Bats 2: Return of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom (tm) Version 1.1 Copyright (c) 1995-2001 Pop Software (tm) All Rights Reserved. Do not duplicate. Pop Software and Mutant Space Bats are Trademarks of Pop Software. Support: http://www.spacebats.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Welcome to Bats 2! Quick-start instructions are shown when you run RETURN.EXE This file contains tips and additional information: * Command-line options * How to fire and use the new weapons * What the new crystals do * Survival tips * A special challange if you win * Running under Windows 95 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To load the game without the opening screens, add 'q', like this: return q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If the game crashes after the first round, or in between rounds, try adding the letter 'f' to the command line: return f This will run return is a "safe mode," and the game play will pause while loading rounds. You can combine letters, for example: return f q - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you miss the old music (from BATS 1), use 'm': return m This will give you the old game song instead of the new one. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Using the keyboard: The keyboard is set up so that you can put your left hand on the [Q] [W] [E] keys. | | | | | - Fire Main Guns | ----- Fire ZAP --------- Fire ROTOSPIKE For movement, use the arrow keys. If the grey arrow keys don't work, try using the arrows on the numeric keypad. You can change all of these keys in the game, or choose to use a mouse or joystick. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Zap and Rotospike You can store up to five ZAP charges, represented by BLUE crystals. To throw a ZAP, press [E] (or the key you defined), or BUTTON 2 on your mouse or joystick. ZAP will always go for the nearest enemy, so use it if a bat is swooping in from the side and is about to crash you. ZAP works differently on different enemies... some are destroyed, some are repelled, some are converted, and some are frozen. One enemy is not affected by the ZAP at all. You can store up to five ROTOSPIKE charges, represented by RED crystals. To launch the ROTOSPIKE, press [Q] (or the key you defined), or press BUTTON 1 and BUTTON 2 at the same time on your mouse or joystick. Everytime your launch it, you use one charge. The ROTOSPIKE goes out and does damage to your enemies, and comes back when the job is done. All you have to do is survive while it's doing its job. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - More Tips: To do well, you will have to: * Use your ZAP and SPIKE at the right times * Save some ZAPs for your encounters with MONSTER BAT * Score free ships in the BONUS round - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bonus Game In the bonus rounds YOU ARE THE BAT! Don't plummet like a rock, use the fire button to flap, and the arrow keys to get crystals. Most of the crystals are above you when you start. Get more than 10 to score free ships. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Free Ships During normal play, watch the word FREE SHIP in the lower right-hand corner. Everytime you light up the whole word (by catching many PURPLE crystals), you get a free ship. Watch for the UFO! Also watch the score shown in purple below your score. Everytime you reach that score you get a free ship. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Other Crystals Keep an eye on your BLUE and RED crystals. If you have 5, then you cannot keep any more... so you might as well use them. Watch for the GREEN and WHITE crystals. GREEN gives you a shield that can take one hit for you. WHITE improves your guns, and a second WHITE improves them even more. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - After You Win, A Special Challenge If you should win the game by surviving past the end, rather then quit, the game offers you a special challenge. You will be returned to Round 1, to see how far you can get with no more free ships. This measures your mastery of the game, and awards you for racking up free ships beforehand. The better you are, the further you will progress. If you score over 1,000,000 send some e-mail and let us know! Once you wrap around to Round 1, the panel will say "EXTRA" instead of "ROUND", and the score below yours will indicate the current high-score. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Windows 95 Users: This game works well under Windows 95! If you get memory messages, your DOS window doesn't have enough memory. If this happens, make sure your CONFIG.SYS contains: DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS And wherever you see DEVICE=, change it to DEVICEHIGH= for example, if you have: device=mtmcdai.sys /d:mtmide01 change it to: devicehigh=mtmcdai.sys /d:mtmide01 ---- You can also add the word "HIGH" to almost every command in the config.sys, such as: fileshigh=30 stackshigh=9,256 Furthermore, you can add the word "loadhigh" to the front of commands in your autoexec.bat, for example: GUEST becomes LOADHIGH GUEST Then restart, run DOS from the START menu, and type "mem"... you should notice more memory available to DOS programs. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For additional help, please contact Microsoft Support, or join our forum at http://www.spacebats.com Thanks.... Enjoy Return of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom...!