is higher. Detaching allows you to perform maneuvers to obtain bonus powerups that are in the middle of the tunnel, or to avoid some obstacles. When going attached and approaching a curve, position yourself away from the inner curve. If you don’t, you will detach, as gravity rips you from the magnetic field and flings you into the open air. In rookie mode this will only slow you down. Use the mouse to control your direction when detached. 13 Booster space| If you feel you are ready for higher speeds, then use the booster. The booster produces enormous acceleration but comes with the side effect of additional heat. Use the booster to overtake our opponents on the straights, but watch your speed when you enter the curves after using it. To be able to boost, you must load your booster by running across a booster load zone & . The more of the zone that you pass through, the more energy will be passed onto you, charging your booster. If you do not use the booster energy, it will slowly drain from your system. Rolling - [5] [F] Rolling is key to racing, and takes a while to master. Rolling will enable the Pilot to place his or her Speeder in the correct position before entering a curve. When attached, the rolls keys will be your strafe key, and are used to avoid obstacles, and for hitting booster load zones and cooler zones. Obstacles As well as having the AI to compete against, you have obstacles^& placed on the track. These are to be avoided and give you yet another difficulty to worry about on the track. If you hit an obstacle, you will detach from the magnetic field and endure some heat damage. Collisions at high speed can easily cause you to explode. Power ups To further enhance the racing experience, you have three super power ups in the game. These are holographic spheres in the middle of the track, and an only be reached by detaching your speeder and passing through them. Super Booster This Super Booster power up gives you double booster acceleration for 10 seconds, although you still need to have regular booster fuel to use it. Ice This power up is a cooler, which instantly takes ALL your heat away - thus the Ice name. Flip-Score This power up is called Flip-Score and gives you extra cash, rewarding your brave move in detached mode. 14 Speed rewards As the Ballistics races are all about the speed, pilots who run insanely fast at certain points on the track will be rewarded with cash. This is shown on the HUD as well as commented on by the commentator voice. There are several levels of reward, starting with "Speedfreak" and going up. If the commentator thinks you performed a risky move well, he might tell you it was a "Nice move". This won’t give you any cash, but it lets you know you are headed in the right direction. 15 The HUD The HUD, or Heads Up Display, is a vital tool for a Ballistics pilot. It contains a selection of easily accessed information which can be used by the pilot to improve their race. To adjust the colour of the HUD press [re] and [no] keys To change the intensity of the HUD use the jni] and nlj information is hidden, use jnlj to show it. Below is a brief what’s where guide to the Ballistics HUD keys. By default, advanced HUD Curve Direction Indicator (CDI): The CDI tells the pilot about the next upcoming curve. It shows the curves direction relative the Speeders orientation in its roll plane. The range of this indicator is 200 meters, or 500 feet. When racing, the pilot should try to get the CDI to place itself in the bottom interval of its circle - 6 o’clock. 16 Detachment Indicator: These yellow indicators show when the Speeder is detached from the magnetic field of the racing track. When attaching there is also a sound to alert the player when the attachment or detachment succeeded. The indicator will turn invisible when attached to the magnetic field. Lap: This number represents the present lap. Position: Tells the position that the player holds in the race. Booster Gauge: The amount of booster ready for use is shown by lit steps in this I digital gauge. Acceleration Gauge: This digital gauge tells the player the acceleration percentage of the Speeders maximum acceleration for the current gear. When this hits its maximum the gear will automatically shift-up ■ Speed LED: This numeric indicator shows the velocity of the Speeder. The & number is in miles per hour and can be switched to show kilometers per hour in the game options menu. Beneath the digital display there is also a MACH I meter. MACH 1 is equal to the speed of sound. Heat Indicator: This indicator fills up in red to show the amount of heat accumulated in the Speeder. When the heat reaches critical levels, an alarm will go off to alert the pilot of the explosion danger. The same indicator holds the cooler lights. When lit, these tell the pilot that the cooler is being used. This shows as a glowing blue quadrant around the heat indicator. 1 P M P i i. i 14 c -QC : ITM3 <3 CPIA3 -nri:n c L^i i -i 3 i: PL! X : -Gu : Q^ : "lR u on ny n 1 1 l_ U ■ 0 ITEM'-! Relative Position: These lines tells the pilot the names of his opponents, their time behind or in front of him relative to the current checkpoint passed. The players name will show in a different colour to the opponents. 17 B RPM and Gear: This indicator shows the RPM of the engine. The large circle spins according to the RPM. The smaller bumps on the circle show the changing of gear that the engine performs while accelerating. ■ Radar. This shows the nearest 200 meters of tunnel and the position of upcoming opponents. The player is marked in one colour while the opponents are marked with another. In multiplayer mode the human players have their names attached to their markers for each player to see. Additional Information. As you can see there are additional indicators positioned around the HUD. These are not vital for the novice pilot. The more experienced pilot will figure out what they can be used for, as some can be quite helpful. 18 The Race Races can only be run in one direction. If a pilot is facing the wrong way an indicator in the middle of the HUD will tell him so. Besides the Booster zones and free cooler zones, you have other points of reference along the track. A good Ballistics pilot will learn the track he is about to race by practicing on it, taking note of which curves are where, and which outside scenes can be used as reference points for difficult parts of the track. Other useful markers are the checkpoints, and the start/finish line on the track. Checkpoints Any pilot aiming to set track records should be aware of the checkpoints placed around the tracks. These energy fields balance the magnetic field in the track, and keep the energy divided between the Speeders when passed. Going though a checkpoint will create an electrical burst. This is the kinetic energy of the speeder being passed onto the magnetic field. This measure tells the system how much energy has to be loaded to keep all Speeders in the air. As well as balancing energy the checkpoints deliver time reports to the pilots and audience. The time is counted from the lap start line, up until the passing of the checkpoint. The times are recalculated for each lap to give the pilot a good reference for improving his race from lap to lap. Start When beginning a race the pilots will find themselves placed in a helix formation around the track wall. After the initial start up, the countdown from 3 to GO! will commence, and engines will be enabled. Before the GO! has been given no acceleration can take place, and no maneuvering in any direction will be allowed. The start position also represents the finish line when all laps are completed. 19 The Tracks There are a number of tracks in Ballistics. Not all will be available from the start. The player must unlock some by winning the Rookie and Pro leagues. Below follows a brief history of the tracks, and some useful statistics. Name Location Environment Track length Longest straight Number of curves Checkpoints Skytown West district Houston, USA Mid-temperate City 11.3km 2.8km 6 2 Following on from its early success with the Houston Sewers track, the Zafuga Company built this circuit situated in the high tech area of west district Houston. 24 skyscrapers had to be demolished, or be significantly altered, as well as a whole ground level block, which had to be cleared to cater for the underground connection. The course runs by part of the Houston harbour and alongside a still active train line. The track is enormously popular with the audience and it is fully booked by different leagues. TV broadcasting covers it all year long. It is not the most difficult track, but is very modern, with a lot of potential for some high speeds. The most difficult part is the City Square Dive, also called the 5th Dive. In this dive the pilots are more or less free in the air, their only reference points are the small steel bars that attach to the fully glassed tunnel. First timers often feel a gut wrenching sensation when hitting this part of the circuit. Name Location Environment Track length Longest straight Number of curves Checkpoints Belize Brilliance Belize Rainforest, warm and moist. 12km 2km 8 3 The extraordinary multibillionaire Lorien Newcomb invested huge amounts into his tropical resort The Belize Brilliance. This resort located in the middle of the Belize jungle has been the destination for many corporate vacations since the 2060s. Enjoying a beautiful countryside, with hundreds of lakes, and long trekking paths through the jungle, this resort quickly grew up to be a small town, for both relaxation, and adventure seeking citizens. As casinos and amusement parks moved in, so did the Ballistics foundation. The resort now caters for one of the fastest tracks in the top Ballistics league, where pilots race through a twisting track which runs through the jungle, before diving underground into some of the Belizean limestone caves. The air is hot and the track is often covered in a dense white fog, making the heat levels build up fast. The Belizean race course has been the host for league semi-finals for over five years and is very much appreciated by the audience, due to its clashing style between a high tech track layout and the down to earth outside scenes. 20 Name Location Environment Track length Longest straight Number of curves Checkpoints Zensoku Tokyo, Japan Purpose built arena 22.5km 4.4km 8 4 The Asian pearl of Ballistics racing. Constructed in the early 2090s, this Ballistics arena stands as the most modern facility for racing in the world today. Its smooth setting and lean track architecture enables top pilots to reach enormous acceleration during races here. The arena has only been in use for one season so far, and many veterans still have to learn the ways of this very fast track. In the middle of the arena, two huge audience stands hold over 80,000 visitors each. From these stands, the bystanders can see speeders going down the long rotating speed lane. The races can also be followed by watching a number of huge TV screens set up facing each stand. The custom-built arena gives a different experience to other Ballistics tracks, that often are built around natural formations. This track was created to give the Pilots a new challenge, by racing through complex loops and helix formations that would have never happened while moulding the track to a natural environment. The architect also decided to run the track close to the electrical generators that run the magnetic fields used in Ballistics races. The stroboscopic lights caused by the pulsing current have introduced yet another difficulty level to this arena. Name Location Environment Track length Longest straight Number of curves Checkpoints Novosibirsk Siberia, Russia Very cold 11.6km 1.5km 12 4 One of the more remote circuits in the world is sited in Siberia. Novsordisk Oil Inc built this track as a PR project. The company found one of the few still unexploited oil fields in the world. As oil is extremely rare, the interest to drill here was immense. After negotiations with the local ministry, it was decided that the company would not only pay huge amounts to the locals for the drilling rights, but also help the area to become noticeable on the world map. From a sleeping community covered in snow all year round, the town has come to life since it received not only huge investments in universities and other infrastructure, but also its own top of the line Ballistics track. The track is preferred as a training ground among many of the top teams. This is due to the cold temperatures allowing higher acceleration, as heat levels tend to build up more slowly here. The town itself is still a relatively quiet place compared to the large cities. Here the pilots can concentrate on their training, without much of the everyday attention from fans and media. 21 Name Grand Canyon Location Grand Canyon, USA Environment Hot and dry Track length 23km Longest straight 4.3km Number of curves 21 Checkpoints 3 When the Ballistics league searched for a location in the west, the choice of Grand Canyon was obvious. The natural formations provided the perfect arena for racing. After the state decided to make the track part of the Grand Canyon attraction, all resistance against such exploit of the old tourist site was swept aside. In the beginning, the track had to close down due to sabotage against the construction, but as the popularity of the sport increased, so did the pride of this circuit among the state’s citizens. Nowadays it is a respected monument of the early Ballistics series, and when local pilots race here they can always expect huge support from their home crowd. It was here that one of the absolute highest speeds ever was recorded in the early 90s. The Alabama bom Jim Losi pushed his Speeder to supersonic speed and hit the 2,360 km/h mark during a perfectly executed race where he hit virtually every booster load zone the track had to offer. The track has not been rearranged since then, but no one has yet come close to the record. Name The Houston sewers Location Downtown Houston Environment Above and below ground. Track length 16.5km Longest straight 2.4km Number of curves 18 Checkpoints 4 The Houston sewers is a rather unfair name for this track, but it was originally given due to its cheap setting. This track was one of the first Ballistics tracks to be built during the 2060s. Back then, the architects did not have the big money they have today for building tracks. The Zafuga Company, who built and still own this circuit, invested a fortune to build the expensive magnetic field generators. The setting itself was then chosen with the small remaining budget in mind. The choice fell upon a block in the outskirts of Houston. Buying the rights to use the old sewer system, and to occupy some of the streets and houses, was a great risk in those times. Proving to be very successful, the Ballistics sport grew exponentially, and so this track has become somewhat of a legend or classic for the veterans and audience. Nowadays the city blocks around the track have flourished but the original setting has been kept and still has its downtown look intact. The Zafuga Company made so much profit from the circuit, that it decided to build another city setting but this time in a high tech block. Investing huge amounts, that track is by far the most expensive Ballistics circuit to date. 22 Name Location Environment Track length Longest straight Number of curves Checkpoints Sharp Reef North Jamaica Underwater 12km 1.1km 17 3 Jamaica has been a recreational resort for centuries, and as this business skyrocketed in the 2050s. Local companies decided to join in a venture to create a Ballistics track that would be somewhat different from the rest. As the Jamaicans have a much more laid-back attitude than most of the modern world, insane speeds would not be appropriate here. The companies hired a local architect to build a typical Jamaican track. This was no easy task and it proved very expensive. The first track was built on the seabed beneath a reef, but proved too long and fragile. When almost finished and ready for test runs, one of the segments developed a microfracture which cracked, and the track, which had no emergency water pumps or bulkheads, was filled within the hour and destroyed. Even though an insurance company took the worst hit, the Jamaicans decided that the replacement track would be redesigned, and limited it to very few straights, as these turned out to be the weak spots when constructing a track underwater. All this resulted in a very twisted track. It twists and turns, and the pilots have to be alert at all times, as there is no room for mistakes here. Acceleration build up is limited, and use of the booster can only be done in short bursts. The track has become rather popular, as it is a break from the traditional high speed racing style of the Ballistics series, and is used to challenge the pilots in a different way. 23 The Multiplayer Game Selecting ’Multiplayer’ from the main menu will allow you to test your skills against up to seven other players. Hosting a game To host a game, simply select ’host’ from within the Multiplayer game menu. You will then be asked to select options for the game, and you will see other players as they connect. As the host you are the only one able to change the game options. Firewall configuration: Ballistics host server must allow connections via UDP/IP to port 2032. Joining a game To join a game, simply select ’Join’ from the Multiplayer menu. You will be asked for the address of the server to connect to. Enter the address of the host and the game will connect. Helpful Internet Resources To help you set up or join internet games, we recommend the following resources: Our chat channels, at http://chat.linuxgamepublishing.com Join the Ballistics Multiplayer League and compete against the best players around the world at http: //multiplay er. linuxgamepublishing .com Technical Support Please be sure to read the README document on the game CD, and review the Frequently Asked Questions on our support webpage: support.linuxgamepublishing.com. Here you can also check for any updates to ensure you have the latest version of the software. You may also launch lgp update as the user who installed the game to check for product updates, while connected to the Internet. If you are still having problems, please contact our technical support team. Full information about how to do this is found on the above website. By email, please contact support@linuxgamepublishing.com and we will do all we can to resolve your Ballistics problem. In your email, please include the following information: Complete product title and version number (found by typing ballistics -v) Exact error message (if any) Linux distribution Linux version (found by typing uname -a) Computer processor type and speed (e.g. Athlon64 - 1.5GHz) Video and sound card make and model Faulty Disks If you receive a faulty disc, please contact the company you purchased the game from. 24 Credits Grin Producer: Ulf Andersson - ’Doughy’ CEO: Bo Andersson Lead Animator: Robert Petterson - ’Poser’ Lead Programmer: Mattias Flodin - ’Marv’ Programmers: Joacim Jacobsson - ’Fisk’, Marcus Westerlund - ’Maze’, Mathieu Gosset - ’Zygron’, Tobias Barendt - ’Bizze’, Rikard Wigforss Additional Programming: Klas Adolfsson Music and Sound: Simon Wiklund - ’Maestro’ Lead 3D Artist: Mattias Hvall 3D Artwork: Peter Edmark - ’Glazer’, Anders Bodbacka - ’Cyc’, Martin Waern - ’Gaspode’, Johan Hellqvist - ’Thypyroo’ Lead 2D Artist: Alexander Linden - ’Krossgrus’ 2D Artwork: Peter Johansson - ’Lill-Peter’ Linux Game Publishing PHB: Michael Simms Programming: Frank Earl, Steven Fuller, Adam Godley, Joonas Lahtinen, Dan Olson, Matthew Powell, Michael Simms Production QA: Gareth Bentley Beta Testers: Aaron Gyes (Floam), A1 Alkini Koskelin, Andreas Schneider, Andrew ’ashridah’ Pilley, Bill Patterson, Caleb Shay, Cobey Schmidt, Colin Bayer, Dan Mccombs, Dana Olson, David B., David Hedbor, David Henderson, David Weiss, Dimitri Teresh, drew, Edward Rudd, Eskild Hustvedt, Geir-Tore Lindsve, Hector Rodriguez, Ian Su, Ilkka Urtamo, imr, Ivan Thompson, Joacim Jacobsson, Joem, John Resotko, Josh Sheedy, Joshua Kleiner, Jurriaan Saathof, Karo Launonen, Keith Constable, Mark Boddington, Mark Cooke, Mark Dillavou, Matthew Schlegel, Michael Hauck, Michael Munick, Michael West, Michal Spada, Moses Milazzo, nadav mavor, nilfilter, Palle Raabjerg, Phil Bordelon, rmrmg, Rogan Creswick, Sam Lantinga, Steve Prud’Homme, Terry Warner, theGREENzebra, Thomas Kowaliczek, Tod Schmidt, tyme, Vaclav sHINOBI Misek, vicente carro fernandez, Vincent Spader, Zach Borgerding, Zachary J. Slater 25 End User License Agreement YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY READ THE FOLLOWING END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT BEFORE INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE PROGRAM. BY INSTALLING OR OTHERWISE USING THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, PROMPTLY RETURN THE UNUSED SOFTWARE PROGRAM TO THE PLACE OF PURCHASE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE. This software program (the "Program"), any printed materials, any on-line or electronic documentation (the "Manuals"), and any and all copies and derivative works of such software program are the copyrighted work of Linux Game Publishing LTD and its licensors. All rights reserved, except as expressly stated herein. All use of the Program is governed by the terms of this End User License Agreement ("License Agreement"). The Program is solely for use by end users according to the terms of the Licence Agreement. Any use, reproduction or redistribution of the Program not in accordance with the terms of the Licence Agreement is expressly prohibited. 1. Limited Use License. Linux Game Publishing ("LGP") hereby grants, and by installing the Program you thereby accept, a limited, non-exclusive license and right to install and use one (1) copy of the Program for your use on either a home, business, or portable computer. The Program is licensed not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Program. 2. Ownership. All title, ownership rights and intellectual property rights in and to the Program and any and all copies thereof (including but not limited to any titles, computer code, themes, objects, characters, character names, stories, dialog, catch phrases, locations, concepts, artwork, animations, sounds, musical compositions, audio-visual effects, methods of operation, moral rights, and any related documentation, and "applets" incorporated into the Program) are owned by LGP and its licensors. The Program is protected by the copyright laws of the United Kingdom, international copyright treaties and conventions and other laws. All rights are reserved. The Program contains certain licensed materials and LGP’s licensors may protect their rights in the event of any violation of this Agreement. 3. Responsibilities of End User. A. Subject to the Grant of License hereinabove, you may not, in whole or in part, copy, photocopy, reproduce, translate, reverse engineer, derive source code, modify, disassemble, decompile, create derivative works based on the Program, or remove any proprietary notices or labels on the Program without the prior written consent of LGP. B. The Program is licensed to you as a single product. Its component parts may not be separated for use on more than one computer. C. You are entitled to use the Program for your own use, but you are not entitled to: (i) sell, grant a security interest in or transfer reproductions of the Program to other parties in any way, nor to rent, lease or license the Program to others without the prior written consent of LGP; or (ii) exploit the Program or any of its parts for any commercial purpose including, but not limited to, use at a cyber cafe, computer gaming centre or any other location-based site. LGP may offer a separate Site License Agreement to permit you to make the Program available for commercial use. Contact LGP for details. 4. Program Transfer. You may permanently transfer all of your rights under this License Agreement, provided the recipient agrees to the terms of this License Agreement and you agree to remove the Program from any computer upon which it has been installed under the transferred License Agreement. 5. Termination. The License Agreement is effective until terminated. You may terminate the License Agreement at any time by destroying the Program. LGP may, at its discretion, terminate this License Agreement in the event that you fail to comply with the terms and conditions contained herein. In such event, you must immediately destroy the Program. 6. Export Controls. The program may not be re-exported, downloaded, otherwise exported into (or to a national or resident of) any country to whom it would be illegal to export the Program under UK law. 7. Limited Warranty. Except as expressly and unambiguously set forth in this paragraph 7, LGP and its licensors disclaim any warranty for the Program, Editor and Manual(s). The Program, Editor and Manual(s) are provided "as is" without any warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement. The entire risk arising out of use or performance of the Program, Editor, and Manual(s) remains with the User, however LGP warrants up to and including 90 days from the date of your purchase 26 of the Program that the media containing the Program shall be free from defects in material and workmanship. In the event that the media proves to be defective during that time period, and upon presentation to LGP of proof of purchase of the defective Program, LGP will at its option: (i) correct any defect; (ii) provide a replacement copy of the same product; or (iii) refund your money. 8. Limitation of Liability. NEITHER LGP, ITS LICENSORS NOR ANY PARENT, SUBSIDIARY OR AFFILIATE OF THE FOREGOING SHALL BE LIABLE IN ANY WAY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE PROGRAM, EDITOR, AND MANUAL(S) INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OF GOODWILL, WORK STOPPAGE, COMPUTER FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION, OR ANY AND ALL OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGES OR LOSSES. 9. Equitable Remedies. You hereby agree that LGP would be irreparably damaged if the terms of this License Agreement were not specifically enforced, and therefore you agree that LGP shall be entitled, without bond, other security, or proof of damages, to appropriate equitable remedies with respect to breaches of this License Agreement, in addition to such other remedies as LGP may otherwise have available to it under applicable laws. In the event that any litigation is brought by either party in connection with this License Agreement, the prevailing party in such litigation shall be entitled to recover from the other party all the costs, attorney’s fees and other expenses incurred by such prevailing party in the litigation. 10. Limitations on License. Nothing in this License Agreement shall preclude you from making or authorizing the making of another copy of adaption of the Program provided, however, that (1) such new copy or adaption is created as an essential step in your utilization of the Program in accordance with the terms of this License Agreement and for NO OTHER PURPOSE; or (2) such new copy or adaption is for archival purposes ONLY and all archival copies are destroyed in the event of your Transfer of the Program, the Termination of this License Agreement or other circumstances under which your continued use of the Program ceases to be rightful. 11. Miscellaneous. This License Agreement shall be deemed to have been made and executed in the United Kingdom and any dispute arising hereunder shall be resolved in accordance with the laws of the UK. You agree that any claim asserted in any legal proceeding by one of the parties against the other shall be commenced and maintained in the appropriate court located in Nottingham, England, having subject matter jurisdiction with respect to the dispute between the parties. This License Agreement may be amended, altered or modified only by an instrument in writing, specifying such amendment, alteration or modification, executed by both parties. In the event that any provision of this License Agreement shall be held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction shall be unenforceable, such provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remaining portions of this License Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. This License Agreement constituted and contains the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior oral or written agreements. You hereby acknowledge that you have read and understand the forgoing License Agreement and agree that the action of installing the Program is an express acknowledgment of your agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this License Agreement. You also acknowledge and agree that this License Agreement is the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between you and LGP and that this License Agreement supersedes any prior or contemporaneous agreement, either oral or written, and any other communications between you and LGP. Linux Game Publishing LTD 17 Rossington Road Nottingham, NG2 4HX, England 27